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It was a sunny day in Monaco Thursday, but the mood was somber as the tiny principality and its ruling family laid to rest the sister of the late Prince Rainier III. Princess Antoinette died last Friday at the age of 90 after many years of ill health.
 REUTERS/Lionel Cironneau/Pool At the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate of Monaco, the Grimaldi family – Prince Albert II, his fiancée Charlene Wittstock, Princess Caroline and all four of her children, and Princess Stephanie – gathered for the funeral mass, conducted by Monsignor Bernard Barsi.
 REUTERS/Lionel Cironneau/Pool Dressed in black, and the women wearing black lace scarves over their heads, the family sang the hymns, said the prayers and listened to the moving eulogy done by Princess Antoinette’s granddaughter, Melanie de Massy.
 LIONEL CIRONNEAU/AFP/Getty Images Afterward, the coffin carrying the body of the late Princess was carried out of the Cathedral and placed in the Peace Chapel, where Antoinette was laid to rest.
Prince Albert II looked visibly upset and relied on Charlene for strength. Princess Caroline displayed a look of grief all too familiar to watchers of the Monegasque royal family.
The Prince has declared Monaco in a state of mourning until April 1st.
Sources: Pure People, Hello!
Saturday evening saw the start of Monaco’s social season with its annual Rose Ball. Its a time where celebrities pay thousands of euros to rub elbows with the principality’s ruling family. However, that family was not present at this year’s Rose Ball due to the passing of Princess Antoinette on Friday.
 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Because her death came so close to the Ball, to cancel it would’ve hurt Monaco financially. But there was no way Antoinette’s nephew, Prince Albert II, and his family and fiancée, could show up during an official mourning period in Monaco. So instead, Princess Caroline’s three older children – Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre Casiraghi – represented the princely family.
Arriving at the Ball with somber looks, and dressed in black, the Casiraghis’ looked dignified and were a credit to their mother and the rest of the family.
Andrea Casiraghi, age 26, gave a speech at the start of the Ball.
“We’re very sensitive to the fact that so many of you are here tonight. Our aunt was very fond of this Rose Ball, and it is likely that all of us to be most involved. Your presence is a tribute to her as you come. While mourning her passing, I recall that it remains for us a warm and loving face, like a rich and eventful life in the service of charity. She would not have liked this ball not happen tonight because of [her death]. Thank you all for your generosity. ”
Right after his speech, the three Casiraghis’ left the gala.
This year’s theme for the Rose Ball was Motown, a tribute to the soul music of Motown Records from 1960 – 1970. The decorations were that of Detroit’s abandoned factories, broken windows, walls of brick and metal, all in black and white. Glamorous table decorations were planned in contrast to that.
The Ball Rose is a charity event that benefits the Princess Grace Foundation.
Source: The Royal Forums, Monaco MaVille
 Profimedia.cz, Newscom Sports run deep in Monaco’s princely family and that was evident this weekend as the two daughters of Princess Caroline took part in their respective sporting events. Princess Alexandra of Hanover, age 11, skated in the Coupe de la Garde while big sister Charlotte Casiraghi did her equestrian at the Bordeaux International Jumping competition.
Princess Caroline beamed as her youngest daughter performed her skating routine in Toulon, France. Alexandra has been a competitive figure skating for some time now.
Although she slipped during her routine, Alexandra still had her mother’s pride and joy afterward.
That same day, Charlotte Casiraghi was competing in Bordeaux, France for another equestrian event. She has been doing horse jumping for years, but no word if she is aiming for the 2012 Olympics.
 NICOLAS TUCAT Competing alongside fellow horse jumper, Athina Onassis, granddaughter of Aristotle Onassis, Charlotte is all business. She does not talk to reporters and barely speaks to anyone else. All she concentrates on is her horse, Tintero.
Despite her focus, Charlotte fell during this event and was eliminated in the prize of the Amazons.
