Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene, Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella attend the celebration of the Feast of Saint Devota

The first thing I noticed was the snow-white skin of the members of the House of Grimaldi, pale as a moth's wing. One can imagine how hard it is to avoid a tan when one is the ruling family of Monaco, which enjoys some 300 days of sunshine a year.

Only then does one notice how charming it looks when the dynasts set burning splints to the brushwood beneath the ceremonial boat, which is burnt in memory of the patroness of the principality and the dynasty, Saint Devota. The martyr was put to death in the 4th century during the persecutions of Diocletian, having refused to renounce the Christian faith. Her body was carried away by boat to be buried in Africa, but a dove that flew out of her body guided the boat to the shores of Monaco, where the saint found her rest. Each year a festival is held in the saint's honour, with the burning of a symbolic boat, the carrying of Devota's relics out of the church, and popular festivities.