Another Casiraghi Wedding

I was waiting for the Palace to release some official photos of the event but, as that has yet to happen, better to mention it now before it gets any later. Last Saturday, July 25, Pierre Casiraghi and long-time girlfriend Beatrice Borromeo were married in a small, private, civil ceremony in the Salon des Glaces at the Princely Palace in Monaco. Only about 70 close friends and family attended the ceremony though there were about 500 guests at the reception following in the palace gardens and later at the evening festivities at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. Beatrice and Pierre have been together for the last seven years, she is from a very old and well-connected Italian family and Pierre, as we all know, is the second son of Princess Caroline and the late Stefano Casiraghi, nephew of Prince Albert II and grandson of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace. The two met in Milan and are expected to have a more lavish event for the religious ceremony later in Italy on the bride's ancestral estate. We wish them all the best in their married life.

Pierre & Beatrice over the years:

Red Cross Ball 2015

Baptism Day for the Twins

Rose Ball 2015 - Art Deco

HRH Princess Caroline and HSH Prince Albert II arrive

Pierre Casiraghi and longtime girlfriend Beatrice Borromeo

(left to right)

Charlotte Casiraghi, Karl Lagerfeld, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II

Paola Marzotto, Pierre Casiraghi, Beatrice Borromeo

Charlotte Casiraghi at dinner

Pierre Casiraghi -bustin' a move!

Princess Alexandra of Hannover was on hand as well

Happy Birthday Princess Stephanie

Happy Birthday to HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco!

The Twins Meet the Public

It was a day of celebration in the Principality of Monaco today as the two new twins met their people (and for little Prince Jacques, his future subjects) for the first time. Proud parents Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene presented the babies to the public from the balcony of the Princely Palace and later walked among the crowds of well-wishers turned out to celebrate the adorable new additions to the Princely House of Grimaldi and a new heir to the throne.

It's a Boy And a Girl!

HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco was delivered of two healthy babies (by c-section) with a little girl first and, a couple of minutes later, a son and heir for the House of Grimaldi. Here is the official press release:

It is with immense joy that TT.SS.HH the Prince and Princess of Monaco have the great pleasure to announce the birth of Their children named:

- Gabriella, Thérèse, Marie (born at 17h04)

- Jacques, Honoré, Rainier (born at 17h06)

The births took place on 10th December 2014 at the Maternity of the Princess Grace Hospital Monaco. 

The Princess and the Children are doing well.

The Prince Jacques, Honoré, Rainier is the Crown Prince. In accordance with the historic custom established by the treaty of Péronne (1641), He shall receive the title of Marquis of Baux (in Provence). 

The Princess Gabriella, Thérèse, Marie, second child in the line of succession, shall receive the title of Countess of Carladès (in Auvergne).

The salute fired from Ft Antoine 

The official princely announcement being posted outside the palace

National Day 2014

It has been a glorious National Day today in Monaco. Princess Charlene, who is showing how far along she is, was absent for some of the festivities but did appear on the balcony with her prince to greet the Monegasque people. Otherwise, the star of the day seemed to be little Sacha who was carried at the military review by a very proud grandmother Princess Caroline (though it's still so hard to think of her as a grandma) and I was certainly struck by how much Sacha looks like his great-grandpa Prince Rainier. God bless the Princely Family, God bless Monaco and long live the Prince!

Still More Babies on the Way?

Hello! Magazine started the rumors and the other media in Europe have been running with it; that Tatiana and Andrea Casiraghi are expecting another child. At a recent wedding in the Thurn und Taxis princely family of Germany, to which the couple were invited, someone thought they noticed a slight "baby bump" under the loose-flowing fashions sported by Tatiana and the story has taken off from there. In the Spring of last year Tatiana gave birth to the couple's first child, Sacha, in London (the two were married first at the end of August 2013 and then secondly at the end of January 2014). So far there has been no official confirmation from the palace about this, nor do most expect there to be any time soon given past behavior. However, it seems that babies have suddenly become quite popular in Monaco these days and when Princess Charlene delivers, the new arrival will have several cousins of similar age to play with. Nice to see the family growing, presuming this rumor turns out to be true and we wish the couple all the best in any event.

It's Official - Twins on the Way!

