Ancestral curse of the princely family of Monaco. All the secrets of the royal family of monaco What is the title of albert 2 monarch of monaco
Grace Kelly and Rainier III.
Every girl dreams of meeting a prince. The beautiful actress Grace Kelly not only met and fell in love with the 33-year-old Prince of Monaco, but also built a strong family with him. Their union was considered ideal. Grace, who was the happiest woman at the beginning of her marriage, turned out to be a bird imprisoned in a golden cage at the end of her life.
Grace Kelly
Clever, beautiful and beloved daughter.
Grace Kelly was born in 1929 in Philadelphia in the family of millionaire Jack Kelly, who earned his first big money as the owner of the Kelly firm. Brick work. There were four children in the family. All children grew up in strict rules and were not spoiled by their parents. The main role in shaping Grace's future personality was played by the girl's uncle, actor George Kelly, it was he who noticed her talent at a young age.
Journalists said that there was a quarrel in the car, and Grace Kelly had a stroke. Never having recovered from the accident, the princess died, it happened on September 14, 1982. At that time, she was only 52 years old. The youngest daughter Stefania, who was with her mother in the car, survived. There were hardly any scratches on it. A great love ended tragically, and it was a huge loss for Monaco and the whole world.
Rainier's life after Grace's death
The prince with his daughter at his wife's funeral.
Celebrities and monarchs from America and Europe came to the funeral of the princess, local residents sobbed right on the streets, and Rainier walked arm in arm with his daughter and did not hide his tears. By his decree, he banned the screening of films in which his wife starred in Monaco. He increasingly remained alone with himself, and less and less appeared at secular receptions.
Rainier III shortly before his death.
He outlived his wife by 24 years, living to the age of 82. Rainier III was buried next to his wife. For a generation, the love story of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier was a fairy tale with a sad ending.
Monument to Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco in Yoshkar-Ola.
The loyal subjects of a tiny state in southern Europe had to be pretty worried when they learned that the princely family was expecting the birth of twins. According to the rules of succession, when both a boy and a girl are born, the male child has priority to the throne. If same-sex children are born, this right passes to the first-born baby. But those who have studied the history of Monaco argue that in any case, they tried to transfer power to a man, even bypassing the established rules. However, after the birth of the twins Gabriella and Jacques in December 2014, all conversations began to be more theoretical. In practice, despite the fact that Gabriella was born a few minutes earlier, Jacques is considered the legitimate heir of Albert.
The future Prince of Monaco and his sister grow up as healthy, developed children. Once, the prince proudly shared that his little son had inherited his passion for sports. “We often watch rugby and football with our children. Gabriella, and especially Jacques, do it with great pleasure.
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second class children
And what about the other children of the prince, whose childhood and youth pass away from the palace? Indeed, they cannot claim the crown of the Principality of Monaco, but in the event of the death of Albert II, they, as direct heirs, have legal grounds to claim his fabulous fortune! And today it is estimated at two billion euros. However, neither Jasmine nor Alexander (illegitimate children of the prince) fill their heads with thoughts of possible wealth. At least for now. Now they are more concerned about whether the famous father, burdened with "important" state affairs, will have at least a little time for them.
So, the monarch did not consider it necessary to appear at the graduation ceremony dedicated to the graduation of his eldest daughter Jasmine. At that time, he was in Monte Carlo at a fashion show, where he enjoyed contemplating long-legged beauties defiling along the catwalk in outfits from the new Louis Vuitton collection.
In turn, the mother of 12-year-old Alexander Nicole Coast, in an interview with a British tabloid, complained that the prince last saw his son more than a year ago. “He just fell into the stream ... was at the epicenter of the rumors. And all because of his new wife. I understand that she feels uncomfortable knowing that her dearest husband has children from other women, but I have an obligation to think about the future of my son. What is Alexander's fault?! According to Nicole, Albert is not serious about his father's obligations, limiting himself only to the regular payment of alimony - about 30 thousand euros per month. “But money will not raise my child. He must have a loving father,” shared with a sigh Nicole, a former flight attendant from Togo, and now a fashion designer.
