On Thursday, Monaco’s Prince Albert II and his younger sister, Princess Stephanie, went to see their country’s pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai. Since it was Monaco’s turn to have its national pavilion day at the Expo, it was natural for its sovereign Prince to attend.
Belga Photo
As the pavilion’s name shows – “Monaco: Past, Present and Future – The Challenges of an Evolving City-State” – the 2000 square meter structure showcases the whole history of the micro principality plus its expectations. The exhibits show the Grand Prix auto race, tributes to several of Monaco’s reigning Princes including Albert and his late father, Rainier III. There’s also a tribute to the late Princess Grace. There even are replicas of Monegasque streets, flora and fauna. Finally, visitors to the pavilion could watch a six minute animated film of the whole history of the country – from Prehistoric times to the possible future.
In the evening, Prince Albert and Princess Stephanie attended a gala dinner in honor of Monaco’s day at the World Expo. The dinner included an acrobat show from the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo. Stephanie is the patron of the Festival, which explains her presence in Shanghai.
Prince Albert II went to events related to Monaco’s special day at the Expo on Wednesday and Friday. Princess Stephanie on the other hand only was present for Thursday’s events.
Sources: 2010 World Expo main website, The Royal Forums
Pauline Ducruet, the daughter of Monaco’s Princess Stephanie, competed in the diving competition on Monday at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. The sixteen year old took part in the 3m springboard event, representing Monaco.
REUTERS/Tim Chong
Sitting in the crowds cheering her on was her royal mother, plus her brother and sister, Louis and Camille, her father Daniel Ducruet and her uncle Prince Albert II.
Pauline originally came in 10th in the preliminaries but placed 12th in the finals.
She has been a competitive diver for about four years. Last month she competed in the European Junior Swimming and Diving Championships in Helsinki. Pauline is aiming for the 2012 Olympics in London.
“I guess we have the Olympics in our blood,” Princess Stephanie recently said. And perhaps she is right. Besides coming from a long line of royals, the Princess can also claim Olympic blood. Her great-grandfather John Kelly competed in the Olympics and her brother, Prince Albert II, is a former Winter Olympian.
In the future, maybe Stephanie could add her own daughter to the list of family Olympians.
After Pauline finished the day’s competition, she received loving hugs from both her mother and father.
“I am just a good old mum,” Princess Stephanie said about supporting her daughter through the tough training.
Monaco’s 62nd annual Red Cross Ball is possibly the biggest event on the tiny principality’s social calendar. While the ball raises money for the Monegasque Red Cross foundation, it also brings out big-name celebrities, as well as Monaco’s princely family.
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Like last year, Sovereign Prince Albert II, his fiancèe Charlene Wittstock, and his younger sister Princess Stephanie, arrived together at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club at about 8pm local time. And also like last year, Princess Caroline was absent from this year’s ball for reasons unknown.
The trio enjoyed a cruised themed ball, in which everything was blue and looked as if the Sporting Club was a luxury cruise liner. Performances were done by Welsh singer Tom Jones.
A piece of art which is traditionally donated to the Monaco Red Cross was revealed by Victoria Silvstedt and Julio Iglesias who drew the winning number.
Also spotted at the ball was Prince Albert’s former flame, Nicole Costa, who is the mother of his young son, Alexandre. But since the little boy was born out of wedlock, he cannot inherit the principality.
Sources: Monte Carlo SBM press release, The Royal Forums
The annual gala dinner for Fight AIDS Monaco took place Friday evening at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club. Prince Albert II, his sister Princess Stephanie, and his fiancèe Charlene Wittstock turned out for the event which aims to raise money for the charity, run by Stephanie.
Earlier this week, the Princess spoke on Monegasque radio about Fight AIDS Monaco. She called listeners to “respect his own life” and talked about preventing the spread of HIV by practicing safe sex.
Stephanie also recently spoke to an Italian magazine about Fight AIDS Monaco’s recent project, La Maison de Vie, which is a retreat for those who are HIV-positive. She said her desire to help others came from her parents.
“Mom was generous and open to others, and this is how we have behaved. Dad did nothing but repeat to me: ‘The fact that you are born in this palace does not make you any better or more important’.”
This past Saturday in Carpentras, France, Monaco’s Princess Stephanie inaugurated La Maison de Vie, a home for those inflicted with HIV/AIDS. As President of Fight AIDS Monaco, the Princess has been keeping an eye on this house from its beginnings. Stephanie is very active in helping both Monegasques and those in the French Riviera who are suffering from the disease.
In a recent interview with the French Gala magazine, the Princess explained why those who are HIV-positive mean so much to her: “I saw the rejection that all these people are victims, I could not stand by and do nothing. This suffering, this injustice, these patients alone, abandoned by those they love, it’s horrible. When I was appointed ambassador for UNAIDS, I had the chance to go to New York and monitor the work of Housing Works, an organization that deals with housing for people living with HIV and give them the possibility of taking over their lives.”
CTK
Flanked by her daughter, Pauline Ducruet, and big brother Prince Albert II, and the mayor of Carpentras, Princess Stephanie arrived at La Maison in the morning, looking excited that a project close to her heart was being launched. She and Albert pulled off a sheet to reveal the plaque that commemorates the house’s opening.
