Richard Barnes with H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco

With H.S.H. Crown Prince Albert of Monaco.

This was in 1997, just after Princess Diana died, in an interview for SIPA Press, which was published around the world in magazines like Figaro Magazine, Hola, Hello, and even magazines in Russia, Indonesia and South America.
Working for a long time in Monaco, I have had the honor of meeting and interviewing the Prince quite a few times. Despite a portrayal by some media of the Prince as a "playboy that just can't settle down", people who know him well will tell you that he is someone with a huge amount of integrity... extremely humane. As a matter of fact, the Prince's dedication to supporting charity organizations is incredible. Not many people are aware just how much time and effort he dedicates to trying to improve the lives of people in difficulty in many parts of the world, and I think that's a shame.
Prince Albert is also largely behind the success of many events in the Principality through not only "adding his name" to them, but also being actively involved in bringing in the right people through personal letters and phone calls. The World Music Awards, for which I've been in charge of Press Relations over the past ten years, is one of those cases.