Portrait courtesy of Vanessa von Zitzewitz/Palais Princier de Monaco
In Monaco-Ville, the Palais Princier de Monaco has released the official 2025 Christmas card portrait of Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, together with His Serene Highness Hereditary Prince Jacques of Monaco and Her Serene Highness Princess Gabriella of Monaco, and the family’s dog, Harley.
The photograph was taken in the private family room of the Palais Princier by Monaco-based, German-born photographer, Ms. Vanessa von Zitzewitz.
On Wednesday, December 10th, 2025, Hereditary Prince Jacques, Marquis des Baux, and Princess Gabriella, Comtesse de Carlades, will celebrate their 11th birthdays.
Photo courtesy of Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco
Book cover courtesy of Amazon France/Julliard
In Paris, it was announced that Ms. Charlotte Casiraghi, the eldest daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover and the late Stefano Casiraghi, will release her first solo book, La fêlure, on January 29, 2026.
Ms. Casiraghi previously co-wrote a philosophical work in 2018 with her former philosophy teacher, Mr. Robert Maggiori, titled Archipel des Passions (Éditions du Seuil), in which they examined forty “passions”, from love and cruelty to admiration and ennui, through a series of literary dialogues.
In La fêlure, Ms. Casiraghi undertakes a literary and philosophical exploration of what it means to be “cracked” or fragile. According to the official synopsis, the book draws inspiration from the well-known short story The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald and incorporates the work of writers, poets, and artists such as Ingeborg Bachmann, Colette, Marguerite Duras, Anna Akhmatova, the sailor Bernard Moitessier, and musician J. J. Cale.
Through these references, Ms. Casiraghi develops a sequence of reflections on the inner fracture, La fêlure, understood as a point of vulnerability that may also offer access to deeper insight.
The publisher, Éditions Julliard, describes the book as an “intimate literary inquiry” into “the line of flight that threatens us but may also offer our most sublime chance to grasp what moves through us when we live.”
If you are interested in reserving a copy of La fêlure, it is now available for pre-order through major French booksellers, including FNAC, Librest, and Amazon France.
On Friday, July 1, 2022, the Palais Princier de Monaco released a new photo of Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco on the occasion of their 11th wedding anniversary.
The image, photographed by Mr. Eric Mathon, was taken in the back garden of the Palais.
On Wednesday, June 23, 2010, the Palais Princier de Monaco announced the engagement of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II and Miss Charlene Lynette Wittstock, an Olympian swimmer from South Africa.
On July 1, 2011, at 5 P.M. the couple were civilly married in the Throne Room at the Palais Princier. The two witnesses were Mrs. Donatella Knecht de Massy and Mr. Chris Levine (Prince Albert II’s first cousin) with Mr. Philippe Narmino conducting the civil marriage.
After the civil ceremony, the princely waved to the crowds from the balcony of the Salon des Glaces at the Palais Princier. After a reception on the Place du Palais Princier with hundreds of Monégasques and government officials, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene attended a private cocktail reception for friends and family at the Hermitage hotel in Monte-Carlo.
Later in the evening, the princely couple along with hundreds of people from around the world arrived at Port Hercule in Monte-Carlo to attend a concert by French artist, Jean-Michel Jarre, in honor of the princely wedding.
The couple were married in a religious ceremony held in the courtyard of the Palais Princier de Monaco on July 2, 2011. Guests in attendance included Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Duke and Duchess of Brabant (now Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians), Their Royal Highnesses Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark, Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses Prince Georg Friedrich and Princesss Sophie of Prussia, The Duke and Duchess of Vendôme, The Duke and Duchess of Castro (Bourbon-Two Sicilies), and a then Their Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima of Oranje (not Orange) to name a few.
The 2010 engagement photo of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and a then Miss Charlene Lynette Wittstock
By the way, I love that the couple used the same colors and background tones in their 2010 engagement photo; moreover, the image was taken not too far from where their princely couple’s engagement photo was taken twelve years ago. 🙂
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco gave a speech during the United Nations Ocean Conference side-event entitled, Polar Oceans: Engine to the Global Ocean.
On this special day dedicated to the Ocean, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco reminds us of the key issues facing the world’s Ocean and the major meetings that lie ahead, such as the Lisbon Conference (end of June 2022) and COP 15, which will enable the Ocean to be placed at the heart of collective negotiations regarding our future.
“The various deadlines ahead of us must be an opportunity to provide responses adapted to the scale and complexity of the oceans and, above all, must be an opportunity to bring together skills, wills and approaches so that we can collectively respond to the immense challenges facing us. I hope that this day will help us to move forward, so that together we can reconcile humanity and the sea around a more sustainable development model.”
On Saturday, June 4, 2022, the Palais Princier de Monaco announced that Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco has tested positive for COVID-19.
At this time, the princess displays a few mild symptoms and her state of health gives no cause for concern. In accordance with Monaco’s health regulations, Princess Charlene will be in isolation for several days.
On Saturday, May 14, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco along with Dr. Sylvia Earle, Marc Benioff, Nainoa Thompson, Laura Turner Seydel, and Dr. Andrew Forrest will co-convene the inaugural Blue Climate Summit in French Polynesia.
The purpose of the week-long Blue Climate Summit is to accelerate ocean-related solutions to climate change, launch major announcements, galvanize task forces, present impact investment opportunities, and provide an international forum for Pacific Islanders to spearhead action on ocean and climate issues.
The summit will bring together over 200 scientists, environmental activists, business leaders, policymakers, financial experts, community leaders, influencers, and youth leaders to accelerate solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing humankind.
The Blue Climate Summit is an endorsed action of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and is co-hosted with the Government of French Polynesia alongside other public and private institutions.
The Royal Correspondent 