Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Encyclopedia
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi, Count of Polignac; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005), styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality
of Monaco
for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.
Though he was best known outside of Europe
for having married American actress Grace Kelly
, he was also responsible for reforms to Monaco's constitution
and for expanding the principality's economy beyond its traditional gambling
base. Gambling accounts for only approximately three percent of the nation's annual revenue today; when Rainier ascended the throne in 1949, it accounted for more than 95 percent.
, Mexican
, Spanish
, German, Scottish
, English
, Dutch
, and Italian
ancestry.
Through his great-grandmother Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, who was briefly Princess of Monaco, he was a descendant of James IV of Scotland
(descended from three of his illegitimate daughters). His great-great-great-grandmother was Stéphanie de Beauharnais
, the adopted daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte and later the Grand Duchess of Baden. Other ancestors include William Thomas Beckford
, the scandal
ous 18th century English collector, tastemaker, writer, and eccentric.
Rainier was also a descendant of William the Silent
of Orange-Nassau, the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Empire
and ancestor to the current Dutch Royal Family; Hortense Mancini
, the Duchess of Mazarin and mistress of King Charles II of England
; Gabrielle de Polignac
, a favourite of Marie Antoinette
; Joan of Kent
, the first Princess of Wales
; King Charles IX of Sweden
; King Frederick II of Denmark and Norway; Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
, Claude, Duke of Guise
and several doges of Genoa.
, the only son of Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois (né Count Pierre de Polignac
) and his wife, Hereditary Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
. Born in Algeria
, his mother was the only child of Prince Louis II
and Marie Juliette Louvet
; she was later legitimized through formal adoption and subsequently named heiress to the throne of Monaco. His father was a half-French
, half-Mexican
nobleman from Brittany
who adopted his wife's surname, Grimaldi, upon marriage and was made a prince of Monaco by his father-in-law.
Rainier had one sibling, HSH Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy
, an unpopular figure generally believed to be meddlesome enough regarding her children's place in the line of succession to have forced Princess Grace to demand that she leave the country.
Rainier was first sent to study at Summerfields School
in St Leonards-on-Sea
, England, and later at Stowe
, a prestigious English public school in Buckinghamshire
. From there, he went to the Institut Le Rosey
in Rolle
and Gstaad
, Switzerland, before continuing to the University of Montpellier
in France, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
degree, and finally to the Institut d'études politiques de Paris in Paris.
Rainier's maternal grandfather, Prince Louis II
, had been a general in the French army during World War I
. During World War II
, in contradiction with the very Germanophile position of his grandfather Louis II, Rainier joined lately the Free French army in September 1944 as an artillery officer. As a second lieutenant
, he fought during the German counter-offensive in Alsace
. He won the Croix de Guerre
and Bronze Star
and was given the rank of Chevalier in the Legion of Honor
.
On 9 May 1949, Rainier became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco on the death of Prince Louis II, his mother having renounced her rights to the throne in his favour in 1944.
. The couple reportedly separated when it was rumoured by an aspirant to the throne that a doctor declared her to be infertile, a diagnosis later disproved which she married and had a child.
, 7 April 2005, page 59), in Monaco
civilly on 18 April 1956 and religiously on 19 April 1956, Prince Rainier married Oscar
-winning American actress Grace Kelly
(1929–1982). Their children are:
Prince Rainier had nine grandchildren:
He was a hands-on grandparent, unusual in a monarchy. He was often seen with Caroline and Stéphanie's children.
After his wife's death in a car crash due to an apparent accidental mechanical failure in 1982, he may have been romantically involved with his second cousin, Princess Ira von Fürstenberg
, a former movie actress turned jewelery designer, who is also a Fiat
heiress and the former sister-in-law of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg
. Unfounded, unverified and alleged circumstantial evidence and rumors have persisted as to the actual cause of Princess Grace's car crash. Princess Ira like him is a great-grandchild of Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, the Scottish-German wife of Prince Albert I of Monaco
, though by Lady Mary's second marriage.
, who took control of the Société des Bains de Mer and envisioned Monaco as solely a gambling resort. Prince Rainier regained control of the Société in 1964, effectively ensuring that his vision of Monaco would be implemented.
