-
Live Streaming... The F/W 2025.26 Fashion Shows
Paris Fashion Week F/W 2025.26 Show Schedule
Grace Kelly
- Thread starter oanadobre
- Start date
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
Wow, no one really looked good in the 70s, did they?
lapresse
lapresse
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
corbis
>GLamourETTE<
Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2008
- Messages
- 302
- Reaction score
- 0
Grace had the most perfect and beautiful profil ever.
she was truly one stunning woman.
she was truly one stunning woman.
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
trf
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
The rose that is named after Grace.
flickr
flickr
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
Costume sketch for Grace
corbis
corbis
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
CHS
Princess Grace
On November 12, 1929, this young actress and princess came into the world in
Philadelphia, Penn. Her mother was a model and her father, John “Jack” Kelly,
won two gold medals in the 1920 Olympics and later became a very skilled brick
contractor. She was the third of four children and as a young child she was good
at being alone. This beautiful, young lady happened to be Princess Grace Kelly;
and she became very dedicated in her career choice as an actress.
George Kelly, Grace’s uncle and a very successful playwright, helped her gain
admission to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, a prestigious acting school
in New York. Before her acting career, she modeled successfully. Grace just so
happened to be at a friend’s fashion shoot and the photographer noticed her and
quickly arranged for her to be on the front cover of Redbook magazine as the
cover model. This in turn led to other modeling arrangements, including ads for
Old Gold cigarettes and the Bridgeport Brass Co. (Kehoe)
Grace made her Broadway debut in “The Father” by Strinndberg. In her first
appearance on the silver screen she played a minor part in a box-office failure
called “Fourteen Hours”. Her first starring role was in “High Noon”. In her
acting career she came across very shy and rumors say she had intimate romances
with many of her co-workers. Some of these men included Clark Gable, Bing
Crosby, Ray Milland, William Holden, Oleg Cassini, and Jean-Pierre Aumont, just
to name a few. It doesn’t sound as though Grace had a problem with being shy
with all of her boyfriends. In one specific incident an observer remembered
attending a lunch given by Aristotle Onassis. Grace accompanied Cary Grant. The
observer wrote: ”Grace said little during lunch, and when it was over, Onassis
took Cary aside and invited him back anytime. ‘And please,’ the billionaire
said, nodding towards Grace,’ bring your secretary along with you.’” (Kehoe)
Grace was so quiet that Aristotle believed her to be Cary’s secretary instead of
his co-worker. Even though she seemed shy, when you got her on stage she wasn’t
as shy as most would think. Jimmy Stewart, one of her co-workers, said, “If
you’ve ever played a love scene with her, you’d know she’s not cold . . .
besides, Grace has that twinkle and touch of larceny in her eye.”(Kehoe)
Around 1954, she met her future husband at the Cannes Film Festival. A
journalist arranged for her to meet His Serene Highness Prince Rainier Grimaldi
of Monaco, one of his 142 titles, and she canceled the meeting because of an
appointment with a hairdresser. (Kehoe) Rainier did, however, keep in touch with
Grace and in December of 1955 he traveled to the United States to join the
Kellys’ for their annual Christmas party. Only three days later Grace and Prince
Rainier announced their marriage plans. They were married on April 19, 1956.
Grace was 26 years old and fit the princess role perfectly. Even if she hadn’t
been born to royal blood, she was beautiful, famous, and a devout Roman Catholic
from a wealthy background. (Rompalske)
There were about 1,500 journalists who decided to cover the marriage and just as
Princess Diana was mobbed by the paparazzi, so were Grace and Rainier. (Kehoe)
The royal family was in the news often with pictures published when each of
their two daughters and son were born, of family vacations, and holidays.
Princess Grace and Princess Diana had similar life stories in that they were
both humanitarians, worked hard for charitable causes, gave up careers to marry
into royalty and have families, and their lives both ended tragically in car
accidents. The differences between the two were that Princess Grace was driving
and not the chauffeur, and the paparazzi weren’t involved. It is said that
Princess Grace and her youngest daughter Stephanie were arguing over Stephanie’s
plans to join her boyfriend, Paul Belmondo (son of the famous actor Jean-Paul
Belmondo), and Princess Grace excused their driver to continue their
conversation in private. According to a reliable source, Princess Grace was seen
at the wheel of their Rover, however other rumors say that Princess Stephanie
was at the wheel illegally. There was a truck driver behind the vehicle who
recalls, ” It was honking in warning as it swerved dangerously around the
highways sharp curves.” Also, according to the truck driver, “ as the Rover
approached the fatal turn, instead of slowing down it appeared to accelerate
suddenly and sail straight over the edge of the cliff. After shearing off the
tops of several trees it rolled over and came to a stop upside down in a
ravine.” Nobody knows what really happened on that fatal day. Princess Stephanie
refuses to talk about that specific day even though it would clear up the rumors
and stories. Princess Stephanie suffered minor injuries compared to her mother
who suffered head trauma. A CAT scan after the accident it showed that Princess
Grace’s brain had been damaged in two different places. One was from the trauma
of the crash and the other appeared to have been a stroke, although it was
impossible to tell if the stroke caused the accident or if the accident caused
the stroke. Princess Grace was put on life support and her family had to make
the difficult decision of deciding whether or not to end the artificial life
support. The family decided that they were going to “pull the plug” -as it is
said. Princess Grace died on September 14, 1982, after languishing in a coma for
over 24 hours. The saddest part about the accident has to be that her death
might have been prevented if she had been wearing her seatbelt. (Romplaske)
Although Princess Grace is missed in Monaco along with the rest of the world,
they have found a way to remember her every year. They named a rose after her -
the Princess Grace Rose - that is widely planted in Monaco Even though she’s not
there, every spring she still remains a part of Monaco. (Kehoe)
This beautiful, young princess was loved around the world and had a big heart.
