Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco headed to Paris last week to attend the inaugural edition of the Provale Solidarité gala, a star-studded event organised by France’s leading union for rugby players with the goal of raising funds to support players in navigating life after the sport.
Provale is France’s national union for male and female rugby players – a sport and cause appreciated by both Prince Albert and Princess Charlene – and the new gala initiative provided an opportunity for the union to garner support for its assistance programmes that help players navigate significant post-career challenges, from injuries to career transitions.
More than 300 guests, including Monaco’s Princely couple and iconic players from the French-speaking world, attended the event at the Four Seasons Hotel George V on Friday 14th March.
The union’s president, Malik Hamadache, a French-Algerian rugby union player, led the evening, while former France captain Thierry Dusautoir was the main sponsor of the event and hosted the auction, which featured match-worn and signed jerseys from renowned players, rugby balls and art. An impressive €100,000 was raised over the course of the evening.
Meanwhile, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene received four colourful Celaire Franck rugby balls personalised with their names and those of their 10-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
“All proceeds from the event will go towards funding Provale’s initiatives to support former players in difficulty,” confirmed the Palais Princier de Monaco in a statement. “Too often overlooked, the challenges these athletes face after their careers are very real, including lingering injuries, difficulties in professional reintegration and issues linked to the intensity of their sporting lives. Thanks to this charitable initiative, Provale will be able to continue its mission and provide crucial support to those who need it most.”
Princess Charlene, a former professional athlete herself, has developed a keen interest in rugby in recent years and was elected President of the Monegasque Rugby Federation at the end of 2024.
Her presence at the gala evening underscored Princess Charlene’s commitment to promoting the core values of the sport, namely respect, dedication and teamwork.
The statement shared by the Palais Princier de Monaco noted, “Through Her Foundation, the Princess also promotes education through sport and social inclusion. Believing that sport is a powerful driver of integration and resilience, she strives to support players at every stage of their journey, both on and off the field.”
To see more of the gala, click on the images below:
Left to right in main photo: Mathieu Giudicelli, General Director of Provale, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Malik Hamadache, President of Provale. Photos source: Palais Princier de Monaco
Jean-Jacques Risso takes the helm at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco
Monaco-born scientist Dr. Jean-Jacques Risso has been appointed president of the Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), marking a new era for the prestigious research institution. With a career dedicated to human physiology and deep-sea diving, Risso brings decades of expertise to the role as he succeeds Professor Patrick Rampal, who led the CSM for 20 years.
Born on 27th September 1958, Risso graduated from the University of Lyon I, where he completed his doctoral thesis on high-pressure nervous syndrome. His research career began in 1980 as a civilian engineer studying the effects of high pressure on the central nervous system at a French military research unit. Over the years, he has directed numerous research programmes and published over 130 scientific papers.
Speaking about his appointment, Dr. Risso shared his vision for the future: “I am honoured and excited to join the Centre Scientifique de Monaco. I sincerely thank the Sovereign and the Princely Government for their trust. The CSM is internationally recognised for its excellence in marine biology, polar biology, and human health. I also want to pay tribute to my predecessor, Patrick Rampal, for his exceptional work in building a world-class research centre.”
As he takes the reins, Dr. Risso says he is committed to strengthening the CSM’s global impact. “With its cutting-edge research, top-tier experts, and international collaborations, the CSM is at the forefront of scientific discovery. We will continue driving innovative research to protect our environment and shape a sustainable future,” he added.
Dr. Risso will be supported by Dr. Sylvie Tambutté, who leads the scientific division, and Delphine Frappier, who oversees financial, administrative, and human resource operations.
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The 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship got underway in dramatic fashion on Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit on 16th March, with the unusually wet conditions proving challenging for both the grid’s rookies and the more seasoned drivers.
Monaco’s Charles Leclerc, driving for Scuderia Ferrari alongside his new teammate, the British seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, had looked promising in the practice sessions, but that didn’t translate during the three rounds of qualifying.
Leclerc ultimately started on the fourth row in seventh, with Hamilton in eighth. A statement from Ferrari noted that their placement ahead of the race “didn’t live up to expectations”, while Leclerc lamented, “We just didn’t have the pace [during qualifying].”
A frenzied start
The drama began even before the lights went out at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday 16th March. As the drivers set off on a damp formation lap, led by McLaren’s Lando Norris in pole position, followed by his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Racing Bulls’ rookie Isack Hadjar lost control of his car at Turn 2, forcing an aborted start.
