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TheHouse of Grimaldihas reigned in the Principality of Monaco since 1297, but the public’s obsession with the family really took hold in 1956 whenPrince Rainier IIImarried Hollywood iconGrace Kelly.
Though Monaco is the second-smallest country in the world, its ruler has major power. While some contemporary monarchs are merely figureheads, that isn’t the case in Monaco. The minister of state and the Government Council report directly to the Prince of Monaco, who also holds full judiciary power.
The line of succession previously followed the same rules asthe British throne: Only direct descendants, including adopted children, of the current leader could inherit the crown. But to ensure his family’s lasting reign in Monaco, Prince Rainier changed the constitution in 2002 to include siblings and children of siblings, as well as exclude adopted children and children born out of wedlock — though marriage, even after birth, would add the child to the line.
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Today, Rainier and Grace’s only son,Prince Albert II, is the country’s leader. Other family members include movie stars, athletes and socialites.
From their Hollywood roots to their current positions both in and out of the monarchy, here’s everything to know about the royal family of Monaco.
Prince Rainier III
Rainier III, Prince of Monacoruled the principality for more than half a century — from 1949 until he died in 2005. Born on May 31, 1923, Rainier was the first Monegasque prince to be born in the country since 1758. He was next in line for the throne as the only son of Prince Pierre and Charlotte, Hereditary Princess of Monaco; Charlotte’s father wasPrince LouisII, who led Monaco from 1922 until his death in 1949. Rainier earned the nickname “Builder Prince” for creating public works programs and overhauling the country’s economy.
Rainiermarried Hollywood iconGrace Kelly in 1956, bringing even more attention and status to the Monegasque throne. Together, they had three children: Caroline, Albert and Stéphanie. He never remarried afterGrace’s deathin 1982.
Prince Rainier made his final public appearance in January 2005 at the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival, which he founded in 1976. Hedied of a lung infectionon April 6, 2005.
Grace Kelly
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She met Prince Rainier at the Cannes Film Festival in France in May 1955, andthe pair marriedin 1956 after a yearlong courtship. She became a dual citizen of the U.S. and Monaco and left acting behind to focus on her duties as princess consort.
Grace served as president of the Red Cross of Monaco, the Garden Club of Monaco and the International Arts Foundation’s organizing committee. She was also the patron ofJosephine Baker’s orphanage Rainbow Coalition Children. She founded AMADE Mondiale, a nonprofit that supports children’s education and health worldwide, in 1964 and the Princess Grace Foundation, which supports local artists with awards, grants and scholarships, in 1964. Grace also became one of the first women on the board of the 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation in 1976.
In 1982, Princess Gracewas in a car accidentafter losing control of her vehicle and driving off the road and down a mountainside. She tragically died from a brain hemorrhage the next day on Sept. 14 at age 52. Her daughter Stéphanie, then 17, was also in the car but survived the crash.
Prince Albert II
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Asthe only sonof Prince Rainier and Princess Grace,Prince Albert IIbecame the sovereign prince after his father died in 2005. Before taking over the throne, Albert was an Olympic bobsleigh athlete and earned a black belt in judo.
He married South African swimmerCharlene Wittstockin 2011, and theywelcomed twins— Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques — in 2014. Albert has also acknowledged thathe had two other childrenprior to his marriage. His daughterJazmin Grace Grimaldi, whose mother is American Tamara Rotolo, was born in 1992, while his son Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, whose mother is former Air France flight attendant Nicole Coste, was born in 2003.
Albert is known as an environmentalist. He founded the Prince Albert of Monaco Foundation in 2006 to raise money for ecological preservation, renewable energy research, ocean conservation and climate change prevention. He’s also responsible for building new infrastructure, such as railways and low-income housing, and oversaw reforms regarding taxes, freedom of the press, gender equality, children’s rights and pretrial prison detention.
Princess Charlene
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Princess Charlene, née Wittstock, was born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on Jan. 25, 1978, to Michael and Lynette Wittstock before their family relocated to South Africa. She was an Olympic swimmer until her retirement in 2007. Charlene met Prince Albert at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo, Monaco, in 2000. Thepair marriedon July 1, 2011.
Along with raising their children Gabriella and Jacques, Charlene is also focused on charity work surrounding sports, AIDS research and children’s rights. She founded the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation in 2012, which is focused on educating children through athletics and preventing drowning.
In May 2021, Charlene contracted anear, nose and throat infectionwhile visiting South Africa, and she was advised not to fly home for several months. After several surgeries and a four-month stay at a Swiss clinic, her recovery was “encouraging,” and she returned to Monaco in March 2022.
Prince Jacques
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Crown Prince Jacquesis next in line for the throne after Prince Albert. He also holds the title Marquis of Baux, which has been passed on to Monegasque heirs apparent since 1641.