She loved theater and acting even if her career ended in 1956 when she married.
Her family helped her in getting her career started. She may not have gotten her
first break if not for her uncle. It has been 18 years since her death and she
will forever be missed and her films loved. The best way to describe Princess
Grace’s dedication to her work is in the words of Mother Theresa, “a life not
lived for others, is a life not worth living.” She may be gone but her memory
lives on forever.
Princess Grace
On November 12, 1929, this young actress and princess came into the world in
Philadelphia, Penn. Her mother was a model and her father, John “Jack” Kelly,
won two gold medals in the 1920 Olympics and later became a very skilled brick
contractor. She was the third of four children and as a young child she was good
at being alone. This beautiful, young lady happened to be Princess Grace Kelly;
and she became very dedicated in her career choice as an actress.
George Kelly, Grace’s uncle and a very successful playwright, helped her gain
admission to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, a prestigious acting school
in New York. Before her acting career, she modeled successfully. Grace just so
happened to be at a friend’s fashion shoot and the photographer noticed her and
quickly arranged for her to be on the front cover of Redbook magazine as the
cover model. This in turn led to other modeling arrangements, including ads for
Old Gold cigarettes and the Bridgeport Brass Co. (Kehoe)
Grace made her Broadway debut in “The Father” by Strinndberg. In her first
appearance on the silver screen she played a minor part in a box-office failure
called “Fourteen Hours”. Her first starring role was in “High Noon”. In her
acting career she came across very shy and rumors say she had intimate romances
with many of her co-workers. Some of these men included Clark Gable, Bing
Crosby, Ray Milland, William Holden, Oleg Cassini, and Jean-Pierre Aumont, just
to name a few. It doesn’t sound as though Grace had a problem with being shy
with all of her boyfriends. In one specific incident an observer remembered
attending a lunch given by Aristotle Onassis. Grace accompanied Cary Grant. The
observer wrote: ”Grace said little during lunch, and when it was over, Onassis
took Cary aside and invited him back anytime. ‘And please,’ the billionaire
said, nodding towards Grace,’ bring your secretary along with you.’” (Kehoe)
Grace was so quiet that Aristotle believed her to be Cary’s secretary instead of
his co-worker. Even though she seemed shy, when you got her on stage she wasn’t
as shy as most would think. Jimmy Stewart, one of her co-workers, said, “If
you’ve ever played a love scene with her, you’d know she’s not cold . . .
besides, Grace has that twinkle and touch of larceny in her eye.”(Kehoe)
Around 1954, she met her future husband at the Cannes Film Festival. A
journalist arranged for her to meet His Serene Highness Prince Rainier Grimaldi
of Monaco, one of his 142 titles, and she canceled the meeting because of an
appointment with a hairdresser. (Kehoe) Rainier did, however, keep in touch with
Grace and in December of 1955 he traveled to the United States to join the
Kellys’ for their annual Christmas party. Only three days later Grace and Prince
Rainier announced their marriage plans. They were married on April 19, 1956.
Grace was 26 years old and fit the princess role perfectly. Even if she hadn’t
been born to royal blood, she was beautiful, famous, and a devout Roman Catholic
from a wealthy background. (Rompalske)
There were about 1,500 journalists who decided to cover the marriage and just as
Princess Diana was mobbed by the paparazzi, so were Grace and Rainier. (Kehoe)
The royal family was in the news often with pictures published when each of
their two daughters and son were born, of family vacations, and holidays.
