Prince Albert's intense childhood under Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier's roof

On May 31, 1923, the only son of Prince Pierre and Hereditary Princess Charlotte of Monaco was born.

Rainier III, as he was called, would rule over Monaco as Sovereign Prince from 1949 to his death in 2005.

During his long life as a monarch, a chance encounter put him in contact with the Hollywood star Grace Kelly which soon blossomed into a romance.

Their marriage – their grand wedding took place on April 19, 1956 – bore three children: Caroline of Monaco, Albert II, and Princess Stéphanie of Monaco.

It was Albert who succeeded to the throne in 2005 on the death of his father. He was destined to become Sovereign his entire life, and much like heirs from royal families around the world, has spoken about a sense of duty lingering over his childhood and young adult years.

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In 2020, speaking to the BBC’s documentary, ‘Inside Monaco: Playground of the Rich’, Albert opened up about life growing up with a royal father and a celebrity mother.

When they were younger, he and his sisters were often caught out by the tabloids partying around Europe. Albert was himself once dubbed the ‘playboy prince’ for his shenanigans.

During the programme, he revealed how his mother had been more “tolerant” of his and his sisters’ antics compared to their father.

Standing outside Monaco Palace’s entrance, the film’s director, Michael Waldman, asked the Prince: “Was she a strict mother?”

Albert replied: “I think she was fair, but I think she was more tolerant than our father was. We did behave like we knew he was watching.

“He had ways of raising his voice which was impressive for a six, seven, eight, nine, 10-year-old – even a 21-year-old.”

Despite the intensity of his childhood, Albert conceded that some aspects of his early years were idyllic.

Earlier on in the documentary, he talked about the mischief he occupied himself with when hanging out around Monaco’s Palace as a child.

He remembered trying to slide down the Palace’s stone bannisters: “There were several attempts at sliding down, but those marble elements got in the way of that.”

Another time, he added: “But I do remember also kicking a football inside, in our private apartment, and I broke a vase. Fortunately, it wasn’t one of my mom’s favourites.”

He has often spoken fondly of his mother and the glamour she brought to the family.

Before permanently moving to Monaco, Grace was a Hollywood star, having raised to stardom in just a few short years.

She met Rainier in 1955 at a Cannes Film Festival photoshoot at the palace in Monaco and began a year-long courtship.

They would tie the knot just a year later, and welcome their first child, Caroline, another year after that.

Grace was Princess Consort to Rainier III and fulfilled her royal duties for more than 25 years.

But tragedy struck decades later. Aged just 52, Grace unexpectedly died in a car crash.

On September 14, 1982, she was driving back to Monaco with her youngest child, Stéphanie, from their country home in the mountainous Roc Agel.

She had a stroke behind the wheel and lost control of the car. Stéphanie is said to have tried to gain control over it but failed.

The vehicle tumbled down a 100ft ravine and turned over several times before stopping in someone’s garden.

Initial reports suggested Grace had escaped the crash unscathed. Despite broken ribs, a broken leg, and a broken collarbone, she was said to be in a stable condition.

But things were worse than first realised, and she died a day after the crash while in hospital.

During an interview with CNN in 2012, Albert looked back on his mother, describing her as “the most warm, gracious, engaging person”.

He continued: “Of course, she was very close to all of us. She was an incredible mother.

“She was an incredibly generous person in heart and spirit. She touched the lives of so many people in so many different ways all over the world.”