Albert II, Prince of Monaco

Albert II is the current Prince of Monaco. He began ruling in 2005. He was born in 1958 at the Prince's Palace of Monaco. He is the second child and only son of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace.

Albert studied political science in the United States. He became well-known for playing sports, especially bobsleigh in several Winter Olympic Games.

When his father became ill in 2005, Albert was named regent. He became prince when his father passed away a week later. As prince, he has worked to protect the environment. He supports ocean conservation and using renewable energy to help with climate change. In 2006, he started the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to help protect nature.

In 2011, Prince Albert married Charlene Wittstock, an Olympic swimmer from South Africa. He has four children: Gabriella, Jacques, Jazmin, and Alexandre. Jacques will be the next prince. Albert has also worked in business. He owns shares in companies that manage Monaco's famous casino and entertainment venues.

Early life

Prince Albert was born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco on 14 March 1958. He is the second child of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. At the time, he was next in line to become the prince. Albert was also a citizen of both Monaco and the United States, but later gave up his U.S. citizenship when he was older. He was baptized on 20 April 1958 by Monsignor Jean Delay, Archbishop of Marseille, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Monaco. His godparents were Prince Louis de Polignac and Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain.

Hereditary Prince

Prince Albert spent a year learning about his royal duties before going to Amherst College in Massachusetts in 1977. He studied political science and graduated in 1981. He can speak several languages, including French, German, Italian, and English.

After college, he learned about the navy and later worked with big companies to study finance and communication.

Albert loved sports and played many kinds, like judo, where he earned a black belt, and bobsleigh. He competed in the Winter Olympics five times, carrying Monaco’s flag in some of those games. He also tried to race in a big rally but didn’t finish. Albert’s family has a history with the Olympics, and he has been part of the International Olympic Committee since 1985.

Reign

Prince Albert II began his rule on July 12, 2005, after a time of mourning for his father. A church service started his reign, and there was a celebration for local people. That night, there was a fireworks show.

Later, on November 19, 2005, Albert was officially placed on the throne. Family and royalty from many countries were there. The evening ended with a special show at a famous theater.

In the early years of his rule, Prince Albert worked on changes to help people and the environment. He visited places like Norway and the North Pole to learn about climate change. In 2006, he started a foundation to support clean energy and nature protection. In 2011, he married Charlene Wittstock, an Olympic swimmer from South Africa.

Personal life

In 2016, Prince Albert bought the childhood home of Princess Grace in East Falls, Philadelphia. He thought the house could become a small museum or offices for the Princess Grace Foundation. Although he is the prince, he does not own the Prince's Palace personally, but he has homes in La Turbie and Marchais.

Prince Albert loves cars and owns several special ones, including a BMW Hydrogen 7, a Lexus LS 600h, a Lexus RX 400h, and a Toyota Prius PHV. He also has a private jet, a Dassault Aviation Falcon 7X, which is kept at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport.

In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, Prince Albert announced that he had tested positive for the virus. He stayed in his apartment and worked from there until he fully recovered by the end of the month. In April 2022, he tested positive again and isolated for a short time.

In 2021, Prince Albert made history by becoming the first head of state to fly in an electric plane. On September 14, 2021, he flew over Monaco in a small Pipistrel Velis128 from Nice Airport in France.

Paternity claims

Tamara Jean Rotolo claimed that Prince Albert was the father of Jazmin Grace Grimaldi. After a DNA test in 2006, the prince admitted he was her father.

Nicole Coste, a former flight attendant, said her son Alexandre was Prince Albert’s child. DNA tests proved this, and the prince later confirmed he was Alexandre’s father.

Bea Fiedler, a German model, claimed a son was Prince Albert’s, but the court dismissed her case.

In 2020, a Brazilian woman made a similar claim, which the prince’s lawyer called false.

Marriage

Main article: Wedding of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Charlene Wittstock

Prince Albert met South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock in 2000. They announced their engagement in June 2010 and married in July 2011. They have twins, Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès and Jacques, Hereditary Prince of Monaco, born in December 2014. Jacques is the next in line to become prince.

Charity work and patronages

Main article: Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

Prince Albert supports many important groups. These include AS Monaco, the World Olympians Association, and the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. He also works with the Peace and Sport Organization and the Junior Chamber International. He holds leadership roles in groups like the Monaco Red Cross and the Comité Olympique Monégasque.

Environmental interests

In 2001, Prince Albert was chosen to lead the Mediterranean Science Commission. In 2007, he helped raise awareness about protecting dolphins. In 2009, he traveled to Antarctica to learn more about how global warming affects the area. He has spoken out about protecting bluefin tuna and supported agreements to help the environment. In 2021, he worked on a film about how climate change impacts island communities and Monaco. In 2020, he and a partner reached the bottom of Calypso Deep, one of the deepest points in the ocean.

Titles, styles, honours, and arms

For a complete ranked list of the Monegasque monarch's titles, see Monarchy of Monaco § Titles and styles.

