Rainier's Will

[daisyonthewall]

I think what Michelle wanted to point out is that in all your posts it seemed like you were thinking that Stephanie gets less money and that this might be ok if you look at her lifestyle - and this is wrong. I mean Stephanie's way of beeing and her way of living her life has nothing to do with whatever she would get. Michelle is right f she says that Stephanie has always been underestimated. Her father, the prince, has never underestimated his youngest daughter and we, the Monegasques don't underestimate her neither.
I've always been wondering how the media managed to make up such an image of Stephanie - as if she was worth far less than her brother and sister. In all that talking this it what comes through: She has no role, she is an outsider, her children are outsiders, they're not as accepted as Carolines' - that's obviously what a lot of people are made believe by providing that image. Well, I would say Stephanie herself has some fault in this herself by chosing the type of men she coses, by sitting on the public teracces of a soccer stadium instead of in the princely loges, by not having her children at her side at Monaco National Day etc. -
But all of this just means that she chose to do so. It was not her father, or sister who punished and excluded her somehow.
And that again is and always was Stephanie's role here in Monaco, she is our 'Peoples' Princess'. She has never been excluded, never, ever - not by Caroline nor by her father - She is a full part of this family - part of our country - we couldn't even image not having her.

I'm glad to know there is so much love for Steph in Monaco!

But as for the will (if what has been discussed here is true), I can't think of any other reason why Rainier would choose to give her so much less than her siblings, other than to punish her.

Stephanie definitely seems to need a less lavish lifestyle than Caroline, but Caroline's kids will be inheriting a sizeable chunk from the Casiraghi side, won't they? What about Steph's kids?

 

[Warren]

Who leaked?

What about Steph's kids?

Chances are that when they were born sizeable trust funds were set up for Stephanie's children. This seems to be the way things are done for the issue of the super-rich. Often they don't get access to the capital until they turn 25.

As to Prince Rainier's will, there have been stories going round for years that Stephanie would only receive a small share. This may well be true, but in reality what family, let alone a Princely Family, makes public the provisions of a will years before a person has died?

Up until Rainier's death probably the only people who knew for sure the contents of his will would have been the Prince himself and his immediate legal advisors, and I think it unlikely any of them would have leaked the details to the press.
.

 

[wittykitty]

I think there might be another reason Rainier left the larger shares in case Albert does have a family or when it's Andrea's turn after his mother . If Steph's
kids have trust funds that mighty generous thing for a grandfather to do but all 3 children have living fathers maybe Rainier wanted the dads to pony up their share and have the kids get paying jobs when they grow up ??
Wittykitty

 

[machievelli]

wittkitty, that could be possible.

I think Albert may get a large bulk of the inheritance because of him being the heir and with him being responsible for the principalities future. I think Caroline may get as much as Albert because the line will run through her if Albert never has any children. So the future of Moncao could rest on Caroline and her children's shoulders.

Plus Caroline has been the First Lady of Monaco since Grace tragically died and has taken on numerous responsibilities, duties, etc. Rainier may have left Steph a smaller sum, but he also may have left her children more in their inheritance. I also don't see Albert not helping out Steph with finances if she should need help in the future. Regardless they will all still be swimming in money and live lifestyles that myself and others can only dream about. Steph will more than survive that's for certain.

 

[Warren]

Rolling in it!

I think Albert may get a large bulk of the inheritance because of him being the heir and with him being responsible for the principalities future. I think Caroline may get as much as Albert because the line will run through her if Albert never has any children.

And if Price Albert doesn't marry, or doesn't produce an heir, and the succession passes to Caroline and her children, then most likely Albert would leave the bulk of his estate to Caroline.

In which case she will be rolling in it!
.

 

[Bunkycat]

Hi all;

I think that if the info that we have all read so far turns out to be true, it's because Prince Rainier knows his children better than anyone in the world does. For Stephanie to be left a smaller share of the wealth would make sense....if she has shown herself to be a bit shy of financial management skills (and I do recall reading about just that in the past) he would give her a lump sum, and provide for her in other ways as time goes on, by instructing Albert and Caroline to take care of whatever she might need in the future. Providing Stephanie with a vast sum of cash would be disasterous with the men she attracts.

Prince Albert has, if you will, a built-in source of income. The Principality will provide for him, so I think that part of his inheritance has been secretly ear-marked for Stephanie. Ditto for Caroline. Both will spend some time and cash taking care of their younger, fiesty, and free-spirited sibling.

 

[Britters]

Hi all;

I think that if the info that we have all read so far turns out to be true, it's because Prince Rainier knows his children better than anyone in the world does. For Stephanie to be left a smaller share of the wealth would make sense....if she has shown herself to be a bit shy of financial management skills (and I do recall reading about just that in the past) he would give her a lump sum, and provide for her in other ways as time goes on, by instructing Albert and Caroline to take care of whatever she might need in the future. Providing Stephanie with a vast sum of cash would be disasterous with the men she attracts.

