Princess Charlene of Monaco spent Easter with her family after battling a mysterious illness that has been keeping her in South Africa.
“Happy Easter ❤️,” she wrote on Instagram on Sunday, alongside a portrait of her, husband Prince Albert II and their 7-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, posing next to a basket containing a white rabbit.
Charlene, 44, shared more photos of her family on her Instagram Story, including one of them attending Easter Mass in the private chapel of the Palace of Monaco with Chaplain Père Penzo.
The family portrait is the first official photo to be released since August 2021.
As Page Six exclusively reported, Charlene “almost died” in South Africa after undergoing multiple surgeries and losing an extreme amount of weight.
Family friends were concerned Albert, 64, had downplayed his wife’s illness after giving an interview in November in which he claimed she had entered rehab after returning to the principality.
“It’s unfair that she is portrayed with a mental or emotional problem,” a source told us. “We don’t know why the palace downplays the fact that she almost died in South Africa.”
Princess Charlene appeared in her first official family portrait since she was stricken with a mysterious illness. hshprincesscharlene/Instagram
A source previously told Page Six that Charlene “almost died” in South Africa. Corbis via Getty Images
The source noted that Charlene had serious ear, nose and throat infections that led to “sinus and swallowing problems from a previous surgery.”
“Because of all the surgeries she’s undergone since then, she hasn’t been able to eat solid food for over six months,” the source said. “She could only drink liquids through a straw, so she lost almost half her body weight.”
Prince Albert said his wife entered rehab after returning to Monaco. Corbis via Getty Images
Concerns about Charlene’s worrying weight loss began when she posted a photo of herself on October 2, followed by the announcement that she was pulling out of a November 19 official event due to “profound general fatigue.”
Albert then told People magazine that the princess was admitted to a “treatment facility” outside of Monaco after “it became apparent that she was unwell” within hours of her return from 10 months in South Africa.
Charlene has not spoken publicly about her health.