We take a closer look at His Serene Highness Albert II Prince of Monaco the head of the princely house of Grimaldi and the current reigning Prince of Monaco.
In times of hardship and uncertainty, we can always count on our royal family to inspire and encourage us to never give up, and that is precisely what is happening right now!
For those of you with a keen interest in the monarchy and royalty from around the world, today we’re going to be looking at one of the lesser-known prominent royal figures, who also happens to be one of the wealthiest.
Yes, we’re looking at the reigning Albert II Prince of Monaco.
If you’ve always been interested in the monarchy and are looking to use these next several weeks productively to help you to expand your knowledge on the subject, and learn some fun facts in the process, this upcoming bio will be very much to your liking.
Here’s a brief, yet detailed look at His Serene Highness Albert II Prince of Monaco.
Who is Albert II, Prince of Monaco?
Albert II Prince of Monaco is currently the head of the princely house of Grimaldi and is the reigning Prince of Monaco.
He currently rules over Monaco and took over back in 2005, in April, when his father Rainier III sadly passed away.
Albert II Prince of Monaco is the only son and the middle child of the late Rainier III and Grace Kelly. Yes, THE Grace Kelly, who became Princess of Monaco when she married Prince Rainier III back in 1956.
Albert II Prince of Monaco is currently one of the wealthiest royals on the planet, as he has personal assets which are valued at upwards of $1 Billion. Of these assets, land located in both France and Monaco, makes up a very healthy portion.
Interestingly, Albert II Prince of Monaco owns plenty of shares in Societe des bains de mer de Monaco, which actually operates Monaco’s casino venues, as well as other entertainment properties located in the principality.
Early Life
Albert Alexandre Loius Pierre Grimaldi was born on the 14th of March, 1958, to Prince Rainier III and Grace, the Princess of Monaco – formerly known as Grace Kelly, the world-famous actress.
Born in the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, Albert has ancestry from many countries in Europe, as well as North America.
Albert was a very well-travelled young man. In his youth, he attended Amherst College, Massachusetts, as well as serving a brief stint in the French Navy.
In 1982, when his mother sadly passed away, Albert became the president of the Monaco Red Cross. He was, and still is in fact, a very charitable individual and he would go on to become actively involved in a wide range of different charities.
Sports and Olympics
He is also a very active individual and is an avid sportsman.
In 1987 for example, he would form the Monegasque Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and was a five-time Olympian as part of the principality’s bobsled team.
In 1994, he became chair of Monaco’s Olympic committee, with many agreeing that he has worked wonders at helping the Olympics to become even more prestigious and popular within the principality. In 2012, Prince Albert was appointed as the patron of the World Olympians Association.
Controversy
As the media can’t resist a good royal scandal, back in 2005, days after the passing of his father, the media, as sensitively as ever considering he was grieving, drew the public’s attention to the fact that Albert had fathered a child out of wedlock.
A year later, Albert would go on to admit that he had also fathered a daughter.
The two children were consequently barred from inheriting the throne.
In 2011, Albert married a competitive swimmer from South Africa named Charlene Wittstock, and in 2014, the couple welcomed twin daughters into the world.
Most recently, His Serene Highness Albert II Prince of Monaco became the first Royal to have contracted COVID-19. Shortly after, it was confirmed that His Royal Highness Prince Charles also had contracted the virus. Thankfully, both royals have since received a clean bill of health.
Prince Albert and his wife Princess Charlene continue to work tirelessly to promote and drive progress within and towards the Principality of Monaco.
Feature Image: Palais Princier de Monaco