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Day: 17 June 2026

Kurt Russell receives Crystal Nymph from Prince Albert II as 65th Monte-Carlo Television Festival closes

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/06/2026

The 65th Monte-Carlo Television Festival closed on Tuesday evening with a ceremony at the Salle des Princes at the Grimaldi Forum, hosted by actors Ricky Whittle and Louise Ekland in the presence of Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco.

Kurt Russell received the Crystal Nymph — the festival’s highest individual honour — from Princess Charlene, in recognition of a career spanning more than six decades across film and television. From Escape from New York and The Thing to Tombstone, The Hateful Eight and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Russell has built one of Hollywood’s most varied and enduring bodies of work. He is currently headlining two streaming series simultaneously: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV+ and The Madison on Paramount+, the latter created by Taylor Sheridan and co-starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Fox.

Accepting the award, Kurt Russell addressed Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene directly, saying, “It is wonderful to see you again. I am looking forward to spending some time here — thank you for having me,” before turning to the crowd and continuing, “thank you for the kindness, and for thinking of me for this award. It has been a wonderful night. Thank you very much.”

British actor Matthew Broome received the International Golden Nymph for Most Promising Talent, also presented by Princess Charlene. Broome, 25, has built his profile through the lead role in My Fault: London on Prime Video and his performance in The Buccaneers on Apple TV+. The sequel Your Fault: London premiered on Prime Video the same day.

The Golden Nymph winners

The fiction jury, chaired by British actress Lesley Manville CBE, awarded Best Film to Fadia, a Palestinian and Israeli co-production from Cinema Virgin, which also took Best Actress for Yara Jarrar and the Jury Special Prize. Best Series went to The Uniform, produced by Denmark’s Miso Film. Best Creation was awarded to Gomorrah – The Origins, a Sky Studios and Cattleya production from Italy. Best Actor went to Johannes Hegemann for the German production Olivia.

In feature reports and news, Sweden’s Mission Investigate: The Hunt won Best Social or Cultural Feature Report, while the French production La Guerre, Donald Trump et nous took Best Geopolitical or Conflict Feature Report. The BBC’s Into the Void: Putin’s Foreign Fighters received the Jury Special Prize. The Public Prize, voted by audiences in partnership with BetaSeries, went to the American series Ponies from Universal Television.

The festival’s newly introduced Digital category — presented for the first time at this edition — awarded Best Original Digital Creation to the South Korean production Next-Door Families – What Makes a Family? by KBS and director Yoo Kyung-Hyun. Best Documentary Digital Format went to the French production La face cachée de l’aéroport CDG la nuit by OK Charlotte.

The Prince Rainier III Special Prize was awarded to PFAS, Our Forever Poisons, a Franco-Belgian co-production. The AMADE Prize went to Child Protection: The Scandal of Minors in Prostitution, and the Monaco Red Cross Prize was awarded to The Voice of Hind Rajab, co-produced by Tunisia and France.

“The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has showcased once again the extraordinary vitality, diversity and creativity of the international audiovisual industry,” said Prince Albert II. “Through the quality of the programmes presented, the individuals honored for their outstanding talent and the conversations shared throughout the week, this 65th anniversary edition has celebrated the power of storytelling to inspire, entertain and bring people together.”

The 65th edition in numbers

The anniversary edition featured 24 programmes across three competitive categories, 13 screenings including four world premieres, five international premieres and four French premieres, and more than 29 public events. More than 1,500 interviews were conducted by journalists from around the world throughout the week.

The Business Forum included a second edition of the Tell Me A Story! Pitch Contest in collaboration with 1895 Films, with Mariana Machado of Universidade Lusófona in Portugal announced as the winner for her project Late to Desire: The Sex Lives They Never Had.

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Photo credit: Stephane Danna, Government Communications Department

Thrills and solidarity: The 3rd ‘Tour of Hope’ returns to Monaco

by: Virginia D’Umas
17/06/2026

The Principality is gearing up for a high-octane weekend of purpose and prestige as the ‘Tour of Hope’ returns for its 3rd edition from 19th to 21st June. Held under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II, the event blends the world of luxury automotive passion with a deep-rooted commitment to social impact.

