Today, this Tuesday January 31st, 2006 in the morning, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Nicolas Petrovitch Njegosh, on private visit to Rome, Italy, was received at the Headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Magistral Palace, Via Condotti 68, by His Most Eminent Highness Fra’ Andrew Bertie, 78th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and Malta [1].

This highly symbolic visit was the occasion for an exchange of protocols between the Royal House of Montenegro and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in order to bind them together by close reciprocal ties.

The solemn ceremony started by the investiture of Crown Prince Nicolas in the Order of Malta, who was conferred the dignity of Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion, a rank established by the Order many centuries ago and which is one of the most prestigious in its hierarchy.
In his address to Crown Prince Nicolas, H.M.E.M. Grand Master Fra’ Andrew Bertie praised that “the Order of Malta is joined with Your Royal Highness not only by your long-dated humanitarism, energy and sacrifices in coming to help secure the peace and rebuild your country after the Yugoslavian conflict — being from France the spokesperson of all those who suffered from this war or have fallen victim of violence and atrocities of every kind, but also by centuries of old Montenegrin tradition as heir to the illustrious House of Petrovitch Njegosh. For this reason, and with the most heartfelt wishes for ever greater bonds between Your Dynasty and our Order, and certain that I am fulfilling the wishes of my confreres, I present Your Royal Highness with the dignity of Bailiff of Honour and Devotion.”

Subsequently, Crown Prince Nicolas Petrovitch Njegosh invested H.M.E.M. Grand Master Fra’ Andrew Bertie with the insignia of Knight Grand Cross with Diamond Star in the Order of Danilo I, and that of the Order of Saint Petar of Cetinje what is, for a foreign citizen, an extremely rare honour since the Order is normally reserved for members of the Royal Family of Montenegro and their kinsmen.

During the ceremony, the Crown Prince of Montenegro also invested in the Order of Danilo I the following Officers of the Order of Malta:
 Knight Grand Cross with Gold Star
H.E. Fra’ Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, Grand Commander;
H.E. Fra’ Jean-Pierre Mazery, Grand Chancellor;
 Knight Grand Cross with Silver Star
H.E. Baron Albrecht von Boeselager, Grand Hospitaller;
H.E. Marquis Gian Luca Chiavari, Receiver of the Common Treasure;
 Knight Grand Cross
H.E. Fra’ Carlo Arditi di Castelvetere, H.E. Fra’ John Alexander MacPherson, H.E. Fra’ Elie de Comminges, H.E. Fra’ Filippo Ferretti di Castelferretto, H.E. Winfried Henckel von Donnersmarck and H.E. Antonio R. Sanchez-Corea, Jr., all Members of the Sovereign Council;
H.E. Fra’ Norbert Venceslas Kinsky de Wchynicz et Tetow, Secretary of Interior Affairs;
H.E. Giulio di Lorenzo Badia, Diplomatic Advisor;
H.E. Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, Prelate of Honour; and
H.E. Alberto Leoncini Bartoli, Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Holy See.

In the afternoon, following the ceremony, H.R.H. Crown Prince Nicolas attended a lunch offered by the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.