MONTE CARLO – Every year on 19 November Monte Carlo celebrates the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, H.S.H. Albert II and the Grimaldi Family; this year, a special tribute to Princess Grace was added. The late Princess would have turned 90 in 2019. The ceremonies began with the solemn Te Deum in a cathedral decorated for the special occasion with white and red flags and flowers to thank the Sovereign Prince, to whom the entire Monégasque population is deeply devoted.
The Holy Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop, His Excellency the Most Reverend Mgr. Bernard Barsi in the presence of TT.SS.HH. Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene, H.R.H Princess Caroline and H.S.H. Princess Stephanie.
A group of Knights of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, at the invitation of the Ministry of State, participated in the ceremony wearing a church cloak together with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem and the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
At the end of the religious ceremony, the Knights went in procession to the square in front of Grimaldi Palace to attend the awarding of the medals of civic merit by the Sovereign Prince to the various military corps of the Principality, to their parade and to the traditional greeting of TT.SS.HH. from the balcony of the Palace.
H.S.H. Crown Prince Jacques (who for the first time wore the uniform of Prince’s Carabineers), H.S.H. Princess Gabriella and all the grandchildren of H.S.H. Albert II were also present. The band of the Prince’s Carabineers, accompanied by the American military band, which was present for the occasion, paid homage to Princess Grace by playing famous soundtracks of films she acted in.
