Princess Charlene, 43, posted the video to her Instagram account, timed to coincide with the Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health, and offered her support for the event. The video appears to have raised more questions than it answered, however, with the royal now absent from Monaco for more than five months amid mysterious health problems.
The video starts with text, saying: “Wishing Prince Albert II of Monaco foundation [sic] and Princess Charle in Monaco Foundation for the evening’s fundraiser…a successful and magical moment.
“With all our gratitude, HSH Princess Charlene de Monaco.”
The next frame shows Charlene’s head, bejewelled in a tiara, appearing to emerge from water.
The caption then reads: “As I was born of the ocean so the ocean was born of me. I present to you a piece of both.”
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The image was taken by photographer Vanessa von Zitzewitz and published for the fundraising project, but is undated and believed to have been shot when Princess Charlene was still in Monaco.
The video was widely interpreted as an attempt by the princess to show she remains attached to Monaco, but it appears to have backfired, drawing even more attention to her absence.
Le Figaro newspaper called the message “enigmatic”, while Elle magazine said it was “mysterious” and The Times said it raised “concerns”.
Charlene left for South Africa – where she grew up – more than five months ago, for what was initially expected to be…
