Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène took part on Monday, September 28, in a meeting on European peace and unity in Metz, held on the final day of Pope Leo XIV’s four-day visit to France.
The meeting, titled “At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity”, took place at the Robert Schuman Conference Centre from 11am and was introduced by French President Emmanuel Macron.
AP footage shows the Prince and Princess being welcomed on arrival by Macron and his wife, Brigitte. Princess Charlène wore white, as she did when she received the pope in Monaco in March.
In his address, Pope Leo urged Europe to draw on its Christian roots and traditions of dialogue to counter the “desire for domination” driving today’s wars, according to AP. He chose Metz to honour Robert Schuman, the statesman regarded as one of the founding fathers of European unity.
Macron spoke before him, saying Europe was built on Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian foundations, according to France 24. It was a notable remark from the leader of a constitutionally secular state.
The Spanish outlet TodoAlicante, citing Efe, reported that the Élysée had invited the heads of state or government of all EU member states, but almost none attended or sent representatives.
The Prince and Princess were due to have lunch at the Moselle prefecture before returning to Monaco, according to Yahoo Actualités. Luxembourg’s Grand Duke Guillaume was also expected at the morning’s events.
The visit comes six months to the day after Pope Leo’s one-day trip to the Principality on March 28, the first by a pope since Paul III in 1538. Albert and Charlène welcomed him at the heliport that day, and he urged Monaco’s residents to use their wealth and influence for good. Prince Albert had invited him to visit when they met at the Vatican in January.