Prince Rainier’s death has paralyzed not only Monaco people, but also the famous Monte Carlo casino, posing lifelessly its roulette wheels. The throne will be passed to his son, Prince Albert II. Albert now 47, a multilingual and U.S.-educated man, was groomed to become Rainier’s successor from his birth.
Monaco’s economy was largely poised on roulette wheels, when Rainier stepped onto a throne, back in 1949. Nearly half of the government revenues were represented by the casino gambling. Over the course of 56 years of Rainier’s ruling, Monaco, which is significantly smaller than New York’s central park, invaded the world map with his energetic self poured into the public works.
Today, casinos and roulette gambling comprise less than 4 percent of the government revenues, relying mostly on pharmaceuticals, plastics, banking and tourism.
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