On Friday, April 6, Prince Albert visited the commune of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste in the Pyrenees-Orientales, where he was hosted by Prefect Philippe Vignes.
The Prince was honouring the younger brother of Prince Honoré III of Monaco, Marie-Charles-Auguste Grimaldi, Count of Matignon, who is buried in this village with a population of 1,164. The young soldier was stationed with his regiment in this border fortress between France and Spain, and died age 27 of an epidemic on August 24, 1749.
Nearly 270 years after his death, a requiem mass was co-celebrated by Bernard Barsi, Archbishop of Monaco, and Bishop Norbert Turini, Bishop of Perpignan and Elne, in the Church of Sainte-Juste-et-Sainte-Ruffine.
Afterwards, the Prince was met with a warm reception by the townspeople, and gave a speech following that of by Mayor Claude Ferrer.
This visit was also an opportunity to sign a partnership agreement between the Prince Albert II Foundation and the municipality, which is very committed to energy transition and looks to become autonomous from renewable energies by 2021.
