This week, the Grimaldis of Monaco celebrated their principality’s National Day, and Princess Charlene brought us a fabulous tiara surprise during the festivities!
Monaco’s National Day follows a set program each year, starting with a mass of thanksgiving at the principality’s cathedral, built in 1911 on the site of a 13th century building that served as the first parish church in Monaco.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene were joined at the mass by his sisters, Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie. Albert was in uniform, while the ladies wore tailored daywear.
Also present were numerous representatives of the next generation of Grimaldis: Caroline’s children, Andrea and Tatiana Casiraghi, Charlotte Casiraghi, Pierre and Beatrice Casiraghi, and Princess Alexandra of Hanover, and Stephanie’s children, Louis and Victoire Ducruet and Camille Gottlieb.
After mass, the family returned to the Palais Princier for National Day ceremonies in the palace courtyard. Prince Albert and Prince Charlene’s children, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, joined their parents and their aunts for the presentation of medals and military promotions.
Also watching nearby was a large gathering of extended family members. Many of Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie’s grandchildren were in attendance, along with several of the de Massy cousins and members of the Wittstock family.
The Grimaldis watched the military parade in the Place du Palais below from the palace balconies. Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, who celebrate their eleventh birthdays next month, waved like professional royals beside their parents.
There were several pieces of interesting jewelry on display during the daytime portion of the National Day program. Princess Charlene wore a large pair of diamond earrings. (If I’m not mistaken, they’re the same ones she wore last year on National Day.) Princess Gabriella, suitable for her age, wore a lovely pair of petite diamond and pearl earrings.
Princess Caroline wore a pair of earrings that appear to be made of black enamel and set with diamonds, plus a fabulous modern brooch pinned to her Khaite jacket.
Charlotte Casiraghi, as usual, was decked out in Chanel, paired with an enormous pair of spiky gold sunburst-style earrings.
The always-elegant Beatrice Borromeo Casiraghi, who gave birth to her daughter, Bianca, just a few weeks ago, wore dazzling diamond and ruby jewels. The good folks at Köchert reached out to let me know that her earrings are from their atelier.
Inside the palace, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene took advantage of the coordinated fashion moment to pose for a new official portrait with Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
On Wednesday evening, the family headed to the Grimaldi Forum for a National Day gala performance. This year, the show, titled “Good Evening Monte-Carlo,” was a tribute to the work of Josephine Baker.
Present for the gala performance were Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, plus Princess Caroline and several members of her family: Andrea Casiraghi, Pierre Casiraghi, and Princess Alexandra with her partner, Ben Sylvester Strautmann.
Princess Charlene was resplendent in a sparkling evening gown (an Armani Privé design, per UFO No More) with the sash and star of the Order of Saint Charles.
And, surprise and delight: she wore a tiara for the gala! We haven’t seen a tiara at the National Day gala in Monaco since Princess Grace wore one for her last appearance at the event in November 1981. Charlene wore the Diamond Foam Tiara, the same aigrette that she wore for the couple’s wedding reception in July 2011. Earlier this year, I did a deep-dive on the tiara’s creation at Hidden Gems, and in that article I expressed hopes that Charlene would one day decide to wear the jewel for National Day. Consider my wish fulfilled!!
Princess Caroline was also in full dazzling glamour mode at the gala performance, wearing piles of fabulous antique jewelry with a Jenny Packham gown.
She wore her antique diamond earrings, which feature spectacular cushion-cut drops, plus a diamond sautoir necklace. She also added two gigantic aquamarines from her collection, suspending one from a chain and wearing the other as a brooch on her Order of Saint Charles sash. She finished the look with glittering bracelets and rings. Just an outstanding evening all around!
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