Caroline, Princess Of Hanover Turns 57

The ever popular Princess was born in Monaco and is the eldest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco & the iconic Princess Grace. The Princess was christened Caroline Louise Marguerite Grimaldi at a lavish Roman Catholic ceremony in March 1957 at the Monaco Cathedral by the Archbishop of Monaco. Princess Caroline has a younger brother who is the current Sovereign Prince of Monaco, HSH Prince Albert II & a younger sister ,HSH Stéphanie of Monaco. In June 1978, Caroline married French businessman Philippe Junot. They divorced in October 1980 and was later annulled by the Roman Catholic Church.

Tragedy struck the Princely Family of Monaco in September 1982 when Caroline’s mother, Princess Grace was killed as the result of a car accident. In 1983, Caroline married Italian sportsman, Stefano Casiraghi. The couple have 3 children, Andrea Albert Pierre Casiragh born in 1984, Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi born in 1986 & Pierre Rainier Stefano Casiraghi born September 1987. Tragedy struck again in October 1990 when Stefano Casiraghi was killed in a speed-boating accident. In January 1999, Princess Caroline married for a third time to HRH Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick, head of the former German Royal House of Hanover. The couple have one daughter, HRH Princess Alexandra of Hanover who was born in July 1999. Since the death of her father and accession of her brother as Sovereign Prince of Monaco in 2005, Caroline has been heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco. Over the years Caroline has become a familiar face at European Royal events attending weddings and various other celebrations on behalf of the Principality as well as Princely Family Court events in Monaco.

In 2013, Caroline became a grandmother with the births of Andrea’s son, Sasha Casiraghi in March and followed by Charlotte’s son Raphaël Elmaleh in December.