The Metropole Hotel has been awarded a spot in the top 10 hotels in France and Monaco by Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for the fifth year in a row. The hotel also has the distinction of being the sole hotel in the Principality to receive the honour.
RELATED STORIES:
The ‘blossoming’ Metropole Hotel
Monaco Life with press release, photo by Michael Alessi, Government Communication Department
It was at the elegant Wine Palace that members of the Monaco Ambassadors Club gathered on Thursday for an evening of fine wines, entertainment, and a very important message from the Prince’s Foundation.
Monaco Ambassadors Club (MAC) Vice President Mike Powers opened the doors of the Wine Palace, of which he is co-owner, for club members to enjoy a relaxed evening on the Quai Louis II. As music played, the wine and champagne flowed and guests were able to come together in the spirit of the club.
But there was also an important purpose to the evening. Olivier Wenden, CEO and Vice President of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, was guest of honour and delivered an important presentation about the most recent projects carried out by the Foundation.
He highlighted the fact that the Prince’s Foundation, which is this year celebrating its 15th anniversary, is the only foundation in the world that is presided over by a running head of state. He said that the foundation has supported more than 700 projects since its inception for a total amount of €84 million, and its flagship initiatives are BeMed, for a plastic-free Mediterranean Sea, The Med Fund, for sustainably managed MPAs in the Mediterranean basin, and the Monk Seal Alliance, protecting the emblematic monk seal.
MAC President Christian Moore reminded guests that club members are in a fortunate position to be able to help in ocean protection efforts and to fight climate change.
Meanwhile, 10% of all wine sales of the evening went towards the Prince’s Foundation.
Click on the images below to see more pictures of the evening. All photos by Yvan Grubski, Prince Albert Foundation…
Ahead of the red carpet premier of ‘No Time To Die’ on Wednesday night, Cary Fukanaga spoke to Monaco Life about what it was like to co-write and direct the film that famously closes the book on Daniel Craig’s James Bond.
It could have been a scene straight out of a 007 film – Cary Joji Fukanaga, handsomely dressed in a white tuxedo jacket, drives up to the Prince’s Palace in a sexy Aston Martin. As the last of the September sun sets over the horizon, the award-winning Fukanaga reveals to Monaco Life what it was like to be the only American to direct a film in the iconic British spy series.
“I didn’t find out I was the first American until I looked deeper into the production,” he tells me, “but I think I brought a different sensibility to the franchise. I am from a different generation than the other directors as well, so that changes perspective I guess.”
In fact, he is one of 13 directors behind 25 Bond films, each one helping to shape the character and mythos of agent 007. But Fukanaga surely had the most difficult task of all the directors – closing an important chapter in the legendary life of James Bond.
“I thought Spectre was going to be Daniel Craig’s last film, but they said this was absolutely going to be his final role as Bond,” says the 44-year-old. “It made it very clear that what I was writing for them would be a final chapter, so I approached it as an end. You can think of Casino Royale as the beginning, followed by a run of five chapters – this being the fifth and final chapter. ‘No Time To Die’ would be the end of the book; you could close it and feel satisfied.”
The film’s premier has been a long-time coming for Cary Joji Fukanaga. After nearly 18 months of pandemic delay, ‘No Time To Die’ had its world release at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday attended by the British Royal family and much of the film’s cast. Less than 24 hours later, he jetted down to Monaco for the red carpet premier at the Opera Garnier in the original Casino Royale with Prince Albert, Hollywood legend Sharon Stone, and former Bond theme song singer Dame Shirley Bassey.
“It was a major relief to finally show the film,” Fukanaga reveals, “and more than anything, it was a major relief to show it to audiences and not have it end up on streaming.”
Not so lucky were most other highly-anticipated films this year, including Marvel’s Black Widow, The Suicide Squad and The Matrix 4, all of which had simultaneous theatre and stream releases.
But Wednesday night’s event in Monaco was much more than a glitzy red carpet film premier and dazzling after party. It was a celebration of Cary Fukanaga himself, a Princess Grace Foundation Award Winner. It was also an opportunity to raise money for the Foundation’s newest award, the Sir Roger Moore Award, to support emerging talent in film making. And Fukanaga knows all too well how such an award can change the life of someone in this industry.
“The original award I got in 2005 was massively important because I was in the last semester of film school, and that’s when people usually have to decide whether to get a job or try to pursue their dreams making movies. The award allowed me to focus on writing the screenplay that ended up becoming (the award-winning film) Sin Nombre. As I didn’t have to work, I was able to focus on my project and continue my art, and because of that I ended up making my movie and I’ve been working ever since as a film maker.”
Fukanaga says that Casino Royale, Daniel Craig’s first film as James Bond, was a “jumping off point” to complete the film series, adding: “I think there are nods to the classic Bond films in there, but there is also a sentimental emotional layer exposed in the character that we haven’t seen before, which I think creates a whole new feeling when you’re watching it. You get all the action, all the thrills, but you also get some emotion, which I think might be unexpected for some viewers.”
