MONACO TRADITIONS
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© HelloMonaco ed on November 15th , which is St . Albert ’ s Day . When Prince Louis II ascended to the throne , a problem arose : his patron saint ’ s day was on 25th August , a time when the Principality is on holiday . The Prince then decided , by Ordinance of 17 July 1922 , that Sovereign ’ s Day takes place on January 17th , the day of Saint-Antoine Abbé , his granddaughter , Princess Antoinette ’ s patron ’ s day ( Prince Rainier was born the following year ).
One year later , the Journal de Monaco used the term “ National Day ” for the first time .
Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlène of Monaco leaving Saint Nicolas Cathedral , November 19 , 2018 Князь Монако Альбер II и принцесса Монако Шарлен на выходе из Собора Святого Николая , 19 ноября 2018 года
PRINCE ALBERT II BREAKS WITH TRADITION AS AN ODE TO HIS FATHER
On 9th May 1949 , Prince Rainier III ascended the throne . According to a Sovereign Ordinance dated 4th July 1949 , Sovereign ’ s Day was set to take place on 11th April . However , two years later , that date happened to fall on Good Friday . The ordinance was repealed in October 1951 and since 1952 National Day is celebrated on 19th November . It was the date of Prince Rainier III ‘ s enthronement in 1949 as well as the day of Blessed Rainier of Arezzo .
When HSH Prince Albert II became Sovereign , he broke with tradition and kept National Day on 19th November , as a tribute to his father , instead of changing it back to 15th November , or Saint Albert ’ s Day .
CELEBRATING NATIONAL DAY DURING A CYCLONE !
Fireworks have been a staple at every National Day since its inception . But when a deadly virus swept the globe in 2020 , health restrictions forced the public to go without a fireworks display for the first time … since 1891 . That was the year a cyclone ruined a would-be spectacular fireworks show .
The pyrotechnics were set up , the crowd was ready for the display . But a cyclone dramatically carried away the entire display , which was loaded on a small blimp with a
The date of Monaco ’ s National day is determined by the reigning Prince .
Monegasque flag . The fireworks were found twelve days later on the Italian border by an unsuspecting Italian citizen .
THE PRINCELY FAMILY ’ S SCHEDULE ON NATIONAL DAY
On National Day , the sovereign couple is received on the forecourt of the cathedral by the archbishop . The Prince and Princess join a procession to the princely box , in the choir section of the cathedral . After the singing of the Te Deum , the Archbishop intones a Latin prayer for the Sovereign Prince , Domine , salvum fac princem nostrum Albertum , during which all rise except the Sovereign , who remains seated .
Afterwards , in the Cour d ’ Honneur , the Princely family watch the taking up of arms . Ceremonies for awarding Labour Medals and Medals of Honour are then conducted by the Minister of State . This is followed by a parade on the Place du Palais , where everyone gathers around the Sovereign Prince and His Family . After the parade , a cannon salute is given by artillery pieces dating back to the 1600s , during the reign of Louis XIV . After that , a friendly football match takes place at the Stade Louis-II and a gala concert is given by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra .
A TRIP BACK IN TIME TO MONACO ’ S NATIONAL DAY 1889
Over a century ago , a journalist for a French sports magazine travelled to Monaco to give a firsthand account of National Day celebrations . The year is 1889 , Hereditary Prince Louis is 19 years old and had just entered his first year at the School of Saint-Cyr . England just announced that Queen Victoria will be making a trip to Monaco , which will tighten the ties that unite the English royal family to the princely family .
“ The Principality of Monaco brilliantly celebrated Saint-Albert , the Prince ’ s feast day ,” writes the journalist , “ the illuminations in Monaco and La Condamine were magnificent . A firework was shot on the palace square . At nine o ’ clock in the evening , the traditional torchlight procession and the
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