PREGNANT PRINCESS
The princess is out of hiding
Monaco is buzzing with joyful rumours that Princess Charlene is pregnant with royal baby number three – or even four and five!
After weeks of whispers that Prince Albert’s eight-year marriage to the former South African Olympic swimmer was on the rocks, Charlene’s strange absences appear to instead be caused by an exhausting pregnancy. The mother of four-year-old twins Gabriella and Jacques is believed to be about four months along.
Charlene was criticised as the “ghost princess” after cancelling all her engagements in recent weeks. She hasn’t been seen since September 6, at the Monaco national picnic, where she wore an over-sized draped cape and trouser outfit which camouflaged her figure.
“Albert seemed to be running Monaco single-handedly, attending all the official events on his own. He had dinner with Barack and Michelle Obama without Charlene by his side. The obvious reason for gossips was she’d walked out on her marriage.
“What really set tongues wagging was when Albert took their twins for a holiday cruise off the coast of Croatia in August. Everyone assumed the worst, that their marriage was over.” In fact, says the source, ource, Albert decided to give his pregnant wife a few days rest from m the demands of the twins, leaving her to relax at their ranch Roc Agel in the cooler French hills overlooking Monaco.
The prince, 61, carried on alone through his official engagements – from ex French President Jacques Chirac’s Paris funeral on September 30, to a Global Ocean ecological gala – Charlene’s pet project – to the Princess Charlene Foundation Monaco Cup presentation.
On October 5, Albert hosted the Monte Carlo Casino Secret Games soirée with beaming older sister Caroline on his arm.
“Charlene was safely tucked up in bed at the palace,” tells another source. “She’s believed to be exhausted with sickness and fatigue from the pregnancy. Whether it will be twins – or more! – no-one knows yet.”
Adds a palace insider, “At 41, it’s been a rough ride so far. She’s determined nothing should go wrong with this pregnancy. She wants to get past the first few fragile months before making any official announcement.”
Charlene’s mum Lynette Wittstock almost gave the game away recently in an interview, revealing her daughter “had always dreamed of having five children”.