Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy
Encyclopedia
Princess Antoinette of Monaco, Countess of Polignac, Baroness of Massy (Antoinette Louise Alberte Suzanne Grimaldi; 28 December 1920 – 18 March 2011) was a non-dynastic member of the princely family of Monaco
and the elder sister of Prince Rainier III
and aunt of Albert II, Prince of Monaco
. Her parents were Prince Pierre, Duke of Valentinois
and Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
.
She was born in Paris
of French
, Mexican
, Spanish
, German
, Scottish
, English
, Dutch
, and Italian ancestry.
, a Monegasque-born attorney
and international tennis
champion, in the mid 1940s. Three out-of-wedlock children were born from this union, who were included in the line of succession to the Monegasque Throne
until the death of Rainier III
in 2005:
Married twice with two children:
, she and her lover Jean-Charles Rey hatched a plan to depose her brother Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and declare herself Regent on the basis of having a son who would one day inherit the throne. She circulated rumours that Rainier's fiancee, actress Gisèle Pascal
, was infertile. This led to the breakup of the relationship.
Rainier's marriage to Grace Kelly
in 1956 and the arrival of his heirs, Princess Caroline
in 1957 and Prince Albert
in 1958, effectively scuttled Antoinette's plans. She was removed from the Palace by her sister-in-law, Princess Grace and thereafter was estranged from the princely family for many years.
She was known to be somewhat eccentric, even having been described as "completely mad" by her servants. Having been banished from Monaco in the late 1950s, she lived down the coast from Monaco at Èze
, with a large collection of dogs and cats. She was the president of Monaco's Society for the Protection of Animals.
Upon the death of Rainier III in 2005, Antoinette and her descendants lost their place in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne
, due to the 2002 amendment of the succession rules.
, aged 90. Her funeral took place on 24 March 2011 at 10 a.m. She was buried in the Chapel of Peace, in Monaco.
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
and the elder sister of Prince Rainier III
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married American...
and aunt of Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
. Her parents were Prince Pierre, Duke of Valentinois
Pierre de Polignac
Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois was the father of Rainier III of Monaco, and thus the paternal grandfather of Albert II of Monaco...
and Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois , was the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III...
.
She was born in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
, Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
, and Italian ancestry.
Children
Princess Antoinette had a long-term liaison with Alexandre-Athenase NoghèsAlexandre-Athenase Noghès
Alexandre-Athenase Noghès was an international tennis champion, best known as the first husband of Princess Antoinette of Monaco, whom he married as his second wife in December 1951....
, a Monegasque-born attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and international tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
champion, in the mid 1940s. Three out-of-wedlock children were born from this union, who were included in the line of succession to the Monegasque Throne
Line of succession to the Monegasque Throne
The line of succession to the Monegasque throne passes to the descendants of the reigning Prince of Monaco in accordance with male-preference primogeniture...
until the death of Rainier III
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married American...
in 2005:
- Elisabeth-Anne de MassyElisabeth-Anne de MassyElisabeth-Anne de Massy was born in Monaco on 13 January/13 July 1947 to Princess Antoinette of Monaco and her then lover Alexandre-Athenase Noghès. She is a first cousin of the reigning Prince Albert II and niece of Rainier III. She is the godmother of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco...
(born 1947)
Married twice with two children:
-
- Jean-Léonard Taubert-Natta de Massy (b. 1974)
- Mélanie-Antoinette Costello de Massy (b. 1985)
- Christian Louis, Baron de MassyChristian Louis de MassyChristian Louis, Baron de Massy is a member of the extended Monegasque Princely Family. He is the son of Princess Antoinette of Monaco, Baroness de Massy and her then lover Alexandre-Athenase Noghès....