“Behind every supercar involved is a child fighting a disease, a family hoping for a cure, and a researcher working toward a breakthrough. Our duty is to provide that hope.” With these words, Isidoro Miele, Secretary General of the Lions Club International Monaco, sets the tone for the 3rd edition of the ‘Tour of Hope’.

Organised by the Lions Club International Monaco—an institution with a 64-year history of service—the event is dedicated to fighting paediatric cancers and rare diseases. All proceeds raised throughout the weekend will be donated to the Flavien Foundation, which works tirelessly to advance medical research and support families in distress.

Honouring legends

The event has secured support from notable figures, including honorary patron and former F1 driver Thierry Boutsen and SBM President Stéphane Valéri. A central highlight is the 30th-anniversary tribute to Ayrton Senna, featuring the racing suit worn by the late champion during his 1990 title-winning season, presented by racing legend Pascal Tichit.

The automotive showcase is bolstered by the Supercar Club Monaco, providing four elite vehicles for passenger laps of the Grand Prix circuit. “For visitors at the Place du Casino, the chance to tour the circuit in such exceptional cars is a dream come true,” Isidoro Miele told Monaco Life.

The event also welcomes a delegation from the Automobile Club of Campione d’Italia, including 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Christophe Bouchut and two-time French Rally Champion Jean-Claude Andruet, who will participate with his legendary Alpine. “Having drivers of this calibre join us to support families in need,” Miele added, “proves that passion for motoring in Monaco goes hand-in-hand with a profound sense of solidarity.”

A weekend of high-performance charity

This spirit of solidarity extends beyond the track to the participants themselves. The three-day programme offers a blend of social and automotive engagement. Festivities commence on Friday, 19th June, with a gala dinner at the Hôtel Hermitage. Hosted in the Belle Époque Hall, the evening includes a grand raffle to benefit the foundation.

On Saturday, 20th June, the Place du Casino serves as the hub for automotive enthusiasts. Members of the public are invited to ride as passengers in elite machines—including McLarens, Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Ferraris—guided by professional drivers. The weekend concludes on Sunday, 21st June, with a supercar convoy, organised by former rally champion Raul Marchisio, which will depart Monaco at 10am for a scenic, technical run to the Col de Turini.

A collective mission

Organisers credit the event’s viability to the support of partners, including MPM V Group, Performance GT, OR & METAL, and The Royal Saliñas Hotel Group. This alignment of local corporate support and community action remains central to the Lions Club’s mission of driving social impact within the Principality.

Practical information

Gala Evening: 19th June, 7:45pm, Hôtel Hermitage (Belle Époque Hall). €250 per person.

Supercar Experience: 20th June, departing from Place du Casino. €80 for a standard lap; €160 for an exclusive lap with a racing champion.

Supercar Road Trip: 21st June. €500 registration.

For further information or to secure tickets, contact the Lions Club International Monaco. 

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Photo by Monaco Life

Monaco leads Council of Europe push to seize criminal crypto-assets and close financial crime loopholes

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/06/2026

Justice ministers from all 46 member states of the Council of Europe adopted a declaration on Tuesday calling for stronger criminal justice action against money laundering and terrorist financing, with Monaco’s presidency of the Committee of Ministers taking a leading role in shaping the outcome.

The declaration, presented at a conference in Strasbourg under the Monegasque Presidency, sets out concrete measures to improve how financial crimes are investigated and prosecuted, how criminal assets — including crypto-assets — are identified, frozen and recovered, and how legal frameworks across member states adapt to the realities of digital finance, artificial intelligence and decentralised platforms.

Dirty money and democracy

“The fight against money laundering and terrorist financing is a long-term political commitment, which requires the constant adaptation of systems, the sustained involvement of all relevant stakeholders, and a strong, professional and independent judiciary,” said Samuel Vuelta Simon, Monaco’s Secretary of State for Justice.