Prince Albert has, if you will, a built-in source of income. The Principality will provide for him, so I think that part of his inheritance has been secretly ear-marked for Stephanie. Ditto for Caroline. Both will spend some time and cash taking care of their younger, fiesty, and free-spirited sibling.

I think this idea probably makes the most sense of all. But let's face it people it's not like Stephanie's being forgotten and left for the hounds....even 1% of what that family has is a sizeable chunk of money.

 

[machievelli]

But let's face it people it's not like Stephanie's being forgotten and left for the hounds....even 1% of what that family has is a sizeable chunk of money.

LOL...my thoughts exactly mate and what I have been saying as well.

 

[Julia]

Just a reminder: I think we should all take what the press say about Rainier's Will with a grain of salt. They don't know all of the details and generally write articles which are geared towards sensationalism.

Thanks!

 

[assia]

I fully agree with Julia, let's not talk about things we aren't really aware of. I think that this will will not be made public anyway and that the press is only raising speculations. I think that Rainier was really close to his three children and that he wouldn't have punished or disinherit one of them. This is really private matters and I think that only the persons involved and their lawyers know about it.

 

[azile]

Yes- this is a private matter. Whatever choices Rainier made, there were likely reasons behind them. We are privvy only to what is public- we have no idea what kind of personal matters (financial and otherwise) have occured behind closed doors. We could speculate until the end of time.....

What we can however assume is that the likelihood of any of the Grimaldi's going bankrupt is slim at best!

Eliza

 

[Ariel]

Maybe it is true what some italian newspaper have said about Albert adopting Stephanie's son. So he will be heir to the throne. If that happens to be, then everything will be easier to be understood. In any case, if Stephanie cant handle by herself her private life, it is better that her money (family's money) will be in her siblings' control. I just can't beleive Rainier did this without providing her a way to be at her siblings' level.

 

[MoonlightRhapsody]

Maybe it is true what some italian newspaper have said about Albert adopting Stephanie's son. So he will be heir to the throne. If that happens to be, then everything will be easier to be understood. In any case, if Stephanie cant handle by herself her private life, it is better that her money (family's money) will be in her siblings' control. I just can't beleive Rainier did this without providing her a way to be at her siblings' level.

From what I hear, should Stephanie only inherit about $30 million, Rainier had instructed Albert to look after Stephanie and her children. I highly doubt that Albert would adopt Stephanie's son as his heir. Should he adopt one of his nephews, I would think it would be Andrea Casiraghi.

Personally, I think Stephanie's inability to stick to a relationship stems from the guilt she feels for living when "everyone wanted her mother to live". However, given her pattern of failing marriages which was probably costly for the Royal Family, it would not be practical to give her such a large sum of money that could (a) potentially bring on more men that were only after money, or (b) that would be spent on future divorce settlements, or (c) that she could squander away.

Although this is purely speculation, this are my predictions for possible reason why Rainier could have left Stephanie so little. Again, any financial inheritance she gets, I'm positive Rainier had his reasons. Plus, it's his money to disperse.

 

[tropicisland]

And, Have you think that all those rumors of Steph getting less, is just to keep money diggers at bay?. Steph has had a series of relationship that has been bad and nobody knows that if she will change, so i don't think she is getting less or more than her siblings.
I think is a smoke courtain to keep morons at bay, and if PR left Albert the job of overseing Steph money, etc, I think it was a great idea. But my humble opinion everybody got the same.

 

[Warren]

Gold diggers

And, Have you think that all those rumors of Steph getting less, is just to keep money diggers at bay?.

Good point; but whatever Stephanie receives would be enough to attract the undesirables.

And anyone out to get what they could would also have eyes on the family fortune, eg "Pay up Albert, or I'll go to the tabloids." So the amount of Stephanie's inheritance would be irrelevant.

Another of the problems of being rich and famous: Who do you trust?
.

 

[RoseMary]

Everyone is saying a different amount on which the three children are getting. But they pretty much have the same sentiment that Stephanie will be getting a lot less than Albert and Caroline. Albert also has land and Caroline is supposedly getting all of her mother's jewerly.

I hope that Rainier didn't do this as a "punishment" but I think he may have had other reasons. The fact that he asked Albert to watch over Stephanie and her children shows that Rainier worried about Stephanie more than any of the other children. While he may have wanted Albert of marry etc.. but Stephanie also suffered the fact that she watched her mother die.

Do I think at times Stephanie has been careless? Yes. Thoughtless of the consequences of her actions? Yes. But I think she has grown up a lot too.

 

[agisele]

Though Stephanie will be getting a whole lot less than her siblings, her father still made sure of the fact that she wpuld be well provided for. After all 17 million pounds shouldn't be too hard to live on for the rest of your life, should it?

