Albert II (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi; born 14 March 1958) is
Prince of Monaco
The sovereign prince () is the monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All reigning princes and princesses have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi. When Prince Rainier III died in 2005, he was Europe's longest reigning mo ...
, reigning since 2005.
Born at the
Prince's Palace of Monaco, Albert is the second child and only son of
Prince Rainier III and
Princess Grace
Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982), also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from Wedding of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly, th ...
. He attended the
Lycée Albert Premier before studying
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
at
Amherst College
Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
. In his youth, he competed in
bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of 2 to 4 athletes make timed speed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobslei ...
during
Winter Olympic finals before retiring in 2002. Albert was appointed
regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
in March 2005 after his father fell ill, and became sovereign prince upon the latter's death a week later. Since his accession, he has been outspoken in the field of environmentalism, and an advocate of
ocean conservation and adoption of
renewable energy
Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
sources to tackle global
climate change
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
, and founded the
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in 2006, to directly raise funds and initiate action for such causes and greater
ecological preservation.
With assets valued in 2010 at US$1 billion, Albert owns shares in the
Société des Bains de Mer, which operates Monaco's
casino
A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...
and other
entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...
properties in the Principality. In July 2011, Prince Albert
married
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
South African Olympic swimmer
Charlene Wittstock. He has four children, two of them illegitimate, the other two legitimate:
Jazmin, Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste,
Gabriella, and
Jacques.
Early life

Prince Albert was born in the
Prince's Palace of Monaco on 14 March 1958, as the second child of
Prince Rainier III and
Princess Grace
Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982), also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from Wedding of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly, th ...
. At the time of his birth, he was heir apparent to the throne. Albert was a dual citizen of both the Principality of Monaco and the United States of America by birth, before renouncing his American citizenship in his early adulthood. He was
baptized on 20 April 1958, by
Monsignor
Monsignor (; ) is a form of address or title for certain members of the clergy in the Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" can be abbreviated as Mons.... or Msgr. In some ...
Jean Delay,
Archbishop of Marseille, in the
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Monaco. His godparents were Prince Louis de
Polignac and
Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain.
Hereditary Prince
Military service
Albert spent a year training in princely duties before enrolling at
Amherst College
Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
, in
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, in 1977 as Albert Grimaldi. He joined
Chi Psi fraternity and lived in the Alpha Chi Lodge. Albert spent mid-1979 touring Europe and the Middle East with the
Amherst College Glee Club, and also undertook an exchange program with the
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...
, at the Alfred Marshall School of Economics and Management, in 1979. He graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
. He speaks French, German, Italian, and English. From September 1981 to April 1982, Albert trained on board the
French Navy's helicopter cruiser , attaining the rank of Ship-of-the-Line Ensign (2nd class), and is currently a reserve
Lieutenant Commander.
From 1983 to 1985, he took training courses with companies
J.P. Morgan & Co,
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...
,
Rogers & Wells, and
Wells, Rich and Greene in the United States and Europe, studying financial management, communication, and marketing. Since May 1993, the Prince has led the Monegasque delegation to the
General Assembly of the United Nations. In 2004, the Prince presided over the delegation of Monaco in
Strasbourg
Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
, France, for the official accession of the Principality onto the
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...
.
Prince Albert's mother, Princess Grace, died at age 52 as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in 1982. In 2017, the Prince stated during an interview that his mother's death was a traumatic event for him and his family, revealing that his father was "never the same man" after the loss.
Sports career
Albert was an enthusiastic sportsman, participating in cross country, javelin throwing, handball, judo, swimming, tennis, rowing, sailing, skiing, squash and fencing. He became a judo
black belt in 1985.
Albert competed in the
bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of 2 to 4 athletes make timed speed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobslei ...
at five consecutive
Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...
for Monaco, taking part in both the two-man and four-man events. In the two-man bobsleigh Albert finished
25th at the 1988 games in Calgary,
43rd at the 1992 games in Albertville, and
31st at the 1994 games. In the four-man bobsleigh Albert finished
27th in 1992,
26th at the 1994 games in Lillehammer, and 28th at both the
1998 games in Nagano and
the 2002 games in Salt Lake City.
Albert was Monaco's flag bearer at the 1988, 1994, and 1998 Winter Olympics.
