PARIS - The ruler of Monaco, Prince Albert II, has acknowledged having fathered an illegitimate son with a former flight attendant from Togo, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Albert — in his first remarks on the child since French media broke the story weeks ago — wants to face up to his responsibilities and hopes his young son, now almost 2 years old, could live away from the media spotlight, the Paris lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, said in a statement.