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BU Bridge Logo

Week of 7 November 1997

Vol. I, No. 11

Feature Article

Prince Albert made Fellow of University Libraries

by Eric McHenry

For Prince Albert of Monaco, BU literally rolled out the red carpet. Several hundred feet of it covered the walkways and lined the corridors His Serene Highness traversed during his October 29 visit to the University.

The heir to the throne of Monaco, a tiny principality on France's southeastern periphery, came to BU to be invested as a Fellow of the University Libraries. Chancellor John Silber conferred the honor upon Prince Albert following a cocktail reception and dinner in the GSU Ballroom.

The investiture coincides with the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi reign in Monaco. Both during the dinner and at a press conference beforehand, Prince Albert and his BU hosts spoke of the royal family's longstanding commitment to promotion of the arts. Master of Ceremonies Howard Gotlieb, director of Special Collections at BU, called the evening an occasion "to recognize and pay tribute to His Serene Highness' contributions to the world of the arts and international culture." Silber further commended the prince, who is the son of Prince Rainier III and the late Princess Grace (actress Grace Kelly), for his patronage.

"You have continued your family's role as initiator and protector of the arts in Monaco, especially through your services to opera. In association with your mother, you were instrumental in bringing precious French and Irish documents to Boston University," said Silber, in reference to various private publications from Monaco's Princess Grace Irish Library that the prince had given to BU upon his visit.

"You now continue her work," Silber said, "as vice president of the Princess Grace Foundation," an organization that awards scholarships in dance, music, and theater.

"The Friends of the Libraries take great pleasure and honor in investing Your Serene Highness as a Fellow of the Boston Univer-sity Libraries," Silber said, adding Prince Albert to a roster of Fellows that includes Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Eric Ambler, and Sir John Mills, among others.

Chancellor John Silber congratulates Prince Albert of Monaco upon his investiture as a Fellow of the University Libraries. Photo by Fred Sway

"It is indeed a great honor to join such an illustrious group of international scholars, public figures, and artists as a Fellow of Boston University Libraries," the multilingual prince, who graduated from Amherst College in 1981, said in reply.

The investiture was also preceded by remarks from Massa-chusetts State Senator Warren Tolman. An Amherst classmate and friend of Prince Albert's, Tolman augmented his praise for the prince's philanthropy with some personal anecdotes. He portrayed his friend as a "completely unassuming individual."

"I am reminded of the time that the Amherst soccer team went to Maine," said Tolman, "and most of the team slept over at Tom Cronin's house. There were beds for some and a floor for the rest. Prince Albert slept on the floor.

"I am reminded of how, when I told the prince that my sister wanted to meet him, he promptly scheduled brunch with her. Well, my mother's hopes for a royal wedding were quickly dashed. My sister waited until Prince Alber