Pope Leo XIV visited the cosmopolitan Mediterranean principality of Monaco on Saturday to encourage its people to use their Catholic faith and wealth for good. As a cannon boomed, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene met Leo at the Monaco heliport, just down the coast from the marina that is home to the megayachts of the rich and famous. It’s the first papal visit to Monaco since Pope Paul III came in 1538. But in refusing to allow it in Monaco, Albert joined other European Catholic royals who have taken a similar stand over the years to uphold Catholic doctrine on an increasingly secular continent. The son of the late American actress Grace Kelly, Albert spoke in perfect, unaccented English when he greeted Leo at the heliport.

Source: Irish Examiner March 28, 2026 23:56 UTC