Princess Grace in 1966.Photo:Daniele Darolle/Sygma via Getty
Daniele Darolle/Sygma via Getty
Though her film career lasted only a few years, Philadelphia-bornGrace Kellyrose to the ranks of Hollywood royalty before she became actual royalty herself.AnAcademy Awardwinner for 1954’sThe Country Girl, her first trip to theCannes Film Festivalin 1955 would change her life: She met a prince at Cannes, they got engaged in the winter and married the following April.In what seemed like a whirlwind romance, Kelly traded Hollywood for Monaco, a small country on the French Riviera, where she lived out her days as Princess Grace. Though she quit acting, her enchantment followed her off-screen as she and her husband raised a family and fulfilled royal duties until her death on Sept. 14, 1982. (Kellysuffered a strokeafter a tragic car crash.)Still, her legacy has endured and continued to live on in service (her Princess Grace Foundationprovides grants to emerging performing artists) and fashion. Widely considered a style icon, museums — includingLondon’s Victoria and Albert Museumand thePhiladelphia Museum of Art— have exhibited her designer clothing.Ahead, take a look at some of Princess Grace’s most glamorous photos.
Though her film career lasted only a few years, Philadelphia-bornGrace Kellyrose to the ranks of Hollywood royalty before she became actual royalty herself.
AnAcademy Awardwinner for 1954’sThe Country Girl, her first trip to theCannes Film Festivalin 1955 would change her life: She met a prince at Cannes, they got engaged in the winter and married the following April.
In what seemed like a whirlwind romance, Kelly traded Hollywood for Monaco, a small country on the French Riviera, where she lived out her days as Princess Grace. Though she quit acting, her enchantment followed her off-screen as she and her husband raised a family and fulfilled royal duties until her death on Sept. 14, 1982. (Kellysuffered a strokeafter a tragic car crash.)
Still, her legacy has endured and continued to live on in service (her Princess Grace Foundationprovides grants to emerging performing artists) and fashion. Widely considered a style icon, museums — includingLondon’s Victoria and Albert Museumand thePhiladelphia Museum of Art— have exhibited her designer clothing.
Ahead, take a look at some of Princess Grace’s most glamorous photos.
01of 14Grace Kelly headshot from the 1950sSunset Boulevard/CorbisBefore marrying into royalty and becoming the Princess of Monaco, Kelly was a star on-screen and onstage during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She graduated from theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Artsin 1949 and got her start in theater and television before making her film debut in 1951’sFourteen Hours.
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Grace Kelly headshot from the 1950s
Sunset Boulevard/Corbis
Before marrying into royalty and becoming the Princess of Monaco, Kelly was a star on-screen and onstage during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She graduated from theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Artsin 1949 and got her start in theater and television before making her film debut in 1951’sFourteen Hours.
02of 14Grace Kelly portrait, circa 1950FPG/Archive Photos/Getty ImagesAfter appearing as pacifist Amy Fowler Kane in 1952’sHigh Noon, Kelly earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work inMogambo, starring opposite Clark Gable. One ofAlfred Hitchcock’s blondes, she also co-starred in several thrillers from the Master of Suspense, including the 1954 filmsDial M for MurderandRear Windowand 1955’sTo Catch a Thief.
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Grace Kelly portrait, circa 1950
FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images
After appearing as pacifist Amy Fowler Kane in 1952’sHigh Noon, Kelly earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work inMogambo, starring opposite Clark Gable. One ofAlfred Hitchcock’s blondes, she also co-starred in several thrillers from the Master of Suspense, including the 1954 filmsDial M for MurderandRear Windowand 1955’sTo Catch a Thief.
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Grace Kelly at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955
Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
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Grace Kelly meeting Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1955
Edward Quinn
Before the planned Friday introduction, the lead-up was riddled with a series of mishaps: A power outage reportedly happened at Kelly’s hotel, which meant there was no way to use a hairdryer or an iron. Also, a minor car accident caused a delay, and Kelly had a tour of the Monaco Palace before Rainier could even show her around. The two did manage to speak privately for a bit and kept in touch privately after that first meeting. Rainier popped the question to Kelly seven months later during Christmas.
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Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly in January 1956
AP
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Grace Kelly dancing with her future father-in-law, Prince Pierre de Polignac
Michael Calcagno
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Grace Kelly on her wedding day on April 19, 1956
After the wedding, Kelly gave the gown to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as well as her beaded veil, wedding shoes and other accessories from her special day.
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Princess Grace and Prince Rainer after their wedding
The royal couple was then driven away from the cathedral in a 1956 Rolls Royce after tying the knot. The car was a wedding present from the people of Monaco to the couple.
Before arriving at their reception, Princess Grace adhered to Monaco tradition and made an offering of her wedding bouquet at Sainte-Dévote Chapel — named for the country’s patron saint.
09of 14Princess Grace and Prince Rainier at their wedding receptionMichael CalcagnoAt a towering six tiers, their wedding cake featured sugar work of Monaco’s Pink Palace and other scenes of the country’s history.Guests enjoyed a buffet of seafood (cold lobster, salmon and caviar), chicken, jellied eggs and Champagne.
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Princess Grace and Prince Rainier at their wedding reception
At a towering six tiers, their wedding cake featured sugar work of Monaco’s Pink Palace and other scenes of the country’s history.
Guests enjoyed a buffet of seafood (cold lobster, salmon and caviar), chicken, jellied eggs and Champagne.
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Princess Grace and Prince Rainier aboard their honeymoon yacht in April 1956
“It was so exhausting,” the couple’s son,Prince Albert II of Monaco, told PEOPLE exclusively in 2016 before adding privately both “said that when they left on their honeymoon and got on the boat, they both just kind of passed out from exhaustion and had a good night’s sleep before they got on with enjoying their honeymoon the next day.”
