Princess Charlene is still planning to return to Monaco to be with her husband Albert II and their two children, contrary to reports that she has started looking for properties in South Africa.

A source told People magazine that Charlene will "never leave her kids," 6-year-old twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, whom she shares with Monaco's reigning monarch. The insider suggested that the princess will return to Monaco as soon as her health issues, which bar her from travelling, are resolved.

Meanwhile, the palace has also confirmed that Prince Albert is planning to visit his wife with their children in South Africa where she is recovering from an ear, nose, and throat infection. The royal had contracted the infection after she visited the country in mid-March for a conservation trip, and later underwent "multiple, complicated procedures" for it.

The Monegasque royal had to miss celebrating a decade of her marriage with her husband in July this year due to the travel restrictions. She told South African outlet Channel24 at the time, "I was instructed by the doctors that I can't fly yet because I'm unable to equalise my ears and therefore cannot fly above 20,000 feet...due to the pressure. I miss my husband, my babies — Jacqui and Bella — and my doggies terribly, [but] I can't force a recovery of bone and membrane — it takes time."

However, as the monarch couple deal with a rough patch in their marriage due to a fresh paternity suit against Albert over a love child born during the early days of his relationship with Charlene, several reports claimed that there are more troubles in their union than the palace is letting on. French magazine Paris Match's sources said that "The princess has, for the time being, in reality, no intention of returning,'" while German magazine Bunte claimed that she has already started house-hunting near Johannesburg.

Nonetheless, the Princess herself has insisted that all is well within the family. The 43-year-old said in praise of her husband, "What has been extremely difficult for me was when I was instructed by my medical team that I could not return home for my 10th wedding anniversary. Without his love and support I would not have been able to get through this painful time."

Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II