Prince Albert at the Olympics

HSH Prince Albert II talking with Thomas Bach, IOC President

HSH Prince Albert II giving encouragement to skier Olivier

Jeunot of Team Monaco

And another shot of the Prince & Princess with all the athletes of Team Monaco

Albert, Charlene and Stephanie Videos

Prince Albert in Wyoming

Last Thursday, September 19, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco was in Cody, Wyoming, to celebrate the centenary of the visit of his great-great grandfather Prince Albert I. His predecessor on the Monegasque throne had visited the area in his time, guided by "Buffalo Bill" Cody himself (as you read about here last year when this visit was first announced).  Today's Sovereign Prince presented the first prize to two American scientists, Arthur Middleton and Joe Riis in recognition of their work. The award was named the 'Camp Monaco Prize' in honor of the previous expedition of Prince Albert I in which their hunting camp was named "Camp Monaco". As you can see in the photo above, that name was carved on a nearby tree and that portion of the tree has been preserved in honor of the occasion when a Prince of Monaco first came to the wild west state of Wyoming in 1913.

Prince Albert at the Dutch Inauguration

It was a big day for the Kingdom of The Netherlands yesterday as the Dutch celebrated the beginning of a new era with the abdication of HM Queen Beatrix (now Princess) and the inauguration of HM King Willem-Alexander, the first Dutch king in 123 years. Of course, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, who has known Willem-Alexander for many years, was on hand to welcome him into that exclusive club of sovereign monarchs.

At the Nieuwe Kerk for the oath, the Sovereign Prince was looking quite dashing in his collar of the Order of St Charles. He was seated next to Sjeikha Moza bint Nasser al Misned of Qatar and Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco. Behind him are Crown Prince Frederick and Princess Mary of Denmark, possibly Prince Daniel of Sweden and there's no mistaking the familiar scowl of Herman Van Rumpuy way in the back.

Later, at the "after party" the Prince of Monaco came in alongside the newlyweds from Luxembourg, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stephanie.

Prince of Monaco in Haiti

HSH Prince Albert II, after a visit to Brazil, stopped in at the struggling island nation of Haiti where he met with President Martelly and then visited the "Prince Albert II of Monaco" kindergarten and elementary school, named in his honor, which opened recently for the 2012-2013 school year. It serves a student body of 160 "particularly disadvantaged children" with a goal of 290 students expected to be met soon. The school was opened thanks to the cooperation of the "Monaco Collectif Haiti". In the wake of the earthquake disaster, Prince Albert II and the Monegasque government acted quickly to send assistance to Haiti and set up programs to aid the country which are now obviously bearing fruit. Haiti and Monaco are both members of the Francophone community of nations, a representative of which Albert II will also be meeting with. During his visit the Sovereign Prince also met with Haiti native and former Governor-General of Canada Michaelle Jean who is a special UN ambassador for UNESCO as well as a pioneer in research for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Prince Reacts to Papal Resignation

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco has been visiting Brazil lately and was there when he learned, along with the rest of the world, that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will resign from his office at the end of the month. Monaco has a long and close history with the papacy and the Principality is one of the last remaining officially Catholic monarchies in the world. Prince Albert II, who attended the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI, was quick to release a statement saying that he was emotional upon hearing the news that the Pope would be stepping down but called the decision "courageous". The Sovereign Prince praised the Pope and spoke of his most recent visit to the Vatican with HSH Princess Charlene, which was the first time the Princess had met the Pontiff. Prince Albert also assured the Pope that he would remain in the prayers of the House of Grimaldi. Pope Benedict XVI cited his age and physical weakness as the reason for his resignation. The Pope had planned to visit the Principality of Monaco last year but it never came about, possibly due to the Pontiff's increasing frailty. The Principality of Monaco has maintained diplomatic relations with the Holy See longer than almost any other existing country and Prince Albert II is a high ranking member of the Knights of Malta and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.

SAS Prince Albert II et Dmitry Rybolovlev en visite à La Turbie

The Prince and the President

In their first formal meeting, French President Francois Hollande welcomed HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco to the Elysee Palace for a 'working lunch' to discuss matters of common interest and boost Franco-Monegasque relations. As I'm sure all regular readers know, the Principality of Monaco has a "special relationship" with the French Republic in that, while remaining a sovereign state, the principality is a protectorate of France and France has traditionally had considerable influence in the micro-monarchy on their southern coast.

"And how about this global warming huh?"

"Well, thanks for the lunch Monsieur, we'll have to have you over to the palace someday"

"Goodbye Frenchie friends, I love ya!"

"See you later guys, I won't be far away"

Prince Albert Talks Turkey

Recently, HSH Prince Albert II made his first official visit to the Republic of Turkey, starting last Tuesday, which is intended to kick-off a new period of closer relations between Monaco and Turkey. The Sovereign Prince was met by Turkish President Abdullah Gul and after inspecting a guard of honor, hosted him at a formal dinner at the Cankaya presidential palace. In his remarks on that occasion, the President praised the Prince of Monaco for his 'political vision' and for fostering improved Turko-Monegasque relations and that the visit marks the begining of a new period of cooperation on environmental protection, sustainable development (that vague thing everyone is in favor of these days) and renewable energy. He also remarked on the historic nature of this occasion, the first official state visit by a Prince of Monaco to Turkey though, of course, Prince Albert II had visited Turkey before, unofficially, in a private capacity. The President also said that Turkey could take Monaco as a role model in improving their own tourist industry.

