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Monaco’s royal family is arguably best known today for an event that occurred on April 19, 1956. It was on this date that Hollywood star, Grace Kelly, married Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The wedding transformed Grace from an actress to a princess overnight.

The family has since been well-placed in the global psyche.

Yet, disaster struck just a few decades on.

On September 14, 1982, Princess Grace was driving back to Monaco with her daughter, Stéphanie, from their country home in the mountainous Roc Agel.

Grace had a stroke behind the wheel and lost control of the car.

Stéphanie’s attempts at regaining control of the Rover failed.

The car tumbled 100ft down a ravine, turning over several times before halting in a garden.

It was initially reported that, despite broken ribs, a leg, and collarbone, Grace was in a stable condition.

Her condition was worse than first considered, however, and the next day Grace sadly passed away at the age of 52.

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It was a shocking moment for the whole family, and one that remains an open wound for Albert and his sisters.

The death of their mother was immediately apparent.

The wild shenanigans of Albert and his sisters made tabloid headlines around the world.

So fast-paced and colourful was Albert’s life as a young royal that he was dubbed the “playboy prince”.

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His sisters, meanwhile, made headlines for some of their wilder antics.

Before the tragic event, Albert appeared to have lived an enjoyable yet intense life under the watchful eye of his royal family.

It was during the BBC’s documentary, ‘Inside Monaco: Playground of the Rich’ that Albert revealed how his mother had been more “tolerant” of him and his siblings than their father, Rainier.

Standing outside Monaco Palace’s entrance, the film’s director, Michael Waldman, asked the prince of Grace: “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 6, 7, 8, 9, 10-year-old – even a 21-year-old.”

Despite the intensity of his childhood years growing up as a royal, Albert reflected on the brighter side.

Earlier on in the documentary, he admitted that he often occupied himself with mischief around the Palace as a child.

He recounted the time he attempted to slide down the Palace’s exterior banisters, much to no avail.

He said: “There were several attempts at sliding down, but those marble elements got in the way of that.

“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.”

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