Princess Caroline of Monaco (Caroline Louise Marguerite; born 23 January 1957) is, by her marriage to
Prince Ernst August, the
Princess of Hanover. As the eldest child of
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005) was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest-ruling m ...
, and
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956.
Kelly ...
, she is the elder sister of
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II – Website of the Palace of Monaco (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi; born 14 March 1958) is Prince of Monaco, since 2005.
Albert was born at the Prince's Palace of Monaco, and he is the second child and only son of Prince Rai ...
, and
Princess Stéphanie.
She was
Hereditary Princess of Monaco
The Hereditary Prince(''ss'') of Monaco is the title given to the heir apparent or heir presumptive of the Monegasque throne, since its official creation on 15 May 1882. Traditionally, a male Hereditary Prince is also given the title Marquis of B ...
and
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.
...
to the
Monegasque throne
The sovereign prince (french: prince de Monaco) is the monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All reigning princes have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, although some have belonged to other families (Goyon de Matignon or ...
from her birth in 1957 until her brother Albert was born the following year, and again from Albert's accession in 2005 until the birth of his twins, her niece
Gabriella and nephew
Jacques
Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...
, in 2014.
Family and early life
Caroline was born on 23 January 1957 in the
Prince's Palace,
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
. She is the eldest child of
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005) was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest-ruling m ...
, and his wife, former American actress
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956.
Kelly ...
. Christened Caroline Louise Marguerite, she belongs to the
House of Grimaldi
The House of Grimaldi ( , also , , ) is the current reigning house of the Principality of Monaco. The house was founded in 1160 by Grimaldo Canella in Genoa and became the ruling house of Monaco when Francesco Grimaldi captured Monaco in 1297 ...
. She was the
heiress presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.
...
from her birth to 14 March 1958, when her brother
Prince Albert
Prince Albert most commonly refers to:
*Albert, Prince Consort (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria
*Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco
Prince Albert may also refer to:
Royalty
* Albert I of Belgium ...
was born. On 1 February 1965, her younger sister
Princess Stéphanie was born. Caroline is a legitimate patrilineal descendant of the
Dukes of Polignac
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked ...
, and as such belongs to the historical
French nobility
The French nobility (french: la noblesse française) was a privileged social class in France from the Middle Ages until its abolition on June 23, 1790 during the French Revolution.
From 1808 to 1815 during the First Empire the Emperor Napoléo ...
. Through her mother, she is of Irish and German descent.
In an interview for ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' in April 1982, shortly before her death, Grace described Caroline and Stéphanie as "warm, bright, amusing, intelligent and capable girls. They're very much in tune with their era. Besides being good students, they are good athletes – excellent skiers and swimmers. Both can cook and sew and play the piano and ride a horse. But, above all, my children are good sports, conscious of their position and considerate of others. They are sympathetic to the problems and concerns in the world today."
As a child, Caroline spent time at the home of her maternal grandparents,
John B. Kelly, Sr. and Margaret Kelly (née, Majer), in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. In addition to visiting her mother's family in the United States, she spent the summer of 1971 at Camp Oneka in the
Poconos at the age of 14. While there, unbeknownst to her parents, Caroline was protected by the
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
.
Princess Grace died on 14 September 1982, the day after suffering a stroke while driving herself and Princess Stéphanie home to Monaco from a visit to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
; resulting in an accident in which both were injured.
Education
The princess received her French
baccalauréat
The ''baccalauréat'' (; ), often known in France colloquially as the ''bac'', is a French national academic qualification that students can obtain at the completion of their secondary education (at the end of the ''lycée'') by meeting certain ...
in 1974 with honours. She was also educated at
St Mary's School Ascot
St Mary's School Ascot is a Roman Catholic independent day and boarding school for girls in Ascot, Berkshire, England.2011 ISI InspectioReport/ref> It is a member of the Girls' Schools Association. It was named 2015 "Public School of the Year ...
. After a semester at
Sciences Po
, motto_lang = fr
, mottoeng = Roots of the Future
, type = Public university, Public research university''Grande école''
, established =
, founder = Émile Boutmy
, a ...
, Caroline continued her studies at the
Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University (french: Sorbonne Université; la Sorbonne: 'the Sorbonne') is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution's legacy reaches back to 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon ...
, where she received a diploma in
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
and minors in
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
and
biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
.
She is fluent in
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
,
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
and
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
.
Activities
![President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan with Princess Caroline and Prince Albert](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/President_Ronald_Reagan_and_Nancy_Reagan_with_Princess_Caroline_and_Prince_Albert.jpg)
In 1979, Princess Caroline was appointed by her parents as the president of the Monégasque Committee for the
.
Two years later, in 1981, Caroline founded ''Jeune J'écoute'' association.
The association set up a 'youth hotline' where young people can talk about their problems on the telephone with qualified people trained in dealing problems young people faced.
Other philanthropic organizations Caroline has been involved with include the
World Association of Children's Friends (AMADE Mondiale),
the
Princess Grace Foundation
The Princess Grace Foundation – USA is a charity organization named after Princess Grace of Monaco, which supports emerging performers in theater, dance, and film in the form of awards, grants, scholarships, and fellowships. The Foundation hol ...
,
the
Prince Pierre Foundation
The Prince Pierre Foundation (Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco) was established by Prince Rainier III of Monaco in February 1966 to promote culture and the arts through the creation and the awarding of prizes. Prince Rainier III created the found ...
,
the
Peter Le Marchant Trust
Princess Caroline of Monaco (Caroline Louise Marguerite; born 23 January 1957) is, by her marriage to Prince Ernst August, the Princess of Hanover. As the eldest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly, she is the elder sister ...
and
UNICEF
UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...
. Her other patronages include the
International School of Paris
The International School of Paris (ISP) is a private international school based in Paris, France. It is a non-profit organization, and is managed by a Board of Trustees. Many members of this Board are parents of ISP students.
It was created unde ...
,
Les Ballets de Monte Carlo
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo (The Monte Carlo Ballet) is a classical ballet company established in 1985 by Caroline, Princess of Hanover, the Princess of Hanover in accordance with the wishes of her mother, Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco. I ...
, which she also founded,
the
Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra The Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra (french: Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, OPMC) is the main orchestra in the Principality of Monaco. The orchestra gives concerts primarily in the Auditorium Rainier III, but also performs at the Salle ...
,
the
Association des Guides et Scouts de Monaco
Monaco has one of the world's smallest national Scouting and Guiding organizations, the Association des Guides et Scouts de Monaco (AGSM). The association has about 84 members (61 Scouts (as of 2010), 23 Guides (as of 2003)). Its headquarters is ...
,
the Monte Carlo Garden Club and
The Spring Arts Festival. In 1992, she was appointed the president of the International Contemporary Art Prize.
Following her mother's death in 1982, Caroline served as
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
first lady
First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...
of Monaco until her brother
married
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
Charlene Wittstock
Charlene (' Charlene Lynette Wittstock; French: ''Charlène'';Since her marriage, her name has been Gallicised by adding a grave accent to her name in French documents. born 25 January 1978) is the princess consort of Monaco and a former Olympic ...
in 2011.
She regularly attends important social events in Monaco related to the
Monégasque Princely Family, such as the National Day celebrations,
the annual Rose Ball, the Red Cross Ball and the
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
competition
Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de Monaco) is a Formula One motor racing event held annually on the Circuit de Monaco, in late May or early June. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigiou ...
.
Due to her commitment to philanthropy and arts, Caroline was named a
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. UNESCO goodwill ambassad ...
on 2 December 2003.
The
UNICEF
UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...
honoured her with Children's Champion Award on 20 May 2006. The next year, she travelled to the
Republic of South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
to meet its former president
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
.
In December 2011, the World Association of Children's Friends honoured her for "tireless endeavours in continuing the organisation's legacy". Her personal friend and the
Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...
head designer
Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Otto Lagerfeld (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, creative director, artist and photographer.
He was known as the creative director of the French fashion house Chanel, a position held from 1983 ...
presented her the award.
Caroline had also previously been given the Grand Cross of the
Order of St. Charles
The Order of Saint Charles (french: Ordre de Saint Charles) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in Monaco on 15 March 1858.
Award
This order rewards service to the State or Prince. In particular cases, it may be granted to foreign ...
, and had been appointed as the Commander of the
Order of Cultural Merit.
