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Day: 17 December 2020

Prince announces end of year conditions

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/12/2020

Monaco’s curfew will be extended to 11.30pm on 24th December to allow for Christmas celebrations, while only restaurants will be given an extra hour of reprieve on New Year’s Eve. Almost all other measures currently in place will remain until at least 15th January.
Prince Albert spoke to the citizens of Monaco in a televised address from his Palace on Wednesday night, saying: “Although it has been announced that vaccination programmes are either underway or immanent, this must not be interpreted as meaning life can return to normal right away. It will take several months before that is possible.”
He confirmed that his government has put together a national vaccination plan which is now ready and will begin as soon as vaccines are given approval.
However, he added, “We must not let our guard down and put everything that we have achieved so far at risk by lifting the health measures too quickly and too loosely.”
He announced that almost all of the current measures, including the 8pm to 6am curfew, will remain in force until at least 15th January.
An exception, however, has been made for the 24th December – the day on which Monegasques traditionally celebrate Christmas – when curfew will not come into force until 11.30pm.
On the 31st December, New Year’s Eve, restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 10.30pm – an hour later than the current curfew.
Furthermore, non-residents will only be allowed to enter Monaco if they have a hotel reservation.
For everyone else in the Principality, an 8pm curfew still applies for New Year’s Eve.
Public gatherings will be banned on both the 24th and 31st December.
Minister of State Pierre Dartout is expected to reveal more details in a press conference on Friday, including a lifting of the ban on sports activities.
“I understand the efforts that are being asked of you during this festive period, when family is so important. We must continue on this path as we have made great progress together in the fight against this epidemic. I know I can count on your understanding and readiness to do what needs to be done in order to overcome this ordeal,” concluded the Prince.
 
Photo taken from Prince Albert’s address on Thursday night
 
 

Monaco’s trend-setting Princess

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/12/2020

Sporting a new punk-style undercut, Princess Charlene, together with Prince Albert and their children Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, have welcomed Monaco’s littlest citizens to the Prince’s Palace for the family’s traditional gift giving celebration.
The Palace courtyard was transformed into a winter wonderland for its little guests on Wednesday, complete with Christmas chalets, giant tree, and even fake snow.
Nearly 700 children aged between five and 12 enjoyed the festivities, which also included a fir forest, traditional crib, Santa’s sleigh, jugglers and acrobats.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene joined their children in handing out gifts to the young Monegasques, much to their delight and that of their accompanying parents.
The Palace was eager to point out that the event was held outside this year, where strict health protocols were observed, including temperature measurement and hand disinfection at the entrance to the Palace, mandatory mask wearing and a single direction of movement in the Cour d’Honneur.
Princess Grace and Prince Rainier started the tradition of an annual gift distribution in the Palace, nurturing the bond between the Princely Family and the community.

But it is Princess Charlene’s new look that is grabbing headlines this year across the globe. Concealed under a beret during the inauguration ceremony of Monaco’s new maritime vessel earlier that day, the 42-year-old Princess wore her new locks proudly at the Palace that afternoon, complemented with a sequin face mask that matched her black and gold ensemble.

Photos: Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace, Manu Vitali / Government Communications Department
 
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Little Princess baptises namesake vessel

 
 

Little Princess baptises namesake vessel

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/12/2020

The new flagship boat of Monaco’s Maritime and Airport Police Division, ‘Princess Gabriella’, has been inaugurated by the little princess whose name it bears.

How many six-year-olds can say they have a boat named after them?

Princess Gabriella can now count herself amongst the few in that exclusive club, as Monaco’s newest police patrolling boat has been baptised by none other than the namesake herself.

The ‘Princess Gabriella’ is Monaco’s new Maritime and Airport Police Division patrolling vessel and was officially presented on Wednesday with the Princess herself doing the honour of baptising the boat by the traditional means of breaking a bottle of champagne across the hull.

Sirens and fog horns sounded around the port and the Monegasque anthem was played on trumpet, adding a festive air to the event.

Her twin brother Prince Jacques and parents Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, who is sporting a new 80’s inspired hairstyle, accompanied Princess Gabriella at the ceremony, which also included the presence of many Monegasque authorities and a blessing by Monseigneur Davis, the Archbishop of Monaco. 

After the ceremony, the Princely family were invited aboard the speedboat.

The ‘Princess Gabriella’ is a state of the art 24-metre, 60 tonne vessel, and will be used in sea rescues, research, the fight against marine pollution and polluters as well as cross-border and port security and patrols. The boat can reach speeds up to 30 knots and is equipped with a satellite link, two radars and a firefighting system. Additionally, it has a gun mount and a crane with the ability to lift 400 kilos.

 
Photos: Eric Mathon / Prince’s Palace and Manu Vitali and Michael Alesi / Communication Department
 
 

Blowout loss for AS Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/12/2020

The Red and Whites had a bad night on Wednesday, losing in a blowout to Racing Club Lens on their own home turf.

AS Monaco suffered a disappointing 3-0 loss to RC Lens at Stade Louis II, their first loss at home this season. It was a tough game for the Red and Whites, who saw not only a superb goal scored by the opponents in the very first minute of play but let two more get through – all before halftime.

Issiaga Sylla scored the opening goal, then in the 34th Simon Banza scored, followed five minutes later by a beauty from Gaël Kakuta.

Even a switch up of players on the field couldn’t shake Monaco out of their bad night, despite a couple of great efforts by Youssouf Fofana around the hour mark.

Clearly this is a game best to be left in the rear view mirror. Coach Niko Kovac concurred with this sentiment, saying afterward, “When we are behind, we overthink things and we get away from playing instinctively a little. We must forget this match and play on Sunday like we’ve done in our previous outings. They did not become afraid to play soccer overnight. We all have to work together to get ahead and play with confidence.”

The Red and Whites have a chance at redemption on Sunday, when they face off against Dijon at an away game there.

 
Photo source: AS Monaco
 
 

Roca Team lose out

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/12/2020

In an evenly matched game, Monaco went up against Moscow in a battle of titans that ended in a close game, but a sad defeat for the Principality.

The Roca Team had a heart-breaking loss against Moscow outfit Locomotiv Kuban on Wednesday. Unlike the blowout Monaco’s other sports team, AS Monaco, faced, the Roca Team lost by only two shots with a final score of 72-76.

Monaco played super well making 27 out of 67 shots but were a bit short on the three-pointers, only making six out of 25 attempts. Team Captain Dee Bost scored 18 points on the night, Mathias Lessort had 14 and JJ O’Brien 11.

Loco’s stats were pretty close to Monaco’s with 23 out of 53 shots made and five out of 17 three-pointers. Jordan Crawford was their high scorer with 17 points on the night, Mantas Kalietis had 14 and Reggie Lynch 11.

The team suffered with the loss of both Bost and Marcos Knight in the last quarter. With those powerhouses missing, the Russians had an easier time of it, and were victorious in the end, by a hair.

Despite the defeat, and thanks to an Andorran loss against Lithuania, Monaco are still in the running for third place in Group C. Monaco will need the win on Friday against Panevezys, and an Andorra win against Bologna, for them to take the bronze in the EuroCup 7.

 
Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball