Galway is set to receive a royal visit next week in the form of Prince Albert II of Monaco who will be stopping by the Marine Institute at Rinvelle, Oranmore, at the end of his three-day trip.
The State visit to Ireland is to take place between April 4 and 6. The prince, who will be accompanied by his fiancée Charlene Wittstock, will be attending a number of events in Dublin before finishing his trip at the Marine Institute in Galway on Wednesday morning.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that the visit “will reflect the long-standing ties between Ireland and Monaco. It will also underline the potential for future co-operation in the areas of business, the environment, research, education, tourism, and culture”.
During the visit the prince will meet President Mary McAleese who will be hosting a State dinner in his honour. There will also be meetings with the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the Minister for the Environment, Community, and Local Government, Phil Hogan, the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Simon Coveney, and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. The prince will also visit Trinity College Dublin, the redeveloped Docklands area in Dublin, before going west to the Irish Marine Institute in Galway.
It is hoped that visit will help to further progress and strengthen business and research links between Ireland and Monaco, particularly in the areas of sustainable development, green energy, biodiversity, and the marine environment. Prince Albert is expected to be accompanied by a delegation from the Monaco Chamber of Economic Development during certain events.
It has been 50 years since the visit of the prince’s late father and mother, Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. Prince Albert will inaugurate an exhibition in honour of Hollywood legend Princess Grace at Farmleigh House, where he will host a reception to highlight Irish literature and art. The Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco, established in 1984, contains the personal collection of books and folk music of the late princess to which other valuable collections have been added.
