Princely Jewels for Sainte Devote in Monaco

The princely family of Monaco gathered in Port-Hercule on Wednesday evening to begin the festivities. From left to right here, we’ve got Louis Ducruet (son of Princess Stéphanie), Prince Albert II with Princess Gabriella and Hereditary Prince Jacques, Princess Caroline, Mélanie-Antoinette Costello de Massy (granddaughter of the late Princess Antoinette), and Jean-Léonard Taubert-Natta de Massy (grandson of the late Princess Antoinette).

For the evening procession, Princess Caroline wore a pair of earrings with bright orange drops. In some photos, you can see the hint of a gold chain necklace under her jacket as well.

Mélanie-Antoinette also wore a gold necklace, plus a brooch with an abstract design. Given the theme of the evening, perhaps it’s a flame?

And, of course, Gabriella and Jacques were the cutest Grimaldis present.

Each year on the eve of the feast day of Sainte Devote, a symbolic fishing boat is brought to Port-Hercule in Monaco and set on fire. The tradition recalls two separate incidents. After she was martyred in Corsica, legend has it that Sainte Dévote’s relics were saved from a funeral pyre and put on a boat headed for Africa. A storm nearly overtook the vessel, but a dove was said to have appeared to guide the boat to the shores of Monaco, where a chapel was built in Dévote’s honor.

Hundreds of years later, an Italian sailor tried to steal the saint’s relics from Monaco; he was caught and punished by Monaco’s Grimaldi ruler, and his boat was set on fire on the beach. Every year, the Grimaldis and their fellow Monegasques pay tribute to the stories of their patron saint by lighting a sailboat on fire on the beach at Port-Hercule. This year, both of the twins got to help light the symbolic fire.

On Thursday, a mass was celebrated at Monaco’s cathedral to mark the feast of their patroness. Both Prince Albert and Princess Caroline were in attendance at the service.

Princess Caroline is definitely a fan of these earrings! She wore the same orange drops for the mass that she’d worn the night before for the procession.

Here’s a closer look at the earrings. They feature a green stud in a golden bezel setting, which nicely coordinates with the green hues in Caroline’s tweed jacket. From the stud, two black beads and a small diamond are suspended, as well as a bright orange briolette drop.

The day’s celebrations also included an appearance by the princely family on the balcony of the Palais Princier. Prince Albert and Princess Caroline were joined by Princess Gabriella and Hereditary Prince Jacques on the balcony.

Gabriella, who was adorable in a headband studded with pearls, waved to the crowd with her father and brother during the appearance.