Christian Louis de Massy, Baron[1] de Massy (born 17 January 1949) is the son of Princess Antoinette of Monaco, Baroness de Massy, and her husband, international tennis champion Alexandre-Athenase Noghès. His grandfather, Antony Noghès, created the world-famous Monaco Grand Prix. He was one of the two page boys at the wedding of his uncle Rainier III with Grace Kelly.[2][3]
Christian Louis de Massy | |
|---|---|
| Baron of Massy | |
| Full name | Christian Louis Rainier Alexandre |
| Born | 17 January 1949 Monaco |
| Spouse(s) | María Marta Quintana y del Carril
(m. 1970; div. 1978)Anne Michelle Lütken
(m. 1982; div. 1987)Julia Lakschin
(m. 1992; div. 1995) |
| Issue |
|
| Father | Alexandre-Athenase Noghès |
| Mother | Princess Antoinette, Baroness of Massy |
Biography
editMassy is a first cousin of the reigning Prince Albert II and nephew of Prince Rainier III. He was born out of wedlock, his parents marrying on 4 December 1951.[4][5] The second of three siblings, his two sisters were Elizabeth-Ann (1947–2020) and Christine Alix (1951–1989).
Status
editBy 1951, Rainier was the prince of Monaco, but was unmarried and had no children. Antoinette began exploring the possibility of replacing Rainier and passing the throne to her son.[6] The Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1918 already provided that a childless sovereign of Monaco could adopt an heir to the throne. Therefore, had Rainier then chosen to adopt Christian de Massy, that would have made Christian the heir presumptive (although he would lose his place in the order of succession to any children born of a subsequent marriage of Rainier).[7]
Regardless, once Rainier married Grace Kelly and had children, Princess Antoinette's concern over succession waned and the possibility of Christian acceding to the throne became more remote. Princess Antoinette then threw her full support behind the succession of her brother. The family presented a unified front thenceforth, with Prince Rainier III granting his sister the title of Baroness of Massy, and young Christian de Massy serving as ring bearer at the marriage of his uncle to Grace Kelly.[8]
In 2002, the constitution was adjusted to allow siblings of the reigning prince and their descendants to succeed to the throne if the sovereign lacked legitimate descendants, and Christian thereupon became 11th in line of succession to the Monegasque throne. When Albert succeeded on the death of Rainier, Antoinette was no longer the sibling of the sovereign, so she and her children lost their places in the line of succession. They and their descendants do, however, remain eligible for selection by the Crown Council to accede if the current line fails.
Education
editChristian Louis was, initially, educated at the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland.[9] He was expelled.[9] He then became a pupil at Downside School, Somerset, UK[10] (September 1963-July 1967). He obtained a place at Cambridge University but left before completion of a degree course.
More inspired by adventure than the classroom, Christian's self-education in the real world saw him become a professional race driver in Europe, before motorcycling the entire 7400 km coast of Brazil. He returned to a motorcycle to crisscross North America from east to west, north to south in 1994. Christian Louis de Massy has lived in Spain, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, France, Hungary, Panama and the USA, in addition to his homeland of Monaco. He is claimed to speak English, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.[11]
Career
editChristian de Massy is presently the Economic Attaché to the Embassy of Monaco in Washington, D.C,[12] having been appointed by Prince Albert II in 2010.[13]
From March 2009 until his current diplomatic assignment, Christian held the office of Diplomatic Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign, Economic and Financial Affairs on appointment by Albert II following nomination on 26 February 2009.[14] His diplomatic endeavors began in 2008, when he was likewise appointed Monegasque chargé d'affaires for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Prior to holding diplomatic posts, Christian de Massy opened the first foreign office of the Société des bains de mer de Monaco in Manhattan, New York, in 1979. Soon after he began the first mail order company to operate in Eastern Bloc countries, "Top Trading", in Hungary before the fall of the Iron Curtain.
In 1972-1973, Christian was a driver for Formula Renault Europe Marlboro racing team.[11]
In 1987, de Massy published an autobiography ghosted by celebrity biographer Charles Higham.[15] The book was reviewed in the Tatler by Stephen Fry.[16]
Marriages and issue
editChristian Louis has been married and divorced four times.
