Happy Birthday Prince Albert II!
Several thousand people celebrated Prince Albert’s 66th birthday on the Place du Palais on 14 March. Buses in Monaco were free for the occasion and Monegasques, residents, visitors and local personalities filled the palace square, waving flags and cheering.
The princely couple, Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella waved from the palace balcony. The Princess of Hanover and Princess Stephanie were also in attendance. After the traditional changing of the Guard and Monegasque anthem, a heartfelt rendition of “Happy Birthday” was sang by the crowd. A large cake was symbolically cut on the palace square by Prince Albert II, who was accompanied by Princess Charlene and their children.
Princess Caroline attends a St. Patrick’s Day Concert
Princess Caroline of Hanover attended a St. Patrick’s Day concert at the Princess Grace Irish Library. Traditional harp music was performed for the occasion, with the harp being a symbol of Irish identity and pride.
A jewel of culture in the Principality, the Princess Grace Irish Library is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year. Inaugurated in 1984, two years after Princess Grace passed away, the library houses a superb collection of rare books and Irish-American musical scores that the Princess had collected throughout her life.
Council of Regency is appointed by Prince Albert II
Four members of the Council of Regency were appointed by sovereign decision on 8 March 2024. The Council of Regency is a highly strategic entity which comes into play in the event of death or abdication of the reigning prince to ensure the continuity of the Crown if the hereditary prince is a minor.
Prince Albert II chose Évelyne Genta, Christophe Steiner and Charles-Henri Rey to replace Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Emmanuel Falco and Laurent Anselmi (who were appointed in 2022). Frédéric Sangiorgio is the only member of the council to be reappointed.
Prince Albert II appoints Pierre-André Chiappori as Minister of Finance
A teacher, researcher and economist has been recently appointed by Prince Albert II as Monaco’s new Minister of Finance and the Economy. As of Monday 18 March, Pierre-André Chiappori will be replacing Marco Piccinini. The Prince warmly thanked Marco Piccinini for his dedication, specifying that he will continue to work for the Principality as an ambassador in charge of international financial negotiations. Pierre-André Chiappori notably contributed to the Concorde Agreements which have governed Formula 1 since the early 1980s.
