Jazmin Grace Grimaldi is the eldest natural child of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. She was born on March 4, 1992 in Palm Springs, California to her mother Tamara Rotolo; a former waitress and later salesperson at a real estate office. Tamara was separated from her husband but not yet divorced when she met Prince Albert while vacationing on the Cote d’Azur. When Jazmin was born Prince Albert was listed as father on her birth certificate but, the Prince said later, he wanted to keep her paternity secret until she grew up in order that she might have a normal childhood. That hope was dashed when rumors of a daughter were finally confirmed by the Sovereign Prince on July 1, 2006 following a more painful series of events surrounding the revelation of another out-of-wedlock child, Alexandre Coste, whose mother had publicized the news at a time when Monaco and the Grimaldi clan was dealing with the death of their beloved patriarch Prince Rainier III.
Jazmin and her mother visited Monaco earlier in the year and Prince Albert hired a security firm to look after her and invited her to come study in Monaco. Growing up young Jazmin gained a reputation for friendliness and intelligence. She has been an honor student in high school, a science fair winner and student of the month. She also made local news as a soloist in the school choir and once performed with Barry Manilow. In November of 2006 Jazmin visited the Fiji Islands as part of a humanitarian mission to aid the native children in the area of education and assist the community with medical and community services. She was so taken by Fiji that she set up her own charitable foundation for the relief of the poor there called the Jazmin Fund.
Contrary to the hopes of some any idea of Jazmin taking a place in the succession to the Monegasque throne is quite out of the question. On rare occasions in the past history of Monaco an illegitimate child might be adopted or legitimized by the Church to succeed to the throne but in his 2002 constitution the late Prince Rainier III specifically eliminated this possibility in the future. Jazmin is the only one of Prince Albert’s two offspring to take the Grimaldi family name and he has supported her, and his son as well, over the years and made it clear that he stands ready to do all he can for her though he would have liked for her to have reached adulthood before having the full scrutiny of being his daughter brought down on her. That the matter was made public earlier than expected was very much to do with the paternity of his son becoming public and how that event unfolded.
It would have been nice if Jazmin could have grown up without the intrusion of tabloid photographers, being shadowed by a body guard and shuttled around in an armored SUV but such was not the case. Jazmin graduated from the private Catholic Junipero Serra High School in Orange County in June, 2010 and is currently attending Fordham University in New York.
Lovely girl. Quite an unusual name. The "Grace" part though must have been after her grandmother.
ReplyDeleteActually, I'm a little bothered that it is not that unusual anymore. I think it is a sign that the current crop of parents are not as mature as in ages past when children keep popping up named after Disney cartoon characters. I'm sure the middle name was for Princess Grace, which does display again some naiveté on Albert's part. Obviously her parentage could not be kept secret for long when her mother puts down her legal name as Jazmin *Grace* *Grimaldi*.
ReplyDeleteWell, let's hope that she surpasses the Disney name. She's absolutely charming. Here's a site she set up for The Jazmin Fund a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteShe does seem to be a girl who has her act together (so far), doing well in her education and actively helping the less fortunate. She might not ever have the title of princess, but if she continues on as she is now she will certainly have all the qualities normally looked for in one.
ReplyDeletetoo bad she cannot receive a title or any royal status, but then again, maybe to her benefit.
ReplyDeleteIt is not possible but she seems to be making the best of it. She has already proven that she doesn't need to be a princess to help others and I think it speaks well of her (and her mother) that she has not been 'put out there' like many others would in her position.
ReplyDeleteShe is a beautiful girl she looks a bit like her grandmother Grace Kelly, she didnt have a title before she married. This little girl has now graduated high school and will be off to a University i imagine anywhere she wants. She was born in America we don't have titles. Prince Albert has taken good care of her she has gone to the best private catholic school. I am sure she will make a good marriage maybe in Europe who knows, i think Albert has been involved to some extent her whole life, and now he can help her with decisions for her future. Remember Princess Caroline and Stephanies children don't have titles either. She is Prince Albert's daughter, that is enough of a Royal Connection.
ReplyDelete@MadMonarchist: I agree-she's definitely proven that!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: Finally! Someone else sees Grace in her.So glad I'm not alone! From what I know, he has taken care of his daughter and she's reportedly is attending Fordham University now, studying business and music. Whatever his relationship with either of his non-royal children is, it's none of the public's business.
It is possible for her to have the title of Princess IF Prince Albert were to bestow that on her. I think he can even though she can be the the line of succession. But she does not need it but it would nice for him to want her to have it out of love for her.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how. In the first place, it would not be a very loving thing to do. All it would do is bring more attention to her and take away from her chances of having a normal life of her own. None of the children of Princess Caroline or Princess Stephanie have titles, partly for that very reason. However, more pertinent is the fact that she's American and the U.S. Constitution forbids any American citizen from accepting any hereditary title or patent of nobility from any foreign sovereign.
ReplyDeleteJazmin's, grandmother Grace Kelly became The Princess of Monaco and kept her US citizenship. Therefore, I do not believe this to be totally accurate. Prince Albert is Jazmin's father so if the US Constitutions states that I doubt it applies to her as she is the daughter of a Sovereign despite the circumstances of her birth.
DeleteLook, she's pretty much a grown woman at this point and having a title would only make her life harder. People constantly wanting titles or medals or some sort of recognition for these children do them no favors by creating the impression that they are looking for status and recognition. Jazmin is a great young woman just as she is and she needs no title to leave her own mark on the world, she has proven that already.
DeleteDo you not understand this? Why do you think none of Princess Caroline or Princess Stephanie's children have any titles? Because they know it would only make things harder for them! As for Princess Grace, it is an entirely different thing being a consort and going to live in another country, adopting that country as your own that it is for a U.S. born child who is an American citizen and only an American citizen who is not part of the line of succession and cannot be.
There is no reason for the Prince to open up a can of worms in Monaco and the U.S. by giving his daughter a title that would only make it more difficult to have a normal life and would grant her no more benefits than she has already. Jazmin has done many good works on her own merit already, she doesn't need a title feel good about herself. People who cannot see beyond the titles and tiaras really have no idea what a monarchy is really all about.
And that's the end of this line of discussion.