Jacques was born to Prince Albert and Princess Charlene at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre on Dec. 10, 2014, two minutes after his sister Gabriella. Their births were celebrated with 21 cannon shots each, 15 minutes of church bells and boat horns. They wereformally introducedto the public on Jan. 7, 2015, which is now a public holiday in Monaco.
Jacques was baptizedat the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on May 10, 2015, where he was also awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Grimaldi.
Princess Gabriella
Princess Gabriella, born on Dec. 10, 2014, is second in the current line of succession for the throne, behind her twin brother Jacques. She also holds the title Countess of Carladès and was awarded the Grand Officer of the Order of Grimaldi during her baptism on May 10, 2015. In the fall of 2018, the twins beganattending public school, rather than being home-schooled as their father and his siblings were.
Jazmin Grace Grimaldi
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Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, daughter of Prince Albert and American real estate agentTamara Rotolo, was born on March 4, 1992, in Palm Springs, California. Albert publicly acknowledged paternity in 2006, and Jazminfirst met her fatherduring a visit to Monaco when she was 11 years old.
Their first public appearance together was at the 30th Anniversary Princess Grace Awards Gala in New York City on Oct. 22, 2012. Because her parents never married, Jazmin is not in the line of succession for the throne.
According to herwebsite, Jazmin is a singer, actress and philanthropist. She released her first single, “Fearless,” in 2019. As an actor, she has appeared onThe Marvelous Mrs. Maiseland in the filmsCicadaandThe Scarlet M. She has also been in plays likeThe Glass MenagerieandUncle Vanya.
Alexandre Grimaldi
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Alexandre Grimaldiwas born on Aug. 24, 2003, to Prince Albert and Air France flight attendantNicole Coste. The prince acknowledged paternity in July 2005 in a statement from family attorney Thierry Lacoste.
Lacoste and Princess Stéphanie are Alexandre’s godparents. Like his older half-sister Jazmin, Alexandre is not in line for the throne because his parents did not marry. Albert has confirmed he will take care of them both financially, and they are set to inherit some of his personal wealth upon his death.
In November 2022, Nicoleshared a rare photoof Alexandre, Jazmin and Albert spending time together in N.Y.C.
Alexandre went on to add that he’s a “happy man” who is focused on completing his university studies.
Princess Caroline
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Princess Carolineof Monaco was born on Jan. 23, 1957, as the oldest child of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. She was first in line for the throne until her brother Albert was born; she was again heir presumptive after he took the throne and before his children were born. Caroline is currently third in line for the Monegasque throne.
In a 1982 interview with PEOPLE,Grace described Carolineas the “more literary” of her daughters. “Both are warm, bright, amusing, intelligent and capable girls. They’re very much in tune with their era,” she said.
Caroline shares three children with Casiraghi: Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre. She has one child, Princess Alexandra of Hanover, with Ernst, born on July 20, 1999.
Andrea Casiraghi
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Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghiwas born on June 8, 1984, and is the oldest child of Princess Caroline and Stefano Casiraghi. He is also Prince Rainier’s first grandchild, and is currently fourth in line for the Monegasque throne, behind his mother and twin cousins.
Andrea grew up in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, and Paris, rather than Monaco, because his mother wanted to protect him from media attention. Andrea is a philanthropist and currently holds no royal title.
In July 2012, Caroline announced that Andrea was engaged to his girlfriend of seven years, socialite and fashion designerTatiana Santo Domingo. They welcomed their first child, Alexandre “Sasha,” on March 21, 2013, and got married at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco on Aug. 31, 2013. They then welcomed daughter India Casiraghi in April 2015 and son Maximilian Rainier Casiraghi in April 2018.
Andrea has found himself in hot water a few times — including having his license revoked for speeding and many tabloid snafus — and earned himself the nickname “enfant terrible.”
Alexandre “Sasha” Andrea Stefano Casiraghi
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Alexandre “Sasha” Andrea Stefano Casiraghiwas born in London on March 21, 2013, and is the oldest child of Andrea Casiraghi and Tatiana Santo Domingo. He is currently fifth in line for the Monegasque throne, behind his father.
India Casiraghi
India is the second child of Andrea Casiraghi and Tatiana Santo Domingo, and was born on April 12, 2015. She is currently seventh in line for the throne of Monaco, behind her older and younger brothers. She is the only granddaughter of Princess Caroline.
Maximilian Rainier Casiraghi
Maximilian Rainier Casiraghi is Andrea Casiraghi and Tatiana Santo Domingo’s youngest child. He was born on April 19, 2018. Despite being younger than his sister India, Maximilian is sixth in line for the throne, as the succession law prioritizes male family members.
Charlotte Casiraghi
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Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghiis the only daughter of Princess Caroline and Stefano Casiraghi. She was born on Aug. 3, 1986, and is currently 11th in line for the Monegasque throne.
