Prince Rainier III

Prince Rainier III, was born on May 31st, 1923 in Monaco. He is the son of His Serene Highness the Princess Charlotte, Louise, Juliette, Duchesse of Valentinois, born on September 30th, 1898, in Constantine, deceased on November 16th, 1977 and of Prince Pierre, Marie, Xavier, Antoine, Melchior, Count de Polignac, born on October 24th, 1895 in the Castle of Kerscamp (Morbihan), become Grimaldi by Sovereign Ordonnance of March 18th, 1920, deceased on November 10th, 1964.

May 9th, 1949, Prince Rainier III succeeds His grandfather, the Prince Louis II. Five years earlier, on May 30th, 1944, the Hereditary Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince Louis II, duly authorized by Prince Souverain, had given up in favor of Her son, Her title of Hereditary and the succession of the Throne of Monaco.

April 18th, 1956, S.A.S. the Prince marries Miss Grace-Patricia Kelly, born on November 12th, 1929 in Philadelphia (the United States of America), deceased on September 14th, 1982.

He is deceased on April 6th, 2005 in Monaco.

From this union were born three children :

• The Princess Caroline, Louise, Marguerite, on January 23rd, 1957,


• Prince Albert, Alexandre, Louis, Pierre, Marquis des Baux, on March 14th, 1958


• The Princess Stéphanie, Marie, Elisabeth, on February 1st, 1965

Prince Rainier III is grandfather of seven grandchildren :

Studies

Prince Rainier III made His first studies in England, at the college of Summerfield in Saint-Léonard-on-Mer and at the school of Stowe, then in Switzerland at the college of the castle of Rosey in Rolle. He continued His studies in Montpellier, where he obtained the diploma of graduate-ès-letters. He followed, finally, in Paris, the courses of the School of Political Sciences.

Military career

September 28th, 1944, S.A.S. the Prince engages like volunteer with the foreign title in the French Army; He is affected to the Staff of the 2nd Army corps ordered by the General of Monsabert; named Sub-lieutenant, He takes share, in the rows of this unit, with the operations of the Campain of Alsace; quoted with the Order of the Brigade, He receives the Military Cross with bronze Star. Prince Rainier III, who continues to be useful in the rows of the French Army, is promoted Lieutenant, then affected with the French Military Mission, economic section, in Berlin. January 16th, 1947, Mr. Léon Blum, President of the Provisional government of the French Republic confers to Him the Cross of “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur” on a purely military basis. In April 1949, the French government the pupil with the row of Capitaire, and in December 1954, confers to Him the rank of Colonel in the French Army.

Its Actions

In 1949, Prince Rainier III goes up on the Throne. Its reign is one of those which transformed the Principality the most. It intensifies and diversifies the actions implemented during the three preceding reigns, as well in the policy fields, diplomatic, international, economic and social as in those of education and the sport, health, science, the culture and the communication. It adds an industrial dimension to it. December 17th, 1962, It equips the Principality with a new Constitution. In 1993, It obtains the admission of Monaco like State member of the Organization of the United Nations.