The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince has launched its 2027 recruitment campaign, with applications now open for French and Monegasque nationals seeking to join the military unit responsible for protecting the Sovereign, the Princely Family and the Prince’s Palace.
Founded in 1817, the Prince’s Carabiniers play a dual role within the Principality, combining operational security with ceremonial duties. In addition to safeguarding the Prince’s Palace and supporting the Sovereign’s official engagements, the unit is a familiar presence at national celebrations, state ceremonies and major public events, including the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
Who can apply?
The Compagnie is recruiting Class 2 soldiers and is also seeking musicians to join its military orchestra.
According to the official recruitment criteria, applicants must be of French or Monegasque nationality, aged between 19 and 27, and meet the required physical standards, including a height of between 1.80 metres and 2.00 metres.
The selection process
Recruitment takes place over two stages. Candidates first complete eligibility tests covering general knowledge, mathematics, dictation, oral expression and physical fitness, including swimming and endurance running.
Those who successfully pass the initial stage progress to medical and psychological assessments before attending formal recruitment interviews.
Life within the Compagnie
The Compagnie notes that the role involves shift work and irregular hours, reflecting the demands of military service and the operational requirements of protecting the Sovereign and supporting official engagements throughout the year.
Beyond their operational duties, members also take part in ceremonial events and have access to a range of sporting, cultural and social activities organised within the unit.
How to apply
Applications for the 2027 intake are now open through the official Prince’s Carabiniers website. Interested candidates have until 22nd July 2026 to submit their application.
Just over two and a half hours from Monaco, the rolling vineyards of Italy’s Langhe unfold across the hills of Piedmont, home to some of the world’s most celebrated wines and one of the country’s great gastronomic regions. It’s a journey that swaps the Mediterranean for vineyard-covered hills, medieval villages and a slower pace of life.
I spent three days here in June at Scarpa Villas, a collection of beautifully restored farmhouses among the vines near Verduno, and discovered a region where exceptional food, wine and hospitality are simply part of everyday life.
The villas stand within Monvigliero, regarded by growers and critics as the finest cru in Verduno and one of the greatest sites in all of Barolo. The wider landscape of the Langhe, Roero and Monferrato has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2014, and it is easy to see why: hills of vines in every direction, threaded with villages and castles. Alba, the nearest town of any size, is 20 minutes away. It is the capital of the white truffle, and the home of Ferrero, which is why the gianduja hazelnut chocolate you taste everywhere here is the direct ancestor of Nutella.
Renowned Scarpa wines alongside fresh local dishes, served with a view across the Barolo hills
The estate
Scarpa has been making wine here since 1900. It was founded by Antonio Scarpa, a merchant from the Venetian island of Burano who came to Piedmont for the vineyards and stayed for the woman he married. The winery bottled its first Barolo in 1940, early enough that it holds a rare privilege it still enjoys: it is one of the very few producers allowed to age and bottle Barolo and Barbaresco outside the official appellation boundaries, at its historic cellars in nearby Nizza Monferrato.
Each of the four villas is named after a Scarpa wine — Tettimorra for the Barolo, Tettineive for the Barbaresco, La Bogliona and I Bricchi for the two Barberas.
The Scarpa Villas surround the large heated pool, each with sweeping views over the vineyards
The villas
The four houses share a heated pool that looks straight down the valley, and they range from the intimate to the generous. La Bogliona, the smallest, sleeps six to nine and is lovely for a couple or a close group. Tettineive, the largest, takes up to 12 and is made for families, reunions and celebrations.
Inside, the exposed beams and warm terracotta of the old farmhouses have been beautifully restored, and the welcome is the kind of unhurried Italian hospitality that has you settled in within the hour. One evening a private chef cooked for us on the terrace as the light came off the hills; another opened with an aperitivo out in the vineyard. The estate even makes its own vermouth, from a recipe of more than 40 botanicals the family has kept secret since the 1920s and which forms the basis of the most delicious Scarpa aperitivo cocktail.
An escape at any time of year
Truffles, cooking and a day at the winery
There is no shortage of ways to fill the days. I took a cooking class and finally learned to make agnolotti, the little filled pasta the Langhe is proud of, and spent a full day at the Scarpa winery in Nizza Monferrato: a tour of the old cellars, a library of rare vintages reaching back to 1962, and a tasting lunch that made a persuasive case for the estate’s slow, patient way with its wines.
