Prince Albert II of Monaco

Acting

Born March 14, 1958 · Monte Carlo, Monaco

Also known as Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi · Fürst Albert II. von Monaco · Prince Albert

Biography

Albert II (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi; born 14 March 1958) is Prince of Monaco, reigning since 2005. Born at the Prince's Palace of Monaco, Albert is the second child and only son of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. He attended the Lycée Albert Premier before studying political science at Amherst College. In his youth, he competed in bobsleigh during Winter Olympic finals before retiring in 2002. Albert was appointed regent in March 2005 after his father fell ill, and became sovereign prince upon Rainier's death a week later. Since his ascension, he has been outspoken in the field of environmentalism and an advocate of ocean conservation, and adoption of renewable energy sources to tackle global climate change, and founded The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in 2006, to directly raise funds and initiate action for such causes and greater ecological preservation. With assets valued at more than $1 billion, Albert owns shares in the Société des Bains de Mer, which operates Monaco's casino and other entertainment properties in the principality. In July 2011, Prince Albert married South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock. He has four children: Jazmin, Alexandre, Gabriella, and Jacques. Prince Albert was born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco on 14 March 1958, as the second child of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. At the time of his birth, he was heir apparent to the throne. He has Irish, German, and Monegasque ancestry. Albert was a dual citizen of both the Principality of Monaco and the United States of America by birth, before renouncing his American citizenship in his early adulthood. 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. ... Source: Article "Albert II, Prince of Monaco" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Awards & recognition

honorary citizen of Genoa · 2022
Award "For Freedom of Mass Media" · 2020
honorary doctor of Comenius University · 2019
European Cultural Award · 2018
Order of the National Flag · 2018

Show all 44 awards →

doctor honoris causa from the Pierre and Marie Curie University · 2017
Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross · 2017
German Maritime Award · 2016
honorary doctor of the University of Edinburgh · 2016
Commander of the Order of Maritime Merit · 2015
Order of San Marino · 2015
honorary degree · 2014
Dostyk Order of grade I · 2013
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland · 2013
Grand Cross of the National Order of Mali · 2012
Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great · 2012
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany · 2012
National Order of Burkina Faso · 2012
honorary doctorate of the University of the Mediterranean - Aix Marseille II · 2011
Order of Saint Agatha · 2010
Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania · 2009
Commander of the French Order of Academic Palms · 2009
Grand Order of King Tomislav · 2009
honorary doctorate from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis · 2009
Champions of the Earth · 2008
Decoration — Exceptional Merits · 2006
Order of the 7th November 1987 · 2006
Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour · 2005
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic · 2005
Order of Stara Planina · 2004
Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru · 2003
Order of Juan Mora Fernández · 2003
Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa · 2002
National Order of Niger · 1998
Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit · 1997
Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles · 1979
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Grimaldi · 1958
European Medal of Tolerance
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion
honorary doctor of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations
Order of Merit
Order pro Merito Melitensi
Supreme Order of the Renaissance