In order not to injure the psyche of her growing son, Nicole changed her luxurious villa on the Cote d'Azur to a house in the UK. “I don’t want my boy to endure malicious ridicule from his peers, and there it would be inevitable,” she explained. In the end, Nicole Coast fully experienced what it means to quarrel with the prince. “People who called themselves my friends suddenly stopped communicating with me. I was not invited anywhere, again because of Albert, so as not to put him, if he decides to attend a party or a reception, in an awkward position, ”Nicole stated sadly.
Irresponsible lover
The Monegasque ladies' man met Alexander's mother on an Air France plane when he flew from Nice to Paris. This was in 1977. A black beauty with almond-shaped eyes, originally from Togo, a state in Central Africa, immediately liked the prince. “He asked for my phone number and a few days later he called and invited me to his place,” recalls Nicole. Their romance, which they carefully concealed, lasted six years. According to the stewardess, Albert was forced to break off these relations by his father, Prince Rainier - the then ruler of Monaco wanted a more profitable party for his son. Alexander was born after the breakup of the couple.
“When he found out that I was pregnant, at first he was very happy. Promised support. However, after a couple of months, his enthusiasm noticeably faded. Father and other advisers painted for Albert what serious consequences his irresponsible behavior would have, ”complained Nicole. Enraged by the frivolous behavior of Albert, Prince Rainier even made changes to the Constitution. Since 2002, only a member of the Grimaldi family, that is, the legitimate heirs of his son and two daughters, Carolina and Stephanie, can ascend the throne of the Principality of Monaco.
When Alexander was born, Albert gave Nicole a house in Paris worth three million dollars. “He visited us often and was a truly caring father. He arranged pirate receptions, took his son for walks, - the stewardess confided in the media. - The problems started after I asked Albert to officially recognize our 2-year-old son. He demanded genetic testing for DNA. And on his own initiative, he fanned a scandal in the media.
Wounded by the behavior of her former lover, Nicole, having received the test results, handed them over to reporters. And the French press went berserk. “The stewardess from Togo told the truth!” shouted the headlines. So, three months after the death of Prince Rainier and a week after the proclamation of Albert as the new ruler of Monaco, the world learned about his secret.
Albert was forced to turn to the subjects. “I know that there are people who have a certain kind of claim against me. I intend to deal with these matters as soon as the time comes, ”the prince reacted diplomatically in a televised address. But then another bomb exploded: the journalistic fraternity quickly realized that the monarch meant, of course, the American Tamara Rotolo. In 1993, she tried to prove in court that the powerful Grimaldi was the father of her daughter. However, the California court dismissed the claim, arguing that the issue is outside its jurisdiction.
Albert met a charming waitress in 1991 during a tennis tournament in Monaco. First, she agreed to ride on his yacht, then she appeared at a reception in the palace, and then ... she did not refuse to brighten up the loneliness of the prince in the bedroom. Upon returning to her homeland, Tamara did not end her relationship with Albert, and, as a result, it turned out that she was pregnant. The prince quickly reacted to the stunning news - he began to avoid his American passion and diligently not notice it until the woman gave birth. Girl.
For the first time, the prince saw his daughter quite by accident - during an official visit to the United States. Rotolo has learned that Albert intends to visit the town of Cody. “When he was playing jokes with the children who handed him flowers, a little girl suddenly ran out of the crowd. She was followed by a tall brunette. Tamara, taking the baby by the hand, brought her to the prince with the words: "This is our daughter." Albert was terribly embarrassed, blushed and could not utter a word. And so he left, ”the local newspapers stated.
State: Principality of Monaco
Capital: Monaco
Monarchy type: Dualistic constitutional monarchy
Reigning Monarch: Albert II
The year of birth of the Monegasque monarchy is considered to be 1215. The current ruling family of Grimaldi set foot on these lands after 82 years. It was with them that history began, the ups and downs of which the modern public is keenly interested in to this day.
