Prince of Monaco
Encyclopedia
The Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign
monarch
and head of state
of the Principality of Monaco
. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi
, but have belonged to various other houses in male line. The current Prince is Albert II
.
and Vatican City
, is one of only three states in Europe where the monarch still plays an active role in day-to-day politics.
The Prince or Princess exercises his or her authority in accordance with the Constitution and laws. He or she represents the Principality in all foreign relations and any revision, either total or partial, of the Constitution, must be jointly agreed to by the Prince and the National Council
.
Legislative power is divided between the Prince who initiates the laws, and the National Council which votes on them. Executive power is retained by the Prince. The Minister of State and the Government Council are directly responsible to the Prince for the administration of the Principality.
Judiciary powers also belong to the Prince. The present Constitution states that the Prince has full authority in the courts and tribunals which render justice in his or her name.
Albert II also grants and other ranks of distinction (see Awards and decorations of Monaco)
His Serene Highness (or, in the case of a ruling Princess, Her Serene Highness), abbreviated to S.A.S. (Son Altesse Serenissime). Though they are rarely used, the Prince also bears a great many other hereditary titles, some of which are occasionally bestowed on his relatives or their spouses. Some of these titles have merged with the Crown of Monaco as a result of the Grimaldi family's acquisition of various duchies
, counties
, baronies, and other fiefs, though they are almost all extinct and carry no administrative power. Most were granted by the Kingdom of France
under Salic law
, and can only pass in the male line, and therefore ended on the death of Albert's grandfather Louis II in 1949.
The current Prince's complete titles and styles are:
His Serene Highness Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (princely title)
of Monaco
. It is not to be confused with the ruling Prince's title "Sovereign Prince of Monaco", from which the first word is commonly dropped, or with the title of the heir apparent
or presumptive
to the throne, Hereditary Prince of Monaco
.
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
and head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of the Principality of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi
House of Grimaldi
The House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa and of the Principality of Monaco.-History:The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo, a Genoese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He might have been a son of Otto Canella, a consul of the Republic of Genoa in...
, but have belonged to various other houses in male line. The current Prince is Albert II
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
.
Powers of the Prince
Monaco, along with LiechtensteinLiechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
and Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
, is one of only three states in Europe where the monarch still plays an active role in day-to-day politics.
The Prince or Princess exercises his or her authority in accordance with the Constitution and laws. He or she represents the Principality in all foreign relations and any revision, either total or partial, of the Constitution, must be jointly agreed to by the Prince and the National Council
National Council of Monaco
The National Council is the parliament of the Principality of Monaco. Its 24 members are elected from lists by universal suffrage for five-year terms, and though it may act independently of the Prince, he may dissolve it at any time, provided that new elections be held within three months.The...
.
Legislative power is divided between the Prince who initiates the laws, and the National Council which votes on them. Executive power is retained by the Prince. The Minister of State and the Government Council are directly responsible to the Prince for the administration of the Principality.
Judiciary powers also belong to the Prince. The present Constitution states that the Prince has full authority in the courts and tribunals which render justice in his or her name.
Albert II also grants and other ranks of distinction (see Awards and decorations of Monaco)
Titles and styles
Like all Monegasque nobility, the Prince is styledStyle (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
His Serene Highness (or, in the case of a ruling Princess, Her Serene Highness), abbreviated to S.A.S. (Son Altesse Serenissime). Though they are rarely used, the Prince also bears a great many other hereditary titles, some of which are occasionally bestowed on his relatives or their spouses. Some of these titles have merged with the Crown of Monaco as a result of the Grimaldi family's acquisition of various duchies
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
, counties
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
, baronies, and other fiefs, though they are almost all extinct and carry no administrative power. Most were granted by the Kingdom of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
under Salic law
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
, and can only pass in the male line, and therefore ended on the death of Albert's grandfather Louis II in 1949.
The current Prince's complete titles and styles are:
His Serene Highness Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco (princely title)
- Duke of ValentinoisDuke of ValentinoisDuke of Valentinois , formerly Count of Valentinois, is a title of nobility, originally in the French peerage. It is currently one of the many hereditary titles claimed by the Prince of Monaco despite its extinction in French law in 1949...
, only a Monegasque title (formerly also a French title) - Marquis of BauxMarquis of BauxMarquis of Baux is one of the Prince of Monaco's many titles. When possible, the title passes from the reigning Prince to the first male heir apparent or heir presumptive of the Monegasque throne. Although the present Sovereign Prince of Monaco is Albert II, he doesn't have a male heir to the...
, only a Monegasque title - Count of Carladès, only a Monegasque title
- Count of Polignac, a French title
- Baron of Calvinet, only a Monegasque title
- Baron of Buis, only a Monegasque title
- Lord of Saint-Rémy, only a Monegasque title
- Sire of Matignon, only a Monegasque title
- Count of Torigni, only a Monegasque title
- Baron of Saint-Lô, only a Monegasque title
- Baron of La Luthumière, only a Monegasque title
- Baron of Hambye, only a Monegasque title
- Duke of EstoutevilleDuke of EstoutevilleDuke of Estouteville was a title in the French nobility that is claimed today by the Prince of Monaco.It was created in 1537 by King Francis I of France for Adrienne d'Estouteville and her husband Francis de Bourbon, Count of St. Pol , son of Francis, Count of Vendôme and his wife Marie of...
, only a Monegasque title - Duke of Mazarin, only a Monegasque title
- Duke of MayenneDuke of MayenneDuke of Mayenne is a title created for a cadet branch of the House of Guise. It subsequently passed by marriage to the Gonzaga in 1621. They sold it to Cardinal Mazarin in 1654; he bestowed it on his niece, Hortense Mancini in 1661...
, only a Monegasque title - Prince of Château-Porcien, only a Monegasque title
- Count of Ferrette, only a Monegasque title
- Count of Belfort, only a Monegasque title
- Count of Thann, only a Monegasque title
- Count of Rosemont, only a Monegasque title
- Baron of Altkirch, only a Monegasque title
- Lord of Isenheim, only a Monegasque title
- Marquis of Chilly, only a Monegasque title
- Count of Longjumeau, only a Monegasque title
- Baron of Massy, only a Monegasque title
- Marquis of Guiscard, only a Monegasque title
Non-reigning princes(ses) of Monaco
Prince(ss) of Monaco is a title also given to certain members of the princely familyHouse of Grimaldi
The House of Grimaldi is associated with the history of the Republic of Genoa and of the Principality of Monaco.-History:The Grimaldi family descends from Grimaldo, a Genoese statesman at the time of the early Crusades. He might have been a son of Otto Canella, a consul of the Republic of Genoa in...
of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. It is not to be confused with the ruling Prince's title "Sovereign Prince of Monaco", from which the first word is commonly dropped, or with the title of the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
or presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the throne, Hereditary Prince of Monaco
Hereditary Prince of Monaco
The Hereditary Prince' of Monaco is the title given to the heir apparent or heir presumptive of the Monegasque throne. Traditionally, a male Hereditary Prince is also given the title Marquis of Baux...
.
See also
- List of rulers of Monaco
- Line of succession to the Monegasque ThroneLine of succession to the Monegasque ThroneThe line of succession to the Monegasque throne passes to the descendants of the reigning Prince of Monaco in accordance with male-preference primogeniture...