Albert II is the son of the 13th Prince of Monaco from Grimaldi's dynasty Rainier III Louis Henri-Maxence-Bertrand, and Grace Kelly, who was the american actress with interantional reputation and muse of the famous film director Alfred Hitchcock. During the agonal illness of his father he was a regent, and, after his father's death, 6 april 2005 he from Hereditary Prince Albert became Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco.
Background
Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi was born 14 March 1958 in the Prince's Palace of Monaco. He has two sisters, Caroline and Stephanie.
The future monarch was fond of sport even when he was a child. Albert played football, swimming, judo and bobsled. And Albert is sporstmen, who interested in many different sports now, he is a patron of Monaco's football teams. He also 5 times took part in the Olympic Winter Games as a bobsledder. In 1985 participated in Rally Paris-Dakar, but descended at the 9th stage because of technical problems. He is the first-ever monarch, who visited the North Pole in 2006. He also created the Monegasque Federation of bobsleigh, sledge and skeleton the president of which he is. He is a member of many sports clubs and organization (such as Yacht club) and he is a patron of organization Peace and Sport, which uses the sport like instrument of peace.
Albert II is also a precious support for the Institute of human paleontology (IPH), foundation of research, created in 1910 by his great-great-grandfather Albert I. Since 2014, he is president of honour of the European Organisation for research and treatment of the cancer (who manages a data bank of cancers in Europe.
The prince Albert is passionate in painting, sculpture, and photographs. He has a prestigious collection, inherited or constituted over the years, the nicest of which he lends regularly for exhibitions.
The prince of Monaco Albert II actively does charity work, cooperates with the United Nations. He's the Honourable President of the International Napoleonic Society.
FAMILY: In 2000 he met his future wife Charlene Wittstock at the swimming competition at the Olympic Games in Sydney. In 2006 Charlene moved from the Republic of South Africa to Monaco and got a job as a school teacher. The couple were seen together since 2006, first when they both attended the opening ceremoni the Olympics in Torino. After that they were seen together many times. But there were many troubles in their relationshop. Charlene have made an attempt to go home, to Africa, and avoid a matrimony with the Prince just in two month prior to their wedding. The reason for that was the numerous lovers of the Prince and his illegitimate children - Jazmin Grace Grimaldi (born in 1992 from one american woman named Tamara Rotolo) and Alexandre Coste (born in 2003 from a former flight attendant from West Africa named Nicole Coste). On 1 July 2011 the couple got married, now they have 2 children, twins Gabriella Thérèse Marie and Jacques Honoré Rainier, which is now Hereditary Prince of Monaco and Marquis of Baux.
Speaks French, Italian, English, Spanish and German.
Education
Albert II got his baccalaureate in 1976 at at Lycée Albert 1st in Monaco. In 1976-1977 he finished courses of the Principality's Government. In 1977 he followed studies in political sciences in the United States in Amherst College of Amherst, near Boston. He also studied economics, English literature, history of art, music art, psychology, geology, anthropology, philosophy, sociology and German. In 1981, he got a licence in political sciences. In the summer of 1979 he toured Europe with "Amherst College Glee Club" Choir. From september 1981 to april 1982 Albert II rained on board the French Navy's helicopter-carrier "Jeanne d'Arc" and now he's a reserve Lieutenant Commander. From 1983 to 1985 he attended various courses with international groupes (financial management, communication and marketing). On November 11, 1986 he called the colonel of the company of carabineers of the prince, and on August 18, 1988 he became the captain-leytinantom, after - a reserve captain of the 3rd rank the officer of the French fleet. In 1996 he obtained the Doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of Maynooth (Ireland).
Albert II Grimaldi since the birth is the Hereditary Prince of Monaco, Inherited the title His Serene Highness.
In 1982, while he was 24 years old, his mother Grace Kelly died in a car accident in Turbie. Then he succeeded her in the presidency of the Monegasque Red Cross and he was named vice-president of foundation Princesse-Grace-de-Monaco. In this period his father, Rainier III entrusted to him a part of responsibilities and of activities of principality. Since 1993 he's president of the Monegasque delegation in the General meeting of the United Nations. In 2004, he lead the delegation of Monaco in Strasbourg for the official ceremony of membership of principality to the Council of Europe, as 46th Member state of this organisation.
In march 2005 Rainier III was sent to a hospital because of breathing and heart trouble, and after this the Palace of Monaco announced that Albert II would being the duties of sovereign as regent since his father not able to exercise his functions.
In April 2005 the Prince Rainier III died and Albert II became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. From his first year of reign, he did courtesy visits in France, in Italy, in Vatican.
Politician, diplomat, the Prince of Monaco wants to develop the State of Monaco, its tourism, its industry and its flourishing property sector. Anxious about the development of principality, the prince Albert announced, in March 2013, a big plan of extension of Monaco towards the east coast of sea. This plan, called plan of the Concierge, of an area from 5 to 6 hectares should procreate a new dynamics and visibility while generating new incomes for Monaco. The prince Albert, also preoccupied by ecology and sustainable development, wishes that the new buildings are in human size, leave place with many green areas.
Founded the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, dedicated to protecting the environment.
«I decided to set up a Foundation whose purpose is to protect the environment and to encourage sustainable development (...). By definition, this is a common global challenge that requires urgent and concrete action in response to three major environmental issues: climate change, biodiversity and water.» H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Politics
Prince continues the policy, which was initiated by previous rulers, of strengthening environmental awareness. Albert II has travelled all over the world and he was received by the principal heads of State and political and economic leaders. He also receives credentials from over fifty countries which now maintain diplomatic relations with the Principality.
Views
Quotations:
«We have to move away from a society that is obsessed with consumption and consumerism, so perhaps we need to reexamine our lifestyles and consider how our actions and daily life are affecting our world.»
«When people ask me, what can I do? How can I help? I would say to them, what my mother once said to me: ‘trust your instincts. Give what you can, whether it is money, time, resources, your name, your celebrity or an inspirational act, deed, song or word.»
«I'm afraid my dance moves are not all they might be as I have a bad leg. My favourite music is R&B, and I love to dance to Beyonce.»
«The Sea is an essential component of life and is part of our human heritage. Our duty is to ensure that this heritage is preserved and passed on to the next generations in a sustainable and rational way.»
«Let us learn from our hesitations, our past mistakes and let us build now the foundations for a fruitful collaboration which brings together civil society, industrial, investors and scientists.»
Membership
Albert II is a member of many sports organization. But he also founded his own foundation. Prince of Monaco also is the president of Monaco Red Cross, as well as the Honorary President of World Association of Children's Friends, the International Union of Modern Pentathlon and the International Athletics Foundation, the Honorary Board Member of International Paralympic Committee, and Patron of Peace and Sport Organization and Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
International Olympic Committee
,
Lausanne
1985
Leander Club
,
Henley-on-Thames
Personality
Despite being a royal, Albert II Grimaldi is known as very open person with big heart, who is very anxious about the future and what this future can bring to successors of human race. Despite many hearings that went round his person (some time people said that Albert is gay).
Interests
Art history, music art, philosophy, sociology and etc.
Sport & Clubs
Football, judo, bobsled.
Music & Bands
R&B, Beyonce.
Connections
Albert II is married since 2011, he has 4 children. 2 of them are illegitimate.
