Prince Rainier Died

[AGBF]

Prince Rainier (Rainier Grimaldi) of Monaco has died. There have been pictures of his wedding to Grace Kelly posted in another area of Pricescope. "The New York Times" had a fascinating article on him and his family. I knew the modern information (the marriages of Princess Caroline and the crazy antics of Princess Stephanie, who joined a circus). I did not know how rich in scandals their ancestors were, however! If you are interested, here is a link to "The New York Times" article.

article


Deborah

 

[mightyred]

Given you have an interest in the British Monachy I thought you may be interested to learn that Prince Rainier''s death means the Queen, who acceded to the British throne in 1952, becomes the longest-serving monarch in Europe.

 

[Kaleigh]

OMG, I knew he was pretty sick, that is so sad. So will Albert become King after the funeral?? I heard he is gay, doesn''t matter to me one bit just curious??

 

[mightyred]

Hi Kaleigh,

Yes, Albert already started to take over the reign last week - hard to believe he is 47 - he acts much younger!

I just had the exact conversation with an old co-worker earlier about him possibly being gay. That certainly won''t be a first for royalty although ironically it is less acceptable now than in was in so called old fashioned times!! If he is I hope there is an opportunity for him to come out but I suspect he would have done so by now if he wasn''t under so much pressure.

I think Prince Rainier had a good innings and despite the rumours of the state of his marriage before Grace Kelly died, it seems he never found love again ....it''s been seventeen years since her death. He once said "I still feel her absence. It was a marriage of love."

 

[AGBF]

Date: 4/6/2005 12:55:37 PM
Author: kaleigh
OMG, I knew he was pretty sick, that is so sad. So will Albert become King after the funeral??

He will become the reigning prince, since Monaco is a principality, not a kingdom. The law concerning succession was amended during Prince Rainier's lifetime to allow a sibling of a monarch to succeed him. Both Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie already have children. Had prince Rainier not had an heir, Monaco would have been ceded back to France. That story is in the Times article cited above! Also: you gotta love the way the Grimaldis took the throne! They were cut-throats from Genoa!

 

[Hest88]

Thanks for the article, AGBF. I didn''t realize he had elevated the fortunes of Monaco to such a degree. In my mind Monaco had always been the wealthy playground it is now.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 4/6/2005 5:11:27 PM
Author: Hest88
Thanks for the article, AGBF. I didn't realize he had elevated the fortunes of Monaco to such a degree. In my mind Monaco had always been the wealthy playground it is now.

I found the quotation from Somerset Maugham, that Monaco was, "a sunny place for shady people" to be fascinating, too!

Deb

PS-I have only been to Monaco once-fairly recently-and found it dreadful. It was a small place full of huge apartment buildings and parking problems. However, my husband and his sister, who are from Genoa, remember it as being charming many years ago.

 

[Kaleigh]

Have they announced when his funeral will be, just wondering as the popes is on Friday and if it will effect Prince Charles wedding to Camilla??

 

[Kaleigh]

Instead of two weddings and a funeral it will be two funerals and a wedding.

 

[mightyred]

Yes, funeral is on 15th...it is a busy week for dignitaries!

 

[mightyred]

More sad news for the family. Princess Caroline''s husband is in a deep coma following life threatening pancreatic problems prompting some to say the so called ''Curse of the Grimaldis'' had struck again.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 4/9/2005 11

2:38 AM
Author: mightyred
More sad news for the family. Princess Caroline''s husband is in a deep coma following life threatening pancreatic problems prompting some to say the so called ''Curse of the Grimaldis'' had struck again.

That poor woman! Her first husband was a playboy whom she couldn''t trust; she apparently deeply loved Stefano Casiraghi, her second husband and the father of her children, but he was killed in a speed boat racing accident; then the latest husband was a brute, arrested for violence against reporters, drunkeness, urinating in public. This is all by memory, but brother!