Princess Charlene and Prince Albert took some time off their public duties to enjoy a family holiday earlier this month. Photographs published by MailOnline show the couple enjoying quality time together on a beach in Corsica.

Charlene, 45, and Albert, 65, both donned long-sleeved swimwear as they dipped in and out of the sea, with the Monaco head of state enjoying a spot of snorkelling and kayaking.

The couple, who have been married for 12 years, were also pictured with their arms around each other in the water.

According to the newspaper, the Monaco royals spent their summer on board a yacht off the French island, renowned for its stunning coastal scenery.

Albert and Charlene were reportedly joined by their eight-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.

News of their vacation comes just days after the Princess deactivated her personal Instagram account. The account, with 462,000 followers and 96 posts, @hshprincesscharlene, now takes fans to an error page, reading: “Sorry, this page isn’t available.”

However, the royal’s official Instagram account for The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation remains active. 

Albert and Charlene have been the centre of many rumours regarding the happiness of their marriage, and in March the prince spoke out to publicly deny that the couple were separating.

A spokesperson from the Palace delivered a statement from Albert which read: “I would like to formally deny the malicious rumours peddled by the French magazine Royauté. Please disregard this article which is totally unfounded.”

The couple’s last public engagement together was at the 74th Red Cross Gala in Monaco in July, where Albert donned a white tuxedo and Charlene looked beautiful in a shimmering white gown and jaw-dropping jewels.

Where did Prince Albert and Princess Charlene meet?

Albert and South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock met at the Mare Nostrum swimming meet in Monaco in 2000. Six years later they made their debut as a couple at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics.

The prince proposed to Charlene in June 2010, and the couple tied the knot during three days of lavish celebrations in July 2011, with the bride wearing an off-the-shoulder Armani Privé silk gown.

The Monaco royal couple became parents with the birth of their twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Charlene, on 10 December 2014.

Prince Albert has also fathered two other children from two previous romances – Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, born in 1992, and Alexandre Grimaldi, born in 2003.

Neither Jazmin nor Alexandre are in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne as their parents never married.

In 2021, Albert and Charlene spent their tenth wedding anniversary apart due to the princess’ ear, nose and throat infection and subsequent operations, which left her grounded in South Africa.