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.