Princess Grace and Princess Diana had similar life stories in that they were
both humanitarians, worked hard for charitable causes, gave up careers to marry
into royalty and have families, and their lives both ended tragically in car
accidents. The differences between the two were that Princess Grace was driving
and not the chauffeur, and the paparazzi weren’t involved. It is said that
Princess Grace and her youngest daughter Stephanie were arguing over Stephanie’s
plans to join her boyfriend, Paul Belmondo (son of the famous actor Jean-Paul
Belmondo), and Princess Grace excused their driver to continue their
conversation in private. According to a reliable source, Princess Grace was seen
at the wheel of their Rover, however other rumors say that Princess Stephanie
was at the wheel illegally. There was a truck driver behind the vehicle who
recalls, ” It was honking in warning as it swerved dangerously around the
highways sharp curves.” Also, according to the truck driver, “ as the Rover
approached the fatal turn, instead of slowing down it appeared to accelerate
suddenly and sail straight over the edge of the cliff. After shearing off the
tops of several trees it rolled over and came to a stop upside down in a
ravine.” Nobody knows what really happened on that fatal day. Princess Stephanie
refuses to talk about that specific day even though it would clear up the rumors
and stories. Princess Stephanie suffered minor injuries compared to her mother
who suffered head trauma. A CAT scan after the accident it showed that Princess
Grace’s brain had been damaged in two different places. One was from the trauma
of the crash and the other appeared to have been a stroke, although it was
impossible to tell if the stroke caused the accident or if the accident caused
the stroke. Princess Grace was put on life support and her family had to make
the difficult decision of deciding whether or not to end the artificial life
support. The family decided that they were going to “pull the plug” -as it is
said. Princess Grace died on September 14, 1982, after languishing in a coma for
over 24 hours. The saddest part about the accident has to be that her death
might have been prevented if she had been wearing her seatbelt. (Romplaske)
Although Princess Grace is missed in Monaco along with the rest of the world,
they have found a way to remember her every year. They named a rose after her -
the Princess Grace Rose - that is widely planted in Monaco Even though she’s not
there, every spring she still remains a part of Monaco. (Kehoe)
This beautiful, young princess was loved around the world and had a big heart.
She loved theater and acting even if her career ended in 1956 when she married.
Her family helped her in getting her career started. She may not have gotten her
first break if not for her uncle. It has been 18 years since her death and she
will forever be missed and her films loved. The best way to describe Princess
Grace’s dedication to her work is in the words of Mother Theresa, “a life not
lived for others, is a life not worth living.” She may be gone but her memory
lives on forever.
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
Jandy's Blog
Both literally and metaphorically, "Grace Kelly" was the cinema's fairy-tale princess; beautiful, elegant, and impossibly glamorous, she transcended the limits of Hollywood aristocracy to attain the power and glory of true royalty.
Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia. Her dream was to become an actress, so much so that she left for New York right after high school graduation in 1947. She found some modeling work, appeared on magazine covers, studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, and acted on Broadway and on TV. Two years later, after moving to California, she landed a small part in Fourteen Hours. Her second film was High Noon, and it was all up from there for the beautiful 23-year-old actress.
She was voted 13th on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest actresses of the classic era, and two of those 11 films -- High Noon and Rear Window -- are considered by AFI voters to be among the 50 best films ever made. She won a Best Actress Oscar for a third film, The Country Girl, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Mogambo. A fair number of film fans believe that she was the most beautiful actress ever to appear on film.
Among other things, Kelly was the ideal "Hitchcock blonde," and appeared in three films by The Master: Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955). During the filming of Thief with Cary Grant on the Riviera, she met the Prince, and the rest is history. Her last movie was High Society, a musical remake of The Philadelphia Story. Though she was regularly offered film roles, she never acted again. She remained active in other ways, as a narrator and a member of the Board of Directors of 20th Century Fox, but chose to concentrate on her duties as the wife of the Prince of Monaco. She had three children -- Caroline, Albert, and Stephanie.
The seeming fairy-tale life came to an end on September 14, 1982, in an automobile accident in the mountains of Monaco. There were about 1,500 journalists who decided to cover the marriage and just as Princess Diana was mobbed by the paparazzi, so were Grace and Rainier. The royal family was in the news often with pictures published when each of their two daughters and son were born, of family vacations, and holidays.
Princess Grace and Princess Diana had similar life stories in that they were both humanitarians, worked hard for charitable causes, gave up careers to marry into royalty and have families, and their lives both ended tragically in car accidents. The differences between the two were that Princess Grace was driving and not the chauffeur, and the paparazzi weren’t involved.
Although Princess Grace is missed in Monaco, they have found a way to remember her every year. They named a rose after her - the Princess Grace Rose - that is widely planted in Monaco. Even though she’s not there, every spring she still remains a part of Monaco.
Both literally and metaphorically, "Grace Kelly" was the cinema's fairy-tale princess; beautiful, elegant, and impossibly glamorous, she transcended the limits of Hollywood aristocracy to attain the power and glory of true royalty.
Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia. Her dream was to become an actress, so much so that she left for New York right after high school graduation in 1947. She found some modeling work, appeared on magazine covers, studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, and acted on Broadway and on TV. Two years later, after moving to California, she landed a small part in Fourteen Hours. Her second film was High Noon, and it was all up from there for the beautiful 23-year-old actress.
She was voted 13th on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest actresses of the classic era, and two of those 11 films -- High Noon and Rear Window -- are considered by AFI voters to be among the 50 best films ever made. She won a Best Actress Oscar for a third film, The Country Girl, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Mogambo. A fair number of film fans believe that she was the most beautiful actress ever to appear on film.