As mentioned, the Grimaldis’ are really athletic. Prince Albert II represented Monaco in the Winter Olympics during the 1980s in the bobsledding event. Niece Pauline Ducruet, daughter of Princess Stephanie, is competitive diver looking to take part in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Starting in July, the Monegasque royals will add Albert’s bride-to-be Charlene Wittstock to their list of athletes. She once swam for South Africa in the 2000 Olympics in the backstroke event.
Sources: Nice Matin, France 3, Sud Ouest
On Friday, Princess Caroline was in Nice, France to inaugurate a psychiatric medical center for children, known as the Costanzo Center, which is part of the Lenval Foundation. 
Originally established in 2009, the center was located at Costanzo George Street City. But on Friday, it moved to a brand new building, located at No. 84 boulevard Delfino at heart of Riquier.
Caroline was with the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi and the President of the General Council, Eric Ciotti as they opened the psychiatric center. It was Ciotti who said the children are in “more than others, need the commitment and loving gaze of the community “.
“We must devote our generosity and our heart to them there,” said Estrosi. “We have no right to leave them on the roadside, we must give them every chance to become citizens as others, to found a family in turn.”
On Caroline’s part, she pulled the string to remove the French flag to reveal a plaque on the wall which commemorated this inauguration.
It is believed that Monaco’s Princess Grace Foundation made a contribution to the center, since its a medical foundation that is involved in causes not just in Monaco, but throughout France.
Sources: Nice Matin, Fondation de Princesse Grace
Last night, Monaco honored its patron saint, Sainte Devote, with traditional church services and the lighting of the fishing boat. Prince Albert II and his sister, Princess Caroline were present, as well as his fiancée, Charlene Wittstock, who made her first appearance at the celebrations.
 REUTERS/Eric Gaillard Mass was held at the Church of Sainte Devote where the royal siblings and Charlene genuflected before the Monsignor prior to taking their seats at the church. The mass reflected on the troubles many Christians are facing in the world, particularly in the Middle East.
There was a moment of silence before the service let out and the trio gathered at the shore in front of the fishing boat. Torches in hand, they lit the boat on fire and sent it into the sea.
When she marries Prince Albert this July, Charlene will place her bouquet at the Church of Sainte Devote.
The lighting of the boat comes from the story of the Florentine captain Antinope who was caught stealing the relics of Sainte Devote on the Monegasque beaches. This part of the celebration was started by Prince Louis II in 1924.
Source: Monaco Maville
 Bauer Griffin Monday night saw Monaco’s Princess Caroline arrive for the 18th La Nuit Internationale de l’Enfance (International Night of Childhood) charity gala at Versailles, one of the most famous palaces in the world. As president of AMADE (World Association of Children’s Friends), it was natural for Caroline to attend this event which raised money for needy children.
The 700 guests were treated with cocktails in the stone gallery before an evening stroll through the royal apartments and the Hall of Mirrors. There was even a performance by Arielle Dombasle at Versailles’ opera house.
This event was organized by former French First Lady Anne-Aymone Giscard d’Estaing, who is president of the Foundation for Children.
Source: Pure People
The fiancée of Monaco’s Prince Albert II made her National Day debut this Friday. Although Charlene Wittstock has been present for many of the principality’s major social events over the past years, this was her first time taking part in its most important holiday.
 REUTERS/Valery Hache/Pool Wearing a large hat and a beige suit, Charlene looked regal as she attended mass in the morning at Notre Dame Immaculee. She sat with the Monegasque royals – Princess Caroline, Albert and Princess Stephanie – although not next her fiancé. Likely next year she will, when she is officially Princess Charlene.
After the service, the royal family, including Princess Caroline’s four children, gathered in front of the palace for the Award Ceremony for badges of rank and medals for employees.
Afterward, came the balcony scene where everyone waved to the Monegasque citizens as a military parade went by.
Monaco’s National Day celebrations takes place over the course of three days. On Wednesday, Prince Albert and Princess Stephanie did their annual duty of giving presents and food to their country’s senior citizens at the Red Cross Headquarters.
