The Grimaldi Ancestors

[monos26]

Does anyone know about any other Grimaldi's? I've heard there are many more, but don't know if they live in Monaco.

Grimaldi is not an uncommon surname in Italy -- however, the princely Monagesque Grimaldis are limited to Rainier and his children ...

[nina86lila]

On this thread we can give more informations,pics ........ of the grimaldi's ancestor as the prince Albert 1er of monaco or Louis II, Charlotte of Valentionois and pierre of Polignac (Prince Rainier's Parents) or others mold members.....

[lashinka2002]

Some info on rainer's father


Count Pierre Marie Xavier Raphael Antoine Melchior de Polignac (24 October 1895 - 10 November 1964), was son of Count Maxence de Polignac (1857-1936) and his Mexican-born Spanish wife, Susana de la Torre y Mier (1858-1913). He is best known for having been the father of Rainier III of Monaco.
Because a female Grimaldi of the princely house of Monaco could inherit the throne only if her husband was also a Grimaldi, Pierre de Polignac became Prince Pierre Grimaldi, Comte de Polignac on 18 March 1920, the day before his religious marriage. He also acquired, via marriage, the title of duc de Valentinois.

He married civilly 18 March 1920 in Monaco Princess Charlotte of Monaco, née Charlotte Louise Juliette Louvet, the legitimated daughter of Louis II of Monaco and his mistress, Marie Juliette Louvet. They were judicially separated on 20 March 1930 at Paris, and divorced by ordinance of Prince Louis II on 18 February 1933. The Count and his wife had two children, Princess Antoinette of Monaco (b. 1920) and Rainier III of Monaco.

Following her divorce, Princess Charlotte took up residence at Château de Marchais, the Grimaldi family home near Paris, with René Gigier, one of France’s most infamous jewel thieves. She died in 1977.

[lashinka2002]

Info on Princess Charlotte, Rainiers mother


Her Serene Highness Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois (Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi, née Louvet) (30 September 1898 - 15 November 1977), styled HSH The Duchess of Valentinois, was the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III. From 1919 until 1944, she was the Hereditary Princess of Monaco, heiress to the throne
Birth and adoption

Born in Constantine, Algeria, she was the illegitimate daughter of Marie Juliette Louvet, a cabaret singer, and Prince Louis II. On the death of Prince Louis II, theretofore without a legitimate heir, the throne of Monaco was due to pass to the German Duke of Urach, Louis II's cousin, son of Princess Florestine of Monaco; to forstall this event, on 15 November 1911 a law was passed recognizing Charlotte as Louis's daughter, and making her part of the sovereign family. Though it was later held to be invalid under the 1882 statutes, another law was passed in 1918 modifying the statutes to guarantee succession rights to an adopted heir. Louis adopted Charlotte in 1919, bestowing on her the surname Grimaldi and the titles of Hereditary Princess of Monaco and Duchess of Valentinois; she was thus his heir apparent from 1919 until 30 May 1944.



Marriage


Charlotte (center) with her children Rainier (left) and Antoinette


In 1920, Louis arranged Charlotte's marriage to Count Pierre de Polignac of Guidel, Morbihan, Brittany, France who, by the Prince's ordinance, took the surname Grimaldi and became a Prince of Monaco. The couple had two children:

• Antoinette Louise Alberte Suzanne, born 28 December 1920, and
• Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand, born 31 May 1923.

Their marriage was not, however, a happy one; they separated in 1930 and were divorced in 1933.

[edit]


Late life

On 30 May 1944, the day before her son's 21st birthday and in full agreement with her father, Charlotte ceded her rights to the throne to her son Rainier, subject to the stipulation that he did not predecease her. From this date she was no longer Hereditary Princess of Monaco, though she retained the titles of Princess of Monaco and Duchess of Valentinois.

Late in life she went to college, obtaining a degree in social work. After her son assumed the throne, Princess Charlotte moved to live at Marchais, the Grimaldi estate outside of Paris. Despite the objections of her children who feared for her safety, she turned the estate into a rehabilitation centre for ex-convicts. She lived at the estate with her lover, a noted French jewel thief.

In 1977, Princess Charlotte died in Paris, France.

[lashinka2002]

Info on Princess Charlotte's mother, Rainiers grandmother
Intresting stuff...

Marie Juliette Louvet (May 9, 1867 - September 24, 1930) was mistress of Prince Louis II of Monaco and was the mother of his only child, Princess Charlotte of Monaco.
Known as Juliette, Louvet was the daughter of Jacques Henri Louvet (1830 - 1910) and his first wife, Joséphine Elmire Piedefer (1828-1871).

