All eyes were on the Prince’s Palace in Monaco on St. Patrick’s Day, when Prince Albert lit up the building in rich greens to honour his family’s Irish ties.
There was a message on social media to explain why the Prince of Monaco had turned his home green, reading ”the Palais Princier lights up in green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day,” and adding, “A tribute to the historic ties…and a symbol of friendship between our nations.”
Princess Grace, Albert’s mother, celebrated her Irish heritage during her marriage to Prince Rainier, and after her death, her husband and children ensured that part of her legacy would include her Irish ties.
Born in the United States to an Irish-American father and German mother, Grace grew up knowing that her paternal grandparents were Irish immigrants from County Mayo who settled in Philadelphia upon their arrival in America. In her youth, Grace took Irish dance lessons and knew of her heritage, but never had the chance to visit her grandparents’ home country until after her marriage to Prince Rainier.
In 1961, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace undertook an official visit to Ireland and travelled to County Mayo and the cottage of her ancestors. The woman who was then living in Drimulra, the cottage, baked griddle cakes for her royal visitors and considered the day to be one of the most important of her life. For her part, Princess Grace sent the woman Christmas cards until the end of her life.
Princess Grace visited Ireland twice more before she died, in 1976 and 1979. In 1976, she arranged to purchase Drimulra and 35 acres of land for £7,800. By 1979, she and Prince Rainier were drawing up plans for a holiday house on the property, but sadly, Princess Grace passed away following a car accident in 1982, and was unable to enjoy her ancestral home further.
Prince Albert, Princess Caroline and Princess Stéphanie inherited Drimulra following their mother’s death, and while they haven’t arranged a new home on the property, they have visited in recent years. In 2011, months before his wedding to Princess Charlene, Prince Albert brought his finacée to County Mayo to see the property—by now reported as a heap of stones—and meet distant relatives in nearby Newport. In 2023, County Mayo placed a statue in honour of Grace, and her son was there to unveil it.
Back in Monaco, Princess Grace’s Irish heritage is also celebrated. In 1984, two years after her tragic death, Prince Rainier opened the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco-Ville to house her large collection of Irish literature and Irish-American sheet music.
In the 40 years since its opening, its collection has spanned to more than 12,000 Irish books and an art collection of portraits of Princess Grace by Irish artists.