The pair were tired, yes, but also very happy with how their lavish ceremony turned out.
“She’d recall ‘going down this street on my wedding day’ and seeing the people there,” Albert recounted of his mother in her later years. “Dad did as well. He was happiest about the fact that things went so well.”
11of 14Princess Grace and Prince Rainier with their two children in 1958Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via GettyThe royal couple welcomed three children together:Princess Carolinein 1957, Prince Albert in 1958 andPrincess Stéphaniein 1965.“Our parentsmade sure it felt like a normal home. Not palace-y,” Albert told PEOPLE in an exclusive 2014 interview.The family would visit the Jersey Shore and eat corn on the cob that had been planted in their own backyard. Princess Grace would lean into American culture at the holidays andserve turkey for Thanksgivingor Christmas, which was uncommon in Europe at the time.While Albert called Princess Grace a “hands-on mom,” Caroline claimed she and her siblings werecloser to their nanny, Maureen Wood, than they were to their parents. She’s quoted in Isabelle Rivère’sAlbert II of Monaco, The Man and The Prince, saying, “For my brother and I, Maureen was the key figure in our life.”
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Princess Grace and Prince Rainier with their two children in 1958
Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty
The royal couple welcomed three children together:Princess Carolinein 1957, Prince Albert in 1958 andPrincess Stéphaniein 1965.
“Our parentsmade sure it felt like a normal home. Not palace-y,” Albert told PEOPLE in an exclusive 2014 interview.
The family would visit the Jersey Shore and eat corn on the cob that had been planted in their own backyard. Princess Grace would lean into American culture at the holidays andserve turkey for Thanksgivingor Christmas, which was uncommon in Europe at the time.
While Albert called Princess Grace a “hands-on mom,” Caroline claimed she and her siblings werecloser to their nanny, Maureen Wood, than they were to their parents. She’s quoted in Isabelle Rivère’sAlbert II of Monaco, The Man and The Prince, saying, “For my brother and I, Maureen was the key figure in our life.”
12of 14Princess Grace and Prince Rainier visit the White House in 1961CORBIS/Corbis via Getty ImagesPresidentJohn F. Kennedyand his wife,Jacqueline “Jackie” Kennedy(née Bouvier),hosted the royal couple of Monacofor a luncheon in their honor on May 24, 1961.Though the above photo is in black and white, Princess Grace’sGivenchydress and matching bolero jacket were a stunning kelly green, and the outfit is still considered a notable moment in fashion history.
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Princess Grace and Prince Rainier visit the White House in 1961
CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
PresidentJohn F. Kennedyand his wife,Jacqueline “Jackie” Kennedy(née Bouvier),hosted the royal couple of Monacofor a luncheon in their honor on May 24, 1961.
Though the above photo is in black and white, Princess Grace’sGivenchydress and matching bolero jacket were a stunning kelly green, and the outfit is still considered a notable moment in fashion history.
13of 14Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, circa 1960Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via GettyThe royal couple would only have a little over 25 years together before Princess Grace wasinvolved in a tragic car accidentin which she suffered a stroke while driving, lost control of her car and drove off a mountain on Sept. 13, 1982. Their youngest daughter, Stephanie, survived the incident, but Grace died the next day from a brain hemorrhage at age 52.Prince Alberttold Graham Bensingerin a 2017 interview that “it was a traumatic experience and would be for everybody.“He also noted that his father changed after losing his wife, telling Bensinger, “He was deeply affected, and he wasn’t quite the same man as he was before the accident.”
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Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, circa 1960
The royal couple would only have a little over 25 years together before Princess Grace wasinvolved in a tragic car accidentin which she suffered a stroke while driving, lost control of her car and drove off a mountain on Sept. 13, 1982. Their youngest daughter, Stephanie, survived the incident, but Grace died the next day from a brain hemorrhage at age 52.
Prince Alberttold Graham Bensingerin a 2017 interview that “it was a traumatic experience and would be for everybody.”
He also noted that his father changed after losing his wife, telling Bensinger, “He was deeply affected, and he wasn’t quite the same man as he was before the accident.”
14of 14Princess Grace with son Prince Albert at the Red Cross Ball in August 1974APThe president of Monaco’s first-ever Red Cross Ball in 1948 was Prince Rainier. It was a novel thing at the time for a head of state to be so hands-on with an event like this. Princess Grace would eventually take over as president,according toHello Monacomagazine, and continue to raise money for charities at the yearly gala as the event itself became a huge highlight of the summer season.In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in 2018, Prince Albert explained his parents' involvement with the ball: “Pretty soon after their wedding, in ‘58, Mom took it on and then,it became something else.“Event responsibilities have stayed in the family.Albert added, “Mom remained president until her passing [in 1982], and I’ve been privileged to head the Monaco Red Cross since then.”
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Princess Grace with son Prince Albert at the Red Cross Ball in August 1974
The president of Monaco’s first-ever Red Cross Ball in 1948 was Prince Rainier. It was a novel thing at the time for a head of state to be so hands-on with an event like this. Princess Grace would eventually take over as president,according toHello Monacomagazine, and continue to raise money for charities at the yearly gala as the event itself became a huge highlight of the summer season.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in 2018, Prince Albert explained his parents’ involvement with the ball: “Pretty soon after their wedding, in ‘58, Mom took it on and then,it became something else.”
Event responsibilities have stayed in the family.
Albert added, “Mom remained president until her passing [in 1982], and I’ve been privileged to head the Monaco Red Cross since then.”
source: people.com
