Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Encyclopedia
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi; born 14 March 1958) is the head of the House of Grimaldi
House of Grimaldi
The House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa and of the Principality of Monaco.-History:The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo, a Genoese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He might have been a son of Otto Canella, a consul of the Republic of Genoa in...
and the ruler of the Principality
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married American...
, and the American
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
actress Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
. His sisters are Hereditary Princess Caroline
Caroline, Princess of Hanover
Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco , formally styled Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover , has been heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco since 2005, a position which she previously held from 1957 to 1958.She is the wife of...
and Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, Countess of Polignac is a member of the princely family of Monaco. She is the youngest child of Grace, Princess of Monaco and Rainier III of Monaco, and the sister of Albert II of Monaco and Princess Caroline...
.
Prince Albert is one of the wealthiest Royals in the World valued at more than $1 billion, this includes vast amounts of land both in Monaco and France, and which does not include the Prince's Palace
Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the...
but does include Société des bains de mer de Monaco
Société des bains de mer de Monaco
The Société des Bains de Mer is a company composed mainly of high-end hotels and entertainment in the principality. Notable establishments managed by the company include the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, the Monte Carlo Casino and the Hotel de Paris in Monte-Carlo....
. His wealth does not include other members of the House of Grimaldi which are valued altogether at over $2.5 billion (as of 2010).
Early life
Born in the Prince's Palace of MonacoPrince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the...
, Monaco, Albert's godmother was Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain
Victoria Eugenia of Battenberg
Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg was queen consort of King Alfonso XIII of Spain...
. Albert attended the Albert I High School, graduating with distinction in 1976. He was a camper and later a counselor for six summers at Camp Tecumseh on Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
, Moultonborough, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in the 1970s. He spent a year training in various princely duties, and enrolled at Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1977 as Albert Grimaldi, studying political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, economics, music, and English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
, and also joined Chi Psi
Chi Psi
Chi Psi Fraternity is a fraternity and secret society consisting of 29 active chapters at American colleges and universities. It was founded on Thursday May 20, 1841, by 10 students at Union College with the idea of emphasizing the fraternal and social principles of a brotherhood...
fraternity.
He spent the summer of 1979 touring Europe and the Middle East with the Amherst Glee Club
Glee club
A glee club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets. In the late 19th Century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition...
and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. Albert also undertook an exchange program with the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, at the Alfred Marshall School of Economics and Management in 1979. Albert was an enthusiastic sportsman, participating in cross country, javelin throwing, handball, judo, swimming, tennis, rowing, sailing, skiing, squash and fencing. He is a patron of Monaco's football teams. He competed in the bobsled at every Winter Olympics
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
from Calgary
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
to Salt Lake City
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. He has been a member of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
since 1985. (His maternal grandfather John B. Kelly, Sr.
John B. Kelly, Sr.
John Brendan Kelly, Sr., also known as Jack Kelly, was one of the most accomplished American oarsmen in the history of the sport of rowing. He was a triple Olympic Gold Medal winner, the first to do so in the sport of rowing. He won 126 straight races in the single scull...
, and maternal uncle John B. Kelly, Jr.
John B. Kelly, Jr.
John Brendan Kelly, Jr. , also known as Kell Kelly or Jack Kelly, was an accomplished oarsman, a four-time Olympian, and an Olympic medal winner. He was also the son of triple Olympic gold medal winner John B. Kelly, Sr. In 1947, Kelly was awarded the James E...
, were both Olympic medal winners in rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and were actively involved in the Olympic movement.) The press reported the prince refused any special treatment during his Olympic stints, and lived in the same bare-bones quarters as all the other athletes.
On 25 October 2002, Albert visited Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
for a World Olympians Association
World Olympians Association
The World Olympians Association is an association of former olympic athletes from all over the world, to promote the dissemination of Olympic ideals, fair play, advance environmental protection, educate against doping – drug use, supply educational resources, work against violence and intolerance,...
fund-raiser at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The group's mission was to have the 100,000 Olympians get involved with their communities and talk to young athletes about dedication and training.