Charlotte has had a fruitful career in fashion, writing, horseback riding, journalism and film. She is also a philanthropist and a mother of two. She welcomed her first child, Raphaël, with actorGad Elmalehin 2013. She had a second son, Balthazar, with French producer Dimitri Rassam in October 2018. Theygot marriedon June 1, 2019, at the Palace of Monaco.
According to French magazineVoici, the couple reportedlyseparated in December 2023. The outlet stated that Rassam and Charlotte have been in “crisis for some time” due to the producer’s work schedule.
Raphaël Elmaleh
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Raphaël Elmalehis Charlotte Casiraghi and Gad Elmalah’s only child together. He was born on Dec. 17, 2013. Because his parents never married, Raphaël is not in the line of succession.
Balthazar Rassam
Charlotte and Dimitri Rassam welcomed their son,Balthazar, on Oct. 23, 2018. The couple were not married at the time of his birth, but Balthazar became 12th in line for the throne after his parents wed in 2019.
Pierre Casiraghi
Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghiis the third child of Princess Caroline and Stefano Casiraghi and was born on Sept. 5, 1987. He’s a humanitarian and businessman, and he races both sailboats and cars. He is eighth in line for the throne.
Pierre began dating Italian journalistBeatrice Borromeoin May 2008, andthey marriedon July 25, 2015, at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. They welcomed their first child, Stefano Ercole Carlo, in 2017, and their second child, Francesco Carlo Albert, in 2018.
Stefano Ercole Carlo Casiraghi
Stefano Ercole Carlo Casiraghiis Pierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo’s first child, born on Feb. 28, 2017. He is currently ninth in the Monegasque line of succession.
Francesco Carlo Albert Casiraghi
Francesco Carlo Albert Casiraghi, who is Pierre and Borromeo’s second child, was born on May 21, 2018. He is 10th in line for the throne.
Princess Alexandra of Hanover
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Princess Alexandra of Hanover is Princess Caroline’s fourth child and Prince Ernst-August’s third. She was born in Austria on July 20, 1999, and is the only one of Caroline’s children who has a royal title.
Alexandra is 13th in line for the Monegasque throne; through her father, who is a descendant of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland, she was also in the line of succession to the British throne until she was confirmed into the Catholic Church in 2018.
Princess Stéphanie
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Princess Stéphaniewas born in Monaco on Feb. 1, 1965. She is the youngest child of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace and is 14th in the line of succession. Stéphanie was also in the car crash that killed her mother; she had a concussion and a hairline fracture on a vertebra and had a lengthy recovery.
Her mother described her as the “more mathematical” of her daughters. “My children are good sports, conscious of their position and considerate of others,” Grace told PEOPLE in 1982. “They are sympathetic to the problems and concerns in the world today.” Stéphanie has had a rich career in fashion and music. Most famously, she recorded the song “In the Closet” withMichael Jacksonfor hisDangerousalbum.
The princess had several high-profile relationships, including with actorRob Lowein the ’80s. Stéphanie then began a relationship with her bodyguardDaniel Ducruetin 1992, and they had two children: Louis, born in 1992, and Pauline, born in 1994. The pair married in 1995 and divorced just over a year later in 1996.
In 1998, Stéphanie welcomed her third child, Camille Gottlieb, reportedly with her head of security,Jean Raymond Gottlieb.
After striking up a romance with elephant trainerFranco Knie, Stéphanie joined his circus caravan with her three children. It was there she met acrobatAdans Lopez Peres, whom she married in 2003. The couple split in November 2004.
Louis Ducruet
Louis Ducruetwas born on Nov. 26, 1992. He is the oldest child of Princess Stéphanie and Daniel Ducruet. He was not part of the line of succession from birth, because his parents weren’t married, but he became 15th in line for the throne when they wed in 1995.
Louis is an athlete, humanitarian and father of one. He announced his engagement toMarie Hoa Chevallieron Feb. 12, 2018. Theygot marriedat Monaco’s city hall on July 26, 2019, and had a religious ceremony the next day at the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate.
In November 2022, the couple announced they wereexpecting their first child. They welcomed their daughter,Victoire Ducruet, on April 4, 2023. “Our little family has grown with the arrival of our little Victoire,” the pair wrote on Instagram.
Pauline Ducruet
Pauline Ducruetwas born on May 4, 1994, and is the younger child of Princess Stéphanie and Daniel Ducruet. She is 17th in line for the throne, after her niece Victoire.
She is a stylist,fashion designerand former competitive diver. She developed a love for the circus during her time in Knie’s caravan and later founded the “New Generation” circus festival in Monaco.
Camille Gottlieb
Born on July 15, 1998,Camille Mary Kelly Gottliebis the only child of Princess Stéphanie and Jean Raymond Gottlieb. Her parents never married, so she is not in the Monegasque line of succession.
Camille is president of the nonprofit Be Safe Monaco, which she founded to campaign against drunk driving after her friend died in an accident, according totheMonaco Tribune. She is also an influencer and animal rights activist.
source: people.com