As Prince of Monaco, Rainier was also responsible for the principality's new constitution in 1962 which significantly reduced the power of the sovereign. (He suspended the previous Constitution in 1959, saying that it "has hindered the administrative and political life of the country.") The changes ended autocratic rule, placing power with the prince and a National Council of eighteen elected members.
p
At the time of his death, he was the world's second longest-serving living head of state
, ranking just below King Bhumibol Adulyadej
of Thailand
. During the last two or three years of his life, Rainier was in the custom of asking his valet each morning, "Has Rama survived the night? Or did I just move up in the ranks?"
appeared on CNN
's Larry King Live
and told Larry King
that his father was fine, though he was suffering from bronchitis. On 7 March 2005, he was again hospitalized with a lung infection. Rainier was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit on 22 March. One day later, on 23 March, it was announced he was on a ventilator, suffering from renal
and heart failure. On 26 March, the palace reported that despite intensive ongoing efforts to improve the prince's health, he was continuing to deteriorate; however, the following day, he was reported to be conscious, his heart and kidney conditions having stabilized. His prognosis remained "very reserved".
On 31 March 2005, following consultation with the Crown Council of Monaco
, the Palais Princier announced that Rainier's son, Hereditary Prince Albert
, Marquis des Baux, would take over the duties of his father as Regent
since Rainier was no longer able to exercise his royal functions.
On 1 April 2005, the Palace announced that Rainier's doctors believe his chances of recovery were "slim"; on 6 April it announced that Prince Rainier had died in Monaco
at 6:35 am local time at the age of 81. He was succeeded by his only son, who became Prince Albert II
.
He was buried on 15 April 2005, beside his wife, Princess Grace
, at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral, the resting place of previous sovereign princes of Monaco and several of their wives, and the place where Prince Rainier and Princess Grace had been married in 1956.
Because his death occurred shortly after that of Pope John Paul II
, Rainier's death was overshadowed in the media.
His other non-hereditary titles and awards included: Knight Grand-Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta with Cross of Honorary Professed Member Collar of Merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Colonel in the French Army
Grand Master of the Order of Saint-Charles Grand Master of the Order of the Crown
Grand Master of the Order of Grimaldi
Knight of the Order of the Seraphim Knight Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour Member of the Pontifical Military Order of the Golden Spur Member of the Order of Seraphs Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Savior (Greece) Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of George I (Greece) Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Mohammed AliKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Karađorđe's Star Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Jose Matias Delgado
(El Salvador
) Lebanese
Medal of Merit Croix de Guerre
(France) Cross of the Voluntary Combatant 1939-1945
Croix de Guerre
(Belgium) Gold Medal of the American Legion
and the Golden Olympic Order Grand Collar of the Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero
Rainier created a postal museum in 1950 by using the collections of Albert I
and Louis II
. Since 1996 this museum has been called Musée des timbres et monnaies.
Creator of the philatelic Club de Monte-Carlo in 1997, he organized with its members some exhibitions of rare and exceptional postage stamps and letters.
Throughout his reign, Rainier surveyed all the process of creation of Monaco stamps. He liked stamps printed in intaglio
and the art of engraver Czesław Słania.
|-
|-
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.
Though he was best known outside of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for having married American actress Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
, he was also responsible for reforms to Monaco's constitution
Constitution of Monaco
The Constitution of Monaco, first adopted in 1911 after the Monegasque Revolution and heavily revised by Prince Rainier III on December 17, 1962, outlines three branches of government, including several administrative offices and a number of councils, who share advisory and legislative power with...
and for expanding the principality's economy beyond its traditional gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
base. Gambling accounts for only approximately three percent of the nation's annual revenue today; when Rainier ascended the throne in 1949, it accounted for more than 95 percent.
Ancestry
Rainier III was of FrenchFrench people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
, Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, German, Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
, and Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
ancestry.
Through his great-grandmother Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, who was briefly Princess of Monaco, he was a descendant of James IV of Scotland
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
(descended from three of his illegitimate daughters). His great-great-great-grandmother was Stéphanie de Beauharnais
Stéphanie de Beauharnais
Stéphanie, Grand Duchess of Baden was the consort of Karl, Grand Duke of Baden.-Biography:...
, the adopted daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte and later the Grand Duchess of Baden. Other ancestors include William Thomas Beckford
William Thomas Beckford
William Thomas Beckford , usually known as William Beckford, was an English novelist, a profligate and consummately knowledgeable art collector and patron of works of decorative art, a critic, travel writer and sometime politician, reputed to be the richest commoner in England...
