On This Day: Monegasque Princely Family

[theroyalfly]

September 30

1898

Today in Royal History is the 121st birthday of Princess Charlotte of Monaco, Duchess of Valentinois born Charlotte Louise Juliette de Monaco in Constantine, French Algeria, she was the illegitimate daughter of Marie Juliette Louvet and Louis Grimaldi, then Hereditary Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois, son and heir of Monaco's reigning prince, Albert I.

https://66.media.tumblr.com/bd3fa5cf485aec4b22f8e313099e7b48/tumblr_nrr125OaUh1s14faro1_r2_500.jpg

Even before Louis succeeded his father, the pricipality declared a succession crisis, anticipating that France might take advantage of this situation. On 15 May 1911 a law was passed recognizing Charlotte as Louis's daughter, and declaring her to be a dynastic member of the sovereign family.
She married Count Pierre de Polignac who later became Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois and had two children namely Antoinette and Rainier. The marriage was an unhappy one and ended in divorce and estrangement.
Before her son's 21st birthday, she renounced and ceded her rights to the throne to her son Rainier.
She died in Paris on 15 November 1977 (aged 79).
She is the grandmother of the current Sovereign Prince of Monaco, Albert II.

 

[loonytick]

Her great-granddaughter Charlotte looks so much like her!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, October 13, 1900 ~ Birth of Ghislaine Dommanget, Princess of Monaco, the spouse of Prince Louis II of Monaco, in Reims, France

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Her great-granddaughter Charlotte looks so much like her!

I think she looks more like Caroline than Charlotte...even though Caroline and Charlotte are nearly identical.

Strange!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, October 30, 1724 ~ Demise of Marie of Lorraine, Princess of Monaco, the spouse of Prince Antoine I of Monaco

On this day, November 10, 1697 ~ Birth of Louise Hippolyte, Sovereign Princess of Monaco

 

[theroyalfly]

November 12

1929

Today in Royal History is the 90th birthday of Grace, Princess of Monaco. She married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and had 3 children including the current monarch, Albert II, Prince of Monaco.

Before retiring from acting at the age of 26 to marry the Prince, she starred in so many films and is considered as one of the Greatest Female Stars of Classical Hollywood Cinema.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Ninety years ago a legendary princess was born. One of the 20th century's most beautiful women...Grace Patricia, often emulated but never equaled.

 

[sm1939]

Ninety years ago a legendary princess was born. One of the 20th century's most beautiful women...Grace Patricia, often emulated but never equaled.[/QUOTEI

I so agree with you, nicely put Moonmaiden23

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, November 13, 1848 ~ Birth of Albert I, Prince of Monaco, in Paris, France

On this day, November 15, 1977 ~ Demise of Princess Charlotte of Monaco, Duchess of Valentinois

On this day, November 21, 1689 ~ Birth of Jacques I, Prince of Monaco
Jacques I, Prince of Monaco Stock Photo - Alamy

On this day, November 29, 1604 ~ Demise of Hercule, Lord of Monaco

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, November 13, 1848 ~ Birth of Albert I, Prince of Monaco, in Paris, France

By his mother Princess Antoinette,Prince Albert I was related to the Belgian noble House of Merode

 

[Gawin]

By his mother Princess Antoinette,Prince Albert I was related to the Belgian noble House of Merode

Through his mother Albert was a first cousin of Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo wife of Amadeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta and King of Spain.

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, November 29, 1604 ~ Demise of Hercule, Lord of Monaco

Ercole, Lord of Monaco was actually murdered,his son later became the 1st Prince of Monaco from 1612 onwards.

