Following in the historic footsteps of his family, Prince Albert II travelled to Italy, where he visited the Puglia region and Genoa, from 20 to 23 April.
In 1532, Emperor Charles V granted the lord of Monaco, in return for his alliance, a number of fiefs in southern Italy. Genoa is the birthplace of the Grimaldi family. The ancestors of the Sovereign left the city at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century to build their sovereignty around the Rock of Monaco.
On 20 April, HSH the Prince was received in Canosa di Puglia by mayor Roberto Morra. Upon his arrival, the Prince unveiled a new “Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco” sign. (The Sovereign Prince had visited this town in June 1997 on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi dynasty.) The Prince then went to the Town Hall, where a commemorative plaque of His visit was inaugurated. He continued on foot through the streets of the historic centre of the city before laying a wreath in front of the war memorial.
The Prince then visited the Luigi Einaudi school. On this occasion, the reception room was baptized the “Prince Albert II of Monaco Room”. The Prince then went to Castel del Monte, in the town of Andria, for a guided tour of the remarkable 13th century building, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.
After a lunch offered by the municipality of Andria, the Sovereign and His delegation were taken to the castle of Garagnone, nestled in the heart of the Alta Murgia National Park. HSH the Prince unveiled an information panel on the site’s links with Monaco.
At the end of the visit, the Prince went to Trani, in the Barletta-Andria-Trani province. With the mayor of the city, Amadeo Bottaro, the Sovereign discovered the San Nicola Pellegrino cathedral, an emblematic building of the city, dating from the Norman period. The Sovereign then walked to Castello Svevo located just a few steps from the Cathedral. The historic visit ended with a dinner in the presence of the Monegasque delegation and the mayors of Trani, Canosa di Puglia, Terlizzi, Poggiorsini and Spinazzola.
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II celebrate Easter Together
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II wished the public a happy Easter by sharing two new family photos on social media. The photos were captioned with, “Prince Albert and Princess Charlene wish you a very happy Easter”. Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene and their twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella also attended a private Easter service at the Princely Palace Chapel.
