Monaco is a microstate located in the Mediterranean Sea, so small that we rarely see the Monegasque royals receiving foreign heads of state doing official visits in the tiny principality.
State banquets and gala nights are the best opportunities to see royals wearing their tiaras and sash but because there are fewer occasions for state visits in the principality, we don't see them often wearing their royal insignias, particularly, their chivalric order's sash and star.
So it was a nice treat for royal watchers when on the night of November 19 during the National Day celebration in Monaco, the Monegasque royals attended the Gala concert at the Grimaldi Forum.
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| Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene |
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene were joined by Princess Caroline, Andrea Casiraghi, his wife Tatiana Santo Domingo-Casiraghi, Beatrice Borromeo-Casiraghi, Charlotte Casiraghi and her husband Dimitri Rassam, and Gareth Wittstock, the brother of Princess Charlene.
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| Members of the Grimaldi family at the Gala concert |
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| From left: Gareth Wittstock, Beatrice, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene, Tatiana, Andrea Casiraghi, Charlotte, and Dimitri Rassam |
Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene, and Princess Caroline of Hanover donned their sash and star of the Order of Saint Charles.
The Order of Saint Charles
This is the highest honor and order of chivalry in Monaco, equivalent to the Order of the Noble Garter in the United Kingdom and the Order of the Elephant in Denmark. It was founded by Prince Charles III during his reign in March 1858.
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| The Sovereign Princely couple wore their insignias of the Order of Saint Charles |
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| Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II |
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| Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II |
This Order rewards citizens for their excellent services to the State of Monaco or to the Sovereign Prince. Citizens of Monaco are eligible to receive this honor provided they will satisfy the criteria of the award.
It can also be granted to foreigners in some exceptional cases. Foreign royals who were awarded the Order were Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, King George VI, his cousins, Kings George II and Paul I of Greece, King Albert II of Belgium, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, among others.
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| Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Charlene are the only members of the Monegasque royals who are recipients of the Order of Saint Charles |
Only three members of the current House of Grimaldi are recipients of the Order of Saint Charles: His Serene Highness, the Sovereign Prince (Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles in 1979, and Grand Master since 2005), Her Royal Highness, Princess Caroline of Hanover (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles, 1981), and Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles, 2012).
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| Princess Charlene of Monaco wore the insignia of the Order of Saint Charles |
The honor is given under the discretion of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was the first recipient of the award during the reign of Prince Rainier III who awarded Prince Philip for his services in the Royal Navy when the ship he commanded, HMS Magpie, docked in the principality in 1951.
His father, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, also received the honor in 1940 during the reign of Prince Louis II of Monaco. Prince Andrew died in Monte Carlo in 1946, and Prince Philip traveled to the principality to collect his father's personal belongings.
Charles III of Monaco
Prince Charles III, who reigned in Monaco from 1856 to 1889, founded the luxury Casino in Monte Carlo, the administrative area in Monaco named after him, it means Mount Charles in English. He also founded the Order of Saint Charles in 1858.
He was named after St. Charles Borromeo, a 16th-century Italian saint who happened to be a blood relative of Princess Caroline's daughter-in-law, Beatrice Borromeo-Casiraghi. Thus the National Day in Monaco during Charles III's reign was on the 4th of November, the feast day of St. Charles Borromeo.
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| Donna Beatrice Borromeo-Casiraghi |
St. Charles Borromeo belonged to the influential Borromeo and Medici aristocratic families in Milan, Italy. He was an uncle of Pope Pius IV and his other relative was Queen Catherine, the wife of King Henry II of France.
Prince Albert II of Monaco is Charles III’s great-great-great grandson. He is the current Grand Master of the Order of Saint Charles.
The badge and the star are the two main parts of the insignia of the Order. The badge consists of a red and white Maltese cross backed by a wreath of laurel leaves; the center of the cross features a pair of interlocking Cs (monogram of Charles III) surmounted by a golden crown, and surrounded by the motto, “Princeps et Patria” (In English: “prince and country”).
The badge can be worn on the order’s sash, which features the red and white colors of Monaco’s flag. It can also be worn suspended from a collar.
The golden collar features two alternating elements: Charles III’s monogram and the lozenge-patterned shield from the Grimaldi coat of arms.
Apart from the Order of Saint Charles, Princess Charlene also received a Vermeil Medal from her husband, a day before the National Day, in recognition of her sporting career and her support to the sporting life in Monaco.
Royal Fashion During the Gala Night
All five Monegasque royal women who attended the Gala night were visions of loveliness and elegance. Princess Caroline of Hanover wore a Chanel navy gown with delicate long sleeves, a pair of Christian Louboutin black shoes, and holding a black clutch from the Bottega Veneta collection.
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| From left: Beatrice, Charlotte, and Tatiana |
Her two daughters-in-law were equally stylish in their own designer clothes. Tatiana Santo Domingo-Casiraghi wore an embellished sun-moon star black velvet gown from Saloni while Beatrice wore a bespoke Dior gold embellished gown.
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| Charlotte Casiraghi and Dimitri Rassam |
Princess Caroline's eldest daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi-Rassam, wore a Chanel Tweed Gown in red. While Princess Charlene opted for a chic bespoke navy blue gown in a close-neck design from Terrence Bray.
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| Princess Charlene of Monaco |
We love Princess Charlene's look for the gala night, better than her appearance during the military parade in the mid-morning. For this Terrence Bray velvet navy gown, she looked so chic and classic, enhanced by the presence of her Order of Saint Charles insignia.
She completed her stylish appearance with a mini gold clutch, black suede pumps, and a pair of gold drop earrings with black gemstone.
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