H.S.H. Princess Stephanie

If there is one member of the Grimaldi princely house who has created more than her share of controversy it is Princess Stephanie, the youngest child of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace; the one even at a young age whom Princess Grace referred to as her wild child. Some of her actions may have caused gasps from the faint of heart and raised a few eyebrows, but Princess Stephanie has also displayed an abundance of creativity, a restless energy and a down-to-earth way of connecting with people and helping people. She is living proof that it is often those who are considered outcasts at times who most sympathize with and most help the outcast and most downtrodden of their fellow man. Throughout her life Princess Stephanie has been a model, fashion designer, singer, mother and patron of charitable causes. She has gained a great deal of wisdom over the years from the many ups and downs in her life but she has never lost her rebel spirit and her mischievous but always compassionate heart.

Princess Stephanie was born Stephanie Marie Elisabeth Grimaldi, Countess of Polignac on February 1, 1965, the youngest child of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco. From a very early age she was known as a precocious and energetic child. She was given a proper education from the start but was always more drawn to the creative and the artistic than the cerebral. It would probably be impossible to overstate the significance of the fact that it was young Princess Stephanie who was riding with her mother back to Monaco when the accident occurred that took the life of the beloved Princess Grace on September 13, 1982. Stephanie survived but her mother did not and she was not even able to attend the funeral because she was still hospitalized recovering from her own injuries. This had a tremendous impact on the poor girl and would affect the rest of her life. It is also a large part of the reason why I will not tolerate dismissive criticism of Princess Stephanie.

Few people who have not had the misfortune to experience it can imagine the pain and emotional suffering that goes along with surviving an accident that takes the life of someone else. I am among those fortunate ones, but members of my family I am very close to have and I am painfully aware of the hurt it causes. Not only did Princess Stephanie go through such trauma, but it was made worse by the fact that it was her own mother and at her age losing a parent would be traumatic enough without being in the same accident and having to face the feelings of guilt that arise from the fact the you walked away and your beloved mother did not. Even with this worst of scenarios there was even more hardship heaped on the young princess with the thoughtless and hurtful rumors that she had really been driving the car and that the palace had covered it up. It was all totally untrue of course, Princess Grace had been driving, had suffered a stroke and thus lost control of the vehicle. However, just imagine what an extra amount of torment Princess Stephanie had to endure by being subject to the whispers that she was responsible for the death of her own mother. Add to all this the fact that she spent a long time afterwards going through the physical pain of her injuries and it was not until the following year that she had completely recovered; from the physical wounds at least. It would take some time for her to work through the emotional issues associated with the whole incident.

Following her recovery in 1983 Princess Stephanie began working as an apprentice at Christian Dior under Marc Bohan, a friend of Princess Grace. Some might have thought it was Stephanie who was doing Bohan the favor as here mere presence brought a great deal of publicity to Christian Dior and before the end of 1984 Princess Stephanie was a fashion model and appeared in numerous European and American magazines including Hola!, Vogue and Vanity Fair throughout 1985 and 1986. This line of work ended, however, at the insistence of Prince Rainier III who was not happy about his daughter working as a model. Yet, the creativity of Princess Stephanie could not be contained and toward the end of 1986 she came out with her own swimwear line and when the line was officially unveiled her family supported her and the world was treated to pictures of the lovely princess modeling her own creations. Princess Stephanie was on magazine covers all around the world from Europe to the U.S. and Brazil to Japan. However, Stephanie was too restless to stick with the fashion industry for long and began looking for others ways to express herself and find an outlet for her creativity. It was then that she turned to music.

February 1986 saw Stephanie release her first single, the hit "Ouragan" or "Irresistible" as it was titled in English. It was a great success, quickly rocketing to the International Top 10 and ultimately selling some five million copies. In September she released her first full album with many new songs including the smash hit "Flash" (in English "One Love to Give") which sold over two and a half million copies. In 1987 she released another single with the profits donated to UNICEF. That same year, to continue her music career and move in with her boyfriend-of-the-month Mario Oliver, Princess Stephanie moved to Los Angeles, California. Unfortunately, Princess Stephanie learned how fickle the music industry could be. After five years her next album was finally released and was greeted with lackluster sales and poor critical reviews. The open-minded liberals of LA seemed more obsessed with punishing a Princess than giving her music a fair hearing. They prefer their artists to be starving heroin-addicts from out of the gutter after all. Princess Stephanie ended her musical phase with an anonymous part in a Michael Jackson album.

On the bright side, she had produced some very good work and with the end of that chapter could move on to other creative endeavors. In 1989 Princess Stephanie came out with her own perfume line and in the succeeding years became an unofficial spokesperson for the Replay Store and Café with her own store in Monaco. She also opened one in Barcelona in 1997. By this time Princess Stephanie had become a mother and, although it is a long and complicated story, I might as well go ahead and dive into the personal life of Princess Stephanie. Over the years her boyfriends, companions and husbands have been numerous and frequently changing and often included men of less than admirable reputations. As stated, I tend not to be critical of this often criticized behavior, mostly because of what Stephanie had to endure. It has also been stated that, in French pop-culture, the princess who hangs around with ruffians is somewhat romanticized as an ideal, a sort of fetish over breaking the rules.

Among the many bad boys Princess Stephanie has been associated with was a man convicted of car theft, an alleged rapist and a convicted con man who had served time in prison for fraud and theft. She also had flings with a Spanish singer, a French actor, a record producer, American actor Rob Lowe whose lack of French language skills ended his future with the Princess, a football star, and Belgian bodybuilder and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme. In 1992 Stephanie began a relationship with her bodyguard Daniel Ducruet by whom she had two children; Louis Ducruet born in 1992 and Pauline Ducruet born in 1994. The couple finally married in Monaco on July 1, 1995 which legitimized their children in Monegasque law and put them in the line of succession. This might have been the start of a more calm period of happy family life for Princess Stephanie, but heartache found the rebel princess again when photos came out of Ducruet frolicking with a Belgian stripper. He was promptly expelled from the upper echelon of Monaco society and a divorce was granted on October 4, 1996. Princess Stephanie had been robbed of wedded bliss and her romantic misadventures were set to continue.