The following day there was a joint meeting of the Monaco Chamber of Commerce and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce to discuss closer economic ties between the two countries at near opposite ends of the Mediterranean Sea. The Sovereign Prince also met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I and visited the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.

Holding on to History

It was recently 'Heritage Day' in the sunny Principality of Monaco and in honor of that occasion, for a rare treat, the library of the Princely Palace was open to the public (I would have loved to have been there for that). HSH Prince Albert II was at the openning and met with one Ms. Carpine, an historian who specializes in the history of the Princes of Monaco (dare I hope for an English-language publishing?), which covers quite a long stretch of time. HSH Princess Charlene was not to be seen but she was perhaps busy getting packed and making travel plans as afterwards the Princely couple left for an official 2-day visit to the Baltic state of Lithuania.

Prince Going to Wyoming

Buffalo Bill and Prince Albert I

It was recently announced that HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco will be visiting the state of Wyoming to attend the 2013 Buffalo Bill Historical Center Patrons Ball for the 100th anniversary of the visit of HSH Prince Albert I of Monaco to Cody, Wyoming for a hunting expedition with the legendary scout and western showman. The Monegasque ambassador said,

"As you know, 2013 is ... the centennial of the visit to Cody of Prince Albert I, the scholarly prince and co-founder of oceanography. In September 1913, he went hunting with the iconic Buffalo Bill. Now, I have the distinct honor of informing you that Prince Albert II has accepted the kind invitation of Governor Matt Mead and the BBHC board of trustees to participate in this celebration and will be present here next year."

There is no word yet if HSH Princess Charlene will be accompanying the Prince. However, we do know that, while he is in the neighborhood, the Sovereign Prince (and noted super-environmentalist) will present a biodiversity award for the Yellowstone region on behalf of the Prince Albert II Foundation. A fitting tribute as well for Buffalo Bill Cody who was also something of an early-day environmentalist, concerned with the state of the great outdoors in Wyoming and the surrounding western region.

In 1993, Prince Albert II made a memorable visit to Cody, Wyoming for the 80th anniversary of the expedition by his predecessor. It was on that occasion that former girlfriend Tamara Rotolo showed up at the event with her then 17-month old daughter Jazmin Grace to gain an acknowledgement that the baby was Prince Albert's. That was soon established and the Prince has supported Jazmin ever since. This time, we can be confident there will be no such "surprises".

Colonel Cody looks on as Prince Albert I presents a special rifle to a Crow chief

Prince Albert Crushes It With the Clintons

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco was one of many high-profile attendees at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, a huge group of world elites who get together every year in their unending quest to help you out (your check is probably in the mail as we speak). The "Initiative" was formed by former U.S. President Bill Clinton in an effort to give back and to get his name in the history books for something other than being convicted of perjury and being only the second president in American history to actually be impeached (but not removed from office!), but of course I kid good ol' President Bubba. I really miss the old horny toad these days (as Dolly Parton called him) when America is stuck in such a rut. I remember the years when Clinton was in the White House and Newt Gingrich was running Congress and two serial adulterers put aside their political differences and compromised to get things done for the country. Boy, those were the days. Anyway, as the (outdated) picture above shows, President Clinton has been on friendly terms with the Grimaldis for a long time and Prince Albert II has been a long-time supporter of the Clinton Global Initiative. Among the very long list of global big-shots on hand for the gathering this year were HM King Juan Carlos I of Spain, HM Queen Rania of Jordan, HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, former British PM Tony Blair, former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon, former PM of Canada Jean Chretien, actor Michael Douglas, actress Geena Davis, NASCAR guy Jeff Gordon, singer/actress Babs, a former IRA terrorist, the President of Liberia, former President of Ireland, and a horde of global ambassadors for this, that and the other as well as the leaders of numerous big banks, companies and charitable foundations. Former Governor and Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney also stopped in to address the assembled dignitaries. Between this gathering and the General Assembly of the United Nations, I'm sure that great strides will be made in things like "dialogue", "diversity" and "sustainable development" in the year ahead. I can't wait!

Liberation Day

Today and tomorrow the Principality of Monaco celebrates Liberation Day; that day on September 3, 1944 when a U.S. Army jeep sped into Monte Carlo some time after the last Germans had pulled out. As part of the festivities, HSH Prince Albert II inspected some vintage World War II vehicles, complete with men in period historical uniforms.

