Poster courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Visite du Palais Princier de Monaco
On Friday, the Palais Princier de Monaco announced the opening of the exhibition Le mariage du siècle: Monaco. 12–19 Avril 1956, to be presented in the Grands Appartements of the Palais Princier de Monaco from June 8th to October 15th, 2026.
The exhibition is being held on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the marriage of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Miss Grace Kelly, which took place in April 1956, three months after the announcement of their engagement in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bringing together photographs, film material, garments, accessories, gifts, and archival documents, the exhibition examines the sequence of events surrounding the wedding, from the arrival of Miss Grace Kelly to the Principality of Monaco on April 12th, 1956, to the couple’s departure for their honeymoon on April 19th, 1956, situating the ceremonies within the broader context of their international reception.
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Michaël Alesi
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Michaël Alesi
On Friday, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco attended an event at the Jardins Saint-Martin in Monaco-Ville marking the 10th anniversary of the campaign Des Fleurs pour les Abeilles.
The Sovereign Prince was joined by the founder of the Observatoire Français d’Apidologie, Mr. Thierry Dufresne, and its vice-president, Mr. Arnaud Dufresne, as well as a group of students from l’Institution François d’Assise–Nicolas Barré, who had previously taken part in educational activities on the role of bees in pollination.
A commemorative photograph was taken to mark the anniversary of the initiative, launched in 2017 by the Observatoire Français d’Apidologie with the support of the Sovereign Prince and the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco.
The campaign encourages the public to plant nectar-rich flowers to support bee populations and promote biodiversity. It forms part of broader efforts to address the decline in pollinators through public participation and environmental education.
Since its inception, more than 1.5 million seed packets have been distributed, contributing to the creation of flowering areas in a range of settings.
The 10th edition of the campaign is scheduled to take place from May 9th to 24th, 2026, and continues to emphasize the role of individual action in environmental conservation.
Photo courtesy of H.R.H. Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
On Friday, Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya of Thailand concluded a three-day visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, where she presided over a series of engagements focused on Thai national dress and textile traditions.
The program included the opening of the Thailand Gallery at the Royal Thai Embassy, a lecture on the development of Thai traditional dress and textiles, and the inauguration of the exhibition Chud Thai: Knowledge, Craftsmanship and Practices of the Thai National Costume at Hotel Des Indes in Den Haag.
Following these engagements, the Princess, as Patron, is preparing for the forthcoming exhibition, La Mode en Majesté: Royal Thai Dress: From Tradition to Modernity, to be held from May 13th to November 1st, 2026, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France.
More than 200 garments and related items will be presented, including royal dress, accessories, and textile works associated with the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand, alongside contemporary interpretations of traditional design. It will also include all eight recognized forms of Chud Thai Phra Ratcha Niyom, the royally endorsed national costume.
The exhibition focuses on the development of Thai court dress over time, with particular attention to the role of the late Queen Sirikit in shaping its modern form. Garments created by the French fashion house, Balmain, for the Queen, with embroidery by Maison Lesage, are included as part of the exhibition material.
In January 2026, in preparation for the exhibition, Princess Sirivannavari visited the archives of the House of Balmain in Paris, where she researched hundreds of couture garments designed and created by Balmain for the late Queen Sirikit. The research supported the curation of the exhibition, which explores the relationship between Thai royal tradition and haute couture, particularly the long-standing collaboration between the late Queen Sirikit and the House of Balmain.
The exhibition is being presented to mark the 170th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the French Republic and aligns with Thailand’s ongoing submission of Chud Thai for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity maintained by UNESCO, with consideration expected in 2026.
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Michaël Alesi
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Michaël Alesi
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Michaël Alesi
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Michaël Alesi
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Michaël Alesi
In Monaco-Ville, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco held a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Alain Berset, in the Salon de Famille at the Palais Princier de Monaco.
The meeting was held in the presence of the Directeur de Cabinet, Mr. Olivier Wenden, the Conseiller de Gouvernement-Ministre des Relations Extérieures et de la Coopération, Ms. Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, and the Ambassadeur représentant permanent de Monaco auprès du Conseil de l’Europe, His Excellency Mr. Gabriel Revel.
Secretary General Berset was accompanied by the Directrice adjointe de Cabinet du Secrétariat général, Ms. Natacha de Roeck, and the Conseiller au sein du Cabinet du Secrétariat général, Mr. Thibault Curmi.
Discussions focused on major European issues, with particular emphasis on the promotion of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, which constitute the core mandate of the Council of Europe. The meeting also addressed the Principality of Monaco’s priorities in advance of its presidency of the Committee of Ministers.
