The first day of spring is always full of hope and renewal. And this year it was also the date of the first high-profile event of 2026. The 70th Rose Ball took place on Saturday 21 March in the Salle des Étoiles of the Sporting Monte-Carlo. The black-tie event is always on the agenda for various international celebrities, Monaco’s own Princely family and 900 glamorous guests.
The Birth of a Glamorous Legacy Rooted in Art, Dance and Generosity
Born in 1954, the first Bal de la Rose was hosted by Henry Astric, Artistic Director of the Société des Bains de Mer. Three years later, the gathering was given even more cultural flair when Princess Grace invited theatre designer André Levasseur and sensual dancer Colette Marchand to present a major ballet. On its 10th anniversary, the gala became a charity event with the creation of the Princess Grace Foundation.
The Rose Ball always manages to transport guests into a fantastical world of splendour with its highly detailed decor. Every year, the Princess of Hanover, President of the Princess Grace Foundation since 1982, selects the theme. The much-anticipated decor of the 70th Rose Ball was entrusted to French-Egyptian fashion designer and personal friend of Princess Caroline, Christian Louboutin.
Karl Lagerfeld’s 20-year contribution to the Rose Ball
Karl Lagerfeld had been in charge of the Rose Ball’s artistic direction for 20 years. Beginning in 1999, the designer was in charge of everything from the poster design, the choice of theme, the decor and even the menu. Karl Lagerfeld even came up with the idea of the 1950s Riviera theme for the 2019 edition, before he passed away.
Upcycling Karl Lagerfeld’s Tablecloths
When the pandemic first turned the world on its head, many social charity events were forced to innovate in order to keep raising money. The Rose Ball did just that when they created 5,000 COVID masks made from the tablecloths designed by Karl Lagerfeld for the Riviera in the 1950s edition of the gala.
The Rose Ball is usually the Princess Grace of Monaco Foundation’s largest injection financially from a Charity event. In recent years, each Ball manages to raise over €250,000 for the Foundation. When the event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, embroiderers quickly got to work and created a range of home products, available in-store at the Boutiques du Rocher in Monaco and online. All the profits from the line of upcycled placemats, laundry bags, cushions, tea towels and masks went directly to the foundation.
Photo Philippe Fitte / Realis
Christian Louboutin takes over
After years of developing his craft for the likes of Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Vogue, Christian Louboutin established his eponymous label in 1992. His iconic Louboutin red lacquered sole was inspired by an assistant applying red nail polish, and instantly became the label’s signature. The coveted Louboutins have established Christian Louboutin as one of today’s leading luxury designers. Christian Louboutin is often spotted in Monaco, where he owns a boutique on Avenue de Grande-Bretagne.
The 2026 ball is the fifth Rose Ball under Christian Louboutin’s direction. The designer created spectacular decor with themes like Sunset Ball (2025), Disco (2024), Bollywood (2023) and Return of The Twenties (2022). Right after Christian Louboutin directed his first Bal de la Rose, the Grimaldi Forum dedicated their main summer exhibition to the designer.
Charlotte Casiraghi unveils her Engagement Ring
When Charlotte and Dimitri Rassam attended Monaco’s Rose Ball in 2018, the press and attendees were happy to notice that Charlotte was wearing a diamond engagement ring. Charlotte and Dimitri were married on 1 June 2019 at Monaco’s Princely Palace.
Beatrice Borromeo shows off her Baby Bump…Twice!
Beatrice Borromeo, Pierre Casiraghi’s wife, showed off her baby bump at two separate Rose Balls. In 2018, she looked radiant in a black dress from Italian house Alberta Ferretti, while expecting her second child. At the 2025 Bal de la Rose, Beatrice Borromeo was pregnant with her third child and showed off her baby bump in a red gown.
Lily Allen, Mika, and other Top Performers
The Rose Ball’s live entertainment always features performances by special guests. Mika headlined in 2023. Imany and HollySiz, Rita Ora, Lily Allen, Mark Ronson and Jimmy Cliff have also performed at the Ball throughout the years. The Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Prague Concert Philharmonic have also been in the spotlight at the Bal de la Rose, as well as renowned dancers like Jérémy-Loup Quer from the Paris Opera.
Bringing parents closer to their hospitalized children
The main purpose of the Bal de la Rose is to raise money for the Princess Grace Foundation’s work helping hospitalized children and their families. The foundation supports many paediatric centres all over France, aiding with the purchase of equipment for young patients and funding paediatric medical research at three of France’s most renowned laboratories.
One of the biggest projects of the Foundation is the construction and maintenance of 17 Parents houses, which help parents stay close to their hospitalized children. Over 1,500 hospitalized children in 62 French health establishments now benefit from the reassuring presence of their parents.
Culturally, the Foundation donated 680,000 euros in 2021 for student scholarships and bursaries, including bursaries for the Princess Grace Dance Academy and the Rainier III Music Academy. The Foundation also administers the Princess Grace Irish Library, created in 1984 from the private collection of Princess Grace.
Over 28 million euros of humanitarian and cultural aid have been distributed by the Foundation over the last 20 years.