Among other things, Kelly was the ideal "Hitchcock blonde," and appeared in three films by The Master: Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955). During the filming of Thief with Cary Grant on the Riviera, she met the Prince, and the rest is history. Her last movie was High Society, a musical remake of The Philadelphia Story. Though she was regularly offered film roles, she never acted again. She remained active in other ways, as a narrator and a member of the Board of Directors of 20th Century Fox, but chose to concentrate on her duties as the wife of the Prince of Monaco. She had three children -- Caroline, Albert, and Stephanie.
The seeming fairy-tale life came to an end on September 14, 1982, in an automobile accident in the mountains of Monaco. There were about 1,500 journalists who decided to cover the marriage and just as Princess Diana was mobbed by the paparazzi, so were Grace and Rainier. The royal family was in the news often with pictures published when each of their two daughters and son were born, of family vacations, and holidays.
Princess Grace and Princess Diana had similar life stories in that they were both humanitarians, worked hard for charitable causes, gave up careers to marry into royalty and have families, and their lives both ended tragically in car accidents. The differences between the two were that Princess Grace was driving and not the chauffeur, and the paparazzi weren’t involved.
Although Princess Grace is missed in Monaco, they have found a way to remember her every year. They named a rose after her - the Princess Grace Rose - that is widely planted in Monaco. Even though she’s not there, every spring she still remains a part of Monaco.
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
Another pic of the Princess Grace Rose
webshots
webshots
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
The Princess Grace Candle
During her lifetime, Princess Grace of Monaco was deeply committed to helping young aspiring artists realize their career goals. National in scope, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA is dedicated to identifying and assisting young talent in theater, dance and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. Each year, the Fondation announces a select group of Princess Grace Awards for excellence : since 1984, the Foundation has supported more than 400 young artists at more than 100 institutions nationwide and has provided 14 instutionnal grants.
A portion of the proceeds of the sale of each candle benefits the Princess Grace Foundation - USA.
MDPM
During her lifetime, Princess Grace of Monaco was deeply committed to helping young aspiring artists realize their career goals. National in scope, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA is dedicated to identifying and assisting young talent in theater, dance and film by awarding grants in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. Each year, the Fondation announces a select group of Princess Grace Awards for excellence : since 1984, the Foundation has supported more than 400 young artists at more than 100 institutions nationwide and has provided 14 instutionnal grants.
A portion of the proceeds of the sale of each candle benefits the Princess Grace Foundation - USA.
MDPM
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
Second City Style
It's official...I'm obsessed. Today I went to Saks to view the Celebration of Grace, window display of unique Princess Grace/Grace Kelly-inspired outfits that are up for auction to benefit the Princess Grace Foundation-USA. The couture creations by Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, Ralph Rucci and Vera Wang will be on display throughout the week at Saks Fifth Avenue at 611 Fifth Avenue @ 49th Street, NYC until they are sold October 26.
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA assists emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. Each dress up for bid is open to the public in a silent auction with the final biding at the Casino Couture event at Sotheby's on October 24.
Taking their inspiration from dresses based on designs by Academy Award-winning costume designers Helen Rose (MGM) and Edith Head (Paramount) and French couturiers Madame Gres and Christian Dior, the six renowned American designers added their own updated twists to create unique gowns celebrating the legacy of America's first princess.
All dresses were made in a US size 8 with seam allowances to increase to a US 10.
It's official...I'm obsessed. Today I went to Saks to view the Celebration of Grace, window display of unique Princess Grace/Grace Kelly-inspired outfits that are up for auction to benefit the Princess Grace Foundation-USA. The couture creations by Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, Ralph Rucci and Vera Wang will be on display throughout the week at Saks Fifth Avenue at 611 Fifth Avenue @ 49th Street, NYC until they are sold October 26.
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA assists emerging talent in theater, dance, and film by awarding scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. Each dress up for bid is open to the public in a silent auction with the final biding at the Casino Couture event at Sotheby's on October 24.
Taking their inspiration from dresses based on designs by Academy Award-winning costume designers Helen Rose (MGM) and Edith Head (Paramount) and French couturiers Madame Gres and Christian Dior, the six renowned American designers added their own updated twists to create unique gowns celebrating the legacy of America's first princess.
All dresses were made in a US size 8 with seam allowances to increase to a US 10.
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
BBC
As an American, Princess Grace brought character and elegance to the performing arts and always found time to make important contributions to her craft.
- The White House
Grace Kelly was an American actress and icon of the 'silver screen' era of films. She was born Grace Patricia Kelly on 12 November, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Irish Catholics named John B Kelly and Margaret Kelly. John was an Olympic gold medal winner, politician and lucrative businessman and Margaret a former fashion model. Kelly also had two sisters Peggy and Lizanne and a brother called Jack.
Due to her father's wealth, Kelly was able to receive private tuition and attended a Convent school for a while. However, this was short-lived as she wanted to be an actress and went against her parents' wishes by enrolling in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. To support her studies she became a fashion model and sought help from her uncle George Kelly, a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright. She also appeared in several Broadway productions, making her stage debut in 1949 in The Father by August Strindberg, which led to her involvement in television programmes.