For more than 700 years of reign, the dynasty has never changed. The independence of Monaco, the oldest and smallest state, has been repeatedly tried to abolish. In the course of numerous conflicts, the Monegasque rulers were forced to seek help from France, which, recognizing Monaco as a free and sovereign state, took them under its protectorate.
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III
Only in 1860 did the French protectorate over Monaco end. The principality gained independence. In 1911, the prince approved the constitution of the Principality of Monaco. In accordance with it, the monarch retained very broad powers, but shared legislative power with the National Council, which was elected by popular vote. In October 1914 the constitution was suspended.
The independence of the state again came into question during the First World War. But the ruling at that time, Prince Louis II, despite the most difficult conditions and the economic crisis, managed to hold the reins of power. His grandson, Prince Rainier III, who took the throne in 1949, did a lot for the development of Monaco: he developed science, industry, sports and culture. Transformed the country into a business center while maintaining the traditional image of a luxury tourist destination and gambling paradise.
“Thanks to my father, Prince Rainier, who took on the modernization of the Principality, Monaco is a modern state. We have a colossal heritage and great potential in many areas, and in addition, we are open to the world. This is the strength of Monaco,” says Prince Albert II.
The popularity of monarchs among the public also increased under the reign of Rainier. This was largely due to his marriage to the popular American actress Grace Kelly. It will not be a mistake to say that the acquaintance of the young prince with the icon of cinema changed the fate of the state. The prince rebuilt the image of the oldest principality, and his wife was actively involved in charity work and the development of culture.
This marriage produced three children: Princess Caroline (born 1957), Crown Prince Albert (born 1958) and Princess Stephanie (born 1965).
The happiness of the couple was cut short in 1982, when the car driven by Grace fell into the abyss. Prince Rainier, after the death of his wife, never married.
After the death of his father in 2005, Albert II took the throne. As a former participant in the Winter Olympic Games, an active athlete and conqueror of peaks, the prince married Charlene Wittstock, a swimmer and school teacher from South Africa. The wedding took place on July 1, 2011. How soon the 34-year-old Princess Charlene will be able to give birth to an heir is not known. Until this happens, the first in line for the throne is the elder sister of Prince Caroline.
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II
Interesting Facts:
- Now Monaco is an independent state, which is associated with France. Monaco, while maintaining its sovereignty and independence, entrusts a significant part of its power to France. The latter is also responsible for the defense of Monaco if it is attacked by another nation.
- Monaco is a paradise for entrepreneurs. The Principality has a very liberal taxation system. Income of individuals (both citizens of the country and foreigners permanently residing in Monaco, with the exception of the French) since 1870 is not taxed.
- The culture of Monaco is very rich. Enrico Caruso, Fyodor Chaliapin, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti once performed on the stage of the Monte Carlo Opera. In 1911, here S.P. Diaghilev founded the Diaghilev Russian Ballet under the auspices of Prince Pierre of Monaco.
- Despite its small population area, Monaco has the highest number of police officers per person in the world, 500 police officers per 33,000 people.
- The National Orchestra of Monaco has 85 members, while the Army has only 82 members.
September 14 marks exactly 30 years since the death in a car accident of the famous American film actress and wife of Prince Rainier III of Monaco, beauty Grace Kelly.
Meanwhile, the heirs of the princely family constantly give rise to gossip and get into various unpleasant stories. It is even rumored that the princes and princesses of Monaco are under a family curse.
The Principality of Monaco is one of the smallest countries in the world.
Its area is less than two square kilometers, and the population is only 35 thousand people.
Since 1297, the Grimaldi family has been in power in Monaco.
Half a century ago, Monaco almost became part of France.
To maintain autonomy, the prince had to marry and produce an heir.
The choice of Rainier III fell on one of the most beautiful Hollywood actresses of that time, Oscar winner Grace Kelly.
