National Day2026 · Date · History
The Journal de Monaco explains that Prince Rainier III fixed 19 November as the Sovereign’s Feast from 1952 by Sovereign Ordinance no. 465 of 27 October 1951, choosing his enthronement day and the feast of Blessed Rainier of Arezzo. Prince Albert II retained 19 November in 2005. Current official notices list 19 November as a legal paid holiday.
About National Day
Monaco’s National Day is observed on 19 November. The official Journal de Monaco notes that the day is formally the Sovereign’s Feast/Prince’s Feast and is more commonly called the National Day.
The current November 19 arrangement dates from Prince Rainier III: Sovereign Ordinance no. 465 of 27 October 1951 fixed the Sovereign’s Feast on November 19 from 1952.
Why National Day matters
The modern date is tied to Prince Rainier III’s enthronement day and to the feast of Blessed Rainier of Arezzo. Prince Albert II retained November 19 in 2005 in tribute to his father rather than moving the celebration to a date associated with the new sovereign.
Current Journal de Monaco notices list the Sovereign’s Feast on November 19 among legal paid non-working holidays.
History of National Day
Monaco’s sovereign-day tradition predates the modern date and used different dates under earlier princes.
Prince Rainier III initially fixed the Sovereign’s Feast on April 11 in 1949.
Sovereign Ordinance no. 465 of October 27, 1951 moved the observance to November 19 from 1952.
On his accession in 2005, Prince Albert II maintained November 19, preserving the date associated with his father’s reign.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Prince Rainier III
Journal de Monaco states that Prince Rainier III chose November 19 for the Sovereign’s Feast.
Prince Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco
Sovereign Ordinance no. 465 fixing the date of the Sovereign’s Feast
First documented observance
Journal de Monaco states that from 1952 the Sovereign’s Feast used November 19 under Ordinance no. 465.
Retained November 19 after his accession in tribute to Prince Rainier III.
Prince Albert II · Decision to retain the November 19 Sovereign’s Feast date
Principality of Monaco and the Sovereign Prince
Official Journal de Monaco material documents current national ceremonies and legal holiday treatment.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
1 field not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
Monaco National Day
How to Observe National Day
Use November 19 for Monaco’s recurring National Day.
When naming it, note that official material also uses Sovereign’s Feast or Prince’s Feast.
For employment/closure questions, use the current Journal de Monaco legal-holiday notice.
When explaining the history, distinguish the modern 1952 date from earlier sovereign-specific feast dates.
National Day Facts
Monaco National Day is observed on November 19.
The current date was fixed by Sovereign Ordinance no. 465 of October 27, 1951 and used from 1952.
November 19 was Prince Rainier III’s enthronement day and the feast of Blessed Rainier of Arezzo.
Prince Albert II retained November 19 after his accession in 2005.
Current official notices treat the Sovereign’s Feast as a legal paid holiday.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Journal de Monaco — 2026 paid non-working days (opens in a new tab)
Official Journal
Journal de Monaco — National Day history (opens in a new tab)
Official Journal
Journal de Monaco — Ordinance no. 465 publication (opens in a new tab)
Official Journal
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Day?
19 November The documented recurrence rule is: 19 November.
Does National Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Monaco. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Day?
The reviewed sources identify Prince Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Prince Rainier III. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Principality of Monaco and the Sovereign Prince.
Is National Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Monaco. Its fuller verified scope is: Monaco.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-02.
When is Monaco National Day?
It is observed on November 19.
What is the official name?
Journal de Monaco refers to the Sovereign’s Feast or Prince’s Feast; it is more commonly called the National Day.
Why November 19?
Prince Rainier III chose his enthronement day, which is also the feast day of Blessed Rainier of Arezzo.
Is it a legal paid holiday?
Current Journal de Monaco notices list November 19, the Sovereign’s Feast, among legal paid non-working holidays.
Other observances on November 19
These observances are also listed on November 19, 2026.
Día de la Puertorriqueñidad
Puerto Rico Law No. 91 of 1938, as amended, declares November 19 a holiday known as Día de la Puertorriqueñidad; current government calendar material also retains older discovery terminolog…
Garifuna Settlement Day
Belize Living Heritage/NICH documents Thomas Vincent Ramos’s 1941 founding role, 1943 regional recognition, 1977 nationwide extension/renaming and November 19 historical rationale.
Great American Smokeout®
The American Cancer Society hosts the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday in November. ACS history identifies 18 November 1976 as the first official Smokeout in California and say…
International Men’s Day
The International Men’s Day organization states that the observance is marked each year on November 19 and confirms the 2026 edition and theme.
National Integration Day
Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs / Press Information Bureau
National Rural Health Day
NOSORH states that National Rural Health Day has been observed on the third Thursday of November since 2011.