, the scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
ous 18th century English collector, tastemaker, writer, and eccentric.
Rainier was also a descendant of William the Silent
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
of Orange-Nassau, the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
and ancestor to the current Dutch Royal Family; Hortense Mancini
Hortense Mancini
Hortense Mancini, duchesse Mazarin , was the favourite niece of Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister of France, and a mistress of Charles II, King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
, the Duchess of Mazarin and mistress of King Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
; Gabrielle de Polignac
Gabrielle de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac
Yolande Martine Gabrielle de Polastron, Duchess of Polignac was the favourite of Marie Antoinette, whom she first met when she was presented at the Palace of Versailles in 1775, the year after Marie Antoinette became the Queen of France...
, a favourite of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
; Joan of Kent
Joan of Kent
Joan, Countess of Kent , known to history as The Fair Maid of Kent, was the first English Princess of Wales...
, the first Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
; King Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
; King Frederick II of Denmark and Norway; Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
, Claude, Duke of Guise
Claude, Duke of Guise
Claude de Lorraine, duc de Guise was a French aristocrat and general. He became the first Duke of Guise in 1528....
and several doges of Genoa.
Early life
Rainier was born in MonacoMonaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, the only son of Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois (né Count Pierre de Polignac
Pierre de Polignac
Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois was the father of Rainier III of Monaco, and thus the paternal grandfather of Albert II of Monaco...
) and his wife, Hereditary Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois , was the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III...
. Born in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, his mother was the only child of Prince Louis II
Louis II, Prince of Monaco
Louis II was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 27 June 1922 until 9 May 1949.-Early years:Born Louis Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi in Baden-Baden, Germany, he was the only child of Prince Albert I of Monaco , and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton...
and Marie Juliette Louvet
Marie Juliette Louvet
Marie Juliette Louvet was the mistress of the then unmarried Prince Louis II of Monaco and was the mother of his only child, Princess Charlotte of Monaco....
; she was later legitimized through formal adoption and subsequently named heiress to the throne of Monaco. His father was a half-French
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
, half-Mexican
Mexican nobility
Mexican nobility refers to the titled nobles and untitled gentry families of Mexico. Most of the descendants of these families still live in Mexico today, but some can be found in Europe and other countries....
nobleman from Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
who adopted his wife's surname, Grimaldi, upon marriage and was made a prince of Monaco by his father-in-law.
Rainier had one sibling, HSH Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy
Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy
Princess Antoinette of Monaco, Countess of Polignac, Baroness of Massy was a non-dynastic member of the princely family of Monaco and the elder sister of Prince Rainier III and aunt of Albert II, Prince of Monaco...
, an unpopular figure generally believed to be meddlesome enough regarding her children's place in the line of succession to have forced Princess Grace to demand that she leave the country.
Rainier was first sent to study at Summerfields School
Summerfields, St Leonards-on-Sea
Summerfields was a boys' preparatory school in the St Leonards-on-Sea area of Hastings, East Sussex.It occupied the buildings previously known as Bohemia House....
in St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
, England, and later at Stowe
Stowe School
Stowe School is an independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It was founded on 11 May 1923 by J. F. Roxburgh, initially with 99 male pupils. It is a member of the Rugby Group and Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school is also a member of the G20 Schools Group...
, a prestigious English public school in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. From there, he went to the Institut Le Rosey
Institut Le Rosey
Institut Le Rosey, commonly referred to as Le Rosey or simply Rosey, is a school, in Gstaad, Switzerland. It is described as one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the world. The school was founded by Paul-Émile Carnal in 1880 on the site of the 14th-century Château du Rosey near the town...
in Rolle
Rolle
Rolle is a municipality in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It was the seat of the district of Rolle until 2006, when it became part of the district of Nyon. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Geneva between Nyon and Lausanne...
and Gstaad
Gstaad
Gstaad is a village in the German-speaking section of the Canton of Berne in southwestern Switzerland. Part of the municipality of Saanen, Gstaad is known as one of the most exclusive ski resorts in the world....
, Switzerland, before continuing to the University of Montpellier
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university...
in France, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree, and finally to the Institut d'études politiques de Paris in Paris.
