Prince Albert of Monaco attends the Monte Carlo Television Festival without Princess Charlene
Only fly! Prince Albert of Monaco pays tribute to his father in a speech at the Monte Carlo Television Festival – while Princess Charlene takes a night off
Prince Albert of Monaco flew solo as he attended the opening ceremony of the 62nd Monte-Carlo Television Festival in Monaco on Friday night.
The reigning monarch is the honorary president of the four-day festival, which celebrates the best of television from around the world, at Monte Carlo’s Grimaldi Forum.
Honoring his late father on stage, the royal, 65, said: “This year is particularly special for me, for my family and for the people of Monaco, as 2023 celebrates the centenary of the birth of my father, Prince Rainer. III.
“My father was one of the first to recognize the incredible ability and power of television to entertain, inform and educate people all over the world.”
He added, “By founding the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in 1961, he vowed to honor the outstanding men and women who build cultural bridges between countries around the world.”
Prince Albert of Monaco, 65, (pictured) paid tribute to his late father, Prince Ranier III, last night during a speech at the 62nd annual Monte Carlo Television Festival
Missing the festivities was the prince’s wife – Princess Charlene of Monaco, who has attended the TV festival in previous years and last year – as she wore a striking emerald Lavin Green toga-style dress.
The 45-year-old Zimbabwean married Albert II, whose mother was Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, in 2011, and the couple welcomed twins Jacques and Gabriella in 2014.
The princess usually accompanies her husband to major state and international events, such as the Monaco Grand Prix and attended King Charles’ coronation in London in May.
Prince Albert II of Monaco delivered a speech to those in attendance, praising his late father Prince Ranier III for founding the festival in 1961
Prince Albert posed on the red carpet with other attendees at the ceremony, while Princess Charlene was nowhere to be seen
The Monegasque monarch beamed as he presented a prize winner with a plaque during the ceremony
Earlier this year, the French magazine ROYAUTÉ reported that the royal couple’s 12-year marriage was on the rocks.
The report prompted a spokesperson for the Palace of Monaco to issue a statement saying the couple “formally denied the malicious rumors spread by the magazine.”
Although the festival lacked Charlene’s presence, it made up for her absence with cachet of both Hollywood and French glamour.
At the opening ceremony, the juries for this year’s prestigious Golden Nymph Awards were introduced to the stage, including Hollywood star John Goodman, who chairs this year’s fiction jury.
The former Roseanne star, 70, told the Mail Online he felt ‘stiffened’ to get on stage.
He was also joined by Emmy and Peabody award-winning documentary filmmaker Tom Jennings as the chairman of the news and documentary jury.
The International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent was awarded to French actor Julia de Nunez, who recently played Brigitte Bardot in ‘Bardot’.
Guests attending the ceremony then watched the world premiere of the first episode of the eight-part drama series Harlan Coben’s Shelter. Based on Harlan Coben’s bestselling series.
Laurent Puons, CEO of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival says: ‘Our festival continues to raise the bar every year. It’s a real honor to have such a wealth of global talent, both in and out of the league, with us to celebrate the incredible diversity of television across all genres. We look forward to hosting an exciting and very special event in Monaco next week.”