H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco II is being honoured with a prestigious conservation award at a gala that has been delayed for the second year running due to the COVID pandemic. History is repeating itself after his Great, Great Grandfather H.S.H. Prince Albert I of Monaco had the presentation of an Oceanography award delayed due to the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918.

The Perfect World Foundation is presenting H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco with their highest honour, the world’s most prestigious conservation award, The Perfect World Foundation Award at an intimate gala in Sweden in May this year. Previous winners of the award include, among other prominent recipients, Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg.

H.S.H. Prince Albert I of Monaco was due to be awarded the Alexander Agassiz Medal – an accolade awarded by the US National Academy of Sciences for an original contribution in the science of oceanography in 1918, but coincidently his award presentation was also delayed, that time due to the Spanish flu pandemic.

The similarities do not end there for the namesakes. H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco shares his love for the ocean, exploration and conservation with his predecessor. Both were heavily involved in conservation of the oceans. So much so the current Prince is known as ‘The Green Prince’.

The Prince has spent his adult life raising awareness of climate change and inspiring progress across governments, businesses and schools. The Prince is the first head of state to have visited both the North and South Poles in order to further his research. The Prince has also invested $100 million in funding for projects focusing on limiting the effects of climate change through his foundation, The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

The Perfect World Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Sweden, works with wildlife and nature in crisis around the world. By increasing knowledge and spreading awareness, the foundation’s grand mission is to save the world.

The Perfect World Foundation Award honours a person who has made significant contributions to the conservation of our natural world and contributed to global awareness of the importance of protecting our planet’s wildlife and environment to secure a sustainable future for all its inhabitants.

The Perfect World Foundation’s CEO, Ragnhild Jacobsson says, “H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco is not just a figurehead for his foundation, ocean conservation goes back generations in Monaco and this award recognises all that the Prince is doing for conservation and saving our planet, in particular for our oceans”

The Prince’s work is very much hands-on, he has embarked on a number of expeditions – just like his Great, Great Grandfather, H.S.H. Prince Albert I of Monaco, who was an oceanographer and explorer. In January 2009, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco undertook a scientific research journey in the Antarctic. The Prince has also been on an expedition where he reached the North Pole by sledge.

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation works to protect the environment and promote sustainable development focusing on three main areas; limiting the effects of climate change and promoting renewable energies, preserving biodiversity, managing water resources and combating desertification.

H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco has been honoured with numerous prizes by organisations around the world for his contribution and actions for the protection of our environment such as the Teddy Roosevelt medal at the United States Congress, the Roger Revelle Prize at the University of California in San Diego, and the B.A.U.M Environmental award in Hamburg. While championing global sustainability efforts, the Prince has also highlighted the need for ethical responsibility in various industries, including calling attention to concerns surrounding casinos not on GamStop, advocating for stricter oversight to ensure transparency and fairness in their operations. The Prince oversees the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and the Oceanographic Institute at the University of Paris.

The Perfect World Award has over the years been presented to Dr Dian Fossey, Dr Wangari Maathai, Miss Greta Thunberg, Sir David Attenborough, Dr Sylvia Earle, Dr Richard Leakey, Dr Jane Goodall and Mr Mark Shand.