Hollywood Hails
Hollywood amuses me. Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality.
- Kelly
A move to Hollywood enabled her to take part in advertisements for Old Gold cigarettes and she was even pictured on the front of the magazines Cosmopolitan and Redbook. Then, in 1951, Fourteen Hours was released debuting Kelly. The film made way for her star role in High Noon in 1952 alongside Gary Cooper. The film proved a box office hit, but it took Kelly over a year to find another role in a film to play. This film was entitled Mogambo and was about a love triangle that occurred in the Kenyan jungle. During the filming, Kelly was rumoured to have had an affair with Clark Gable. When she was questioned about this she replied: What else is there to do if you're alone in a tent in Africa with Clark Gable?. She received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and a seven-year contract with MGM through her work on Mogambo.
Kelly received another award, the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her role in the film The Country Girl in 1954 and her duet with Bing Crosby in High Society won them a gold disc.
Fashion Icon
From her Hermes bag (nicknamed the 'Kelly'), which she used to cover up the fact she was pregnant, to her love of hats with flowers on them, white gloves and huge spectacles, Kelly became an international fashion icon and inspired people worldwide to follow her. It was Alfred Hitchcock who first discovered her beauty and shaped her fashion sense. He took her to places such as Hermes and designer Edith Head helped find clothes for her. Head's work is evident in Hitchcock's film Rear Window where Kelly plays a fashion model 'who never wears the same dress twice'. During the film she is seen dressed in casual jeans, glamorous evening dresses, a tailored suit and a floral dress. Hitchcock and Head also found clothes for the actress to wear in 1954's To Catch a Thief, that shows Kelly playing an American heiress. Head even designed the ice blue dress satin dress and coat that can be seen on the cover of the magazine Life in 1955 which, incidentally, Kelly also wore to the Academy Awards ceremony that same year. She was a patron of Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Chanel, Madame Grès and Yves Saint Laurent and according to her friend Rita Gam she couldn't drop something just because it went out of fashion and was very sentimental about her clothes. In the 1960s, Kelly was no longer seen as a fashion icon as she became a wife and mother but as fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld believes, I am sure [if she were alive today], even at nearly 80, she would be stunning. An exhibition at Monaco's Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, entitled 'The Grace Kelly Years', looks back on her love of fashion and marks the 25th anniversary of her death.
Becoming a Princess
Kelly starred in three Hitchcock classics Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954) and To Catch A Thief (1955). During the filming of To Catch A Thief, Kelly visited the palace in Monaco where she met and fell in love with Prince Rainier III (Rainer Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand de Grimaldi). They were engaged on New Year's Day in 1956 and on 19 April, 1956, the Prince and the former film star married.
Their wedding was considered the 'Wedding of the Century' due to the fact that she was an actress and he a Prince. The first part of their marriage, the civil ceremony, which was essential by Monegasque law took place on 18 April, 1956 in the Monaco palace throne room. Then the second part took place the next day in Monaco's St Nicholas Cathedral.
Due to Kelly's marriage to Prince Rainier, she ended her contract early with MGM. In the agreement that she would stop working for the company early, MGM asked for exclusive rights over the filming of her wedding and she accepted. MGM's clothes designer Helen Rose created Kelly's wedding dress and her wedding ring was a ten-carat diamond. After the wedding, the grounds of the palace became the venue for a garden party and the people of Monaco gave the new Prince and Princess Rainier gifts of a Rolls Royce, a diamond necklace and earrings. Then Prince Rainier's yacht set sail for their honeymoon in the Mediterranean.
After the honeymoon she soon fell pregnant with her first-born, Princess Caroline, who was born on 23 January, 1957. A year later, on 14 March, 1958, Prince Albert was born and seven years later, on 1 February, 1965, Princess Stephanie was born.
No Happy Ever After
According to two books that have since been published, the couple didn't have a fairytale happy ending after the wedding. The book Grace: A Disenchanted Princess by Joanne Spencer alleges that the Prince had affairs and delivers this statement from Baron Christian de Massy: My uncle often lost his patience with the princess in public, but she never contradicted him; nor did she answer back in the same manner. Whereas, the Mirror reviewed the book True Grace: The Life And Times Of An American Princess by Wendy Leigh and found the author alleging that the former actress had affairs.
Concerned With Charities
In 1958, Kelly became the president of the Monegasque Red Cross. She then founded The World Association of Friends of Children, (AMADE) and in 1964, set up The Princess Grace Foundation, which helps local artists in Monaco and craftsmen make a living. She was asked to narrate the story of the Children of Theater Street, which is about the Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad. She also repaired a theatre in Monte Carlo which became known as the Tháâtre Princesse Grace. She toured both America and Europe reciting poetry in theatres in order to raise money for Her Princess Grace Foundation, Monaco. Just before her death she was working on the creation of another film called Rearranged.
Death of a Princess
Princess Grace died on 14 September, 1982, from a sustained stroke and cerebral haemorrhage after driving their Rover 3500 P4 accidently off the winding roads of France leading to Monaco. Princess Stephanie, who was in the car with her, survived the ordeal and was rescued from the scene by a Frenchman. When asked whether Prince Rainier was with his wife when she died a palace spokesman said he was at her bedside practically without interruption from the time she was admitted to hospital.
The Princess of Monaco received a royal funeral at the Cathedral of St Nicholas in Monte Carlo, before being laid to rest in the Grimaldi family vault. Four hundred people attended the service, including film stars and people from foreign governments. Her daughter Stephanie, who was first thought to have only minor bruises, was found to be suffering from a cervical fracture and was too ill to attend.
Tributes
As a tribute to the Princess a Rose Garden was created on 18 June, 1984, near the Fontvieille Park in Monaco and in 1993 she featured on a stamp created by the United States Postal Service. The Princess Grace Foundation was taken over by her daughter Caroline, Princess of Hanover.
As an American, Princess Grace brought character and elegance to the performing arts and always found time to make important contributions to her craft.
- The White House
Grace Kelly was an American actress and icon of the 'silver screen' era of films. She was born Grace Patricia Kelly on 12 November, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Irish Catholics named John B Kelly and Margaret Kelly. John was an Olympic gold medal winner, politician and lucrative businessman and Margaret a former fashion model. Kelly also had two sisters Peggy and Lizanne and a brother called Jack.
Due to her father's wealth, Kelly was able to receive private tuition and attended a Convent school for a while. However, this was short-lived as she wanted to be an actress and went against her parents' wishes by enrolling in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. To support her studies she became a fashion model and sought help from her uncle George Kelly, a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright. She also appeared in several Broadway productions, making her stage debut in 1949 in The Father by August Strindberg, which led to her involvement in television programmes.
Hollywood Hails
Hollywood amuses me. Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality.
- Kelly
A move to Hollywood enabled her to take part in advertisements for Old Gold cigarettes and she was even pictured on the front of the magazines Cosmopolitan and Redbook. Then, in 1951, Fourteen Hours was released debuting Kelly. The film made way for her star role in High Noon in 1952 alongside Gary Cooper. The film proved a box office hit, but it took Kelly over a year to find another role in a film to play. This film was entitled Mogambo and was about a love triangle that occurred in the Kenyan jungle. During the filming, Kelly was rumoured to have had an affair with Clark Gable. When she was questioned about this she replied: What else is there to do if you're alone in a tent in Africa with Clark Gable?. She received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and a seven-year contract with MGM through her work on Mogambo.
Kelly received another award, the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her role in the film The Country Girl in 1954 and her duet with Bing Crosby in High Society won them a gold disc.
Fashion Icon
From her Hermes bag (nicknamed the 'Kelly'), which she used to cover up the fact she was pregnant, to her love of hats with flowers on them, white gloves and huge spectacles, Kelly became an international fashion icon and inspired people worldwide to follow her. It was Alfred Hitchcock who first discovered her beauty and shaped her fashion sense. He took her to places such as Hermes and designer Edith Head helped find clothes for her. Head's work is evident in Hitchcock's film Rear Window where Kelly plays a fashion model 'who never wears the same dress twice'. During the film she is seen dressed in casual jeans, glamorous evening dresses, a tailored suit and a floral dress. Hitchcock and Head also found clothes for the actress to wear in 1954's To Catch a Thief, that shows Kelly playing an American heiress. Head even designed the ice blue dress satin dress and coat that can be seen on the cover of the magazine Life in 1955 which, incidentally, Kelly also wore to the Academy Awards ceremony that same year. She was a patron of Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Chanel, Madame Grès and Yves Saint Laurent and according to her friend Rita Gam she couldn't drop something just because it went out of fashion and was very sentimental about her clothes. In the 1960s, Kelly was no longer seen as a fashion icon as she became a wife and mother but as fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld believes, I am sure [if she were alive today], even at nearly 80, she would be stunning. An exhibition at Monaco's Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, entitled 'The Grace Kelly Years', looks back on her love of fashion and marks the 25th anniversary of her death.
Becoming a Princess
Kelly starred in three Hitchcock classics Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954) and To Catch A Thief (1955). During the filming of To Catch A Thief, Kelly visited the palace in Monaco where she met and fell in love with Prince Rainier III (Rainer Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand de Grimaldi). They were engaged on New Year's Day in 1956 and on 19 April, 1956, the Prince and the former film star married.
Their wedding was considered the 'Wedding of the Century' due to the fact that she was an actress and he a Prince. The first part of their marriage, the civil ceremony, which was essential by Monegasque law took place on 18 April, 1956 in the Monaco palace throne room. Then the second part took place the next day in Monaco's St Nicholas Cathedral.
Due to Kelly's marriage to Prince Rainier, she ended her contract early with MGM. In the agreement that she would stop working for the company early, MGM asked for exclusive rights over the filming of her wedding and she accepted. MGM's clothes designer Helen Rose created Kelly's wedding dress and her wedding ring was a ten-carat diamond. After the wedding, the grounds of the palace became the venue for a garden party and the people of Monaco gave the new Prince and Princess Rainier gifts of a Rolls Royce, a diamond necklace and earrings. Then Prince Rainier's yacht set sail for their honeymoon in the Mediterranean.
