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Home›History and Culture›Royal Houses of the Mediterranean
The Grimaldis, the Bourbons and the Alaouites still reign; the Savoys, the Greek royal family, the Petrović-Njegoš and the Zogus once did. Their stories and their palaces.
Royal houses
Three Mediterranean countries are still monarchies: the Principality of Monaco, the Kingdom of Spain and the Kingdom of Morocco. Elsewhere, royal families that once reigned in Italy, Greece, Montenegro and Albania still exist, and their palaces are among the finest visits of a journey.
This is a short guide to the houses and the palaces you can see. Heads of house were checked on 31 October 2026; palace opening times change with state occasions, so check before you go.
Reigning
Sovereign Prince Albert II, since 2005
The Grimaldis have held the Rock since François Grimaldi took the fortress in 1297, making them one of the oldest reigning families in Europe. Prince Rainier III married Grace Kelly in 1956; their son Albert II succeeded in 2005.
Palaces to visit. The Prince's Palace of Monaco: the State Apartments open to visitors in season, and the changing of the guard takes place on the square just before noon.
King Felipe VI, since 2014
The Bourbons came to the Spanish throne in 1700 with Philip V, grandson of Louis XIV. The monarchy was restored in 1975 under Juan Carlos I, and his son Felipe VI acceded in 2014.
Palaces to visit. The Royal Palace of Madrid, the official residence used for state ceremonies, is open to visitors when not in use; so are the Royal Palace of La Almudaina in Palma and, with its Mudéjar halls and gardens, the Royal Alcázar of Seville.
King Mohammed VI, since 1999
The Alaouites have reigned in Morocco since the seventeenth century, making them one of the oldest ruling dynasties in the Arab world. Sultan Moulay Ismail built his imperial city at Meknes; Mohammed V led the country to independence in 1956 and took the title of king.
Palaces to visit. The royal palaces are working residences and are not open, though the bronze doors of the Dar al-Makhzen in Fez are admired from the square outside. In Meknes, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail is open to visitors, as is the nineteenth-century Bahia Palace in Marrakech, built for the grand viziers.
Former
Kings of Italy, 1861 to 1946
Dukes of Savoy and Kings of Sardinia, the Savoys led the unification of Italy and reigned as Kings of Italy until the referendum of 1946. Since the death of Prince Vittorio Emanuele in 2024, the headship of the house has been disputed between his son, Prince Emanuele Filiberto, and his kinsman, Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta.
Palaces to visit. The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy in and around Turin are a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Royal Palace of Turin, part of the Musei Reali, and the vast Reggia di Venaria Reale are both open to visitors.
Kings of the Hellenes, 1863 to 1973
Prince William of Denmark became King George I of the Hellenes in 1863, and his descendants reigned, with interruptions, until the monarchy was abolished in 1973 and confirmed by referendum in 1974. After the death of King Constantine II in 2023, Crown Prince Pavlos became head of the family.
Palaces to visit. The Old Royal Palace on Syntagma Square in Athens is now the Hellenic Parliament, where the Evzones guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On Corfu, the villa of Mon Repos, where Prince Philip was born in 1921, is now a museum set in a wooded park.
Prince-bishops from 1696; King Nikola I, 1910 to 1918
The Petrović-Njegoš family ruled Montenegro first as prince-bishops and then as secular princes; Nikola I proclaimed the kingdom in 1910. Today the house is headed by Nikola, Crown Prince of Montenegro.
Palaces to visit. In Cetinje, the old royal capital, King Nikola's Palace and the Biljarda, the residence of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, are museums. On the coast, the royal family's summer residence at Miločer, beside Sveti Stefan, is now part of the Aman resort.
King Zog I, 1928 to 1939
Ahmet Zogu proclaimed himself King of the Albanians in 1928 and reigned until 1939. His grandson, Crown Prince Leka II, is head of the house.
Palaces to visit. In Krujë, the castle and Skanderbeg Museum tell the older story of the kingdom's national hero.
The Mediterranean Season Letter
Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.
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