List of heirs to the Monegasque throne

These are the individuals who, at any given time, were considered next in line to inherit the throne of Monaco, should the incumbent monarch die. Those who actually succeeded (at any time) are shown in bold. Stillborn children and infants surviving less than a month are not shown.

This list begins with the sole reign of Catalan, Lord of Monaco, whose father Jean (or Giovanni) I first set out a law of succession in his will in 1454. Until 1427 Monaco was effectively a condominium with up to three rulers simultaneously; after Jean I became sole ruler he sought to keep the throne for one person, of the Grimaldi family. This succession included the stipulation that while a woman could inherit if there were no male heirs in her immediate family, she must marry a Grimaldi cousin to keep the inheritance in the family. The first Lady of Monaco, Claudine Grimaldi, abdicated in favour of her cousin and later married him; a later Princess of Monaco, however, would defy this law. It was ignored, however, and the throne continued to pass to their descendants, who adopted the name Grimaldi in place of their own.

Lords of Monaco (1454 to 1612)

Heir

Relationship to Monarch

Became heir

Reason

Ceased to be heir

Reason

Next in succession

Monarch |- Claudine Grimaldi

only daughter

8 May 1454

father became Lord

July 1457

became Lady

Lamberto Grimaldi
cousin

Catalan

Lamberto Grimaldi

cousin

July 1457

cousin became Lady

1458

became Lord

Gaspare Grimaldi d'Antibes
brother

Claudine

Gaspare Grimaldi d'Antibes

brother

1458

brother became Lord

1468

son born to Lord

Nicola Grimaldi d'Antibes
brother

Lamberto

Jean Grimaldi

eldest son

1468

born

March 1494

became Lord

Gaspard Grimaldi d'Antibes
1468–1482, uncle

Augustine Grimaldi
1482–1494, brother

Augustine Grimaldi

brother

1494

brother became Lord

before 1505

became abbot and bishop

Lucien Grimaldi
brother

Jean II

Lucien Grimaldi

brother

before 1505

brother gave up his succession rights

1505

became Lord

Nicholas II, Lord d'Antibes
first cousin

Nicholas II, Lord d'Antibes

first cousin

1505

cousin became Lord

1519

died

Gaspard Grimaldi d'Antibes
son

Lucien

Gaspard II, Lord d'Antibes

first cousin once removed

1519

father died

16 December 1522

son born to Lord

Renato Grimaldi d'Antibes
son

Honoré Grimaldi

eldest son

16 December 1522

born

22 August 1523

became Lord

Gaspard II, Lord d'Antibes
second cousin

Gaspard II, Lord d'Antibes

second cousin

22 August 1523

cousin became Lord

1555

son born to Lord

Renato Grimaldi d'Antibes

Honoré I

Charles Grimaldi

eldest son

1555

born

7 October 1581

became Lord

Gaspard II, Lord d'Antibes
1555–1557, second cousin once removed

François Grimaldi
1557–1581, brother

François Grimaldi

brother

7 October 1581

brother became Lord

1586

died

Hercule Grimaldi
brother

Charles II

Hercule Grimaldi

brother

1586

brother died

17 May 1589

became Lord

Renato, Lord d'Antibes
third cousin

Renato, Lord d'Antibes

third cousin

17 May 1589

cousin became Lord

1594

died

Honoré Grimaldi d'Antibes
son

Hercule

Honoré I, Lord d'Antibes

third cousin once removed

1594

father died

24 December 1597

son born to Lord

Alexandre Grimaldi d'Antibes
brother

Honoré Grimaldi

eldest son

24 December 1597

born

29 November 1604

became Lord

Giovanna Grimaldi
sister

Princes of Monaco (1612–present)

Heir

Relationship to Monarch

Became heir

Reason

Ceased to be heir

Reason

Next in succession

Monarch

HSH Princess Giovanna Grimaldi

sister

29 November 1604

brother became Lord

26 December 1623

son born to Prince

Honoré I, Lord d'Antibes
1604–1618, fourth cousin

Honoré II

Jean-Henri, Lord d'Antibes
1618–1623, fourth cousin once removed

HSH Prince Ercole, Marquis of Baux

eldest son

26 December 1623

born

2 August 1651

died

Giovanna Grimaldi
1623–1642, aunt

HSH Prince Louis Grimaldi
1642–1651, son

HSH Prince Louis, Marquis of Baux

grandson

2 August 1651

father died

10 January 1662

became Prince

HSH Princess Maria Ippolita Grimaldi
1651–1661, sister

HSH Prince Antoine Grimaldi
1661–1662, son

HSH Prince Antoine, Marquis of Baux

eldest son

10 January 1662

father became Prince

3 January 1701

became Prince

HSH Princess Maria Teresa Grimaldi
1662–1669, sister

Louis I

HSH Prince François Grimaldi
1669–1691, brother

HSH Princess Caterina Charlotte Grimaldi
1691–1696, daughter

HSH Prince François Grimaldi
1696–1697, brother

HSH Princess Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi
1697–1701, daughter