They met in 1955 at the Cannes Film Festival.
On April 18, 1956, the couple got married.
Grace left the cinema and became a devoted wife and mother of three children - Caroline Marguerite Louise, Albert and Stephanie Maria Elizabeth.
However, tragedy struck in the early 1980s.
On September 13, 1982, Grace was in a car with her youngest daughter Stephanie.
She was driving the Rover herself.
Grace suddenly had a stroke. The car lost control, veered off the turn and fell onto the side of a mountain.
Grace was still alive when they pulled her out of the wrecked car. The princess died in the hospital the next day, never regaining consciousness.
Grace's daughter, Stephanie, suffered a serious neck fracture, but was able to recover and return to life.
Grace Kelly was buried on September 18 in the Grimaldi family vault.
The funeral ceremony at St. Nicholas' Cathedral was attended by 400 guests, including celebrities such as Princess Diana of Wales and film actor Cary Grant.
After the death of his beloved wife, Prince Rainier remained a widower.
He banned old films featuring Grace from being shown, but in memory of her he laid out a huge garden of roses - his wife's favorite flowers, and also initiated the issuance of postage stamps with her portrait.
By the way, Grace Kelly became the first film actress in the world to receive such an honor.
The tragic death of Grace Kelly is explained by many as a curse that allegedly haunts the Grimaldi family for many centuries.
According to legend, once the first prince of Monaco kidnapped a beautiful Flemish woman and, dishonoring her, abandoned her.
And then the beauty cursed him.
“From now on, none of the Grimaldi will be given to know happiness in marriage!” she said.
And so it happened.
The history of the Grimaldi family was full of family scandals, divorces, and untimely deaths.
Prince Rainier III's parents, Pierre and Charlotte, divorced with scandal after several years of marriage.
Rainier himself, according to rumors, had an unbearable character. And only the wisdom of the wife allowed them to stay together. However, the princess was overtaken by a sudden death ...
The personal life of the three children, Rainier and Grace, was also not very happy.
The eldest daughter Caroline at the age of twenty-one became the wife of the Parisian banker Philippe Junot. The marriage lasted a year and a half.
With her second husband, Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi, she was happy and gave birth to three children from him. However, he tragically died in front of his wife while racing on a yacht.
The third marriage of the princess, with Prince Ernst-August of Hanover, is still ongoing, but it is rumored that the spouses have recently cooled off towards each other.
Carolina's younger sister, Stephanie, became famous for her scandalous relationships and marriages with representatives of the lower class.
In 1995, she married her bodyguard Daniel Ducruet. For a year and a half, the princess gave birth to Ducruet two children and divorced him after seeing photographs in which her husband was captured together with a naked model.
In 1998, Stefania gave birth to a third child, this time illegitimate. She had affairs with a Swiss elephant trainer, a Portuguese acrobat (the marriage was official), and even her father's head waiter.
Prince Albert II did not marry for a long time, which some attributed to his non-traditional sexual orientation. Although he was credited with novels with such stars as Claudia Schiffer, Brooke Shields, Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Campbell.
Albert also acknowledged the paternity of two illegitimate children born to a waitress from the United States and a flight attendant from Togo.
Grimaldi - the ruling dynasty of the Principality of Monaco - is famous for the fact that the life of this family is like a real psychological thriller. These are not Windsors with British stiffness, reflecting on the theme of the wedding of Harry and Meghan Markle: Grimaldi is not embarrassed by unequal marriages. In the life of the most famous aristocratic family in the world, there are passions that even the Kardashian family could not dream of.