Rainier's maternal grandfather, Prince Louis II
Louis II, Prince of Monaco
Louis II was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 27 June 1922 until 9 May 1949.-Early years:Born Louis Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi in Baden-Baden, Germany, he was the only child of Prince Albert I of Monaco , and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton...
, had been a general in the French army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in contradiction with the very Germanophile position of his grandfather Louis II, Rainier joined lately the Free French army in September 1944 as an artillery officer. As a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
, he fought during the German counter-offensive in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. He won the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
and Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
and was given the rank of Chevalier in the Legion of Honor
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
On 9 May 1949, Rainier became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco on the death of Prince Louis II, his mother having renounced her rights to the throne in his favour in 1944.
Early romance
In the 1940s and 1950s, the prince openly lived with the French film star Gisèle PascalGisèle Pascal
Gisèle Pascal was a French actress and a former lover of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco.She was born Gisèle Marie Madeleine Tallone at Cannes in France...
. The couple reportedly separated when it was rumoured by an aspirant to the throne that a doctor declared her to be infertile, a diagnosis later disproved which she married and had a child.
Marriage and family
After a year-long courtship described as containing "a good deal of rational appraisal on both sides" (The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 7 April 2005, page 59), in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
civilly on 18 April 1956 and religiously on 19 April 1956, Prince Rainier married Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-winning American actress Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
(1929–1982). Their children are:
- Princess Caroline Louise MargueriteCaroline, Princess of HanoverCaroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco , formally styled Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover , has been heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco since 2005, a position which she previously held from 1957 to 1958.She is the wife of...
, born 23 January 1957 and now HRH The Princess of Hanover and heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco - Albert II, Prince of MonacoAlbert II, Prince of MonacoAlbert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
, born 14 March 1958 - Princess Stéphanie Marie ElisabethPrincess Stéphanie of MonacoPrincess Stéphanie of Monaco, Countess of Polignac is a member of the princely family of Monaco. She is the youngest child of Grace, Princess of Monaco and Rainier III of Monaco, and the sister of Albert II of Monaco and Princess Caroline...
, born 1 February 1965
Prince Rainier had nine grandchildren:
- AndreaAndrea CasiraghiAndrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi is the first of three children born to Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband, Stefano Casiraghi, an heir to an Italian oil fortune. His maternal grandparents were Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Princess Grace...
, CharlotteCharlotte CasiraghiCharlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi is the second child of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco, and the late Stefano Casiraghi, an Italian industrialist. She is fourth in line to the throne of Monaco...
and Pierre CasiraghiPierre CasiraghiPierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi is the younger son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and her second husband, Stefano Casiraghi....
, children of Princess Caroline and Stefano CasiraghiStefano CasiraghiStefano Casiraghi was an Italian sportsman, heir, socialite and businessman. He was the son of Giancarlo Casiraghi and wife Fernanda Palici, and became the second husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco.-Early life:...
; - Princess Alexandra of Hanover, daughter of Princess Caroline and Ernst August V, Prince of HanoverErnst August V, Prince of HanoverErnst August, Prince of Hanover , is the third husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco, heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco...
- LouisLouis DucruetLouis Robert Paul Ducruet is the son of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet, a former Palace bodyguard....
and Pauline DucruetPauline DucruetPauline Grace Maguy Ducruet is the daughter of HSH Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet...
, children of Princess Stéphanie and Daniel DucruetDaniel DucruetDaniel Ducruet is the former husband of HSH Princess Stéphanie of Monaco from 1995 until 1996.Ducruet was born in Beausoleil, Alpes-Maritimes to Henri Ducruet, a manual laborer, and Maguy, a housewife... - Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, the daughter of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Tamara Rotolo
- Alexandre CosteAlexandre CosteAlexandre Éric Stéphane Coste is the son of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and Nicole Coste, a native of Togo in west Africa. His paternal grandparents were the late Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Princess Grace...
, the son of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Nicole CosteNicole CosteNicole Valérie Coste is a former Air France flight attendant from Togo. From 1997 until late 2002 or early 2003, she had a relationship with Albert II, Prince of Monaco, which produced a child, Alexandre Coste, who was born in August 2003. She also has two sons from a previous marriage... - Camille Gottlieb, the daughter of Princess Stéphanie.
