Albert II

Albert II

Biography Albert II

Date of Birth: 03.14.1958

Albert II
(Fr. Albert II), full name - Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi - the ruling Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois since 2005, from the House of Grimaldi, son of Rainier III and Grace Kelly. He is conferred the title His Highness (Sеrеnite). Albert II holds the title '14th Prince of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois, Marquis of Baux, Count of Carladès, Baron of Buis, Lord of Saint-Rémy and Matignon, Count of Torigni, Baron of Saint-Lo and La Luthumière, Duke of Estouteville, de Mazarin, de Maillebois and de Mayenne, Prince of Château-Porcien, Count of Ferrette, of Belfort, d'Alten and de Rougemont, Baron von Altkirche, Lord of Tengey, Marquis of Sillery, Count of Longjumeau, Baron of Matel and Marquis of Giars.'

Place of Birth. Education. Albert II was born on March 14, 1958, at the Grimaldi Palace in Monaco. The son of Prince Rainier III and his wife, American actress Grace Kelly.

In 1976, Albert graduated with honors from the Lycée Albert I in Monaco. From 1977 to 1981, he studied in the USA at Massachusetts Amherst College and received a bachelor's degree in political science. The list of disciplines Albert studied included economics, psychology, philosophy, art history, anthropology, and sociology. Additionally, the future ruler of Monaco sang in the university choir and even toured with it in Europe and the Middle East.

Albert has been fluent in French and English since childhood, and later also learned Italian, German, and Spanish.

From 1981 to 1982, he was on active military service, serving as a lieutenant on the French helicopter carrier 'Jeanne d'Arc'.

Accession to the Throne. In the last years of his reign, due to deteriorating health, Prince Rainier III transferred some of the functions related to the current governance of the principality and its international affairs to his son. Albert was entrusted, in particular, with the duties of Monaco's representative in 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 heir to the throne, Albert paid great attention to social and humanitarian issues, as well as charity, heading, among others, the Red Cross organization in Monaco.

During his father's terminal illness, from March 31, 2005, until Rainier's death (April 6), Albert was the regent.

Sports. Albert is also known as a great sports enthusiast. He played football, handball almost professionally, was passionate about swimming, athletics, and judo. Furthermore, he participated in the Paris-Dakar rally and competed four times at the Olympic Games as a bobsledder. Since 1994 he has headed the Monaco Olympic Committee, and he is also at the head of several other sports associations and a member of the IOC.

Personal Life. Albert remained a bachelor for many years and was considered one of Europe's most desirable bachelors. He was attributed with many romances. Albert acknowledged paternity of two children - a girl (1992) and a boy (2003) - from two different women. They have no rights to the throne. In 2002, to ensure the succession and preserve the crown for the Grimaldi dynasty, whose history spans over 700 years, amendments were made to Monaco's constitution. The new law stipulates that the right of inheritance can be exercised by the brothers and sisters of the deceased monarch, as well as his nephews and nieces. Thus, Albert's successors may be his sisters - elder Caroline and younger Stephanie, or one of their seven children.

On June 23, 2010, Albert II announced his engagement to South African Olympic swimming champion, 32-year-old Charlene Wittstock. Prince of Monaco Albert II and Charlene Wittstock married on July 1, 2011. After the marriage, Charlene Wittstock received the title Princess Charlene.

On December 10, 2014, Princess Charlene gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The children were named Jacques-Honoré-Rainier and Gabriella Thérèse-Marie. The son received the titles of Hereditary Prince of Monaco and Marquis of Baux, while the daughter - Princess of Monaco and Countess of Carladès.

03.13.2022