The race resumed 15 minutes later, and Leclerc made a strong getaway, advancing two places, while Hamilton maintained eighth. Further back, chaos ensued as Alpine’s Jack Doohan, another newcomer to the grid, crashed into the barriers at Turn 5. Leclerc’s former teammate Carlos Sainz, who moved to Williams for this season, also spun out, ending his run prematurely.
The safety car neutralised the race for seven laps before activity could fully resume. The race continued until Lap 33 with the order largely unchanged, until Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso crashed out, triggering yet another safety car.
Hamilton was the first to switch to hard slick tyres ahead of the rest of the field, who followed suit on Lap 34, but Ferrari’s reactivity stalled. The rain started coming down again on Lap 45 and almost all of the remaining drivers dived into the pits. Leclerc, who had spun out but stayed in competition during that fateful lap, and Hamilton stayed out until Lap 48, hoping that the rain would ease off—it didn’t—and thus failed to capitalise on what could have been a real opportunity to gain key positions.
When they returned, both had fallen back and rejoined in ninth and 10th. At the green flag on Lap 52, Leclerc rushed past Hamilton. Both overtook Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, advancing to eighth and ninth as the end came into sight.
Then P9, which had looked to be in the bag for Hamilton, was snatched away by Piastri, who had suffered his own issues during his home race, leaving the two Ferraris in P8 and 10th.
Hamilton shared his frustrations post-race, saying, “I’m grateful to finish, at least I got one point. Overall, not what I was hoping for, but there was so much to get accustomed to, to get used to, with all the switch settings and changes that they [the team] were throwing at you [over the radio]. Then just the balance of the car… It was really very, very tricky—really, really tricky today. I think we can improve that in the next race, hopefully, and get the car in a sweeter spot. I think there’s a lot more potential in the car than what we were able to extract today.”
Leclerc admitted it had been a “tough race”, adding, “We weren’t the fastest out there, but in such weather conditions, there was a chance of scoring some big points, which we didn’t capitalise on today. I lost a few positions after the spin at Turn 11. In the end, it wasn’t that bad with the safety car that came out later on, but then we stopped a lap too late to switch to inters, losing positions again. There are two things we have to look into. The first is easy—it was my mistake. The second is something we will sort out as a team, looking into our decisions and making sure we make the right call if the situation comes up again. It’s a continuous process of improvement. We are disappointed, but it’s good to know we’ll be back in the car in just a few days in China to give it another go.”
The 2025 Monaco International Investment Forum, an extended format of what has become a popular annual event held at the Yacht Club de Monaco, positioned the Principality as a central hub for innovation and start-up success in Europe and the wider world, bringing together pioneering entrepreneurs, investors and industry representatives from sectors ranging from sustainable mobility to skincare for a series of insightful talks and networking sessions over 13th and 14th March.
The first day of the event, attended by Monaco Life, focused on venture capital discussions, with an emphasis on start-ups, scale-ups and alternative investment opportunities. Much of the action was centred around the Yacht Club’s glamorous ballroom, which acted as the seat of engaging one-on-one meetings and business networking sessions, where investors, entrepreneurs and industry representatives discussed potential partnerships and investment prospects.
Building bridges
Monaco Life spoke with several participants during the first day of the Monaco International Investment Forum (MIIF), including Tanvir Shah, Managing Director of The Partnerships Advisory Strategy & Execution. Shah also serves on the Investment Committee of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF), an initiative of the UAE’s Ministry of Finance.
“Monaco is a centre for European innovation and start-ups, and we’re looking to invite them to the UAE and the Middle East,” said Shah, who was attending for the first time.
He added, “I’m very impressed. This is one of the most international audiences I’ve seen at an investment forum.”
Shah went on to outline his broader objectives for joining the event, explaining, “The end goal is to build bridges between the Middle East and Europe. Monaco and places like Dubai are similar in that they are forward-looking jurisdictions. There is great potential for collaboration between the two regions.”
Tanvir Shah, Managing Director of The Partnerships Advisory Strategy & Execution and part of the Investment Committee of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF). Photo by Monaco Life
Discussing trends in innovation and investment, Shah spotlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence.
“Right now, we are seeing an exponential use of AI for human good. At the Fund, we focus on challenges like water scarcity and ensuring the UAE’s self-sufficiency in water. We’ve seen optimistic progress in this area using AI,” he shared with Monaco Life.
