Rainier III Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III, has been the Prince of Monaco since his accession in 1949. He is Europe's longest reigning monarch.

Early life

Rainier was born in Monaco, the only son of Princess Charlotte Louise Juliette of Monaco (1898–1977) — the illegitimate and later legitimated Algeria-born daughter of Louis II of Monaco and Marie Juliette Louvet, reportedly either a cabaret singer or a laundress — and her husband, Pierre de Polignac (1895–1964). Rainier III had one older sister, Princess Antoinette of Monaco.

Rainier was first sent to study at St. Leonards-on-Sea in England, then at Stowe, a prestigious English public school. From there, he went to Institute Le Rosey, Rolle/Gstaad, Switzerland before going on to university in France.

Rainier's grandfather, Prince Louis II, had been a General in the French army during World War I. During World War II, Rainier served as an artillery officer in the army. Second Lieutenant Rainier fought so courageously during the German counter-offensive in Alsace that he won the Croix de Guerre, the Bronze Star and was given the rank of Chevalier in the Legion of Honor.

On May 9, 1949, Rainier became the Prince of Monaco on the death of his grandfather, Louis II. His mother had previously renounced her rights to the throne in his favor.

Marriage and family

In 1956, His Serene Highness the Prince Rainier III of Monaco married Oscar-winning American actress Grace Kelly (1929–1982). Their children are:
- Princess Caroline Louise Marguerite, born January 23, 1957
- Prince Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre, heir to the throne, and Marquis of Baux, born March 14, 1958
- Princess Stephanie Marie Elisabeth, born February 1, 1965
In the years since his wife's death, he was reportedly involved with a distant cousin, Princess Ira von Fürstenberg, a former movie actress turned jewelry designer who is also a Fiat heiress and the former sister-in-law of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. Like him, she is a great-grandchild of Lady Mary Douglas-Hamilton, the Scottish-Bavarian wife of Prince Albert I of Monaco, though by Lady Mary's second marriage.

Rainer III is also known to be a football fan, having followed AS Monaco FC to the 2004 Champions League final.

Actions as Prince

As Prince of Monaco, Rainier III was responsible for the principality's new constitution in 1962 which significantly reduced the power of the sovereign. The changes ended autocratic rule, placing power with the prince and a National Council of eighteen elected members.

He is the world's second longest-serving Head of State, ranking just below King Rama IX of Thailand but above Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Health concerns

In recent years, Rainier's health has been of concern. In early 2004, he was hospitalized for coronary problems. In October he was again in hospital with a lung infection. On March 8, 2005, he was again hospitalized with a lung infection. Rainier was moved to the hospital's intensive care unit on March 21. Two days later, on March 23, it was announced he was on a respirator, suffering from renal and heart failure. On March 26, it was reported by the palace that despite intensive ongoing efforts to improve the prince's health, he continues to rapidly deteriorate.

Succession

Under Monaco's practice of male-preference primogeniture, Rainier's heir apparent is his only son, Prince Albert of Monaco. Princess Caroline is second in line followed by her sons Andrea Casiraghi and Pierre Casiraghi, then daughters Charlotte Casiraghi, and Princess Alexandra of Hanover. Should all these die without issue, the throne would pass to Princess Stephanie and her legitimate descendants under the rules of male-preference primogeniture. The line of succession then passes to Rainier's sister Princess Antoinette, though she and her descendants will lose their place in the line of succession upon Rainier's death. They would however still be eligible to succeed the throne if selected by a crown council should the throne become vacant.

Monaco's constitution was amended on April 2, 2002 by Princely Law 1.249 which changed the rules of succession. Prior to this change only a direct descendant of the reigning prince could assume the throne. Under the new rules, should the reigning monarch die without a direct legitimate heir, the succession passes to his or her siblings and their descendants under the rule of male-preference primogeniture. This means that Princess Caroline and her children will remain in the line of succession upon Rainier's death and will be eligible to inherit the throne if Prince Albert fails to father a legitimate child.

Titles

Rainier's official shortened title is His Serene Highness Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco; this does not include the nineteen other hereditary titles acquired by the Grimaldi family.

His other non-hereditary titles and awards include:
- Bailiff-Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, with the Cross of the "ad honourem" profession.
- Colonel in the French Army
- Grand Master of the Order of Saint-Charles
- Grand Master of the Order of the Crown
- Grand Master of the Order of Grimaldi
- Knight Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
- Member of the Pontifical Military Order of the Golden Spur
- Member of the Order of Seraphs
- Collar of Merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
- Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Savoir of Greece
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of George I of Greece
- Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold of Belgium
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Golden Lion
- Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of Saint-Martin
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Mohammed Ali
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Karageorgevitch
- Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of Saint-Jacques of the Sword
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Jose Matias Delgado of El Salvador
- The Lebanese Merit "Hors classe"
- The French Cross of War
- Cross of the Voluntary Combatant 1939-1945
- Belgian Cross of War
- Gold Medal of the American Legion and the Golden Olympic Order
- FIA Gold Medal for Motor Sport
- Grand Collier of the Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero of Panama.

Rainier married Grace Patricia Kelly in 1956. (Grace Patricia Kelly was born on 12 Nov 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA and died on 14 Sep 1982 in Monaco.) The cause of her death was car accident.