Rainier III, Prince of Monaco of Monaco, the Palais Princier announced that Rainier's son, Hereditary Prince Albert, would take over the duties of his father as regent since Rainier was no longer able to exercise his royal functions. On 1 April 2005, the Palace announced that Rainier's doctors believe his chances of recovery were "slim". On 6 April, Prince Rainier died at the Cardiothoracic Center of Monaco at 6:35 AM local time at the age of 81. He was succeeded by his only son, who became Prince Albert II. He was buried on 15 April 2005, beside his wife, Princess Grace, at the Cathedral of
Albert II, Prince of Monaco his father and died without lawful heirs, it would have triggered Article 3 of the 1918 Franco-Monegasque Treaty, according to which the Principality of Monaco would become a protectorate of the French Republic. Prior to 2002, Monaco's constitution stipulated that only the last reigning prince's "direct and legitimate" descendants could inherit the crown. On 2 April 2002, Monaco promulgated Princely Law 1.249, which provides that if a reigning prince dies without surviving legitimate issue, the throne passes to his legitimate siblings and their legitimate descendants of both sexes, according to the principle of male-preference primogeniture. Following Albert's accession, this law