Editing Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (section)

==Illness and death==
{{also|Funeral of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco}}
[[File:Rainier III 1998-10-05.jpg|thumb|Prince Rainier III ''(middle)'' with his son Albert ''(left)'' in 1998]]
[[File:Interior of Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco (10).jpg|thumb|The tomb of Prince Rainier III at the [[Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate]]]]

[[File:Statua di bronzo a grandezza naturale del Principe Ranieri III.jpg|thumb|Life-size bronze statue of Prince Rainier III by Dutch sculptor [[Kees Verkade]]]]

Rainier smoked sixty cigarettes a day.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Barker |first=Dennis |date=2005-04-06 |title=Prince Rainier of Monaco |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/apr/06/guardianobituaries1 |access-date=2017-03-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In the last years of his life his health progressively declined. He underwent surgery in late 1999 and 2000, and was hospitalized in November 2002 for a chest infection. He spent three weeks in hospital in January 2004 for what was described as general fatigue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7270562 |title=Prince Rainier moved to intensive care – World news – Europe |publisher=NBC News |date=22 March 2005 |access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref> In February 2004, he was hospitalized with a coronary lesion and a damaged blood vessel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-apr-07-me-rainier7-story.html |title=Prince Rainier III, 81; Ruler Transformed Monaco, Made Grace Kelly His Princess|website=Los Angeles Times|date=7 April 2005}}</ref> In October of that year, he was again in hospital with a lung infection. His son, Hereditary Prince Albert, later appeared on [[CNN]]'s ''[[Larry King Live]]'' and told [[Larry King]] that his father was fine, though he was suffering from [[bronchitis]].<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0411/18/lkl.01.html Interview With Prince Albert of Monaco], ''CNN'', 18 November 2004. Accessed 31 May 2008.</ref>

On 7 March 2005, he was again hospitalized for a lung infection. On 22 March, he was then moved to the hospital's intensive care unit. The following day, it was announced he was on a [[ventilator]], suffering from [[renal failure|renal]] and heart failure. On 26 March, the palace reported that despite intensive ongoing efforts to improve the prince's health, he was continuing to deteriorate; however, on 27 March, he was reported to be conscious, his heart and kidney conditions having stabilized. His prognosis remained "very reserved".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385965.stm|title=Rainier's condition 'stabilises'|date=27 March 2005|work=BBC News|access-date=18 August 2008}}</ref>

On 31 March 2005, following consultation with the [[Crown Council of Monaco]], the [[Palais Princier]] announced that Hereditary Prince Albert would take over the duties of his father as [[regent]] since Rainier was no longer able to exercise his princely functions.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7347372 Son of ailing Prince Rainier takes over duties], ''MSNBC'', 31 March 2005. Accessed 31 May 2008.</ref> On 1 April 2005, the Palace announced that Rainier's doctors believed his chances of recovery were "slim".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.538503|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090307012018/http://origin.www.cbc.ca/world/story/2005/04/01/rainier-050401.html|url-status=live|archive-date=7 March 2009|title=Rainier's recovery chances slim, doctors say|date=1 April 2005|publisher=CBC News|access-date=18 August 2008}}</ref> On 6 April, Prince Rainier III died at the [[Cardiothoracic Centre of Monaco]] at 6:35&nbsp;am local time at the age of 81. His son subsequently became the new Prince of Monaco as Albert II.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4415291.stm|title=Monaco's Prince Rainier, 81, dies|date=6 April 2005|work=BBC News|access-date=18 August 2008}}</ref>

[[Funeral of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco|His funeral]] was held on 15 April 2005 beside his wife, Princess Grace, at the [[Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate]], the traditional burial place of princes and princesses of Monaco,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/b1c5425907fc1876c125706d0042ab74gb?OpenDocument&2Gb |title=Monaco Cathedral |date=28 July 2008 |publisher=Service Informatique du Ministère d'Etat (Monaco Minister of State Information Service) |access-date=18 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623235650/http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/b1c5425907fc1876c125706d0042ab74gb?OpenDocument&2Gb |archive-date=23 June 2008 }}</ref> and the place where Prince Rainier and Princess Grace had been married in 1956.<ref name="Burial">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/monaco/1487978/Monacos-farewell-to-its-sovereign-and-friend.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/monaco/1487978/Monacos-farewell-to-its-sovereign-and-friend.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Monaco's farewell to its sovereign and friend|last=Randall|first=Colin|date=16 April 2005|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=18 August 2008|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Rainier's death was overshadowed in the media as it occurred shortly after [[Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II|that of Pope John Paul II]].<ref name="Burial"/>