Stephanie still seemed to be drawn to those charged with her protection as things got rather serious between her and her chief of security Jean Raymond Gottlieb, a former Paris policeman and ski instructor. Soon Princess Stephanie was obviously in a family way again. On July 15, 1998 Princess Stephanie gave birth to a daughter, Camille Marie Kelly, named after her grandmother, in Monte Carlo and the Princess Grace Hospital Center. Everyone assumed that Gottlieb was the father though Princess Stephanie refused to reveal who was. Ducruet said the child was not his and an exasperated Prince Rainier III ordered his daughter to leave Monaco. That may not have been the best move in the long run as she went to the ski resort at Auron and fell in love with a Corsican bartender and was even spotted waiting tables from time to time. For someone who had never been impressed with the attention and pressures of being a princess Stephanie seemed desperate to be an anonymous, "ordinary" person. Nonetheless, after about 6 months that little fling was over and Princess Stephanie moved on.

In 2000 Princess Stephanie began a relationship with the Swiss circus owner and elephant trainer Franco Knie who she met a festival in Monte Carlo when awarding him a prize for Best Animal Tamer. Unfortunately, Monsieur Knie was married and the affair only became known publicly in 2001 when Knie announced that he was leaving his wife for Princess Stephanie. For several months thereafter Princess Stephanie and her children traveled with the circus, living in less than luxurious conditions, and her daughter Pauline became so infatuated with the elephants that Knie included her in the act. However, by the next year that relationship was over as well.

Throughout 2003 Stephanie was linked with Princely Palace head gardener (another married man), her former brother-in-law Philippe Junot and the Portuguese-Spanish trapeze artist Adans Lopez Peres, ten years younger than her and also a member of the Circus Knie. It was rumored that the two married and in the summer of 2004 a German newspaper reported that the two were divorcing and Stephanie was again seen with former husband Ducruet as well as Franck Brasseur, a married croupier. By November Stephanie and Peres were divorced and Stephanie was later seen dating another bartender and a French actor and musician. So far she has not shown any indication of wishing to marry again. She has also consistently tried to keep her children out of the public limelight and has said she wishes them to have as normal a life as possible, which may prove a futile effort.

Recently Princess Stephanie has taken on some more traditional royal duties. The death of Prince Rainier was a terrible blow to her. Despite their differences over the years she was very attached to him and her father had been her rock of stability throughout her many trials and ups and downs. However, she has said that his memory is with her constantly and she has become very involved in the fight against AIDS and helping AIDS victims around the world. She has become a UNAIDS ambassador and set up her own foundation, called Fight AIDS Monaco, to help the victims of the disease and to fight against the stigma that often goes with it. In this she seems to have found a niche for her particular talents, being a very loving person and also as someone who has been treated as something of an outcast by many she has more sympathy for these, the least of her brethren, than others might.

The years and her many high and low points seem to have brought Princess Stephanie a certain degree of worldly wisdom. She also does not ignore the spiritual side of life. In a recent interview she said, "It is important to believe in something. I am Christian and am baptized. Catholicism is the religion of state here and I respect it deeply". She went on to condemn excess and religious radicalism and expressed the view that, as the Bible says, all must work out their own salvation in fear and trembling. Over the years she has certainly been known as the wild child, the rebel princess and has made many eyes roll, however, she has had to deal with circumstances few other people in the world can understand. She has had to endure pain and emotional hardship the likes of which most onlookers and gossip columnists will never be able to comprehend. However, through it all her character has remain unchanged. She remains someone who is ready to help others, someone who refuses to quit and always displays her creative nature, her restless and rebellious nature and her indomitable spirit.

H.S.H. Prince Albert II

The present reigning Sovereign Prince of Monaco is Albert II, second child and only son of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. He was born Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi on March 14, 1958 at the Princely Palace in Monaco. As a boy he attended the Albert I High School and graduated in 1976. For six summers he worked as a camp counselor at Camp Tecumseh on Lake Winnipesaukee at Moultonborough, New Hampshire. He later attended Amherst College where he studied a variety of subjects to prepare him for his future role as reigning prince and he graduated in 1981 with a BA in political science. He also studied economics in an exchange program and demonstrated his love of athletics with his participation in a wife variety of sports. He would eventually become most known for his place on the Olympic bobsled team for Monaco. Over the years he would compete in five winter Olympics. The public was impressed when they learned they lived exactly the same as the other athletes, in the same Spartan conditions with no special treatment.

When Princess Grace died in 1982 the world mourned and everyone watched to see how the family would cope with the loss. Friends and royal watchers began to observe that there seemed to be quite a bit of Princess Grace in Hereditary Prince Albert. Those who knew him were unanimous about Albert being a kind and compassionate man, the nicest guy in the world many said. His buddies also claimed that he was quite the ladies man and had girls at the top of his list of interests, however, everyone was impatient that he settle on one girl, get married and start a family. To the consternation of people around the world Albert showed absolutely no interest in marriage. With the loss of Princess Grace it was no secret that Rainier III was in despair and there were rumors that he planned to abdicate as soon as Albert got settled. Needless to say, Rainier III never abdicated.

As Albert passed the age at which his own father had married, the chattering only increased. He was known as one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe; he was handsome, charming, dripping with money, a certified prince and of course very, very, very nice. He had beautiful women on his arm at every special occasion and formal event and yet he never seemed to have a steady girlfriend. What could possibly be the problem? Rumors finally began to go around that Albert was gay and he was even featured in a number of gay magazines despite everyone who knew him assuring the press that this was not true. Albert himself said he found the rumor funny at first but that it lost its humor very quickly.

Later on the world would find out in a public way that, contrary to the gay rumors, Prince Albert certainly liked girls and, truth be told, probably a little more than was good for him. Nonetheless, he ignored all of the gossip, tabloids and rumors of the chattering classes and devoted himself to being a good heir and preparing for his future job as the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. He made sure to keep up to speed with business, economics, social issues, environmental issues and charitable work as well as continuing his long association with the Olympic Games. However, as the years went by and Prince Rainier III became increasingly frail the marital status of the Hereditary Prince began to become a matter of politics as well as the society page. If he were do die without issue the Principality of Monaco would, legally, be absorbed by the French Republic, which was the last thing anyone wanted.