La Maison can accommodate up to 28 people for up to 3 weeks. Friends and family are allowed to stay over.
The building has two parts: one reserved for the reception, administration and catering. While the other, consisting of eight single rooms, ten double rooms equipped with kitchenettes and a dormitory for children.
In addition, there is a non-medicalized double refectory, a double room, a multipurpose hall, an infirmary and a laundry. Also, the home is environmentally friendly.
La Maison was designed by two architects: Fabrice Notari from Monaco and Ysabelle Roustan of Carpentras.
Below is a French video of La Maison de Vie. It includes an interview with Stephanie and shots of the home’s interior.
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.
Pool/Getty Images Europe
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.
This year, as every year since 1956, the royals of Monaco invited the principality’s children to the palace for a Christmas party. Prince Albert II, Princess Stephanie, and Princess Caroline took part in the annual gift giving.
Also at the event was Caroline’s youngest daughter, Princess Alexandra of Hannover. Her elder children had participated in the Christmas Tree party when they were little, so now it was Alexandra’s turn to go. This year was her first time at the party.
The Monegasque royals are known for being quite active around the Christmas season in Monaco. Along with this party, they also visit the sick in the hospital.
Monaco’s Princess Stephanie spent the past three days in South Africa on behalf of UNAIDS and Fight AIDS Monaco. She arrived on Wednesday and got down to business on the following day.
N. Saussier/FAM/PodcastJournal.net
Stephanie first had a meeting with NGO officials before moving on to the Research Unit on Reproductive Health at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. The center follows the latest medical breakthroughs on the virus and gives free treatment to those who are HIV positive.
That afternoon, the Princess went to Alexandra township to visit an NGO “Friends for Life” which helps vulnerable and orphaned children as a result of the pandemic. The NGO cares for hundreds of local children a day.
On Friday, Princess Stephanie moved on to Soweto to check out another NGO, “PUSH” (Persevere Until Something Happens). This one also helps children orphaned by AIDS, as well as providing tests for HIV, STIs and TB. It also gives psychological help and ARV treatment.
Later on, the Princess met with Graca Michel, the wife of Nelson Mandela. It does not appear that she met with Mandela himself.
At the end of her visit, Stephanie met with Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS and reported to him about her visit.
Stephanie has been a UN Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS since 2006.
South Africa has one of the highest HIV populations in the world. Out of 49 million people, 5.2 million are infected. The new government under President Jacob Zuma is dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS by providing the largest distribution of ARV treatment and millions of condoms.
December 1st is the day known as World AIDS DAY. It is when the world remembers those who are infected, or have died from the illness. Among those who stopped to commemorate were two European Princesses who have dedicated their time to the cause.
The first was Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. A special representative of UNAIDS, she spent the day at Romsas Frivillighetssentral in Oslo, where the Princess met with the 40 volunteers helping out at the center. Earlier, she posted a statement on the Norwegian Royal House’s website about the importance of young people getting involved in helping those who are HIV-positive.
“To stop AIDS, youth-led action must be facilitated,” the statement goes. “We need the engagement of youth to move forward in the response. There are several reasons for that: We cannot afford to lose the focus on AIDS now when we have come so far. Over the last six years, the number of people who have access to treatment in low income countries has increased from 400 000 to 4 million. We need renewed engagement to keep up the good efforts.”
Also doing her part on World AIDS Day was Monaco’s Princess Stephanie. As president of Fight AIDS Monaco, Stephanie attended an auction at the Sea Club Meridien hotel. There, she participated in an auction charity sale to raise money for her foundation. One of the items auctioned was a photo of her mother, the late Princess Grace, in the film To Catch A Thief.
November 19th is Monaco’s National Day, and its royals were out in full force to celebrate one of the principality’s biggest events.
Prince Albert II, Princess Stephanie, Princess Caroline and her three eldest children first attended a thanksgiving mass at Notre Dame Cathedral. The Gospel of Luke was read and the Bishop of Monaco discussed what occurred in the country over the past year – such as the economy. The Bishop also praised Prince Albert, Monaco’s sovereign ruler.
Afterwards, it was to the balcony of the Palace. As a military parade marched by, Albert and his sisters waved to the citizens below. Joining them was Princess Caroline’s youngest, Princess Alexandra of Hannover. The 10 year-old was introduced to the crowds on this very balcony a decade earlier, and Monaco watched her grow up. Also on the balcony were the Casiraghi siblings – Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre. Those are Caroline’s children with her late husband, Stefano Casiraghi.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Europe
Noticably absent from this year’s National Day celebrations was Caroline’s current husband, Prince Ernst of Hannover. She and Ernst have not been seen together in public since June. This has sparked rumors that the two are parting ways. Those rumors increased in September when Caroline relocated back to Monaco and enrolled Alexandra in a local school, while Ernst remained at his home outside of Paris.
The royal palace denied that Caroline and Ernst are separating around this time. However, with the Prince not being present for many of Monaco’s most important events, speculations over the state of his marriage to Caroline is only intensify.
To see more pictures of Monaco’s National Day, click here
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