Prince Albert II and Princess Caroline honour Grimaldi heritage in the Ardennes
Prince Albert II cut short his official visit to the Ardennes to honour the memory of Pope Francis in Rome.
On an official visit to the Ardennes on 24 and 25 April 2025, Prince Albert II and Princess Caroline paid tribute to the historic ties between the Principality and the French region.
The passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday forced Prince Albert II of Monaco to cut short his official visit to the Ardennes, initially scheduled to last two days, in order to travel to Rome. Despite the mourning period, the Sovereign was keen to honour his commitments last week, accepting an invitation from Noël Bourgeois, President of the Ardennes Departmental Council. This visit reflects the Prince’s desire to develop the historic ties between Monaco and the French territories that once belonged to the Grimaldis.
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Accompanied by Princess Caroline of Hanover, the Prince first stopped off in Charleville-Mézières at the Musée de l’Ardenne, where he visited the exhibition “Comtes de Rethel, ducs de Mazarin, princes of Monaco”. This was followed by a stop at the Rimbaud Museum, before a Republican reception at the Hôtel du Département.
The afternoon continued at La Cassine, then Vendresse, with the spotlight on two new sites that have joined the historic Grimaldi network. In Lametz, a village with ties to Caroline Gibert, wife of Prince Florestan I, Prince Albert II and the Princess of Hanover paid tribute to the family’s ancestors by visiting their graves. A commemorative plaque was also unveiled at the local castle.
The following day, in Rethel, the Prince unveiled a new Grimaldi sign and hoisted the Monegasque flag, accompanied by the national anthem. The ceremony concluded with speeches in front of the Château Mazarin, the former seat of the duchy of the same name, with local residents in attendance. Planned visits to Château-Porcien and Arnicourt were cancelled due to the early departure of Prince Albert II and the Princess of Hanover, but will be rescheduled. No date has yet been announced.