On October 1st (2003), Prince Albert telephoned his spymaster, Robert Eringer, to confirm a meeting two weeks hence and also invited Eringer to join him at the World Music Awards in Monte Carlo.
This allowed Eringer to observe the social dynamics of a modern royal court.
Eringer had once told the Prince that he resides in the eye of a hurricane, with social climbers, hangers-on and brown-noses forever swirling around, trying to jostle one another out of position in an on-going contest of Who can be nearest the Prince.
All the usual suspects had tables in sectioned zones adjacent to the Prince's own in the center, including British billionaire Philip Green, Irish packaging tycoon Michael Smurfit, and Omar Masoud, the Libyan vice-president of Tamoil.
Apparently not content with his placement, Green actually left his table and postured himself in the Prince's section, standing, gazing around as if to ensure that his proximity to the Prince was recognized by others-a condition known among insiders as Albertitis.
Noticeably absent: Philip Zepter, a Serbian resident of Monaco, and Alexey Fedorichev, who seemed to understand that they had, of late, been cold-shouldered by Albert-and had not bought tables.
The next day at noon the Prince met his spymaster in Hotel Columbus for fifty minutes during which Eringer updated him on various matters.
Patric Maugein was still being pushed on him, the Prince told Eringer, by Maugein's Lebanese associate, who told the Prince things like, "He is close to Chirac" and "He has ideas for better business in Monaco." The Prince rebuffed him.
The system, Eringer felt confident, was working.
"By the way?" Eringer asked. "What was Philip Green doing in your section at the music awards?"
"Yeah, I know," replied the Prince, a look of disgust on his face.
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