One afternoon we went truffle-hunting in the nearby woods with a local trifulau and his dog Ciara, watching it dart between the trees and dig. Together, we found a remarkable number of black truffles — and then had the pleasure of having them served to us for dinner by our Private Chef Alex Moro. It is the kind of heart warming experience that stays with you.
Beyond that, the villa team will arrange almost anything: sommelier tastings, e-bikes and Vespas through the hills, a sunrise balloon flight, yoga on the lawn, or a day trip into Turin.
Truffle hunting just metres from the Scarpa Villas estate
The castle at Grinzane Cavour
A highlight of the trip was a short drive to the Castello di Grinzane Cavour. The hilltop medieval castle was once home to Camillo Cavour, one of the architects of Italian unification, who was mayor of the village here for 17 years. Today it holds the first regional wine cellar in Piedmont, founded in 1967 and stocked with the great reds of the Langhe, alongside museums of local life and, every November, the World Alba White Truffle Auction — a charity sale that has raised more than seven million euros since 1999.
From its walls, the view over the Barolo vineyards is worth the trip on its own.
The cosy ambiance of Scarpa Villas
When to go
The region rewards a visit at any time of year. Come in late spring or summer, as I did, for long light and warm evenings by the pool; come in autumn for the white truffle season, when Alba’s famous truffle fair fills the town and the great reds are on everyone’s mind.
Whenever you go, the appeal is the same. This is serious wine country and genuine Italian hospitality, with views you will not want to leave, all within an easy drive of Monaco. Anyone who loves those things will simply love it here.
Monaco has stepped up its L2 bus service on summer weekends, adding three extra buses on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 1pm since 4th July. The reinforcement runs until the end of the summer on the line that links the Salines car park, at the western entrance to the Principality, with Monaco-Ville, the old town on the Rock.
The move responds to the heavy passenger numbers seen on the L2 during summer weekends, particularly on departures from the Salines car park. The extra capacity is intended to improve comfort at the busiest times and keep journeys flowing between Salines and Monaco-Ville, which draws visitors to the Prince’s Palace, the cathedral and the Oceanographic Museum.
Park at the edge, ride in for free
Visitors arriving by car are encouraged to use the city-entrance car parks, and the Salines site in particular. Motorists who park there receive 10 free journeys on the Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco (CAM) network, enough for a car of up to five passengers to reach the Principality’s main attractions by public transport.
Monaco’s Prosecutor General has confirmed that Ukrainian authorities have arrested two people suspected of involvement in the preparation of the attempted murders committed in the Principality, following Tuesday’s announcement that a woman believed to be the subject of Monaco’s international arrest warrant had been found dead near Kyiv.
In a press communiqué issued on Tuesday evening, Prosecutor General Stéphane Thibault said he had been informed by his Ukrainian counterpart that the investigation in Ukraine had already led to significant developments.
According to the communiqué, Ukrainian investigators have identified and arrested two individuals who “may have been involved in preparing the attempted murders committed in Monaco.”
The statement also confirmed that investigators had discovered the body of a woman who “could be the person targeted by the international arrest warrant issued by Monaco.”
While Monaco’s authorities did not identify the woman by name, Ukrainian prosecutors announced earlier on Tuesday that they had found the body of Anastasiia Berezovska, the Ukrainian national wanted by Monaco in connection with the 29th June parcel bomb attack, and had detained two men on suspicion of her murder.
International investigation continues across several countries
The investigation remains under the authority of Monaco’s investigating judges and is continuing in close cooperation with authorities from several countries, including Ukraine.
“The investigations are continuing very actively,” the Prosecutor General’s Office said, with investigators working to identify “all the persons who may have participated in the acts committed in Monaco, as well as their motives.”
Monaco press conference expected later this week
The Prosecutor General’s Office said a further press briefing may be held later this week, depending on the progress of the investigation, to communicate any information that can legally be made public.
The parcel bomb exploded shortly before 9pm on 29th June outside a residential building on Rue du Révérend-Père-Louis-Frolla in Monaco, injuring Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev, his 13-year-old son and his partner.