In 2002, with Albert still showing no sign of interest in tying the knot, a new succession law was worked out to remove the threat of a French takeover and ensure that if Albert never had children the crown would pass to his older sister, her children and so down the family line according to male primogeniture. This might have taken some of the pressure off of Albert, but if he was ever under any stress about his lack of a wife he certainly never showed it. He already had more than enough to keep him busy and girls he dated did complain that even those closest to him had very little time alone with the busy prince who always had some business to attend to, some ceremony to oversee or some event to appear at for the benefit of his tiny country.

In early March, 2005, Rainier III went into critical care in the hospital and by the end of the month the Palace announced that the Reigning Prince could no longer carry out his duties and that Hereditary Prince Albert had been appointed regent to act on his behalf. This turned out to be a largely symbolic action as Albert spent most of his time with his ailing father and was regent for only about a week before it was announced that Rainier III had died and his son had succeeded as Reigning Prince Albert II of Monaco. The new prince led his country in three months of mourning for his father before the start of his reign was officially celebrated starting on July 12, 2005 at a mass in St Nicholas Cathedral with Monsignor Bernard Barsi, Archbishop of Monaco, officiating. There was a party held at the Palace for the Monegasque natives and the day of celebrations ended with a fireworks display on the waterfront. The formal enthronement came on November 19, 2005 at St Nicholas Cathedral. It was a grand occasion of pomp and ceremony for the principality with the princely family gathered together, including the new heir-to-the-throne Hereditary Princess Caroline of Monaco, her husband Prince Ernst of Hanover, her children Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre as well as younger sister Princess Stephanie. Even his controversial aunt, Princess Antoinette, attended. Various national delegations also attended including 16 other royals from the assorted houses of Europe. The day was ended with a fitting elegant opera at Monte-Carlo.

As Albert II began his reign he had the benefit of numerous qualities which make for a successful monarch, being educated, athletic, popular, compassionate and, of course, being just a real nice guy. The only thing he still does not have is a wife and children and as each year passes the constant rumors of impending marriage become harder to believe. However, he has also been married to his country and has taken the duties of his job very seriously. Of course, a very important part of those duties are attending lavish parties, traveling the world, bringing attention to Monaco, encouraging new business and keeping the principality on its feet. He has also done a great deal of charity work, particularly for orphans, and has become very interested in environmentalism. He has done a great deal to educate himself on the subject as well as reviving the traditional Grimaldi patronage of causes for marine wildlife. Sometimes all of these causes and his own sense of adventure overlap and make for some exciting excursions. Albert II, in 2006, earned the distinction of being the first and only Head of State to visit the North Pole and in 2009 it was announced that he has an expedition planned for the Antarctic.

Romantic rumors began to fly again in 2006 when Albert was attending the Winter Olympics and met the South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock with whom he was spotted on several occasions thereafter. However, there was also considerable evidence come to light that certainly put to rest the gay rumors. In 2005 Albert, through his lawyers, admitted to fathering an illegitimate son with a flight attendant from Togo named Nicole Coste. In 2006 DNA tests also proved that Albert was the father of another illegitimate child by a woman from California named Tamara Rotolo. The child, a daughter, was named Jazmin Grace Grimaldi who was invited by her father to live and study in Monaco if she wished but has so far remained with her mother in San Juan Capistrano, California. A topless model from Germany had also claimed that Albert fathered a child with her but blood tests proved the claims false.

In the summer of 2011 Prince Albert II married longtime girlfriend Charlene Wittstock in one of the biggest royal weddings of the year and the largest such celebration in Monaco since the marriage of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier. Thus, there is now the chance that offspring may be produced to continue the Grimaldi-Polignac line of Rainier III. In any event, until such time as Albert II and Charlene do produce legitimate issue his heir remains his elder sister Caroline, Princess of Hanover.

H.R.H. Princess Caroline of Hanover

Caroline Louise Marguerite Grimaldi, Countess of Polignac, Princess of Monaco was born on January 23, 1957, the first child of Reigning Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco. At the time it was not expected she was not expected to rank very high in the succession but following the reforms of 2002 she became Hereditary Princess of Monaco and next in line to the throne in the absence of any legitimate issue by her younger brother Albert. She was a very precocious child and one in whom great hopes were placed. She once recalled walking in on her mother leafing through the Almanach de Gotha looking for a suitable husband for her. In her youth she was educated in France, went on to a prestigious Catholic girls school in Ascot and then the Sorbonne in Paris where she earned a degree in philosophy with minors in psychology and biology. In the cosmopolitan fashion of Monaco she can also speak French, English, Spanish, German and Italian fluently.

Like any teenage girl she went through her own rebellious period and even at 21 was complaining about the high expectations her mother had for her. As she matured she was considered quite the prize by every young man of the jet-set crowd and plenty of tongues wagged when she became a pair with the much older Philippe Junot, a Parisian banker with a reputation as a playboy. Princess Grace did not approve but told her daughter, after some time, that she must marry him or break things off. Princess Caroline and Junot were married in Monaco on June 29, 1978. Princess Grace predicted that it would not last two years and mother must have known best for the couple divorced on October 9, 1980.

In 1982 even more pressure was heaped on Princess Caroline with the death of her mother. Although the two had their typical mother-daughter squabbles Caroline adored her mother and reveres her to this day. However, many people unfairly expected Princess Caroline to somehow take the place of Princess Grace as the leading lady of Monaco. Obviously, the shoes of someone like Princess Grace could never be filled, but to her credit Princess Caroline did some fast growing up and began taking on more and more duties and did her best for Monaco and the Monegasque monarchy like a real trooper. Things looked up for even more when she married Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi in Monaco on December 29, 1983 though in a civil marriage only as the Catholic Church still considered her married to Philippe Junot.