HSH Louise Hippolyte, Hereditary Princess of Monaco

eldest daughter

3 January 1701

father became Prince

20 February 1731

became Princess

HSH Princess Elisabeth Grimaldi
1701–1702, sister

Antoine I

HSH Princess Margherita Grimaldi
1702–1717, sister

HSH Prince Antoine, Marquis of Baux
1717–1718, son

HSH Princess Margherita Grimaldi
1718–1719, sister

HSH Princess Charlotte Grimaldi
1719–1720, daughter

HSH Prince Honoré, Marquis of Baux
1720–1731, son

HSH Honoré, Hereditary Prince of Monaco

eldest son

20 February 1731

mother became Princess

7 November 1733

became Prince

HSH Prince Charles Grimaldi
brother

Louise Hippolyte

Jacques I

HSH Prince Charles Grimaldi

brother

7 November 1733

brother became Prince

24 August 1749

died

HSH Prince Charles-Maurice, comte de Valentinois
brother

Honoré III

HSH Prince Charles-Maurice, comte de Valentinois

brother

24 August 1749

brother died

17 May 1758

son born to Prince

no further eligible heirs of the House of Grimaldi

HSH Prince Honoré, Marquis of Baux

eldest son

17 May 1758

born

21 March 1795

became Prince

HSH Prince Charles-Maurice, comte de Valentinois
1758–1763, uncle

HSH Prince Joseph Grimaldi
1763–1778, brother

HSH Prince Honoré Grimaldi
1778–1795, son

HSH Prince Honoré, Marquis of Baux

eldest son

21 March 1795

father became Prince

16 February 1816

became Prince

HSH Prince Florestan Grimaldi
brother

Honoré IV

HSH Prince Florestan Grimaldi

brother

16 February 1816

brother became Prince

2 October 1841

became Prince

no further eligible heirs of the House of Grimaldi

Honoré V

HSH Prince Charles Grimaldi
1818–1841, son

HSH Prince Charles, Marquis of Baux

eldest son

2 October 1841

father became Prince

20 June 1856

became Prince

HSH Princess Florestine Grimaldi
1841–1848, sister

Florestan I

HSH Prince Albert Grimaldi
1848–1856, son

HSH Albert, Hereditary Prince of Monaco

eldest son

20 June 1856

father became Prince

10 September 1889

became Prince

HSH Princess Florestine, Duchess of Urach
1856–1870, aunt

Charles III

Prince Louis Grimaldi
1870–1889, son

Louis, Hereditary Prince of Monaco

eldest son

10 September 1889

father became Prince

26 June 1922

became Prince

Princess Florestine, Duchess of Urach
1889–1897, great-aunt

Albert I

HSH Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Urach
1897–1919, first cousin once removed

HSH Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
1919–1922, (legitimated) daughter

HSH Charlotte, Hereditary Princess of Monaco

eldest daughter

26 June 1922

father became Prince

30 May 1944

renounced her rights

HSH Princess Antoinette Grimaldi
1922–1923, daughter

Louis II

HSH Prince Rainier Grimaldi
1923–1944, son

HSH Rainier, Hereditary Prince of Monaco

grandson

30 May 1944

mother ceded her rights

9 May 1949

became Prince

HSH Princess Antoinette Grimaldi
sister

HSH Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois

mother

9 May 1949

son became Prince

23 January 1957

daughter born to Prince

HSH Princess Antoinette Grimaldi

Rainier III

HSH Caroline, Hereditary Princess of Monaco

eldest daughter

23 January 1957

born

14 March 1958

son born to Prince

HSH Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
grandmother

HSH Albert, Hereditary Prince of Monaco

eldest son

14 March 1958

born

6 April 2005

became Prince

HSH Princess Caroline Grimaldi
sister

HRH Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco

elder sister

6 April 2005

brother became Prince

incumbent

Andrea Casiraghi
son

Albert II