Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene have returned from Madrid following a two-day official visit marking the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Monaco and Spain — a trip that also made history as Princess Charlene’s first official visit to the country since her marriage in 2011.

The visit, which took place on 1st and 2nd June, was anchored by a double milestone: 150 years since the establishment of Monaco’s first diplomatic mission in Spain on 14th July 1876, and the 10th anniversary of the Spanish branch of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Meetings with the Spanish royal family and government

On the first day, Prince Albert II travelled to the Zarzuela Palace for a working meeting and private lunch with King Felipe VI, accompanied by his delegation which included Chief of Staff Olivier Wenden, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, and Monaco’s Ambassador to Spain, Catherine Fautrier. The Prince also held a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the Moncloa Palace.

Princess Charlene joined the programme in the afternoon, when all four royals — Prince Albert, Princess Charlene, King Felipe VI, and Queen Letizia — gathered at the Villanueva Pavilion of the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid. It marked the first time Princess Charlene and Queen Letizia had met on Spanish soil. The four visited two commemorative exhibitions: Monaco and Spain: Five Centuries of Shared History, and the 8th Monaco Artists Forum — a showcase of Monegasque artistic creation organised by the Principality’s Department of Cultural Affairs, held exceptionally in Madrid for the occasion.

Foundation anniversary and IE University

The second day focused on the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, whose Spanish branch — chaired by Carol Portabella — celebrates its 10th year of operation in 2026, the same year the Foundation itself marks its 20th anniversary.

Prince Albert II visited IE University, received by President Diego del Alcázar, Vice-President of the IE Foundation Gonzalo Garland, Rector Manuel Muñiz, and Maria Benjumea, founder and president of the South Summit. A central moment of the morning saw the Prince meet five recipients of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Scholarship for Sustainability — a programme supporting young talent in education, innovation and environmental leadership.

Opening the conference Leading the Future Through Collaboration, Prince Albert said: “The transition is no longer a constraint. It is an opportunity: for innovation, for growth, for reinvention.” He called on those present to become active participants and architects of that transition. The conference continued with presentations from finalist startups of the South Summit Global Startup Competition, followed by a roundtable on the role of collaboration in the ecological transition.

While the Prince took part in the conference programme, Princess Charlene toured the campus accompanied by Mar Hurtado de Mendoza, Vice-President of Global Recruitment and Marketing, Barry Cooper, Principal of IE Global College and member of the university’s advisory board, and three German and Spanish students.

The Princess visited spaces dedicated to technology, architecture and design, as well as the auditorium, sports facilities and the cafeteria. She later joined Prince Albert for a closing reception, bringing the two-day visit to a close.

A year of cultural exchange

The official visit formed the centrepiece of a year-long programme of commemorative events between the two countries. Throughout 2026, the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Ballet of Monte-Carlo have performed across several Spanish cities as part of the anniversary celebrations, while Monaco has hosted culinary events showcasing Spanish products at Café de Paris.

Photo credit: Michaël Alesi/Palais princier.