On Saturday April 25, during the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II took part in a lap of the circuit aboard one of the most extraordinary cars ever built: the Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Bugatti Royale, which celebrates its centenary this year….
The Sovereign was joined in the car by Christophe Piochon, President of Bugatti Automobiles, and Michel Ferry, Vice-President of the Automobile Club de Monaco, while the vehicle was driven by the head of the workshop at the National Automobile Museum – Schlumpf Collection in Mulhouse. The presence of this rare model on the Monaco circuit highlighted both its historical significance and its enduring technical fascination.
Conceived by Ettore Bugatti in the 1920s as the most prestigious and powerful car in the world, the Royale remains an icon of automotive engineering. Powered by a remarkable 13-litre engine, it stands as one of the most ambitious creations in motoring history.
The model presented, known as the “Coupé Napoléon,” holds a special place, having once belonged to Ettore Bugatti himself. Now a centrepiece of the Mulhouse collection, it is often described as the “Mona Lisa” of automobiles.
Following its appearance in Monaco, the car will be exhibited at the Prince’s Car Collection on Port Hercule before returning to France.
Images: Prince’s Palace Instagram