Independence Day

Happy Birthday America!

Happy Easter!

To everyone from Mad for Monaco

Happy Good Friday

to all from Mad for Monaco

A Happy Christmas to All

A very happy Christmas to all from Mad for Monaco!

Happy Armistice Day

Mad for Monaco wishes everyone a happy Armistice Day (aka Veterans Day in America), a good day to remember Monaco's most famous veteran of the Great War, HSH Prince Louis II.

Happy Mothers' Day!

Happy Easter from Mad for Monaco!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

No member of the Irish diaspora is more famous in Monaco that Princess Grace. Her grandfather, John Henry Kelly, was an Irishman from Newport, County Mayo, Ireland and who came to the United States in 1869 (his wife also came from Ireland to the U.S. in 1867). Princess Grace was quite proud of her Irish heritage, a legacy of which is the Princess Grace Irish Library and she was much beloved in Ireland as is seen by the ecstatic welcome shown when the Princely Family visited Ireland. She passed this on to her son who took the name of his grandfather when he showed up for a cameo in the film "One Man's Hero" about the Irish San Patricio Battalion that fought for Mexico against the United States in the U.S.-Mexican War. Last year there had been a visit by Prince Albert planned for Ireland but it fell through, however, word has been going around that another trip is being discussed. Anyway, a happy St Patrick's Day to all the Irish around the world from Mad for Monaco!

Caro's Winter Holiday

HRH Princess Caroline has taken off for a little winter holiday in Zürs.

Little Princess Alexandra of Hanover, ready to hit the slopes.

Charlotte Casiraghi, wearing one of her usual 'annoyed but cute' expressions.

Well, the dog's not going to walk itself is it?

Happy St Valentine's Day!

Happy New Year!

MM Video: Christmas in Monaco 2010

To All Readers

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone

from all here at

MAD FOR MONACO!

Happy Halloween Monaco!

Monaco is (rightly) thought of as a beautiful country full of happy people enjoying themselves. It is known as the playground of the rich and famous, great scenery, games of chance, fast cars and luxurious yachts. Colorful characters abound and sometimes unsavory characters crop up, hence the famous description of Monaco as “a sunny place for shady people”; but sunny, upbeat and fun-loving for everyone in any event. Who would ever think of Monaco as a place of fear, horror or ghosts? Well, like any country, Monaco has had its violent periods, its tragedies and its mysteries. Halloween is as good an occasion as any to look into some of these. Starting from the very beginning we have probably the most famous Grimaldi brush with the supernatural. That is, the “curse”. Most know the story; Lord Rainier I of Monaco was fighting in France during the wars with England and raped a local woman who turned out to be a witch. In retaliation the witch put a curse on Rainier that would prevent all of his descendents from every finding happiness in love.

Is there any evidence of that actually happening? Of course not. Have ALL of the Grimaldis been unlucky at love? No, but it is an entertaining story used to explain an exaggerated run of failed romances. It is also a little less tragic than much of the early history of Monaco which was fraught with conflict. After Rainier II and his sons ruled in a rotation system, over the first 200 years of Grimaldi history in Monaco no less than four of the seigneurs came to a violent end. Probably the most famous was Seigneur Jean II who, so it seems, was murdered at the Princely Palace by his brother Lucien Grimaldi in 1505. Seigneur Lucien himself was later murdered in the palace in an attempted coup by his nephew Francois. In 1604 it was the grandson of Lucien, Seigneur Hercule (the ‘ladies man’) who was stabbed to death, supposedly by a gang of irate fathers, in a dark alley in Monaco and then had his body thrown off the jagged cliff into the Mediterranean. Does the ghost of Jean II stalk the halls of the palace seeking revenge on his brother for his assassination? Perhaps the specter of Lucien rattles his chains in sorrow over being condemned to the same fate that brought him to the Monegasque throne. And what of Lord Hercule? Does his soul leave the Church of St Nicholas to wander the Grand-Rue, floating past the old home of Bartholomies Dadino looking for those who brought him to his gruesome end? Honestly, I've never heard of such stories, but throughout the history of the House of Monaco there is certainly plenty of good material for few scary tall tales taking advantage of local history.

Fortunately, almost every prince and princess of Monaco have been as far from terrifying characters as one can be. Certainly there was none less frightening than the beloved Princess Grace. Yet, she did have her connections as one of her former directors, and certainly one of her many, many devoted admirers, was Alfred Hitchcock, master of suspense and film frights.

Happy Halloween from Mad for Monaco!

Prince Albert at the King's Castle

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and fiance Charlene Wittstock visited the mansion of the late "King of Rock & Roll" Elvis Presley, "Graceland" in Memphis. The couple had some of the barbeque Memphis is so famous for before touring the mansion and paying their respects at the grave of Elvis in the Meditation Garden. Prince Albert said that all in his party wanted to visit Graceland on their American vacation, pointing out how his music had touched their lives the same as anyone else and they wanted to view the cultural landmark that Graceland has become. He praised Elvis' contribution to the world of music as well as his charitable generosity, “He was an extraordinary figure of his time and our time. His legacy was tremendous in terms of the music he created, his films, and in terms of him as an entertainment personality. The generosity that he showed toward others is simply remarkable and I think it’s these aspects of his character, his persona, that make him such a special person.”

Memorial Day

Today holds a special significance in the Principality of Monaco and the United States of America. It was on this day in 1923 that HSH Prince Rainier III was born to Princess Charlotte and Prince Pierre of Monaco and across the US those who have died in military service are honored on Memorial Day. Thankfully, none of the recent relatives of the Princely Family (on either the Monegasque or American side) have died in war but a number have seen military service. John B. Kelly Sr. (better known as Jack Kelly), father of Princess Grace and grandfather of Prince Albert II of Monaco, enlisted as a private in the US Army during World War I and by the time the conflict had ended had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant. His son, John Kelly Jr, brother of Princess Grace and uncle of the current Princely Family, served in the US Navy during World War II but was stationed in Maryland. During the war, when he was given leave, his sister Grace would drive him to and from his base and the family home in Philadelphia. Prince Albert II himself also served for one month in the US Navy as was mentioned below.

Although not remembered as part of the American holiday of Memorial Day, readers will know that there is a long tradition of military service in the Grimaldi family of Monaco. Prince Rainier III served in the French army during World War II and his father, Prince Pierre, gave a great deal of covert assistance to the Free French forces during the dark days of the occupation. Prince Louis II served with great distinction in the French army during World War I. Even though he could not serve in World War II, Louis II donned his French uniform during the war years so there would be no doubt as to where his sympathies were among the warring powers.

A Special Message

Happy Easter!

Happy St Valentine's Day!