Funeral of Prince Rainier: April 15, 2005

[Ianna]

So touching photos, simon..

 

[BeccaLynn07]

Simon, those are the IMO honestly two of the most touching pictures, especially the one of Albert and Stephanie holding hands.

 

[budge9]

Does anybody know what the sad music was that was played during the funeral? Thanks!

 

[Ianna]

Does anybody know what the sad music was that was played during the funeral? Thanks!

In the Cathedral;Samuel Barber's Adagio For Strings..
During procession; Beethoven's Funeral March..
for this know...

Prince Albert's and Princess Caroline's last flower's goodbyes..

 

[carina_antonsen]

I saw the funeral. I saw andrea and pierre walking and I noticed their difference. first time really. Pierre didnt look anywhere, he just walked, he seemed sad but so confident.With his head straight..Andrea threw his eyes around a little unconfident , his steps was a little clumsy compared to the others, especially to his brother. He seemed to have so many thaughts going around in his head and didnt really know how to carry himself. He reminded me of a little boy, distracted in a way, trying to find his place in the croud.

 

[machievelli]

The flowers from Steph, Caroline, and Albert as a last goodbye to their father are lovely. But I always wonder what happens to the wreath of flowers. Do they give them away or place them at his burial site?

I saw a bit of the procession from small CNN newsbreaks. Maybe Andrea did feel a bit lost and uncomfortable during the walk because of sadness and the crowd.

 

[Reina]

Poor guy...

 

[Reina]

Sorry, but one cannot see the transmission until monday april 18th (the transimission of the funeral of the princely site)

 

[semisquare]

what happen to the guard?
and i also think the pic of albert and stephanie holding hands very touching. u know a lot of older brothers dont look out for there sisters or support them. but its nice to see that he can draw comfort from her and vice versa and they can support each other-imo

 

[lashinka2002]

Maybe it´s not the right moment to criticse, but I also couldn´t understand, why the children were missing. I can understand, that Alexandra and Camille didn´t attend. They wouldn´t understand. But Louis will become 13 this year. So he´s almost a teenager and not a little boy anymore. I would have prefered, when he would have lit a candle instead of one of Ernst August´s sons. But of course I could understand, when he was afraid to attend or something like that.

I think that all of the grand children especially Louis and Pauline are old enough to attend the funeral but the fact that its a public event and that people will be watching & maybe even scrutinizing their reactions Stephanie & Caroline may have held them back for the private service. My daughter was 5 when my grangfather passed away and I brought her to the wake (viewing) and burial. Children need closure too. My daughter behaved very well. I of course had to sit down & have a chat with her about what was happening but in the end she brought much comfort to all of the family.
Stephanie may not want her children viewed as royal either since they will have no royal roles in the future.

Yes, it would have been lovely if he lit a candle, even if the youngest ones did too.

 

[sara1981]

Poor guy...



http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/52634092.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=E2399169AC85D6DE9A21091711E5AD1EE045826A7D5FFB8E7757C85AE85A779B

oh my god! that really embrassment what happened at Prince Rainier's funeral if Prince Albert will find out?

Sara Boyce

 

[Reina]

Well the guard fainted. Don't know why.

 

[monaco70s]

Larry King interviewed John Lehman, Chris Levine, Nadia Lacoste, and Rita Gam about the funeral today

 

[monaco70s]

It'll almost be 24 hours since I saw the funeral live on TV and I just have to say that today's funeral along with Princess Grace are the 2 saddest and most touching funerals in Royal History ever for me.

My heart is with all of the family during these hard moments. It broke my heart seeing Princess Carolin and Princess Stephanie crying and devastated, and also Prince Albert was about to cry when he looked up.

I felt lots of sadness while watching the funeral today. I just can't believe what I saw today.

Thanks everyone for the pictures.

 

[machievelli]

The Larry King special on Rainier's funeral and the rest of the family was pretty good. The funeral was indeed sad and poignant. But I'd say Princess Grace and Princess Diana's funerals are the saddest and most heartwrenching in Royal history to me. Rainier went out in mad style and dignity. It was nice to see so many dignitaries and royals pay their respects along with the family. The funeral was well turned out.

 

[monaco70s]

Yeah I did like Larry's special especially because we got to see some bits of "Rearranged", the movie Princess Grace made in 1982.

I can't hear the music of Rainier's funeral nor watch it...it just breaks me in two.

 

[rarotonga]

A tear or two fell when I saw the dog, Odin, follow his master's coffin in the cortege. Also, there were many shots of Albert trying to hold back the tears by looking up.

