An epic chess tournament, demonstrating that chess is truly making a comeback, was held in the Atrium of the Casino de Monte-Carlo as part of this year’s events commemorating the centenary of the death of Prince Albert I. Harking back to the prestigious chess tournaments organized in Monaco during la belle époque, a “Simultaneous Prince Albert I” game was played. International Grand Master Pia Cramling and International Master Almira Skripchenko were up against 32 young players from across the Alpe-Maritimes. Each champion played 16 games simultaneously. Prince Albert II was invited to play the first move for each of the 32 games.
In 1903, Prince Albert I presented the Prince’s Cup to brilliant young chess player Harry Nelson Pillsbury, particularly renowned for being able to play up to 22 simultaneous games while blindfolded! A trophy was presented by Prince Albert II to Pia Cramling, the fifth woman to win the FIDE Grandmaster title in 1982 and a tireless spokesperson for women in chess. Pia Cramling and Almira Skripchenko have both represented Monaco in the world of chess and hold eight women’s European Club Cups.
International Women’s Day: Collective Painting created with Prince Albert II
The Monaco Women’s Rights Committee has created a large, collective piece of art based on the themes of women’s rights and the protections of the sea, which will be unveiled on 8 March. 100 personalities, including Prince Albert II and Princess Stephanie, participated in the creation of the painting, imagined by artist Anthony Alberti aka Mr One Teas.
The unveiling of the art piece will take place at 4:45pm at the Oceanographic Museum on International Women’s Day. It will be followed by a conference by Nathalie Hilmi, who is in charge of research on environmental economics at the Scientific Centre of Monaco and Virginie Tassin Campanella, vice president of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Economic Law, about risks that both women and the ocean have in common. According to the UN, 80% of people displaced by climate change are women and girls.
Operation #8MarsMonaco will be visible around the city with various pieces of art, located on the roundabout, in the Fontvieille commercial gallery, at the Ministry of State and on the fences of the Saint Martin gardens.
Prince Albert II, Jacques and Gabriella attend AS Monaco Match
On 27 February 2022, Prince Albert II, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques attended the French Ligue 1 football match played between AS Monaco and Stade de Reims at the Louis II stadium. Playfully watching the team with binoculars, the twins sported red baseball caps with the AS Monaco shield. Unfortunately, the team lost the match 2-1.
Prince Albert II participates in Polar Symposium: ‘The Cold is Getting Hot: From Arctic to Antarctic’
Prince Albert II of Monaco was present alongside polar region experts and scientists to personally carry their message to policy makers during a Polar Symposium held on the 24-25 February at the Oceanographic Museum.
“Thanks to you, your research, your discussions, your ideas, we will be able to advance the cause of the Polar regions, and with it, the cause of our Planet,” the Prince declared during the official launch of the Polar Initiative. Scientists at the symposium have confirmed that polar changes are extreme and faster than anticipated. They underscored how the Earth’s systems are all interconnected: the Arctic and Antarctic, polar ice and our oceans.
President of Serbia makes Official visit to Monaco
On 22 February. Prince Albert II welcomed Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia, for an official visit to the Principality. This visit follows the one made by the Prince on 7 and 8 October 2020 in Belgrade. The Principality of Monaco has established diplomatic relations with Serbia since 2007.
In the morning, on the Court of Honour of the Prince’s Palace, the Serbian and Monegasque national hymns, played by the Orchestra of the Carabiniers of the Prince, were performed before the taking of arms ceremony, led by Colonel Tony Varo.
The two Heads of State had a bilateral meeting in the Family Hall of the Princely Palace. Together they were able to exchange on international and economic issues. The two delegations then signed a framework agreement of cooperation that will help strengthen economic relations between the two countries. After their meeting, the Prince decorated the Serbian President with the badge of the Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Charles.
In the evening, HSH the Prince and President Vucic attended the performance of Werther by composer Jules Massenet, at the Opera de Monte-Carlo.
Princess Stephanie attends Alter Fashion Show
On 1 March, during Paris Fashion Week, Pauline Ducruet launched the Womenswear Fall/Winter 2022/2023 collection for her own unisex clothing brand Alter. Founded in 2018, Alter aims to create clothing which embraces and inspires the freedom of the individual with playful designs that aren’t defined by gender and are environmentally responsible. Princess Stephanie showed her support for her daughter’s fashion label by attending the show while wearing a burgundy leather jacket by Alter.