By most accounts Stefano was, for Caroline, the love of her life and over the succeeding years; 1984, 1986 and 1987 the couple had three children; Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre. For the first time in her life Princess Caroline seemed to be enjoying domestic tranquility with her husband and children. A devoted mother, her father Prince Rainier also fell into the part of grandpa with considerable zeal and gave all the attention he could to his grandchildren. Because of all this it came as the most terrible blow when Stefano was killed in a boating accident on October 3, 1990 at only 30 years old. Princess Caroline was all but crushed by his loss and many believed her spirit would finally be broken by the trauma of it all. She may have come close, but those who made such predictions underestimated the inner strength of Princess Caroline. It took time to work through her pain, but once she did, she pushed back her shoulders and carried on in the best aristocratic style. Her mother would certainly have been proud of her.

Throughout her life Princess Caroline has used her position to support a number of charitable and cultural causes, work she has long done and will continue. Among her many interests and causes are the ballet, the symphony, opera, gardening, charities for children, the disabled and supporting the arts. Family friend Prince Dmitri of Yugoslavia said that Princess Caroline is one of the most brilliant people he knows, someone who can be at ease talking to anyone and on virtually any subject from art and music to politics and metaphysics. So, to be succinct, she has displayed all of the best qualities one would desire in a modern European princess. In her private life, which despite her best efforts never remains entirely private, boyfriends would occasionally come and go and the world wondered if she would ever marry again. Religiously, she became free to do so as in 1992 the Roman Catholic Church formally annulled her previous marriage to Philippe Junot which only made the marriage speculation and rumors increase.

Those rumors were put to rest when she married HRH Prince Ernst August V of Hanover in a civil ceremony in Monaco on January 23, 1999. A religious ceremony followed a few days later in Germany though it was agreed that Princess Caroline would not renounce her Catholic faith and that any children would be raised in the Catholic Church. All of this required the couple to receive the permission of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain before they could wed. The current line of the British Royal Family being the former monarchs of Hanover, the Queen is still the senior member of the family and by marrying a Catholic princess, Prince Ernst August would lose his rights of succession to the British throne. Of course, the Queen had no objection and the marriage went through without incident. The royal titles of Hanover are not recognized by the Federal Republic of Germany but the Principality of Monaco does so and Princess Caroline is therefore Her Royal Highness the Princess of Hanover, technically the only royal member of her family. On July 20, 1999 Princess Caroline gave birth to the only child of the couple, Princess Alexandra of Hanover, in Austria.

In 2002 changes in the succession laws of Monaco made Princess Caroline heir to the throne, and her children after her, in the absence of any legitimate issue by Prince Albert II; giving Caroline the title of Hereditary Princess of Monaco. She continues to enjoy the admiration of the people of Monaco and her many adoring fans around the world, however, she has also in recent years had to share some attention with her children, particularly Andrea and Charlotte whose good looks have ensured their place on mountains of magazine covers. Princess Caroline has tried to protect her privacy, and that of her family, as best she can and in 2004 actually won a lawsuit against Germany for violating her privacy in the European Court of Human Rights.

In spite of the less glamorous consequences of her royal status Princess Caroline has carried on doing her duty and has been recognized for her work on numerous occasions. In 2005 she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of Cultural Merit for support and encouragement of the arts in Monaco and in 2006 she was given the Children's Champion Award by UNICEF for her years of charitable work on behalf of children around the world. She also continues to be the President of the Princess Grace Foundation, the Prince Pierre Foundation and numerous other organizations. She continues to be active in all of these areas and last year was guest of honor at a special dinner to raise money for the children of the African nation of Niger. Through it all there are few who could not be impressed with the life of Princess Caroline, the hardships she has endured, the obstacles she has overcome and the unmatched devotion she has displayed to her people, her country and countless less fortunate around the world.

H.S.H. Princess Grace

Throughout her years as an A-list actress and finally Princess of Monaco there was no doubt that Princess Grace set the standard for style, class and glamour around the world. Yet, she was not born into the world royalty and the Hollywood elite. She was born Grace Patricia Kelly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 12, 1929 to the son of Irish immigrants Jack Kelly and wife Margaret. Her father gained some measure of fame for being a three time Olympic gold medal winner sculler. He was a self-made millionare and owner of the largest brick business on the east coast. He once ran for Mayor of Philadelphia on the Democrat ticket but narrowly lost the election. During World War II President Franklin D. Roosevelt made him the National Director of Physical Fitness. Grace was named after a late aunt as per the wishes of her late grandmother. She had one older sister, one older brother and one younger sister.

Grace became a model early in life and as early as 12 was acting in plays and learning to sing and dance. Rejected by Bennington College because she wasn't good at math she threw herself totally into becoming an actress and soon she was attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Even though the class was full she impressed her interviewer enough to to a place in the school where such famous names as Katharine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall studied. After working in the theatre she later made the move to television and finally the big screen.

Among Kelly's many screen performances were roles with Gary Cooper in High Noon, Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder and with Bill Holden in The Bridges at Toko-Ri. She also starred with Bill Holden and Bing Crosby in The Country Girl for which she won an Oscar. She had previously worked with Bing Crosby as well as Mr. Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong in High Society as a sophisticated heiress about to remarry.

For many fans of the time as well as later generations (such as myself) Grace Kelly became the quintessential movie star, the picture of the highest ideal of Hollywood actresses. It was to be her last film role and was released shortly after her marriage. That part of her life began in 1955 when she met His Serene Highness Prince Ranier III of Monaco while attending the Cannes Film Festival. The two began corresponding and shortly thereafter Prince Ranier came to America and visited with the Kelly family for three days, finally asking Grace to marry him. Everything was moving fast and as soon as all was settled the Kelly family began planning what was termed the wedding of the century set for April 19, 1956. It certainly was that and in the opinion of this writer there has never been a more picturesque royal bride than Grace Kelly.