Prince Albert on Royals at the Olympics

HSH Prince Albert II was in his element at the London Olympic games and he obviously had a great time, whether alongside Princess Charlene who cheered wildly for her native South Africa or among the crowd being cracked up by the Duchess of Cambridge. The Sovereign Prince made a point of saying how glad he was that so many members of the British Royal Family were on the scene for the Olympic games. As the Prince told an interviewer, "You see a very touching side to them that you probably wouldn't under other circumstances. That can only bring them closer to the people. I think it's wonderful that they are so involved, that they show such support to the British athletes and the Games themselves." The Sovereign Prince also admitted to getting very emotionally involved in some of the competitions, because of the personal stories of some of the athletes or because they are people the Prince knows well. Since he has competed himself in the Olympics, the Prince was asked about other royals or royal relatives being in competition and if, perhaps, they had an extra advantage in their family connections. An example raised was the team Silver medal won by the British equestrian team which includes Princess Royal Anne's daughter. Prince Albert was quick to dismiss any such notion, "Sport is the great leveler and there's no special treatment for anybody. You have to prove yourself. For Zara Phillips and her team-mates it's incredible."

Princely Images - Olympic Memories

Princely Cars Up for Auction

His late Serene Highness Prince Rainier III was a great fan of automobiles and accumulated quite an extensive car collection. It would pale in comparison to that of Jay Leno, but quite extensive nonetheless, some 100 cars which have been on display in their own museum in Monaco ever since. Times do tend to change though (much as I dislike it) and it seems a "reorganization" of the car collection is underway. As a part of this, HSH Prince Albert II is putting some 38 of these vehicles up for auction. Are you in the market for a new car? If so, you could own a Fiat 500, a 76 VW Beetle, a Chevy Camaro, a Porsche 928 S Coupe, a 1983 Mecedes-Benz 500 SEC AMG, a 69 Siata Spring roadster and even a 64 Dodge Dart -if the price is right of course. On the subject of the auction, Prince Albert II said that, "The Princes of Monaco have always been passionate about motor cars. Prince Pierre initiated the Grand Prix in 1929, and competed in it, in a Torpedo. My father, Prince Rainier, took over the development of the race, which has today become one of the most prestigious events in the world. He also supported the Historic Grand Prix, which was established in 1997 and has enjoyed enormous success. Together, we established a private collection of classic cars which is particularly close to my heart. I now wish to add some new models to the collection."

New Stamp for Athletes

Recently, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and Mr. Lamine Diack, President of the International Federation of Athletics, unveiled a new Monegasque stamp to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the IAAF. The organization was created in 1912 after the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. The official headquarters of the organization moved to the Principality of Monaco in 1993 and the Sovereign Prince serves as the Honorary President of the IAAF and as President of the Monegasque Federation of Athletics. The new stamp was revealed at a special cocktail party held at the Princely Palace.

The Enthronement of a Prince

It was on this day in 2005, some time after succeeded his great, beloved father, that HSH Prince Albert II had his formal enthronement as Sovereign Prince of Monaco. It is at such a time that one can truly appreciate the benefits of having monarchy, which are not always so easy to explain, it has to be felt. HSH Prince Rainier III was such a grand and familiar figure, his loss was truly the end of an era and one of the greatest reigns in the centuries-long history of the House of Grimaldi. Yet, the presence of Prince Albert II made everyone feel that things were going to be okay. Everyone knew him, the world had watched him grow up, he had been educated, trained and prepared and simply his presence was a reassurance to his people that life would go on, that everything was under control and that Monaco, as ever, would endure, as it has for over seven hundred years under the watchful eyes of the Lords and Princes of the House of Grimaldi.

Here we see the new Sovereign Prince taking the salute of his guard, and catching attention is little Princess Alexandra looking adorable in her Monegasque costume. Looking back at photos of the enthronement ceremonies, one cannot help but notice how much things have changed. Prince Ernst August was still in the picture, Charlotte was still with Alex and there was no Princess Charlene. The sisters though were as true to form as they always have been; Princess Caroline a dignified tower of strength, Princess Stephanie worrying about her big brother like a mother hen. Many things change, but some things always stay the same.

Long live the Sovereign Prince!

Rio+20 Votes Down Abortion Language

HSH Prince Albert II was proud to attend the United Nations "Rio+20" sustainability conference which was to address environmental issues. What has that got to do with abortion? It's certainly a stretch. It comes down to the fact that international groups have been taking money from wealthy, First World countries and redistributing it among poorer Third World countries in order to help these poorer countries combat global warming/climate change/environmental armegeddon. Some, such as the current U.S. administration and the European Union along with others, have pushed to include "reproductive rights" (contraceptives and abortions) as something that wealthy countries should fund in poorer countries as a way of reducing the population in these poor countries because, to their way of thinking at least, more people=more pollution. However, the representatives of the Holy See as well as countries from Chile to the Russian Federation, managed to block including any such language in the agreements signed by the international grouping. Pro-Life sources have hailed this as a victory in the struggle against abortion, particularly in the fight to promote abortion in poor countries. How did Monaco vote? I wish I knew! I have been unable to find a country-by-country breakdown or even if Monaco was voting at all. I have not seen Monaco listed among the countries that opposed the measure but the lists may not be exhaustive.

SAS Le Prince Albert II présent à Yeosu