Ercole, Lord of Monaco looking a tad Henri IV of France in this portrait.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, December 8, 1818 ~ Birth of Charles III, Prince of Monaco in Paris, France

On this day, December 11, 1850 ~ Birth of Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, Princess of Monaco. She was the first wife of Prince Albert I.
Undated image of Lady Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton, (1850-1922) future Hereditary Princess of Monaco Stock Photo - Alamy

On this day, December 16, 1522 ~ Birth of Honore I, Lord of Monaco in Monaco

On this day, December 18, 1818 ~ Birth of Prince Charles III in Paris, France

On this day, December 22, 1925 ~ Demise of Alice, Princess of Monaco, the second wife of Prince Albert I

On this day, December 28, 1920 ~ Birth of Princess Antoinette of Monaco

On this day, December 29, 1731 ~ Demise of Princess Louise Hippolyte of Monaco

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, December 8, 1818 ~ Birth of Charles III, Prince of Monaco in Paris, France

His mother,Princess Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz was said to have been the power behind the throne despite her humble origins.

 

[lazuli]

On this day, December 29, 1983 - marriage of P. Caroline and Stefano Casiraghi, a legendery lovestory

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, December 28, 1920 ~ Birth of Princess Antoinette of Monaco

The late Princess would have been 100 years old this year!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, January 3, 1701 ~ Demise of Prince Louis I of Monaco

On this day, January 10, 1662 ~ Demise of Prince Honore II of Monaco

On this day, January 20, 1731 ~ Demise of Prince Antoine I of Monaco

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, January 3, 1701 ~ Demise of Prince Louis I of Monaco

Due to his loyal service to King Louis XIV he was invested as a Knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit and appointed French ambassadors to the Holy See.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, February 10, 1864 ~ Demise of Antoinette, Princess of Monaco, the wife of Prince Charles III

On this day, February 16, 1819 ~ Demise of Prince Honore IV of Monaco

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, February 16, 1819 ~ Demise of Prince Honore IV of Monaco

The reign of Honore IV was short ,he had been imprisoned and then exiled during the French Revolution and then under Napoleon.He married Louise d'Aumont , Duchess de Mazarin in July 1777 but they later divorced in 1793.The titles of Louise including the duchy of Mazarin and Barony de Massy later passed to her sons and are included in the current list of titles of Albert II.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, March 21, 1795 ~ Demise of Prince Honore III of Monaco

 

[lazuli]

Prince Rainier passes away in 2005

 

[An Ard Ri]

He died a few days after Pope John Paul II,his reign was just short of almost 56 years!

 

[iceflower]

Here's an interview with Stéphanie on the occasion of today's 15th year anniversary: "They say that the Monegasques are stubborn ... The Chief of the Monegasques was very very stubborn!" "I miss my dad, but he was the dad of all Monegasques too":

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I am always startled and saddened to see how rapidly Rainier III seemed to age after the death of Princess Grace..

 

[An Ard Ri]

I am always startled and saddened to see how rapidly Rainier III seemed to age after the death of Princess Grace..

And how he never remarried despite all the rumours.

Thankfully he seemed to have made peace with his eccentric older sister too.

 

[Countessmeout]

April 18 and 19 1956- civil (18th) and religious (19th) wedding of Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly.

The couple had met in 1955 at the Cannes film festival. Rainier made a trip to the USA to see Grace over Christmas and proposed to her. Their engagement was announced January 5, 1956 at her family home in Philadelphia. He proposed with a ring with diamonds and rubies, but told her he was having a ring custom made for her. A ball was held the day after their announcement at the Waldorf-Astoria in NY. She wore her actual engagement ring in the filming of her last movie 'High Society'.

Rainier returned home before filming ended in February, and Grace threw herself into wedding planning and closing up her life in the US. They next saw each other when she arrived in Monaco. With 66 members of her family, wedding party, and friends she set sail on the USS constitution. As well as her poodle Oliver and a puppy she got as a wedding gift from her brother Jack. The trip took 8 days and they arrived April 12, with Prince Rainier welcomed her, meeting her out on the water on his yacht. A plane owned by Aristotle Onasis was flown over head, and showered the couple with carnations in the colors of Monaco.


