The Shape of Water
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his family’s passion for environmental protection
It may be one of the smallest countries in the world, but Monaco looms large in the popular imagination, wreathed in sun-kissed glamour. The turrets of the Monte Carlo casino and hairpin turns of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit number among its most famous attractions, but there is another draw no less mesmerising—the Mediterranean Sea lapping at its picturesque coastline.
The sea’s geographical proximity, however, contributes far more than a scenic backdrop. It has shaped the principality’s very identity, says its reigning monarch, Prince Albert II, head of the house of Grimaldi. “With the Alps at its back, the entire Rock of Monaco is sea-facing. Until the arrival of the railway in the 1860s, it was easier to reach Monaco by boat than over land.”
Speaking recently ahead of a visit to Singapore for a gala dinner to raise funds for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the prince explains his family’s concern about environmental issues. “There is a steadfast, historic link connecting my family with the environment and, in particular, with the Mediterranean Sea. From our very earliest history, the Grimaldis have always had links with the sea.”
The Grimaldi dynasty traces its roots to Genoa’s days as a self-governing state long before the formation of Italy. Its distinguished members include seamen who commanded ships in naval warfare, including in the Battle of Zierikzee in 1304 and the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. “And then there are emotional ties [to the sea] which have been woven by some exceptional characters,” says the prince. “My father, Prince Rainier III, was actively involved in the protection of marine ecosystems through creating the Larvotto nature reserve in Monaco and initiating the Ramoge Agreement, a convention signed by France, Italy and Monaco in 1976 for the protection of Mediterranean coastal waters. My mother [Hollywood icon Grace Kelly] also passed on to me a love of nature and the sea, and this was the way she brought up my sisters and me.”
Perhaps the family figure most renowned for his connection to the oceans is Albert’s great great-grandfather and namesake, Prince Albert I, a pioneer who founded Monaco’s marvellous Oceanographic Museum. Albert I developed new techniques and instruments for measurement and exploration, supported many Arctic and Antarctic explorers, and undertook explorations himself that resulted in groundbreaking findings. In particular, this intrepid ancestor ventured several times into the Arctic, visiting Norway’s Svalbard archipelago to study its marine life and glaciers. “His expeditions and research played a very important role in our understanding of the sea, the seabed, its currents and the life that it supports,” says the prince.
Given the family’s long and close ties to the sea, it is no surprise that protecting its wonders is a priority for Albert. When he ascended the throne in 2005, he “made it clear that the environment must be given a central place.” In 2006, he set out on his own Arctic expedition to pay tribute to Albert I and raise awareness of global warming. Travelling with a team of seven on dog sleds, he became the first reigning head of state to reach the North Pole. “The extraordinary adventure we have just experienced must not distract us from the fact that our planet is in great danger and that we must—more than ever before—rally together to preserve it,” he declared on arriving at the pole.
Soon after that achievement, Albert launched his eponymous foundation, and subsequent journeys have only deepened his commitment to the environment. “My travels in the polar regions in 2006 and 2009, and also to Africa on many occasions, have strengthened my desire to play an active part in protecting our planet,” he says. “Beyond that, my many other field trips and meetings on these topics, over many years, have absolutely convinced me of the crisis.
“My voyage to the North Pole in particular made a deep impression on me. The poles, more than any other region, are suffering the consequences of the deterioration in our climate, and I came back convinced that from now on we must endeavour to take action to limit this deterioration and manage our planet’s resources in a sustainable manner.”