Tenure 1841–1856 House Grimaldi (by marriage) | Name Maria Gibert Died November 25, 1879, Monaco | |
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Born 18 July 1793
Coulommiers ( 1793-07-18 ) Issue Charles III, Prince of Monaco
Florestine, Duchess of Urach Father Charles-Thomas Gilbert de Lametz Mother Marie-Francoise Le Gras de Vaubercey Spouse Florestan I, Prince of Monaco (m. 1816–1856) Children Charles III, Prince of Monaco, Princess Florestine of Monaco Grandchildren Albert I, Prince of Monaco Great grandchildren Louis II, Prince of Monaco Similar People Florestan I - Prince of Monaco, Antoinette de Merode, Albert I - Prince of Monaco | ||
Marie Caroline Gibert de Lametz, (18 July 1793, Coulommiers – 25 November 1879, Monaco), was a French stage actress and later Princess Consort and regent de facto of Monaco, the spouse of Florestan I, Prince of Monaco. She was the daughter of Charles-Thomas Gibert (1765–18??) and his wife, Marie-Françoise Le Gras de Vaubercey (1766–1842), and the adopted stepdaughter of Antoine Rouyer de Lametz (1762–1836), Chevalier d'Empire and Knight of the Legion of Honour. She is the paternal granddaughter of Thomas Gibert and his wife, Françoise Moret, and the maternal granddaughter of François Louis Michel Le Gras de Vaubercey and his wife, Gabrielle Françoise des Courtils. Marie Caroline was originally a stage actress. The marriage of her parents ended in divorce.
Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz and Prince Florestan of Monaco married in Commercy on 27 November 1816 and had two children: Prince Charles, born in 1818 later Prince Charles III, and Princess Florestine, born in 1833.
Florestan ascended to the throne in Monaco in 1841, but he was never prepared to assume the role of prince — he had been an actor in the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique — and the real power during his reign lay in the hands of his wife. For some time, Maria Caroline was able to alleviate the difficult economic situation stemming from Monaco's new position as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia, rather than of France. The couple also attempted to meet local demands for greater democracy and offered two constitutions to the local population, but these were rejected, particularly by the people of Menton.
Encouraged by the Revolutions of 1848, the towns of Menton and Roquebrune revolted and declared themselves independent. They had hoped to be annexed by Sardinia, but this did not occur, and the towns remained in a state of political limbo until they were finally ceded to France in 1861.
After her husband's death in 1856, her son, Prince Charles III took over control of the throne, after having been well prepared to assume power by his mother. Together, they worked towards laying the foundation for Monaco as a major resort destination.
She died on November 25, 1879.