Princess Charlene reunites with family in Monaco after 10-month stay in SA

Princess Charlene of Monaco has finally been reunited with her family after a 10-month stay in SA. 

The princess came to SA in March to attend the funeral of the late Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini but stayed on in the country after she contracted an ear, nose and throat infection. 

The former Olympic swimmer, who married Prince Albert of Monaco in 2011, was here to raise awareness about rhino poaching when she took ill.

During her stay, she was involved with conservation operations including rhino monitoring and tracking, deployment with the Anti-Poaching Unit, educational wildlife photography sessions, and a white rhino dart and dehorning exercise on a safari in KwaZulu-Natal.

She also focused on water safety initiatives for children and joined hands with golfer Louis Oosthuizen’s iPapa57 Feeding the Children programme, which supports community centres in the Mossel Bay area.

On Monday, the Monégasque royal bid farewell to her home country, with Prince Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini on hand to send her off at King Shaka airport.

Her Serene Highness thanked the Zulu prince for his “kindness and support” during her lengthy stay in an Instagram post.

She also thanked the doctors who treated her for their “tremendous job” helping her.

In a later post, the princess, 43, shared a heartwarming image with her husband and their six-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, after their reunion.

Accompanying the family snap was a short message that said, “Happy day today. Thank you all for keeping me strong”.