Principality of Monaco Index

Albert II, Prince of Monaco, reigned 2005 – present; Credit – Wikipedia

Monaco, a microstate on the French Riviera in Western Europe, borders France on three sides and the Mediterranean Sea on the other side. It has an area of .78 square miles / 2 km square, making it the second-smallest country in the world after Vatican City. Monaco’s succession follows male-preference cognatic primogeniture – a female can succeed if she has no living brothers and no deceased brothers who left surviving legitimate descendants.

The House of Grimaldi descends from Otto Canella, a 12th-century Genoese statesman, and takes its name from his son Grimaldo Canella. Grimaldo had a son Oberto, known as “Oberto, son of Grimaldo” or “Oberto Grimaldi,” making him the first of the family known to use the surname of Grimaldi.

In 1297, François Grimaldi dressed a Franciscan monk, seized the Rock of Monaco. His cousin Rainier I, Lord of Cagnes was the first Grimaldi ruler of the area now known as Monaco. However, there have been several periods of occupation by Genoa, Milan, and France. The first rulers were Lords of Monaco. From 1612 onward, the rulers were Sovereign Princes. Monaco has had one Sovereign Princess, Louise Hippolyte, who reigned for ten months in 1731 before she died from smallpox.

Below is an indexed listing with links to biographical articles about the Princely Family of Monaco at Unofficial Royalty. If it says “Notable Issue” before a name, that means not all of the children for the parent of that person are listed. Also listed below are links to Monaco Royal Wedding articles and links to the various Monaco Content Areas.

House of Grimaldi (1297 – present)

Sovereign Princes of Monaco (1612 – present)

Family of Prince Honoré II of Monaco

Family of Prince Louis I of Monaco

Family of Prince Antonio I of Monaco

Family of Princess Louise Hippolyte of Monaco

Family of Prince Jacques I of Monaco

Family of Prince Honoré III of Monaco

Annexed by France – 1793-1814

Family of Prince Honoré IV of Monaco

Prince Honoré V of Monaco

Family of Prince Florestan III of Monaco

Prince Charles III of Monaco

Family of Prince Albert I of Monaco

Family of Prince Louis II of Monaco

Family of Prince Rainier III of Monaco

Family of Prince Albert II of Monaco

Monaco Royal Ceremonies and Events

Monaco Royal Weddings

Monaco Miscellaneous Articles

Monaco Content Areas