List of heirs to the Monegasque throne

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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 surviving less than a month are not shown.

Contents

This list begins with the sole reign of Catalan, Lord of Monaco, whose father Jean (or Giovanni) I first set out a law of succession in his will in 1454. Until 1427 Monaco was effectively a condominium with up to three rulers simultaneously; after Jean I became sole ruler he sought to keep the throne for one person, of the Grimaldi family. [1] This succession included the stipulation that while a woman could inherit if there were no male heirs in her immediate family, she must marry a Grimaldi cousin to keep the inheritance in the family. The first Lady of Monaco, Claudine Grimaldi, abdicated in favour of her cousin and later married him; a later Princess of Monaco, however, would defy this law. It was ignored, however, and the throne continued to pass to their descendants, who adopted the name Grimaldi in place of their own.

Lords of Monaco (1454–1612)

HeirRelationship to MonarchBecame heirReasonCeased to be heirReasonNext in successionMonarch
Lamberto Grimaldi cousinJuly 1457cousin became Lady1458became LordGaspare Grimaldi d'Antibes
brother
Claudine
Gaspare Grimaldi d'Antibesbrother1458brother became Lord1468son born to LordNicola Grimaldi d'Antibes
brother
Lamberto
Jean Grimaldi eldest son1468bornMarch 1494became LordGaspard Grimaldi d'Antibes
14681482, uncle
Augustine Grimaldi
14821494, brother
Augustine Grimaldi brother1494brother became Lordbefore 1505became abbot and bishop Lucien Grimaldi
brother
Jean II
Lucien Grimaldi brotherbefore 1505brother gave up his succession rights1505became LordNicholas II, Lord d'Antibes
first cousin
Nicholas II, Lord d'Antibesfirst cousin1505cousin became Lord1519diedGaspard Grimaldi d'Antibes
son
Lucien
Gaspard II, Lord d'Antibesfirst cousin once removed1519father died16 December 1522son born to LordRenato Grimaldi d'Antibes
son
Honoré Grimaldi eldest son16 December 1522born22 August 1523became LordGaspard II, Lord d'Antibes
second cousin
Gaspard II, Lord d'Antibessecond cousin22 August 1523cousin became Lord1555son born to LordRenato Grimaldi d'Antibes Honoré I
Charles Grimaldi eldest son1555born7 October 1581became LordGaspard II, Lord d'Antibes
15551557, second cousin once removed
François Grimaldi
15571581, brother
François Grimaldibrother7 October 1581brother became Lord1586died Hercule Grimaldi
brother
Charles II
Hercule Grimaldi brother1586brother died17 May 1589became LordRenato, Lord d'Antibes
third cousin
Renato, Lord d'Antibesthird cousin17 May 1589cousin became Lord1594diedHonoré Grimaldi d'Antibes
son
Hercule
Honoré I, Lord d'Antibesthird cousin once removed1594father died24 December 1597son born to LordAlexandre Grimaldi d'Antibes
brother
Honoré Grimaldi eldest son24 December 1597born29 November 1604became LordGiovanna Grimaldi
sister

Princes of Monaco (1612present)