Regency
On 7 March 2005, Albert's father Rainier III, Prince of MonacoRainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married American...
was admitted to a hospital in the principality; he was later moved to an intensive care ward. The Prince was being treated for breathing, kidney, and heart trouble. On 31 March 2005, the Palace of Monaco
Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the...
announced that Hereditary Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Albert would take over the duties of his father as Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
since Rainier was no longer able to exercise his sovereign functions. This decision was reached by the Crown Council of Monaco
Crown Council of Monaco
The Crown Council of Monaco is a seven-member administrative body which meets at least twice annually to advise the Prince of Monaco on various domestic and international affairs. It is one of three such councils designated by the Principality's Constitution, the other two being the National...
, a body made up of notable local figures with residual powers to make judgments about certain constitutional matters. The 47-year-old prince spent his first day as regent of Monaco caring for his critically ill 81-year-old father, who was Europe’s longest-serving monarch and the world's third longest-serving monarch.
However, Albert's regency lasted barely a week.
Accession
On 6 April 2005, Prince Rainier III died and Hereditary Prince Albert became Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco.The first part of Prince Albert II's enthronement
Enthronement
An enthronement is a ceremony of inauguration, involving a person—usually a monarch or religious leader—being formally seated for the first time upon their throne. This ritual is generally distinguished from a coronation because there is no crown or other regalia that is physically...
as ruler of the Principality was on 12 July 2005, after the end of the three-month mourning
Mourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
period for his father. A morning Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
at Saint Nicholas Cathedral presided over by the Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Monaco, the Most Reverend Bernard Barsi, formally marked the beginning of his reign. Afterward Albert II returned to the princely palace to host a garden party for 7,000 Monégasques born in the principality. In the courtyard, the Prince was presented with two keys of the city as a symbol of his investiture
Investiture
Investiture, from the Latin is a rather general term for the formal installation of an incumbent...
. The evening ended with a spectacular fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display on the waterfront.
The second part of his investiture was on 19 November 2005. Albert was enthroned at Saint Nicholas Cathedral. His family was there in attendance, including his elder sister (and now his heir presumptive) Princess Caroline
Caroline, Princess of Hanover
Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco , formally styled Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover , has been heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco since 2005, a position which she previously held from 1957 to 1958.She is the wife of...
with her husband Ernst, Prince of Hanover
Ernst August V, Prince of Hanover
Ernst August, Prince of Hanover , is the third husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco, heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco...
and three of her four children, Andrea
Andrea Casiraghi
Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi is the first of three children born to Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband, Stefano Casiraghi, an heir to an Italian oil fortune. His maternal grandparents were Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Princess Grace...
, Pierre
Pierre Casiraghi
Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi is the younger son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband, Stefano Casiraghi....
and Charlotte
Charlotte Casiraghi
Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi is the second child of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco, and the late Stefano Casiraghi, an Italian industrialist. She is fourth in line to the throne of Monaco...
; as well as his younger sister Princess Stéphanie
Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, Countess of Polignac is a member of the princely family of Monaco. She is the youngest child of Grace, Princess of Monaco and Rainier III of Monaco, and the sister of Albert II of Monaco and Princess Caroline...
, his paternal aunt Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy
Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy
Princess Antoinette of Monaco, Countess of Polignac, Baroness of Massy was a non-dynastic member of the princely family of Monaco and the elder sister of Prince Rainier III and aunt of Albert II, Prince of Monaco...
, his godson, Jean-Léonard Taubert-Natta de Massy, and his cousin Elisabeth-Anne de Massy
Elisabeth-Anne de Massy
Elisabeth-Anne de Massy was born in Monaco on 13 January/13 July 1947 to Princess Antoinette of Monaco and her then lover Alexandre-Athenase Noghès. She is a first cousin of the reigning Prince Albert II and niece of Rainier III. She is the godmother of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco...
. Royalty from 16 delegations were present for the festivities throughout the country. The evening ended with an opera performance in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
.
Albert's reign
Albert continues the policy, initiated by previous rulers of the stateletMicrostate
A microstate or ministate is a sovereign state having a very small population or very small land area, but usually both. Some examples include Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Nauru, Singapore, and Vatican City....