As to the absence of Stephanie's children at the funeral, Nadia Lacoste, press secretary to TSH, said that Stephanie wants to protect her children as much as she can from the press.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Yes,there were so much tears.sadness at Prince Rainier's Funeral,i could see from especially Caroline and Stephanie.

 

[kittencrews]

caroline...

 

[Ianna]

Yes,there were so much tears.sadness at Prince Rainier's Funeral,i could see from especially Caroline and Stephanie.

Indeed, my eyes were full of tears watching them during mass and then going out of Cathedral..Specially Stephanie's eyes then..

And for Odin..it was so heartbreaking..I adore dogs..heard so many stories how animals suffer when losing thier master..it was good decision to allow the dog to follow the procession..

 

[simon]

It was also very touching as I now atched a film sequence of the moment the russion chellist played on Rainier's open coffin on wednesday. What is not see on the only picture that was taken of this is seen on this film sequence because the family ( Albert,Caroline, Andrea and Stephanie ) are here filmed from above their haeds - and there you can see that Andrea, who is sitting between Caroline and Stephanie is holding both is aunties and mothers hands.

Very sweet. He is always so very affectionate, specially with his 'Tama'.

 

[simon]

It is true that we monegasques also would have loved to see Louis and Pauline at the ceremony (I believe for Camille and Alexandra it is ok that they're considered to be oo young). We would have loved to see Louis and Pauline ( at least Louis) light a candle as well.
But it is also true and well known that Stephanie has always kept her three children out of this. ( e.g. the National Day as well). As for her being a mother I fully understand the reason - but it is true that we are also a bit sad about this here because the family is always a little incomplete without them. Further, it is Stephanie's decision. And we have to accept that.

 

[betina]

I dont think the youngest children are too young to go to their grandfathers funeral. Prince Frederik and Joachim of Denmark where only 2 and 3 years old when they attended to their grandfathers funeral in 1972

 

[budge9]

It was also very touching as I now atched a film sequence of the moment the russion chellist played on Rainier's open coffin on wednesday. What is not see on the only picture that was taken of this is seen on this film sequence because the family ( Albert,Caroline, Andrea and Stephanie ) are here filmed from above their haeds - and there you can see that Andrea, who is sitting between Caroline and Stephanie is holding both is aunties and mothers hands.

Very sweet. He is always so very affectionate, specially with his 'Tama'.

DOes anybody know where I can see this film? Thanks!

 

[Tosca]

During the funeral service

 

[Beate]

I was wondering if anyone here in North America was able to tape the entire funeral. Since I am here in Canada I wasn't able to catch it and would really like to watch it..Thanks!!

 

[liv]

Perhaps it is not the right occasion to say this but I think that there will be more arguments in the Grimaldi family after Rainier´s death.I think that there was a symbolic meaning when the siblings left the cathedral. In the cathedral(with Rainier) they stood together and comforted eachother (Albert/stephanie) even if they don´t get along really well (Caroline/Stephanie).But when they left the cathedral Caroline and Albert walked down the steps and it seemed as Stephanie was running away. Their ways divided when being without Rainier and I think this will also be the case in future. Rainier united the two sister but now he is dead and both sister won´t be seen together very often.

What is the reason for their argument ?Caroline´s children seems to get along ith Stephanie very well whereas the relationship between Caroline/Stephanie seems to be very cold.I missed a hug of the both sisters...
Very sad that this family not only lost its father but perhaps also the strength of their family(Ifear)

 

[Alexandria]

What is the reason for their argument ?Caroline´s children seems to get along ith Stephanie very well whereas the relationship between Caroline/Stephanie seems to be very cold.I missed a hug of the both sisters...

My understanding of the fallout between the two sisters is that some years back, I think during the scandal with Camille in which Stephanie was not married but pregnant, Caroline was upset with her sister for bringing so much scandal to the family. From Daniel Ducruet's involvement with the Belgian stripper (which was not Stephanie's fault to be fair to her, but Daniel's), the subsequent divorce then the child out of wedlock with her bodyguard put Caroline over the edge. From what I have seen and read about the relationship (Vanity Fair did a long profile of the sisters in their August 2004 issue), Caroline is frustrated with all the excuses and the lax approach Rainier and Albert have towards Caroline that she is a "lost child" or the like and Caroline feels that Stephanie should be held accountable and responsible for her actions. Needless to say, subsequent events in Stephanie's life have not endeared her to Caroline any more, such as running off to the circus with Franco Knie or her short-lived marriage to Adans and living in a trailer. I think Caroline has a very certain perception of what a princess's life should be like and her sister's life greatly fails to live up to these standards.

