Disco fever hits Monaco: Inside the spectacular Bal de la Rose 2024

The glitz and glamour of Monaco’s social scene reached new heights on Saturday as the Princely family gathered for the much-anticipated Bal de la Rose. With disco fever in the air and a surprise return from Princess Charlene after more than a decade, the night promised to be one for the books.

Celebrating its 48th year, the Bal de la Rose stands as a cornerstone of Monaco’s annual social calendar, uniting the Princely family alongside 800 esteemed guests for an evening of revelry and philanthropy in support of the Princess Grace Foundation.

This year, the iconic Salle des Étoiles at Sporting Monte-Carlo was transformed into a disco wonderland, courtesy of designer Christian Louboutin and the creative vision of Princess Caroline of Hanover, Françoise Dumas, and François Mercadet. With the pulsating beats of disco music filling the air, attendees were transported back in time to an era of glittering dance floors and dazzling fashion.

Photo credit: Éric Mathon / Palais princier

The return of a sparkling Princess Charlene

The highlight of the evening undoubtedly came with the surprise appearance of Princess Charlene, making her first Bal de la Rose appearance in a decade. Radiant and resplendent, she embraced the theme with gusto, donning a spectacular sparkling disco jumpsuit that perfectly complemented her new haircut. Alongside her, Prince Albert exuded charm in a classic black tuxedo, accented by a playful bright red bow-tie.

Founded in 1954 by Princess Grace and now chaired by her daughter, Princess Caroline of Hanover, the Bal de la Rose is not only a celebration of Monaco’s opulence but also a beacon of hope for humanitarian causes. Throughout the night, an exceptional raffle raised funds to support pediatric research and other vital initiatives for children in need.

Among the distinguished guests were members of the Princely family including Charlotte Casiraghi, Pierre Casiraghi and his wife Beatrice Borromeo, as well as Princess Alexandra of Hanover and her partner Ben Strautmann, all adding to the evening’s allure and prestige.

Gloria Gaynor performing at the Bal de la Rose. Photo credit: Éric Mathon / Palais princier

A blast from the past

After dance entertainment by MC Performers, the night reached its crescendo with the performance of American singer Gloria Gaynor, who captivated the audience with her timeless disco anthems, including ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’, among others.

As guests savoured a sumptuous 1980s-inspired menu featuring smoked salmon and caviar, truffle stuffed chicken, and grand cru chocolate, accompanied by Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Champagne, the Bal de la Rose 2024 proved to be another unforgettable celebration of Monaco’s rich heritage and commitment to philanthropy.

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Photos credit: Éric Mathon / Palais Princier 

MEWS 2024: Tech titans Mark Zuckerberg and Samara Cohen among the award nominees

mews 2024

Touted as the “Oscars for Web3”, the upcoming 2024 edition of the Metaverse Entertainment World Summit and Awards (MEWS), which will be held in Nice in May, will celebrate outstanding talents from the worlds of virtual reality, tech, AI, content creation and entertainment. 

The Metaverse Entertainment World Summit and Awards was founded by the Monaco-based businessman Steven Saltzman, who has announced that a date has been set for the third edition of the event: it will be held at the iconic Negresco Hotel in Nice from 14th to 17th May.

Steven Saltzman and Prince Albert II of Monaco at the 2023 MEWS event. Photo credit: MEWS

An awards ceremony championing individuals and innovative companies from the metaverse and digital worlds will be taking place on 15th May, and the first nominees have recently been revealed.  

Among those up for an award in the prestigious Pioneer category are tech giants such as Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg and Samara Cohen, the Chief Investment Officer for EII, who leads the teams responsible for BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust.

Other big names to feature on the shortlist include: NVIDIA founder Jason Huang; Arthur Mensch, CEO and founder of Mistral AI; Megan Kaspar, FirstLight’s Managing Director; the co-founder and CEO of OpenSea, Devin Finzer; Open AI’s CTO, Mira Murati; and Bethany Bongiorno, the co-founder of HU.MA.NE AI.

 

The awards ceremony, which will be live screened to a global audience, will also seek to raise funds for the Monaco Stroke Association, known as Monaco AVC.  

For more information, click here.

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MEWS 2023: Monaco’s pioneering metaverse summit

 

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