PRINCESS CHARLENE OF MONACO is facing another medical procedure in South Africa, where she has been forced to remain since May due to a prolonged health issue. “I was supposed to be here for 10 to 12 days,” said the 43-year-old former Olympic swimmer in a radio interview this morning. “Unfortunately, I had a problem equalizing my ears, and I found out through the doctors that I had a sinus infection and quite a serious one. So, it’s taking time to address this problem that I’m having.”
Being so far away from her husband, Prince Albert, 63, only son of the late Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, and Charlene and Albert’s twins, six-year-old Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, has been extremely difficult for Monaco’s royal family. “My daily conversations with Albert and my children help me keep my spirits up a lot, but I miss their presence very much,” she allowed. “I can’t wait for us to be together.” To add to the stress of the long separation, certain European tabloids have circulated unsubstantiated speculation that there may be marital troubles. Sources linked to France’s Paris Match have cited Charlene has “no intention of returning,” while Germany’s Bunte claimed the princes was house-hunting near Johannesburg.
Intent on using her time away from home to the fullest, Princess Charlene has devoted these many months to the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation Established in December 2012, the Foundation promotes programs that teach children swimming, water sports, and provides certified swimming instructors with the latest aids in preventing drowning and promoting water safety. To date, more than 860,000 people, mainly children, in 36 countries have benefited from the Foundation’s resources and programs. Among the ambassadors and advisors of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation are tennis champion Novak Djokovic, Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis, Olympic swimming champion Yannick Agnel, and one of Elysian’s own Inspiring Women, Dara Torres.
Princess Charlene has further utilized her time in South Africa to engage her Foundation in one of her heartstring causes: the conservation of the rapidly depleting numbers of rhinoceros. Recently she announced a partnership with the Thanda Foundation Trust, one of the founding organizations of Project Rhino. “Project Rhino is an association of like-minded organizations made up of private, community and Provincial Government Conservation Agency owners of rhino, leading conservation NGO’s and security specialists,” explains Thanda Foundation Trust Chairman Pierre Delvaux. “It facilitates rhino conservation interventions aimed at eliminating poaching and securing the white and black rhino populations of KwaZulu-Natal. In addition, one of our aims with this exciting collaboration with the Princess Charlene Foundation is to also provide much-needed funding for Project Rhino to really make a significant difference in our ambitious goal to save our rhino populations.”
Despite the important inroads Princess Charlene has made through her Foundation, she is anxious to return to her family and life in Monaco, but accepts the fact that “I cannot force healing, so I will be grounded in South Africa until the end of October,” she ventured in an August 3rd interview with Mandy Wiener of South Africa Radio 702. We wish her well in her upcoming medical procedure for a full and complete recovery.
Image courtesy of Palais Princier de Monaco.