The three children of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III of Monaco were reunited in the heart of the Principality and for a very special reason.
The eldest of the trio, Princess Caroline, presented the youngest, Princess Stephanie, with one of Monaco’s highest honours while their brother, the Sovereign Prince, watched on.
Albert II had awarded Stephanie with the distinction of the highest rank in the Order of Cultural Merit of Monaco. The princess is now a commander in that order.
The actual honour was handed over by Caroline in a special ceremony in the Blue Room of the Prince’s Palace in Monte Carlo.
Princess Stephanie, 60, was recognised for her ”long standing work for culture and the artistic life in Monaco”.
Two of her children, Louis Ducruet and Camille Gottlieb, were also present to see her honoured.
Princess Caroline, 68, hugged her little sister and gave her a kiss on both cheeks as she handed over the distinction.
Prince Albert watched from the sidelines and led the applause for Stephanie who had once been described as Monaco’s wildchild. She enjoyed a short lived career as a model and singer before taking up charitable work in the arts.
The youngest child of Princess Grace was honoured along with several others on the eve of Monaco’s National Day.
Prince Albert is expected to be joined by his wife, Princess Charlene, and their twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, for the celebrations.
Albert succeeded to the throne despite being a year younger than Caroline as Monaco still has male primogeniture, meaning that men supersede women in the line of succession.
The twins of Albert and Charlene are also affected by the men first rule. Gabriella is the eldest of the pair by a couple of minutes but her brother, Jacques, is heir to the throne.
The two ten year olds are just ahead of Princess Caroline in the line of succession. Caroline was heir at birth and against between 2005, when her brother succeeded as Prince Albert II on the death of their father, and December 2014 when Princess Charlene gave birth to Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