He also took part in the
1985 Paris–Dakar Rally, but did not complete it. Albert has been a member of the
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...
since 1985, and his maternal grandfather,
John B. Kelly Sr., and maternal uncle,
John B. Kelly Jr., were both Olympic medalists in
rowing.
In 2017 Albert gained
OLY post-nominal status under his competition name of Albert Grimaldi.
On 31 March 2005, following consultation with the
Crown Council of Monaco, the
Palais Princier announced that Albert would take over the duties of his father as
regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
since Rainier was no longer able to exercise his princely functions.
Reign
Accession
The first part of Prince Albert II's enthronement as ruler of the Principality was on 12 July 2005, after the end of the three-month mourning period for his father. A morning
Mass
Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
at
Saint Nicholas Cathedral presided over by the
Archbishop of Monaco, the Most Reverend
Bernard Barsi, formally marked the beginning of his reign.
Afterward, Albert returned to the Palace to host a garden party for 7,000 Monégasques born in the Principality. In the courtyard, the Prince was presented with two keys of the city as a symbol of his investiture, and subsequently gave a speech. The evening ended with a fireworks display on the waterfront.
The second part of his investiture took place on 19 November 2005. Albert was enthroned at Saint Nicholas Cathedral.
The Princely family was in attendance, including his elder sister,
Princess Caroline with her husband
Ernst, Prince of Hanover and three of her four children,
Andrea,
Pierre and
Charlotte; as well as his younger sister
Princess Stéphanie, his paternal aunt
Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy, his godson,
Jean-Léonard Taubert de Massy, and his cousin
Elisabeth-Anne de Massy. Royalty from 16 delegations were present for the festivities throughout the country. The evening ended with a dedicated performance at the
Opéra de Monte-Carlo
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo is an opera house which is part of the Monte Carlo Casino located in the Monaco, Principality of Monaco.
With the lack of cultural diversions available in Monaco in the 1870s, Charles III, Prince of Monaco, Prince Charl ...
.
Succession issues
As Rainier III's health declined, Albert's lack of legitimate children became a matter of public and political concern owing to the legal and international consequences. Had Prince Albert succeeded his father and died without lawful heirs, it would have triggered Article 3 of the
1918 Franco-Monegasque Treaty, according to which the Principality of Monaco would become a
protectorate
A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over ...
of the French Republic.
United Nations Treaty Series
A treaty series is an officially published collection of Treaty, treaties and other international agreements.
Americas Canada
Treaties in force for Canada are published in the Canada Treaty Series.
United States
Treaties and international ...
, 1975, vol. 981, ''Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1918''. P. 360. "Should the throne become vacant, particularly for lack of a direct or adoptive heir, the territory of Monaco shall form, under the protectorate of France, an autonomous state under the name of the State of Monaco," United Nations translation. Prior to 2002, Monaco's constitution stipulated that only the last reigning prince's "direct and legitimate" descendants could inherit the crown.
On 2 April 2002, Monaco promulgated Princely Law 1.249, which provides that if a reigning prince dies without surviving legitimate issue, the throne passes to his legitimate siblings and their legitimate descendants of both sexes, according to the principle of male-preference
primogeniture
Primogeniture () is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn Legitimacy (family law), legitimate child to inheritance, inherit all or most of their parent's estate (law), estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some childre ...
.
Under the current constitution, neither Jazmin nor Alexandre are in the
line of succession to the Monegasque throne as they are not Prince Albert II's
legitimate children, and he emphasised their ineligibility to inherit the throne in statements confirming his paternity.
Monegasque law stipulates that any
non-adulterine illegitimate child is
legitimised
Legitimation, legitimization ( US), or legitimisation ( UK) is the act of providing legitimacy. Legitimation in the social sciences refers to the process whereby an act, process, or ideology becomes legitimate by its attachment to norms and val ...
by the eventual marriage of his/her parents, thereupon obtaining the rights to which that child would have been entitled if born in lawful marriage. Thus Alexandre would have become Monaco's
heir apparent
An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...
under current law if Albert were to marry Alexandre's mother. In a 2005 exchange with American reporter
Larry King
Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American TV and radio host presenter, author, and former spokesman. He was a WMBM radio interviewer in the Miami area in the 1950s and 1960s and beginning in ...
, Albert stated that this would not happen.
[Larry King Live. Interview with Prince Albert II. 25 October 2005. Retrieved 26 June 2010.]
