It was on this day in 2005 that HSH Prince Rainier III went to his eternal reward and Albert II became Sovereign Prince of Monaco.
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Favorite Princely Images: The Passing of Rainier
It was on this day in 2005 that HSH Prince Rainier III went to his eternal reward and Albert II became Sovereign Prince of Monaco.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Funeral for Princess Antoinette
The Casiraghis and de Massy clan
Stephanie, Caroline, Albert and Charlene
Preparing to remove the Princess to the chapel of Peace
Melanie Antoinette de Massy paid a touching tribute to her grandmother, remarking on her courage in facing illness, her love of people, zest for life and attachment to the Catholic Church. "Deo Juvante" (With God's Help) the Grimaldi motto was mentioned numerous times. Watch now on Monaco TV
Friday, March 18, 2011
Princess Antoinette Has Passed Away
Tragic news to report, according to a short statement from the Princely Palace, Her Serene Highness Princess Antoinette of Monaco, elder sister of Prince Rainier III, passed away today at the age of 90 at the Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco. Flags across the Principality have been lowered to half-mast in honor of the late matriarch of the Grimaldi clan. The Princess had been suffering from numerous ailments, and simple old age, for quite some time and had been staying in the hospital for quite a while. The Princess is the mother of Baroness Elisabeth-Anne de Massy, Baron Christian de Massy and was preceded in death by her daughter Christine Alix de Massy. The last public appearance of Princess Antoinette was at the annual meeting of the Union of Monegasque Women. She celebrated her 90th birthday on December 28, 2010. Mad for Monaco sends heartfelt condolences to the Princely Family, our prayers are with them and with the de Massy clan. May the Princess have the light of the Holy Face shine on her and may she rest in peace.
The Palace has announced that the funeral for Princess Antoinette will be held on Thursday, March 24th at 10 am at St Nicholas Cathedral. Princess Antoinette's body was transferred to the Palace Chapel today for the immediate family to pay their respects. The Prince has ordered two weeks of public mourning to be observed in Monaco. The Palace staff will pay their respects tomorrow and there will be a special mass said for the family in the chapel on Sunday. After that time the public will be able to visit the chapel to pay their respects to the Princess. After the formal funeral in the Cathedral the Princess will be buried in the Chapel of Peace ("la chapelle de la Paix") which will be attended by the family only. The Sovereign Prince will not be attending the upcoming Rose Ball because of the period of mourning though the Casiraghis are expected to still attend.
Princess Antoinette, 1920-2011, born in the reign of Prince Albert I, passed away in the reign of Prince Albert II.
Paris Match coverage and Nice Matin coverage.Thursday, October 28, 2010
Dealing with the Loss of Grace
For a number of reasons, mostly his kind and friendly temperament, Prince Albert II has never been viewed as an exceptionally “strong” monarch. Before he came to the throne many worried what would happen once the firm and familiar figure of Prince Rainier III was gone. Albert seemed like too nice of a fellow to make the big, tough decisions required of a prince who is expected to actually rule his country. There had been no such trepidation about Rainier. He was the man who had gone head to head with Aristotle Onassis and won, faced down Charles DeGaulle and even exiled his own sister when she acted against him. Yet, Rainier was a man who felt his feelings hard and Prince Albert had more inner strength than most people gave him credit for even fairly early on. At no time was this more demonstrated than at the darkest moment for the family: the tragic death of Princess Grace.
Rainier III was positively devastated. One of his best friends had died the year before and, contrary to what some dishonest tabloids tried to imply, Grace was the love of his life and the center of his world. Everyone saw the sad Mediterranean monarch, head bowed by grief, walking behind the casket at the funeral, doing everything according to protocol, even attending a second requiem mass several hours after the first (something not so many are aware of). His heartbreak was evident but he seemed to be bearing the burden solidly. Yet, what the public did not see was how inconsolable he was in private. Immediately after it happened Prince Rainier simply shut down. His beloved wife was gone, his baby girl in the hospital -it must have seemed like his world was falling apart. It was in that most terrible of situations that Prince Albert, only 24 at the time, stepped in to fill the breach.