 

[MoonlightRhapsody]

Albert also has land and Caroline is supposedly getting all of her mother's jewerly.

Gosh, I hope she doesn't sell it off like she had some of her mother's tiaras. Those deserve to stay within the family, not for financial gain.

 

[eireann]

I agree that the reason (if true) most of Rainier's estate goes to those that directly in line to the throne. If the estate is divided equally, then it becomes diluted...surely not what the family would want? In the past where I grew up when someone with land died they left it all to one person rather than divide the land among the children and reduce its worth. I cannot believe that Rainier leaving Stephanie a reduced sum is a punishment.

 

[monica17]

Just getting back on this thread bec. someone asked about Rainier's will and Stephanie's share just recently.

According to the author the "Once Upon A Time Book" (biography on Rainier and Grace that was published in 2002), Rainier changed his will soon after Stephanie's name was dragged into this murder of a suspected drug dealer. Her car was used by the girlfriend of the said dealer. Steph was willing to be questioned and was subsequently cleared. However, Rainier was said to be very concerned about some of the company that Stephanie keeps that's why he changed his will. It was to protect Steph and the family's wealth from undesirable people who might just take advantage of their connection to Steph and/or the family's wealth.

I don't think he meant it as a punishment for Steph - rather as a protection. The same book also says that according to sources, Rainier was willing to let Steph get hold of the assets intended for her (presumably a larger share than 1%) when she shows "greater maturity."

_________
Monica17

 

[ailstalia]

do you think that the will can damage the relationship between the siblings if steph receives less than albert and caroline? she might feel resentful

 

[monica17]

do you think that the will can damage the relationship between the siblings if steph receives less than albert and caroline? she might feel resentful

Oh, the contents of the will was made public a few days after Rainier died last April. It was said somewhere that a reliable source commented that "there will be arguments." However, not everything in the press can be believed. The family observed a 3-month mourning period so we haven't heard anything about it after the initial news. However, the mourning period has passed and there are no new developments coming from the press about it. Maybe the family is fixing this thing privately or Steph has not contested it. It was said that Albert is supposed to take care of Steph and her children per Rainier's request.

Stephanie and Caroline do not really get along. Both are closer to Albert than to each other. I can't see Steph hating her father bec. of his will. She most likely understands her father's reasons behind it. I also don't think she resents her siblings for it.

_________
Monica17

 

[dreed777]

I agree, Monica17. Stephanie seems more like the type of person who doesn't have a resentful bone in her body. She seems to be so much a "free spirit" that the material things probably aren't really that important to her in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Isabel]

I agree, Monica17. Stephanie seems more like the type of person who doesn't have a resentful bone in her body. She seems to be so much a "free spirit" that the material things probably aren't really that important to her in the grand scheme of things.

I agree. If this is true then Raniner has had this plan for many years giving Stephanie enough time to "digest" it so to speak. I also agree that money, especially large amounts of it, is not of great importance to Stephanie. Her lifestyle doesn't appear to be that lavish and she doesn't strike me as being very materialistic.

I think that Stephanie also stands to inherit a chalet in Switzerland or something like that along with an apartment in New York.

 

[lashinka2002]

She may be spiritual but material things are never important until you don't have them...

 

[monica17]

Oh, I agree that Stephanie seems not really fond of living lavishly. She's mostly a t-shirt and jeans person. I remember a feature on her when she was younger - she was said to be wearing an outfit that you can buy off the rack and quite cheap at that. Plus, she was perfectly willing to live in this cramped camper before her dad bought her that princely camper-truck.

BTW, does anyone know who got ownership of Roc Agel? It hasn't been mentioned at all.

_________
Monica17

 

[Bubbette]

Wills are public documents in the US; maybe not in Monaco.

 

[Suonymona]

Not the head of the country's at any rate!

In the USA, wills are only made public when they have to go through probate. When one of the heirs is executor and things are distributed amicably, there is no legal need for public revelation.
Often rich and famous set up trusts, which are private, and who gets what is never truly known. However, some have sued to get the information. One guy published a book "Wills of the Rich and Famous". Quelle horror!

NotDani

 

[Josefine]

was the will ever shown the the public?

 

[Henri M.]

was the will ever shown the the public?

I thought in most countries in Western Europe, but probably all over the Continent, a testament is strictly private and exclusively revealed, by a notary, a witness (usually a candidate notary or a notary clerk) and the appointed testamentary executor, to the immediate family only.

So, if the late Prince de Monaco has left a testament, this will most likely have been revealed by the notary to the very exclusive group of:
- his son The Prince of Monaco
- his daughter The Princess of Hannover
- his daughter Princess Stéphanie de Monaco
- his sister Princess Antoinette de Monaco, Baroness de Massy