Photo: getty
He's royalty.
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Aug 26, 2019
Climate change is the biggest issue facing our planet right now. And with the Amazon forest currently burning at a rate we never expected, we need to take action. That’s exactly what 16-year-old Greta Thunberg is doing as she sails across the Atlantic in a racing yacht, attending climate talks in New York. The boat she’s on has no hot food, running water, or toilet, as part of her effort to reduce her carbon footprint.
And joining her on her trip is a Monegasque royal: the Prince of Monaco. Who is Pierre Casiraghi? Not only does he own the vessel, called the Malizia II, but it’s one of only a few racing sailboats in the world with a “totally neutral carbon footprint.”
Along with Thunberg’s father, a documentary filmmaker, and German captain Boris Herrmann, Casiraghi is accompanying them on their trip. But what else do we know about the Prince?
1. He’s from a royal family.
Casiraghi is the grandson of the late Grace Kelly and her husband Rainier III. His mother is Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and his father is Stefano Casiraghi, Caroline’s second husband.
He’s currently eighth in line to the Monegasque throne, behind his twin cousins, his mother, his brother Andrea, nephews Alexandre and Maximillian, and his niece, India.
2. His father died when he was young.
When Casiraghi was three years old, his father was killed when a powerboat he was racing flipped during a race. After his death, Casiraghi lived in his mom’s farmhouse in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France.
3. He received an extensive education.
Once his mother remarried Ernst August, Prince of Hanover, his family moved closer to Paris. In 2005, he passed the French Baccalaureate exam, and moved to Milan to start an undergraduate course in International Economics and Management at Bocconi University.
4. He’s a humanitarian and businessman.
He visited Africa with his mom on a humanitarian tour on behalf of AMADE Mondiale. Casiraghi sponsored the “Sail for a Cause” charity race that raises money for Monaco Collectif Humanitaire, and the Maison Notre Dame de Paix, which raises funds for migrants.
In addition, he’s a majority shareholder in the construction company Engeco, which his father founded. His uncle, Marco, is president of the company. But Casiraghi is also a majority shareholder of Monacair.
5. He takes part in inshore racing.
He’s been a part of the Maserati team in the Cape2Rio competition; a crew member of the Monaco Racing Fleet; the skipper of Team Malizia in the annual GC32 Racing Tour; and sailed in the Fastnet Race with Herrmann.
6. He’s married with children.
Since 2008, Casiraghi has been with Beatrice Borromeo, a journalist. They wed in 2015 in the gardens of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. Their first child, Stefano, was born in 2017; their second, Francesco, was born in 2018.
7. He reached out to Greta.
When Casiraghi heard that Thunberg was looking to cross the ocean in a sustainable way, he reached out to her.
“They had a lot of questions and they had been exploring different kinds of boats to get across. We explained this is a racing boat, that there is little comfort on the boat, but she seems fine with that,” he said.
8. And it seems it’s in his blood.
According to him, it “runs in his blood”: “My ancestor was the first admiral of the French king against the English in the Hundred Years’ War... You can trip on the boat and break your arm, but you can do that at home.”
He also said he’s seen “a significant reduction in the number of fish in the Mediterranean, which I’ve been swimming in since I was a child.”
9. But he’s a bit of a hypocrite.
Despite helping Thunberg cross the ocean, he owns shares in a helicopter company and has been known for his “carbon-rich” lifestyle.
But he doesn’t seem to be bothered by it, saying, “[I’m not] here to advocate change or how to do things... I’m just transporting Greta. And it was just a way to help her get across. We had a zero-emission boat. It’s very simple.”
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.