A ticket to the Monaco Rose Ball is surely one of the most exclusive invites on the high society calendar. A style showcase for the House of Grimaldi, the guest list is limited to the likes of Princess Charlene, Charlotte Casiraghi, Beatrice Borromeo, and, of course, a Tatler editor or two. For those royal watchers who found themselves unable to secure an RSVP, however, one very special attendee offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what really goes on at the Rose Ball: Princess Alexandra of Hanover.
The daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover, who served as president of the ball committee this year, Princess Alexandra had a truly unique insight into the sunset-themed gala, which saw the Monte-Carlo Sporting Club transformed into a tropical paradise by artistic director Christian Louboutin. In a series of photographs shared to her official Instagram account, the 25-year-old royal brought her followers through the gilded keyhole at her family’s traditional soirée.
Before the celebrations came the preparations, with former figure skater Alexandra getting ready for the Rose Ball with some undereye moisturising patches. Then, it was time to don her gown for the evening. Known for her love of fashion, the Princess did not disappoint, sporting a bubblegum pink Giambattista Valli dress that was truly fit for a Princess, with its showstopping flared skirt and draped sleeves.
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Princess Alexandra paired the ballgown with a dazzling diamond necklace by Cartier – the jeweller so beloved by her grandmother, Grace Kelly. Adorned with 492 brilliant-cut gems, the necklace was the perfect addition to a pristine Rose Ball ensemble.
Beautiful, yes, but like the best ballgowns, Princess Alexandra’s outfit required quite the entourage when it came to transport. Fortunately, her boyfriend, Ben-Sylvester Strautmann, was on hand to lend some support, carrying the dress from location to location. The scion of a wealthy German family, Ben made his public debut with Princess Alexandra in 2017. The loved-up couple are now a regular fixture on the social scene, seen side-by-side at the Monaco Grand Prix and Paris Olympics.
Any party lives or dies by its music, and the Princess Caroline organised an array of artists to entertain the great and the gilded in Monte Carlo. French DJ Carla Genus, Bony Steel Band, Kozeika Panam, and a tribute to arth, Wind & Fire all played as the guests danced the night away. Princess Alexandra was no different, sharing a photograph of her recovering on the ballroom floor after partying with her half-sister, Charlotte Casiraghi.
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No prizes for guessing who designed the dress that Casiraghi wore to the event. A Channel ambassador through and through, the 38-year-old is a regular at the fashion house’s fashion week front rows and once again showcased her enduring bond with the designer at the Rose Ball in a jewel-adorned black sleeveless gown and matching heels.
Royal watchers weren’t the only ones to appreciate Princess Alexandra’s dispatches from the ball. Mathilde Favier, PR Director at Dior and wife of financier Robert Agostinelli, sent her love, commenting, ‘you are too, too pretty’. Sassa de Osma – who is a member of the Hanoverian royal family through her marriage to the German Prince Christian of Hanover, son of Princess Alexandra’s father Prince Ernst August – sent her love, as did Princess Eugenia of Hanover, daughter of Heinrich Prinz von Hanover and Thyra von Westernhagen.
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And after a night of great success overseen by Princess Caroline, could Princess Alexandra one day take over premiership of the Rose Ball? She has certainly taken inspiration from her mother before, with the young royal recently celebrating Princess Caroline's indomitable spirt in a conversation with Elle.
Asked what she admired most about her mother, Alexandra named ‘her resilience and the way she never lets anything get to her.’ The royal continued, offering some touching insight into the bond that the pair share: ‘I've always known I can come to her with any problem and that we'll address it together calmly and without drama. She's truly a pillar for all of us.’