Princess Grace
Whether Prince Rainier III and the Hollywood movie star Grace Kelly fell in love or whether this marriage was based on a subtle political calculation is not known for certain. Today, more and more often they say that the best way to attract investment and arouse the interest of tourists in Monaco in the 50s of the XX century could only be a spectacular marriage. So, the Greek billionaire Aristotle Onassis, the owner of the tanker fleet in Monaco and real estate, which in area was a third of the territory of the principality, was very interested in the profitability of his investments and personally looked for a bride for the prince. Onassis relied on Marilyn Monroe, who, as her contemporaries say today, said the phrase: “Leave me alone with him for two days, and he will marry me.” However, Rainier married a cold Nordic blonde Grace - also a Hollywood star, but buttoned up and an Oscar winner. The "wedding of the century" took place in April 1956 in Monaco - it lasted two days. The whole world covered this wedding, where there was everything - from Rolls-Royces to cutting a six-tiered cake with a sword. 30 million TV viewers watched the wedding, and this was a record figure for that time. The exclusive rights to film the wedding were given to MGM as compensation for the termination of the contract with actress Grace Kelly.
The ideal image of a secular married couple who enjoy their love has become the hallmark of Monaco. The birth of heirs followed - Princess Caroline in 1957, Prince Albert in 1958 and, finally, Princess Stephanie in 1965. By arranging ceremonial receptions, Grace delighted even the most stiff European elite - she succeeded flawlessly in the image of the ideal hostess of the country. It seemed that Monaco is happiness and eternal Dolce Vita. Every year, the principality was visited by 4-5 million tourists, the Monaco Grand Prix becomes the most prestigious of all Formula 1 races, while Rainier's personal fortune by the end of the 20th century exceeds one and a half billion dollars. What could be better than all this?
However, behind the facade of the most beautiful marriage in the world was the unhappy personal life of the once most beautiful woman in Hollywood. People close to the court noted that the more Grace tried to be perfect, the more she annoyed Rainier. It is known for certain that the spouses were not close for many years, but Grace tried not to respond to rumors about the infidelity of the prince. Renier allowed himself to be ironic about his wife in the presence of outsiders, frankly missed the receptions organized by her - the golden cage in which she lived became tighter every year. Children grew up problematic and practically uncontrollable, beauty left, her husband moved away, she could not get a divorce. Grace could only demonstrate her imaginary well-being. Interesting fact: in 1981, at a poetry evening in London, Grace Kelly met Princess Diana. Diana later admitted that she felt how unhappy Grace was. It was a terrible longing and loneliness.
The main secret of the Grimaldi family is still a difficult topic for investigative journalism. On the morning of September 13, 1982, Grace Kelly was driving her car with her youngest daughter Stephanie. Because of the luggage that occupied the back seats, the princess refused the services of a court chauffeur and got behind the wheel of the Rover-3500 herself. After 40 minutes, her car fell off a mountain cliff 45 meters high. Stephanie was almost unharmed, while Grace suffered extensive brain trauma. Mother and daughter were taken to the Monte Carlo hospital, where Grace, who had not regained consciousness, was connected to resuscitation equipment. The next day, Renier gave the order to disconnect his wife from the life support apparatus. For another 3 days, her body was in the princely chapel, so that every resident of Monaco could say goodbye to her. Grimaldi declared the official cause of the tragedy a stroke that happened while driving Grace. However, an X-ray of her brain, taken before her death in the hospital, did not find any signs of an aneurysm.
Only 20 years later, Stefania gave an interview on this topic. Her comments did not shed light on the circumstances of the tragedy. “An examination later showed that the passenger side door, next to which I was sitting, was blocked, and I could not leave the car except through the driver’s door.”
Be that as it may, the severe stress experienced by Stephanie after the death of her mother affected the future life of the princess. But this is our second story.
