Friday night in Monaco saw one of the principality’s annual charity galas, the Croix-Rouge Monégasque (Red Cross Monaco), roll out—and because it’s Monte Carlo, it was certainly not your average fundraiser.
Let’s start with the venue: the Salle des Etoiles, or the Monte-Carlo Sporting, which, counter to what it might suggest, is not a sports arena but a resplendent concert and entertainment hall built in 1974; its retractable glass windows overlook the Monte Carlo Bay and the mega yachts that are constantly passing through. Then consider the guest list: it was crowned by H.S.H. Prince Albert II, President of the Monaco Red Cross, and H.S.H. Princess Charlène, Vice-President of the Monaco Red Cross.
Lastly, there is the charity itself, which, for all its magnanimity, has glamorous roots. Grace Kelly was president from 1958 until her death. The organization has been under the tutelage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II since 1982.
At around 8:30 PM, droves of guests arrived in black tie. Beyond the aforementioned royal set were attendees who perhaps owned a penthouse in town or visitors partaking in an annual summer pilgrimage to the Côte d'Azur. Then there’s the nostalgic set, influenced by the night’s cinematic promise with To Catch a Theif or James Bond on the mind. Speaking of Bond, in attendance was none other than Shirley Bassey, who famously purred “Diamonds Are Forever” for one of her three of her Bond songs.
By 9:30 PM, a four-course dinner by Thierry Saez Manzanares began—salad, a fish filet, and lamb chops. Just after guests were served dessert, they were treated with something a little more decade—a tombola presented by Tatiana Silva and Taïg Khris, with six lot prizes that were very Monte Carlo: a diamond-encrusted Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra necklace, an Audemars Piguet watch, a yacht excursion for you and ten friends. And, lastly, a Kelly Bag–which was very apropos given the handbag’s namesake’s connection to the Red Cross Monaco.
A video montage of the history of the Croix-Rouge Monégasque (now in its 75th year) was projected onto the large screens in the room as guests saw flashes of Grace Kelly and the many other famous attendees of the gala: Maurice Chevalier, Josephine Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., and more. Plus, the event has heavy fashion lore—Karl Lagerfeld (whose hilltop Monaco home still hosts Chanel events to this day) attended the gala several times. In 1952, a Christian Dior fashion show was presented.
For the night’s musical act, another bright point in the event’s star-studded musical legacy: English funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai. But first, a firework display that could be marveled all the better given the retractable ceiling at the Salle des Etoiles had opened up, allowing uninterrupted vistas into the sky, which was also aglow with an orange-hued Buck moon.
Jamiroquai lead vocalist Jay Kay, there in his signature hat, delivered a half-hour-long set (“This was easier when I was younger,” he joked to the crowd), grooving along as he went. Before the rest of the crowd joined, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène inaugurated the dance floor. How’s that for a royal ball?
