Prince Albert to visit ancestral home

Prince Albert of Monaco will visit his ancestral home in Ireland today (06.04.11).

The 53-year-old royal's maternal great grandfather John H Kelly moved to the US from Mayo on the west coast of the country which Albert will visit with his fiancee Charlene Wittstock where they will meet with distant relatives, 50 years after his mother, Princess Grace, did the same.

The trip will conclude Prince Albert's three day state visit to the country, where he announced the establishment of the Princess Grace Research Fellowship at Trinity College Dublin and enjoyed a dinner at Farmleigh last night (05.04.11).

A total of 130 guests were invited to the event, where they were served Irish stew canapés, air-dried Irish beef and mini-burgers.

All of the guests received a commemorative programme with a letter from the Monacan prince, marking his first state visit to the country.

It read: "There is a very special and genuine bond between Ireland and Monaco and it is my greatest wish that this be further strengthened and developed."

Before travelling to Mayo today Albert and Charlene will visit the Marine Institute in Galway at the request of the prince who has a keen interest in marine environmental awareness.