Princess Charlene

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Prince Albert

Prince Albert - Inspecting the guard after his coronation
Son of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, Prince Albert, b. 1958, became head of state in 2005.

Prince Albert is well liked and well known around the Principality. He has worked hard over the years and can be counted on to be present for prize-giving ceremonies for events around the Principality.

Marriage to Charlene Wittstock : 2nd and 3rd July 2011. After a private ceremony at the palace, the couple drive down to Sainte Devote past the crowds. Concert in the evening for locals, also Eagles concert in the stadium.

The Prince is known as an environmentalist, and enjoys nature.

Prince Albert's official enthronement was on 19th November 2005 (photo above), which is the annual "Prince's Day" holiday.

Enthronement
9 p.m. Saturday 19th November 2005
Fireworks in Port Hercule
10 a.m. Saturday 19th November 2005
Monaco Cathedral, high mass conducted by Archbishop Bernard Barsi of Monaco in the presence of Fortunato Baldelli, "Nonce Apostolique" in France.
11.30 a.m. Saturday 19th November 2005
"Prise d'Armes", Place du Palais, and procession.

Andrea Casiraghi

Andrea Grimaldi

This photo was taken on the day of Prince Albert's inauguration on November 19th 2005. A video screen was set up, for the public to view the Prince's family standing at the Palace window, as they were a little far away to be seen with the naked eye. Andrea can just be seen behind his mother Princess Caroline in the shadows on the left. To the right, in the sunlight, stands Princess Stephanie with Caroline's daughter Princess Charlotte in the hat.

Andrea is currently second in line to the throne after his mother. If Albert were to have no legitimate male heirs it's likely Andrea would become Prince. If so he would probably style himself as Andrea Grimaldi or Casiraghi-Grimaldi, in order not to break the ancient dynastic line.

Prince Andrea was born in 1984. His father died in 1990, when he was only 6, while racing speedboats.

Princess Caroline

Princess Caroline, b.1957, is the eldest child of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, sister to Prince Albert and currently first in line to the throne.

Caroline's married her first husband, French banker Philippe Junot, in 1978 and divorced in 1980.

She then married Italian industrialist Stefano Casiraghi in 1983. But the marriage ended when Casiraghi died in a power-boat racing accident in 1990. She had three children with him, Andrea (b. 1984), Charlotte (b. 1986) and Pierre (b. 1987).

The Constitution was changed in 2002 to allow female succession to the throne. So now if Albert dies without legitimate children, succession will first pass to Caroline and then to her son Andrea.

In 1999, she married Prince Ernst August of Hanover. Their daughter, Alexandra, was born later that year. She has one sister, Princess Stephanie.

Princess Grace

Much loved former movie star, Princess Grace's life was cut short in 1982 when she crashed her car in the hills above Monaco while driving with her daughter Stephanie.

She made her name as the reserved blonde star in Hitchcock's thrillers, Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), opposite Jimmy Stewart, and To Catch a Thief (1955), opposite Cary Grant.

She had three children with Prince Rainier: Caroline, b. 1957, Albert, b. 1958, and Stephanie, b. 1965.