After the honeymoon she soon fell pregnant with her first-born, Princess Caroline, who was born on 23 January, 1957. A year later, on 14 March, 1958, Prince Albert was born and seven years later, on 1 February, 1965, Princess Stephanie was born.
No Happy Ever After
According to two books that have since been published, the couple didn't have a fairytale happy ending after the wedding. The book Grace: A Disenchanted Princess by Joanne Spencer alleges that the Prince had affairs and delivers this statement from Baron Christian de Massy: My uncle often lost his patience with the princess in public, but she never contradicted him; nor did she answer back in the same manner. Whereas, the Mirror reviewed the book True Grace: The Life And Times Of An American Princess by Wendy Leigh and found the author alleging that the former actress had affairs.
Concerned With Charities
In 1958, Kelly became the president of the Monegasque Red Cross. She then founded The World Association of Friends of Children, (AMADE) and in 1964, set up The Princess Grace Foundation, which helps local artists in Monaco and craftsmen make a living. She was asked to narrate the story of the Children of Theater Street, which is about the Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad. She also repaired a theatre in Monte Carlo which became known as the Tháâtre Princesse Grace. She toured both America and Europe reciting poetry in theatres in order to raise money for Her Princess Grace Foundation, Monaco. Just before her death she was working on the creation of another film called Rearranged.
Death of a Princess
Princess Grace died on 14 September, 1982, from a sustained stroke and cerebral haemorrhage after driving their Rover 3500 P4 accidently off the winding roads of France leading to Monaco. Princess Stephanie, who was in the car with her, survived the ordeal and was rescued from the scene by a Frenchman. When asked whether Prince Rainier was with his wife when she died a palace spokesman said he was at her bedside practically without interruption from the time she was admitted to hospital.
The Princess of Monaco received a royal funeral at the Cathedral of St Nicholas in Monte Carlo, before being laid to rest in the Grimaldi family vault. Four hundred people attended the service, including film stars and people from foreign governments. Her daughter Stephanie, who was first thought to have only minor bruises, was found to be suffering from a cervical fracture and was too ill to attend.
Tributes
As a tribute to the Princess a Rose Garden was created on 18 June, 1984, near the Fontvieille Park in Monaco and in 1993 she featured on a stamp created by the United States Postal Service. The Princess Grace Foundation was taken over by her daughter Caroline, Princess of Hanover.
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
The Express
THE wedding of Prince Rainier of Monaco to Grace Kelly (of Hollywood) took place in April 1956.
The union of a movie star and a Prince could not have been better scripted by the studios and this inaugural exhibition charts her life from Philadelphia to the glamorous Monaco where she was, and still is, adored.
The location was ideally suited to the elegant Grace. High-rise million-dollar apartments cling to the cliffs that shelter Monaco’s harbour, which is packed with floating gin palaces belonging to the lucky few who live in this tax haven. The principality has long attracted the super-glamorous and rich with‑its party culture and stunning views.
I arrived in a bright sunny Nice before being transported to nearby Monaco, a 30-minute drive away. The glittering water of the Cote d’Azur was filled with boats and jet skis. Along the beaches were‑tanned, long-limbed bodies soaking up the rays‑and the views.
Once in Monaco itself, I found the narrow streets were busy with people out shopping. Women still have big hair here and their men dutifully walk alongside carrying Chanel and Gucci shopping bags. The exhibition, at the Grimaldi Forum, doesn’t‑begin in Monaco. It goes way back to Grace’s early life in America at 3901 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia.
The curator of the much-awaited exhibition is Frédéric Mitterrand (nephew of the former French President François) and he says the idea for‑the exhibition came from Prince Albert and the Princesses Stephanie and Caroline.
“I wanted to‑portray Princess Grace as the‑complex, bright woman she was, to concentrate on the positive aspects of her life,” he said.
The Philadelphia room of the exhibition has pictures of Grace’s three siblings and her parents. Her father was an affluent and athletic man, who was‑very much in charge of family affairs. Home movies show a laughing, jolly bunch and Grace’s high school yearbook photo reveals an all-American teenager with a wide smile and twinkling eyes, hinting at the beauty she would become.
It was from this closely-knit background that Grace left for Bucks County Playhouse, then New York to pursue acting. The New York and Hollywood years are documented with previously unseen photographs, telegrams and letters.
A hand-written note from Cary Grant reads: “Delighted you are here, dear Grace! It will cheer up the whole town – me, too! Love, Cary.”
Other messages from Frank Capra, Douglas Fairbanks, Yul Brynner, Greta Garbo and Frank Sinatra provide excellent, voyeuristic pleasure. Bing Crosby declares his love and even an upstart Jack Nicholson persuades a mutual friend to pass on a note of introduction.