Judging from today’s photos, Charlene seems very much accepted by the House of Grimaldi.
In an interview published by Le Figaro, Prince Albert spoke of his future bride’s plans for humanitarian work.
“Charlene has a very strong personality and I have no doubt of her desire to get involved in things alongside me,” he said.
“She is already committed to humanitarian causes such as the Born Free Foundation, the Special Olympics and the Nelson Mandela Foundation and wants to intensify her involvement in lots of other areas,” he said.
The couple will marry in early July 2011.
Their wedding was billed as the royal event of next year until Prince William and Catherine Middleton announced their plans to marry also in 2011.
To see more pictures of the National Day events, click here.
Source: AFP
Wednesday night was the annual Princess Grace Awards held at Cipriani’s in New York City. Princess Caroline, the eldest daughter of the late Princess Grace and her late husband Prince Rainier III, was on hand to distribute the awards for those who made contributions to the arts and to charity.
 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images The main honorees this year were actor Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta. While Washington is well known for his accomplishments in film acting, he and Pauletta are also active in helping others. They run their own Gifted Scholars Program in Neuroscience, which gives scholarships to medical students to study under Dr. Keith Black, the chairman of Cedars-Sinai’s neurosurgery department.
“We are so blessed, and we are blessed to be a blessing to others,” she told Bloomberg News. “That’s our family mantra about giving. “The main thing is to have an appreciation for what we have, and we teach that to our children.”
Also honored last night was Tony Award winning director Anna D. Shapiro, for her contributions to the arts.
The Princess Grace Awards is a major event during the fall season in New York City. It attracts celebrities and other high society members of the city.
Source: Bloomberg, Royal News Examiner
Monaco’s Princess Caroline was in Florence recently, where she went to a gala aimed at benefitting the charity, AMADE Foundation (World Association of Children’s Friends), which the Princess is president of. During her stay in Florence, Caroline got a look at the artistic side of the city – and became a work of art herself later at the ball.
 profimedia.cz, LaPresse Upon arriving in Florence, which is located in Tuscany, Princess Caroline was given a bouquet of flowers by a young girl to welcome her to the city. Later on, the eldest child of the late Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace was given a tour of Florence. She saw the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery and the Boboli Garden.
Accompanying Caroline during the tour was Cristina Acidini, Superintendent of the State Museums of the Italian city. Also coming along was Philippe Bianchi, Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco in Italy, Jean-Claude Michel, Ambassador of the Principality to the Holy See and Alessandro Giusti, Honorary Consul of the Principality of Florence.
In the evening, the Princess changed from her day clothes into a gorgeous evening gown. She returned to the Palazzo Vecchio for the ”Dance Giglio”, which was inspired by Monaco’s Bal de la Rose, considered to be one of the principality’s most glamorous events. The theme of the ball was the art of Renaissance Florence – with artwork by Michelangelo and Da Vinci decking the Palazzo.
Although the attention was on Princess Caroline being back to her glamorous self – she has been absent from many of Monaco’s similar events as of late – the ball was a charity function. AMADE was set up in 1963 by Princess Grace. It focuses on helping children in poor countries all over the world.
Sources: ¡Hola!, The Royal Forums blog
 AGENCE DE MONACO/Nice Matin The principality of Monaco is celebrating its Liberation Day this weekend, when it marks the day Allied forces liberated the micro-state from the Axis powers during World War II. A picnic was held at the Princess Antoinette Park, and who better to turn up but members of the House of Grimaldi.
Prince Albert II, his elder sister Princess Caroline and her daughter Princess Alexandra of Hannover were present. But the one who received the standing ovation by the 500 guests was Albert’s fiancee, Charlene Wittstock.
Dressed elegantly in a simple black gown, the future Princess of Monaco won over the hearts of the guests by speaking to them in French and seducing them with her good looks and personality.
On Friday, Monaco marked its liberation by having military vehicles roll through the principality and its citizens dress in traditional clothing – which means many of them wore red and white, the color of the Monegasque flag.
Source: Nice Matin
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