Prince Albert, Princess Charlene faced with split rumors following health woes: ‘She’ll never leave her kids’
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco have been physically apart for months
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For months, Princess Charlene of Monaco has been away from her husband Prince Albert and their two children as she recovers from surgery in South Africa, sparking rumors of an impending split.
However, a source told People magazine on Friday that the royal is hopeful she will be reunited with her family soon.
"She’ll never leave her kids," a source close to Charlene, 43, told the outlet, suggesting the princess will return to Monaco as soon as it’s safe to do.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The palace also confirmed to the outlet that Albert, 63, and their twins, 6, plan to return to South Africa to visit Charlene in the near future. The palace is "currently monitoring health, safety and political concerns in the country before a firm date is set."
Prince Albert with his wife Charlene, Princess of Monaco. (Reuters )
The prince and the twins previously visited South Africa in early June.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to the outlet, Charlene traveled to her homeland in early May to participate in activities supporting her South Africa foundation. In late June, Charlene announced she is being forced to miss her 10th anniversary with Albert due to additional surgery required after complications from a previous procedure.
In mid-July, Charlene told South African outlet Channel24 that she was experiencing ear, nose and throat troubles.
"I was instructed by the doctors that I can’t fly yet because I’m unable to equalize my ears and therefore cannot fly above 20,000 feet… due to the pressure," Charlene explained, as quoted by the outlet. "I miss my husband, my babies – Jacqui and Bella – and my doggies terribly, [but] I can’t force a recovery of bone and membrane – it takes time."
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IOC member Prince Albert of Monaco attends day four of the swimming competition of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Still, European tabloids have insisted that the couple’s separation goes far deeper than health woes. Sources alleged to France’s Paris Match that Charlene has "no intention of returning" while Germany’s Bunte claimed Charlene was house-hunting near Johannesburg.
The rumors intensified when Albert attended the Tokyo Olympics solo despite the prince being a longtime member of the International Olympic Committee. Charlene is also a former Olympic swimmer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In June, Charlene told People magazine in a statement that she’s hopeful for the future.
"My daily conversations with Albert and my children help me keep my spirits up a lot, but I miss their presence very much," she said. "I can’t wait for us to be together."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco present twins Princess Gabriella of Monaco and Prince Jacques of Monaco at the Palace Balcony on Jan. 7, 2015 in Monaco. (Villard/Niviere/PLS Pool/Getty Images)
The celebrated athlete married the son of Grace Kelly on July 1, 2011. The wedding was a spectacle, costing an estimated $70 million for the four-day event. They welcomed twins in 2014.
Their planned public anniversary celebration was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.