For several weeks after the passing of Princess Grace it was Prince Albert who covered for his grieving father. Although obviously he was extremely struck by the tragedy as well (everyone said Albert was the most like Grace and he was the apple of her eye) he nonetheless shouldered the burden for his father. He dealt with the officials, the courtiers and it was he who took the phone calls from the multitude of friends of Princess Grace that came pouring in after the news of her death hit the news. He put off going to New York to study international finance so he could deal with the tragedy and he showed a side of his character that not many had had occasion to see before. The sympathetic young man was effectively acting as a guardian for his grief-stricken father, screening him from the intrusion of the world at such a time until he could compose himself. Princess Caroline also stepped up to help her father at the time. She took charge of the palace, overseeing the staff, the maintenance and even ordering meals for Prince Rainier. She would also often go to the hospital to sit up overnight with Princess Stephanie. When he was able Prince Rainier also visited several times a day if only to stop and play cards.
Not surprisingly, Princess Stephanie had a particularly terrible time dealing with the situation. Her uncle, John Kelly Jr. said, “Stephanie is suffering not just from her injuries but from the trauma of being there when it happened. I think maybe in some way she might be blaming herself for not having done something to save the situation”. Obviously, that would be quite a burden for a seventeen-year-old girl who had been arguing with her mother just before the crash and then had to deal with all of the hurtful rumors that spread afterward, adding even further to the pain common in such circumstances known as ‘survivors guilt’. While the others had duties to keep themselves busy, even if only helping take care of their father for Albert and Caroline, Stephanie had many long hours in her hospital bed to relive every detail of the tragedy in her mind over and over again. The overnight stays by her sister and the visits by her father, several times a day, certainly helped. They had always been close and the tragedy only drew them closer as it did the family as a whole. Once stable enough himself Prince Rainier led the way in their coping as a family, taking them away from the glare of Monaco to the island of Nassau where they could spend time together coming to grips with what had happened and trying to occupy themselves with other things when possible.
Many people wondered how Rainier would carry on without Princess Grace. He had never loved being in the spotlight and had been the shy type ever since he was a boy. Princess Grace, the actress, the socialite and international celebrity, had in many ways been the public face of the Monegasque monarchy during their marriage. She excelled in dealing with people and Rainier had given her a great deal of freedom in handling things in which he knew she was better suited than he was. How could he go on without her? Of course, he did, and the tragedy perhaps showed all of them what they could cope with when they had to. Princess Caroline stepped into the role of ‘first lady’ admirably, working together with her father to fill the space that Princess Grace had occupied in public life. Albert continued on with his preparations for his destiny to become Sovereign Prince one day, despite the worries of people that he was too nice, too accommodating and eager to please to be the sort of tough monarch that the people of Monaco expected. Those who said such things did not know how he had shielded his father in those terrible days after the accident. He was made of tougher stuff than anyone had imagined. Those closer to the family noted that the tragedy had a maturing effect on him.
Princess Stephanie has probably had the toughest time carrying on after the tragedy, which is understandable. Her meteoric ups and downs over the years have caused many to blame it all on the absence of Princess Grace. ‘If she had been around things would be different’ was the attitude. That may be true or it may not. Both the Grimaldi girls have always been very strong willed and both parents learned that once their minds were set to something there was finally nothing that could stop them. Of course, had the accident not occurred Princess Stephanie would perhaps have at least been spared some of the emotional trauma she had to endure that the rest of the family did not and that may have caused her to make different decisions in her life. However, we can say that Princess Stephanie, perhaps because of the tragedy, has displayed a desire to live her life (to quote a song of hers’) because it can be cut short without warning. She has also carried on the tradition of her mother in her charitable work and her compassion for others, regardless of their background or personal choices. In that regard, I think Princess Grace would certainly be proud of how all of her children have done since she has been gone.
Rainier III was positively devastated. One of his best friends had died the year before and, contrary to what some dishonest tabloids tried to imply, Grace was the love of his life and the center of his world. Everyone saw the sad Mediterranean monarch, head bowed by grief, walking behind the casket at the funeral, doing everything according to protocol, even attending a second requiem mass several hours after the first (something not so many are aware of). His heartbreak was evident but he seemed to be bearing the burden solidly. Yet, what the public did not see was how inconsolable he was in private. Immediately after it happened Prince Rainier simply shut down. His beloved wife was gone, his baby girl in the hospital -it must have seemed like his world was falling apart. It was in that most terrible of situations that Prince Albert, only 24 at the time, stepped in to fill the breach.
