The blue, white, and red stripes of the French national flag mingled with other red and white horizontal stripes of the Monegasque flag, in a sea of flags adorning the most emblematic buildings of the Principality of Monaco this Saturday. The occasion was well deserved. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife Brigitte have traveled to Montecarlo to star in the first State visit by a resident of the Élysée to its tiny neighbor in the Mediterranean in 41 years. As perfect hosts of a trip of historical significance, naturally, Prince Albert II and his consort, Princess Charlene, along with their two children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriela, have welcomed their guests in the beautiful Courtyard of the Prince's Palace, the magnificent building that overlooks the nation from one of the highest points of the Rock, a construction dating back to 1191 when it began operating as a Genoese fortress.
The two leaders reviewed a detachment of the small Monegasque army. Next, inside the Palace, the traditional exchange of gifts between the two delegations took place, as is customary in every State visit between leaders from around the globe. Albert II received a "large underwater relief" located in the Indian Ocean, 1,958 meters deep, "like the prince's birthdate," as indicated by the Élysée Palace. Macron also presented his host with a tennis racket "Rafael No. 5", of which only 92 units were made to celebrate the career of the Spanish champion Rafael Nadal. The number 5 symbolically refers to the year 2005, the year of Albert II's enthronement, a tennis enthusiast who will celebrate his 20th anniversary of reign on July 19.
This is not the first time Macron, as President of France, has set foot in Monaco. Just last January, he attended the Cathedral for the funeral of Didier Guillaume, who at 65 years old served as State Minister of the Principality - head of Government - with a long political career, including positions such as Minister of Agriculture of France. But a State visit is always a different story. The Grimaldi family has organized everything down to the last detail, and Macron and his wife will be pampered according to Monegasque protocol, with a gala dinner in the main hall of the Palace on Saturday night. Several bilateral agreements are expected to be signed between Paris and Monte Carlo during this visit. Among them, the signing of a customs agreement, strengthening cooperation in the exchange of information, particularly in traffic violations to more effectively pursue offenders.
The relationship between France and Monaco is currently excellent, just like that of their two heads of state. The harmony between Macron and Albert II is unmistakable. The setting of this trip is also related to the United Nations Conference on the Protection of the Oceans that will take place on Sunday in Nice, contrasting with the political climate that preceded the first State visit of a French president to the Rock, carried out by François Mitterrand in 1984, with Prince Rainier as the host.
The socialist leader personally insisted on fostering the best possible relations between Paris and Monte Carlo, which had been quite tense since the 1960s when General Charles de Gaulle felt greatly offended by Rainier's decision to appoint American Martin Dale as his chief advisor. In 1962, a major crisis erupted between France and Monaco - the latter then operating as a true tax haven - leading the Élysée to impose a blockade on the Rock for months, a conflict that was not resolved until the signing of a Franco-Monegasque agreement in 1963, where each party saved face as best as they could.
Mitterrand, who as Minister of Justice under René Coty had represented France at the wedding of the Monegasque sovereign with the iconic and beautiful Grace Kelly in 1956, forged a solid friendship with the political and business fox that Rainier was. Unlike the certain disdain shown by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Georges Pompidou for the Rock, the French president - during the aforementioned State visit in 1984 - sealed agreements of extraordinary importance for the Grimaldi family and its subjects. Paris redefined and expanded the perimeter of Monegasque territorial waters, crucial for the nation's commercial interests and successive territorial expansions into the sea. It also allowed Télé Monte-Carlo to expand its transmission area by installing a repeater in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, on the French Riviera.
After the grand reception, the Macron State visit began with a private meeting between the two heads of state, where they discussed the bilateral political matters on the agenda. As evening fell, the gala banquet took place in the Throne Room of the Prince's Palace.
For the most glamorous event of the visit, the gentlemen dressed in tuxedos - the dress code this time was less strict than in 1984 when tails were required - while Charlene and Brigitte shone in spectacular evening gowns.
Among the guests at the banquet were politicians and representatives of society from both countries, such as Delphine Arnault, CEO of Dior, her husband, telecommunications entrepreneur Xavier Niel, or explorer Jean-Louis Étienne.
Also present at the special evening was Prince Albert's older sister, Caroline of Monaco. The Princess of Hanover occupied a place of honor at the table, seated beside President Macron.
On Sunday morning, the French president and Prince Albert II will visit the Larvotto facilities of the company SeaWergie, specialized in thalassotherapy. This technology uses seawater to produce energy, demonstrating Monaco's commitment to renewable energies. At the same time, Brigitte Macron and Princess Charlene will attend the event Water Safety, organized by the Princess Charlene Foundation. This initiative aims to prevent drownings and raise awareness about water safety, one of the main objectives of the Foundation.
Prince Albert and Emmanuel Macron will also attend, on Sunday, the closing ceremony of the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF), held this weekend in Monaco, bringing together investors and companies working on sustainable economic projects linked to the oceans, a major concern for the Grimaldi family. The event will conclude with an official lunch gathering numerous foreign leaders, including Brazilian President, Inacio Lula da Silva - who has just completed a State visit to France - and Prince William of England.
After the closure of the forum in Monte Carlo, Emmanuel Macron and Albert II will travel to the neighboring Nice for the launch of the third United Nations Conference on the Oceans (UNOC 3). This important event, which will run until June 13, will address some of the global marine environmental challenges.
Friendship between two Heads of State
The relationship between Macron and Prince Albert is excellent. Since the former first assumed the Presidency of the French Republic in 2017, they have met on numerous occasions at various institutional events. Shortly after the liberal politician's electoral victory that year, the Monegasque sovereign shared the honor box with the Macron couple at the rugby championship final held at the Stade de France. From then on, the two leaders have coincided, without aiming for completeness, at the tribute ceremony for the victims of the jihadist attack in Nice in 2016; at the centenary commemorations of the Armistice of the First World War organized by the Elysee Palace in 2018 - which brought together dozens of international leaders, including King Felipe VI -; at the tribute to Jacques Chirac in Paris in 2019; at the event where Josephine Baker was honored by France upon being interred in the Pantheon in 2021; at the Rugby World Cup final in Paris in 2023; at the Peace Forum organized by the Elysee that same year; or at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics last summer, to name just a few events. They have also had the opportunity to meet at many international events, the latest being the funeral for Pope Francis in the Vatican.