Rainier III, Prince of Monaco

In the 1940s and 1950s Rainier was in a relationship with the French film actress, Gisèle Pascal, whom he had met while studying at Montpellier University.

In April 1956, Prince Rainier married the American Oscar-winning actress, Grace Kelly, who was then crowned as the Princess Consort of Monaco. The couple had three children: two daughters, Caroline, Princess of Hanover and Princess Stéphanie, and a son, Albert II, the current Prince of Monaco.

Unfortunately in 1982, Grace died in a car crash after suffering from a stroke while driving, which caused her car to fall off a cliff. Their youngest daughter, Stephanie, survived the accident with serious injuries. After his wife’s death, Prince Rainier never remarried.

He was born as Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi, on May 31, 1923, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, to Prince Pierre, Duke of Valentinois, and his wife, Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois. He had an elder sister, Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy.

His mother was born out of wedlock and was the only child of Prince Louis II of Monaco. She was later legitimized and subsequently named heiress-presumptive to the throne of Monaco. Rainier’s parents got divorced when he was six years old.

He received his early education from prestigious public schools in England and later studied in Switzerland. In 1943, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montpellier in France.

In 1944, during the World War II, Prince Rainier III joined the Free French Army as an artillery officer and fought against the Nazi occupation of France. The same year, his mother ceded her rights to the Monegasque throne and Rainier became the direct successor of Prince Louis II of Monaco.

On May 9, 1949, Prince Rainier became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, after the death of Prince Louis II of Monaco. He ruled for more than 50 years, becoming one of the longest-serving heads of state in the European history.

After ascending the throne, Rainier worked tirelessly to revive Monaco's economy, which was in terrible condition at the time. He collaborated with the Greek shipping tycoon, Aristotle Onassis, to revive the country’s fortunes.

Rainer also worked to bring new industries and businesses to the principality, luring investors and companies, which benefitted Monaco's economy and helped in reinstating its prosperity over the next few years.

As the Prince of Monaco, he worked hard to revive Monaco’s economy, which had been weakened since the World War II. In order to rebuild the economy, he promoted Monaco as a tax haven, a commercial center, a real-estate development community as well as an international tourist attraction. He also revived the Grand Prix de Monaco, one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world.

Prince Rainier was also responsible for Monaco’s new constitution, introduced in 1962. The new constitution ended autocratic rule and vested power with the prince and a National Council of eighteen elected members..