For their civil ceremony they had five witnesses
-Princess Antoinette of Monaco- Rainier's sister
-Peggy Kelly Davis- Grace's sister
-Count Charles de Polignac- cousin of Rainier
-Jack Kelly (Kell)- Grace's older brother
-Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Marie Ardan- good friend of the prince

For her religious ceremony Grace was attended by:
-Peggy Kelly Davis- maid of honor/sister
-Bettina Thompson Gray and Sally Parrish Richardson- Grace had attended the American Academy of Dramatic arts with them
-Maree Frisby Pamp: her friend since high school
-Carolyn Scott Reybold: lived in the same residence hotel when they were both starting out as actresses
-Rita Gam Lume: another friend from her early NY acting days
- Judith Balaban Kanter: the wife of Grace's agent Jay.

Rainier had the same three witnesses for both ceremonies. As well he had four 'spiritual advisors' at his religious wedding. One was an American priest named Father Tucker.

There were also four flower girls and two page boys:
-Meg and Mary Lee Davis: daughters of Peggy, Grace's nieces
-Christine and Elisabeth de Massy: daughters of Antoinette, Rainier's nieces
-Sebastian von Furstenberg- a cousin of Rainier
-Christian de massey- son of Antoinette, Rainier's nephew

Her wedding gown was designed by MGM costume designer and Grace's friend Helen Rose. The bridesmaids were in dresses custom made at Neiman Marcus, and the flower girls as well, whose shoes were from Jc Penny.


Guests included:
-Sir Guy Salisbury-Jone representing the BRF
-Conrad Hilton who represented the US President
-Aga Khan and his wife- he was in a wheelchair at the time
-former King Farouk of Egypt who was a personal friend of Rainier
-Randolph Churchill
-Aristotle Onasis who had showered the bride on her arrival in Monaco had of course been invited
-Barney Balaban, founder of Paramount, and his wife attended. They were the parents of bridesmaid Tina Katner
-celebrities included the likes of Ava Gardner

They had two ceremonies and two receptions. The reception after the civil wedding was in the courtyard of the pink palace with 3000 guests. A much more elaborate reception was held after the religious wedding.

The couple were married for 26 years and shared 3 children before Grace sadly died in a car accident. The couple now have 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Grace died before she became a grandmother, Rainier was alive for the birth of all but the twins though Albert didn't recognize either of his natural children until after the death of his father.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The European royal houses stayed away in droves,how very different it was for Prince Albert II.

 

[Countessmeout]

July 12, 1870 birth of Louis II, Prince of Monaco.

His father was Prince Albert I of Monaco. His mother was Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton. His maternal grandparents were William Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton and Princess Marie Amelie of Baden. His grandmother Marie Amelie was a cousin of Napoleon III and a friend of his wife Eugenie, and had often traveled with the couple. He was born in his grandmother's home of Baden-Baden. His parent's marriage had been arranged as Albert's mother had wanted her son to marry into the British royal family. Emperor Napoleon III knew Victoria would never allow such a marriage, and instead proposed his Mary instead. The marriage was an unhappy one, and produced only the one child Louis. Shortly after her son's birth Mary left Monaco for good, hating the country, having grown up in the hills of Scotland.


Louis was raised in Germany by his mother and his eventual stepfather, Prince Tasziló Festetics de Tolna (Mary married him in 1880 after her first marriage was finally annulled). His mother and stepfather would have four children, but only his half sister Countess Maria Mathild would be born before he had to return to Monaco. Maria Mathild married Prince Karl von Furstenberg making her grandmother to Ira and Egon von Furstenberg and Prince Karel Schwarzenberg (son of her daughter Antonie). A half brother Gyorgy, and two more half-sisters Alexandra and Karola followed. His stepfather was a count at the time, he was made a prince in 1911 By King Frances Joseph of Hungary. The couple's grandson Prince Georg is the current head of their house.

Louis was made to return home to Monaco at the age of 11 to start his education as the future sovereign prince. Albert was a very cold and distant man. As a ruler he had made Monaco the center of the arts and intellect. As soon as Louis was old enough he left Monaco to attend the French military college for four years and joined the French foreign legion. He joined the African light horse in Algeria.

