Prince Albert II returns to land of ancestors, in Carladès, with Princess Charlene and Princely Twins
The Princely Family at Vic-sur-Cère – © Eric Mathon /Prince's Palace
The latest family outing is part of the tour of the Grimaldi historic sites.
The entire Princely family travelled to the Carladès region on Wednesday 9 July for a visit requested by local elected officials. Together, they made a flying visit to the Cantal and Aveyron départements in France.
“What could be better for them than a history lesson on the ground, in contact with the people who keep these places alive today,” explained the Sovereign in reference to the Princely Twins’ presence during the visit. It was an important event, as Princess Gabriella was given the title of Countess of Carladès at birth, while Prince Jacques bears the title of Marquis des Baux, marking the historic link between the region and the Principality.
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Princess Gabriella honoured
The day began in Vic-sur-Cère, the main town in the former county, where a newly landscaped garden, Square Princesse Gabriella, was inaugurated.
Another symbolic moment: Princess Gabriella received the key to the town from the mayor, Annie Delrieu, who is also a councillor at the Département and vice-president of the French Association of Grimaldi Historic Sites.
For the second leg of the day, the Princely family travelled to the Carladès region of Aveyron, and more specifically to Mur-de-Barrez, where they met the mayor of the commune, Pierre Ignace. A new multimedia library, created by the Aubrac-Carladez-Viadène Community of Municipalities, has been christened the Médiathèque Princesse Gabriella.
A botanical garden named after Princess Gabriella was also inaugurated in Carlat, a town in the Cantal department that is emblematic of the region’s history. This was followed by a family photo on a bench near the tree where Princess Charlotte, Prince Albert II’s grandmother, had her picture taken over 100 years ago.