MONACO: Prince Rainier of Monaco, who was admitted to hospital two weeks ago with a chest infection, has been moved to an intensive-care unit in the principality.
After a marked earlier improvement, "a recurring pulmonary infection required that the prince be transferred into an intensive care unit," his palace said.
The 81-year-old prince, whose film star wife, Grace Kelly, died in a car crash in 1982, has a history of heart problems and has suffered from poor health in recent years.
Rainier was admitted to a heart and chest clinic on March 7th with what was described as a bronchial-pulmonary infection.
The palace said on March 10th that the initial infection had been "quickly brought under control". Rainier's doctors then decided he should undergo a series of cardiac examinations, given his history of heart problems.
He spent a week at the same Monaco hospital in October for treatment of a chest infection. He also was admitted to the clinic in February 2004 for a coronary lesion and a damaged blood vessel, and spent three weeks there the month before for what was described as general fatigue.
Rainier assumed the throne in 1949. His heir is Crown Prince Albert, who is unmarried and has no children. Monaco changed its succession law in 2002 to allow power to pass from a reigning prince who has no descendants to his siblings. Albert has two sisters, Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie, both of whom have children.