By John Choate

The 1st pedigree lists Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] as the 13^th cousin 2 times removed of Prince Rainier III [KVGZ-N7Z] and the common ancestors of George Falconer and Elizabeth Erskine.

This column is a series about the hobby of family history using  familysearch.org and relativefinder.org. Most anyone can conveniently pinpoint known relationships with prominent  founding fathers, celebrities, and religious leaders. English and Scottish descendants may connect with some 700 people in the data base, if their pedigrees are in Family Search. As of 2024, Family search has 1.67 billion searchable people, with 530 million sources to increase accuracy.  Because Donald John Trump Sr’s ancestors  have many descendants, he has cousins by the dozens. The family trees come from familysearch.org.  Let’s review the royal families.

Since the records go back many centuries, many of the names have had whole books of biographies recording their stories. Many English biographies  are featured in the Dictionary of National Biography. The seven character code in brackets [ ]  after a person’s name is the code to find them in FamilySearch.org.   Principality of  Monaco residents are Monegasque or Monacans.

Monaco, at 200 acres, is a fourth the size of New York City’s 843 acre Central Park. Monaco borders France on all sides, the West and North and East, and is about ten miles west of Italy. Monaco was occupied by France in the past. Wars continued for centuries.    NATO has diplomatic relation with Monaco which is considered a microstate. The NATO member France surrounds Monaco, assigning France the responsibility for a Monaco’s military. Monoca’s Public Force is a military unit of about 270 of Carabiniers – soldiers carrying a short rifle, used for ceremonies, fire and civil defense. As of 2026 Monaco is not part of the European Union and uses French currency, the euro.

The 2nd pedigree lists a Scot, Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] as the 13^th great grandson of a Scot William Sinclair [LCCN-H49].  Earl Sinclair was Lord High Chancellor of Scotland between 1454 and 1458 AD. The Lord High Chancellor  was a peer and the principal Great Officer of State, the presiding officer of the Parliament of Scotland, the Keeper of the Great Seal, presiding officer of the Privy Council, and a judge of the College of Justice.  Sinclair’s other titles were 3rd Earl of Orkney (last), 1st Earl of Caithness, 2nd Lord Sinclair, 11th Baron of Roslin. For another pedigree of EarlSinclair, see the 3rd pedigree.

The 3rd pedigree lists Prince Rainer 3d as the 14th great grandson of the same Scot William Sinclair [LCCN-H49 as listed in 2^nd pedigree. By having the same Earl Sinclair as their ancestor for both  Malcolm MacLeod and Prince Rainer 3d, they are known cousins at the 13^th and 14^th generations.

The 4^th pedigree lists Mary Ann Trump nee Macleod as 14^th cousin once removed of Prince Rainer 3d with the common ancestor of a Scot William Murray of Tullibardine.

The present ruler of Monaco is Prince Albert 2d. (1958-). As a couple Prince Albert 2d and  Princess Charlene, have twins, Hereditary Prince Jacques (heir apparent) and Princess Gabriella, born in 2014. Albert 2d is the  son of –

Prince Rainier III (b 1923 – d 2005) Prince Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi III [KVGZ-N7Z] and Grace Kelly), Grace Patricia Kelly (1929-1982) [LTR4-TQH].   The House of Grimaldi is credited withruling the principality since 1297. Rainier 3^rd reigned from 1949-2005. The author’s relationship to Grace Patricia Kelly lists her as the wife of my 8th cousin twice removed, meaning the common ancestor of John Choate and Rainier 3d are Hugh Cochrane and Joan Savage.

Pierre Marie Xavier Raphael Antoine Melchoir de Polignac 1895-1964 [G818-156]

      Louis II (Louis Honore Charles Antoine Grimaldi II) 1870-1949.  (1922-1949)[LHV1-MBL]

      Albert 1 1848-1922 (1889-1922) [PQ4K-TGK] Prince of Monaco Albert 1 Honoré Charles Grimaldi

      Charles III 1818-1889 (1856-1889)[ LHRP-5M5] Prince de Monaco Charles III Honore Grimaldi

      Florestan 1785-1856 (1841-1856)[ LHVB-RM1]  Florestan I Grimaldi Prince Of Monaco.

      Honore V 1778-1841 (1819-1841) [KGY4-K77] ob.s.p.

      Honore IV 1758-1819 (1814-1819) Charles Anne Maurice Grimaldi Prince of Monaco [KJHJ-DRT]

Allied occupation May 17- June 17 1814 ,France Annexation 1793-1814. National Convention 1793 Jan – Feb, French Occupation 1793.

