The curse of the MONACO ROYALS

The Grimaldi family have been victims of unhappy marriages and tragic deaths

At face value, rumours that a Flemish maiden cursed the love-lives of the Monegasque royal family sounds like the kind of warning tale you’d tell your little princes and princesses before bedtime.

But dig a little deeper and it’s no wonder some are starting to believe there’s truth to the legend that a woman kidnapped by Rainier I – who, in the 13th century, became the first ruler from the House of Grimaldi – cast a spell that would ensure “never will a Grimaldi find happiness in marriage”.

Whispers of the curse re-emerged last week when it was revealed that Rainier I’s direct descent, Prince Albert, is in the throes of yet more marital woes involving his wife Princess Charlene.

The 43-year-old Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer spent their 10th wedding anniversary marooned in South Africa suffering from an ear, nose and throat infection, while her husband, 63, and their six-year old twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella remained in Monaco.