Titles and styles

• 14 March 1958 – 16 March 1958: His Serene Highness Albert, Hereditary Prince of Monaco
• 16 March 1958 – 6 April 2005: His Serene Highness Albert, Hereditary Prince of Monaco, Marquis of Baux
• 31 March – 6 April 2005: His Serene Highness Albert, 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 (11 November 1986 – 6 April 2005)
• France: Capitaine de frégate de la Marine Nationale (2 April 1992 – present)

Honours

Main article: List of honours of the Monegasque princely family by country

National orders

•   Monaco:
  • Grand Master of the Order of Saint-Charles (since 6 April 2005; Knight Grand Cross, 1979 – 2005)
  • Grand Master of the Order of the Crown (since 6 April 2005)
  • Grand Master of the Order of Grimaldi (since 6 April 2005; Knight Grand Cross, 1958 – 2005)
  • Grand Master of the Order of Cultural Merit (since 6 April 2005)

Foreign orders

• : Recipient of the National Flag Order (16 October 2018)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of The Balkan Mountains (26 November 2004)
• : Grand Officer of the Order of Burkina Faso (17 February 2012)
• : Golden Grand Cross of the Order Juan Mora Fernández (2003)
• : Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King Tomislav (7 April 2009)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator of the Slaves José Simeón Cañas (2002)
• : - Grand Cross of the Order of Legion of Honour (8 November 2005) - Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (25 July 1997) - Commander of the Order of Academic Palms (19 June 2009) - Commander of the Order of Maritime Merit (9 December 2015) - Commander of the Order of Agricultural Merit (14 May 2024) - Medal of Honor for Commercial and Fishing Sailors (19 October 2022) - Great Gold Medal of the Society for the Encouragement of Progress [SEP] (7 October 2024)
• : Grand Cross special class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (9 July 2012)
• : Knight of the Collar of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre (per 4 October 2021; Knight Grand Cross, 27 January 1983)
• : Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (12 December 2005)
• : Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (before 07/2011)
• : Member Extraordinary Class of the Order of Merit (before 07/2011)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great (15 October 2012)
• : - Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm (27 November 2023) - Member 1st Class of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK) (7 November 1997 & 27 November 2023)
• : Grand Cross of the National Order of Mali (12 February 2012)
• : Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal
• : Grand Cross of the Order of Niger (March 1998)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa (2002)
• : Collar of the National Order of Merit (4 November 2025)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun (2003)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2012)
• : - Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (14 October 2022) - Grand Collar of the Military Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ (21 November 2025)
• : Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania (2009)
• :
  • Collar of the Order of San Marino (2015)
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Agatha (2010)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion (per 2012; Grand Officer, May 1977)
• : Grand Cross of Order of the Republic of Serbia (7 October 2020)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross (2017)
• : Order for Exceptional Merits (2006)
• : - Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (per 31 July 2011; Knight Grand Cross, 15 October 1997) - Collar of the Order pro merito Melitensi (15 October 2009)
• : Grand Cordon of the Order of 7 November (September 2006)
• : - Recipient of the 70th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 2016) - Recipient of the 50th Birthday Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 1996)^{[citation needed]}

Dynastic orders

• : - Knight of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (27 April 2023) - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1 March 2003)
• House of Petrović-Njegoš: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I
• House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (Franco-Neapolitan branch):
  • Knight of the Order of Saint Januarius (6 November 2017)
  • Bailiff Knight Grand Cross with Collar of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (6 November 2017)

Other awards

• !FIODS FIODS: Medal of the International Merit of Blood (12 March 1994)
•   France: Grand Prix Humanitaire de France (6 March 2007)
•   University of Plymouth: Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) (26 September 2013)
• Zayed International Prize for the Environment (1 February 2014)
•  !Pierre and Marie Curie University Pierre and Marie Curie University: Doctor Honoris Causa (23 March 2017)
•   Tel Aviv University: Doctor Honoris Causa (12 June 2018)
•   University of Lapland: Doctor Honoris Causa (19 February 2019)
•  !Metropolitan City of Genoa Italy Metropolitan City of Genoa: Paganini Ambassador (26 June 2023)

In 1996, Prince Albert received the Eagle Award from the United States Sports Academy. The Eagle Award is the academy's highest international honor and was awarded to Prince Albert for his significant contributions in promoting international harmony, peace and goodwill through the effective use of sport.

On 23 October 2009, Prince Albert was awarded the Roger Revelle Prize for his efforts to protect the environment and to promote scientific research. This award was given to Prince Albert by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Prince Albert is the second recipient of this prize.

In October 2017, Prince Albert received the Lowell Thomas Award from The Explorers Club, a non-profit group that promotes scientific exploration. The award is presented by the president of the club on special occasions to groups of outstanding explorers. The Club cited Prince Albert's dedication to the protection of the environment, commemorating his status as the first head of state to reach both the North and South poles.

On 14 October 2019 at the Comenius University in Bratislava, he received the honorary title "doctor honoris causa" for activities in the field of protection of natural and cultural heritage within his efforts to combat climate change.

Commemorative coins

As Monaco's head of state, Prince Albert II is depicted on both standard-issue and collector's coins, such as the €5 silver Prince Albert II commemorative coin, the first commemorative coin with his effigy, minted in 2008. On the obverse, the prince is depicted in profile with his name on the top of the coin. On the reverse, the Grimaldi coat of arms appears; around it, the words "Principauté de Monaco" (Principality of Monaco) also appear along with the nominal monetary value of the coin.

Arms and emblems