HSH Prince Albert Current Events Part 3

[Ianna]

From gettyimages..more photos..

Nina, I think that Caroline on last photo was pregnant with Pierre..it was F1 races 1987 according to Getty..

[nina86lila]

oh ! sorry ...........but she looks so young on that photo so I supposed that she was pregnant with andrea !:o
THANKS again for the great pics I love the one of the national day with the all Grimaldi's men.............past present and maybe futur !!!!!!!!!:)

[Ianna]

no worry, nina. I also thought that Caroline was pregnant with Andrea..

The last one is special..as you said, past, present and future..

[megknight]

The Grimaldi's are safe. Stephanie will never come close to it. In the eyes of the church, all four of Caroline's children are legitimate, and are rightful heirs. So if Albert has no heirs there are currently six people who can rule, Stephanie included.

[LadyMacAlpine]

These words might make more sense in regard to Albert's position.

Monaco's royal powers were conferred on Prince Albert after a royal commission, which had been appointed by Rainier, decided the monarch could no longer rule.

Rainier, who has been in bad health in recent years, was hospitalized March 7 with a chest infection. He was moved to intensive care on March 22 when his health took a sharp downturn.

The regency means Albert takes over while Rainier is sick. His father, who retains the throne, could regain his royal powers if he recovers.

ROSEMARY in answer to your question no there won't be. Caroline's marriage was annuled. It isn't mass it was communion. There is only one child not in line for the Throne Stephanies youngest. There is also the DeMassy's the number off the top I don't know.

[Dennism]

Delawareonline.com

Monaco's Crown Prince Albert has assumed the duties of his ailing father, Prince Rainier III, a transition that will mean postponing a planned trip to Delaware. Prince Rainier, 81, is in intensive care with breathing, kidney and heart problems, after suffering heart and renal failure earlier this month. The Council of the Crown announced the transition Thursday, but did not update Rainier's condition. Albert, 47, is the only son of Europe's longest-serving monarch and his late wife, American actress Grace Kelly. Albert - called a shy bachelor and reluctant heir - planned to visit Delaware for events including Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wilmington, where the congregation has generations of history with, and affection for, his family.

The parish's founding pastor, the Very Rev. H. Francis Tucker, played a pivotal role in the romance between Rainier and Kelly, elegantly set and widely photographed in the tiny monarchy on the Riviera. Father Tucker, as the Wilmington native was called, is known as the matchmaker who introduced Rainier and Kelly. Kelly was shooting a film in Monaco when she saw Prince Rainier and he saw her, the story goes. In those days, formal introductions were required, so when her movie wrapped, the star returned to the United States without having met her prince.

But Father Tucker was a close friend of the Kelly family, who lived in Philadelphia, and after learning of the situation, he introduced the two on side trips he and the prince made to Philadelphia during Rainier's later visit to the states. Tucker later wrote that when Rainier asked what he thought of the actress, he replied, "Monseigneur, that is the kind of girl I want to see you marry.

The prince and princess-to-be attended Mass together at St. Anthony's, an outing considered their first date. Later, Tucker served as the prince's personal chaplain in Monaco. Although Kelly was then in Hollywood shooting "The Swan" and could not attend, Rainier and her parents joined Tucker making a return trip to the Wilmington church in 1956. The visit honored Tucker's 67th birthday, his service in Delaware and Monaco, and the 50th anniversary of his Catholic order, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, in which he was known as the first American member. On Jan. 9, 1956, The Morning News, a predecessor of The News Journal, detailed the celebration, which was attended by more than 750 people and included Mass at the Wilmington church.

"The prince himself put aside his royal role, and became temporarily a commoner in paying tribute to the chaplain, whom he described as "the only canon I will never fire,'" the newspaper said. When it was Tucker's turn to speak, the crowd sang "Happy Birthday," then he turned to the prince and said, "I think your coming to Delaware is the greatest thing that's happened since my birthday." At the couple's wedding the following April in Monte Carlo, Tucker escorted the groom. And when a 6-year-old boy dropped the bride's ring, Tucker picked it up and steadied the child.

He later christened the royal children, Albert and Princesses Stephanie and Caroline. Kelly died in a 1982 car crash. St. Anthony's congregation mourned her loss like family. Her death heightened the bond between Delaware and the royal couple.

"That's why Crown Prince Albert was so excited about coming to St. Anthony's for the first time," said parishioner Claire DeMatteis, chairperson of the planned May events.

Of the announcement of the royal transition Thursday, DeMatteis said: "We're all very sad. ... Our heart is with Prince Rainier and the family."

Representatives of the royal family notified the church that Albert needed to postpone indefinitely, but wants to reschedule.

.

[Ianna]

From Polfoto

Prince Albert speaks on mobile phone using handsfree kit while driving to visit father in hospital (photo taken earlier this week)

[semisquare]

so is it really true that albert has a nervous stutter? also, that he is not the a good extempraneous speaker?