Thirty million people watched the wedding of Princess Grace and Prince Ranier on television and it was the begining of a very public life for the princely couple. They certainly wasted no time in ensuring the succession for the next generation as almost nine months to the day after their wedding Princess Grace gave birth to their first child, Caroline, on January 23, 1957. There was a 21-gun-salute, a national holiday and champagne for everyone in celebration. A year later Prince Albert was born and on February 1, 1965 Princess Stephanie joined the family. Princess Grace was a proud mother but still missed her acting career which was a real sacrifice to give up. Many filmmakers tried to tempt her out of her retirement but Prince Ranier was adamant that acting in movies was incompatible with his wife's duties as a Princess of Monaco. However, Princess Grace was able to do some narration work and on-stage poetry readings. For the most part though she devoted her time to her duties for Monaco.

Princess Grace did a tremendous amount of charity work and established the Princess Grace Foundation to support local artists. She also did a great deal of work for children and orphans in particular, holding a lavish Christmas party every year for their benefit. Princess Grace was also one of the first celebrities to support La Leche League which advocates breastfeeding rather than formula for babies.

There were numerous activities Grace undertook to raise the national profile of Monaco and in that campaign she certainly succeeded in a big way. Monaco had long been known by the elites of Europe, even moreso during the reign of Prince Ranier but Princess Grace brought the tiny principality to a whole new level on the world stage thanks to her American, Hollywood background and her charm and class that turned heads every-where she went. Through it all she also remained a very devoted Catholic mother.

As much as I hate to do it I will also at least mention that, like any famous actress, she did have her share of gossip to deal with about her love life over the years, even an attempted courtship by the Shah of Iran. Grace turned him down but remained a loyal defender of the Shah for the rest of her life. She was romantically connected with various celebrities and most often her co-stars. However, in my opinion most of that was innocent, a great deal more was invented later by those wishing to connect themselves with the bright star that was Princess Grace and she came from a solid Catholic family and was always aware that she had to avoid any hint of scandal. It is also undoubted that she was a loyal wife and mother.

Many people then and now compared the life of Princess Grace to a fairy tale. Sadly, it was to be a tragedy without the happy ending common to fairy tales. On September 13, 1982 Princess Grace and her youngest daughter Princess Stephanie were driving back to Monaco from their country estate when she suffered a massive stroke, lost control of the vehicle and plunged over a cliff on the winding road. Princess Stephanie suffered minor injuries but Princess Grace was barely alive when she was pulled from the wreckage and rushed to hospital in Monaco where she died of her injuries the following day. A requiem mass was held at St Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco which was attended by 400 close friends, family members and representatives of foreign governments and royal houses. Diana, Princess of Wales, represented the British Royal Family and a eulogy was given by her close friend and former co-star James Stewart. She remains one of the most widely admired women in the world, an icon and a legendary figure in the Old World and the New who will never be surpassed.

H.S.H. Prince Rainier III

Few other Monegasque rulers have had the impact on their tiny country that Rainier III has had. From the controversy surrounding his succession to the constitutional and government changes enacted during his time there have been a great many changes for Monaco during his reign. The country experienced unprecedented growth and prosperity during his time on the throne and a tiny principality relatively few people had heard of at the time he became sovereign prince was known all around the world by the time of his passing. At more than 50 years on the throne he was one of the longest reigning monarchs in the world, second only to the King of Thailand. Everyone in Monaco, in one way or another, owes something to Prince Rainier III.

It was on May 31, 1923 that Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Betrand Grimaldi, Count of Polignac was born to Prince Pierre, Duke of Valentinois and Hereditary Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois in Monaco. His mother was born in Algeria as the illegitimate daughter of Prince Louis II of Monaco and Marie Juliette Louvet. His mother was later legitimized in a controversial situation and made heir-to-the-throne of Monaco at a crucial time when France was worried about Monaco passing to a German noble. His father, a nobleman of French and Mexican descent, took the surname of his wife, Grimaldi, and eventually his mother, Hereditary Princess Charlotte, renounced her controversial place in the succession in favor of her young son Rainier. He was educated in England, Switzerland and France before following in the footsteps of his grandfather and becoming an officer in the French army.

When World War II broke out the Principality of Monaco was very much divided. Ranier, like his grandfather, favored the French but Louis remained close to Marshal Petain and the Vichy regime while Rainier was sympathetic with the Allies. Meanwhile, many of the people in Monaco, mindful of their Italian roots, favored Mussolini and the Italian cause. Rainier served as a second lieutenant in the French army during the initial German invasion where he quickly earned a reputation for great courage and heroism. He performed so well in the German invasion of Alsace that he earned the Croix de Guerre, Bronze Star Medal and was made a knight of the Legion of Honor. After his mother passed her succession rights to him in 1944, upon the death of Prince Louis II, he became Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco on May 9, 1949. Probably due to the controversy surrounding his mother and grandfather everyone quickly began to focus on who Rainier would marry and how he would secure a more smooth succession.

The most prominent romantic connection Rainier had by the time he came to the throne was with the French film star Gisele Pascal who he lived with in Paris for a number of years before the two broke up. There were rumors that this was because she was declared infertile but she later had a child. Rumors abounded as to who the young, handsome prince would marry and he made every list of the most eligible bachelors in Europe. Then, at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955 he met the American actress Grace Kelly. After a whirlwind courtship of less than a year he proposed three days after meeting with the Kelly family while on a trip to the US. Millions watched the civil and religious wedding ceremonies in what was declared the "wedding of the century". Rainier cut a dashing figure in his uniform and medals but all eyes were on the beautiful bride, already an international super-star.

The Prince wasted no time in doing his duty for Monaco and after a long honeymoon cruise Princess Grace was pregnant and gave birth to daughter Caroline almost 9 months to the day of the wedding. On March 14, 1958 the people of Monaco breathed a little sigh of relief when a son, Albert, was born to the princely couple. In early 1965 the boy was followed by little sister Stephanie. Rainier, of course, had to deal with government as well as family matters and he occupied himself with a huge agenda of things he wanted to accomplish for Monaco to bring the principality more into the modern world by expanding their economy, bringing about greater diversity and enacting constitutional reforms to streamline and modernize the government. For a long time Monaco had been economically stagnant, largely ignored in the region and known almost only for her luxurious gambling facilities. Rainier III would change all of that.