According to IndieWire, ‘No Time To Die’ is indeed the most emotional 007 movie ever, while other critics appreciate the scope that Fukanaga has afforded to Craig in his final role as Bond.
The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey, comments: “No Time to Die is at its very best when it allows the actor room to take his final curtsy with both grace and style, allowing him to leave the franchise with not only a good dollop of dignity, but a reminder that he gave Bond a soul.”
Prince Albert emerges from the Palace gates in his own white suit jacket to greet a smiling Cary Fukanaga. The two drive off in that gorgeous Aston Martin, bound for the Casino de Monte-Carlo and the 007 fans that await them, eager to see for themselves how this James Bond chapter will play out.
RELATED STORIES:
No Time To Die film premiere pulls out all the stops
Bond film preview to honour Sir Roger Moore
Top photo by G. Luci/Prince’s Palace
Glamour was back in full force Thursday as Monaco staged the Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health, this year for the first time ever at the Palace, where the Princely family welcomed celebrities and VIPs for the exclusive Prince Albert Foundation charity event.
It was the fifth edition of the Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health, the year’s largest fundraising event for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and American actress Sharon Stone was the night’s Guest of Honour, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for her years of work towards humanitarian efforts and the empowerment of women. The 63-year-old looked luminous in a dramatic lilac coloured gown that trailed gracefully behind her as she made her way up the “red” carpet in strappy black heels.
“It is a joy and an honor to share this evening with my long-time dear friend and compatriot His Serene Highness Prince Albert of Monaco,” said Sharon Stone during her acceptance speech. “We have known each other our entire adult lives and once again our friendship deepens as we share this common goal. It is with great humility that I accept this honour to serve at His command.”
In reference to the health of our world and ourselves during the pandemic, Stone added, “One of the things that happens most directly during these times that we stay alone is that we understand the importance of being present. When you see what’s happening to our environment, we understand most predominately what being present in ourselves and in our world means.”
Though perhaps known best for her work in films such as Basic Instinct and Casino, Sharon Stone has been honoured with a Nobel Peace Summit Award, a Harvard Humanitarian Award, a Human Rights Campaign Humanitarian Award, and an Einstein Spirit Award, among others. Her role as producer in the documentary My Name Is Water contributed to both awareness and funding towards clean water, wells, rainwater harvesting structures, and more in rural Sub-Saharan, Africa.
Stone was joined by British star Orlando Bloom, who made the appearance without fiancée Katy Perry and looked dashing in a traditional tuxedo, as well as model Victoria Silvstedt, who looked stunning in a baby pink gown with a matching cape and sky-high silver sandals.
Prince Albert II was joined by his sister, the ever-elegant Caroline, Princess of Hanover who debuted her new grey bobbed hairstyle and wore a beautiful brocade gown.
Prince Albert addressed the audience with a reminder of the continuing theme of the Gala – the protection of our environment and the impact of climate change: “We must refuse to close our eyes faced with situations that concern us all, whatever our circumstances and wherever we live…the deterioration of the ocean has devastating effects on the coastal population and on humanity as a whole…plastic pollution contaminates the food chain and contaminates each one of us…that the disappearance of the most fragile ecosystems, such as the corals, will deprive us of essential resources in the future.”
This year, the Prince’s Foundation joined forces with the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, which is committed to both saving and inspiring young lives with educational and development initiatives through sports.
Unable to attend the gala in person, the Princess sent a message from South Africa, saying: “My Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation joined forces a few years ago to develop a number of projects directed to clean our Mediterranean sea of plastics, and more largely, oceans around the world. I was not able to join this evening, but I would like to thank you all for your support and generosity. It is my strong engagement and determination to support these projects, as we have an immense responsibility towards our future generations with the state of the Planet they will inherit from us.”
Auction items this year included an arctic expedition to the North Pole with Prince Albert, a custom-made Van Cleef & Arpels sapphire and diamond pendant created from the Ocean tiara of Princess Charlene, a Porsche Taycan Turbo S (the very first electric Porsche) from Prince Albert’s personal collection, and a studio visit and creation of custom artwork from Jeff Koons.
Proceeds go towards helping the Prince Albert Foundation fulfil its mission to help develop marine protected areas and protect threatened wildlife species, as well as promote actions to mitigate the impact of climate change and acidification on the ocean and to fight against plastic pollution.
Sharon Stone joins a prestigious list of past honourees – Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Robert Redford and Sting.
RELATED STORIES:
“The Prince’s involvement makes all the difference”
By Cassandra Tanti/Stephanie Horsman. Top photo: Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Prince Albert II of Monaco and Sharon Stone, by Eric Mathon Palais Princier
Divine food and beautiful locations with amazing chefs over seven weeks will be the hallmarks of SBM’s latest culinary event which will take place from the end of September through to mid-January.
Sign up for the Monaco Life email newsletter.
