Fresh from their brief holiday in Antiparos, Greece, Their Serene Highnesses Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II of Monaco, hosted an official visit for the “… Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra’ Matthew Festing on July 31, 2011.”  

According to the official site for the princely family of Monaco, Mr. Festing was:

…welcomed at 11.15 am at the Palais Princier de Monaco by H.S.H. Prince Albert II, H.E. Mr Michel Roger, Minister of State and Colonel Luc Fringant, Chamberlain.

[Mr. Festing] received military honors,  and a mass was celebrated led by H.E. Mr Bernard Barsi, Archbishop of Monaco and Canon César Penzo in the Palace chapel.

At 12.15 pm, H.S.H. the Prince granted an audience to H.M.E.H. Fra’ Matthew Festing. After, the Grand Master named H.S.H. the Prince as an ‘Honorary Bailiff Grand Cross’. The Sovereign and H.M.E.H. Fra’ Matthew Festing then had a working lunch in the residence of the Minister of State.

At 9.30 pm, H.M.E.H. Fra’ Matthew Festing, the Prince and Princess Charlene attended a benefit concert for the charitable organisations of the Order of Malta in the Prince’s Lodge of the Main Courtyard.

There was also lovely dinner at the Palais Princier de Monaco in honor of Fra’ Matthew Festing’s visit to the tiny principality that evening.

To view photos please click the links here and here.

Source: Palais Princier de Monaco

Photo courtesy of: Palais.mc