Fête du Prince
The feast of Saint Joseph, which is also the name day of the prince, is celebrated with a Mass at the Cathedral of Monaco, a reception at the Palais Princier, and the firing of cannons from the Fort Antoine. The day is a public holiday, and the tradition is to greet the prince with the phrase "Joyeuse fête, Monseigneur!" HSH Prince Albert II, the reigning Prince of Monaco since 2005, is the son of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. The Principality of Monaco is one of the last absolute monarchies in Europe : the Prince has executive power, appoints the Minister of State, and can dissolve the National Council. The Fête du Prince is a reminder that this microstate of 38,000 residents (of whom only about 9,700 are Monégasque nationals) is ruled by a prince whose family, the Grimaldis, have held the rock since 1297.
