Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene honour polar explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot during Greenland expedition
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene paid tribute to polar explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot off the coast of Iceland as they launched a scientific expedition to Greenland led by the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene have paid tribute to legendary French polar explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot during the first stage of a scientific expedition to Greenland organised by the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco.
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The ceremony took place off Iceland's west coast, at the site where Charcot's research vessel, Pourquoi-Pas? IV, sank on 16 September 1936, claiming the explorer's life.
The Princely couple were joined by Anne Manipoud-Charcot, the explorer's great-granddaughter, former Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, and Oceanographic Institute Director General Robert Calcagno.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene each laid a white rose into the sea in memory of Charcot and the crew who lost their lives in the shipwreck before boarding Le Commandant Charcot, the Ponant Explorations icebreaker carrying the scientific mission to Greenland.
The tribute also celebrated the close friendship between Jean-Baptiste Charcot and Prince Albert I, who shared a passion for oceanography and polar exploration.
Between 1885 and 1915, Prince Albert I led 28 scientific expeditions and supported Charcot's second Antarctic expedition by providing equipment for his research.
Charcot later played an active role at the Oceanographic Institute of Paris, delivering lectures and serving on its scientific council until his death.
Speaking during the ceremony, Robert Calcagno said the occasion demonstrated that the friendship between the two explorers continues to inspire today.
Anne Manipoud-Charcot also highlighted the enduring importance of her great-grandfather's work, noting that the polar regions are now more vital than ever in understanding and protecting the planet's environmental balance.
The ceremony marked the official launch of the Oceanographic Institute's scientific and environmental expedition to Greenland, continuing Monaco's long-standing commitment to ocean and climate research.