What on earth is going on with Princess Charlene of Monaco?

[clartymare]

The latest update doesn't seem to make a huge amount of sense - a sinus infection has kept her away from Monaco since January? I understand that would mean you couldn't fly, but surely someone with her status would be offered another mode of transport to return to her children?
She doesn't look well in the video, I hope it's just poorly shot and that she's not seriously poorly.

Their 10th anniversary has passed now

I hadn't twigged it was so long, but guess time flies when you're not having fun

Worth remembering that the Monagasque heir has to be born in wedlock, so while Caroline's son could have taken over it may have been thought that Albert had to marry someone. Doubtless they made it worth her while and maybe she thought he'd pull his horns in ... trouble is the second hasn't happened and the first can be taken back

@MySecretHistory

My DF went from south Africa to Liverpool on 1941 He was bombed by the Italians and they sunk the convoy Maybe that is her concern

I'm not usually a fan of royal conspiracy theories but the whole Charlene/Albert thing is just dodgy as F*. She's generally looked miserable throughout. It's not even like it seemed like a business arrangement because as a world class athlete, I think she'd have had the skills to just get on with it if she'd entered any arrangement willingly. But how or what the issue is, I just can't imagine.

I suspect she's in SA because if she goes back, she might never be able to leave. And I can't help thinking he's holding her children over her. I feel like she's in a situation where she either has to escape or be with her children, she can't do both.

I feel for the children the most. It must be so confusing.

Her fleeing to a plane did happen
My parents lived in Monaco at the time and all the roads were blocked and stopped
She made it as far as onto the plane then the plane was grounded.

@thecognoscenti

I really feel for her. He is a creep. She has been trapped for so long. If it was really an illness and he was on board with her needing treatment he could presumably take the children to see her in SA, which he doesn't appear to have done.

Good point. why don't the children go to her hmm

Can someone who knows more about this fill in some backstory for me? If she's South African, how could she have been forced to marry him in the first place?

Good point. why don't the children go to her hmm

She specifically states in her interview the kids have been out and are coming back

Ah thanks bluntness! I didn't see that

I really don’t get their set up, loads of women are happy to marry for wealth, status, privilege etc without being in love and accept the ‘deal’ so what I can’t get my head around is if Prince Albert had to marry someone, why pick a woman who you had to literally kidnap and force down the aisle? Surely he could have found a woman who was happy to be the wife of a billionaire and become a Princess, why did it have to be Charlene? Is it all about control? Perverse form of love?

Sent to rehab?
Shaved hair and she looks ' different'

Horehound whoah that’s crazy, didn’t know that. Well spotted at the ten year mark…suspicious. If her brother is hanging out with vile Albert I hope she has other family and friends she can rely on :( sinus infection truly is a great way of not getting on a plane, if there was pressure from Monaco to SA to bring her back/them bring her back. What shocks me is why she was ever with him in the first place! She’s probably never getting those kids back, the price of her “freedom” :(

Also maybe Monaco - if you’re not born into the royal family - is more akin to the UAE princesses, the way he’s seemingly treating her

It’s all very odd isn’t it? I don’t know what to believe but it does seem like something is going on.

if Prince Albert had to marry someone, why pick a woman who you had to literally kidnap and force down the aisle? Surely he could have found a woman who was happy to be the wife of a billionaire and become a Princess

Well it seems not, or he wouldn't have had to behave this way

In fairness he's not the only man with money, and not all of them are slugs - which perhaps explains why apparently nobody else fancied the job

Charlene has done her job with a legitimate heir and a spare for the Grimaldis. She has probably been allowed to leave Monaco on the condition she keeps her mouth shut and will see the twins when Albert allows her to

I think he was basically in a relation ship with the mother of one or two ? if his children, which must make cultivating a new relationship very hard. Charlene was cut and pasted in while he RELAXED, perperually with the woman he wouldnt marry. Its all very odd.

Well it seems not, or he wouldn't have had to behave this way

Highly unlikely he could not have found a woman happy to marry him for a billionaire lifestyle and royal status alone, that type of ‘arranged’ marriage has been around for centuries, particularly in royal families which is why it must be about him controlling her, she didn’t really want him, he’s probably never heard the word no in his life.

@PurpleOkapi

Can someone who knows more about this fill in some backstory for me? If she's South African, how could she have been forced to marry him in the first place?

This is what I don’t understand either, yes she was apparently stopped at the airport etc but she didn’t have a gun to her head to force her to marry him, I doubt she would have been held in the Monaco prison until she agreed to go through with it. I know everyone feels really sorry for her, but she went through with it for a reason, either she does/did actually love him or the lure of royalty and money seemed a price worth paying.

Rehab or surgery I reakon

There’s a hell of a lot of speculation here putting Albert in various nefarious positions, no one knows, she could have mental health problems, be an alcoholic, a drug addict, seriously ill. It might be a normal divorce, it might be what she says,( although that does seem unlikely) but I think peoooe are speculating with no basis of knowledge on their relationship

Something is going on and we'll never find out I don't suppose. I hope she is okay though.
As an aside, she's insanely beautiful, she reminds me of Charlize Theron. We all want beauty and money, but it certainly doesn't make you happy.

I remember a while ago there was an anonymous story from an infamous French madam about her very exclusive clients.
There were rumours of violent practices.
It all emerged after Strauss-Kahn was busted in NYC and his texts leaked- he was referring to the escorts he and his buddies were hiring for private parties as 'the merchandise'.
More stories then came out including the one about certain clients who paid more because they would often end up damaging 'the merchandise'.

As for the rumours of escape a couple of days before their wedding there were stories in the French press that Charlene was physically stopped as she was trying to cross into France to catch a flight back home.

She looked utterly miserable during the wedding ceremony and there are shots of Albert whispering to her with a face like thunder throughout the service.
I remember noticing the contrast after William and Kate's wedding.

The whole thing is very bizarre.

I think I remember that Reeva Steenkamp was worried about supporting her parents should she leave Oscar Pistorius? They were short of money and completely dependent on Reeva.

I'm only wondering, but perhaps Charlene had similar concerns, perhaps gifts had been made already, repayment would be demanded - like a pre employment settlement agreement of some kind. I can't think of any other reason she would have possibly gone though with that wedding that she clearly didn't want to go though with. She doesn't seem to be allowed to speak publicly on the matter so perhaps NDA is also in play.

I noticed earlier in that video of her that her eyebrows are hairless and drawn on.

So it could be alopecia, trichotillomania, chemo, or just good old over plucking. Who knows!

@PearlFriday

I think he was basically in a relation ship with the mother of one or two ? if his children, which must make cultivating a new relationship very hard. Charlene was cut and pasted in while he RELAXED, perperually with the woman he wouldnt marry. Its all very odd.

Do you mean like a Charles and Camilla situation where this other woman is not suitable as a royal princess, but he won't give her up regardless? So he needed his Diana style 'acceptable' princess.