HeirRelationship to MonarchBecame heirReasonCeased to be heirReasonNext in successionMonarch
Princess Giovanna Grimaldisister29 November 1604brother became Lord26 December 1623son born to PrinceHonoré I, Lord d'Antibes
16041618, fourth cousin
Honoré II
Jean-Henri, Lord d'Antibes
16181623, fourth cousin once removed
Prince Ercole, Marquis of Baux son26 December 1623born2 August 1651diedGiovanna Grimaldi
16231642, aunt
Prince Louis Grimaldi
16421651, son
Prince Louis, Marquis of Baux grandson2 August 1651father died10 January 1662became PrincePrincess Maria Ippolita Grimaldi
16511661, sister
Prince Antoine Grimaldi
16611662, son
Prince Antoine, Marquis of Baux son10 January 1662father became Prince3 January 1701became PrincePrincess Maria Teresa Grimaldi
16621669, sister
Louis I
Prince François Grimaldi
16691691, brother
Princess Caterina Charlotte Grimaldi
16911696, daughter
Prince François Grimaldi
16961697, brother
Princess Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi
16971701, daughter
Princess Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi daughter3 January 1701father became Prince20 February 1731became PrincessPrincess Elisabeth Grimaldi
17011702, sister
Antoine I
Princess Margherita Grimaldi
17021717, sister
Prince Antoine, Marquis of Baux
17171718, son
Princess Margherita Grimaldi
17181719, sister
Princess Charlotte Grimaldi
17191720, daughter
Prince Honoré Grimaldi
17201731, son
Prince Honoré, Marquis of Baux son20 February 1731mother became Princess7 November 1733became PrincePrince Charles, Count of Carladès
brother
Louise Hippolyte
Jacques I
Prince Charles, Count of Carladèsbrother7 November 1733brother became Prince24 August 1749diedPrince Charles-Maurice, Count of Valentinois
brother
Honoré III
Prince Charles-Maurice, Count of Valentinoisbrother24 August 1749brother died17 May 1758son born to Princeno further eligible heirs of the House of Grimaldi
Prince Honoré, Marquis of Baux son17 May 1758born21 March 1795became PrincePrince Charles-Maurice, comte de Valentinois
17581763, uncle
Prince Joseph Grimaldi
17631778, brother
Prince Honoré Grimaldi
17781795, son
Prince Honoré, Marquis of Baux son21 March 1795father became Prince16 February 1819became Prince Prince Florestan Grimaldi
brother
Honoré IV
Prince Florestan Grimaldi brother16 February 1819brother became Prince2 October 1841became Prince Prince Charles Grimaldi , son Honoré V
Prince Charles, Marquis of Baux son2 October 1841father became Prince20 June 1856became Prince Princess Florestine Grimaldi
18411848, sister
Florestan I
Prince Albert Grimaldi
18481856, son
Hereditary Prince Albert son20 June 1856father became Prince10 September 1889became Prince Princess Florestine, Duchess of Urach
18561870, aunt
Charles III
Prince Louis Grimaldi
18701889, son
Hereditary Prince Louis son10 September 1889father became Prince26 June 1922became Prince Princess Florestine, Duchess of Urach
18891897, great-aunt
Albert I
Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Urach
18971918, first cousin once removed
no further eligible heirs of the House of Grimaldi [2]
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
19191922, (legitimated) daughter
Hereditary Princess Charlotte daughter26 June 1922father became Prince30 May 1944renounced her rights Princess Antoinette Grimaldi
19221923, daughter
Louis II
Prince Rainier Grimaldi
19231944, son
Hereditary Prince Rainier grandson30 May 1944mother ceded her rights9 May 1949became Prince Princess Antoinette Grimaldi
sister
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois mother9 May 1949son became Prince23 January 1957daughter born to Prince Princess Antoinette Grimaldi [3] daughter Rainier III
Hereditary Princess Caroline daughter23 January 1957born14 March 1958son born to Prince Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
grandmother
Hereditary Prince Albert son14 March 1958born6 April 2005became Prince Princess Caroline, Princess of Hanover
sister
Hereditary Princess Caroline, Princess of Hanover sister6 April 2005brother became Prince10 December 2014twin daughter and son born to Prince Andrea Casiraghi
son
Albert II
Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès daughter10 December 2014born10 December 2014twin brother was born same day Hereditary Princess Caroline, Princess of Hanover
aunt
Hereditary Prince Jacques son10 December 2014bornincumbent Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès
sister

See also

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References

  1. The House of Grimaldi: A Branch Set Root Permanently in Monaco
  2. The Constitution of Monaco from 1918 to 2002 allowed only descendants of the Sovereign Prince to take the throne on his death, therefore excluding Wilhelm and everyone after him from the line of succession.
  3. The Constitution of Monaco from 1918 to 2002 allowed only descendants of the Sovereign Prince to take the throne on his death. This case is an exception; when Charlotte renounced her rights it was on the condition that her son outlive her, so hypothetically if he died she might have become Princess with her daughter Antoinette as her heir. As Rainier had heirs and outlived his mother, this scenario was never tested.