First
editHe married María Marta Quintana y del Carril (b. London, 17 June 1951), daughter of Enrique Quintana y Achával, an Argentine ambassador, and his wife Marta Juana del Carril y Aldao (remarried to the 7th Duke of Tamames),[17] in Buenos Aires on 14 November 1970. This marriage ended in 1978, with one daughter:
Second
editHe married Anne Michelle Lütken (b. 28 November 1959 - d. London, 25 November 2001) in Ramatuelle on 11 September 1982. She was the first child of Carl Fredrik Lütken and his first wife Bjørg, née Christiansen.[18] This marriage ended in 1987, without issue.
Third
editHe married Julia Lakschin (b. 6 November 1968), daughter of Roman Lakschin and his wife Ludmila, in Geneva in April 1992. This marriage ended in 1995, without issue. Roman Lakschin is the Dominican ambassador to the United Nations and to the World Trade Organization.[19] She is remarried to Ivan Mikhailovich Musatov and has issue.
Fourth
editHe married Cécile Irène Gelabale[20] (b. Guadeloupe, 1968), daughter of Denis Gelabale and his wife Lucie Darius Denon,[21] on 13 April 1996. This marriage ended in 2015 after separation since 2008.[22][23] Cecile has since reverted to her maiden name and no longer uses the title of Baroness.[24] They have two sons:
Titles and styles
editHe is styled His Excellency Baron Christian Louis de Massy since 22 January 2020.
Sources
edit- The Grimaldis of Monaco: The Centuries of Scandal, The Years of Grace by Anne Edwards. (New York, William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1992, ISBN 0-688-08837-6
Footnotes
edit- ^ "Ordonnance Souveraine n° 7.891 du 22 janvier 2020 autorisant le port d'un titre. / Journal 8496 / Année 2020 / Journaux / Accueil - Journal de Monaco". journaldemonaco.gouv.mc (in French). Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ Las imágenes inéditas de la boda de Grace Kelly y Raniero de Monaco
- ^ The Royal Post[permanent dead link]
- ^ Edwards, Anne "The Grimaldis of Monaco" 1992, William Morrow and Company, Inc. (New York): page 209
- ^ Newspaper clipping cites Princess Antoinette's marriage to Aleco Noghes at the age of 26. She was born in 1920, making the marriage no later than 1946. Clipping copy is at http://mc.style/about/baron-christian-de-massy-2/
- ^ "Princess Antoinette of Monaco". www.telegraph.co.uk. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ Edwards, Anne "The Grimaldis of Monaco: The Centuries of Scandal, The Years of Grace" 1992, William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York. Page 249
- ^ Edwards, Anne "The Grimaldis of Monaco: The Centuries of Scandal, The Years of Grace" 1992, William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York. Page 258
- ^ a b "Life in a Palace" Orange Coast Magazine, April 198, p.157
- ^ The Raven-Summer Term 1967-No.241, p.67 (pub. Downside School)
- ^ a b "Mc.style".
- ^ See the website of the Embassy of Monaco in Washington DC: http://monacodc.org/staff.html
- ^ Principality of Monaco, Sovereign Order of HSH Prince Albert II, #2931
- ^ Principality of Monaco, Sovereign Order of HSH Prince Albert II, #2089
- ^ Palace: My life in the Royal Family of Monaco by Christian de Massy and Charles Higham. Publisher: New York: Atheneum Publishers, 1986. 299 pages. ISBN 978-0-68911-636-0
- ^ Stephen Fry The Fry Chronicles: An Autobiography (Penguin, London, 2011) page 311, ISBN 978-0 -141-03980-0
- ^ Genealogy (in Spanish)
- ^ "Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Anne Michelle Lütken (1959-2001), formerly Baroness de Massy". 21 May 2011.
- ^ The Dominican
- ^ Journal de Monaco
- ^ Geneall
- ^ Baron of Massy title
- ^ "Communales 2015Franck Nicolas face à la polémique - Monaco Hebdo". 4 March 2015.
- ^ "Federation & Managers".
- ^ "Permission for change of surname". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ "Antoine de Massy website". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
