The Convenient Child of Monaco: Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi
Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi was born 30 September 1898 and was the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III. She was the only child and illegitimate daughter of HSH Prince Louis II of Monaco. She was born in Algeria, the daughter of a prince and cabaret singer, Marie Juliette Louvet. Due to Monaco’s constution at the time of her birth, Monaco was due to pass to her father’s cousin, Prince Wilhelm of Urach, Count of Württemberg, 2nd Duke of Urach upon his death. To prevent this, on 15 May 1911, when Charlotte Louvet was only twelve years old, a law was passed recognizing Charlotte as Louis's daughter, and making her a member of the sovereign family. Though it was later held to be invalid under the 1882 statutes, an Ordinance of 30 October 1918 allowed her to be adopted. Louis legitimated and adopted Charlotte in Paris on 16 May 1919, when she was twenty years old, bestowing on her the surname Grimaldi and granted her the title Duchess of ...