Antoinette de Mérode

Antoinette de Merode
File:Antoinette de Merode.jpg
Princess consort of Monaco
Tenure	1856–1864
Born	(1828-09-28)28 September 1828 Brussels, Belgium
Died	Paris, France
Burial	Saint Nicholas Cathedral
Spouse	Charles III, Prince of Monaco
Issue	Albert I, Prince of Monaco
Full name Antoinette Ghislaine de Merode
House	Merode
Father	Werner de Merode
Mother	Victoire de Spangen d'Uyternesse

Antoinette de Merode (Antoinette Ghislaine; 28 September 1828 – 10 February 1864), Princess of Monaco, was born in Brussels as the daughter of Count Werner de Merode (1797-1840) and his spouse, Countess Victoire de Spangen d'Uyternesse (1797–1845).

Life and marriage

File:Royal Monogram of Princess Antoinette de Mérode of Monaco.svg Princely Monogram of Princess Antoinette

On her eighteenth birthday on 28 September 1846 in Brussels, she married Charles III, Prince of Monaco. It was a double wedding with her older sister, Louise.

Thanks to her generous dowry, Prince Charles III was able to finance the embellishment of Monte Carlo in order to attract wealthy tourists to the principality. She acquired for herself the Château de Marchais, which is still the property of the Grimaldi family today.

On 13 November 1848, she gave birth in Paris to Albert I, Prince of Monaco. From 1856 until her death in 1864, she was the Princess consort of Monaco.

She was the sister of Louise de Mérode and aunt of Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo, for three years Queen of Spain. Antoinette de Merode died on 10 February 1864 in Paris (aged 35) and was interred in the Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco.

Ancestry

Family of Antoinette de Mérode

16. Jean Philippe, Count de Merode, Marquis van Westerloo               8. Philippe-Maximilien de Merode, Marquis van Westerloo                       17. Princess Charlotte of Nassau-Hadamar               4. Guillaume, Count de Merode, Prince de Rubempré                             18. Maximilian de Merode, Prince de Rubempré et d'Everberghe               9. Marie Catherine de Merode, Princess de Rubempré et d'Everberghe                       19. Catherine Ockermans               2. Count Werner de Merode                                   20. Antoine Henri d'Ongnies, Count de Coupigny               10. Othon-Henri d'Ongnies, Count de Mastaing, Prince van Grimberghen                       21. Marie Josèphe de Jauche, Countess de Mastaing               5. Marie d'Ongnies, Princess van Grimberghen                             22. Joachim Maximilian Marie Joseph de Merode, Marquis de Deynze               11. Marie de Merode                       23. Thérèse-Jeanne de Merode               1. Countess Antoinette de Merode                                         24. Jacques François van Spangen, Baron d'Uyternesse               12. Count Charles de Spangen d'Uyternesse                       25. Thérèse Le Boeuf, Dame van Watervliet               6. Count François de Spangen d'Uyternesse                             26. Sebastien de Croix, Count de Clerfayt               13. Marie Anne de Croix dit de Drumez                       27. Marie Le Duc d'Onezies et Hénin               3. Countess Victoire de Spangen d'Uyternesse                                   28. Jacques Philippe, Baron de Flaveau               14. Jacques Albert, Baron de Flaveau                       29. Louise Martine de Godart, Dame d'Ermeton               7. Louise de Flaveau                             30. Guillaume de Cassal, Seigneur de Ny               15. Ernestine Henriette de Cassal de Ny                       31. Dieudonnée-Henriette-Michelle d'Ochain

References

• Georges Martin, Histoire et généalogie de la maison de Mérode, Lyon, 1999.

Monegasque royalty
Preceded by Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz	Princess consort of Monaco 1856–1864	Vacant Title next held by Alice Heine