For several weeks after the passing of Princess Grace it was Prince Albert who covered for his grieving father. Although obviously he was extremely struck by the tragedy as well (everyone said Albert was the most like Grace and he was the apple of her eye) he nonetheless shouldered the burden for his father. He dealt with the officials, the courtiers and it was he who took the phone calls from the multitude of friends of Princess Grace that came pouring in after the news of her death hit the news. He put off going to New York to study international finance so he could deal with the tragedy and he showed a side of his character that not many had had occasion to see before. The sympathetic young man was effectively acting as a guardian for his grief-stricken father, screening him from the intrusion of the world at such a time until he could compose himself. Princess Caroline also stepped up to help her father at the time. She took charge of the palace, overseeing the staff, the maintenance and even ordering meals for Prince Rainier. She would also often go to the hospital to sit up overnight with Princess Stephanie. When he was able Prince Rainier also visited several times a day if only to stop and play cards.
Not surprisingly, Princess Stephanie had a particularly terrible time dealing with the situation. Her uncle, John Kelly Jr. said, “Stephanie is suffering not just from her injuries but from the trauma of being there when it happened. I think maybe in some way she might be blaming herself for not having done something to save the situation”. Obviously, that would be quite a burden for a seventeen-year-old girl who had been arguing with her mother just before the crash and then had to deal with all of the hurtful rumors that spread afterward, adding even further to the pain common in such circumstances known as ‘survivors guilt’. While the others had duties to keep themselves busy, even if only helping take care of their father for Albert and Caroline, Stephanie had many long hours in her hospital bed to relive every detail of the tragedy in her mind over and over again. The overnight stays by her sister and the visits by her father, several times a day, certainly helped. They had always been close and the tragedy only drew them closer as it did the family as a whole. Once stable enough himself Prince Rainier led the way in their coping as a family, taking them away from the glare of Monaco to the island of Nassau where they could spend time together coming to grips with what had happened and trying to occupy themselves with other things when possible.
Many people wondered how Rainier would carry on without Princess Grace. He had never loved being in the spotlight and had been the shy type ever since he was a boy. Princess Grace, the actress, the socialite and international celebrity, had in many ways been the public face of the Monegasque monarchy during their marriage. She excelled in dealing with people and Rainier had given her a great deal of freedom in handling things in which he knew she was better suited than he was. How could he go on without her? Of course, he did, and the tragedy perhaps showed all of them what they could cope with when they had to. Princess Caroline stepped into the role of ‘first lady’ admirably, working together with her father to fill the space that Princess Grace had occupied in public life. Albert continued on with his preparations for his destiny to become Sovereign Prince one day, despite the worries of people that he was too nice, too accommodating and eager to please to be the sort of tough monarch that the people of Monaco expected. Those who said such things did not know how he had shielded his father in those terrible days after the accident. He was made of tougher stuff than anyone had imagined. Those closer to the family noted that the tragedy had a maturing effect on him.
Princess Stephanie has probably had the toughest time carrying on after the tragedy, which is understandable. Her meteoric ups and downs over the years have caused many to blame it all on the absence of Princess Grace. ‘If she had been around things would be different’ was the attitude. That may be true or it may not. Both the Grimaldi girls have always been very strong willed and both parents learned that once their minds were set to something there was finally nothing that could stop them. Of course, had the accident not occurred Princess Stephanie would perhaps have at least been spared some of the emotional trauma she had to endure that the rest of the family did not and that may have caused her to make different decisions in her life. However, we can say that Princess Stephanie, perhaps because of the tragedy, has displayed a desire to live her life (to quote a song of hers’) because it can be cut short without warning. She has also carried on the tradition of her mother in her charitable work and her compassion for others, regardless of their background or personal choices. In that regard, I think Princess Grace would certainly be proud of how all of her children have done since she has been gone.
