In pictures: Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene open groundbreaking parent-baby unit at Monaco’s hospital
These units are designed for newborns who are vulnerable or require special monitoring © Michaël Alesi / Prince’s Palace
On Thursday, March 26, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene inaugurated the new parent-child unit at the Princess Grace Hospital Center, made possible by a €3.5 million donation from Dmitry Rybolovlev, president of AS Monaco and a loyal patron of the institution.
Four rooms designed as living spaces
The unit comprises four rooms furnished in a deliberately home-like style, a departure from the usual atmosphere of hospital wards. Medical equipment is brought in only as needed to preserve a soothing atmosphere. Parents can stay there 24 hours a day — sleeping on site, resting, eating — to be with their baby throughout their hospital stay.
The spaces also feature artwork by Jordane Saget, whose creations lend the unit a warm atmosphere. Christophe Robino, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, and Benoîte Rousseau de Sevelinges, Director of the CHPG, accompanied the Princely Couple and Dmitry Rybolovlev during the visit.
Medical care without separation
Designed for vulnerable newborns or those requiring special monitoring — such as those at risk of infection or metabolic issues, respiratory distress, or born at 33 weeks or later and weighing 1,500 grams — the unit ensures parents can remain by their child’s side at all times. Until now, a baby requiring specialised care was admitted to the neonatal unit while the mother remained in the maternity ward — a separation that caused stress and could complicate early bonding and breastfeeding.
Attached to the CHPG’s mother-child center, the unit brings together a multidisciplinary team — including pediatric nurses, midwives, nursing assistants, and physicians — to provide care that is both medical and compassionate. Siblings are also welcome.
Benoîte Rousseau de Sevelinges, Director of the CHPG, emphasized the importance of this new unit: “The parent-child unit complements the range of care offered at the CHPG for mothers and children. This project was made possible thanks to the invaluable support and steadfast generosity of Mr. Dmitry Rybolovlev, whom I warmly thank. I am delighted that the CHPG can now offer this reassuring environment, eliminating the need to separate the new family unit for the sake of technical care. From the very first moments of life, the CHPG places the experience and well-being of its patients at the heart of its operations.”
This inauguration continues the Princely Family’s ongoing commitment to supporting parents, exemplified in particular by the infant first aid workshops launched in September 2025 by Princess Charlene in partnership with the Monegasque Red Cross.
AS Monaco and its President: a long-term commitment
This donation of 3.5 million euros is part of a long tradition of support for the CHPG by Dmitry Rybolovlev. In 2023, for example, he had already provided 1.8 million euros to fund the restructuring of the adult and pediatric emergency departments, which were inaugurated by Prince Albert II. This project made it possible to consolidate the two departments into a single 750-square-meter facility that treats some 45,000 patients annually.
More recently, in March 2025, he contributed to the acquisition of an artificial intelligence module for the facility’s MRI, enabling shorter exam times while improving diagnostic accuracy.
“I would like to thank His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, the Princess Grace Hospital Center, and its Director, Ms. Benoîte Rousseau de Sevelinges, for allowing me to once again contribute to the modernisation of the CHPG. As a doctor by training, a father, and a grandfather, I know that the formation of family bonds and the attachment between a newborn and its parents begins in the very first minutes of life. That is why I immediately embraced the management’s proposal to help create a new unit that will ensure a comfortable stay at the CHPG for parents with their newborns,” said Dmitry Rybolovlev at the inauguration of the new parent-child unit. “I am delighted that this project has now become a reality and that it can serve the residents of the Principality.”
Under the leadership of its President, AS Monaco also maintains a close partnership with the hospital. In February 2024, the club inaugurated a reception area in red and white in the pediatric ward, featuring elements emblematic of Monaco.
AS Monaco is also involved in other initiatives supporting the CHPG, such as regular blood drives and, since January 2024, the distribution of a birth kit in the club’s colors to all newborns of Monegasque parents or residents.
