Monaco knows how to throw a glamorous party. But when Hollywood star Eva Longoria, Princess Stéphanie and Alexandra Leclerc come together, the guest list is only part of the story. Friday night’s Global Gift Gala combined celebrity sparkle with three charitable missions and a distinctly Monegasque contribution from the Ferrari family.
There are plenty of occasions in Monaco when the rich and famous gather to celebrate themselves.
Friday 9 October was rather different.
The magnificent Salle Empire at the Hôtel de Paris became the setting for an evening in which Hollywood glamour, royal commitment and international philanthropy shared the spotlight.
At the centre of it all were three women from very different worlds: Eva Longoria, Princess Stéphanie and Alexandra Leclerc.
Their common purpose? Raising money to improve the lives of people who rarely find themselves anywhere near a red carpet.
Three Women, Three Causes
Eva Longoria may still be best known internationally as Gabrielle Solis from the hit television series Desperate Housewives, but philanthropy has long been a serious part of her life.
As honorary chair of the Global Gift Foundation, she works alongside its founder, Spanish entrepreneur and philanthropist María Bravo, supporting projects for vulnerable women, children and families.
The foundation’s international galas have become a successful formula, bringing together celebrity influence and charitable fundraising in destinations ranging from London and Paris to Marbella and Dubai.
Monaco joined that circuit last year, raising an impressive €400,000 at its inaugural event.
This year’s ambition was to do even better.
Princess Stéphanie brought a very different kind of celebrity to the evening.
For more than two decades, she has been the driving force behind Fight Aids Monaco, the association she founded in 2004 to support people living with HIV and combat the discrimination and isolation they can experience.
It is a commitment that goes far beyond ceremonial appearances. The Princess has made the cause one of the defining charitable engagements of her public life.
And then there was Alexandra Leclerc, representing a younger generation of philanthropists.
The wife of Monaco’s Formula 1TM hero Charles Leclerc founded Corazones Unidos, an initiative supporting disadvantaged communities in Mexico, particularly through education, artistic development and opportunities for children.
Three women, three very different backgrounds, but a shared conviction that public recognition can be put to good use.
Alexandra Leclerc Takes Centre Stage
If Eva Longoria supplied the Hollywood glamour, Alexandra Leclerc provided one of the evening’s most talked-about appearances.
Expecting her first child, Alexandra arrived in an elegant flowing gown that highlighted her pregnancy, attracting considerable attention from photographers gathered in the Hôtel de Paris.
Her husband Charles was conspicuously absent, although he had a perfectly reasonable excuse: the Ferrari driver was in Singapore on Grand PrixTM duty.
But Monaco’s favourite racing family was still well represented.
Charles’s brothers, Lorenzo and Arthur Leclerc, were there to support Alexandra, while the driver himself contributed a signed racing helmet to the charity auction.
Another auction offering reportedly combined a sculpture by artist Fred Allard with a pair of Leclerc’s racing gloves.
Even thousands of kilometres away, Charles had found a way to participate in Monaco’s charitable evening.
A Family Affair for Princess Stéphanie
Princess Stéphanie was accompanied by her three children, Louis Ducruet, Pauline Ducruet and Camille Gottlieb, together with her daughter-in-law Marie Ducruet.
Their presence made the gala something of a family occasion.
There was also a particularly interesting connection behind the scenes.
Camille Gottlieb’s communications and events agency, CMC Consulting, co-founded with Medy Antony, helped organise the Monaco edition of the gala.
It was therefore an evening in which the younger generation of Monaco’s Princely Family contributed not simply as guests but also through the organisation of the event itself.
Glamour, Sporting Stars and an Unexpected Change of Singer
Around 200 guests were expected for the black-tie evening, with dinner places priced between €1,500 and €5,000.
Among the famous faces were world-record pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, accompanied by Desiré Inglander, and French model Baptiste Giabiconi.
The evening’s entertainment, however, came with a last-minute surprise.
International singing star Lara Fabian had originally been scheduled to perform but was unable to attend for personal reasons.
Instead, young singer Carla Lazzari, from Nice, stepped into the spotlight. First discovered by a wider audience through The Voice Kids, she delivered a performance that helped make the evening memorable.
Presenter Sandy Heribert guided guests through the proceedings, while singer Loukas and DJ Canū helped keep the celebrations going.
The gala was presented by Monaco jewellery house APM Monaco.
The €400,000 Challenge
Of course, the most important numbers of the evening had nothing to do with the guest list.
Last year’s inaugural Monaco gala raised €400,000, setting an ambitious benchmark for the second edition.
This time, the fundraising auction offered everything from luxury holidays and exclusive hospitality experiences to works of art and Formula 1 mTM memorabilia.
The beneficiaries extended well beyond Monaco.
Alongside Fight Aids Monaco and Corazones Unidos, the Global Gift Foundation supports projects including Casa Ángeles in Marbella, which assists children and young people with special needs, and the Quang Chau orphanage in Vietnam.
The organisers described Friday’s event as a sell-out success, although a final fundraising total has yet to be confirmed.
When Monaco’s Glamour Makes a Difference
Monaco’s reputation for luxury is well established. Its charitable tradition deserves rather more recognition.
What made Friday’s Global Gift Gala particularly interesting was the combination of personalities and generations involved.
Princess Stéphanie represented decades of sustained humanitarian commitment. Alexandra Leclerc brought the energy of a younger generation determined to establish its own charitable identity. And Eva Longoria demonstrated how international celebrity can draw attention,and financial support, to causes far removed from Hollywood.
Behind the evening gowns, famous faces and champagne receptions lay something considerably more important: practical assistance for people facing illness, poverty, discrimination and disadvantage.
The red carpet may have been rolled away by Saturday morning.
The hope is that the generosity it inspired will last considerably longer.