Monday, October 4, 2010
It Happened Yesterday
It was yesterday in 1990 that Stefano Casiraghi, husband of Princess Caroline, was killed in a boat racing accident off the coast of Monaco while defending his title as world offshore powerboat champion. Princess Caroline was devestated and went into deep mourning for a long time afterward. She became noticably more religious and would often go to Church during the day just to visit the resting place of her beloved husband. In the following years she always said that Stefano was her one true love and, in light of recent events, it is probably safe to say she was never happier than when she was with him. Their marriage had been quick but it took a great deal of time and a good deal of lobbying by her father to normalize things with the Church and it was to come to a tragic end all too soon. However, Stefano Casiraghi, as well as leaving a lasting mark on Princess Caroline, also left behind a striking legacy in the persons of his children; Andrea, Pierre and Charlotte. Undoubtedly he is still greatly missed.
Monday, September 13, 2010
MM Video: Princess Grace - Still Missed
It was 28 years ago today that Their Serene Highnesses Princess Grace and Princess Stephanie were involved in the car crash that cost Princess Grace her life and nearly cost Princess Stephanie her mobility. Almost three decades later the absence of Princess Grace is still felt. She was truly one of a kind and there will never be another like her.
R.I.P. Princess
Friday, April 30, 2010
The Passing of a Princess
It was on this day in 1991 that HSH Princess Ghislaine of Monaco passed away at Neuilly-sur-Seine. She was the wife and consort, in the twilight of his life, of HSH Prince Louis II of Monaco. She was 35 years younger than the Sovereign Prince when the 69-year-old Louis II fell in love with the former actress. He married her and brought her to the palace where, sadly, most of the family turned a cold shoulder to her. Prince Louis II adored her totally but the rest of the family tended to be suspicious of her, as is often the case when an older man at the end of his life weds a much younger woman. In fact, when the two married Louis' granddaughter, Princess Antoinette, refused to attend (and when she made her first marriage Louis II responded in kind). When Prince Louis II died he made generous provision for his wife in his will but Prince Rainier III blocked this and though he never spoke to Princess Ghislaine she still kept her apartments in the Princely Palace and made use of them from time to time. One of the last major events Princess Ghislaine attended in Monaco was the celebration in May of 1974 of the 25th anniversary of Prince Rainier III coming to the throne. This included a Te Deum at the national cathedral in honor of Prince Louis II and Princess Ghislaine, along with almost the whole Grimaldi family for a change, attended. Although she was rather put aside in Monaco for the most part she remained Dowager Princess of Monaco for the rest of her life, a life that ended on this day, April 30, 19 years ago.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
A Sad Anniversary
It was on this day in 2005 that His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco passed to his eternal reward at 6:35 AM at the age of 81. He had been hospitalized for bronchitis, which developed into a lung infection until his life was finally taken as a result of renal and heart failure. There would certainly have been much more attention given to the passing of the Prince had it not come so soon after the death of Pope John Paul II. For Monaco the death of Rainier III was truly the end of an era. At the time he was the second longest reigning monarch in the world after HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. It is also my opinion that, with the clarity of hindsight, Rainier III will be remembered as one of the greatest monarchs in Monegasque history. This is true for many reasons. Rainier III was the first Sovereign Prince in quite some time to make his principality his primary residence, he was determined to live amongst his people and was adamant that he was Monegasque and nothing else. He showed firm leadership in asserting his authority over the country and ensured that Monaco would welcome people of all backgrounds rather than being reserved only for the super-rich. He expanded his country, diversified the economy to ensure future success when the country could not prosper from gambling revenues alone. His marriage to Princess Grace brought glamor and world attention on Monaco, he made Monaco a place for everyone; a place with excitement and culture, fun and refinement, lavish and family friendly, welcoming to the elites of the world and ordinary tourists. He ensured that Monaco was a place where vast fortunes were made and lost but with a large and professional police force that made it one of the safest countries in the world. He was a forward-thinking man, a stylish prince who embraced the future but also a Catholic monarch who honored the traditions of his country and people. His absence is still felt and he is still sorely missed. May His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III have eternal rest and may he rest in peace.
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