Looking ahead, Shah spoke about the Fund’s future plans, noting, “We have €500 million and provide government venture debt to growth-stage start-ups through our accelerator programmes. We are now launching our 10th cohort, and to date, we’ve supported over 150 start-ups. We’re excited about the future of each one.”
Start-ups target growth at MIIF
Start-ups were a key focus at MIIF, with numerous entrepreneurs seeking investment and expansion opportunities in Europe.
Monaco Life spoke with Terbit Widjaja, the founder of MRI.id, an Indonesia-based company with a presence in South Korea that specialises in advanced skincare solutions and wellness technologies.
Widjaja said his main goal for attending the forum was to raise over $10 million and expand his company’s reach into European markets.
“I’m here for fundraising and to build connections with European investors,” he told Monaco Life. “What I like about this event is that it’s private and intimate, with a lot of high-quality people.”
Terbit Widjaja, the founder of MRI.id, at the Monaco International Investment Forum. Photo by Monaco Life
He also spoke about the challenges facing the healthcare sector, particularly the rising costs.
“Healthcare is the only sector where, despite advancements in technology, prices never seem to drop. Hospitals will never offer a 90% or even a 50% discount. It’s the only industry where you have to pay whatever they ask,” he said. “We want to revolutionise this with our own technology, ecosystem, beauty clinics, healthcare services and even our own biotech.”
Widjaja added that securing investment would support the company’s expansion to Dubai and the UAE, with plans to introduce medical devices and biotech products to the European market, reflecting the crossover of interest shared by fellow participant Shah.
Monaco Life also spoke with Robert Dingemanse, the CEO and founder of PAL-V, a Netherlands-based company developing sustainable FlyDrive solutions. Dingemanse described how the company’s innovation could transform personal transportation.
“With our technology, operations like policing, firefighting, military, and public security can all be improved,” he said. “Individuals also want to travel faster from A to B, and that’s exactly what we offer.”
Dingemanse, who was also attending the MIIF for the first time, said the event offered an opportunity to meet potential investors and customers.
“We’ve met a lot of interesting people, but, as always, it comes down to what results will follow,” he said.
A FlyDrive model by PAL-V. Photo by Monaco Life
Speaking about future trends, Dingemanse identified low-altitude mobility as an emerging global industry.
“In 50 years, advanced mobility is projected to be a one to two trillion-dollar industry,” he said. “Like any new sector, it takes time for investors to recognise its potential. Now, they’re beginning to understand that FlyDrive is different from air taxis or other flying vehicles. With PAL-V, you can drive from Monaco, take off and fly over the Alps to Geneva, conduct your business, then fly to Munich and drive back home. It’s two to three times as fast as any other option.”
PAL-V vehicles are priced from €500,000, with deliveries set to begin in Europe.
Other exhibitors at the forum included Sotheby’s Dubai, Ubiquity’s Max Copilot, Rennsport, Alkemia Capital, Gami Capital, Ear Focus Technology, SEG Kapital, Aurora Advisory, Bitcoin People, Skeal – Scale My Meal, La Joie Homebase™ and BRB Costruzioni Edili. Each presented their latest products and services, covering sectors such as real estate, artificial intelligence, sustainable mobility and fintech.
A remarkable collection of Napoleonic artefacts, many with connections to Monaco and the Grimaldi family, will go under the hammer at an Artcurial auction in Paris on 1st April. This extraordinary sale, titled Napoleon(s): Imperial Collections from a Great Connoisseur, brings together 370 lots from a distinguished collector in southwest France, offering an unparalleled glimpse into the grandeur of the First and Second Empires.
History buffs and admirers of Napoleon will have a field day at the Napoleon(s): Imperial Collections from a Great Connoisseur sale, hosted by the Artcurial auction house on 1st April in Paris.
A significant portion of the auctioned items originate from the former Napoleonic collection of Monaco’s Palais Princier. Prince Louis II, the great-grandfather of Prince Albert II and a military man in his own right, served with distinction in World War I, which led him to develop a penchant for military history. His devotion to the Napoleonic eras led him to amass one of the most impressive collections of imperial artefacts known, including some very rare and valuable pieces.
In 2014, the Prince’s Palace made headlines when it sold part of its Napoleonic collection, dispersing treasured relics that had once been carefully curated by Louis II. Some of those treasures found their way into the hands of the collector whose estate is now being auctioned at Artcurial, bringing these historical objects full circle.