Prior to the birth of Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, Prince Albert's elder sister,
Caroline, Princess of Hanover, was
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
and, according to the Grimaldi
house law, bore the traditional title of Hereditary Princess of Monaco. Following their births, she is now third in line.
Princely activities

In the early years of his reign, Prince Albert oversaw multiple judicial and legal reforms, including the regulation of
custody, protections of the privacy of the individual in the face of technological growth,
freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic Media (communication), media, especially publication, published materials, shoul ...
, legislative gender equality, and the protection of children's rights and disabled students.
In July 2005, in echo of
Albert I, his great-great-grandfather, he travelled to
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen (; formerly known as West Spitsbergen; Norwegian language, Norwegian: ''Vest Spitsbergen'' or ''Vestspitsbergen'' , also sometimes spelled Spitzbergen) is the largest and the only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipel ...
, Norway. During this trip, he visited the glaciers
Lilliehöökbreen and
Monacobreen. Prince Albert also engaged in a Russian
Arctic
The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...
expedition, reaching the North Pole on
Easter
Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
, 16 April 2006.
Since his ascension, the Prince has overseen the construction of various community facilities, including
social housing
Public housing, also known as social housing, refers to Subsidized housing, subsidized or affordable housing provided in buildings that are usually owned and managed by local government, central government, nonprofit organizations or a ...
, railway infrastructure, educational institutes for the
hospitality industry
The hospitality industry is a broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, food and beverage services, event planning, theme parks, travel agency, tourism, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars.
Sector ...
, and secondary education. He currently heads an initiative to promote ethical economic activity, criminal liability, the adopting of systems to combat money laundering and organized crime, and the introduction of
tax fraud
Tax evasion or tax fraud is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trust (property), trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax au ...
into Monegasque criminal law.
In 2006, Prince Albert created the
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which continues Monaco's commitment to supporting sustainable and ethical projects around the world. The foundation's focus has three main objectives: climate change and renewable energy development, combating the
loss of biodiversity, and improving universal access to clean water. In July 2011, Albert married South African Olympic swimmer
Charlene Wittstock.
On 27 August 2015, Prince Albert apologized for Monaco's role in facilitating the deportation of a total of 90 Jews and resistance fighters to the Nazis in 1942, of whom only nine survived. "We committed the irreparable in handing over to the neighboring authorities women, men, and a child who had taken refuge with us to escape the persecutions they had suffered in France," Albert said at a ceremony in which a monument to the victims was unveiled at the
Monaco Cemetery. "In distress, they came specifically to take shelter with us, thinking they would find neutrality."
Between 2006 and 2022, Albert's chief of cabinet was Georges Lisimachio. In June 2023, Albert dismissed
Claude Palmero, the manager of the Prince of Monaco's assets who had been serving for over two decades. Albert said of the decision, "I exercised my right to choose the asset manager of my choice. Events have shown how much this decision was the right one." Palmero proceeded to sue Albert for €1 million and leaked information of the palace's spending to the French media.
Personal life
In 2016, Albert purchased Princess Grace's childhood home in
East Falls, Philadelphia, which was originally built by her father
Jack Kelly Sr. Upon acquiring it, he stated the house might be used as a museum space or as offices for the
Princess Grace Foundation. Prince Albert does not have direct ownership of the
Prince's Palace, but does possess personal homes in both
La Turbie and
Marchais.
Albert, a well-known automotive enthusiast, owns vehicles like the
BMW Hydrogen 7, the
Lexus LS 600h,
the
Lexus RX 400h,
and the
Toyota Prius PHV.
He also owns a
Dassault Aviation Falcon 7X, a 14-passenger leisure jet, currently stationed at
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport.
Albert was close friends with the artist
Nall and owns some of his works.
On 19 March 2020, amid the
COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, it was announced that Albert II had tested positive for
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
,
making him the first monarch and head of state to have contracted COVID-19.
It was reported that he had begun to self-quarantine from within his apartment, performing his work and duties from there.
On 31 March, it was announced that he had made a full recovery. In April 2022, he tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time and observed a brief period of self-isolation.
In 2021,
Raphaël Domjan became the first pilot of an
electric plane flight with a
head of state
A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...
. On 14 September 2021, they took off with a
Pipistrel Velis128 operated by Elektropostal from
Nice airport in France with Albert II and they flew over Monaco. The plane flew for 30 minutes at a maximum altitude of 900 feet.
Paternity claims
* Tamara Jean Rotolo — Prince Albert was reportedly listed as the father of
Jazmin Grace Grimaldi on her birth certificate, registered in
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a County (United States), county located in the Southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 2,418,185, making it the fourth-most ...
, United States. The case went to trial in 1993 and was eventually dismissed by
Superior Court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...
Judge Graham Anderson Cribbs, who refused jurisdiction and found that there was "insufficient connection between
rince HereditaryAlbert and the State of California to justify hearing a suit
n California, justifying the statements of the Prince's lawyer. On 31 May 2006, after a
DNA test confirmed the child's parentage, Albert admitted, via statement from his lawyer, that he is Jazmin's father.
* Nicole Coste — In May 2005, a former
Air France
Air France (; legally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France, and is headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. The airline is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and is one of the founding members ...
flight attendant from Togo claimed that her youngest son, born Éric Alexandre Stéphane Tossoukpé on 24 August 2003 in Paris, France,
whom she called Alexandre Coste, was Prince Albert's child, and stated that his parentage had been proven by DNA tests requested by the Monegasque government. She further declared that the Prince had signed a
notarised certificate confirming paternity, of which she had not received a copy. The ''
Paris Match
''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly gossip magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. ''Paris Match'' has been considered "one of the world's best outlets for photojournalism". ...
'' published a ten-page interview with Coste, including photographs of Albert holding and feeding the child. Coste also told the publication that she was living in the Prince's Paris apartment, and receiving an allowance from him, while pretending to be the girlfriend of one of his friends in order to maintain discretion. She also stated that the prince had previously last seen the boy in February 2005. The prince's lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, announced that as a result of the international publicity over these revelations, Prince Albert was suing the ''
Daily Mail
The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily Middle-market newspaper, middle-market Tabloid journalism, tabloid conservative newspaper founded in 1896 and published in London. , it has the List of newspapers in the United Kingdom by circulation, h ...
'', ''
Bunte'', and ''
Paris Match
''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly gossip magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. ''Paris Match'' has been considered "one of the world's best outlets for photojournalism". ...
'' for privacy violations. On 6 July 2005, a few days before he was enthroned on 12 July, the Prince officially confirmed via his lawyer Lacoste that Alexandre was his biological son.
[Monaco prince admits love child](_blank)
BBC News, 6 July 2005. Retrieved 18 September 2009. He calls himself Alexandre Grimaldi.
* Bea Fiedler — In a suit filed around January 1989, a German model and former adult film actress claimed her son Daniel was the prince's child from an October 1986 tryst. A judge reportedly dismissed the suit, despite the fact that Prince Albert had submitted a DNA sample to be tested, as the genetic sample had not been rendered in front of a witness. Fiedler rejected the DNA blood sample as truly belonging to the prince.
* In December 2020, a Brazilian woman filed a paternity suit against Albert, claiming that he had fathered a child with her during his relationship with Charlene. Albert's lawyer described the claim as a 'hoax'.
Marriage
Prince Albert met South African swimmer
Charlene Wittstock in 2000 at the
Mare Nostrum
In the Roman Empire, () was a term that referred to the Mediterranean Sea. Meaning "Our Sea" in Latin, it denoted the body of water in the context of borders and policy; Ancient Rome, Rome remains the only state in history to have controlled th ...
swimming meet in Monaco.
They made their public debut as a couple at the
opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Their engagement was announced by the palace on 10 June 2010. The wedding was originally scheduled for 8 and 9 July 2011, but was moved forward to prevent a conflict with the
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...
(IOC) meeting in
Durban
Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Situated on the east coast of South ...
on 5–9 July, which they both attended. The couple had invited members of the IOC, including president
Jacques Rogge, to their wedding.
The couple were married in a civil ceremony on 1 July 2011 in the Throne Room of the
Prince's Palace.
The
religious ceremony took place in the courtyard of the palace on 2 July, and was presided over by Archbishop
Bernard Barsi.
The couple honeymooned in South Africa, where they stayed in separate hotels, and Mozambique.
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene had twins,
Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès, and
Jacques, Hereditary Prince of Monaco, on 10 December 2014. Jacques is the
heir apparent
An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...
to the throne.
Charity work and patronages

Albert holds patronages with
AS Monaco, the
World Olympians Association, the
Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, the
Peace and Sport
Peace and Sport (also known as "L’Organisation pour la Paix par le Sport") is a sports organization based in Monaco under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Ivorian Football player, footballer Didier Drogba became the organization's ...
