Monaco’s Prince Albert explores mother’s roots during Ireland visit
He opened The Princess Grace Rose Garden in St Dominick’s Park, Drogheda.
Prince Albert of Monaco has been told by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during a visit to Ireland that he always has a home in the country.
The 59-year-old royal took in a number of locations in Co Louth and Co Wicklow during his trip on Friday during which he opened The Princess Grace Rose Garden in St Dominick’s Park, Drogheda.
The garden is named in honour of his Hollywood actress mother Grace Kelly, who visited the area in the 1960s along with his father Prince Rainier III.
Best known for her roles in Dial M For Murder and High Society, she was the Irish-American granddaughter of an emigrant from Newport, Mayo.
The Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco was opened by her husband in 1984 as a tribute to her roots.
Prince Albert also visited a bio-diversity conference and the Highlanes Gallery where he viewed a number of photographs of the State Visit by his parents.
Later at a gala dinner in Co Wicklow, Mr Varadkar paid tribute to the royal.
“You are very welcome back to Ireland,” he said.
“Your late mother, Princess Grace, was immensely proud of her Irish heritage and we in turn were very proud of her and all she achieved in her iconic but all too short life. We greatly appreciate that you have travelled from Monaco to be with us tonight. You always have a home here.”
