Monaco’s Christmas Village was officially inaugurated by the Mayor on 2 December. This year’s theme is “Christmas in Spitsbergen” and features a giant Ferris wheel, roller rink, carousel, toboggan luge, caribou ride, vendors, food stalls, picnic tables, entertainment and more.
This year, the centenary of Prince Albert I makes the Christmas village extra special. A fun and educational walk inspired by the different journeys of the Navigator Prince winds its way through the village. Animated scenes, Arctic animals, the reconstruction of the Prince’s base camp and a colossal decoration (6 metres tall) representing Prince Albert I at the helm of his ship overlooks the Village. Festive concerts will take place every Friday evening and workshops are scheduled on weekends.
Prince Albert II announces Tour de France 2024 will include Monaco
Prince Albert II and Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France made a special announcement on Saturday 3 December: the final stage of the Tour de France 2024 will start in the Principality of Monaco. This last stage will take place on Sunday 21 July 2024, and will span from Monaco to Nice.
Prince Albert II receives Prestigious German Prize for Sustainable Development
On Friday 2 December, Prince Albert II received the German Prize for Sustainable Development in the presence of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The Sovereign Prince visited Düsseldorf as part of the German Sustainability Awards (GSA), an annual event that rewards personalities and organizations for their commitment to ecology and sustainable development. After delivering a speech at the end of the day’s sessions, HSH the Prince met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a welcome reception. The two Heads of State then attended the Awards Ceremony.
German biologist and director of the Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research officially presented the German Sustainability Award, the GSA’s highest honour, to Prince Albert II. This Prize rewards the exceptional contribution of the Sovereign and his Foundation to the protection of the environment.
The ceremony took place one day after Prince Albert II attended the 6th Sustainability Summit for South-East Europe and the Mediterranean in Greece on 1 December, where he was the guest of honour and keynote speaker.
Prince Albert II meets with President of Liberia at the Palace
Prince Albert II granted an audience at the Prince’s Palace to HE George Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia. The president was in Monaco for the 13th International Peace & Sport Forum, which took place on 30 November. The President and the Prince shared fond memories of the President’s days as a footballer. Before becoming President of the Republic of Liberia, George Weah had an exceptional career as a professional football player. He started at AS Monaco from 1988 to 1992 before joining other prestigious European clubs, notably winning the Ballon d’Or in 1995, becoming the first African player to win this distinction.
International AIDS Day: Prince Albert II and Princess Stephanie attend Quilt Exhibition
Prince Albert II, Princess Stephanie and Camille Gottlieb took part in an event organized by Fight AIDS Monaco on 1 December, International AIDS Day. At the Oceanographic Museum, 40 people unveiled 10 quilts created in memory of those who have passed away from AIDS.
A minute of silence was observed during the solemn event, which was attended by several government officials, the Carabiniers du Prince, the Monaco Fire Brigade and the public. The theme of the day defined by UNAIDS was “Let’s push for equality”
Peace and Sport Awards presented by Prince Albert II
The 13th Peace and Sport awards took place on 30 November at the Fairmont. George Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, was presented with the Special Peace and Sport Award for his commitment to democracy and reconciliation in his country, by Prince Albert II. Tennis player Ons Jabeur, who ranks number 2 in the world for women’s tennis, was awarded the Peace Champion of the Year Award.
Prince Albert II attends Festival des Etoilés Gala
Prince Albert II attended the 2nd Festival des Etoilés Monte-Carlo, which featured masterful menus by the Société des Bains de Mer starred chefs. Alain Ducasse, Marcel Ravin, Yannick Alleno and Dominique Lory cooked their signature dishes in front of guests during the evening, which took place in the Salle des Arts at One Monte-Carlo.
Prince Albert II attends Monaco’s Charity Telethon
Monaco’s Telethon kicked off at the Grimaldi Forum in the presence of Prince Albert II and the event’s godmother, Camille Gottlieb. The event is organized by Muriel Agliardi, president of the Monaco Maladies Génétiques Association, with the help of fifty volunteers who are all united in the goal of collecting as many donations as possible to benefit research on Myopathy and other neuromuscular diseases.
The telethon featured many fun activities, including “DNA extraction” with the Scientific Centre of Monaco, creative workshops and stands selling handmade Christmas goods. Car fans were able to take a Ferrari for a test drive across the Principality.
This year, the Monaco Telethon was dedicated to the memory of the Association’s Vice-President, Philippe Ferreyrolles, who recently died of myopathy on 4 September when he was only 26 years old. Members of the Association came together to write Philippe a song, which they presented and sang to Prince Albert II and Camille Gottlieb.
Prince Albert II announces Maestro Chef Finalists
Under the marquee of the Monte-Carlo Gastronomy lounge, Prince Albert II drew lots for the candidates who took part in the Maestro Chef final competition for amateurs. Élodie Chantrel, mechanic and resident of Sospel who is passionate about cooking; and Francesco Cinquepalmi, real estate agent residing in Menton, battled it out and were judged by a jury. The Maetro Chef winner was Élodie Chantrel.
Louis Ducruet and Marie Chevallier are Expecting their First Baby
Louis Ducruet and his wife, Marie Chevallier, are expecting their first baby and they shared the news in the cutest way possible. The couple snapped a photo of their dog, named Pancake, wearing a shirt that said, “Soon to be Big Brother.” Louis and Marie captioned the photo with, “An adventure is about to begin”. The new baby will be Princess Stephanie’s first grandchild. Louis and Marie were college sweethearts who married in 2019.
Happy 30th Birthday to Louis Ducruet!
Louis Ducruet celebrated his 30th birthday with his friends and family. The father-to-be shared happy photos of his birthday party, which included his uncle, Prince Albert II, his mom, Princess Stephanie, his siblings, Pauline Ducruet and Camille Gottlieb and his radiant expectant wife, Marie Chevallier. “Grateful to celebrate my 30th birthday among my family and friends,” Louis Ducruet wrote on social media.
