Louis II of Monaco (1870-1949)

Main

1922-1949: Prince of Monaco
Brig Gen, French 5th Army, World War I

Louis II Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi of Monaco was born 12 July 1870 in Baden-Baden, Germany to Albert I of Monaco (1848-1922) and Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton (1850-1922) and died 9 May 1949 Monaco of unspecified causes. He married Ghislaine Dommanget (1900-1991) July 1946 in Monaco.

Biography

Prince Louis II of Monaco was the sovereign Prince of Monaco from 1922 until his death.

Prince Louis II was the son of Prince Albert I of Monaco and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton, a British noblewoman. He belonged to the House of Grimaldi, which has ruled Monaco since the 13th century. As a young man, he pursued a military career and served in the French Army, reaching the rank of Brigadier General.

In 1911, Prince Louis II married Ghislaine Dommanget (1900-1991), a French actress, but they had no children. After their divorce, Prince Louis II had a longtime companion, Marie-Juliette Louvet, with whom he had a daughter named Charlotte, who later became Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, although she was not officially recognized as his child until much later, during "The Succession Crisis of 1918".

Prince Louis II succeeded his father, Prince Albert I, upon his death in 1922. During his reign, Prince Louis II focused on modernizing Monaco and diversifying its economy. He promoted the development of tourism, infrastructure, and cultural activities. He also supported the arts and sciences and was known for his patronage of the ballet and opera.

Prince Louis II was deeply interested in sports, particularly athletics and motor racing. He participated in various sports events himself, and Monaco hosted numerous international sports competitions during his reign. In fact, the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most famous Formula One races, was established during his time as Prince.

Despite his achievements, Prince Louis II faced several challenges during his reign, including financial difficulties caused by the Great Depression and the political tensions of World War II. Monaco was occupied by Italian forces during the war, and Prince Louis II was taken to Germany as a prisoner. After his release, he returned to Monaco and resumed his duties as Prince.

Prince Louis II abdicated the throne on September 16, 1949, just months before his death, due to his declining health. He was succeeded by his grandson, Prince Rainier III, who went on to become one of the longest-reigning monarchs in European history.

Prince Louis II of Monaco is remembered as a progressive and modernizing ruler who made significant contributions to the principality's development. His legacy includes the transformation of Monaco into a thriving tourist destination and his passion for sports, which still resonate in the principality today.

House of Grimaldi

The Grimaldi Family, with few exceptions for enemy occupations, have been primary rulers of Monaco since the 13th Century. Their family ancestry can be easily traced to many of the great noble families of Europe. See Also:

Death and succession, 1949

Prince Louis II died in 1949 in the Prince's Palace and is buried at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monte Carlo, Monaco. His daughter, Hereditary Princess Charlotte had ceded her succession rights to her son, Rainier, in 1944, at which time he became Hereditary Prince.^[1] Thus when Louis died five years later, he was succeeded by his grandson, Prince Rainier III.^[1]^[2]

Louis' widow, Ghislaine, Dowager Princess of Monaco, died on 30 April 1991 in Paris, where she was interred in the Passy Cemetery.

Children

Offspring of Louis II of Monaco and Marie Juliette Louvet (1867-1930)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Charlotte of Monaco (1898-1977)	30 September 1898 Constantine, Algeria	15 September 1977 Paris, France	Pierre de Polignac (1895-1964)

Siblings

Offspring of Albert I of Monaco (1848-1922) and Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton (1850-1922)
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Louis II of Monaco (1870-1949)	12 July 1870 Baden-Baden, Germany	9 May 1949 Monaco	Marie Juliette Louvet (1867-1930) Ghislaine Dommanget (1900-1991)

Monaco: Sovereign of the Order of Saint-Charles
France:
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour^[3]
- Medal of the Order of the Francisque
- Badge of the Brigadier General
- Badge of the French Foreign Legion
Baden: Grand Cross of the Military Merit Order of Karl-Friedrich
Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant, 23 March 1929^[4]
Italy:
- Kingdom of Italy:
  - Knight with Collar of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
  - Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
- Italian Republic: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Holy See: Knight of the Order of Pius IX
Portugal: 298th Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry
San Marino: Grand Cross of the Order of San Marino, 30 March 1935^[5]
Sweden:^[6]
- Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star, 1906
- Knight of the Order of the Seraphim, 9 April 1923
Württemberg: Grand Cross of the Order of the Württemberg Crown, 1889^[7]

Rainier III of Monaco (1923-2005)

Royal Succession Charts

Regnal titles
Louis II of Monaco (1870-1949) House of Grimaldi Born: 12 July 1870 Died: 9 May 1949
Preceded by Albert I	Prince of Monaco 1922–1949	Succeeded by Rainier III
Monegasque royalty
Preceded by Albert I	Hereditary Prince of Monaco 1889–1922	Succeeded by Princess Charlotte
Preceded by Albert I	Marquis of Baux 1889–1944 {{s-aft\|after=[[Rainier}}
French nobility
Preceded by Albert I	Duke of Estouteville Duke of Valentinois 1922–1949	Extinct

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :0
^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :2
^ "Une histoire passionnante" (in fr). http://www.villacharlotte.fr/a-propos.
^ Pedersen, Jørgen (2009) (in da). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009. Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 466. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=glw-AQAAIAAJ.
^ "The Equestrian Order of San Marino". https://www.consolatosanmarino.uk/en/the-equestrian-order-of-san-marino/.
^ "Sveriges statskalender (1940), II, pp. 7, 75" (in sv). http://runeberg.org/statskal/1940bih/0007.html.
^ Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg (1907), "Königliche Orden" p. 28

Footnotes (including sources)

rtol

[:0-1] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :0

[:2-2] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :2

[3] "Une histoire passionnante" (in fr). http://www.villacharlotte.fr/a-propos.

[4] Pedersen, Jørgen (2009) (in da). Riddere af Elefantordenen, 1559–2009. Syddansk Universitetsforlag. p. 466. ISBN 978-87-7674-434-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=glw-AQAAIAAJ.

[5] "The Equestrian Order of San Marino". https://www.consolatosanmarino.uk/en/the-equestrian-order-of-san-marino/.

[6] "Sveriges statskalender (1940), II, pp. 7, 75" (in sv). http://runeberg.org/statskal/1940bih/0007.html.

[7] Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg (1907), "Königliche Orden" p. 28

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

Louis II of Monaco (1870-1949)

Contents