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Princess Charlene of Monaco stepped out earlier this week in a crisp midi shirt dress with a vibrant swirling blue pattern, a subtle nod to the day’s engagement about oceanic preservation. The dress was made by Sara Roka, a Canadian designer whose inspiration often draws on the natural environment. Charlene and her husband, Prince Albert, were attending the 17th Monaco Blue Initiative forum on Wednesday, held at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. The royals’ respective charities, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, announced a new partnership centered around sports and environmentalism, two issues that the couple have long championed.
“By combining sport with ocean conservation, my Foundation intends,” Charlene said at the event, “to inspire commitment, promote the protection of the Mediterranean, and demonstrate that human achievement and environmental responsibility can move forward together.”
The collaboration will initially focus on drowning prevention, swimming instruction, and the protection of marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean. The first joint initiative under the partnership will be a water-bike crossing from Viareggio, a seaside town in Tuscany, to Monaco on June 19 and 20. Whether Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer, plans to participate has not been announced.
The royal couple’s schedule in the coming weeks is packed. Early next week, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene will make an official royal visit to Madrid, marking 150 years of diplomatic relations between Monaco and Spain and the 10th anniversary of the Spanish branch of the Prince Albert II Foundation. The trip will commence with a joint visit alongside King Felipe and Queen Letizia to the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, where the two couples will open an exhibition on the historical ties between the two states. Prince Albert is also scheduled for a working meeting and private lunch with King Felipe at Zarzuela Palace and a separate meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at Moncloa Palace.
The Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix follows shortly thereafter, one of the principality’s most glamorous annual events, drawing royals, athletes, and celebrities to the grand stands lining the streets of Monte Carlo. Among those the crowd will be watching closely is Charles Leclerc, the Monaco-born Ferrari driver who serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. However, he has yet to win on his home circuit. Leclerc and his wife, Alexandra, have been a consistent presence at events hosted by the Princely family this season, including the Monaco Rose Ball in March and the Monte Carlo Masters in April.
Rachel King (she/her) is a news writer at Town & Country. Before joining T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at @rk.passport.