Organization, the
No Finish Line International charitable non-profit Organisation and
Junior Chamber International. He holds official and honorary presidencies within the
Monaco Red Cross,
Comité Olympique Monégasque,
Association Mondiale des Amis de l'Enfance, The Automobile Club de Monaco, The Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo, and Jumping International de Monte Carlo. Albert is affiliated with
International Paralympic Committee,
Junior Chamber International, and
Art of the Olympians. Albert is also a global adviser to
Orphans International.
Environmental interests
In 2001, at the 36th Congress of the
Mediterranean Science Commission held in the Principality, the CIESM Member States unanimously elected Monaco in the person of Prince Albert to the presidence of the commission.
The year 2007 was declared as
(International) Year of the Dolphin by the United Nations and
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the Declaration of the United Nati ...
. Prince Albert served as the International Patron of the "Year of the Dolphin", saying "The Year of the Dolphin gives me the opportunity to renew my firm commitment towards protecting marine biodiversity. With this strong initiative we can make a difference to save these fascinating marine mammals from the brink of extinction."
The
Zoological Garden of Monaco (Jardin Animalier) was founded by Prince Rainier in 1954. Rainier was petitioned unsuccessfully for many years by
Virginia McKenna, founder of the
Born Free Foundation, to release a pair of leopards at the zoo.
He intends to convert the Jardin into a zoo for children.
In January 2009, Prince Albert left for a month-long expedition to
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...
, where he visited 26 scientific outposts and met with climate-change experts in an attempt to learn more about the impact of
global warming
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes ...
on the continent. During the trip, he stopped at the South Pole, making him the only incumbent head of state to have visited both poles.
In June 2009, Prince Albert co-authored an
op-ed
An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page," is a type of written prose commonly found in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. They usually represent a writer's strong and focused opinion on an issue of relevance to a targeted a ...
published in ''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' with
Charles Clover, the author of ''
The End of the Line'', a book about overfishing and ocean conservation issues that had recently been made into a documentary by
Rupert Murray Rupert Murray (born 28 May 1969) is a film director working in London. Murray began by making television documentaries for Channel Four's Cutting Edge series including Playing For England and Seconds To Impact (cameraman and editor), and short films ...
. In the piece, Prince Albert and Clover note that bluefin tuna have been severely overfished in the Mediterranean, and decry the common European Union practice of awarding inflated quotas to bluefin fleets.
[Clover, Charles; Grimaldi, Albert (5 June 2009)]
It's Not Too Late to Save the Tuna
''The Wall Street Journal''. Albert also announced that Monaco would seek to award endangered species status to the Mediterranean bluefin, ''Thunnus thynnus'', (also called the Northern bluefin) under the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
Convention may refer to:
* Convention (norm), a custom or tradition, a standard of presentation or conduct
** Treaty, an agreement in international law
** Convention (political norm), uncodified legal or political tradition
* Convention (meeting ...
(
CITES
CITES (shorter acronym for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of inte ...
). This was the first time a nation had called for the inclusion of Mediterranean bluefin under CITES since Sweden
at the 1992 CITES Conference, which was vehemently opposed by Japan who eventually threatened retaliation through trade barriers.
On 16 July 2009, France declared that it too would seek to have Mediterranean bluefin listed as an endangered species. Only hours later, the United Kingdom followed suit.
On 19 September 2017, Prince Albert expressed his great interest for the preliminary draft of the
Global Pact for the Environment presented by French President
Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...
in the context of the 72nd session of the
United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its Seventy-ninth session of th ...
.
He added that he will be very attentive to the future of this Pact, which he qualified as a "universal, legally binding agreement, which recognises the right of future generations to sustainable development."
After having met
Torres Strait Islander
Torres Strait Islanders ( ) are the Indigenous Melanesians, Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal peoples of the res ...
artist and activist
Alick Tipoti in 2016, Prince Albert went to stay with his family on
Badu Island
Badu or Badu Island (; , ; also Mulgrave Island), is an island in the Torres Strait north of Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia. Badu Island is also a suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Torres Strait Island Region, and Waka ...
