The Grimaldi Curse

Many people dream of trading places with Monaco’s royal family—living in a palace, holding a title, and enjoying all the glitz and glamour that come with it. But behind the fairy tale, the reality isn’t always so magical. Over the years, the Grimaldi family has faced its fair share of scandals, heartbreak, illness, and tragedy. Some say it’s more than bad luck—that there’s actually a curse hanging over the dynasty. Sounds dramatic, we know. But have you heard the story? According to legend, it all goes back to Rainier I, the family’s founding figure. Sometime around the late 13th or early 14th century, he allegedly fell in love with a young woman who didn’t feel the same. Instead of taking no for an answer, he supposedly kidnapped her and tried to win her over. Unfortunately for him, the young woman was said to be a sorceress. In retaliation, she cast a powerful curse—not just on Rainier, but on all his descendants. And it’s a short one: “Never shall a Grimaldi find happiness in marriage.” Chilling, right? But whether you believe it or not, history does seem to have backed her up. In 1930, Charlotte, daughter of Prince Louis II, ended a ten-year arranged marriage to the Count of Polignac—an unhappy union from the start. Then came Grace Kelly, the Hollywood star turned princess, who died tragically in a car accident in 1982. Her three children would also know heartbreak. Caroline will divorce at 24, lose her second husband in a sea accident in 1990, and divorce her third husband again in 2009. Stéphanie divorced twice and made headlines with a romance involving her former bodyguard. They had a child together, but the relationship didn’t last. As for their brother, Prince Albert II, he had two children out of wedlock — one with an American woman he met in California, and the other with a Togolese flight attendant. Of course, today he’s married to South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock. All seems well on the surface, but rumors swirled when Charlene spent nine months away from Monaco, fueling speculation about a possible separation. So… is the curse still alive? Hard to say. But one thing’s for sure—the Grimaldi story is far from over.