Personal and media life
Caroline's personal interests include horseback riding, swimming and skiing.
Since her youth, she has been considered an international fashion icon and as
one of the best dressed women in the world.
In November 2011, an exhibition honouring Princess Caroline was opened at the
National Museum of Monaco.
Caroline was romantically linked to many famous men, including
Henri Giscard d'Estaing
Henri Marie Edmond Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (born 17 October 1956) is a French businessman and son of former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.
Biography
Giscard d'Estaing studied at the Paris Institute of Political Studies and h ...
, the son of former
President of France
The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency i ...
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (, , ; 2 February 19262 December 2020), also known as Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served as President of France from 1974 to 1981.
After serving as Minister of Finance under prime ...
; and French singer
Philippe Lavil
Philippe Lavil (born 26 September 1947 in Fort-de-France, Martinique), pseudonym of Philippe Durand de La Villejégu du Fresnay, is a French singer. He remained particularly famous for his hits singles "Il tape sur des bambous", "Elle préfère l ...
. Following her divorce from
Philippe Junot
Philippe Junot (born 19 April 1940) is a French venture capitalist and property developer, who was the first husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco. He has business interests in Paris, Spain and New York City.
Background and family
Junot is the s ...
, she was briefly engaged to Robertino Rossellini, the son of
Roberto Rossellini
Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini (8 May 1906 – 3 June 1977) was an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was one of the most prominent directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing to the movement with films such ...
and
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films, television movies, and plays.Obituary ''Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, she is often ...
. Between her second and third marriages, Caroline had a relationship with French actor
Vincent Lindon
Vincent Lindon (born 15 July 1959) is a French actor and filmmaker. For his role in the film '' The Measure of a Man'' (2015), Lindon won Best Actor at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, Best Actor at the 41st César Awards and the IFFI Best Act ...
.
First marriage
Princess Caroline's first husband was
Philippe Junot
Philippe Junot (born 19 April 1940) is a French venture capitalist and property developer, who was the first husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco. He has business interests in Paris, Spain and New York City.
Background and family
Junot is the s ...
(born 19 April 1940), a
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
ian
banker
A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...
. They were
married civilly in Monaco on 28 June 1978, and religiously on 29 June 1978. Their lavish wedding ceremony was attended by some 650 guests, including
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
stars
Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her perform ...
,
Cary Grant
Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...
and
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
.
The couple divorced, childless, on 9 October 1980. In 1992, the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
granted the princess an
annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure within Law, secular and Religious law, religious legal systems for declaring a marriage Void (law), null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually ex post facto law, retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is c ...
.
Second marriage
Her second husband was
Stefano Casiraghi
Stefano Casiraghi (8 September 1960 – 3 October 1990) was an Italian offshore powerboat racer, socialite, and businessman. He was the second husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco; he died during a racing accident defending his 1990 Class ...
(8 September 1960 – 3 October 1990), the sportsman heir to an Italian industrial fortune. They were married civilly in Monaco on 29 December 1983, and had three children:
*
Andrea Albert Pierre Casiraghi (born on 8 June 1984 at
Princess Grace Hospital Centre
The Princess Grace Hospital Centre (french: Centre hospitalier Princesse-Grace, CHPG) is the only public hospital in Monaco.
Overview
The hospital is open 24/7. It is the only public hospital in Monaco.
History
The hospital was opened in 1902 by ...
in
Monaco
Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
). Married
Tatiana Santo Domingo
Tatiana Santo Domingo Rechulski (born 24 November 1983), also known as Tatiana Casiraghi, is an American-born Colombian-Monégasque socialite, heiress and fashion designer. She is the founder of Muzungu Sisters, a fashion company and the wife o ...
on 31 August 2013, at the
Prince's Palace in
Monaco-Ville
Monaco City (french: Monaco-Ville) is the southcentral ward in the Principality of Monaco. Located on a headland that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, it is nicknamed The Rock (french: Le Rocher). The name "Monaco City" is misleading: it is n ...
. The couple have three children:
** Alexandre "Sasha" Andrea Stefano Casiraghi (born on 21 March 2013 at
Portland Hospital
The Portland Hospital for Women and Children is a private maternity hospital on Great Portland Street, City of Westminster, London, England, owned by the Hospital Corporation of America.
