Prince Albert II continued retracing his family history by visiting Piedmont, Italy on 9 October. The Sovereign visited three municipalities in the province of Cuneo that are historically linked with the Grimaldi family. The Prince met with elected officials and the general public to welcome the three municipalities into the Italian Association of Historic Sites of Monaco.
Meeting Three Mayors in One Day
In the morning, Prince Albert II was welcomed by Emanuele Sottimano, Mayor of Niella Belbo, in the heart of the Langhe hills. There, he inaugurated the “Ca’ Balon” cultural centre, the first museum dedicated to “pallapugno,” a traditional Piedmontese sport.
The Sovereign continued his visit in Cerreto Langhe, where he was welcomed by the town’s mayor, Flavio Borgna. The mayor then gave the Prince a tour of the historic Del Carretto house.
In the mid-afternoon, the visit continued in Novello, where the Prince was welcomed to the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II by the town’s mayor, Marco Pallaro. The Sovereign proceeded to the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, before having a walk through the town. Accompanied by local flag-wavers, the Sovereign made his way to the castle. A public ceremony in the park concluded the afternoon.
Two Marriage Alliances
The historic ties between the Grimaldi family and the Italian region stems from “two marriage alliances—contracted in the 14th and 15th centuries—between the Grimaldi family of Monaco and the Del Carretto family, who held lands in these territories,” states a recent press release by the Prince’s Palace of Monaco.
During the President of Italy’s recent visit to the Principality, Sergio Mattarella commended the promotional work carried out by the Historic Grimaldi Sites network. Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene and their children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, welcomed President Sergio Mattarella and his daughter, Laura Mattarella, to the Princely Palace on 2 October. The Presidential visit was the first time an Italian Head of State visited the Principality.
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