(Noghès) (b. MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, 17 January 1949), married firstly in Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, on 14 November 1970 and divorced in 1978 María Marta Quintana y del Carril (b. LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 17 June 1951) and had one daughter, Leticia; married secondly in RamatuelleRamatuelleRamatuelle is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies near St-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and Gassin. It was built on a hill to defend itself against enemies...
on 11 September 1982 and divorced in 1987 Anne Michelle Lütken (28 November 1959 - LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 25 November 2001), without issue; married thirdly in GenevaGenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
Julia Lakschin (b. November 6 1968) on April 1992, without issue, and divorced in 1995; and married fourthly Cécile Gelabale (b. GuadeloupeGuadeloupeGuadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
), and had one son, Antoine, and adopted another, Brice Gelabale:- Leticia de Massy (Noghès) (b. Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Buenos AiresBuenos Aires ProvinceThe Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, 16 May 1971), married to JonkheerJonkheerJonkheer is a Dutch honorific of nobility.-Honorific of nobility:"Jonkheer" or "Jonkvrouw" is literally translated as "young lord" or "young lady". In medieval times such a person was a young and unmarried son or daughter of a high ranking knight or nobleman...
Thomas de BrouwerBrouwerBrouwer is a Dutch and Flemish surname. The word brouwer means 'beer brewer'.- Brouwer :* Adriaen Brouwer , Flemish painter* Andries Brouwer, Dutch mathematician and computer programmer...
(b. Antwerp, 22 March 1973), two children:- JonkvrouwJonkheerJonkheer is a Dutch honorific of nobility.-Honorific of nobility:"Jonkheer" or "Jonkvrouw" is literally translated as "young lord" or "young lady". In medieval times such a person was a young and unmarried son or daughter of a high ranking knight or nobleman...
Rose de BrouwerBrouwerBrouwer is a Dutch and Flemish surname. The word brouwer means 'beer brewer'.- Brouwer :* Adriaen Brouwer , Flemish painter* Andries Brouwer, Dutch mathematician and computer programmer...
(2008) - JonkheerJonkheerJonkheer is a Dutch honorific of nobility.-Honorific of nobility:"Jonkheer" or "Jonkvrouw" is literally translated as "young lord" or "young lady". In medieval times such a person was a young and unmarried son or daughter of a high ranking knight or nobleman...
Sylvestre de BrouwerBrouwerBrouwer is a Dutch and Flemish surname. The word brouwer means 'beer brewer'.- Brouwer :* Adriaen Brouwer , Flemish painter* Andries Brouwer, Dutch mathematician and computer programmer...
(2008)
- Jonkvrouw
- Brice Gelabale-de Massy (Souleyman) (b. 2 November 1987)
- Antoine de Massy (Noghès) (b. 15 January 1997)
- Leticia de Massy (Noghès) (b. Buenos Aires
- Christine-Alix de MassyChristine Alix de MassyChristine Alix de Massy was born to Princess Antoinette of Monaco and her then lover Alexandre-Athenase Noghès. She is a first cousin of the reigning Prince Albert II and niece of Rainier III...
(Noghès) (MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, 8 July 1951 - NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, 15 February 1989), married firstly in MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
on 14 February 1972 and divorced in 1976 Charles Wayne Knecht (b. Philadelphia, Philadelphia CountyPhiladelphia County, Pennsylvania-History:Tribes of Lenape were the first known occupants in the area which became Philadelphia County. The first European settlers were Swedes and Finns who arrived in 1638. The Netherlands seized the area in 1655, but permanently lost control to England in 1674...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 23 November 1944), and had one son, and married secondly on 25 March 1988 Leon Leroy, without issue:- Keith Sebastian Knecht de Massy (b. Philadelphia, Philadelphia CountyPhiladelphia County, Pennsylvania-History:Tribes of Lenape were the first known occupants in the area which became Philadelphia County. The first European settlers were Swedes and Finns who arrived in 1638. The Netherlands seized the area in 1655, but permanently lost control to England in 1674...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 1972), married in July 1999 Donatella Dugaginy, four children:- Christine (2000)
- Alexia (2001)
- Vittoria (2007)
- Andrea (2008)
- Keith Sebastian Knecht de Massy (b. Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
Marriages
- Princess Antoinette and Alexandre Noghès subsequently married in GenoaGenoaGenoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
on 4 December 1951 (her first, his second) and divorced in 1954.