He was a hands-on grandparent, unusual in a monarchy. He was often seen with Caroline and Stéphanie's children.
After his wife's death in a car crash due to an apparent accidental mechanical failure in 1982, he may have been romantically involved with his second cousin, Princess Ira von Fürstenberg
Ira von Fürstenberg
Princess Virginia of Fürstenberg is a European socialite, actress, jewelry designer, and a former public relations manager for the fashion designer Valentino Garavani.-Background:...
, a former movie actress turned jewelery designer, who is also a Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
heiress and the former sister-in-law of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg, formerly Princess Diane of Fürstenberg , is a Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon of Fürstenberg...
. Unfounded, unverified and alleged circumstantial evidence and rumors have persisted as to the actual cause of Princess Grace's car crash. Princess Ira like him is a great-grandchild of Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, the Scottish-German wife of Prince Albert I of Monaco
Albert I, Prince of Monaco
Albert I was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 10 September 1889 until his death.-Early life:...
, though by Lady Mary's second marriage.
Actions as Sovereign Prince
After ascending the throne, Rainier worked assiduously to recoup Monaco's lustre, which had become tarnished through neglect (especially financial) and scandal (his mother, Princess Charlotte, took a noted jewel thief known as René the Cane as her lover). According to numerous obituaries, the prince was faced upon his ascension with a treasury that was practically empty. The holder of 55 percent of the nation's reserves, the Societé Monégasque de Banques et de Métaux Précieux, was bankrupt. The small nation's traditional gambling clientele, largely European aristocrats, found themselves with reduced funds after World War II. Other gambling centers had opened to compete with Monaco, many of them successfully. To compensate for this loss of income, Rainier decided to promote Monaco as a tax haven, commercial center, real-estate development opportunity, and international tourist attraction. The early years of his reign saw the overweening involvement of the Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle OnassisAristotle Onassis
Aristotle Sokratis Onassis , commonly called Ari or Aristo Onassis, was a prominent Greek shipping magnate.- Early life :Onassis was born in Karatass, a suburb of Smyrna to Socrates and Penelope Onassis...
, who took control of the Société des Bains de Mer and envisioned Monaco as solely a gambling resort. Prince Rainier regained control of the Société in 1964, effectively ensuring that his vision of Monaco would be implemented.
As Prince of Monaco, Rainier was also responsible for the principality's new constitution in 1962 which significantly reduced the power of the sovereign. (He suspended the previous Constitution in 1959, saying that it "has hindered the administrative and political life of the country.") The changes ended autocratic rule, placing power with the prince and a National Council of eighteen elected members.
p
At the time of his death, he was the world's second longest-serving living head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, ranking just below King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. During the last two or three years of his life, Rainier was in the custom of asking his valet each morning, "Has Rama survived the night? Or did I just move up in the ranks?"
Illness and death
In the last three years of his life, Prince Rainier's health progressively declined. In early 2004, he was hospitalized for coronary problems. In October he was again in hospital with a lung infection. In November of that year, Prince AlbertAlbert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
appeared on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
and told Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
that his father was fine, though he was suffering from bronchitis. On 7 March 2005, he was again hospitalized with a lung infection. Rainier was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit on 22 March. One day later, on 23 March, it was announced he was on a ventilator, suffering from renal
Renal failure
Renal failure or kidney failure describes a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to adequately filter toxins and waste products from the blood...
and heart failure. On 26 March, the palace reported that despite intensive ongoing efforts to improve the prince's health, he was continuing to deteriorate; however, the following day, he was reported to be conscious, his heart and kidney conditions having stabilized. His prognosis remained "very reserved".
On 31 March 2005, following consultation with the Crown Council of Monaco
Crown Council of Monaco
The Crown Council of Monaco is a seven-member administrative body which meets at least twice annually to advise the Prince of Monaco on various domestic and international affairs. It is one of three such councils designated by the Principality's Constitution, the other two being the National...
, the Palais Princier announced that Rainier's son, Hereditary Prince Albert
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
, Marquis des Baux, would take over the duties of his father as Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
since Rainier was no longer able to exercise his royal functions.
On 1 April 2005, the Palace announced that Rainier's doctors believe his chances of recovery were "slim"; on 6 April it announced that Prince Rainier had died in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
at 6:35 am local time at the age of 81. He was succeeded by his only son, who became Prince Albert II
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
.
