Michael Flatley welcomes royalty to Castlehyde
Prince Albert II of Monaco was welcomed to Fermoy when he spent the St Patrick’s weekend at Castlehyde with Riverdance star, Michael Flatley.
Last Thursday evening, the Lord of the Dance star organised a special tribute dinner for Prince Albert and on Friday 17th, a special St Patrick’s Day party was held in his honour.
Acclaimed chef Kevin Thornton hosted the gala dinner on Thursday at Castlehyde House, and the St Patrick’s Day party which followed saw specially invited guests treated to an Irish theme with traditional music and entertainment.
During the visit, Mr Flatley presented Prince Albert II, son of Prince Rainier III and Irish-American movie star Grace Kelly, with a painting to welcome him and mark the occasion.
In a statement shared by the Lord of the Dance, Mr Flatley wished a ‘Happy St Patrick’s Day’ to all.
“Happy St Patrick’s Day to everyone around the world! I am honoured to host H.S.H. Prince Albert II on this special day,” he said.
The pair, who are understood to be good friends, also travelled to the Aviva Stadium by private jet for the final match of the Six Nations Championship.
According to Independent.ie, Mr Flatley spends a large portion of the year at his villa in the hills just outside Monte Carlo and regularly meets Prince Albert on the Monaco social circuit.
Performing with the ‘Lord of the Dance’ troupe for the late Prince Rainier at the Red Cross Gala Ball in Monaco in 2003, Mr Flatley later socialised with Prince Albert at the exclusive Jimmy’z Club.
Continuing the strong connection with Monaco, Mr Flatley also supported numerous artistic and charitable events in Monaco over the years, including the Monte Carlo film festival.
The recent visit to Ireland also saw Prince Albert II and his relatives attend the unveiling of a statue of his late mother, Grace Kelly, in Newport, Co Mayo.