The Prince of Monaco enlisted the help of his two children to welcome a football team to the royal palace this morning in the absence of his wife, Princess Charlene.
Prince Albert, 65, was accompanied by Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, both eight, this morning, as he congratulated A.S. Monaco’s academy team on winning the Gambardella Cup.
The father-of-two seemed in great spirits as he stood proudly with the team and lifted the cup with the help of the twins.
His wife, Princess Charlene, 45, seemingly skipped the weekend event, after she had appeared with the family earlier in the week during a celebration marking 100 years since the birth of King Rainier III.
Albert, a lifelong sporting fan, beamed as he received the team at his residence, dressed in a navy suit jacket matched with tan trousers.
Prince Albert, 65, was accompanied by Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, both eight, this morning, as he congratulated A.S. Monaco’s academy team on winning the Gambardella Cup
The father-of-two seemed in great spirits as he stood proud with the team and lifted the cup with the help of the twins
His son, Prince Jacques, and his daughter, Princess Gabriella, put on a more timid display as they shyly emerged from the palace together.
Jacques was the spitting image of his father in a pair of dark trousers matched with a light blue shirt, while his sister donned a denim dress with a ruffled hem for the occasion.
Albert looked relaxed during the event, and proudly posed with the trophy the team brought home from the competition.
Gabriella and Jacques were also tasked with presenting the players with their medals.
The Gambardella cup is a highly regarded event which sees French teams under 18 competing against each other.
His son, Prince Jacques, and his daughter, Princess Gabriella, put on a timid display as they shyly emerged out of the palace together
Jacques, dressed in a blue shirt and black trousers, handed out a medal to give the members of the team
A.S Monaco FC’s academy team snatched the win from Clermont Foot in a heated game where they won 4-2 in late April, and have now been honoured with an invitation to the palace.
It has been a busy few days for Albert and the twins, as Monaco celebrated the 100th anniversary of his father Prince Rainer III’s birth this week.
The eight-year-old royal twins posed for photos with a huge cake to mark the event, while their parents looked on adoringly on Wednesday.
While Prince Jacques held out his arms to present the cake to crowds, Princess Gabriella, guided by her mother, cut a ceremonial slice.
Albert II, the son of iconic American movie star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III, has been married to Princess Charlene since their wedding in 2011.
Albert put a fatherly hand on his children’s shoulders as they posed with the team and the impressive trophy
Everyone looked very relaxed during the event which celebrated AS Monaco FC’s victory against French junior club Clermont in April
The couple were also snapped with Princess Stephanie of Monaco, 58, who wore a cool white suit for the occasion.
It comes as Charlene recently showed off her new look while stepping out for the Grand Prix alongside other members of the Royal Family.
She sported a new brunette hair do as she attended the annual motoring event, which is held on the Circuit de Monaco, with Prince Albert.
In a bold move away from her trademark platinum crop, Charlene sported rich, shining dark auburn hair, still in her signature elfin short style.
The royal, who appeared deep in thought as she was photographed standing next to her husband, paired the dramatic new ‘do with a chic maxi dress in a full-length classic shift-style cut, featuring rainbow coloured stripes down the front.
Her locks were simply styled into a side parting, to show off her simple diamond studs, and her elegant make-up look comprising a fresh base and light brown smokey eyes.
The team, dressed in red and white, stood proudly with the prince and his children at the palace’s reception
Also at the Grand Prix was Grace Kelly’s granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi, 36, accompanied by her husband, Dimitri Rassam, and her son Raphaël, eight.
Meanwhile, Grace Kelly’s grandson, Louis Ducruet, 30, was also in attendance with his wife, Marie Chevallier, also 30.
Pierre Casiraghi, 35, and his wife, Beatrice Borromeo, 37, also attended, alongside Andrea Casiraghi, 38, and his Tatiana Santo Domingo, 39. The pair were picture with their son, Maximilian and daughter India.
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert’s outing followed a public appearance together earlier this month, when they attended a Buckingham Palace reception hosted by King Charles on the eve of his coronation, before attending the Westminster Abbey ceremony itself.
