Prince Albert II and Charlène in Hamburg: This was their visit

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In Miniatur Wunderland
Monaco’s royals tour their world in miniature – this is how their visit to Hamburg went

Prince Albert II traveled to the Hanseatic city with his family to inaugurate the new Monaco section of the Miniatur Wunderland – and to do something for his tarnished image. Did he succeed?

“Three, Two, One…” The two princely children press the golden button. Starting signal. The racing cars speed off. Under palm trees. Over asphalted hills. Past the azure Mediterranean. It is the first Formula 1 race in the replica Monaco in Hamburg Miniature wonderland. Prince Albert II of Monaco is here with his family. Everyone follows the cars with excitement. But they stop. Questioning looks. Is that how it’s supposed to be? “There was only one moment that we were afraid of. And that is right now,” says the founder of Miniatur Wunderland. A software problem.

First there is a shrimp cocktail in the star restaurant

If this appointment were a meal, it would be caviar with French rolls. This meeting is so wonderfully grotesque. The royal couple traveled with their children from Monaco to Hamburg’s Speicherstadt to inaugurate the new Mini Monaco including the Formula 1 racing track. They arrived in a private jet: Princess Charlène and Prince Albert with their twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques. Not an official state visit, but a private one. With a police escort, they drove from the airport to the luxury hotel Four Seasons, to the presidential suite – an entire floor just for them. The “Hamburger Abendblatt” knew that meeting rooms had been converted into a playroom paradise for the children. The prince dined in the hotel’s star restaurant: shrimp cocktail and consommé, and a turbot dish as the main course. Those interested could even eat with the prince. All they had to do was buy a ticket. The price? 10,000 euros.

A 22 meter long race track with a live camera system

After dinner, a royal visit to the Miniatur Wunderland. It is one of Hamburg’s most famous tourist attractions; 13 regions of the world have been recreated as a model on almost 1,700 square meters: Venice and Rio de Janeiro, for example. And now Monaco too.

The heart of the new section is the Formula 1 race track. Thousands of figurines cheer on eight spectator stands and wave national flags. When a car races past, the cameras of the miniature fans flash. Up to 14 racing cars race through tight curves. Past the Café de Paris, through the tunnel of the congress center. A 22 meter long race track with a live camera system has been created here: 29 millimeter cameras along the track transmit live images from a well-known television perspective. The racing cars can be controlled using electronically generated, selective magnetic fields. Around 100,000 lines of programming code were necessary for the software. There are over 39,000 meters of cable beneath the system.

The panorama of the city state rises over 70 square meters

Eleven years of planning, six years of construction and costs of over five million euros are involved in the new Monaco section, according to the heads of Miniatur Wunderland. The result is a mini Monaco with a size ratio of 1:87. The recreated panorama of the city state rises over 70 square meters: with the Prince’s Palace, St. Nicolas Cathedral and Casino de Monte Carlo. With the famous Oceanographic Museum right on the water. With old town and Grand Prix race track. Right on the Côte d’Azur.

Pastel-colored villas sit on stone cliffs, and narrow streets wind through hilly Monte Carlo. High-rise buildings scratch the sky, balconies stick together. Five males play golf on a green roof. A gold Ferrari races up the mountain past a rose garden. 174 yachts rest in the sparkling water. Figures sunbathe in bikinis, drink champagne, dance. Divers swim behind a swordfish in the crystal clear water. A tiny mermaid floats far below.

And the real royal family now stands in front of this mini Monaco. Five rounds were planned. But the race stalls. Gerrit Braun rushes over, one of the two founders of Miniatur Wunderland. He uses a magnetic fishing rod to fish the racing cars off the track. Short break. Go on. And this time with success: the four cars, one for each member of the family, race to the finish. The winner? Princess Charlène. She smiles her concrete smile and appears just as alive as the miniature figures.

Improving the image – an important goal of the prince

It is a grateful PR appointment for the royal family. What seems more harmless than a miniature world where you can hear trains puffing? Improving your image is an important goal for the Monegasque royal family. Because: Monaco’s system of governance is ailing. Because of corruption allegations, document leaks, real estate and intrigue. It all started in the fall of 2021. Confidential documents from the principality’s inner circle were published on the website “Les Dossiers du Rocher”, “The Rock Files”. By March 2022, further dubious papers went online there. The accusation: Prince Albert worked with corrupt people. It’s about real estate deals worth millions.

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But nobody cares about any of that here today. The prince will say in an interview after the race that he found it “great” and “incredible”. He will walk down a red carpet with his wife to a private cocktail reception with 120 invited guests. Outside, the two will walk through the flashlights, shake hands, take selfies with fans and sign autographs: in Royal books and on cell phone cases. At the end, the royal family will wave at cameras and get into a black limousine. She flies straight back to Monaco.