Editing Louis II, Prince of Monaco (section)

==Solution to succession aspects in 1911–18==
A political crisis loomed for the Prince because without any other heir, the throne of Monaco would pass to his first cousin [[Wilhelm Karl, Duke of Urach|Wilhelm]], the 2nd [[Duke of Urach]], a German nobleman who was a son of Prince Albert's aunt, [[Princess Florestine of Monaco]]. To ensure this did not happen, in 1911 a law was passed recognizing his out-of-wedlock daughter, Charlotte, as Louis's acknowledged heir, and making her part of the princely family. This law was later held to be invalid, and thus another law was passed in 1918 modifying the statutes to allow the adoption of an heir with succession rights. Charlotte was formally adopted by Louis in 1919 and became Charlotte Louise Juliette Grimaldi, Princess of Monaco and Duchess of [[Valentinois]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" />

Wilhelm, 2nd Duke of Urach, thus placed further back in the line of succession to the throne of Monaco, was chosen as [[King of Lithuania]] for a few months in 1918, being known as Mindaugas II.<ref name="Holborn">{{cite book |last=Holborn |first=Hajo |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofmoderng00hajo/page/429 |title=A history of Modern Germany |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=1982 |isbn=0-691-00797-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofmoderng00hajo/page/429 429]}}</ref> It is a moot point whether he could be the sovereign of two European countries simultaneously, had he in fact succeeded to the throne of Monaco, but he had several sons. He renounced his claim to the principality in 1924, passing it to other French cousins that were also descended from the Grimaldi family, the counts of Chabrillan.

On 17 July 1918, largely because of the von Urach potential claim, France and Monaco signed a brief but far-reaching treaty requiring prior French approval of all future Monégasque princes.  Article 2 specified: "Measures concerning the international relations of the Principality shall always be the subject of prior consultations between the Government of the Principality and the French Government.  The same shall apply to measures concerning directly or indirectly the exercise of a regency or succession to the throne, which shall, whether by marriage or adoption or otherwise, pass only to a person who is of French or Monégasque nationality and is approved by the French Government."  Under Article 3, Prince Albert agreed "...for himself and his successors the commitment assumed towards the French Government not to alienate the Principality, in whole or in part, in favour of any Power other than France."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090325034207/http://untreaty.un.org/unts/1_60000/27/26/00053293.pdf 1918 Franco-Monegasque Treaty text]</ref>