The treasury of Monaco was all but empty when Rainier took the throne and thanks to World War II the number of aristocratic high-rollers the Monte Carlo casino had depended on were few and far between. The Prince recognized from this that it was too dangerous for Monaco to have almost her entire economy dependent on the gambling industry and he would work to change that. He was also aided by his wife, Princess Grace, in improving the reputation of Monaco and gaining a higher international profile for the tiny country. By simply marrying Princess Grace, it could be argued, Rainier III did more than anyone in history to bring attention, style and glamor to the principality. Rainier also worked to better advertise Monaco as the ideal place to base your business. The lack of taxes was played up to encourage more and diverse businesses to settle in Monaco and so expand their economy. In all of this Rainier III was hugely successful as can be seen by one set of numbers. When he became Sovereign Prince of Monaco gambling accounted for 95% of the income of the country. By the time he died, gambling was only 3% of the total income of Monaco; a state of affairs that has made Monaco much more economically stable.

Accomplishing this also meant drawing more international tourism to Monaco and breaking the hold of shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis which Rainier did by 1964. The many undertakings of Princess Grace helped to bring more and diverse groups to Monaco as did the love Rainier III had for sports, especially football and Monaco became the longtime host of the European Super Cup. Rainier III also saw to it that the government of Monaco was reformed and started by suspending the old constitution in 1959. Ironically enough, it was the somewhat more autocratic power he enjoyed under the old system that enabled him to do so and in 1962 a new and more liberal constitution was put into effect which, among other things, reduced the power of the monarch and put more in the hands of the elected National Council, abolished the death penalty, gave women the right to vote and established a Supreme Court to guard the rights and liberties of the Monegasque people.

In 1982 disaster struck the prosperous and glamorous principality when Princess Grace died from injuries sustained in a car accident while returning to Monaco with their youngest daughter Princess Stephanie. The Grimaldis, Monaco and many people all around the world were thrown into a fit of sorrow by the loss of the beloved princess. Rainier had lost a strong right arm with the death of Princess Grace and things would never be the same again, particular for the inner workings of the family. Rainier had considered her the ideal wife and would never remarry. However, he remained a very devoted father and a very proud grandfather, displaying a level of public affection with his grandchildren rarely, if ever, seen among the other crowned heads of Europe. He was, of course, also very much aware that in spite of the playboy reputation of his son Albert, the heir to the throne had not married and started a family nor did he seem very likely to in the near future and this, as in any monarchy, was a cause for some concern.

In 2002, over fears that Monaco might lose her independence to France if Albert were to never marry and produce heirs, the succession was changed so that not only the direct descendants of the reigning prince could inherit the throne. However, the old freedom to adopt an heir was removed but the agreement ensured that Monaco would remain independent no matter what happened to the princely family and removed the threat of a vacant throne. Prior to this some assumed that Albert would adopt his nephew Andrea Casiraghi as his heir, but it is now assured that his older sister while follow him on the throne if he dies without legitimate issue. It was a timely action as about the same year Prince Rainier III began to show more signs of his age and ill health. By 2004 the Prince was hospitalized with heart problems. Prince Albert later said he was fine other than a bad case of bronchitis but in 2005 he was hospitalized again with a lung infection.

Through it all Prince Rainier kept up his sense of humor and as he was the second longest reigning monarch in the world after King Rama IX of Thailand reportedly asked his valet every morning upon waking, "Has Rama survived the night? Or did I just move up in the ranks?" Toward the end of March he was moved to the critical care unit of the hospital and had to be placed on a ventilator for renal and heart failure. At the end of the month the Crown Council announced that Prince Albert had been named regent for his father due to Rainier's poor health and the reports of his doctors that he was unlikely to recover. Early on the morning of April 6, 2005 it was announced that Prince Rainier III had died at the age of 81 at which time his son became Sovereign Prince Albert II of Monaco. The occasion would likely have been a media frenzy were it not for the fact that Pope John Paul II died just prior to the Prince. Rainier III himself was one of the last Catholic monarchs still reigning in Europe and included among his many foreign orders and decorations the Papal Order of the Golden Spur. He was buried on April 15, 2005 in the national Cathedral of St Nicholas in Monaco beside his beloved wife Princess Grace.

It would be hard to overstate the importance of the reign of Prince Rainier III on Monaco. Few would have recognized the country he left from the one he inherited. When he came to the throne the succession had been shaky, the country was poor and seemed to many observers to have passed its most glorious days. Rainier III changed all of that. He diversified the economy, secured the succession, raised the prominence and prestige of his country, brought greater attention and new business as well as greater freedom and prosperity to his people. Instead of a has-been center of elite gambling, Prince Rainier III left Monaco a country known and famous around the world as a wealthy, glamorous hot spot that was just as famous as a friendly base for business, tourism, charity and sporting events as it was for its lavish casinos. Monaco is what it is today largely through the efforts and steady leadership of Prince Rainier III.

Monaco and the Catholic Church

Monaco is one of the last remaining officially Catholic monarchies in the world. Roman Catholicism is the official, established state religion in Monaco. The Principality has had diplomatic relations with the Holy See longer than almost any other modern country; almost as long as the very old Catholic countries of France and Spain. This may seem odd to some for a country known mostly for gambling, yachting and racing but, it should also be remembered, that the Grimaldi conquest of Monaco was done by Guelfs (the Italian faction loyal to the Pope) against the Ghibellines (those loyal to the Emperor). The faith of Monaco was seen quite clearly in the reign of the late Prince Rainier III and his wife Princess Grace, both of whom were serious Catholics.

Rainier III, upon becoming the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, quickly went to Rome to meet with Pope Pius XII and for a papal audience and blessing on his reign. Three years later, in the Marian year of 1954, Prince Rainier III went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France to honor Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. He told Father J. Francis Tucker that he wished to, "...Pray to the Holy Mother for a woman with whom he could enter freely into a sacred union". It must have worked for only two years later he was married to Grace Kelly, who came from a very devout Catholic family. The Blessed Virgin certainly seems to have been involved as the little visionary of Lourdes, St Bernadette, was the patron saint of Princess Grace. This was not known until Father "Tuck" (as he was known) related the story of Rainier's pilgrimage to the Princess at which time she told him that she had taken St Bernadette as her patron during her confirmation as a young girl. On the 25th anniversary of that trip, in 1979, Princess Grace and (as he is now) Prince Albert II went on pilgrimage to Lourdes again.