She married photographer Achille Delmaet on October 6, 1885 (his best known photographs are nudes of La Goulue, a cancan dancer of the Moulin Rouge). The Delmaets were divorced on January 14, 1893; they had two children, Georges (1884-1955) and Marguerite (1886-1894).

Juliette Louvet became an entertainer of sorts, reportedly a cabaret singer (other sources identify her as a laundress and a dressmaker), then was Prince Louis' lover. She gave birth to their daughter, Charlotte, in Algeria on September 30, 1898.

[nina86lila]

A BIG thanks for all members ....great job !

some Information of the first prince of the grimaldi's family: François Ier Grimaldi
on the january 8nd,1297 François Grimaldi who was called "la malice"(in english the mischievous) arrived in monaco by trickery (he was disguised as a monk) with his friends and he takes the power and become the "leader" of monaco and he take the title of "prince of monaco"
He died in 1309 and it was the first rainier, his cousin who's take the power........that'how the history had stated for the Grimaldi !!!:p

On the pics we can the statue of François she was on the right of the palace.this statue represents him on his costume of monk:)

[monaco70s]

I rememeber reading that when Princess Charlotte attended the wedding of Grace & Rainier, her partner who was a Parisinian doctor, reportedly stole some jewels from the wedding guests.

[Tosca]

Originally Posted by monaco70s

I rememeber reading that when Princess Charlotte attended the wedding of Grace & Rainier, her partner who was a Parisinian doctor, reportedly stole some jewels from the wedding guests.

A doctor? Really?
I read that he was a "professional" thief, that Charlotte sr. had met during a charity visit to inmates.

[Tosca]

The halls of the studio of Federico Landi reopen to the public following restoration works; these are decorated with frescoes from the first years of the XVII century.These halls bear witness to Federico's desire to enhance his own family name celebrating the family ties in the "Coat of Arms Room" and the possessions in the "Room of the Views".
The emblem of the Grimaldi family of Monaco is at the centre of the "Coat of Arms Room", to whom Federico was linked through the marriage of his sister Maria with Ercole I Grimaldi. Around it, the twelve cities under the dominion of the house of Monaco are represented in frames, amongst which can be seen the cities of Menton, Monaco and Roccabruna.
The "Room of the Views", however, shows a frescoed vault displaying the new sequence of possessions owned by the Landi family, straddling the Ligurian-Emilian Appennines: in all, approximately 50 areas, including Bardi itself, Compiano and Santa Maria del Taro. The same scenes are faithfully reproduced in the incisions which are included in a volume published by Carlo Natale in 1617, dedicated to the history of the Landi, great feudatories of the Sacred Roman Empire.
Source:www.parmigianino2003.it

Prince Albert paying a visit to the village near Parma where his distant relatives the Landi di Compiano, the family his ancestor's Maria Landi came from, still live.

[monaco70s]

Thanks for the information about how Princess Charlotte met him, and for the Italian Grimaldi relatives :)

[Tosca]

Here is the link to an article appeared on the local paper "La Gazzetta di Parma" about Albert's visit to his Italian relatives.


http://www.lavecchiacompiano.com/ima...incipe%202.jpg

[Tosca]

Here is a link to Grace Kelly's ancestral home in Ireland:

http://www.castlebar.ie/imagemayo/gracekelly.htm

[lashinka2002]

http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs/margkelly.jpg
http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs/carlmayer.jpg
http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs/margkelly.jpg
http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs/grace9.jpg

Pictures of Grace Kelly's side
1 - Graces Mother born 1899
2 - Graces grandfather Carl Majer 1963-1922
3 - Graces grandmother Margeretha Maher (Berg) 1870
4 - The Kelly home in Philadelphia

[lashinka2002]

Here's some more information

http://worldroots.com/brigitte/royal...emonaco46a.jpg
http://worldroots.com/brigitte/royal...emonaco46a.jpg
http://worldroots.com/brigitte/famou...cekellyanc.htm
http://worldroots.com/brigitte/famou...iancestors.htm

[Ianna]

I found really nice portrait of Princess Charlotte..signed...Beautiful..

From 1919..

[monaco70s]

Wow great finding Ianna! She must have been around 20 in this picture I think.

[Gabriella]

I second that, Ianna, Great find! She really was beautiful. Without clicking on the link to enlarge the picture, you can definitely see the resemblence between Charlotte and Caroline. They share a few of the same facial features.

[nina86lila]

very rare pics where we can see the whole family !

[monica17]

Thanks, Nina, the last picture of the Grimaldi family in the 1920s is great! There are few pictures of them individually or together that are available.....

______________
Monica17