Ghislaine Marie Françoise Dommanget (13 October 1900 – 30 April 1991) was a French

actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

, and the Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Louis II from 1946 to 1949.

Early life

Dommanget was born in

Reims Reims ( ; ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French Departments of France, department of Marne (department), Marne, and the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 12th most populous city in Fran ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, as the daughter of

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Robert Joseph Dommanget (1867–1957) and his wife, Marie Louise Meunier (1867–1957).

Personal life

In 1923, she was married to Paul Diey (1863–1931). After his death in 1931, she had a relationship with actor

André Brulé André Brulé (26 September 1879 – 14 February 1953), was a French theatre and film actor. He created the character Arsène Lupin for the French stage in 1908. He had a relationship with Ghislaine Dommanget, a French comedy actress, with who ...

. In 1934, she and Brulé welcomed a son, Jean-Gabriel Brulé. She broke up with Brulé and married the reigning Prince of Monaco, Louis II, on 24 July 1946 — the first bride of a member of the

House of Grimaldi The House of Grimaldi is the Dynasty, reigning house of the Monaco, Principality of Monaco. The house was founded in 1160 by Grimaldo Canella in Genoa and became the ruling house of Monaco when François Grimaldi, Francesco Grimaldi captured Mo ...

without a

dowry A dowry is a payment such as land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price ...

. Following Louis II's death on 9 May 1949, and the accession of her step-grandson,

Rainier III 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. Rainier was born at the Prince's Pala ...

, she became Dowager Princess of Monaco, a title she held until her death.

Notable published works

Honours

;National honours * : Dame Grand Cross of the

Order of Saint-Charles The Order of Saint Charles (; Monégasque: ''U̍rdine de San Carlu'') 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 grante ...

(24 October 1946). ;Foreign honours * : ** Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour (25 June 1947). ** Commander of the Order of Public Health (14 July 1948). * : Benemerenti Medal (8 January 1948).Journal de Monaco
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References

, - 1900 births 1991 deaths Actors from Reims French film actresses French expatriates in Monaco Princesses of Monaco House of Grimaldi Burials at Passy Cemetery Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint-Charles Knights of the Legion of Honour Duchesses of Valentinois 20th-century French actresses {{France-film-actor-1900s-stub