On Thursday, April 7, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco attended a ceremony honoring Monégasque athletes who recently participated in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
During the ceremony, held at the One Monte-Carlo, the athletes were presented with certificates as well as medals.
On Wednesday, April 6, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the inauguration of the new exhibit entitled, Mareterra, at the Galerie des Pêcheurs in Monte-Carlo.
According to Monaco Info, the exhibit highlights the “…many artificial and submerged facilities that have been shaped and created to promote the development of biodiversity and underwater life, under the construction site of the offshore extension.”
On Wednesday, April 13, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco will be honored during the 23rd Annual Stars of Stony Brook Gala to be held at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The sovereign prince is being recognized for his dedication to ocean conservation and sustainability.
In 1992, Prince Albert II accompanied by his late father, His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III, attended the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeriro. Whilst there, the sovereign prince addressed global environmental problems and provided solutions to the issue. In 2006, the Prince Albert II led an Arctic expedition, becoming the first incumbent head of state to have reached the North Pole. That same year, he launched the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco (FPA) to limit the effects of climate change, promote renewable energy, preserve biodiversity and improve universal access to clean water. Since it was founded, the FPA has awarded over $1 billion in philanthropy to a number of worthy environmental organizations.
Today, Prince Albert II guides sustainable policies implemented by his government for the principality to be carbon neutral by 2050. The sovereign prince has been honored by organizations around the world for his contributions and actions in favor of protecting the environment. A five-time Olympian in bobsleigh, the sovereign prince is also a current member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the chair of the IOC Sustainable and Legacy Commission.
Established in 2000, the Stars of Stony Brook Gala has raised more than $64 million for scholarships and programs of academic and clinical excellence. Proceeds from the April 13 gala will be dedicated entirely to student scholarships. This year’s gala honorees are stars in the arenas of fighting climate change and computer science and electrical engineering.
On the morning of Tuesday, March 29, 2022, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, members of the British Royal Family, foreign royals from the European continent, members of the UK Government, and 500 representatives of the late Duke’s many charities attended a Service of Thanksgiving for the late His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh held at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
In a press release via Buckingham Palace the purpose of this morning’s service was to:
“…gave thanks for His Royal Highness’s dedication to his family, to the Nation, and to the Commonwealth as both Consort to the Queen, and a working member of the Royal Family in his own right. The event also recognized the importance of The Duke’s legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting environmental stewardship and conservation, and supporting the Armed Forces.
The Service, in particular, paid tribute to The Duke of Edinburgh’s contribution to public life and steadfast support for the over 700 charitable organizations with which His Royal Highness was associated throughout his life.”
In his address during the service the Dean of Windsor reflected on the life of The Duke of Edinburgh stating:
“In 1947, Prince Philip was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter. On the back
of his stall in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, is fixed, in perpetuity and for
everyone to see, a small enamelled brass plate on which is inscribed his motto. It is
simply: “God is My Help”. We do not understand the man unless we see him, at the
heart, to be a man of faith.
That faith was never dogmatic, sentimental or paraded and, as it went in search of
understanding, was frequently questioned and examined. However, it was real and it
endured, inspiring and shaping a lifetime of commitment to the making of this world
a better place.
I am not sure that Prince Philip had much time for the theological controversies that
divide people. His faith was a heartfelt trust in a loving God whose intention for this
world is glimpsed in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ; such trust, such hope, as
could unite people in a common endeavour.
This trust, this hope, was not idle wishful thinking or escapism. Rather, it evoked in
him a kind of impatience; eagerness for that God-intended future upon which his
gaze was always fixed.
He knew however that that future, from any human point of view, had to be arrived
at step by step. He was practical, wanting to put flesh upon his dreams, and
(acknowledging the limitations of living in this so-called ‘real world’) he devoted his
astonishing intellectual and physical energy, his enormous capacity for sheer hard
work, to a host of down-to-earth enterprises. These included the equipping of young
people to face tomorrow’s challenges, the encouragement of respect and care for the
natural order, and his pioneering work in facilitating conversation between
representatives of the different world faiths.
Through his passionate commitment, he drew others to himself in admiration and
respect and, in the case of those who lived and worked most closely to him, genuine love.
However, I sense that he did not believe that all these achievements were made in
his own strength. I am reminded of those words: ‘God is My Help’. I think he
understood his constant need of inspiration and of guidance. I am quite sure that his
prayers were not reserved for public occasions alone.
He would hate to think that I should paint a picture of him as a ‘plaster saint’;
someone without the usual human foibles and failings. He was far too self-aware
ever to be taken in by flattery. Of course, it must be said that his life bore the marks
of sacrifice and service. Certainly, he could show great sympathy and kindness. There
is no doubt that he had a delightfully engaging, and often self-deprecating, sense of
humour. It is quite clear that his mind held together both speculation and common
sense.
Moreover, nobody would ever doubt his loyalty and deep devotion to our
Queen and to their family. Yet, there were times when he could be abrupt; maybe,
in robust conversation, forgetting just how intimidating he could be. A kind of
natural reserve sometimes made him seem a little distant. He could be somewhat
sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy. On
the other hand, we should not forget that he himself was sometimes wounded by
being unfairly criticised or misunderstood.
Like the rest of us, he was part of flawed humanity. Unlike most of us however, he
was one of those rare people who remained true to, and guided by, what you might
call ‘an inner spiritual compass’; a sense of being called to play a part in the making
of a God-intended world.
As we give thanks for the life of a remarkable man, perhaps our greatest tribute to
him, most especially in these far too troubled times, will be for us to accept the
challenge, implicit in his life, to rekindle in our hearts something of that call, and to
pray (as I think he did) for the inspiration and the guidance to play our part, however, small, in working for a kinder future.
Below is the list of the members of the British royal family and foreign royals who attended this morning’s Service of Thanksgiving:
Other guests at the Service included representatives from UK Government, the Armed Forces and the Devolved Administrations, Realm High Commissioners, representatives of Overseas Territories, representatives from The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Household, representatives from The Duke’s Regimental Affiliations in the UK and the Commonwealth as well as the clergy and other faiths.
Notably absent from today’s Service of Thanksgiving was The Duke of Sussex. It’s quite unfortunate that the Duke of Sussex did not attend this meaningful day; moreover, a day that meant so much to Her Majesty The Queen. In the past, the Duke has mentioned a myraid of times how much he “…adores his grandfather…” and how much the late Duke of Edinburgh has helped him throughout the years.
After the Service of Thanksgiving, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales hosted a reception at Clarence House in London for members of the British royal family and foreign royals.
On March 24, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco celebrated the 10th anniversary of Monaco Capital of Advanced Yachting held at the Yacht Club de Monaco.
On Friday, March 25, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the conference, Sea & the City: Pathways for Coastal Resilience, held at the Yacht Club de Monaco.
During yesterday’s conference discussions focused on the stake in the coastal zone, identifying tools for assessing vulnerabilities, and promoting solutions. According to a press release, the overall goal was to focus on ways to:
“…build on the work of the conveners and partners, particularly focusing on nature-based solutions, as no-regret options. Recommendations from the conference will be used by governments, industry, and civil society to inform improved decision making and take collective action to protect and enhance resilience of coastal and marine eco-systems to climate change to benefit societies and economies around the world.”
The conference was assembled under the presidency of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and organized by the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco in collaboration with the Stimson Center Environmental Security Program and the Ocean & Climate Platform.
On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 22, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the conference, Ocean Leadership at Scale: Journeys and Stories from Leaders Around the World, held a the Musée Océanographique de Monaco in Monaco-Ville.
The conference is a part of Monaco Ocean Week organized by the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, Institut Océanographique, Fondation Prince Albert I, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Yacht Club de Monaco, and the Gouvernement Princier de Monaco.
Today’s event highlighted various leadership journeys from a global community of ocean leaders, who are making a difference where they live and work. Attendees also had an opportunity to share their stories as well.
Click the link below to view a photo gallery:
The Royal Correspondent 