History
The Portland was conceived by Barry Lewis, a p ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
; entered the
line of succession to the Monegasque throne
Line most often refers to:
* Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity
* Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system
Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to:
Arts ...
when his parents married).
** India Casiraghi (born on 12 April 2015 in London).
** Maximilian Rainier Casiraghi (born on 19 April 2018 in London).
*
Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi (born on 3 August 1986 at Princess Grace Hospital Centre). Has a son with her former partner, the French actor and comedian
Gad Elmaleh
Gad Elmaleh ( ar, جاد المالح, Latn, ar, Gād el-Māleḥ; born 19 April 1971) is a Moroccan-Canadian stand-up comedian and actor who achieved fame in France, Morocco and the United States. He is best known in the French-speaking worl ...
, and a second son with her husband, the French producer
Dimitri Rassam
Dimitri Rassam (born 16 November 1981) is a Lebanese-French film producer and a member of the Monegasque princely family through marriage.
Background and education
Rassam is the son of actress Carole Bouquet and film producer Jean-Pierre Ra ...
:
** Raphaël Elmaleh (born on 17 December 2013 at Princess Grace Hospital Centre).
** Balthazar Rassam (born on 23 October 2018 at Princess Grace Hospital Centre).
*
Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi (born on 5 September 1987 at Princess Grace Hospital Centre). He married
Beatrice Borromeo
''Donna'' Beatrice Borromeo Arese Taverna (born 18 August 1985, in San Candido) is an Italian journalist and fashion model. Born into an aristocratic family, she graduated from Bocconi University and Columbia University. She became a journalist fo ...
in a civil ceremony on 25 July 2015, in the gardens of the Prince's Palace of Monaco. They have two children:
** Stefano Ercole Carlo Casiraghi (born on 28 February 2017 at Princess Grace Hospital Centre).
** Francesco Carlo Albert Casiraghi (born on 21 May 2018 at Princess Grace Hospital Centre).
The two younger children are named for their maternal great-grandparents,
Princess Charlotte Princess Charlotte may refer to:
People
* Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1694–1715), wife of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia and mother of Tsar Peter II, Emperor of Russia
* Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans (1700–1761), wife of ...
and
Prince Pierre, while Andrea was named for a childhood friend of his father's. Stefano Casiraghi was killed in a speed-boating accident in 1990, aged 30 years.
Even though their parents had not married in the Church, as required under church law, their marriage was convalidated by Pope
John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
in February 1993, eight months after their mother's marriage to Junot had been annulled in June 1992.
Third marriage
Caroline's third and current husband is
Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick, head of the
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover (german: Haus Hannover), whose members are known as Hanoverians, is a European royal house of German origin that ruled Hanover, Great Britain, and Ireland at various times during the 17th to 20th centuries. The house orig ...
which
lost its throne in 1866.
From 1913 to 1918, his family ruled the sovereign
Duchy of Brunswick
The Duchy of Brunswick (german: Herzogtum Braunschweig) was a historical German state. Its capital city, capital was the city of Braunschweig, Brunswick ().
It was established as the successor state of the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel ...
.
The couple married in Monaco on 23 January 1999. Ernst August had previously divorced his first wife Chantal Hochuli, with whom he had sons
Prince Ernst August and
Prince Christian, and who had been Caroline's friend.
The couple have one daughter together:
*
Princess Alexandra Charlotte Ulrike Maryam Virginia of Hanover (born 20 July 1999 in
Vöcklabruck
Vöcklabruck () is the administrative center of the Vöcklabruck district, Austria. It is located in the western part of Upper Austria, close to the A1 Autobahn as well as the B1 highway.
Vöcklabruck's name derives from the River Vöckla which ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
)
Her husband's title as Duke of Brunswick is honorific since the ruling family of that state was removed by the
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...
in 1918, along with all royal and noble German ruling families, which were still allowed to retain their titles. Neither she nor her husband has royal rank in Germany, but Monaco recognizes the Hanoverians' former German royal titles, attributing to the couple the style of ''Royal Highness''. On 11 January 1999, shortly before Caroline and Ernst's wedding, his fourth cousin once removed (George III was their common ancestor), Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during h ...
, issued this
Order in Council
An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council ('' Ki ...
, "My Lords, I do hereby declare My Consent to a Contract of Matrimony between His Royal Highness Prince Ernst August Albert of Hanover, Duke of
Brunswick-Luneburg and Her Serene Highness Princess Caroline Louise Marguerite of Monaco...". As a legitimate
male-line
Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...
descendant of George III, Ernst August was subject to the
Royal Marriages Act 1772
The Royal Marriages Act 1772 (12 Geo 3 c. 11) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which prescribed the conditions under which members of the British royal family could contract a valid marriage, in order to guard against marriages th ...
(repealed in 2015). Prior to the repeal of the Act, the
revised form of which limits those who must gain permission to the first six people in the line of British succession, marrying without the Queen's
Royal Assent
Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
would have meant their marriage would be
void
Void may refer to:
Science, engineering, and technology
* Void (astronomy), the spaces between galaxy filaments that contain no galaxies
* Void (composites), a pore that remains unoccupied in a composite material
* Void, synonym for vacuum, a s ...
in Britain, where Ernst August's family owned substantial property and he holds (
dual
Dual or Duals may refer to:
Paired/two things
* Dual (mathematics), a notion of paired concepts that mirror one another
** Dual (category theory), a formalization of mathematical duality
*** see more cases in :Duality theories
* Dual (grammatical ...
) citizenship.
Likewise, the Monégasque court officially notified France of Caroline's contemplated marriage to Prince Ernst August and received assurance that there was no objection, in compliance with Article 2 of the 1918
Franco-Monégasque Treaty.
Despite obtaining the official approval of the governments of France, Monaco and the United Kingdom, upon Caroline's marriage to Ernst August he forfeited his own place in Britain's
order of succession
An order of succession or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.[Act of Settlement 1701
The Act of Settlement is an Act of the Parliament of England that settled the succession to the English and Irish crowns to only Protestants, which passed in 1701. More specifically, anyone who became a Roman Catholic, or who married one, bec ...]
, which imposes that consequence upon British
dynasts who marry Roman Catholics.
The
Succession to the Crown Act of 2013 however removed that consequence of marrying a Roman Catholic, and would place him back in the order of succession.
In 2009, it was reported that Caroline had separated from Ernst August and returned to live in Monaco.
Privacy cases
Caroline has had a bad relationship with media and paparazzi since her youth, when she complained she "could not live the life of a normal student".
On 24 June 2004, the Princess obtained a judgement from the
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR or ECtHR), also known as the Strasbourg Court, is an international court of the Council of Europe which interprets the European Convention on Human Rights. The court hears applications alleging that a ...
condemning Germany for non-respect of her right to private life under Article 8 of the
European Convention on Human Rights
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR; formally the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) is an international convention to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by t ...
.
Caroline invoked the judgment in combination with articles 1(1) and 2(1) of the
Basic Law (human dignity and personal freedom, respectively) as well as § 22 of the German Art and Photography Copyright Act or ''KunstUrhG'' (no publication of personal images without permission) in a new domestic case, attempting to get the courts to prohibit publication of certain images of her in a private setting. The
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
accepted her claim with regard to two images, but did not prohibit publication of a third, stating that the image accompanied an article about a subject of public interest, which allows publication without permission per § 23 of the ''KunstUrhG''. Caroline appealed to the
Federal Constitutional Court
The Federal Constitutional Court (german: link=no, Bundesverfassungsgericht ; abbreviated: ) is the supreme constitutional court for the Federal Republic of Germany, established by the constitution or Basic Law () of Germany. Since its inc ...
, which affirmed the Supreme Court's judgement. Unsatisfied with this result, Caroline filed a new complaint with the European Court of Human Rights. This time, the court found that the domestic courts had properly weighed the competing interests of Caroline's privacy and the press' right to freedom of expression, and thus found that there had been no violation of Article 8.
Writings
In April 1981, the Princess penned an essay, entitled "Home" and published in the
International Herald Tribune
The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be said ...
's supplement.
The byline was "Caroline de Grimaldi."
In the essay, she wrote: "I long for the Mediterranean ... I feel in my bones that I belong in Monaco."