The Principality of Monaco will assume the presidency from May 15th to November 10th, 2026, marking the first time the Principality has held the role since it acceded to the Council of Europe on October 5th, 2004.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Sovereign Prince elevated Secretary General Alain Berset to the rank of Commandeur de l’Ordre de Saint-Charles.
Founded on March 15th, 1858, by Charles III of Monaco, the Ordre de Saint-Charles is one of the Principality of Monaco’s principal orders of merit. It is conferred in recognition of eminent services rendered to the State and to the Sovereign Prince. The order is awarded across several ranks, Chevalier, Officier, Commandeur, Grand Officier, and Grand-Croix, and remains a central element of the Principality of Monaco’s system of honors, reflecting the Principality’s longstanding traditions of state distinction and service.
Today’s visit forms part of preparations for the Principality of Monaco’s forthcoming presidency, during which the Principality is expected to advance its engagement in multilateral cooperation and the institutional work of the Council of Europe.
In Den Haag, Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst (RVD) announced that Her Royal Highness Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, has begun a work-study placement with the Royal Netherlands Air Force as part of the Defensity College program.
The program enables university students to combine their studies with part-time service as military reservists, while strengthening the connection between the armed forces and Dutch society. Participants undertake practical assignments alongside structured military training within the Ministerie van Defensie (Ministry of Defense).
The Princess’s participation follows the completion of her initial general military training on January 23rd, 2026, after which she was promoted to the rank of corporal. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Dutch law at the University of Amsterdam, while continuing her involvement with the armed forces.
Her placement forms part of a longstanding association between the royal family of the Netherlands and the military. This relationship is rooted in the history of the House of Orange-Nassau and dates back to William of Orange (1533–1584), also known as William the Silent, who led the early phase of the Dutch Revolt against Spanish Habsburg rule from 1568 until his assassination in 1584, during the conflict later known as the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648).
In the modern era, members of the royal family have continued to undertake military training. As Prince of Orange, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands performed his military service in the Royal Netherlands Navy from August 1985 to January 1987, training at the Royal Netherlands Naval College in Den Helder before serving aboard the frigates HNLMS Tromp and HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen. He later completed refresher training in 1988 as a duty officer on board HNLMS Van Kinsbergen. After graduating from Leiden University, he obtained his Military Pilot’s License with 334 Transport Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and, in 1994, attended the Netherlands Defense College, where he studied aspects of the work of the armed forces.
Princess Catharina-Amalia’s current placement continues this tradition, combining academic study with structured military experience within the framework of a constitutional monarchy.
This afternoon,Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan, accompanied by Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko of Japan, began their two-day official visit to the Fukushima Prefecture in northeastern Japan.
The visit is being held to mark the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.
During the visit, the Imperial Family will pay tribute to the victims, visit facilities that document the disaster and subsequent reconstruction, and meet with residents affected by the events to observe ongoing recovery efforts in the region.
The visit began in the town of Futaba, where the Imperial Family visited the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum. They laid flowers in memory of the victims and met with local residents.
Tomorrow, the Imperial Family will continue their visit to Fukushima Prefecture, including a visit to a disaster memorial facility in Tomioka. They are also expected to attend classes at an educational facility in Okuma, located near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
The Imperial Family is also expected to stop at a roadside station in Namie, a town heavily affected by the 2011 disaster and subsequent nuclear evacuation, before returning to Tokyo later that day.
Portrait courtesy of the Office of His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Idris of Johor
Press release courtesy of the Jumaah Majlis Diraja Johor
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, the 15th King of Malaysia
This morning, the Jumaah Majlis Diraja Johor (The Royal Council of Johor) announced the birth of a daughter to His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Idris, the Regent of Johor and Her Highness Che’ Puan Mahkota Khaleeda of Johor.
According to a formal proclamation issued by the Royal Council, the Princess was born on Sunday, April 5th, 2026. Both mother and daughter are reported to be in good health. The name of the child has not yet been announced.
The announcement was made in accordance with the command of His Royal Highness the Regent of Johor, with the Royal Council conveying prayers for the continued health, happiness, and enduring prosperity of the royal family of Johor.
The newborn Princess is the fifth child of His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail Idris, the Regent of Johor and Her Highness Che’ Puan Mahkota Khaleeda of Johor, and the seventh grandchild of Their Majesties Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah.
Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar is the Sultan of Johor, a hereditary Malay state located in the southernmost region of Peninsular Malaysia, bordering the Republic of Singapore.
On January 31st, 2024, Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar acceded to the throne as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) under the country’s unique rotational monarchy system, in which the rulers of the nine Malay states serve five-year terms as the federal constitutional sovereign.
The Royal Correspondent 