On 15 November 1951, Antoinette was created Baroness of Massy (Baronne de Massy). Her children (Elisabeth-Anne, Christian and Christine) were named Grimaldi at birth. They subsequently had their names changed to de Massy. They claim the title of Baron/Baroness through their mother, but they are not entitled to it. - She married her second husband, Dr. Jean-Charles Rey (MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, 22 October 1914 - MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, 17 September 1994), president of the Conseil NationalNational Council of MonacoThe National Council is the parliament of the Principality of Monaco. Its 24 members are elected from lists by universal suffrage for five-year terms, and though it may act independently of the Prince, he may dissolve it at any time, provided that new elections be held within three months.The...
, the Parlement de Monaco in The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
on 2 December 1961 and they divorced in 1974. - Her third and last husband was John GilpinJohn Gilpin (dancer)John Brian Gilpin was a leading English ballet dancer and actor.He was born in Southsea, Hampshire, England, and began as a child actor in films, such as They Were Sisters and The Years Between, opposite Michael Redgrave...
(SouthseaSouthseaSouthsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
, HampshireHampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, 10 February 1930 - LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 5 September 1983), a BritishBritish peopleThe British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
balletBalletBallet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
dancer, whom she married in MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
on 28 July 1983. He died suddenly six weeks later.
Life account
Having divorced NoghèsAlexandre-Athenase Noghès
Alexandre-Athenase Noghès was an international tennis champion, best known as the first husband of Princess Antoinette of Monaco, whom he married as his second wife in December 1951....
, she and her lover Jean-Charles Rey hatched a plan to depose her brother Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and declare herself Regent on the basis of having a son who would one day inherit the throne. She circulated rumours that Rainier's fiancee, actress Gisèle Pascal
Gisèle Pascal
Gisèle Pascal was a French actress and a former lover of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco.She was born Gisèle Marie Madeleine Tallone at Cannes in France...
, was infertile. This led to the breakup of the relationship.
Rainier's marriage to Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
in 1956 and the arrival of his heirs, Princess Caroline
Caroline, Princess of Hanover
Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Hereditary Princess of Monaco , formally styled Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover , has been heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco since 2005, a position which she previously held from 1957 to 1958.She is the wife of...
in 1957 and Prince Albert
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
in 1958, effectively scuttled Antoinette's plans. She was removed from the Palace by her sister-in-law, Princess Grace and thereafter was estranged from the princely family for many years.
She was known to be somewhat eccentric, even having been described as "completely mad" by her servants. Having been banished from Monaco in the late 1950s, she lived down the coast from Monaco at Èze
Èze
Èze is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes département in southeastern France, not far from the city of Nice.-History:The area surrounding Èze was first populated around 2000 BC as a commune situated near Mount Bastide. The earliest occurrence of the name "Èze" can be found in the maritime books of...
, with a large collection of dogs and cats. She was the president of Monaco's Society for the Protection of Animals.
Upon the death of Rainier III in 2005, Antoinette and her descendants lost their place in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne
Line of succession to the Monegasque Throne
The line of succession to the Monegasque throne passes to the descendants of the reigning Prince of Monaco in accordance with male-preference primogeniture...
, due to the 2002 amendment of the succession rules.
Death
On 18 March 2011 Princess Antoinette died at The Princess Grace Hospital CentreThe Princess Grace Hospital Centre
-History:By 1818 there were no hospitals or charitable institution in Monaco, the Prince Honoré V had the idea of building a modern hospital in the west part of Monaco, in the district of The Salines....
, aged 90. Her funeral took place on 24 March 2011 at 10 a.m. She was buried in the Chapel of Peace, in Monaco.