In 2002, Monaco revised its constitution. The Sovereign Prince Rainier III signed it into law, making the revisions to the Succession Law that stand today. He signed into law that Monaco’s succession would be limited to his legitimate descendants only–that is, to his son and daughters, and his grandchildren whose parents’ unions were legitimized in marriage–and that Monaco would never lose its sovereignty, not even in the absence of a prince or princess to rule. (Its sovereignty had previously been promised to France in such an event where there was no Grimaldi to take the throne.) The constitution also decrees that the Sovereign must be a Grimaldi, and it leaves open the possibility of becoming a Grimaldi by adoption. Thus, if, hypothetically, Andrea Casiraghi was called on by unthinkably tragic circumstances to take the throne, he must take on the surname of Grimaldi. The Grimaldis have been on the throne ever since Francesco “Malizia” Grimaldi led troops, disguised as monks, into the fortress on the Rock of Monaco. That happened on the 8th of January 1297. His cousin Rainier, of naval glory, was the first Lord of Monaco. From that time onwards, excepting periods of conflict and instability, the name Grimaldi did reign supreme in Monaco and its neighboring territories of Menton, Roquebrune, etc. Menton and Roquebrune were part of the Principality of Monaco until the 19th century Prince Charles III, in need of cash, sold them to France, thus reducing Monaco’s area to 150 hectares. In his defense, Charles III had debts to settle, and he brought great prosperity to Monaco by building the casino on the hill of Charles–“Monte Carlo.” And his son and successor, Albert I, “navigator prince,” brought fame and glory to Monaco with his own brand of genius. Prince Louis II, son of the Navigator Prince, got Monaco through World War II. His grandson, Rainier III, married the actress Grace Kelly and further cemented his legacy as the Builder Prince. He reclaimed land from the sea to build the ports of Fontvieille and Larvotto. Rainier III always said that if he hadn’t been born to rule Monaco, he’d have run away with the circus. (His daughter Princess Stéphanie actually did!) Thus, in establishing the circus festival of Monte Carlo, he fulfilled his childhood dream. In his reign, Monaco also became a sporting paradise. The Monaco Grand Prix, for example, is a byword for Formula 1 racing at large. The Stade Louis II was built in Fontvieille in 1985 to be the home of Monaco’s football team. It might be too soon to say what the lasting legacy of his son and successor, Albert II, will be. However, we do know some things for certain: Albert is an eco-carrier, a fighter for oceans like Albert I, and a great diplomat like countless of his predecessors. He is also a builder/buyer like his father. He bought the Port at Ventimiglia for use by Monaco’s boats. He oversaw the building of a new beach complex at Larvotto’s port. And while Roquebrune and Menton are not part of the Principality in name, they are intimately connected with the life of the Principality today. Their histories overlap. Besides, Roquebrune is the locality of the “Monte-Carlo Beach” and the Monte-Carlo Country Club above it, where the Monte-Carlo Tennis Masters event is held annually. Albert II is keen to cement Monaco’s position in the global community. This is why he is constantly on the move around the world to network with like-minded communities. It’s impossible to keep up. He moves too fast, but if you don’t blink, you might catch him in a still on Instagram. His #1 deputy, wife Charlène, works almost as much, in spite of severe health issues in recent years. She seems very well recovered these days. Her priorities are their children, twins Gabriella and Jacques, and next in line for priority is her eponymous charitable foundation that operates in three countries. The Princess Charlène Foundation (in Monaco, the USA, and South Africa) operates to teach water safety to underprivileged kids and to conserve the wildlife in Africa. Charlène is Monaco’s “First Lady,” ever since her marriage to Prince Albert in 2011. Second lady? I suppose that’s technically Gabriella, her daughter, but since Gabriella is only eight years old, any duties demanded of such a position fall more naturally on the Sovereign’s sisters, Princess Caroline and Princess Stéphanie. The former is devoted to such things as AMADE (the World Association for Children’s Friends) and the Monte-Carlo Ballet. The latter is president of the Monte-Carlo Circus and Fight AIDS Monaco. Their respective children have, in turns, ascended to various podiums in the Principality, all representing and promoting sports and culture in their various ways. Pierre Casiraghi, for example, is a leading businessman with a passion for sailing. It was under his patronage that Boris Hermann’s sailing team (Team Malizia) transported Greta Thunberg to New York to make her historic speech on climate action. His sister Charlotte Casiraghi is affectionately considered Monaco’s “philosopher princess” because she and three philosophers got together in 2016 to establish Les Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco and, moreover, she has coauthored a book on philosophy with one of those “Philo Monaco” co-founders, who happens to be her former high school teacher. Princess Stéphanie’s son, Louis Ducruet, is a really nice guy (à la Ted Lasso) who lives to promote the merits of football. His sister, Pauline, is a fashion designer and ambassador of Monaco’s “New Generation” circus. Of the adult descendants of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, the quietest ones might be Andrea Casiraghi and Princess Alexandre de Hanovre–although both have done interviews and magazine cover shoots. Andrea just prefers private life with his family and Alexandra is still primarily a student. The indications so far reveal that Alexandra is interested in fashion, literature, and philosophy. I have saved Andrea Casiraghi for last mention, not because he is least. He most certainly is not. It’s just that his trick up his sleeve, as I like to call it, is perhaps his most interesting, and it rounds out the circle of this article quite nicely. Andrea Casiraghi took it upon himself to ferret around the palace archives and uncover hidden stories. What he found will be revealed in a forthcoming documentary on the history of the House of Grimaldi, produced by a joint venture of the respective film companies of his brother-in-law (Dimitri Rassam) and sister-in-law, Beatrice Borromeo Casiraghi. The new generation of Monaco’s princely family is writing the untold chapters of their own heritage, and I, for one, am here for every second of it!
The Line of Succession to the Throne
- Hereditary Prince Jacques Honoré Rainier, Marquis des Baux
- Princess Gabriella Thérèse Marie, Comtesse de Carladès
- Princess Caroline Louise Marguerite, Princesse de Hanovre
- Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi
- Alexandre Andrea Stefano Casiraghi
- Maximilian Rainier Casiraghi
- India Casiraghi
- Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi
- Stefano Ercole Carlo Casiraghi
- Francesco Carlo Albert Casiraghi
- Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi
- Balthazar Rassam
- Alexandra Charlotte Ulrike Maryam Virginia, Princesse de Hanovre
- Princess Stéphanie Marie Elisabeth, Comtesse de Polignac
- Louis Robert Paul Ducruet
- Victoire Ducruet
- Pauline Grace Maguy Ducruet
Descendants of Grace & Rainier not in the line of succession
- Jazmin Grace Grimaldi
- Camille Gottlieb
- Alexandre Grimaldi
- Raphaël Elmaleh
Descendants of Antoinette Grimaldi de Massy
(not in line to succeed, per the constitutional amendments of 2002)
- Jean-Léonard Taubert-Natta de Massy
- Melchior Taubert-Natta de Massy
- Mélanie-Antoinette de Massy
- Christian Louis de Massy
- Antoine de Massy
- Leticia de Massy
- Rose de Brouwer
- Sylvestre de Brouwer
- Sébastien Knecht de Massy
- Christine Knecht de Massy
- Alexia Knecht de Massy
- Vittoria Knecht de Massy
- Andrea Knecht de Massy
Princely Monaco 