Prince Rainier and Princess Grace are both given credit for leading their country in a very Catholic way through the numerous changes instituted during his reign such as allowing women the right to vote. Princess Grace was considered such a driving force behind these reforms that the changes were often called a "Coup de Grace". Both exhibited a commitment to the status of Monaco as an officially Catholic country and themselves as Catholic monarchs in the many humanitarian works they undertook throughout their lives. Where there has been criticism of Monaco by the Catholic Church it traditionally revolves around the primary source of income for the principality: the Monte Carlo casino. The Church has not been very vocal, as some might assume, when it comes to the scandals that have plagued the princely house of Grimaldi over the years.

Most Catholics, however, would not be surprised by that as sins and human weakness are considered private matters for the confessional and not the sort of thing that calls for public statements. The Church has had to become involved on matters of the many marriages of the Grimaldis since the Catholic Church does not believe in divorce. As such, Princess Caroline had to obtain an annulment of her first marriage to Philippe Junot which was not granted until 1992. This meant that she had to marry Stefano Casiraghi in a civil ceremony only as the Church still considered her married to Junot. Obviously, the Church tended to be much more strict about the granting of annulments in those days. Today, considering how young Princess Caroline was and the vast age difference between her and Junot I doubt the Church would take so long to rule the marriage invalid. In 1993 the Pope legitimized all of the children of Princess Caroline and Stefano which was essential if they were to ever claim the throne of Monaco.

Recently there has been some criticism of Monaco from Catholic corners, directed of course at Prince Albert II but not because of his illegitimate children, rather, for the moral state and progress of the principality as a whole. Most of these involve calls for Prince Albert II to take more care about being a Catholic monarch over a Catholic principality (which I'm all for) and also urging him to change the coat of arms and possibly even consider closing Monte Carlo casino. That, in my humble opinion, is going a bit far. The matter of the flag and coat of arms involves the images of Grimaldi soldiers dressed as monks holding swords. Evidently some in the Church are still upset that the Grimaldis' ancestors disguised themselves as clergymen in order to take the rock of Monaco so many centuries ago. They would like to see a more peace-ful design. Obviously, I cannot agree with that and I think they are giving the issue too much thought. I cannot imagine many people at all taking the flag and arms that seriously. The design simply reflects an historical event that contributed to the founding of the modern Principality of Monaco. No more and no less as I see it. As for entertaining the idea of closing Monte Carlo Casino, I think this is, again, going too far. I have never heard that gambling was a mortal sin and the income the casino generates allows the Princely Family to do a great deal of good for many people. The family, the late Prince Rainier III especially, have already greatly reduced the importance of the casino to Monaco and expanded into other areas of business. In my opinion, it would be more beneficial to focus on making the Catholic Church more of a force in Monaco and in the lives of the people and Princely Family rather than focusing on outward symbols.

A Short History of Monaco

The history of Monaco as a unique geographic region goes all the way back to the ancient world. The Greeks colonized the area which they named Monoikos and legend even has it that Hercules visited the area during his mythic quest. The Romans incorporated it into their empire and Virgil wrote about the legends of the area saying that Hercules had driven out all the inhabitants and lived there alone for a time. When the Roman Empire collapsed Monaco was pillaged by the Saracens and other barbarians before being driven out in 975 and repopulated by the Ligurians, from the Italian region of Genoa. In 1191 the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI gave control of the region to the City-State of Genoa and in 1215 a group of Genoese soldiers arrived and built a fortress at the top of the famous Rock of Monaco, the dominant geographic feature in the area. This was during the time of the fratricidal Italian wars between the Guelph and Ghibelline factions. This was a very long-standing feud that went on so long most forgot what it had originally been about but the root was a conflict over who had supreme authority in Italy. The Guelph faction supported the Pope while the Ghibelline faction supported the Holy Roman Emperor of Germany. The troops who built the castle on the Rock of Monaco were Ghibellines. They encouraged settlement of the area and tried to lure more people from Genoa to Monaco.

In the course of the conflicts at home eventually several Guelph families made for Monaco, the most prominent being the Grimaldi and Fieschi families. The Grimaldis were an old family of Genoa, descended from Otto Canella and who took their name from that of his son Grimaldo. This was the origin of the current Princely family's rule over Monaco. In 1297, on the night of January 8, under the leadership of Francois Grimaldi he and his Guelph faction seized control of the fortress on the Rock of Monaco by dressing as monks and hiding their swords under their long robes. This event is still remembered in monuments and on the government flag of Monaco to this day. So it was that the House of Grimaldi became the lords of Monaco and their rule has remained, almost completely unbroken from that time to today. The only interruption being their short occupation by the French from 1793 to 1814. The Grimaldi family became one of the most prominent Italian families from then on with some becoming army officials, government ministers and even cardinals and doges of the Republic of Genoa. The situation of Monaco did not really change until the outbreak of the horrific French Revolution when republican forces marched in and took over Monaco as part of the First French Republic.

