Biography of Prince Albert

Albert II OLY (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi; born March 14, 1958) is Prince of Monaco, since 2005.

Albert was born at the Prince's Palace of Monaco, and he is the second child and only son of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly. He attended the Lycée Albert Premier before studying political science at Amherst College. In his youth, he competed in bobsleigh during Winter Olympic finals before retiring in 2002. Albert was appointed regent in March 2005 after his father fell ill, and became sovereign prince upon his death a week later. Since his ascension, he has been outspoken in the field of environmentalism and an advocate of ocean conservation, and adoption of renewable energy sources to tackle global climate change, and founded The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in 2006, to directly raise funds and initiate action for such causes and greater ecological preservation.

With assets valued at more than $1 billion, Albert owns shares in the Société des Bains de Mer, which operates Monaco's casino and other entertainment properties in the principality.

In July 2011, Prince Albert married South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock. He has four children, American-born Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, French-born Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste and the twins Princess Gabriella and Hereditary Prince Jacques.