Prince Albert
23/03/06 15:56
Although a less forceful personality than his father, he 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. Although unmarried, he is the father of at least one child by an Air France air hostess. The news was released to the media just before his accession, much to the delight of the world's press. Although as the child was born out of wedlock he will not gain succession to the throne. 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
23/03/06 15:56
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. Some may be surprised that the long-haired Prince is named Andrea, which in English is a girl's name. However, his father, Stefano Casiraghi, was Italian and Andrea is simply the Italian for Andrew.
Prince Andrea was born in 1984. His father died in 1990, when he was only 6, while racing speedboats.
Princess Caroline
23/03/06 15:56
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 tragically 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.
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 tragically 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
23/03/06 15:56
Much loved former movie star, Princess Grace's life was
cut tragically 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.
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.
Prince Rainier
23/03/06 15:55
Prince Rainier was until recently the much loved
reigning monarch of Monaco. He died in 2005 after a
long battle with illness.
Known as "le Prince Batisseur" - or the Builder King - he transformed Monaco from quiet seaside town into a vibrant Principality replete with skyscapers. During his reign, the surface area of the country almost doubled and so did the average height of buildings. His fairy-tale marriage to Hollywood film star Grace Kelly came to a tragic end in 1982 when Princess Grace died in a terrible car crash in the hills above Monaco. Rainier never recovered from his grief.
He had three children, Caroline, b. 1957, Albert, b. 1958, and Stephanie, b. 1965. Albert formally succeeded his father on 12 July 2005.
Known as "le Prince Batisseur" - or the Builder King - he transformed Monaco from quiet seaside town into a vibrant Principality replete with skyscapers. During his reign, the surface area of the country almost doubled and so did the average height of buildings. His fairy-tale marriage to Hollywood film star Grace Kelly came to a tragic end in 1982 when Princess Grace died in a terrible car crash in the hills above Monaco. Rainier never recovered from his grief.
He had three children, Caroline, b. 1957, Albert, b. 1958, and Stephanie, b. 1965. Albert formally succeeded his father on 12 July 2005.
Princess Stephanie
23/03/06 15:55
Princess Stephanie, b. 1965, is the youngest child of
Prince Rainier and Princess Grace.
Her life changed tragically in1982 when the car in which she was travelling wih her mother crashed and her mother died. She has always carried something of a reputation as an "enfant terrible".
She had two children, Louis, b. 1992, and Pauline Grace, b. 1994, wih her bodyguard, Daniel Ducret, before marrying him in 1995. However the marriage ended in 1996 when Ducret was seen with another woman.
Stephanie's third child, Camille, was born in 1998 but she did not name the father.
Like her father before her, she loves the circus and has travelled extensively with Circus Knie.
In 2003, she married Adans Lopez Peres, an acrobat with this circus.
Her life changed tragically in1982 when the car in which she was travelling wih her mother crashed and her mother died. She has always carried something of a reputation as an "enfant terrible".
She had two children, Louis, b. 1992, and Pauline Grace, b. 1994, wih her bodyguard, Daniel Ducret, before marrying him in 1995. However the marriage ended in 1996 when Ducret was seen with another woman.
Stephanie's third child, Camille, was born in 1998 but she did not name the father.
Like her father before her, she loves the circus and has travelled extensively with Circus Knie.
In 2003, she married Adans Lopez Peres, an acrobat with this circus.
