The first guests of Monastero Santa Rosa
Hotel & Spa (MSR) on the Amalfi Coast were Prince Albert II and Princess
Charlene of Monaco, fresh from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee
Luncheon at Windsor Court, and before heading on to the 70th Grand
Prix in Monaco. The Prince and Princess
kicked back at MSR to relax with friends, including Byron Kelleher, the
renowned New Zealand rugby player and veteran of three World Cups, at a retreat
where they could recharge their batteries between two very public events.
Before
the royal couple entered MSR, the princess rang the Arrival Bell, a tradition
dating back some 500 years, when a bell was used to alert the cloistered order
of nuns that occupied the monastery to a pilgrim’s visit. A nun would then look through a peephole to
ascertain identity before allowing admittance.
Not surprisingly, the Princess, a member of the South
African women’s 4x100 meter medley team at the 2000 Summer Olympics, swam laps
in the infinity pool at Monastero Santa Rosa, which enjoys breathtaking views
of the Bay of Salerno.
The couple ventured off the property to have lunch in Amalfi,
and word is they had a great time.
Before they departed Monastero Santa Rosa, the Mayor of
Conca dei Marini, Gaetano Frate, the Chief of Police, Cosimo Andretta, and
General Manager Flavio Colantuoni, wished them farewell and thanked them for
their visit. The Conca dei Marini
preschool Scuola Primaria “Luigi Espoito” sang the Italian national song: Inno di Mamelio.
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