The Princely Palace has finally confirmed what has long been rumored: Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco are going to be the parents of twins. Additional congratulations for that! It will be very nice to have a mom, dad and children in the palace again, it has been far too long. Just an extra word though for those reading the hysterical headlines at places like the Daily Mail, this is not causing any confusion or worry over the succession. There is absolutely nothing rule-testing about having twins, it will be the same as with any siblings, it is just that in this case they are arriving much closer together. If the twins are a boy and a girl, the boy will become heir to the throne. If the twins are both boys, the first one out of the gate (so to speak) wins the race for the crown of Monaco. If it is to be twin girls, likewise, the first to arrive will displace HRH Princess Caroline and ultimately succeed to the throne. Perfectly simple, no fuss, no confusion.

Casiraghis in the News

The little Principality of Monaco made a number of headlines last week when New York businessman Adam Hock sailed into the Port of Hercules on the yacht of a billionaire Canadian friend of his, all set to attend the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix in late May as well as the celebrity birthday bash of Naomi Campbell at the Billionaire Club in Monte Carlo. However, the night after his arrival, the captain of the yacht informed him that he was ordered out of the country by Prince Albert II himself. Why? It probably has something to do with the fact that Hock assaulted princely nephew Pierre Casiraghi in New York in 2012, sending him to the hospital. Hock’s friends tried to intercede for him but the Sovereign Prince would have none of it, Hock had to go and was threatened with immediate arrest if he set foot in Monaco again. His lawyer complained of course but, thankfully, it did the sucker-punching rat no good as the Prince still has final say on what goes on in Monaco and he can expel anyone from the country as he pleases. In this case, well deserved I would say. In Paris last week, niece and new mom Charlotte Casiraghi fell from her horse in a jumping competition, still managing to look glamorous doing it (not many can pull that off). Save perhaps for a bruised bottom, no harm was done and Charlotte later appeared at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday.

A Grimaldi Working for American Independence

Today the United States celebrates its Independence Day, and, as most know, that independence would not have been won without the support and assistance of the Kingdom of France under King Louis XVI. At the time, the Principality of Monaco had nothing to do with these matters, though as HSH Prince Honore III was under the protection of France and part of the French nobility under King Louis, Monaco and the fledgling United States were technically on the same side. However, there was a member of the wider Grimaldi clan, a distant relation of the Princely Family, who was somewhat involved in the historic events of the American Revolution. That was the Italian-Spanish statesman Pablo Jerónimo Grimaldi y Pallavicini, marqués y duque de Grimaldi. A native of Genoa, he served in the courts of King Fernando VI and King Carlos III of Spain, helping to rebuild Spanish power and prestige after the traumatic events of the Seven Years' War. He had a long and eventful career but of particular concern here was his time as Spanish ambassador to the court of King Louis XVI of France.

He was appointed to the post by His Catholic Majesty King Carlos III and he forged a new alliance between the kingdoms of Spain and France in cooperation with the French Secretary of State Étienne François, duc de Choiseul. This was the "Third Family Compact" so named because of the Bourbon Royal Family that reigned over both France and Spain. He was in close contact also with the American Arthur Lee in Madrid, the envoy of the rebel American government for Spain and Prussia. Lee later helped draw up the alliance with France but is seldom noted because of a falling out with the more famous and popular Benjamin Franklin. Of course, he was insistent that Spain recognize the United States and join in the war against Britain immediately but the Duke of Grimaldi held back and delayed until Spain was in a stronger position, writing to Lee, "You have considered your own situation, and not ours. The moment is not yet come for us. The war with Portugal — France being unprepared, and our treasure ships from South America not being arrived — makes it improper for us to declare immediately." He was referring, of course, to the long-standing alliance between Portugal and Great Britain. However, the Duke of Grimaldi reassured Lee of Spanish sympathy and informed him of the large stores of clothing and gunpowder delivered to New Orleans and Havana that were to be smuggled in to help the American patriots with more on the way.

Eventually, of course, the Kingdom of Spain did recognize the United States and join in declaring war on Great Britain with the Treaty of Aranjuez in 1779. Spanish troops actually played an important part both by their numerous victories over the British on the gulf coast and by diverting British focus and forces with the siege of Gibraltar. In the end, Spain was able to win back almost everything that they had lost previously to Britain in the Seven Years' War, though not Gibraltar which, of course, remains under the British Crown to this day. So, there was a member of the Grimaldi family that played an often overlooked but critical part in the winning of American independence and the birth of the United States. It was during the war, in 1777, that His Catholic Majesty King Carlos III granted him the title first Duke of Grimaldi. He was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece for his service, made a Grandee of Spain and died in 1789.