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset went further. “Tracking down dirty money, recovering it and preventing it from infiltrating our institutions is not just about fighting crime: it is about defending democracy,” he said.

What the declaration calls for

The declaration identifies asset confiscation as one of the most effective tools available to criminal justice systems and calls on member states to strengthen their capacity to identify, freeze, seize and recover the proceeds of crime — specifically including digital and crypto-assets. Financial intelligence units are singled out for a stronger role in the early detection and analysis of suspicious transactions, with the declaration calling for improvements to the quality and operational use of suspicious transaction reports.

On international cooperation, the text calls for earlier exchange of information between prosecutors and judges across borders, more joint investigation teams, coordinated multi-state operations and formal frameworks for sharing confiscated assets. Member states are also called on to adopt national strategies that bring together public authorities and private-sector entities subject to anti-money laundering obligations.

The declaration notes that all measures must remain consistent with the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Monaco holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers until November 2026.

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Photo: Samuel Vuelta-Simon (second from left), Monaco’s Secretary of State for Justice with Mattias Guyomar (second right), President of the ECHR, addressing justice ministers alongside Secretary General Berset (centre). Source: Council of Europe

La Compagnie extends all-business-class New York flights year-round

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/06/2026

La Compagnie, the all-business-class transatlantic airline, has announced it will extend its Nice–New York (Newark) service through the winter 2026/2027 season — the first time a direct flight has connected Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to New York outside of the summer months.

The airline, which resumed the Nice–Newark route on 6th May this year and currently operates up to four flights per week during the summer season, will reduce to two weekly flights from the start of the winter schedule. The decision to continue the service beyond October — when it was originally due to end — follows strong demand from American travellers visiting the French Riviera and from business and leisure passengers in the south of France seeking a direct transatlantic connection.

The schedule

The winter 2026/2027 service operates twice weekly in each direction. Flights depart Nice on Tuesdays and Fridays at 12:00, arriving at Newark at 15:30. Return flights depart Newark on Mondays and Fridays at 20:30, arriving in Nice at 10:20 the following morning. All times are local and subject to change.

The broader context

The French Riviera is the best-connected region in France to the United States after Paris, with more than 300,000 passengers travelling on direct transatlantic routes in 2025. The extension of the Nice–New York service into the winter season is consistent with a broader push at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to develop year-round transatlantic connectivity, alongside the April 2026 opening of Terminal 2’s expansion — which increased the airport’s capacity to 18 million passengers — and the launch of Delta’s Boston–Nice route in May 2026.

Franck Goldnadel, President of the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur board, noted the significance of the timing, with the United States preparing to mark the 250th anniversary of its independence. “By maintaining a year-round transatlantic connection, it strengthens our territorial appeal and offers both business and leisure travellers a privileged gateway to a destination that continues to embody Franco-American friendship,” he said.

Christian Vernet, Chief Executive of La Compagnie, said demand on both sides of the Atlantic had made the extension a natural next step. “This extension strengthens our position in a strategic market and reflects our commitment to offering a unique transatlantic experience, entirely dedicated to business class,” he said.

The product

La Compagnie was founded in 2013 and operates a fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft — a narrow-body jet not typically associated with transatlantic flying, but one the airline has configured with 76 fully flat-bed business-class seats in a single-aisle layout. The model’s extended range capability makes the New York crossing viable, and the absence of an economy cabin allows the airline to position itself as a lower-cost alternative to the business-class cabins of major carriers.

Beyond Nice, the airline operates daily flights between Paris Orly and Newark, and up to six weekly flights between Milan Malpensa and Newark, making it one of the few carriers operating exclusively all-business transatlantic services from multiple European cities simultaneously.

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Photo source: La Compagnie

 

Monaco scores highly as global millionaire migration heads for its biggest year on record

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/06/2026

Monaco has been ranked among the world’s most competitive jurisdictions for internationally mobile wealth in the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2026, released this week by residence and citizenship advisory firm Henley & Partners, as global millionaire migration heads for its largest year on record.

The report assigns Monaco a Wealth Mobility Competitiveness Score of 70.0 out of 100, placing it among a group of “highly competitive” jurisdictions alongside Switzerland, Greece, Hong Kong, Portugal and Italy. A separate Henley index also identifies Monaco as a global leader in tax efficiency alongside Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The countries classified as facing the most pressure are those closer to home: France scores 65.7, the UK 68.3, Germany 69.7 and Norway 69.0 — all described as losing ground as tax reforms, fiscal uncertainty and policy shifts prompt wealthy individuals to reassess their options.

A record year for millionaire migration

Global millionaire migration reached a new high of 142,000 relocations in 2025, and forecasts for 2026 point to another surge, with as many as 165,000 expected to move — the largest migration of wealth on record. The report defines millionaires as individuals with investable wealth of at least one million US dollars who have relocated and remained in a new country for longer than six months.

The 2026 edition introduces a new Global Wealth Mobility Framework, which evaluates jurisdictions across 12 dimensions including taxation, quality of life, rule of law, geopolitical stability and capital mobility. The framework represents a shift from the previous approach of tracking millionaire inflows and outflows toward a broader assessment of structural competitiveness.

The US and UAE paradoxes

Two wealth mobility flashpoints look set to reshape the geography of global wealth in 2026: the US, the world’s largest private wealth market, is also generating record demand for residence and citizenship optionality as affluent Americans seek international diversification in unprecedented numbers; and the Gulf, where ongoing conflict is testing the resilience of the region’s emerging wealth hubs.

The US scored just 62.3 on the new framework despite its scale — a result Henley & Partners attributes to a paradox: America generates more wealth than any other country, but it is also the firm’s single largest source market for applications. Applications from US nationals doubled in 2025 versus the prior year and have stayed elevated into 2026.

The UAE, despite regional tensions, achieved the highest score in the framework at 85.3 — though Henley & Partners also recorded a 41 per cent increase in enquiries from UAE-based individuals between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, suggesting contingency planning is accelerating among residents of the Gulf.

What it means for Monaco

Monaco’s position in the report reflects what is already observable on the ground. The Principality has no income tax for residents, offers political stability, a high quality of life and a well-established infrastructure for wealthy families — factors that have driven consistent demand for Monegasque residency for decades. Official figures from IMSEE confirm the resident population has grown steadily in recent years, particularly from British nationals.

See also: 

How Monaco’s population has changed over a decade — and who is moving in now

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Photo credit: Benjamin Vergely, Monaco Tourism Department

Historic Fiat 500s return to Monaco in July for sixth international meeting

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/06/2026

The sixth Monaco International Meeting of Historic Fiat 500s takes place on 18th and 19th July at the Quai Albert Ier on Port Hercule, organised by the Club Fiat 500 Monte-Carlo under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Monaco.

The two-day event, which brings together owners and enthusiasts of the original historic Fiat 500, is themed around the 1970s and coincides with the 90th anniversary of the Fiat 500 Topolino — the compact two-seater first presented in June 1936 that became one of the defining vehicles of Italian postwar life. Designed by engineer Dante Giacosa and produced in three series until 1955, the Topolino was the smallest mass-produced car of its era and is widely credited with bringing motoring to the Italian masses. More than 376,000 were built.

Programme

Saturday 18th July opens with a morning drive along routes of the Monte-Carlo Rally, departing at 10:15am with a lunch stop before participants return to the port in the afternoon. From 5pm, the group will visit the Collection des Automobiles de S.A.S. le Prince Albert II before the evening closes with a free tribute concert by Abba Time at 8:30pm.

Sunday 19th July includes a visit to the Monaco et l’automobile exhibition at the Grimaldi Forum, followed by a parade through the streets of Monaco at 2:15pm. The event closes with a prize-giving ceremony at 3:30pm.

Animations across the weekend include games, karaoke, dance sessions and a basket competition open to all. The programme is subject to change.

Further information is available at clubfiat500montecarlo.com.

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Photo source: Club Fiat 500 Monte-Carlo