[Alisa]

In English he has a small stuttering problem when he's a bit nervous. I saw him on Larry King Live last year and it was quite evident. Apart from that, i'd say he's a good English speaker. No one's perfect.:)

[rere]

source: http://www.suntimes.com/

Prince Albert says pope's death 'wounds our souls'
April 3, 2005
BY JOCELYN GECKER ASSOCIATED PRESS

MONACO (AP) - Prince Albert of Monaco, whose father was clinging to life, expressed his family's pain over the death of Pope John Paul II, saying Sunday in a message to the Vatican that the pontiff's disappearance "wounds our souls."

Albert, heir to the throne, expressed thankfulness for the special blessing that just eight days ago the pope offered his father, 81-year-old Prince Rainier III, Europe's longest serving monarch.

"We are so thankful to His Holiness to have so often, and again recently, accorded his apostolic blessing on our father," said the message, which mixed the pain of loss for the pope with the family's personal agony. It was made public by the royal palace.

Due to his father's declining health, Albert, 47, took over on Thursday as regent of this tiny Mediterranean principality, in charge of all royal duties but not assuming the throne.

On Sunday, the church bells of Monaco, which is Roman Catholic, tolled 84 times for the pope, and flags, including the one at the royal palace, were lowered to half-staff.

"The death of the Sovereign Pontiff wounds our souls, my sisters' and mine, at a moment when our dearly beloved father struggles with affliction," he said, making a reference to his sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie. "This news marks us with profound emotion and with immense pain that we share with the Catholic Church."

The pontiff _ himself then suffering _ sent a special blessing to Rainier on March 26, saying he was united with the prince "in thoughts and prayer" and prayed that Rainier be comforted.

The Roman Catholic Grimaldi family has run this tiny Mediterranean principality for more than 700 years, and Rainier has ruled since 1949.

On Sunday, Monegasque worshippers wept, knelt in prayer and lit candles for both men.

"We are in pain. When a family loses its father it cries," the Rev. Jean Susini, said during Mass at the 19th-Century cathedral near the royal palace. "We pray for our pope and our prince."

The palace has issued no statement on Rainier's condition since Friday, when it said he faced only a slim chance of recovery from breathing, heart and kidney ailments. He has been in a hospital's intensive care unit for nearly two weeks, since March 22.

Monaco-Matin newspaper reflected the dual concern of this Roman Catholic principality on its front page Sunday with the bold faced headline, "Jean Paul II is dead," beside one for the prince that read: "Prince Rainier: The painful wait."

[monaco70s]

I'm touched by Albert's comments and the flags at half mast. I guess everyone's sould were wounded :(

[michelle]

Yap...you're right Monaco70s.....

[tropicisland]

I know he is/not yet but the same, my ? is: so far he is been kind of enjoying the sunny side of being a CP, and has not been able to find a woman, now or when he is the Prince it will be a royal pain in the neck to find one.

But I have to confess that I pretty much admire him, his ideas so far have been very revolutionary coming from a Prince, ecology, hunger and Aids in the world, etc. & I do predict (no crystall ball here) that for this times that we are living and the ever increasing necessities of the world he will do wonders, give him 5 years and the fame of Monaco of money laundry, tax heaven, etc as you all know will be replaced by way more positive fame and also more human, Wha' do u think?

[Reina]

I hope the guy marries already. He really needs to pucker up and do the right thing.

[LadyMacAlpine]

Originally Posted by Reina

I hope the guy marries already. He really needs to pucker up and do the right thing.

You have no idea all his life he has done what was expected of him. The right thing should be to follow your heart. What if he had found that special lady like Charles did and was told no? What if they have both remained unmarried? Divorces are easy annulments are not look how long it took for Caroline to get her's annuled. Just thoughts for all who judge or critize Albert for his marital status. Should he get married because someone told him he had to to produce an heir? No. He should marry because he is in love and wants to.

[michelle]

Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre,
S.A.S le Prince de Monaco

[tropicisland]

Michele, that's lovely picture, what LadyMcAlpine is true he does not have to marry in order to perform his duty, if does not want to marry/have kids the issue is already resolved with Andrea. Many people have achieved great things in their lives and impacted others without having a partner, and that did not diminished the achievment. Some people are famous some are not, but being single is no longer a "mark" in any society anymore. The reason is that he is more visible, all the CP of his age(+-) have already married and starting families of their own. If he were just a private citizen, the rumors of being gay would have been the same, his family and friends will try to match with everybody who happens to be single, even knowing that a date will be hell, because "extreme" compatibility issues (btw, that was done to me and it was hell) just get him on. I do believe that he has not refused to get married as many people says or that he wants to be single because of the girls and the perks that goes with it. So far he has not found the right one and he knows it the same way all human do, the day that he finds "that" woman you will see how quickly the bacholer, parties, etc dissappears and that might be reason I keep getting the impression that he's more romantic that what he portrays to the world. IMO humbly.

[marezdote]

I think a lot of the pressure is off him now to marry since the constitution was revised.