RAINIER III: (1923-2005) Sovereign Prince of Monaco... Lot 1569

RAINIER III: (1923-2005) Sovereign Prince of Monaco 1949-2005. A lengthy and revealing T.L.S., Rainier Pce. Monaco. with holograph salutation and subscription, five pages (separate leaves), 4to, n.p. (Monte Carlo?), 11th September 1968, to Marcel [Palmero], Consul General of Monaco, on the Prince´s blue monogrammed stationery, in both French and English (the latter with many grammatical and spelling mistakes, retained in the extracts that follow). Rainier writes an expansive letter in which he expresses his strong opinions regarding various aspects of life in Monaco, as well as the behaviour of Wilfred Groote, an adviser to Prince Rainier and a key figure related to the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), commencing in French and explaining that it is essential for Rainier to meet Palmero in order to talk about business and the SBM and take stock of the situation, ´La situation actuelle, ne peut et ne doit durer. J´ai pour habitude d´etre tres franc avec vous....et cést ainsi que nos rapports demeurent toujours confiants et solides. Je vous demandes de considerer ce que je vous ecris, comme tout a fait confidentiel. Cela doit rester entre nous bien entendu. Principalement, il s´agit de Groote.....ce garcon semble vraiment maintenant avoir une curieuse conception de sa fonction, et ses methodes de direction me paraissent peu psychologiques, et dans le domaine des relations humaines il semble denue de toute sensibilite. Se mettant a dos tout le monde, par sa facon de faire, beaucoup plus que par effet des mesures ou decisions imposees par necessite d´une reforme de la gestion que je suis le premier a vouloir et approuver. Seulement, il y a des erreurs commises, et ses erreurs vont a l´encontre de ce que je souhaite avec tant d´ardeur: la reprise de l´exploitation de la societe et de ses entreprises. Groote semble refuser tout conseil ou avis, se croyant avoir la science infuse´ (Translation: ´The current situation cannot and must not continue. I am in the habit of being very frank with you.... and this is how our relationship always remains confident and solid. I would ask you to treat what I write to you as completely confidential. It must remain between us, of course. Mainly, it concerns Groote.....this boy really does now seem to have a curious conception of his position, and his management methods seem to me to be very unpsychological, and in the field of human relations he seems to be devoid of any sensitivity. His way of doing things has alienated everyone much more than the measures or decisions imposed by the need for management reform, which I am the first to want and approve. The only problem is that mistakes have been made, and these mistakes run counter to what I so fervently want to see: a return to running the company and its businesses. Groote seems to refuse any advice or opinion, believing himself to be an expert´), continuing to express his views on how just one managing director should operate within the SBM andd that he should have a buffer man ´who sees to the details and follows through avoiding thus that the director general be on the front line, this I told Groote many months ago, telling him that he could obtain a lot if he went the right way with the personel..to crack the whip; is fine...but not on peoples backbone! I think, that more than ever, you yourself must change, when you are here, the structure of the management keep Groote who is certainly a man of great value, but put him in a position of directeur general technique.....but for the daily routine and the general management, you should promote some good man......Un bon executant qui a une certaine lattitude de decision, un certain pouvoir de prendre certaines decisions dans le management general de la societe, dans l´exploitation des divers etablissements (Translation: ´A good performer who has a degree of decision-making latitude, a certain power to take certain decisions in the general management of the company, in the operation of the various establishments´).....there seems to me that Groote has become to big for his shoes, in his own opinion of himself...and thus he does not accept, advice or even requests, that even I put to him! When he asks to be received by me, I always do, but nothing really comes out of our talk and I consider now that it is a pure loss of time for me to discuss with him...he has pre set ideas, and opinions that he is not ready to abandon!´. The Prince continues his letter making reference to other individuals and organisations within Monaco, including the Sea Club, ´It is too big! The P[rin]c[e]ss and myself went there the other night, and by night things appear more shocking to the eye. First it is not intimate...it is cold and very drafty..and above all the same monumental mistake, of the old summer sporting club, has been repeated..people sit with there back to the sea!!! facing naturally the band stand. Many points that I thought I had made clear to you and to Groote have n