, and collaborated with him on the film ''
Alick and Albert'' (2021), a feature-length documentary film about the future of the oceans, and how
climate change
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
affects people in the
Torres Strait Islands
The Torres Strait Islands are an archipelago of at least 274 small islands in the Torres Strait, a waterway separating far northern continental Australia's Cape York Peninsula and the island of New Guinea. They span an area of , but their tot ...
as well as Monaco. The film had its
world premiere at the
Brisbane International Film Festival in October 2021.
On 12 February 2020, Albert and
Victor Vescovo reached the bottom of
Calypso Deep, a depth of 16,762 ft, in a submarine. They were only the second team to do so after a French group in 1965.
Titles, styles, honours, and arms
Titles and styles
* 14 March 1958 – 16 March 1958: ''His Serene Highness'' The Hereditary Prince of Monaco
* 16 March 1958 – 6 April 2005: ''His Serene Highness'' The Hereditary Prince of Monaco, Marquis of Baux
* 31 March – 6 April 2005: ''His Serene Highness'' The Prince Regent of Monaco
* 6 April 2005 – present: ''His Serene Highness'' The Prince of Monaco
Military appointments
* Monaco:
Colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
of the
Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (11 November 1986 – 6 April 2005)
[ – Website of the Palace of Monaco]
* France:
Capitaine de frégate de la
Marine Nationale
The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in the world recognised as being a blu ...
(2 April 1992 – present)
Honours
National orders
* :
**

Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Saint-Charles (Grand Cross, 13 March 1979; Grand Master since 6 April 2005)
[Official Website](_blank)
Prince Albert II wore the miniature of the Order on his uniform during the evening gala dinner after the wedding
**

Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the Crown (since 6 April 2005)
**

Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Grimaldi (Grand Cross, 18 April 1958; Grand Master since 6 April 2005)
**

Sovereign of the
Order of Cultural Merit (since 6 April 2005)
Foreign orders
* : Member of the
Decoration of the National Flag (16 October 2018)
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of The Balkan Mountains (26 November 2004)
* : Grand Officer of the Order of Burkina Faso (17 February 2012)
[Official website]
Biographie
(''French''), mention of receiving the Order
* : Grand Cross, Special Class of the
Order Juan Mora Fernández (2003)
* : Grand Cross of the
Grand Order of King Tomislav (7 April 2009)
* : Grand Collar of the
Order of the Liberator of the Slaves José Simeón Cañas (2002)
* :
** Grand Cross of the
Order of Legion of Honour (8 November 2005)
** Grand Cross of the
National Order of Merit (25 July 1997)
** Commander of the
Order of Academic Palms (19 June 2009)
[Official website]
Biography
, mention of receiving the Order
** Commander of the
Order of Maritime Merit (9 December 2015)
** Commander of the
Order of Agricultural Merit
The Order of Agricultural Merit () is an order of merit bestowed by the France, French Republic for outstanding contributions to agriculture. When it was created in 1883, it was second in importance only to the Legion of Honour within the Frenc ...
(14 May 2024)
** Medal of Honor for Commercial and Fishing Sailors (19 October 2022)
** Great Gold Medal of the Society for the Encouragement of Progress
EP(7 October 2024)
* : Grand Cross, Special Class of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...
(9 July 2012)
* :
** Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the Holy Sepulchre (27 January 1983)
** Knight of Collar of the
Order of the Holy Sepulchre (4 October 2021)
* : Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-ranking honour of the Republi ...
(12 December 2005)
* : Knight Grand Cordon of the
Supreme Order of the Renaissance (before 07/2011)
* : Grand Cross, Special Class of the
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...
(before 07/2011)
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Vytautas the Great (15 October 2012)
* : Recipient of the
Order of the Crown of the Realm (27 November 2023)
** Member 1st class of the
Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK) (7 November 1997 & 27 November 2023)
* : Grand Cross of the
National Order of Mali (12 February 2012)
* : Recipient of the
King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal
* : Grand Cross of the Order of Niger (March 1998)
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa (2002)
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of the Sun (2003)
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2012)
* : Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of Prince Henry
The Order of Prince Henry () is a Portuguese order of knighthood created on 2 June 1960, to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of the Portuguese ''infante'' Prince Henry the Navigator, one of the main initiators of the Age of Discovery. M ...
(14 October 2022)
* : Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the Order of Michael the Brave. It is the oldest Order of Romania. It is awarded by the Preside ...