Princess Stephanie of Monaco
The most beloved and problematic child, Rainier and Grace, the youngest daughter of the Prince of Monaco, Stephanie, was called nothing more than a wild child - she turned out to be so uncontrollable. Princess Stephanie Maria Elisabeth Grimaldi de Monaco did not know what she wanted from life, but she knew exactly what she did not want: the palace chambers and official receptions brought terrible melancholy to her. The collected Grace, whose endurance any CIA agent would envy, had a daughter who violated decorum and wanted to spit on rules, etiquette and traditional values. Stefania's sour expression turns to delight when she was to leave the royal reception for a wild party. The princess knew how to hang out like no other. So, in 1986, when Gauthier received a fashion Oscar for the best collection and threw a loud party at the Parisian club Les Bains on this occasion, young Stephanie outshone even such nightlife stars as Boy George, Tita Turner and the entire Duran Duran team. All kinds of entertainment were used - she was not afraid of any consequences. One fine day, Stephanie flew to America, which she wanted to conquer with stories about how hard the life of a royal person was. On one of the TV shows, Oprah Winfrey could not stand these revelations and ironically expressed that the tears on Princess Stephanie's silk pillows did not touch her at all. Rainier deprived the prodigal daughter of maintenance, after which she was forced to return to Monaco.
The princess searched for herself for a painfully long time. An athlete and professional hedonist, she was a model, then a singer, then a designer. I swam, water-skied and alpine-skied, but they were all nice hobbies. Not knowing where to put her energy, Stefania plunged into love affairs. In 1995, she married her own bodyguard Daniel Ducruet. The very fact of misalliance was discussed in the press for a year, until the couple gave a new high-profile reason - in 1996, the paparazzi grabbed an exclusive: the husband of the Princess of Monaco was captured with the Belgian stripper Fili Huteman - there were no preludes in the photo, only sex. However, Stephanie again had an affair with the second bodyguard. In 2003, she married a circus performer and toured the world with him until she got tired of the nomadic life. Why not Santa Barbara?
A great lover of women and a professional bon vivant, Prince Albert II, the middle child of Grace and Rainier, is a legendary figure. His secular biography is absolutely outstanding - a 5-time participant in the Winter Olympics, a public figure, a Knight Grand Cross and Sovereign of the Order of the Crown, the prince, meanwhile, got into strange stories related to women.
There were legends about the love affairs of Albert II. Naomi, Claudia, Brooke Shields, athletes Marina Anisina and Katarina Witt are all just the tip of the iceberg. The strangest story associated with his name was the scandalous revelations of the Dutch top model Karen Mulder: one of the main beauties of the 90s and Victoria's Secret "angel" on French TV in 2001 unexpectedly admitted that her and other top models were used as sex slaves by the most powerful people in the world - politicians and monarchs, including Prince Albert of Monaco.Given that Karen, like many other models, was often seen in the company of the prince, this information sounded very convincing. realizing the scale of the personality of the prince, he was forced to interrupt the transmission, and a non-disclosure subscription was taken from the audience in the studio.The program did not go on the air, and years later Karen Mulder was declared mentally unstable.The supermodel left the profession, divorced her husband and was treated for drug addiction.K her words on that notorious show are usually treated condescendingly.
As for the current wife of Prince Albert, this story also did not do without skeletons in the closet. The prince fell in love with another athlete from the VIP podium - this has already happened to him. Charlene Wittstock was remarkably similar to his mother Grace Kelly - a cold blonde with perfect posture. His favorite type. An eternal bachelor, Albert was in no hurry to marry for many years, until the question of offspring loomed on the horizon - the laws of Monaco did not provide for the rules of succession to the throne in the absence of legitimate children from the prince. This love story was very similar to the perfect marriage of Rainier and Grace - photo shoots, white-toothed smiles, family values. Despite this, there was enough passion in their romance. First, right before the wedding, Albert's former passion announced that their relationship was continuing and she was expecting an illegitimate child, then information was leaked to the press that Charlene had disappeared right on the eve of the wedding. The royal family still denies this fact, although many witnesses have repeatedly said that the runaway bride was returned with the help of special services.
Today, peace and tranquility reign in the relationship between Charlene and Albert. Their son Jacques is the Crown Prince of Monaco. And Stephanie's son Louis Ducruet, who is already 25 years old, proposed to his girlfriend Marie Chevalier - the couple plans to get married this year.
