Marilyn Monroe Almost Married Prince Rainier to Save Monaco
The late actress was almost courted by royalty.
Marilyn Monroe conquered Hollywood and the world for her talent, beauty, and mysterious aura. But have you ever imagined the story of your life and how it could've been completely different? The new documentary Royals: Keeping the Crown revealed that Prince Rainier of Monaco found himself in such a complicated situation that he almost courted the American actress to save his country.
According to People, Rainier's position within the monarchy was not always guaranteed. Right after the end of World War II in the '40s, many countries in Europe were devastated by conflicts. Monaco's tourism, its main source of income, dropped so dramatically that the small country was in danger of losing a deal with France.
The idea was that Rainier would marry someone and generate an heir to stabilize the situation. In addition, the woman chosen should be someone of "Hollywood royalty" so that her image and connections with other celebrities could help revive commerce and tourism. Unfortunately, Monroe's sensual image was a decisive factor in the courtship not being carried forward.
Sometime later, the prince ended up meeting his future wife Grace Kelly and fell completely in love with her. The couple was married in 1956 and had three children: Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Albert II, Prince of Monaco, and Princess Stephanie.
