Historical Overview

In 1685, a British branch of the House of Grimaldi emerged in Great Britain from the exile of Alexander Grimaldi, a descendant of the Lords of Beaufort (Belforte, in Italian). This nobleman belonged to a long line of Genoese patricians doing business throughout Europe. Their line was actively involved in the Bank of Saint George, one of the first incorporated banks in the world, and produced several admirals, officers, and a cardinal. Among other things, we owe them the fine palazzo Bianco and palazzo della Meridiana in the center of Genoa, of which the latter illustrates Rubens' architectural treatise.

At the time, the Grimaldis were among the largest bankers of the Spanish Crown. In Genoa, Alexander Grimaldi thus backed the Spanish Empire against France. However, at the fall of the City-State under the heavy artillery of the king of France, Louis 14th, Alexander had to take the road of exile. He settled down in London, where the Genoese had been conducting international business for over three centuries. The last marquess of his line died in England in the 20th century.

The House of Grimaldi is associated with the Americas in many ways, in particular through its politico-financial relations with Spain — e.g., a merchant-banker Grimaldi accompanied Diego Columbus, son of the great explorer, to the New World — and through the branch of England. Among those who traveled through the British Empire, Charles Grimaldi ventured into Georgia in 1735, where he lived in Savannah and Augusta.

Marquess Stacey Grimaldi, a London lawyer, was probably the most illustrious representative of this British branch during the 19th century. As such, he and his brother William filed a claim to the succession to the throne of Monaco, following up on prior claims by their cousins of Antibes and Genoa. Those three branches opposed the controversial succession that evicted from Monaco the ancient House of Grimaldi – "the true and original Grimaldis" in the marquess' words.