Among the standout pieces is a historic Couronne de Rue medal, once belonging to Emperor Napoleon I. This prestigious prize was seized by Prussian forces from Napoleon’s carriages on the fateful evening of 18th June 1815, following his defeat at Waterloo. Estimated to go for between €30,000 and €50,000, the medal was part of the war spoils delivered to Prussian Field Marshal von Blücher, who later gifted it to Major-General Willem van Panhuys, the Netherlands’ representative at the battle. In the early 20th century, it was acquired by Monaco’s Prince Louis, before passing into private hands.
The Couronne de Rue medal, which once belonged to Emperor Napoleon I, was seized by Prussian forces from his carriages following his defeat at Waterloo. Photo source: Artcurial
Another piece once owned by the House of Grimaldi is a flag of the 1st Battalion of the 111th Line Infantry Regiment bearing the motto Valor and Discipline. It carries an estimated sale price of €30,000 to €40,000.
The sale also features two grand imperial portraits from the Second Empire, painted in the style of renowned artist Franz-Xaver Winterhalter, with estimates ranging from €60,000 to €80,000, and a Lepage rifle from 1812 that belonged to the Emperor, which is expected to fetch between €50,000 and €80,000.
Before the sale, the collection will be on public exhibition in Monaco from 19th to 24th March, allowing enthusiasts to view these significant pieces in real life. The exhibition, open daily from 9.30am to 1pm and 3pm to 6.30pm at Artcurial’s Monaco base in the Monte-Carlo Palace building, will offer visitors a rare opportunity to connect with history before the gavel falls in Paris.
France’s legislative body, the National Assembly, has approved a resolution to establish a new commission that will examine the psychological effects of TikTok on minors. The initiative, spearheaded by Laure Miller, a member of Ensemble pour la République, aims to assess the platform’s impact on children’s and adolescents’ mental health, with a particular focus on issues such as exposure to harmful content and digital addiction.
Launched in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok has had extraordinary success, reaching a huge global audience of an estimated 1.925 billion users, many of whom are young people. In France, there are nearly 15 million active users each month.
In light of numerous reports of its negative effects – seven French families came together in November 2024 to sue TikTok over its purported failure to remove content featuring themes of suicide, self-harm and eating disorders – France’s National Assembly has supported a resolution to establish a commission that will look into the influence of the platform on children and teens.
The commission, which is expected to operate for up to six months, will investigate whether TikTok encourages self-harm and suicide or contributes to the proliferation of hypersexualized content that could lead to developmental disorders.
Laure Miller, the MP who proposed the idea for the commission, has emphasised the need for scrutiny, particularly as many TikTok users in France are believed to be under 13, despite the platform’s official age restriction. She has also criticised TikTok’s content moderation policies, calling them “opaque” and “very likely the most ineffective” among social media platforms.
EXPOSURE TO SELF-HARM AND SUICIDE
A study conducted in the United States in 2022 suggested that young users experiencing distress were disproportionately exposed to videos related to self-harm and suicide. This finding has intensified concerns about TikTok’s potential role in amplifying harmful content.
France’s own commission will evaluate the app’s mechanisms that are designed to capture and retain users’ attention, the risks associated with exposure to dangerous material, and the broader implications for digital addiction.
The resolution, which was signed by approximately 80 MPs from various political groups, including Ensemble pour la République, Les Démocrates, Horizons, Socialistes and LIOT, highlights the urgency of addressing these concerns. Lawmakers intend to propose concrete measures aimed at better protecting minors, including stronger content regulation, enhanced digital security and improved moderation practices.
In response to growing scrutiny, TikTok introduced a new parental control feature in the European Union earlier this month, allowing parents to set time limits on their children’s usage. However, the company has remained cautious regarding the commission of inquiry, stating that it will await further details on the specific issues under investigation before responding. A spokesperson for the platform noted that these concerns are not unique to TikTok and affect the broader digital ecosystem.
FOLLOW ON FROM AN EARLIER REPORT
This new inquiry follows a 2023 French Senate investigation that focused on TikTok’s data usage, ties to the Chinese government and potential risks related to espionage and disinformation. While that report emphasised national security concerns, the National Assembly’s current initiative is centered on the health and well-being of the young.
Though different in focus, the 2023 report did make note of the impact on children, stating, “70% of TikTok users in France are under 24, and 40% of young people between 16 and 25 use TikTok daily. Furthermore, children aged four to 18 spend an average of one hour and 47 minutes on TikTok per day.”