, of using his position to draw the world's attention to the need to protect the (marine) environment. Just like his great-great-grandfather Albert I
Albert I, Prince of Monaco
Albert I was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 10 September 1889 until his death.-Early life:...
he traveled to Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
in July 2005. During this trip, he visited the glaciers "Lillihöök" and "Monaco".
Prince Albert II also engaged in a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
expedition, reaching the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
on Easter, 16 April 2006. As a result, he is the first incumbent head of state to have reached the North Pole.
Prince Albert is the Vice-Chairman of the American charity founded in 1982, after his mother's death, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA
Princess Grace Foundation-USA
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is a national foundation in the United States which is dedicated to identifying and assisting emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships, and fellowships. It was named after Princess Grace of Monaco....
, which supports, as Princess Grace did in her lifetime, emerging artists in theater, dance and film.
In 2006, Prince Albert created the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
The Prince Albert II Foundation is a Monaco-based charity which has donated millions in various environmental projects. The Foundation was initially created in 2006 by H.S.H...
which continues the Principality of Monaco's commitment by supporting sustainable and ethical projects around the world which focus on three main challenges: climate change and developing renewable energies; combating the loss of biodiversity; and water management (improving universal access to clean water) and fighting desertification. Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation website
Prince Albert is also a Global Advisor to Orphans International
Orphans International
Orphans International Worldwide is a charitable organization created to house and educate orphans and abandoned children. In response to the crisis facing orphaned children around the world, former investment bank employee Jim Luce founded Orphans International in 1999...
.
Economic activities
Prince Albert is one of the owners of Yoctocosmos and member of the World Economic ForumWorld Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
.
Personal life and relationships
Over the years, there has been much discussion of the prince's continual bachelor status. Although he has received much press attention for dating well-known fashion models and actresses, his apparent disinclination to marry gave rise to rumors that he is homosexual. Prince Albert has consistently denied this suggestion, most notably in a 1994 interview published in the French magazine Madame Figaro. "At first it was amusing", he said, "but it becomes very irritating in the long term to hear people say that I am homosexual". He has since confirmed that he is the father of two children.In October 2005, the German magazine Bunte
Bunte
Bunte is a German weekly magazine; coverage includes celebrity, gossip, news and lifestyle matters. It is published by Bunte Entertainment Verlag GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hubert Burda Media....
reported that Prince Albert was dating Telma Ortiz Rocasolano, a sister-in-law of the Prince of Asturias
Felipe, Prince of Asturias
Felipe, Prince of Asturias de Borbón y de Grecia; born 30 January 1968), is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain....
. However, in November 2005, the Prince instructed his lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, to commence legal proceedings against the French newspaper France Dimanche
France Dimanche
France Dimanche is a French weekly celebrity newsmagazine published by Hachette with a circulation of about 450,000.-Sources:*...
for violation of privacy and false information regarding the story.
Jazmin Grace Grimaldi
In 1992, a California woman, Tamara Rotolo, filed a paternity suit against the prince, claiming that he was the father of her daughter, whom she named Jazmin Grace Grimaldi. Prince Albert was also listed as the father on the child's Riverside County, CaliforniaRiverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, birth certificate, and the child was legally surnamed Grimaldi. However, the case, which went to trial in 1993, eventually was dismissed by Superior Court Judge Graham Anderson Cribbs, who claimed that there was "insufficient contact between Albert and the state of California to justify hearing a suit there" agreeing with an assertion by the prince's lawyer, Stanley Arkin, that the California court had no jurisdiction.
In court documents and legal depositions, Case#IND78459 in Riverside County Superior Court Family Law Division under Superior Court Judge Graham Anderson Cribbs, Prince Albert admitted that he had been with Tamara Rotolo, who was traveling with a friend, Barbara Welker (per her deposition filed with the court), in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
on "a couple of occasions" in July 1991. (The child had been born approximately nine months later, on 4 March 1992.) As reported by a local newspaper covering the case, "Arkin asserted that the Riverside County court had no jurisdiction in the case since the romantic encounter supposedly occurred in Monaco and Albert has had no contacts with California that relate to the issues in the suit."
On 31 May 2006, after DNA test
Genetic fingerprinting
DNA profiling is a technique employed by forensic scientists to assist in the identification of individuals by their respective DNA profiles. DNA profiles are encrypted sets of numbers that reflect a person's DNA makeup, which can also be used as the person's identifier...
results confirmed the child's parentage, Prince Albert admitted, in a statement from his lawyer, that he is Jazmin's father. He also extended an invitation for the girl to study and live in Monaco.
Alexandre Coste
In May 2005, Nicole CosteNicole Coste
Nicole Valérie Coste is a former Air France flight attendant from Togo. From 1997 until late 2002 or early 2003, she had a relationship with Albert II, Prince of Monaco, which produced a child, Alexandre Coste, who was born in August 2003. She also has two sons from a previous marriage...
, a former Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
from Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
, claimed that her youngest son, whom she calls Alexandre Coste
Alexandre Coste
Alexandre Éric Stéphane Coste is the son of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and Nicole Coste, a native of Togo in west Africa. His paternal grandparents were the late Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Princess Grace...
, is Prince Albert's son, proven by DNA tests conducted by Swiss technicians working on orders from the Monegasque government. She further claimed the prince had signed a notarized certificate confirming paternity but that she had not received a copy of it. The French weekly Paris Match
Paris Match
Paris Match is a French weekly magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. It was founded in 1949 by the industrialist Jean Prouvost....
published a ten-page interview with Coste and included photographs of the prince holding and feeding the child. Coste also told Paris Match that she was living in the prince's Paris apartment and receiving an allowance from him while pretending to be the girlfriend of one of his friends in order to maintain privacy. She also said that the prince had last seen the boy in February 2005. A spokesman for Prince Albert had no comment, though upon news of Coste's claims, the prince's lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, announced that "A judicial strategy will be determined within the next few days."
In mid-May 2005, Lacoste announced that as a result of the international publicity over the revelations of the prince's son, Prince Albert is suing the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, Bunte
Bunte
Bunte is a German weekly magazine; coverage includes celebrity, gossip, news and lifestyle matters. It is published by Bunte Entertainment Verlag GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hubert Burda Media....
, and Paris Match for delving too deeply into his private life.
On 6 July 2005, a few days before he was enthroned on 12 July, Albert II officially confirmed via his lawyer Thierry Lacoste that the 22-month-old is his biological son.
Additional paternity suit
An earlier paternity suit, brought by Bea FiedlerBea Fiedler
Bea Fiedler "the bee" is a German topless model who entered a paternity suit against Prince Albert of Monaco in 1987...
, a German topless model whom the Daily Telegraph described as a "sex-film star", reportedly was dismissed. A blood test, which was refused by the judge, did not prove that the prince was the father of Fiedler's son, Daniel.
Marriage
Prince Albert married former South African swimmer Charlene WittstockCharlene Wittstock
Charlene, Princess of Monaco , is the wife of Albert II, Prince of Monaco. She is also a former South African Olympic swimmer....
on 1 July 2011. They announced their engagement on 23 June 2010. They had been seen together since 10 February 2006, at the opening ceremony of the Torino Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics was held on February 10, 2006 beginning at 20:00 CET at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, Italy....
when Prince Albert was accompanied by Wittstock. They were seen again together at the Monaco Grand Prix
2006 Monaco Grand Prix
The 2006 Monaco Grand Prix was the seventh race of the 2006 Formula One World Championship. It took place on the weekend of May 25–28th 2006 at the Circuit de Monaco. Prior to the race, Renault's Fernando Alonso had finished on the podium in all of the previous six Grands Prix, winning three of...
. The Prince and Wittstock attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
in 2008 and the "Bal de la Rose" and the Princess Grace Awards Gala in 2009. They also attended the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on February 12, 2010 beginning at 6:00 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was the first Olympic opening ceremony to be held indoors...
. As a couple, they also attended the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling
Wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling
The royal wedding between Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling took place on 2010 in Stockholm Cathedral. It has been described as "Europe's biggest royal wedding since the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981." Westling's style and title after the marriage is now...
in Stockholm four days before their own engagement was announced and the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011. The wedding
Wedding of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Charlene Wittstock
The wedding between Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Charlene Wittstock took place on 1 and 2 July 2011 at the Prince's Palace of Monaco. It has been described as Monaco's "biggest party in 55 years" since the wedding of Albert's father, Rainier III to Grace Kelly. Prince Albert and Wittstock first...
took place over two days: the civil marriage ceremony took place on 1 July 2011, followed by the religious ceremony on 2 July 2011.
Succession issues
As Rainier III's health declined, his son's lack of legitimate children became a matter of public and political concern due to the legal and international consequences if Albert were to die without lawful heirs. Prior to 2002, Monaco's constitution specified that only the last reigning prince's "direct and legitimate" descendants could inherit the crown.On 2 April 2002 Monaco promulgated Princely Law 1.249 which provides that if a reigning prince dies without surviving legitimate issue, the throne passes to his siblings and their descendants of both sexes, according to the principle of male-preference primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
. In October 2005 (after Albert's accession to the throne), this law took full effect when ratified by France, pursuant to the 2002 Franco-Monégasque Treaty regulating relations between the Sovereign Principality and its more powerful neighbour. His sisters and their legitimate children thereby acquired the right to succeed to the throne.
Under the current constitution, neither Jazmin nor Alexandre has a claim to the throne of Monaco because they are not legitimate
Legitimacy (law)
At common law, legitimacy is the status of a child who is born to parents who are legally married to one another; and of a child who is born shortly after the parents' divorce. In canon and in civil law, the offspring of putative marriages have been considered legitimate children...
. Monegasque law stipulates that any non-adulterine child is legitimatized by the eventual marriage of his/her parents, thereupon obtaining the rights to which that child would have been entitled if born in lawful marriage. Thus Alexandre would become Monaco's heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
under current law if Albert were to ever marry his son's mother. But in a 2005 exchange with US interviewer Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
, Albert stated that this will not happen. In 2011 he married Charlene Wittstock.
Albert specified that neither of these children is eligible for the throne in statements confirming his paternity. His older sister, Princess Caroline
Caroline, Princess of Hanover
Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco , formally styled Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover , has been heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco since 2005, a position which she previously held from 1957 to 1958.She is the wife of...
, remains first in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne
Line of succession to the Monegasque Throne
The line of succession to the Monegasque throne passes to the descendants of the reigning Prince of Monaco in accordance with male-preference primogeniture...
. Though she is only the heiress presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
and not heiress apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
, Caroline is the Hereditary Princess of Monaco, according to the Grimaldi house law
House law
House law or House laws are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a regency, or entitlement to dynastic rank, titles and styles...
.
Until Albert II has legitimate descendants born of a dynastic marriage, Caroline is first, and her son Andrea Casiraghi
Andrea Casiraghi
Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi is the first of three children born to Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband, Stefano Casiraghi, an heir to an Italian oil fortune. His maternal grandparents were Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Princess Grace...
is second in succession to the throne.
Year of the Dolphin
The year 2007 was declared as (International) Year of the Dolphin by the United Nations and United Nations Environment ProgrammeUnited Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
. Prince Albert served as the International Patron of the 'Year of the Dolphin', saying "The Year of the Dolphin gives me the opportunity to renew my firm commitment towards protecting marine biodiversity. With this strong initiative we can make a difference to save these fascinating marine mammals from the brink of extinction."
Jardin Animalier
Monaco's Jardin Animalier, or zooZoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
(lit. "animal [i.e., zoological] garden"), was founded by Prince Rainier. Prince Albert has begun to return the animals to the wild and intends to convert the Jardin to a zoo for children. This project, undertaken in conjunction with the Born Free Foundation
Born Free Foundation
The Born Free Foundation is a conservation and animal rescue organization in the United Kingdom. It originated in 1984 as the "Zoo Check Campaign" by actors Virginia McKenna and her husband Bill Travers along with their son Will Travers and four associates....
, started after the Prince met the Foundation's founder Virginia McKenna
Virginia McKenna
Virginia A. McKenna OBE is a British stage and screen actress, author and wildlife campaigner.-Early career:McKenna trained as an actress at the Central School of Speech and Drama then worked on stage in London's West End theatres before making her motion picture debut in 1952...
for lunch.
Expedition to Antarctica
In January 2009, Prince Albert left for a month-long expedition to Antarctica, where he visited 26 scientific outposts and met with climate-change experts in an attempt to learn more about the impact of global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
on the continent.
CITES and bluefin tuna
In June 2009, Prince Albert co-authored an open letter to the Wall Street Journal with Charles Clover, the author of The End of the LineThe End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat
The End of The Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World And What We Eat is a book by journalist Charles Clover about overfishing. Clover, an environment editor of the Daily Telegraph , describes how modern fishing is destroying ocean ecosystems. He concludes that current worldwide fish...
, a book about overfishing and ocean conservation issues that had recently been made into a documentary by Rupert Murray
Rupert Murray
Rupert Murray is a film director working in London. Murray began by making television documentaries for Channel Four's Cutting Edge series including Playing For England and Seconds To Impact , and short films Outsiders and This Was My War, co-directed with Beadie Finzi.In 2005 he directed British...
. In the letter, Prince Albert acknowledges that bluefin tuna has been severely overfished in the Mediterranean, and decries the common European Union practice of awarding inflated quotas to bluefin fleets. He announced that Monaco would seek to award endangered species status to the Mediterranean bluefin Thunnus thynnus, (also called the Northern bluefin) under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). If upheld by the voting CITES delegates, this proposal would effectively ban the international trade in Mediterranean bluefin. This was the first time a nation had called for the inclusion of Mediterranean bluefin under CITES since Sweden at the 1992 CITES Conference, which was vehemently opposed by Japan who eventually threatened retaliation through trade barriers. Sweden withdrew its proposal.
On 16 July 2009, France declared that it too would seek to have Mediterranean bluefin listed as an endangered species. Only hours later, the United Kingdom followed suit.
Roger Revelle Prize
On 23 October 2009, Prince Albert was awarded the Roger Revelle PrizeRoger Revelle Prize
The Roger Revelle Prize is a prize given out by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to people who have made outstanding contributions that advance or promote scientific research in fields such as oceanography, climatology and other planetary sciences...
for his efforts to protect the environment and to promote scientific research. This award was given to Prince Albert by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, is one of the oldest and largest centers for ocean and earth science research, graduate training, and public service in the world...
in La Jolla, California
La Jolla, San Diego, California
La Jolla is an affluent, hilly seaside resort community, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean in Southern California within the northern city limits of San Diego. La Jolla had the highest home prices in the nation in 2008 and 2009; the average price of a standardized...
. Prince Albert is the second recipient of this prize.
Awards
In 1996 Prince Albert received the Eagle Award from the United States Sports AcademyUnited States Sports Academy
The United States Sports Academy is an accredited, sport-specific institution located in Daphne, Alabama. It offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs as well as certificate programs. Founded in 1972, the Academy has provided its sports programs to more than 60 countries around the...
. The Eagle Award is the Academy's highest international honor and was awarded to Prince Albert for his significant contributions in promoting international harmony, peace and goodwill through the effective use of sport.
In popular culture
In the film The Social NetworkThe Social Network
The Social Network is a 2010 American drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. Adapted from Ben Mezrich's 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires, the film portrays the founding of social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits...
, Albert II is played by actor James Shanklin.
Other roles
- President, Monaco's delegation to the United Nations
- President, Monaco Red Cross
- President, Monaco's Olympic Committee
- Honorary President, Association Mondiale des Amis de l'Enfance
- Honorary President, The Automobile Club de Monaco
- Honorary President, Jumping International de Monte Carlo
- Patron, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters
- Patron, Peace and Sport Organization
Corruption allegations
Albert Robert Eringer, Albert II’s intelligence adviser from 2002 to 2008, alleges the prince, as president of Monaco's Olympic Committee, accepted expensive gifts from Vladimir PutinVladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
, the Russian Prime Minister, and Sergei Pugachev, a Russian banker, in return for voting for Russia to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. He would have received a dacha
Dacha
Dacha is a Russian word for seasonal or year-round second homes often located in the exurbs of Soviet and post-Soviet cities. Cottages or shacks serving as family's main or only home are not considered dachas, although many purpose-built dachas are recently being converted for year-round residence...
