Prince Albert II completed a visit to the Ardennes department on Saturday, accompanied by Princess Caroline of Hanover, honouring invitations from the communes of Arnicourt and Château-Porcien that had been postponed eight months earlier. The Prince had been forced to curtail his April visit to the region to attend the papal funeral but remained determined to return at the earliest opportunity.
The visit reflects the Principality’s deep historical connections to the region. The duchy of Rethel, which covered a significant portion of the current Ardennes department, passed through several major European dynasties including Burgundy, Albret, Foix, Clèves and Gonzaga of Mantua before being renamed the duchy of Mazarin in 1663 for the cardinal’s nephew.
Grimaldi family connection
The territory was transmitted to the Grimaldi family through the 1777 marriage of Louise d’Aumont-Mazarin to the future Prince Honoré IV. The title Prince of Château-Porcien remains among the historical titles held by Monaco’s princes.
The Prince and Princess were received in Arnicourt by Christian Chassaing, prefect of the department, Noël Bourgeois, president of the Departmental Council, and Thomas Samyn, the commune’s mayor. They unveiled a sign at the town entrance marking its membership in the network of Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco, followed by a ceremony at the town hall.
Church restoration and community engagement
The morning continued with a visit to the Church of Saint-Thibault in Château-Porcien, where Mayor Didier Simon presented a restored antique painting funded through the Prince’s patronage. An official address and meeting with local residents followed in the Wilbault hall.
The visit forms part of Prince Albert’s regular programme of visits to locations historically linked to his family and the Principality. These trips maintain connections between Monaco and regions that formed part of the Grimaldi family’s broader territorial holdings across centuries.
The Grimaldi family’s territorial reach extended well beyond the Mediterranean coast during various periods, with holdings and titles across France and Italy reflecting the dynasty’s complex historical position within European nobility and politics.
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Main photo credit: Frederic Nebinger, Prince’s Palace