A king doesn’t fall, even after a series of setbacks. Similar has been the story of the King of the Paddock, Lewis Hamilton. Despite struggling last season and possibly ahead of this season, he continues to hold high stature and importance. He is F1 royalty and undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in the world. A day before the race in Bahrain, Prince Albert II of Monaco met him.

Prince Albert II has been a huge patron of the sport and has made headlines several times for his participation in it. Be it congratulating the highest representative of his country, Charles Leclerc, for his first pole in 2019 or for his mediation, which was a crucial factor behind F1 keeping the Monaco GP on its calendar after it was considering dropping the most iconic race on the calendar. All in all, he has done it all.

As Histoires Royales reported, they spotted Prince Albert II of Monaco in the stands of the international circuit of Sakhir in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, enjoying the show and supporting his fellow Monegasque Charles Leclerc. Unfortunately, Leclerc failed to end on a high note. He looked set to clinch third place, however; he succumbed in the 40th lap to an engine issue. Despite the disappointment of Leclerc’s early exit, it was still an exciting race with the presence of the prince.

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Prior to the race, the prince took a day off to explore the stands. He also met Lewis Hamilton, now a resident of his principality, among several other F1 drivers who reside in the small country. However, the Mercedes driver appears to be his favorite among the lot, given the history that they share.

Previous meetings between Lewis Hamilton and the royals

This wasn’t the first time that Lewis met with the royals of Monaco. It appears to be almost a ritual for the driver and his family to meet up every time Formula 1 visits Monaco. Notably, the Briton is one of the rare drivers visible with them, and that too in close proximity.

Last year as well he was visible with Prince Albert and his wife, Princess Charlene. Another occasion of their meetup was when the entire family, including the royal twins, chatted with Lewis during the 2018 Monaco GP. 

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Notably, there was one more incident of them catching up. 2009 world champion Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were spotted with them during the 2015 Monaco weekend. It’s pretty safe to say that Lewis is pretty close with them.