One of the Princely Family of Monaco’s favorite traditions is taking place right now. The 34th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo is when all the major circus productions gather to compete for awards given to the best. The royals of Monaco were there of course, to help start everything.
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The Festival’s President, Princess Stephanie, has been active all week preparing her tiny principality for the event. On Wednesday, she gave a press conference attended by clowns Chico, Joe and Tico, as well as the Duss Family sea lions. It was hard for Stephanie to keep a straight face as the sea lions stole the show when they began to snuggle with her!
On Friday, the Festival began. Stephanie arrived for the opening ceremony with big brother, Prince Albert II, and daughter, Pauline Ducruet.
There have been criticisms over the treatment of animals within the circus, and it has lead to a question if the circus will survive. Stephanie told reporters this week, “Without animals, the circus is dead. There are far more serious cases to defend. Why tackle the big circuses, while elephants and gorillas in Africa are brutally murdered? It is fanaticism! And the question becomes very political in some countries. The spectators, they are in the vast majority supported the presence of animals on the runway. The proof of the public vote last year. These three numbers of animals that have been selected.”
This year’s Festival includes for the first time a white lion. Also there are elephants, tigers and monkeys walking around Monaco right now. Princess Stephanie sees the circus as a chance to see such animals up close.
“It offers families the opportunity to see species that they will never approach in other circumstances,” she said.
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