Both King Rainier III of Monaco and Saul Bello died yesterday. In Monaco, they have recently passed a law about the monarchy. What does this law mean for the royal family?

MaggieG 5

I heard on the news yesterday that they've passed a law which will allow women to succeed to the throne (if principalities have thrones). Hitherto only men have been allowed. If a woman did succeed, would that mean it was a 'princessipality'? Apr 07 05, 7:13 AM

lanfranco

I may be wrong, but I think the new law was meant to address the fact that Prince Albert has no issue. The succession was supposed to pass directly from parent to child, or Monaco would be absorbed by France. (Didn't Ranier inherit from his mother, Princess Charlotte?) The succession can now jump sideways to a sibling and then to that sibling's children. Princess Caroline has four legitimate children and Princess Stephanie two or three. Ave atque vale, Saul Bellow. Apr 07 05, 7:46 AM

lanfranco

Addendum: I stand corrected on the Monegasque succession. Ranier inherited from his grandfather, but that means the throne could pass through, if not to, a woman (as differentiated from the situation in Japan). According to my source, the throne can now pass from Albert to one of his sisters' children. The new heir would then be Caroline's eldest, Andrea Casiraghi. Apr 07 05, 9:12 AM