Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene have taken their children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, to Norway for a commemorative tour dedicated to his ancestor, ocean explorer Albert I.
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene were joined by their children Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, as well as Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, on Wednesday 22nd June at the Fram Museum for the inauguration of ‘Sailing the Sea of Science, Scientist and explorer. Prince Albert I and the early Norwegian exploration of Svalbard’.
The exhibition has been created by the Fram Museum in cooperation with the Albert I Committee, and with contributions by the Archives of the Prince’s Palace, the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco, and the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. It tracks the scientific fields of Prince Albert I at Spitzberg, the main island of Svalbard, in 1898, 1899, 1906 and 1907.
Prince Jacques helped his father in cutting the ribbon to officially open the exhibition, which includes the polar exploration ship Gjoa.
Earlier in the day, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene were the guests of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway for lunch at their private residence Bygdø Kongsgaard.
The commemorative tour will take them to Longyearbyen, the capital of Spitsbergen, on Thursday where Prince Albert II will unveil a bronze bust of Prince Albert I offered to the Norwegian Polar Institute of Longyearbyen in memory of his many Arctic expeditions and exchanges with Norwegian explorers.
This will be followed by a private cruise aboard Commander Charcot, which will sail from Longyearbyen and follow the route taken by Prince Albert I during his campaigns.
Photos: Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace, and Sven Gj Gjeruldsen, The Royal Court of Norway