The article was titled, "A Compulsive Need for Blue."
Succession issues
Princess Caroline was
heiress presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.
...
to the crown of Monaco until the birth of
her brother's legitimate children.
There is
precedent
A precedent is a principle or rule established in a previous legal case that is either binding on or persuasive for a court or other tribunal when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts. Common-law legal systems place great valu ...
for a Monégasque prince to adopt his own illegitimate child and thereby place that child at the head of the
line of succession to the Monegasque throne
Line most often refers to:
* Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity
* Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system
Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to:
Arts ...
, as was done for Caroline's grandmother,
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois (Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi; 30 September 1898 – 16 November 1977), was the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III. From 1922 until 1944, she was the Her ...
.
However, because of changes to the constitution of Monaco in 2002, this was no longer an option.
Albert's lack of legitimate children until the 2010s prompted Prince Rainier III to change the constitution so as to ensure there would be a successor to the throne, which strengthened the places of Caroline and her descendants in the line of succession.
On 2 April 2002, Monaco passed Princely Law 1.249, which provides that if the Sovereign Prince assumes the throne and then dies without a legitimate direct heir, the throne will pass to his
dynastic
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A d ...
siblings and their descendants according to the rule of
male-preference cognatic primogeniture
Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
. The law was then ratified by France, as required by a
1918 Franco-Monégasque Treaty, on 4 October 2005.
Before this change, the crown of Monaco could pass only to a descendant of the last reigning prince, excluding such collateral relations as siblings, nephews, and nieces.
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
* 23 January 1957 – 23 January 1999: ''Her Serene Highness'' Princess Caroline of Monaco
* 23 January 1999 – present: ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess of Hanover
Honours
National honours
* : Dame Grand Cross of the
Order of Saint-Charles
The Order of Saint Charles (french: Ordre de Saint Charles) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in Monaco on 15 March 1858.
Award
This order rewards service to the State or Prince. In particular cases, it may be granted to foreign ...
* : 10 November 2005 Commander of the
Order of Cultural Merit
Foreign honours
* : 3 July 2014 Commander of the
Order of Agricultural Merit
The Order of Agricultural Merit (french: link=no, Ordre du Mérite agricole) is an order of merit bestowed by the French Republic for outstanding contributions to agriculture. When it was created in 1883, it was second in importance only to the ...
* : 20 May 2014 Commander of the
Order of Arts and Letters
The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...
* : Recipient of the
50th Birthday Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 1996)
International
* 2 December 2003
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. UNESCO goodwill ambassad ...
Arms and monograms
Ancestry
See also
*
House of Grimaldi
The House of Grimaldi ( , also , , ) is the current reigning house of the Principality of Monaco. The house was founded in 1160 by Grimaldo Canella in Genoa and became the ruling house of Monaco when Francesco Grimaldi captured Monaco in 1297 ...
*
Line of succession to the Monegasque throne
Line most often refers to:
* Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity
* Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system
Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to:
Arts ...
*
List of heirs to the Monegasque throne
These are the individuals who, at any given time, were considered next in line to inherit the throne of Monaco, should the incumbent monarch die. Those who actually succeeded (at any time) are shown in bold. Stillborn children and infants surviv ...
*
Monegasque Princely Family
The sovereign prince (french: prince de Monaco) is the monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All reigning princes have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, although some have belonged to other families (Goyon de Matignon or ...
References
External links
The Princess of Hanoverat the
Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco ( French: ''Palais princier de Monaco'') is the official residence of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besie ...
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Caroline of Hanover, Princess
1957 births
Commanders of the Order of Agricultural Merit
Commanders of the Order of Cultural Merit (Monaco)
Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Duchesses of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint-Charles
Hanoverian princesses by marriage
Hereditary Princesses of Monaco
House of Grimaldi
House of Hanover
Kelly family
Living people
Monegasque people of American descent
Monegasque people of English descent
Monegasque people of German descent
Monegasque people of Irish descent
Monegasque people of Italian descent
Monegasque people of Mexican descent
Monegasque people of Scottish descent
Monegasque princesses
Monegasque Roman Catholics
People educated at St Mary's School, Ascot
Recipients of the Order of Agricultural Merit
Recipients of the Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910)
Sciences Po alumni
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors