Albert II, Prince of Monaco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Albert II |
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Albert II in 2019
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| Prince of Monaco | |||||
| Reign | 6 April 2005 – present | ||||
| Predecessor | Rainier III | ||||
| Heir apparent | Jacques | ||||
| Ministers of state |
See list
Patrick Leclercq
Jean-Paul Proust Michel Roger Gilles Tonelli (acting) Serge Telle Pierre Dartout Didier Guillaume Isabelle Berro-Amadeï (acting) |
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| Regent of Monaco | |||||
| Tenure | 31 March – 6 April 2005 | ||||
| Monarch | Rainier III | ||||
| Born | 14 March 1958 Prince's Palace of Monaco, Monaco |
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| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Jazmin Grace Grimaldi (illegitimate) Alexandre Grimaldi (illegitimate) Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès Jacques, Hereditary Prince of Monaco |
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| House | Grimaldi | ||||
| Father | Rainier III, Prince of Monaco | ||||
| Mother | Grace Kelly | ||||
| Religion | Catholic Church | ||||
| Signature |  |
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| Military career | |||||
| Allegiance |  Monaco |
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| Service/ |
 Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince |
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| Years of service | 1986–2005 (end of active service) |
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| Rank | Commander-in-chief | ||||
Albert II (born 14 March 1958) is the current Prince of Monaco. He has been the ruler of Monaco since 2005.
Prince Albert was born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco. He is the only son of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. He studied political science at Amherst College in the United States. In his younger years, he was a bobsleigh athlete and competed in the Winter Olympics.
After his father became ill in March 2005, Albert became the regent. This meant he took over his father's duties. A week later, his father passed away, and Albert became the new Prince. Since then, he has been a strong supporter of protecting the environment. He works to save our oceans and promote renewable energy. In 2006, he started the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. This foundation helps raise money and take action for environmental causes.
Prince Albert owns parts of the company that runs Monaco's casino and other fun places. In July 2011, he married Charlene Wittstock, an Olympic swimmer from South Africa. He has four children: Jazmin, Alexandre, Gabriella, and Jacques.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Prince Albert was born in Monaco on 14 March 1958. He was the second child of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. From birth, he was the next in line to become Prince. He has family roots from Ireland, Germany, and Monaco.
Albert was a citizen of both Monaco and the United States when he was born. He later chose to give up his American citizenship. He was baptized on 20 April 1958, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Monaco.
After finishing school, Albert trained for a year in royal duties. Then, in 1977, he went to Amherst College in Massachusetts. He studied political science and graduated in 1981. He can speak French, German, Italian, and English.
Albert also trained with the French Navy for several months. He reached the rank of Ship-of-the-Line Ensign. He is now a reserve Lieutenant Commander. From 1983 to 1985, he took courses in finance and marketing. Since 1993, he has led Monaco's group at the General Assembly of the United Nations.
In 1982, Prince Albert's mother, Princess Grace, passed away in a car accident. Albert has shared that her death was a very difficult time for his family.
Sports and Hobbies
| Sport | |
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| Country | Monaco |
| Sport |  Bobsleigh |
| Event(s) | 4-man, 2-man |
| Retired | 2002 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002 |
Prince Albert has always loved sports. He played many different sports, including cross country, handball, and swimming. He also earned a black belt in judo in 1985.
He competed in bobsleigh at five Winter Olympics for Monaco. He was Monaco's flag bearer at the 1988, 1994, and 1998 Winter Olympics. He has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1985. His grandfather and uncle were also Olympic medalists in rowing.
Becoming Prince
On 31 March 2005, Prince Albert took over his father's duties as regent. This happened because his father, Prince Rainier, was too ill to perform his royal functions.
Accession to the Throne
Prince Albert II officially became the ruler of Monaco on 12 July 2005. This was after a three-month period of mourning for his father. A special church service at Saint Nicholas Cathedral marked the start of his reign.
After the service, Albert hosted a party for 7,000 people born in Monaco. He was given two keys to the city, which was a symbol of his new role. He also gave a speech. The day ended with fireworks.
A second ceremony took place on 19 November 2005. Albert was officially crowned at Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Many royal family members and guests from 16 countries attended the celebrations. The evening ended with a special show at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.
Succession to the Throne
Before Prince Albert had children, there was concern about who would rule Monaco next. This was because if he died without legal children, Monaco might become a French protectorate.
In 2002, Monaco changed its law. The new law says that if a prince dies without legal children, the throne can pass to his siblings and their children. This includes both sons and daughters.
Prince Albert has two older children, Jazmin and Alexandre. They are not in line to inherit the throne under Monaco's current laws.
In 2014, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene had twins, Gabriella and Jacques. Prince Jacques is the heir apparent, meaning he is next in line to the throne. His sister Gabriella was born first, but the law states that the male heir comes first. Before the twins were born, Prince Albert's elder sister, Princess Caroline, was next in line. Now, she is third in line.
Princely Activities
In the early years of his rule, Prince Albert made many changes to Monaco's laws. These changes included rules about privacy, freedom of the press, and equal rights for men and women. He also worked to protect children's rights and support students with disabilities.
In July 2005, Prince Albert traveled to Spitsbergen, Norway. He visited glaciers there to learn more about the environment. He also went on a Russian Arctic trip and reached the North Pole in April 2006. This made him the only ruler to have visited both the North and South poles.
Prince Albert has overseen the building of new community places. These include social housing, railway lines, and schools. He also leads efforts to promote ethical business and fight against money laundering and tax fraud.
In 2006, Prince Albert created the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. This foundation works on three main goals:
- Fighting climate change and developing renewable energy.
- Stopping the loss of different types of plants and animals.
- Making sure everyone has access to clean water.
On 27 August 2015, Prince Albert apologized for Monaco's role during World War II. He apologized for Monaco helping to send Jewish people and resistance fighters to the Nazis in 1942. He said, "We committed the irreparable in handing over... women, men, and a child who had taken refuge with us."
In March 2020, Prince Albert tested positive for COVID-19. He was the first head of state to get the virus. He recovered fully and continued his duties from home. In April 2022, he tested positive again and self-isolated briefly.
In 2021, Prince Albert flew in an electric plane with pilot Raphaël Domjan. They flew over Monaco for 30 minutes. This was the first time a head of state flew in an electric plane.
Personal Life
In 2016, Prince Albert bought his mother Princess Grace's childhood home in Philadelphia. He said the house might become a museum or offices for the Princess Grace Foundation. Prince Albert owns personal homes in La Turbie and Marchais.
Prince Albert enjoys cars and owns several hybrid and electric vehicles. He also owns a private jet.
Marriage
Prince Albert first met South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock in 2000. They appeared as a couple at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Their engagement was announced on 10 June 2010. They were married in a civil ceremony on 1 July 2011, at the Prince's Palace. The religious ceremony took place the next day. The couple spent their honeymoon in South Africa and Mozambique.
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene welcomed twins on 10 December 2014. Their children are Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques. Prince Jacques is the next in line to the throne.
Charity Work and Environmental Interests
Prince Albert supports many organizations. He is a patron of AS Monaco (a football club) and the World Olympians Association. He also supports the Monaco Red Cross and the Automobile Club de Monaco. He is a global adviser for Orphans International.
Environmental Protection
Prince Albert is very dedicated to protecting the environment. In 2001, he became the president of the Mediterranean Science Commission.
In 2007, the United Nations declared the "Year of the Dolphin." Prince Albert was the International Patron for this event. He said he was committed to protecting marine life.
The Zoological Garden of Monaco was started by his father. Prince Albert decided to release some of the animals, like leopards, to better homes. He plans to turn the zoo into a special place for children.
In January 2009, Prince Albert went on a month-long trip to Antarctica. He visited many scientific stations. He met with experts to learn about how global warming affects the continent. During this trip, he reached the South Pole.
In June 2009, Prince Albert wrote an article for The Wall Street Journal. He talked about how bluefin tuna were being overfished in the Mediterranean Sea. He announced that Monaco would try to list the Mediterranean bluefin as an endangered species. This was a big step in protecting this fish.
In 2017, Prince Albert supported the idea of a "Global Pact for the Environment." This pact would be a worldwide agreement to protect the environment for future generations.
Prince Albert also worked with artist Alick Tipoti on a film called Alick and Albert (2021). The film is about the future of the oceans and how climate change affects people in the Torres Strait Islands and Monaco.
In February 2020, Albert and Victor Vescovo explored the bottom of Calypso Deep in a submarine. They were only the second team to reach this deep point.
Titles and Honours
| Styles of Albert II |
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| Reference style | His Serene Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Serene Highness |
Prince Albert II holds many titles and has received numerous honours from Monaco and other countries.
Titles and Styles
- 14 March 1958 – 16 March 1958: His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Monaco
- 16 March 1958 – 6 April 2005: His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Monaco, Marquis of Baux
- 31 March – 6 April 2005: His Serene Highness The Prince Regent of Monaco
- 6 April 2005 – present: His Serene Highness The Prince of Monaco
Military Appointments
- Monaco: Colonel of the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (1986 – 2005)
France: Capitaine de frégate de la Marine Nationale (1992 – present)
Awards and Recognition
Prince Albert has received many awards for his work, especially in environmental protection.
- In 1996, he received the Eagle Award for promoting peace through sport.
- In 2009, he was given the Roger Revelle Prize for his environmental efforts.
- In 2017, he received the Lowell Thomas Award for his dedication to exploration and environmental protection.
- He has also received honorary degrees from several universities around the world.
Commemorative Coins
As the head of Monaco, Prince Albert II's image appears on coins. For example, a special €5 silver coin was made in 2008 with his picture.
Arms and Emblems
 Coat of arms of Prince Albert II of Monaco |
 Monogram of Prince Albert II |
 Dual cypher of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene |
Images for kids
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Albert II in 2019
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Signature of Albert II
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Coat of Arms of Carabiniers du prince
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Bobsleigh pictogram
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Royal Standard of Albert II of Monaco
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Coat of arms of Prince Albert II of Monaco
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Monogram of Prince Albert II
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Dual cypher of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene
See Also
In Spanish: Alberto II de Mónaco para niños
- Legion of Honour
- Legion of Honour Museum
- List of Legion of Honour recipients by name (A)
- List of foreign recipients of Legion of Honour by name
- List of foreign recipients of the Legion of Honour by country
- List of foreign recipients of the Legion of Honour by decade