(2009)
* :
** Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of San Marino (2015)
** Grand Cross of the
Order of Saint Agatha (2010)
* :
** Grand Cross of the
Order of the Lion (2012)
** Grand Officer of the
Order of the Lion (May 1977)
* : Grand Cross of
Order of the Republic of Serbia (7 October 2020)
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of the White Double Cross (2017)
* :
Order for Exceptional Merits (2006)
* :
** Bailiff Grand Cross of
Honour and Devotion (31 July 2011)
** Collar of the
Order pro merito Melitensi (15 October 2009)
**
Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion (15 October 1997)
* : Grand Cordon of the Order of 7 November (September 2006)
* :
** Recipient of the
50th Birthday Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 1996)
** Recipient of the
70th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 2016)
=Dynastic orders
=
* : Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1 March 2003)
* : Knight of the
Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation () is a Catholic order of chivalry, originating in County of Savoy, Savoy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Italy#The Kingdom of Italy, honours system in the ...
(2 November 2023)
*
House of Petrović-Njegoš: Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Prince Danilo I
*
Two Sicilian Royal Family:
** Knight of the
Order of Saint Januarius (7 November 2017)
** Bailiff Knight Grand Cross with Collar of Justice of the
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (7 November 2017)
Other awards
*
FIODS: Medal of the International Merit of Blood (12 March 1994)
* : Grand Prix Humanitaire de France (6 March 2007)
*
University of Plymouth
The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...
:
Doctor of Science
A Doctor of Science (; most commonly abbreviated DSc or ScD) is a science doctorate awarded in a number of countries throughout the world.
Africa
Algeria and Morocco
In Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia, all universities accredited by the s ...
(D.Sc.) (26 September 2013)
* Zayed International Prize for the Environment (1 February 2014)
*
Pierre and Marie Curie University:
Doctor Honoris Causa
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
(23 March 2017)
*
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) is a Public university, public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Located in northwest Tel Aviv, the university is the center of teaching and ...
:
Doctor Honoris Causa
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
(12 June 2018)
*
University of Lapland:
Doctor Honoris Causa
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
(19 February 2019)
*
Metropolitan City of Genoa: ''Paganini Ambassador'' (26 June 2023)
In 1996, Prince Albert received the Eagle Award from the
United States Sports Academy. The Eagle Award is the academy's highest international honor and was awarded to Prince Albert for his significant contributions in promoting international harmony, peace and goodwill through the effective use of sport.
On 23 October 2009, Prince Albert was awarded the
Roger Revelle Prize for his efforts to protect the environment and to promote scientific research. This award was given to Prince Albert by the
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in
La Jolla
La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood in San Diego, California, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. The climate is mild, with an average daily temperature o ...
, California. Prince Albert is the second recipient of this prize.
In October 2017, Prince Albert received the Lowell Thomas Award from
The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is an American-based international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study. The club was founded in New York City in 1904 and has served as a meeting point for ex ...
, a non-profit group that promotes scientific exploration. The award is presented by the president of the club on special occasions to groups of outstanding explorers. The Club cited Prince Albert's dedication to the protection of the environment, commemorating his status as the first head of state to reach both the North and South poles.
On 14 October 2019 at the Comenius University in Bratislava, he received the honorary title "doctor honoris causa" for activities in the field of protection of natural and cultural heritage within his efforts to
combat climate change.
Commemorative coins
As Monaco's head of state, Prince Albert II is depicted on both standard-issue and collector's coins, such as the €5 silver
Prince Albert II commemorative coin, the first commemorative coin with his effigy, minted in 2008. On the obverse, the prince is depicted in profile with his name on the top of the coin. On the reverse, the Grimaldi coat of arms appears; around it, the words "Principauté de Monaco" (Principality of Monaco) also appear along with the nominal monetary value of the coin.
Arms and emblems
Ancestry
See also
*
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
*
List of royal Olympians
References
External links
Prince Albert IIat the official website of the Princely House of Monaco
Prince Albert II of Monaco FoundationPrincess Grace Foundation(US website)
*
*
*
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{{Authority control
1958 births
20th-century Roman Catholics
21st-century Roman Catholics
21st-century princes of Monaco
21st-century regents
Amherst College alumni
Bobsledders at the 1988 Winter Olympics
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Kelly family
Living people
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People of Ligurian descent
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Monegasque billionaires
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Recipients of Supreme Order of the Renaissance (Jordan)
Dukes of Mayenne
Dukes of Valentinois