The visit of the head of the Principality of Monaco to the Spanish capital was once again marked by a major incident. Albert II, who arrived in Madrid as an honorary guest for the final stage of the prestigious Vuelta cycling race, was forced to urgently leave the event under security escort. The reason was mass unrest that engulfed the city center, making it impossible to safely hold the final part of the competition. For the monarch, whose name has been linked to troubles in Madrid before, this episode became yet another confirmation of his, shall we say, complicated relationship with the city.
The official purpose of the prince’s visit was not just the award ceremony for the winners. This visit was strategic: next year, the Vuelta will start from Monte-Carlo. Organizers of the race and the authorities of the principality are already actively working together, finalizing the route, which is intended to showcase the most picturesque corners of the small state to the world. The plan is for the peloton to travel through France after starting in Monaco before reaching Spanish roads. Albert II’s personal attendance at the Madrid finale was meant to emphasize the importance of this cooperation.
However, these plans were disrupted by large-scale protests. Demonstrators opposed the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team in the race, and their actions led to the blockade of the track. The situation quickly escalated, prompting organizers and security services to decide not to take any chances. The final race was effectively canceled, and high-profile guests, including the Prince of Monaco, were escorted to safety to avoid any risk to their health and lives.
This incident inadvertently brought to mind another, much more high-profile story that for a long time strained relations between the Grimaldi family and the Spanish crown. There is even talk among the public of a so-called “Madrid curse” for Albert. While this is, of course, mere superstition, the coincidences are striking. For some reason, every significant visit he makes to the Spanish capital ends up surrounded by controversy and scandal.
This refers to events in 2005, when Madrid was competing for the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games. At the most crucial moment, during the final bid presentation, Albert, who was a member of the International Olympic Committee, publicly expressed doubts about the safety of the sporting venues. He cited a recent terrorist attack in the city and the fact that the Basque separatist group ETA had not yet laid down its arms. These remarks were seen as a stab in the back and open support for rival bidder Paris. In the end, Madrid lost, and the prince’s actions were considered a serious insult that noticeably cooled relations between the royal families.
Many years have passed since then and official contacts have been restored, but, as they say, the bitterness remains. Spain later made another attempt to secure the Olympics for 2020, but that effort was also unsuccessful. Now, against the backdrop of a new incident, it remains to be seen how the start of the Vuelta in Monaco will go next year. The cycling race, scheduled from August 22 to September 13, will, ironically, coincide with the Formula 1 stage in Madrid. Let’s hope that this time everything will go smoothly, without unpleasant surprises.
