Princess Charlene, Ambassador

Recently, HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco was named Ambassador for "Peace and Sport", a cause the Sovereign Prince himself has long supported. Their goal is foster greater friendship and cooperation through athletics and sporting events around the world.

The Princess and the Junior Rugby Team

Last Saturday, HSH Princess Charlene took in a junior rugby game at the Louis II Stadium. For the benefit of American readers, rugby is a little like American football but without all of the starting and stopping. After the game was over the Princess awarded the trophy to the Monegasque junior rugby team. Way to go guys! The Princess looked radiant and, surrounding by sports and children, she was certainly in her element.

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

Working Holiday for the Princely Couple

As we see in this photo released by the Princely Palace, for any reigning monarch, there is work to attend to even during holidays. And the Princely Couple have been busy. After wrapping up the massive event that was the 2012 Summer Olympics, they stayed in London for the opening of the 2012 Paralympics. This was especially important for HSH Princess Charlene who was made the ambassador for the special olympics more than a year ago. However, even if she had not been, the promotion of athletics and athletics as a way of helping the disabled are huge priorities for her and have occupied a great deal of her official time since becoming Princess of Monaco. While in the area, Princess Charlene has also reached out to another one of her primary causes, children, by attending the reveal of a newly restored bus for children with disabilities, put out by the "Variety Club" for a primary school in Leeds, England. Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene attended the gala of this organization last September and seemed very pleased to be checking up on their progress.

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.

A New Market and A New Team

TSH Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco just visited the ward of La Condamine, a mostly business district, recently expanded with the expansion being completed just a couple of years ago. The Princely couple were in La Condamine to open a new marketplace which is sure to be a popular place for visitors to Monaco. Of all the wards, Monte Carlo is surely the most famous, but many people mistakenly think that Monaco is simply a playground for the super rich. In fact, as a trip to areas like La Condamine will show, there is something in Monaco for everyone and you don't have to be wealthy to enjoy a Monegasque vacation or a simple visit. The glamorous casino and luxury hotels may get all the attention, but trust me, anyone can go to Monaco, walk around, see the whole principality and you will find plenty to enjoy that is within the price-range of just about anyone. Besides, the little local shops, cafes and markets are more to the taste of many people anyway. It's all good to see.

HSH Princess Charlene was all smiles as she officially accepted the honor of being "godmother" of the Monegasque Rugby Club at the club's training center. The Monegasque Rugby Club operates a school for everyone from the age of 5 up to 19 who wants to play rugby (for Americans unfamiliar with the sport it's sort of like American football but without the pads, helmets and constant pauses). The Princess was easily persuaded to take on this position as it combines two of her greatest passions: sports and children. Undoubtedly this post seemed tailor-made for the Princess Charlene who obviously had a great time with the youngsters. Can the princess play rugby? I'm not sure but with all her experience as an Olympic calibre swimmer, I'd bet she'd make one heck of a kicker.

The Latest in Monaco

Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene attended a special charity football match, in which the sporting Sovereign Prince was happy to participate, to benefit the new Princess Charlene Foundation to help children. Princess Charlene was excited to pose for a group photo with a crowd of her young fans.

And also, former U.S. President Bill Clinton was back in the Principality (here being greeted by the Sovereign Prince) for the special charity gala "Nights in Monaco" which was a joint effort to benefit the Prince Albert II Foundation and the Clinton Foundation. The stated goal of the Clinton Foundation is to "strengthen the capacity of people throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence". Whatever that means...

WOWSA Woman of the Year Nominee Princess Charlene

We note, of course, Princess Charlene is a "Serene" Highness, not a "Royal" Highness -they got it right in the begining but slipped up at the end there. Anyway, here's hoping she wins!

Prince Albert - Peace Through Sports

Yesterday HSH Prince Albert II attended the 2011 Peace and Sport International Forum in Monaco. Government leaders, businessmen and sports enthusiasts came together to discuss how sports can be used to foster dialogue and peace among the nations of the world. Right up the Prince's alley to be sure, and a fine cause. There is nothing like a little friendly competition to bring people together. Among the foreign dignitaries on hand for the event was His Majesty King Letsie III of the south African Kingdom of Lesotho. This is a great forum with a lot of great ideas, I just wonder if they invited anyone from El Salvador and Honduras? Nah, that probably wouldn't look good ... anyone remember the Football War? I jest of course...

Princely Couple in New Zealand

Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco are currently in New Zealand attending the 2011 Rugby World Cup in Auckland. Mixing business with pleasure, the Sovereign Prince will meet with the Prime Minister to discuss Kiwi-Monegasque economic ties, cooperation on environmental issues and general diplomatic 'stuff'. On Thursday the Princely couple will attend a special centenary dinner for the New Zealand Olympic Committee and they will also visit Christchurch. There the Prince will visit with some collaborators in Antarctic research. Next month Prince Albert and Princess Charlene are set to visit Toronto, Canada to open an exhibition on the late Princess Grace of Monaco.

Ever the Sport Lover

In the Ardèche region of France at the 100th anniversary of the Rallye Monte-Carlo on the 21st, HSH Prince Albert II congratulates the winners; Bryan Bouffier and his co-driver Xavier Panseri, on their victory. The Sovereign Prince has himself participated in this race quite a number of times in his youth and despite no longer being part of the world championships the Prince said it is still a very important event on the sporting calendar of Monaco. Look, up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane...

And this last Friday the Sovereign Prince was in St Moritz, Switzerland where he competed in the Bobsleigh Monaco Historic race at the Olympia Run, which must have been quite a familiar feeling for Albert II.

Prince Albert in India

Call him a hopeless sports fan, just back from a visit to Spain, HSH Prince Albert II is now in India where he is attending the British Commonwealth Games, opened yesterday by HRH the Prince of Wales and the President of India at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Video: Pauline Ducruet in Singapore

Prince Opens Youth Centre in Monaco

No matter who you are, we all put our bowling shoes on one foot at a time...

One of the Perks of the Job

There are many duties, heavy responsibilities and alot of work that goes with being the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, but Prince Albert II also gets to be very well off, travel the world, go to lavish parties, rule his own countries and give awards to women beach volley ball players. That is what went on last Sunday when the Prince decorated the winners of the third beach volleyball tournament for women in Monaco. It was the Italian team which came out on top and were presented with medals and trophies for their victory. It's a tough job, a life of sacrifice, but someone's got to do it and Monaco's monarch is there for all of us to get it done.