His father had ascended as sovereign in 1889 after the death of his father Charles III. A month later his father remarried to Alice Heine. Alice was born in New Orleans to a father who was from a prominent Jewish banking family. After the US civil war brought the family back to France, Alice and her brother became fixtures at the French court, and Napoleon III and Eugenie served as her godparents. She had converted to catholocism to marry her first husband Armand Chapelle de Jumilhac, 7th Duke of Richelieu . She bore her first husband a son and daughter. She bore no children to Albert and like his previous marriage, this one didn't last. The couple were legally separated in 1902, but remained married until his death. She remained single after.

While in Algeria Louis met cabaret singer Marie Juliette Louvet. She had two children from her marriage to a French photographer. Because of her station his father refused to allow the two to be married. She bore him one child.

-Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi: was born in Algeria. A law was passed in 1911 to adopt her and make her a legal heir to her father. Her grandfather bestowed upon her the title of Duchess of Valentois, the historical title for the heir. She married Count Pierre de Polignac and was mother of Rainier III and Princess Antoinette. On her son's 21st birthday with permission from her father, she ceded her rights to the throne to her son as long as he did not predecease her. Pierre and Charlotte were divorced in 1933 after separated for three years. Pierre was homosexual and Charlotte had affairs, making for an unhappy marriage, separated in 1930.

Louis served in the French army from 1895 to 1899 (his daughter born in 1898). He received the cross of the legion of honor. He returned to Monaco leaving his mistress and daughter behind. He re-enlisted in the army during WWI and served as a staff officer. He was made a Grand officer of the legion of honor and eventually made the rank of Brigadier general.

The issue of succession came up in 1911. If he had no heir, the throne passed to Wilhelm, Duke of Urach. Wilhelm was the son of Princess Florestine of Monaco and her husband 1st Duke of Urach. Florestine was Albert's Aunt, the younger sister of Charles III. Wilhelm would for a few months be the elected king of Lithuania.

Not wishing the throne to pass to a German noble, Albert passed a law in 1911 recognizing Charlotte as the legal heir of her father. It went against the earlier statutes so in 1918 a further law was passed where Charlotte was legally adopted by her father as heir to the throne. The adoption happened in 1919 when Charlotte became Princess Charlotte and was named Duchess of Valentois by her grandfather.


His father died June 26, 1922 and he ascended the throne as Louis II. His reign lacked the grandeur of his father but he left his mark. The Monaco football club and the Monaco Grand Prix were both started in his reign. The Monaco Opera was also formed. The football stadium was built as well.

Louis attempted to keep Monaco neutral during WWII despite his pro French leanings. Unfortunately much of Monaco was of Italian descent and were supporters of Mussolini. Monaco was occupied by the Italians until Mussolini fell, and then by the Germans. The Germans began deporting the Jews out of Monaco. Rene Blum, the man Louis had hired to start the opera was one of those deported and he would die at Auschwitz. Louis though gave secret orders to the Monaco police to warn people of the Gestapo, so they could flee before they were captured, at great risk to the police.


Prince Louis butted heads greatly with his grandson Rainier. Rainier was an active supporter of the allies and thought his grandfather should be more pro-active in the war.


By the time Monaco was liberated, Louis was 75 and had little interest in his country. It fell into severe neglect of leadership, with Louis spending more and more time in Paris.


July 27 of 1946 he married for the first time. His choice was 46 year old French actress Ghislaine Dommanget. She had been married once, and was in a relationship with actor Andre Brule when she met Louis. She was the first bride of Monaco to not bring any dowry to the marriage.

He and his wife called the Chateau de Marchais home, a home purchased by his grandfather. Despite this, when he died in 1949 he died at the Royal palace in Monaco and was buried St Nicholas Cathedral. His widow became the Dowager Duchess of Monaco, a title she held till her own death in 1991. Ghislaine died in Paris and was buried at the Passy cemetary.


Since Charlotte had ceded her rights to her son in 1944 when he reached 21, Louis was succeeded by his grandson Rainier III.

His former mistress and mother to Charlotte, Marie Juliette died in 1930.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I often wondered if the Duke of Urach ever contested the 1911 succession law?