Perhaps it is not the right occasion to say this but I think that there will be more arguments in the Grimaldi family after Rainier´s death.I think that there was a symbolic meaning when the siblings left the cathedral. In the cathedral(with Rainier) they stood together and comforted eachother (Albert/stephanie) even if they don´t get along really well (Caroline/Stephanie).But when they left the cathedral Caroline and Albert walked down the steps and it seemed as Stephanie was running away. Their ways divided when being without Rainier and I think this will also be the case in future. Rainier united the two sister but now he is dead and both sister won´t be seen together very often.

Their ways divided when being without Rainier and I think this will also be the case in future. Rainier united the two sister but now he is dead and both sister won´t be seen together very often.
...
Very sad that this family not only lost its father but perhaps also the strength of their family(Ifear)

I feel this way, too. That without Rainier to bind his daughters together, Albert won't be enough to encourage more encounters between the two sisters. I think Rainier was very much the "glue" that brought his daughters together, that whatever their feelings for each other, they would both show up for National Days or private family dinners if only to make their father happy for a few hours. And now that Rainier is gone, I think Albert will be caught in the middle of his two sisters' feud -- there's no way that he would choose between either sister, but that means that he'll constantly be pulled in one direction or another.

Perhaps though, that losing their father who was so much a part of their lives will encourage a reconciliation between the two sisters. Loss has a way of making you forget petty fights and disagreements.

 

[eireann]

Perhaps though, that losing their father who was so much a part of their lives will encourage a reconciliation between the two sisters. Loss has a way of making you forget petty fights and disagreements.

i hope this will be true. i know this is a harsh thing to say but now the links to the past are gone and maybe now stephanie and caroline can start to live in the present and look to the future. i also found it sad as when they were saying goodbye at the coffin before leaving the cathedral caroline and stephanie maintained a sense of distance...it appears to me that albert has a good relationship with both sisters and he will not be stuck in the middle and that neither sister will feel he favours one over the other or that either sister will have to fight for his approval. thus with time maybe things will heal.

 

[michelle]

Well, I imagine we're back on the Caroline - Stephanie question/story once again. To be honest, I've already been waiting for this!
The moment I arrived in Monaco and learned about that Stephanie had finally decided not to have her children at this official ceromony ( not to be disregarded the three kids have been at the actual burial later) I already knew what some especially german papers would write ( before they were even printed And I was right! We came back to Germany this afternoon and the first thing we read was:
" Caroline didn't allow Stephanie's children to be present at the funeral!" ....
One of my brothers looked at me and said: " See, they'll never learn"
And he is right. What simon posted earlier is absolutely right and I have nothig to add. ( obviously there're still some people knowing what they're are talking about .... 'bout him i'm not surprised, he's monegasque)
Stephanie for herself decided that as long as her children are still children and can't really decide about this on their own she doesn't want them at these official functions in order to provide them with a more private and normal life. This is perfectly fine with me and everybody should accept it. It is true that me and my bothers we were also about, well I won't say disappointed but fairly sad because we also would have loved to see at least her eldest Louis ligting a candle. If, in about 3-4 years Louis would come up to his mother saying: 'Mommy I would like to play an official role' ...then I'm sure Stephanie will be fine with it.
So it was not Caroline nor Albert asking for the kids to stay at home ( btw: they were at the Palais with Alexandra). How could Caroline? 1. It is not on Caroline to decide such things...it is not her power. 2. Why should Caroline? These are her nieces and her nephew. She loves and adores them. She would never judge.

As for Stephanie and Caroline not comforting each other. Who ever states this didn't watch carefully. Well, I just now had the chance to see some of the filmed moments and it is true that they're not hugging and kissing in these pictures. But believe me: they were talking to each other silently after the funeral and before as well...Caroline was tenderly talking to Stephanie making gestures that she should keep on being brave.
There are always a lot of things that are misunderstood and it has always been this way.
Caroline and Stephanie are very different and it is true that Caroline didn't always approve of everything Stephanie did, but that doesn't take away the siblibgs love. The fact that they share the same memory, of the same parents, a common childhood, a common love. They know they are family. The two sisters don't really need Albert to keep them together, they are both grown up women, they're are quite aware of the importance to stick together when it is needed.
As for Stephanie leaving the Catheadral steps into a different direction: Caroline and Albert shared one car taking them back to the Palais. If I'm not mistaken, well I'm quite sure Stephanie shared her car with Pierre and Christian.

Finally I would like to say that I do understand the media somehow that they like to make up that story about the sisters hating each other. It sells!
Telling people the story of two sisters that are different but approving and respecting each other wouldn't sell that much!