Princess Charlene is looking healthier and happier than she has in many years and a source exclusively tells In Touch it’s in no small part because husband Prince Albert has eased off the handbrake and stopped trying to control her every move as he has been alleged to do in the past. 

The Princess of Monaco, 46, looked the royal part while out distributing aid for the Red Cross in December 2024, debuting straight cut bangs while sporting a sleeveless longline khaki wool jacket over a high-neck black knit dress paired with knee-high black leather boots with a block heel and gold buckle at the ankle – something the source notes marks a change in the princess’ mode of dress that signals an even more dramatic shift behind the scenes of her marriage to the prince, 66. 

“He’s removed the pressure and become more submissive and sensitive to her needs,” the insider explains. “He’s giving her more autonomy to make her own decisions.” 

The prince has a rumored controlling streak with his allegedly long-suffering wife. According to some reports, back when they were set to marry in 2011 Charlene brokered a deal with the royal family after she attempted to flee Monaco to get out of the wedding. While the two were dating, the soon-to-be princess discovered Albert had an affair and had fathered a child with a Brazilian woman, who slapped him with a paternity suit in 2005. Worse yet, she apparently found out about another child just before their wedding, prompting Charlene to try to call it off. A deal was brokered and she ended up going through with the wedding, but her life as a royal has been scrutinized and commented on ever since, especially as rumors of Albert’s controlling nature surfaced.

“In the past, Albert insisted on being aware of her movements and dictating her mode of dress, but he’s trying to be less so now, and word is he’s even reining in the spies he had tailing her to allow her more privacy,” the insider explains. 

“This has a lot to do with the change you’re seeing in Charlene, it’s reflecting in her appearance. She’s fresh-faced and confident, she stands with poise and self-control.” 

Psychologist Dr. Becky Spelman, who has not treated the princess, said the change in appearance “shows confidence that you’re not afraid to be different. She probably feels quite free that she’s done something different to her hair, rather than conforming to what people think a royal might be like.”

Royal historian Nigel Cawthorne echoed the sentiment, saying, “When a royal changes their appearance as dramatically as Princess Charlene has, it’s a very conscious decision and a sign that they want to tell the world something has changed dramatically in their life.”

The source agrees that change is definitely in their for the princess – and likely the prince as well – as their “marriage has faced some serious trouble in recent times, but the relationship is strengthening again and that’s good for them, their kids and Monaco.”