The reinvention of Princess Charlene of Monaco should be applauded after a year of absence from public life due to illness | OPINION

NOTICE — Dressed in a classic pearl necklace and yellow shift dress, Princess Charlene of Monaco could easily have been mistaken for the principality’s beloved first lady, Grace Kelly, were it not for her tightly cropped hair.

Princess Charlene’s recent appearance at an aged care center in Monte Carlo appeared to have come straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine in the 1950s, exuding royal charm and elegance.

It’s the latest in a series of carefully crafted public engagements signaling the reinvention of Princess Charlene not just to her subjects, but on the world stage, after a year of negative headlines focused on her. mysterious disappearance and poor health.

READ MORE: Princess Charlene of Monaco: Focus on the enigmatic royal

The courtiers of the principality have only one objective since the return of Princess Charlene to Monaco in November after six months of convalescence in South Africa: to see her first lady resume her role alongside her husband Prince Albert II.

For Charlene, her priority has been her health.

“When I came back to the principality, I focused all my energy on my children, my husband and my health, because they are my priority,” Princess Charlene told a local publication. Monaco Morning in May.

“My state of health is still fragile and I don’t want to go too fast. The path has been long, difficult and so painful. Today, I feel more serene.”

Much like her late mother-in-law, whom Charlene never met, the 44-year-old’s time as the Monaco leader’s wife has been both filled with glamor and also with scandal.

Anxious to avoid another year of bad press, Prince Albert and his team have no doubt worked hard behind the scenes to ensure that Princess Charlene is back where her subjects expect her – on duty and at her sides.

And their work is paying off after a shaky start.

Already, Princess Charlene has performed over a dozen public events this year alone and she recently entered the cryptocurrency phenomenona bold step for a member of a royal family.

Things had improved when Charlene was reunited with Prince Albert and their twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella on November 8, but things deteriorated again after it was confirmed she had been admitted to a health clinic private.

READ MORE: All the details of Princess Charlene’s monumental royal wedding

Prince Albert said his wife suffered from “profound general fatigue… exhaustion, both emotional and physical” and she began treatment in Switzerland.

Four months later, a second re-entry attempt was made – with much more success.

Princess Charlene’s return to the royal fold was hinted at in a family photo shared by the palace on Easter Sunday.

Sitting on the grass in the park of the Prince’s Palace, Charlene and her family smiled in front of the cameras suggesting happier times were ahead.

About a week later, His Serene Highness performed his long-awaited first royal duty in over a year, joining Prince Albert and their children at the Monaco Grand Prix on April 30.

A little over a week later, on May 7, Charlène was again in front of the cameras with her family, this time for the Sainte Dévote rugby tournament.

What followed was a series of high-profile appearances, both solo and with Albert and the kids.

With a strong focus on Monaco’s favorite pursuits – motor racing, fashion and stardom – Charlene’s work ethic triumphed over her mysterious illness.

Charlene walked the red carpet at the Monte Carlo Television Festival, met new parents in a maternity ward inside a hospital, cheered on Grand Prix drivers, traveled to Oslo, where she met the Norwegian royal family, and then prayed with Pope Francis. during a private audience in the Vatican.

Charlene even took Princess Gabriella to a fashion show in what was the young royal’s first official event.

Her Serene Highness made a big effort to get back on the good side of her subjects, whom she said were jealous before the wedding in 2010.

charlene said Tatler magazine that she had been “prone to jealously” and “only having two people I consider friends here.”

She admitted to struggling to make friends and over the ensuing decade some reports suggested that nothing had changed.

Some gossip magazines have chosen to speculate on the state of Charlene’s marriage to Prince Albert during his long absence, with one report claiming she was paid $18million. resume his official duties by his side – which palace sources have categorically denied.

“I always find it regrettable that some media peddle such rumors about my life, my relationship,” Charlène said in May.

“Like everyone, we are human beings and like all human beings we have emotions, weaknesses, only our family is exposed to the media and the slightest weakness is relayed.”

In defiance of her critics, Charlene faced the cameras and got to work.

Admittedly, at her first two events this year, she didn’t look too happy, which only boosted the tabloids, but in the months that followed, Charlene reclaimed her place as Princess of Monaco. and seems to flourish.

Recent visits to a hospital and elderly care center have allowed Charlene to show her warmer side, and her impact and importance to the people of Monaco is there for all to see.

One of her best moments so far was when she surprised tourists visiting the newly reopened prince’s palace.

Charlene had inspected the palace’s Renaissance frescoes and paintings which were on public display for the first time after several years of work and restoration.

The royal was strolling through the newly refurbished State Apartments when she came across some holidaymakers, who were clearly delighted to meet the princess.

Charlene happily posed for photos with members of the public who were lucky enough to time their visit with the palace chatelaine.

In 2010, Charlene spoke of wanting to make changes to the historic building, saying it needed “a feminine touch”.

“You can tell a woman hasn’t lived here in a while,” she said.

“I want to make big changes to the interiors to modernize things and brighten them up.”

Which she did, while ensuring that her royal duties continued to align with her passions, which matters to Charlene, post-recovery, now more than ever.

Her charity, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, relished her return to the spotlight with Charlene supporting one of her drowning prevention events shortly after reprising her role.

Through her personal Instagram account, Charlene recently announced her first foray into cryptocurrency by launch a collection of non-fungible tokensor NFT.

She lent her image to a work called OurVisionTogether, created by South African artist Junaid Sénéchal-Senekal.

Proceeds will help starving children in South Africa, the country where Princess Charlene grew up.

It was during Charlene’s stay in South Africa last year that she started working on the Feed2gether project, with the support of her foundation.

In a video filmed during her recovery, Charlene explained her reasons for supporting the project.

“Food is vitally important for children aged one to six for their brain development,” she said.

“The ambition is to give people the opportunity and the right to grow strong and healthy in our country. It can and will be done.”

In a big show of support for his wife, Prince Albert was the first to buy one of 15 NFTs.

Charlene’s new project was perhaps her biggest indication that even though she has returned to her place as Princess of Monaco, she is determined to do things her own way.

This newly confident character is a welcome change and marks a fresh start for Princess Charlene.

Having carried out only one official task in 2021 – for the Sainte Dévote ceremony on January 27 – Charlene clarifies that this year will be very different.

His perseverance, resilience and dedication should be applauded.

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