During that time, until the fall of Emperor Napoleon, the history of Monaco was the history of France. However, after the defeat of Napoleon the independence of Monaco was restored under the House of Grimaldi by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 though it was made a protectorate of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. This situation lasted until 1861 with the signing of the Franco-Monegasque Treaty. Piedmont-Sardinia had been trying to make nice with the French and the agreement confirmed the sovereignty of Monaco and from that time until 1911 the Prince of Monaco was an absolute monarch. In 1863 the Monte Carlo Casino opened and in the years that followed the principality underwent a great deal of growth and economic expansion, aided by the establishment of a railroad link with France. It soon gained a reputation as an ideal vacation spot for the elites of Europe. Politically things remained the same until the summer of 1918 when there was a succession crisis in the House of Grimaldi. The sovereign prince, Albert I, had one son who was unmarried and no grandchildren to succeed him. In his absence the Monegasque throne would have passed to his distant cousin Duke Wilhelm von Urach. Naturally, during World War I, the French were not keen on the idea of a German noble taking over a country on their southern coast. The treaty between France and Monaco was amended so that Monaco would become a French protectorate and that if the family died out France would take over the country. The new laws also said that the Prince could adopt an heir but that all future princes would have to have French approval. Prince Louis later acknowledged as his own a daughter, Charlotte, who became his heir, though there was doubt of the legality of this. In any event, it did not finally matter as she abdicated her position to the future Prince Ranier III. Duke Wilhelm von Urach later renounced his rights to the succession and passed them to his French cousins though he kept about 3,000 books from the Monaco library which are still kept at what had been his home in the castle of Lichtenstein.

World War II brought a great deal of turmoil to Monaco as the Sovereign Prince, Louis II, was partial to the French and remained so after the establishment of the regime in Vichy. Louis was an accomplished soldier and a good friend of his old comrade Marshal Philippe Petain. The public, however, in those days still felt very close to Italy and often favored the cause of Benito Mussolini. In 1943 the Italians occupied Monaco and set up a pro-fascist local government which lasted until Mussolini fell from power in Italy after which time the Germans came in and occupied the principality and, as they did everywhere, began deporting the small Jewish population to concentration camps. The future Prince Ranier III had favored the Allied side and was decorated for courage while fighting with the French army early on. Prince Louis, in an act of humanity, sent his police out to warn the Jews and others in advance that the Gestapo were coming to take them away and this allowed many to escape before the hammer fell. At the end of the war, as the German armies were driven out of France, Monaco was liberated.

In 1949 Prince Louis II died and Prince Ranier III succeeded to the throne and began what was to be probably the greatest period of expansion and success for Monaco in her history. He made many changes to modernize the country and improve government, public works and encourage tourism and new business opportunities in Monaco. The international profile of the country was greatly raised, especially after his marriage to the famous American actress Grace Kelly in 1956. Over the years the country became famous out of all proportion to its tiny size for its scenic beauty, sporting events, exciting night life, luxurious hotels and glamorous casinos where the rich and famous frolicked. In 1962 the Constitution of Monaco was amended to, among other things, abolish the death penalty and give women the right to vote. In 1993 the Principality of Monaco became a full member with voting rights of the United Nations and in 2002 a new treaty with France was negotiated to eliminate the danger of Monaco being absorbed by France if the Prince of Monaco dies without an heir. However, Monaco remains a French protectorate with Paris responsible for the national security of the country.

Princely Family Succession

Line of Succession in Monaco

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, current sovereign

HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco

Andrea Casiraghi (son of Princess Caroline)

Pierre Casiraghi (son of Princess Caroline)

Charlotte Casiraghi (daughter of Princess Caroline)

HRH Princess Alexandra of Hanover (daughter of Princess Caroline)

HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco

Louis Ducruet (son of Princess Stephanie)

Pauline Ducruet (daughter of Princess Stephanie)

Monaco: The Facts

Official Name: The Principality of MonacoNational
Motto: Deo Juvante (With God's Help)
National Anthem: Hymne Monegasque
Capital: Monaco
Largest Municipality: Monte Carlo
Official Language: French
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Head of State: His Serene Highness Prince Albert II
Area: .76 square miles
Population: 32,796
Official Religion: Roman Catholic

Monaco is an independent, sovereign state; the second smallest in the world (only the State of Vatican City is smaller) and is a protectorate of the French Republic. Until 2002 the Minister of State (head of government under the Prince) was always a French citizen chosen by the Prince from among a list of candidates presented to him by the French government. Also, prior to 2002, had the House of Grimaldi died out the French would have taken control of Monaco but changes made in that year ensured the continued independence of Monaco regardless of whether or not the Sovereign Prince has heirs or not. The primary industry of Monaco is tourism due to its scenic beauty and the world famous casinos of Monte Carlo. Monaco is also known for hosting a number of sporting events and is also known as a tax haven as Monaco has absolutely no personal income taxes.

Most of the residents of Monaco are French with the native Monegasques being a minority in their own country. It is also one of the most heavily populated countries in the world because of its small size, popularity and status as a tax haven. A considerable part of the population is a mixture of people from all over the world of various origins and nationalities, making Monaco one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth. The government consists of a four-member Council of Government presided over by the Minister of State all under the authority of the Sovereign Prince who is head of state. Monaco became independent under the Grimaldi family in 1297 and has been a constitutional monarchy since 1911.

As a French protectorate it is up to France to oversee the defense of Monaco, however, the country does have a large police force and an armed civil defense corps. There is no navy or air force but at least a token army which consists of the Prince's Company of Carabiniers. These are the troops which guard the Princely Palace. The men are mostly natives of Monaco while the officers generally come from the French army. They are always on duty and visitors can see the changing of the guard every day at noon. They were first formed in 1817 by Prince Honore IV and today consist of about a hundred men plus a military band. In the 19th Century, following the fall of the Papal States, there was also a company known as the "Papalins" made up of former soldiers of the Papal Army who were given a place of service in Monaco. The Sovereign Prince is the Commander-in-Chief.

Premier Post: Mad for Monaco

For some time I have weighed the pro's and con's of setting up a Monaco-specific blog. I finally decided to do so only after becoming somewhat fed up with my previous sole Monaco forum which was being overrun with spammers. I hope that will be addressed but the lack of traffic (other than the spammers) had made me uneasy about the prospects of the site in question. I will keep my account there as long as it remains up but, with this blog, I have decided to give myself some other options. This may not be the most active blog in the world, my primary blog will still be The Mad Monarchist and I will post Monaco-related material there as I see fit. However, I wanted to put this blog up mostly to have a place to save my Monaco-related materials more than to carry on a running commentary on the Monegasque monarchy. What you can expect to find here is mostly general and historical information on the House of Grimaldi, the Principality of Monaco, past Monegasque princes and occasionally comments on the current Princely Family. That's the situation and thanks for reading. Adieu!