The 5th pedigree lists the same line as the 1^st pedigree  but with Fred Christ Trump as the 14^th cousin 1 time removed of Prince Rainier III [KVGZ-N7Z] and the common ancestors of George Falconer and Elizabeth Erskine. 

Rulers of Monaco

Honore III Camille Léonor Grimaldi 1720-1795 (1833-1793) [LBVC-5BC]

Jacques 1, Jacques François Léonor de Gouyon-Matignon 1689-1751 (1731-1733) [2ZSH-HQX]

Wife Louise Hippolyt Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi Duchesse de Valentinois, Princesse de Monaco, 1697-1731, (1731)[2ZSH-4M6]

Antonio I 1661-1731 (1701-1731)[2WF8-2MV]

Louis 1 1642-1701 (1662-1701) [LHKM-8NG] Prince de Monaco Louis I Grimaldi Duc de Valentinois.

>father Hercule II Grimaldi. 1623-1651 LDHN-BQX

Honore II 1597-1662 (1604-1662) Prince. [LHKM-84X]=

Hippolyte Trivulzio [LHKM-8C8] b Milano, Lombardia, Italy

Hercule I Grimaldi Seigneur de Monaco1562-1604 (1589-1604)][2WD8-9ZP]

Charles 2d 1555-1589 (1581-1589)

Honore I 1522-1581 (1523-1581)[ GD56-6Y4] = Isabelle 1525-1583 [2WD8-MCW]

Lucien 1487-1523 (1505-1523)[LHKM-Z29] Grimaldi Seigneur de Monaco

JEAN II 1468-1505, (1494-1505)

LAMBERTO 1420-1494, (1458-1494) [LCV1-9TB] Lamberto Grimaldi d’Antibes Lord of Monaco.

CLAUDINE 1451-1515 (1457-1458)

CATALAN (Catalan Grimaldi Seigneur of Monaco)1415-1457 (1454-1457) [LCV1-9CP]

ANTHONY II. -1427 (1419-1427)

Jean 1 1382-1454 (1395-1454) [LV6T-TF2]

Louis 1402, (1397-1402)

Gabriel

Rainier II 1350-1407 (1352)[ LCV1-M96]

Anthony I 1358 [LCV1-748]

Charles 1 1297-1357 (1331) [LCVB-R1Y]

Rainier 1, Lord of Cagnes 1267-1314, (1297-1301)[ GY1D-2KX]

Francois Grimaldi, François “Il Malizia” Grimaldi – Genoa, Monaco 1240-1309, Lord (1297-1309) [PMHH-493] Francesco Grimaldi (French: François ; English: Francis ), called il Malizia (from Italian: “the malicious“) was the Genoese leader of the Guelphs who captured the Rock of Monaco on the night of 8 January 1297. He was the son of Guglielmo Grimaldi [PMHH-WMS] by his wife Giacobina or Giacoba, [PMH4-X84] a Genoese noble.

Guelphic Genoese Otto Canella, Republic of Genoa [PWLR-2CP] 1070-1143. Monaco Formation 1604.  Honore 2^nd 1^st Monarch.

The 6^th  pedigree lists the same line as the 1^st and 5^th pedigrees  but with Robert S. Trump as the 13^th cousin 2 times removed of Prince Rainier III [KVGZ-N7Z] and the common ancestors of George Falconer and Elizabeth Erskine.

       According to sources, the titles are Sovereign Prince of Monaco, and Chateau Porcien.  Dukes of Valentinois Estouteville, Mazarin, and Mayenne. Marquis Baux (title used by Hereditary Prince Jacques), Marquis of Chilly-Mazarin, Guiscard, and Bailli.  Count of Polignac (title used by Princess Stephani), Carlades (Title used by Princess Gabriella), Ferrette, Belfort, Thann and Rosemont, Torigni, Logiumeau, and Cledes. Baron of Calvinet, Buis, La Luthemiere, Hambye, Altkirch, Saint-Lo, and Massy (Title used by Christian Louis de Massy, son of Princess Antoinette). Seigneur (Lord) of Issenheim, and Saint-Remy. Finally Sire of Matignon.

Coming full circle, Donald John Trump Senior’s  grand father Malcolm MacLeod [GMB3-28F] is a 13^th cousin 2 times removed of Prince Rainier 3^rd.  Malcolm’s daughter Mary Anne Trump nee MacLeod  is 14th cousin of Prince Albert 2nd.  Malcolm’s grandson Donald Trump Senior is 15^th cousin toPrince Jacques.

Source. Chantal de Badts de Cugnac, Guy Coutant de Saisseval  Petit Gotha 2002, Tableau genealogique des trent et une famille royales ou imperials d’Europe et du Bresil qui ont regne de la fin du XVIIIe au XXv siècle.