Photo: CCTV image of Anastasiia Berezovska in Monaco, provided by Monaco Judicial Services, and an AI enhanced shot of the crime scene taken from instagram
The Princely Family unveils Monaco’s new quarter at Europa-Park, Germany
The Princely Family travelled to Rust, Germany, on Monday 29th June to officially inaugurate the new, permanent Monaco-themed quarter at Europa-Park. While the area has been open to the public since 28th March, the formal celebration brought a touch of the Mediterranean to the German park in the presence of Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene, Princess Stéphanie, and the twins.
Centred around the legendary Silver Star roller coaster, which has now been integrated into the Monaco theme, the quarter offers a unique experience. Visitors can admire décor inspired by the Casino de Monte-Carlo, explore a digital aquarium developed in partnership with the Oceanographic Institute, and discover dedicated spaces for the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo. Motorsport enthusiasts can also experience the passion of the Grand Prix through driving simulators and an exhibition featuring vehicles from Prince Albert II’s private collection.
A celebration of heritage and partnership
Nearly 250 guests were invited by the Mack family—the founders and owners of Europa-Park—to witness the unveiling of the ‘Place Grimaldi de Monaco’. The new square, situated at the heart of the 18th themed quarter of the park, stands as a tribute to the ruling dynasty.
Photo Credit: Frédéric Nebinger / Palais princier
The Prince expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the gesture, highlighting the successful collaboration. “It is a great pleasure for us all to find here many iconic buildings of Monaco, and, beyond that, to feel the spirit of our Principality, wonderfully recreated by the Mack family and their teams,” Prince Albert said. “Thanks to these creations of exceptional quality, many visitors will be able to discover a little of what makes our uniqueness.”
Roland Mack, accompanied by his wife Marianne, emphasised the strength of the bond between the park and the Prince. “I am very grateful for this friendly and enriching partnership with Prince Albert II of Monaco and his family,” he said. “The deepening of our collaboration with the Princely House is a testament to the great mutual trust that binds us.”
A star-studded event
The inauguration was a glitzy affair, attended by a host of notable figures, including former French rugby international Yoann Huget—who sponsored this year’s Sainte Dévote Tournament—Miss France 2022 Diane Leyre, former figure skating champion Nathalie Péchalat, RC Strasbourg president Marc Keller, and Michelin-starred chef Marc Haeberlin.
Guests were treated to a vibrant programme of entertainment, designed to bring the glamour and history of the Côte d’Azur to life. The highlights included a circus-themed parade featuring a performance by the Monegasque troupe, Clowns en Folie.
The Princess Charlene Foundation will mark World Drowning Prevention Day on 25th July with a public awareness event at the entrance to the Stade Nautique Rainier III in Monaco, where a prevention village will run from 10am to 5pm alongside rescue demonstrations. The date has been observed worldwide since the United Nations General Assembly designated 25th July as World Drowning Prevention Day in a resolution adopted on 28th April 2021, and the Foundation relays the initiative in the Principality each year.
Drowning remains one of the world’s most persistent preventable killers. The World Health Organization’s first global status report on drowning prevention, published in 2024, recorded more than 300,000 drowning deaths in 2021, with children and young people the worst affected. The Princess Charlene Foundation has worked on the cause since it was founded in 2012, running programmes that teach children to swim and raise awareness of water safety.
More than two million young beneficiaries
By the start of 2026, the Foundation says its swimming and drowning-prevention programmes, run across 45 countries, had taught more than 760,500 children to swim and given water-safety awareness to more than 1,544,000 others, a combined total of over 2,304,500 beneficiaries under the age of 18.
A summer awareness campaign
Alongside the event, the Foundation is rolling out a summer campaign built around a series of videos showing everyday situations, intended to remind the public that drowning can happen quickly and often in familiar surroundings. The films depict realistic scenes and simple preventive actions, and will run through the summer across the Principality, in several neighbouring communes in the south of France and on social media, timed for the period when the risk of drowning is at its highest.
The programme on the day
Between 10am and 5pm, the prevention village at the entrance to the Stade Nautique Rainier III will bring together the Foundation with the Monaco Red Cross, the Maritime Police and Monaco’s fire brigade, with visitors able to learn life-saving techniques and water-safety practices and to speak to those working in prevention. At 11am, the Maritime Police will stage a rescue demonstration with the lifeguards of the Stade Nautique Rainier III, followed by further demonstrations and activities through the day, while an official photograph bringing together the Foundation and its partners is planned for around 11.30am. The Foundation is also offering free entry to the pool to the first 100 children under the age of 18 to arrive on the day.
