Philippe Junot

Philippe Junot
Born (1940-04-19) 19 April 1940 (age 84)
Occupation(s)Venture capitalist, property developer
Spouses
(m. 1978; div. 1980)
Nina Wendelboe-Larsen
(m. 1987; div. 1997)
PartnerHelén Wendel
Children4

Philippe Junot (born 19 April 1940) is a French venture capitalist and property developer, who was the first husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco. He has business interests in Paris, Spain and New York City.

Background and family

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Philippe Junot is the son of Michel Junot, Deputy Mayor of Paris,[1] former President of Maison de l'Europe, and Lydia Thykjær, the daughter of a Danish industrialist. His father worked as a politician for several years, including working with president John F Kennedy. Philippe is also [2] a descendant of the Duke of Abrantes,[verification needed] General Jean-Andoche Junot who led Napoleon's troops into Portugal. The family name figures on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.[verification needed] [3]

Education and career

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Junot started his career in the United States (he was an early investor in the Jack in the Box fast-food hamburger chain), and then formed a series of small start up companies in France, ranging from real estate to renewable energy. Junot is one of the founders of Access International Advisors Group (AIA Group), a hedge fund platform. He was among the large number of investors to be duped by Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme which collapsed in late 2008.[4]

Marriages and children

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In Monaco, he married civilly on 28 June 1978, and religiously on 29 June, Princess Caroline, eldest daughter of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and former Hollywood icon Grace Kelly.[5] The couple were divorced on 9 October 1980. He married Nina Wendelboe-Larsen in October 1987, and they have three children: Victoria, Isabelle and Alexis. They separated in 1997.[6] In 2005 Philippe Junot had a daughter in Paris named Chloé Junot Wendel with Swedish model Helén Wendel.

References

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  1. ^ Englund, Steven (1984). Grace of Monaco: An Interpretive Biography. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. p. 336.
  2. ^ Englund, Steven (1984). "X". Grace of Monaco: An Interpretive Biography. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. p. 326.
  3. ^ Kevin Dowling, Fred Hauptfuhrer (3 July 1978). "The Princess & Her Playboy". People. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  4. ^ Saijel Kishan and Katherine Burton (24 December 2008). "L'Oreal Heiress Bettencourt Invested With Madoff (Update3)". Bloomberg. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  5. ^ "ROYALTY: Love and Marriage in Monaco". Time. 3 July 1978. Archived from the original on November 13, 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  6. ^ Peter McKay (26 October 1987). "The Big Dame Hunters Are A Dying Breed". the Chicago tribune. Retrieved 26 September 2011.