Albert II (fr. Albert II), full name – Albert Alexander Louis Pierre Grimaldi – reigning Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois since 2005, from the House of Grimaldi, son of Rainier III and Grace Kelly. Has the title of His Grace (Sеrеnite). Albert II has the title “14th Prince of Monaco, Duke de Valentinois, Marquis de Beaux, Comte de Carlade, Baron de Buy, ruler of Saint-Remy and Matignon, Comte de Thorin, Baron de Saint-Lo and La Lutumier, Duke d ‘ Etoteville, de Mazarin, de Meilerand and de Maennes, Prince de Château-Borsa, Comte de Feretti, de Belfort, du Tann and de Rougemont, Baron von Altkirche, ruler of Tenheim, Marquis de Scilly, Comte de Longjumeau, Baron de Matti, Marquis de Giscard “.
Place of Birth & Education
Albert II was born on March 14, 1958 at the Grimaldi Palace in Monaco. Son of Prince Rainier III and his wife, American actress Grace Kelly.
In 1976, Albert graduated with honors from the Albert I Lyceum in Monaco. In 1977-1981 he studied in the USA at the Massachusetts “Amherst College” and received the title of Licentiate in Political Science. The list of disciplines that Albert studied also included economics, psychology, philosophy, art history, anthropology and sociology. In addition, the future ruler of Monaco sang in the university choir and even toured with him in Europe and the Middle East.
Since childhood, Albert is fluent in French and English, and later also studied Italian, German and Spanish.
In 1981-1982 he was in active military service, which he served as a lieutenant aboard the French helicopter carrier Jeanne d’Arc.
Accession to the throne
In the last years of his reign, due to poor health, Prince Rainier III transferred to his son some of the functions related to the current administration of the principality and its international affairs. Albert was entrusted, in particular, with the duties of Monaco’s representative to the UN, and in 2004 he represented the principality at the official ceremony of Monaco’s accession to the Council of Europe, held in Strasbourg.
As Crown Prince, Albert paid great attention to social and humanitarian issues, as well as charity, leading, in particular, the organization of the Red Cross in Monaco.
During his father’s near-death illness, from March 31, 2005 until Rainier’s death (April 6), Albert was regent.
Sport
Albert is also known as a great sports fan. He almost professionally played football, handball, was fond of swimming, athletics, judo. In addition, he participated in the Paris-Dakar Rally and performed four times in the Olympic Games as a bobsledder. Since 1994, he has chaired the Monaco Olympic Committee, in addition, he is at the head of several other sports associations and is a member of the IOC.
Personal life
Albert remained a bachelor for many years and was considered one of the most eligible suitors in Europe. He was credited with numerous novels. Albert acknowledged the paternity of two children – a girl (1992) and a boy (2003) – from two different women. They have no right to the throne. In 2002, to ensure the succession to the throne and to ensure the preservation of the crown for the Grimaldi dynasty, which has a history of more than 700 years, changes were made to the constitution of Monaco. The new law provides that the brothers and sisters of the late monarch, as well as his nephews and nieces, can enjoy the right of inheritance. Thus, Albert’s heirs can be his own sisters – the older and younger Carolina Stefania, or one of their seven children.
On June 23, 2010, Albert II announced his engagement to Olympic swimming champion from South Africa, 32-year-old Charlene Wittstock. Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock were married on July 1, 2011. After the marriage, Charlene Wittstock received the title of Princess Charlene.
On December 10, 2014, Princess Charlene gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The children were named Jacques-Honore-Rainier and Gabriella Teresa-Maria. The son received the titles of Crown Prince of Monaco and Marquis de Beaux, and the daughter – Princess of Monaco and Countess de Carladez.