Monaco glitters with the glamour of the world’s super-rich on an ordinary weekend. But on a sultry Friday night in late July the principality was at its shimmering best as the great and good turned out for the Monaco Red Cross’s 75th Anniversary Gala.
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My whirlwind 36 hours in this enclave of affluence began with the coastal drive from Nice airport (although helicopters are preferred for UHNW commuters) and an arrival at the perennially chic Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo.
This Belle Époque beauty just a stone’s throw from the legendary casino square boasts 278 rooms, including more than 40 suites, and views of the superyachts in the harbour. Guests have the option of dining at Yannick Alléno’s Michelin-starred restaurant, or indulging in a treatment at the Thermes Marins de Monte-Carlo spa.
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Unsurprisingly for a hotel that welcomes billionaires and celebrities, the staff are used to catering for extravagant requests at the drop of a hat: during one stroll through the lobby a lavish private boat tour of the French Riviera was being arranged via the concierge within a few hours’ notice.
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As the sun set, it was a quick stroll across Casino Square to Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo for an aperitif in Le Bar Américain. The lobby setting proved an ideal vantage point for people-watching: ballgowns, black tie and millions of dollars in diamonds were on display as the gala guests descended the grand staircase to snap photographs on their way out of the hotel.
The main event was held at the Salle des Etoiles, or the Monte-Carlo Sporting, a regal concert and entertainment hall built in the 1970s which boasts a fully retractable ceiling and glass windows which were put to use later in the evening to reveal a fireworks display in all its glory.
A steady stream of limousines and sports cars pulled up outside the venue and deposited their elegantly-attired passengers. Following the obligatory photo stop in front of the step-and-repeat board, it was into the hall itself: an expansive space that had been laid with scores of banquet tables for guests including Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
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The room was upstanding for the arrival of the guests of honour: Prince Albert II of Monaco, his wife Princess Charlene and niece Camille Gottlieb, the daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco.
The royal connection extends to the charity itself: the late Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly known as Grace Kelly and the Oscar-winning wife of Prince Rainier III, was president of the Monaco Red Cross from 1958 until her death in 1982. The mantle was taken up by her son, Prince Albert, who has continued his mother’s work.
A four-course dinner by Thierry Saez Manzanares was served followed by a tombola presented with lots including a Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra necklace, an Audemars Piguet watch, and an Hermès Kelly – the coveted It bag which owes its name to the late Monegasque princess.
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The night ended with an energetic performance by Jamiroquai, who toasted to the royal couple and the evening’s successful fundraising endeavours.
The following morning there was nowhere better to recover than Monte-Carlo Beach, a sister hotel to Hôtel Hermitage, where well-heeled seasonal tourists lounge by the pool or beach and lunch at Le Deck. And the fortunate few daydreamed of the starry showcase the night before.