, a Polar trip, a fishing trip and a state dinner.
Titles and styles
Albert has held two positions:- His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of MonacoHereditary Prince of MonacoThe Hereditary Prince' of Monaco is the title given to the heir apparent or heir presumptive of the Monegasque throne. Traditionally, a male Hereditary Prince is also given the title Marquis of Baux...
, Marquis of BauxMarquis of BauxMarquis of Baux is one of the Prince of Monaco's many titles. When possible, the title passes from the reigning Prince to the first male heir apparent or heir presumptive of the Monegasque throne. Although the present Sovereign Prince of Monaco is Albert II, he doesn't have a male heir to the...
(1958–2005) - His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, Marquis of BauxMarquis of BauxMarquis of Baux is one of the Prince of Monaco's many titles. When possible, the title passes from the reigning Prince to the first male heir apparent or heir presumptive of the Monegasque throne. Although the present Sovereign Prince of Monaco is Albert II, he doesn't have a male heir to the...
(2005–present)
As the prince, his official shortened title is His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco; this does not include the many other styles claimed by the Grimaldi family (see Sovereign Prince of Monaco
Prince of Monaco
The Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, but have belonged to various other houses in male line...
for a complete list of titles).
Monegasque orders
- Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Order of GrimaldiOrder of GrimaldiThe Order of Grimaldi is an Order established in Monaco on 18 November 1954. This Order rewards personal service to the Sovereign Prince of Monaco; as such it is awarded on the sole discretion of the Prince, currently Albert II, Prince of Monaco....
(Grand Cross, 18 April 1958; Grand Master since 6 April 2005) - Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Order of St. CharlesOrder of St. CharlesThe Order of Saint-Charles is an order established in Monaco on 15 March 1858. This order rewards service to the State or Prince. It is awarded by the current Prince Albert II.- Knight Grand Cross :...
(Grand Cross, 13 March 1979; Grand Master since 6 April 2005) - Grand Master of the Order of the CrownOrder of the Crown (Monaco)The Order of the Crown is an order established in Monaco on 20 July 1960. This decoration is awarded to people, who have done something exceptional or by their exceptional conduct.There are five categories:* Knight Grand Cross* Grand Officer...
(since 6 April 2005) - Grand Master of the Order of Cultural MeritOrder of Cultural Merit (Monaco)The Order of Cultural Merit is the fourth highest Order of the Principality of Monaco. The order was established by HSH Rainier III, Prince of Monaco on 31 December 1952 by Sovereign Order 689. It is awarded to recognize those who have made a distinctive contribution to the arts, letters or...
(since 6 April 2005)
Foreign orders
: Grand Cross of the National Order of Juan Mora Fernández (2003): Knight Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King TomislavGrand Order of King Tomislav
The Grand Order of King Tomislav , or more fully the Grand Order of King Tomislav with Sash and Great Morning Star , is the highest state order of the Republic of Croatia...
(7 April 2009): Grand Collar of the Order of the Liberator of the Slaves José Simeón Cañas (2002): Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (2006): Grand Cross of the Ordre National du Mérite
Ordre National du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
(25 July 1997): Commander of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (2009): Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
(27 January 1983): Knight Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
(12 December 2005): Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I
Order of Prince Danilo I
The Order of Prince Danilo I of Montenegro was an order of the Principality, and later Kingdom, of Montenegro...
: Grand Cross of the Order of the Niger
Order of the Niger
Nigeria became independent on 1st October, 1960 and in 1964 Nigeria became the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The republic instituted two orders of merit: the Order of the Niger and the Order of the Federal Republic...
