Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco’s twin children have achieved a royal first in participating in a state visit to welcome France’s Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron to Monaco. Pictures show the Macrons sweetly chatting with Jacques and Gabriella, both aged 10, and Gabriella thoughtfully presented flowers to the First Lady upon her arrival.
The French couple is in Monaco to bolster the “strong ties” between France and Monaco and they arrived on June 7. In pictures shared at the start of the visit, Jacques was seen standing between his parents, while Gabriella stood next to Brigitte.
The monarch of Monaco looked smart in a blue suit, while the fashionable Princess Charlene wore a mint Dior jacket and pair of tan trousers.
Gabriella wore a simple pastel coloured dress for the occasion and Jaques looked incredibly smart in a navy suit, matching his father’s.
After the official photos were taken, Brigitte was seen thanking Gabriella for the flowers and putting her arm around the young royal.
Princess Charlene later changed to a stunning red gown for a state dinner in the Throne Room of their palace in Monte Carlo. Reports state this was the first time that the royal family of Monaco hosted a state dinner with a French leader in more than 40 years.
Though Jacques and Gabriella were present earlier in the day, they didn’t attend the state dinner alongside their parents.
Previously, Charlene also admitted that it was “difficult to find time to spend one-on-one” with the pair, which she had found “essential when you are the parent of twins.”
Of the state, the twins were mentioned for their significant milestone, with the royal family of Monaco writing on social media that “Crown Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella were also present to greet the presidential couple, demonstrating the familial and solemn character of this official reception.”
The state visit comes as Prince William visited Monaco to deliver a speech to the Blue Economy and Finance Forum.Prince William said life on the ocean floor was “diminishing before our eyes” and called for ambitious action “on a global, national and local level”.
At the Grimaldi Forum, named after Monaco’s royal family, the Prince spoke in both English and French as he laid out what was at risk.
He explained: “The truth is that healthy oceans are essential to all life on earth. They generate half of the world’s oxygen, regulate our climate and provide food for more than three billion people.”
The Prince was speaking as founder of the Earthshot Prize, which gives out five £1m prizes each year for the best solutions to the greatest climate challenges around the world.