Prince Albert of Monaco has undergone a "short" medical procedure, the Monaco palace has confirmed. The 67-year-old royal is expected to continue his royal duties as normal.
On Friday, it was confirmed that the royal had undergone a "scheduled, short medical procedure on his scalp" as part of "routine dermatological monitoring". The procedure treated a benign condition and following the operation, the royal required a few stitches.
Monaco royal health
While Albert has generally kept in good health over the years, his wife, Princess Charlene, faced a horrific health battle back in 2021, leaving her stranded in South Africa away from her husband and their twin children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
Charlene collapsed on 1 September 2020 due to complications following one of several surgeries for a severe and ongoing ear, nose and throat (ENT) infection.
She reportedly went in for surgery in mid-May 2021, before a second operation in June, and a "final" surgery in October. Following her ENT infection, Charlene suffered a bout of exhaustion, which she recovered from away from home.
The mother-of-two returned to Monaco in early November 2021 but seemingly continued to struggle with her health for many months. Amid cancelled appearances, the Palais Princier formally announced the royal was taking "time to recover" from her recent "poor health", while Prince Albert confirmed that she was receiving treatment in a facility "outside of Monaco".
Luckily for the royal, her health took a turn for the better as 2022 progressed and she returned to public life, with her husband celebrating her health.
Speaking to PEOPLE magazine, Albert said: "I'm really proud of my wife. Charlene's doing really well. As you can see for yourself, she's been active in any number of different events. Charlene's engaging more in public life and looking after things that she's passionate about."
According to Harley Street's ENT Clinic, "Ear, nose and throat infections are very common. The symptoms are usually relatively mild, but can sometimes cause problems that need to be treated by an ENT specialist."
Symptoms can include "earache, hearing loss, balance problems, headaches, difficulty swallowing, sore throat and swollen glands in your neck".
As for treatment, "Ibuprofen and paracetamol can reduce inflammation that is causing symptoms and may help to bring down your fever, if you have one," while antibiotics may be prescribed for severe symptoms that "last longer than expected".