(March 1998): Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa (2002): Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun (2003) : Sash (Collar) of the Order of the Star of Romania
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
(2009) -
(Recipients table): Grand Officier of the Order of the Lion (May 1977): Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (31 July 2011): Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (15 October 1997): Collar of the Order pro merito MelitensiOrder pro merito Melitensi
The Order of Merit pro Merito Melitensi of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a knightly order of merit established in 1920. It is awarded to men and women who have brought honour and prestige to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta or actively promoted Christian values or works of charity...
(15 October 2009)
Other awards
: Grand Prix Humanitaire de France (6 March 2007) FIODS: Medal of the International Merit of Blood (12 March 1994): Rise in the College of Darjah Kerabat Diraja Pahang (7 November 1997)Ancestry
Patrilineal descent
Although Albert II inherited the throne of Monaco as heir to a sovereign branch of the Genoese House of GrimaldiHouse of Grimaldi
The House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa and of the Principality of Monaco.-History:The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo, a Genoese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He might have been a son of Otto Canella, a consul of the Republic of Genoa in...
, patrilineally
Patrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
he belongs to the noble
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
French family of Chalençon, which adopted the name of Polignac
Polignac
Polignac is the name of several communes in France:* Polignac, Charente-Maritime* Polignac, Haute-Loire, in the Haute-Loire département, dominated by the fortress Château de Polignac with its square donjon tower, 32 m tall...
following marriage to an heiress of that family in the 14th century..
Albert's patriline is his line of descent through males, i.e., from father to son, as shown below.
- Bertrand de Chalençon, mentioned 1179
- Guillaume de Chalençon, d. 1229
- Bertrand de Chalençon, d. 1272
- Bertrand de Chalençon, 1240–1295
- Guy de Chalençon, 1279–1324
- Guiot de Chalençon
- Guillaume III, Baron de Chalençon, d. 1411
- Pierre Armand, Baron de Chalençon, d. 1447
- Louis-Armand, VicomteViscountA viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
de Polignac - Guillaume-Armand, Vicomte de Polignac, d. 1473
- Guillaume de Polignac
- Francois-Armand de Polignac, 1514–1582
- Louis-Armand of Polignac, 1556–1584
- Gaspard Francois de Polignac, 1579–1659
- Louis-Armand de Polignac, 1608–1692
- Scipion Sidoine de Polignac, 1660–1739
- Louis, Marquis de Polignac, 1716–1792
- Jules, DucDukeA duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
de Polignac, 1745–1817 - Camille Henri, Count de Polignac, 1781–1855
- Count Charles de Polignac, 1824–1881
- Count Maxence de Polignac, 1857–1936
- Count Pierre de PolignacPierre de PolignacPrince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois was the father of Rainier III of Monaco, and thus the paternal grandfather of Albert II of Monaco...
, 1895–1964 - Rainier III, Prince of MonacoRainier III, Prince of MonacoRainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married American...
, 1923–2005 - Albert II, Prince of Monaco, 1958 –
Albert II was born in the Palais Princier
Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the...
in Monaco-Ville
Monaco-Ville
Monaco-Ville is one of Monaco's administrative divisions located on a rocky headland that extends into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the four traditional quarters of Monaco, the others being La Condamine, Monte Carlo, and Fontvieille. However, in modern administrative terms it is one of ten...
, making him a native Monégasque
Monégasque
Monégasque may refer to:* Monégasque dialect, the local Ligurian dialect of Monaco* Something of, from, or related to Monaco, a small sovereign city-state located in southwestern Europe...
.
See also
External links
- Princely House of Monaco
- Albert II of Monaco, the unknown princeAlbert II of Monaco, the unknown princeAlbert II of Monaco, the unknown prince is a documentary with intimate Prince Albert, diffused by 40 TV channels all over the world.This 52 minute-long film is a documentary made in 2005 on Prince Albert II of Monaco who had always turned down requests for interviews and coverage of his life.For...
, documentary with intimate prince Albert (2005), 52-minute documentary produced and directed by Thibaut Faucon. - Photo of Prince Albert inspecting Guard outside Palace on day of Accession
- Princess Grace Foundation-USA website – traditional New Year's Day speech, 1 January 2007 – interview at the Monaco Media Forum, 11 July 2007, in which Prince Albert speaks with a perfect American accent to a group of bloggers
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