ALBERT II PRINCE OF MONACO

Full name: Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre

Title: Prince of Monaco Marquis des Baux (His Serene Highness)

Born: Monaco, March 14th, 1958

Parents: Rainier III Reigning Prince of Monaco (1923-2005) and 1956, Grace Kelly (1929-1982)

Sisters: Caroline (1957, married) and Stéphanie (1965, divorced)

Education and work: Lycée Albert I de Monaco until 1976; Amherst College, Massachussets - political science and economics with the subsidiary subjects psychology, English literature, art history, anthropology, geology, philosophy, sociology, German language and music (1977-1981) and obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science on May 30th, 1981; instruction period aboard the French Navy Helicopter Carrier "Jeanne d'Arc" (September 1981 to April 1982) - ranked as a 2nd Class Ensign (Sub-Captain), Prince Albert is currently ranked as a 1st Class Ensign (Sub-Captain); Financial management with "Morgan Guarantee Trust" in New York (January to May 1983); management trainee with "Wells Rich and Greene" in New York (1983); training in Marketing Techniques with "LVMH Group", Paris (January to May 1984); management trainee with "Rogers and Wells" in New York (1985).

Since 1986 Albert has been perfecting his preparation for the management of State affairs. Alongside his father he attended Cabinet meetings, where questions of interior and international policies were discussed. His father conferred certain dossiers specifically to him for examination and follow-up. Albert has also developed personal contacts with the representatives of the Monaco's economic sector and assisted his father in his activities of representation in a concomitant manner. In 2005, upon the death of his father, he became the reigning prince of Monaco. He assumes the chairmanship of various federations and organisations and is among others president of the Monegasque Red Cross, vice-president of the Princess Grace Foundation, president of the Television Festival of Monte-Carlo and head of the delegation of Monaco at the United Nations General Assembly.

In June 1985 Prince Albert was co-opted into the International Olympic Committee in Berlin. He is chairman of the Monegasque Olympic Committee since April 1994. He is president of the Monegasque Swimming, and Athletics

Federations and of the Monaco Yacht Club.

Personality: humor, flexible, doesn't drink and doesn't smoke, sometimes hates being in the spotlight all the time, comes too late often.

• Hobbies: travelling, sailing, rowing, tennis, football, handball, judo (black belt, 1st Dan), swimming, jogging along the boulevard in Monaco, riding, skiing, squash, golf, windsurfing, fencing, volleyball and bobsleigh, athletics, playing the drums, going out.

Further facts: licence to fly an helicopter, competed in five Olympic Winter Games in bobsleigh (1988, 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002) and played in the film One Men's Hero in 1998. He speaks French, English, German and Italian. His engagement to South-African Charlene Wittstock was announced on 23 June 2010. The wedding is to take place on 1 and 2 July 2011 at Monaco.

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