He was buried on 15 April 2005, beside his wife, Princess Grace
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
, at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral, the resting place of previous sovereign princes of Monaco and several of their wives, and the place where Prince Rainier and Princess Grace had been married in 1956.
Because his death occurred shortly after that of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, Rainier's death was overshadowed in the media.
Titles
Rainier's official shortened title was His Serene Highness Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco; this does not include the many other hereditary titles acquired by the Grimaldi family (see Prince of Monaco for a complete list).His other non-hereditary titles and awards included: Knight Grand-Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta with Cross of Honorary Professed Member Collar of Merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Colonel in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
Grand Master of the Order of Saint-Charles Grand Master of the Order of the Crown
Order of the Crown (Monaco)
The Order of the Crown is an order established in Monaco on 20 July 1960. This decoration is awarded to people, who have done something exceptional or by their exceptional conduct.There are five categories:* Knight Grand Cross* Grand Officer...
Grand Master of the Order of Grimaldi
Order of Grimaldi
The Order of Grimaldi is an Order established in Monaco on 18 November 1954. This Order rewards personal service to the Sovereign Prince of Monaco; as such it is awarded on the sole discretion of the Prince, currently Albert II, Prince of Monaco....
Knight of the Order of the Seraphim Knight Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour Member of the Pontifical Military Order of the Golden Spur Member of the Order of Seraphs Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Savior (Greece) Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of George I (Greece) Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium) Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Mohammed AliKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Karađorđe's Star Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Jose Matias Delgado
Order of José Matías Delgado
The National Order of Doctor José Matías Delgado is an honour awarded in El Salvador. The order is named after José Matías Delgado who was a priest and doctor known as The Father of the Salvadoran Fatherland...
(El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
) Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
Medal of Merit Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(France) Cross of the Voluntary Combatant 1939-1945
Croix du combattant volontaire 1939–1945
The Croix du combattant volontaire 1939–1945 is a French decoration that recognizes those who have volunteered to serve in a combat unit during World War II. It is the World War II equivalent of the Croix du Combattant Volontaire 1914–1918.-History:This decoration is equivalent to that awarded to...
Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(Belgium) Gold Medal of the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
and the Golden Olympic Order Grand Collar of the Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero
- Fédération Internationale de l'AutomobileFédération Internationale de l'AutomobileThe Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
Gold Medal for Motor Sport - Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of Saint-Jacques of the Sword
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Andrew H. Kowalski
- Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of Saint-Martin
Philately
Albert I, Prince of Monaco
Albert I was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 10 September 1889 until his death.-Early life:...
and Louis II
Louis II, Prince of Monaco
Louis II was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 27 June 1922 until 9 May 1949.-Early years:Born Louis Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi in Baden-Baden, Germany, he was the only child of Prince Albert I of Monaco , and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton...
. Since 1996 this museum has been called Musée des timbres et monnaies.
Creator of the philatelic Club de Monte-Carlo in 1997, he organized with its members some exhibitions of rare and exceptional postage stamps and letters.
Throughout his reign, Rainier surveyed all the process of creation of Monaco stamps. He liked stamps printed in intaglio
Intaglio (printmaking)
Intaglio is a family of printmaking techniques in which the image is incised into a surface, known as the matrix or plate, and the incised line or area holds the ink. Normally, copper or zinc plates are used as a surface, and the incisions are created by etching, engraving, drypoint, aquatint or...
and the art of engraver Czesław Słania.
Commemorative coin
Honouring the Prince on his death in 2005, a high value commemorative coin was minted with his effigy on it, the €10 gold Prince Rainier III commemorative coin, minted also in 2005. On the obverse the effigy of the late prince is depicted; while on the reverse the Grimaldi's Coat of Arms is shown.Ancestry
External links
- Princely House of Monaco
- Official website of the funerals
- Rainier's biography, from the Palace's official website
- Times obituary 6 April, 2005
- Cardinal Ratzinger sends condolences to Monaco on Prince Rainier's death
- The Monte Carlo Royal Palace - 360 degree QTVR
- :fr:Rainier III de Monaco (timbre) : article of the French Wikipedia about Rainier III on stamps and as a philatelist.
- Prominent People - Rainier III
- Prince Rainier III of Monaco - Daily Telegraph obituary
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