# Prince Rainier of Monaco has died **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2005, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010 "2005-04-06T07:35:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/1 "2005-04-06T07:35:02Z")
according to [this](http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Prince-Rainier-of-Monaco-dies/2005/04/06/1112489547109.html) story in the _Sydney Morning Herald_. ---
**Author:** ![Heloise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@Heloise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heloise)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/2 "2005-04-06T12:02:59Z")
I’ve been watching it on the news. An interesting guy who put Monaco “on the map” so to speak, when it was largely an unknown. The bummer is, what timing! There are just small blurbs about him, because the Pope’s death is taking up all the news space. He should have waited a few more days, the Pope is stealing his thunder. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/3 "2005-04-06T12:43:29Z")
> [@Heloise](#): > > I’ve been watching it on the news. An interesting guy who put Monaco “on the map” so to speak, when it was largely an unknown. _What_-aco? Prince Ray-_who?_ Just kidding, obviously he meant a lot to many people, and my heart goes out to them. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/4 "2005-04-06T12:46:46Z")
Wow…Terry Schivo, Frank Perdue, The Pope and now Prince Rainier…anyone I missed? Who is next? ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/5 "2005-04-06T12:49:32Z")
Saul Bellow ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/6 "2005-04-06T13:02:40Z")
Plus Mitch Hedberg died last week. Certainly not on the same level of fame as the Pope but he was my favorite comedian. ☹ Yes, this last week or so has been rather depressing! Hope the streak ends soon! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/7 "2005-04-06T13:43:49Z")
They’re finally letting Prince Albert out of the can? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/8 "2005-04-06T13:46:24Z")
Yeah, Ranier is dead so now Albert gets to be queen. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/9 "2005-04-06T13:47:18Z")
My sister’s sad about this, as she danced for Prince Ranier and Princess Grace in Monaco in '67 (she was a ballet dancer till her knees blew out on her). Now, like they said when Terri Schiavo died, he “Walks with Grace.” ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/10 "2005-04-06T14:15:16Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Yeah, Ranier is dead so now Albert gets to be queen. _snerk_ This does bring up the question of what happens if Albert doesn’t marry and produce an heir. France swallows up Monaco, doesn’t it? Okay, after checking [Wickipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Albert_of_Monaco), it looks like Monaco passed a law recently that the line of succession passes to the siblings, regardless of sex, rather than only through the male line, as it was before. So Monaco will remain independent for a while yet. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/11 "2005-04-06T15:06:00Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Yeah, Ranier is dead so now Albert gets to be queen. Ooooh! 😃 But how many wish they had what he’s got in _that_ closet… ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/12 "2005-04-06T21:15:33Z")
I mean, don’t they ever have a “King” of Monaco? The place is only a few square miles, so why can’t they spring abit and have a real “King”. And this price Albert-is he really gay? You’d think the guy would have a marriage of convenence, and still keep his boyfrends. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/13 "2005-04-06T21:21:38Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I mean, don’t they ever have a “King” of Monaco? The place is only a few square miles, so why can’t they spring abit and have a real “King”. And this price Albert-is he really gay? You’d think the guy would have a marriage of convenence, and still keep his boyfrends. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-rainier-of-monaco-has-died/298010/14 "2005-04-06T21:29:36Z")
Well, Monaco is a principality, not a kingdom. It’s only got two industries, tourism and gambling, so it’s not like they even NEED a ruler. They could probably get away with a Lord Mayor, really. The only reasons Monaco is even KNOWN outside of the Riviera is the Grand Casino and Princess Grace. If Rainier hadn’t married Grace Kelly, Monaco would be about as famous as Liechtenstein.