Hotel de Paris, that grand wedding cake of‑a landmark in the‑pretty, flower-filled Casino Square, remains unchanged from when Grace was filming To Catch A Thief in 1955 with Cary Grant. That was the beginning of her relationship with this tiny principality. The same year, she was introduced to Prince Rainier during the Cannes Film Festival and later said to Olivia de Havilland: “He is charming, so very charming.”
Wandering into the cathedral one can only imagine how she felt as a young bride on April 19, 1956, when she married her Prince.
I spoke to many Monegasques who feel as‑if it were only yesterday they saw her taking young Stephanie to‑school, sitting at the beach club with her friends or at the ballet at Salle Garnier on the Casino Terraces. She is everywhere and many of the sights around Monaco are named in her honour.
The arrival of a new Princess in the principality is also well documented.‑A privately shot film shows her landing in Monaco, unable to speak French and with no friends, giving a glimpse of a young woman lost. However, when she sees that she is being photographed, she beams for the camera. A true professional, she was determined to make it look a breeze but the scrutiny was fierce.
She was passionate about flowers and started the Monaco Garden Club. One of her hobbies was making pictures from her own‑flowers which she dried and arranged within frames. They are meticulous and imaginative.
The Princess Grace Rose Garden on Avenue Des Gullies is‑filled with the roses she loved to‑cultivate. The Japanese Minister made a gift of cherry trees which‑can be seen in the Japanese‑Garden on the Avenue Princesse Grace.
Throughout the exhibition there are dresses worn for film roles; the stunning organza wedding outfit embroidered with violets from High Society and the exquisite wedding gown from her‑marriage to Prince Rainier were my particular highlights.
Sketches from Christian Dior, Balmain and Yves St Laurent are coupled with fabric swatches and‑are displayed to correspond with many of the outfits. A section devoted to the iconic Kelly handbag from the house of Hermes and dozens of hats, kid gloves and the scarves she wore so simply and elegantly occupy yet another room.
Following years are‑sweetly recounted with‑a‑selection of tiny smocked dresses and pin-tucked pinafores that hang on the wall of‑the Nursery room. Children’s mechanical toys, a rocking horse and mini racing car for Albert are‑displayed along with lovingly kept scrap books.
The most moving aspect of this‑room are the movies that Grace filmed herself. She captures her children in the garden playing with a hosepipe, squirting each other and then herself, all laughing hysterically.
The Princess Grace Trail through the principality is worth following. You can see the Place de la Marie, where she took Princess Stephanie to school, Chemin des Pecheurs, where she arrived on the USS Constitution before her wedding, and the Princess Grace Hospital.
Right up to her untimely death after a car crash in September, 1982, Princess Grace did not just stay‑behind the‑palace gates but entered into‑the life and spirit of this most glamorous‑place. She was an attentive mother, a loyal friend‑and a loving wife, who was‑in turn loved by all.
THE wedding of Prince Rainier of Monaco to Grace Kelly (of Hollywood) took place in April 1956.
The union of a movie star and a Prince could not have been better scripted by the studios and this inaugural exhibition charts her life from Philadelphia to the glamorous Monaco where she was, and still is, adored.
The location was ideally suited to the elegant Grace. High-rise million-dollar apartments cling to the cliffs that shelter Monaco’s harbour, which is packed with floating gin palaces belonging to the lucky few who live in this tax haven. The principality has long attracted the super-glamorous and rich with‑its party culture and stunning views.
I arrived in a bright sunny Nice before being transported to nearby Monaco, a 30-minute drive away. The glittering water of the Cote d’Azur was filled with boats and jet skis. Along the beaches were‑tanned, long-limbed bodies soaking up the rays‑and the views.
Once in Monaco itself, I found the narrow streets were busy with people out shopping. Women still have big hair here and their men dutifully walk alongside carrying Chanel and Gucci shopping bags. The exhibition, at the Grimaldi Forum, doesn’t‑begin in Monaco. It goes way back to Grace’s early life in America at 3901 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia.
The curator of the much-awaited exhibition is Frédéric Mitterrand (nephew of the former French President François) and he says the idea for‑the exhibition came from Prince Albert and the Princesses Stephanie and Caroline.
“I wanted to‑portray Princess Grace as the‑complex, bright woman she was, to concentrate on the positive aspects of her life,” he said.
The Philadelphia room of the exhibition has pictures of Grace’s three siblings and her parents. Her father was an affluent and athletic man, who was‑very much in charge of family affairs. Home movies show a laughing, jolly bunch and Grace’s high school yearbook photo reveals an all-American teenager with a wide smile and twinkling eyes, hinting at the beauty she would become.
It was from this closely-knit background that Grace left for Bucks County Playhouse, then New York to pursue acting. The New York and Hollywood years are documented with previously unseen photographs, telegrams and letters.
A hand-written note from Cary Grant reads: “Delighted you are here, dear Grace! It will cheer up the whole town – me, too! Love, Cary.”
Other messages from Frank Capra, Douglas Fairbanks, Yul Brynner, Greta Garbo and Frank Sinatra provide excellent, voyeuristic pleasure. Bing Crosby declares his love and even an upstart Jack Nicholson persuades a mutual friend to pass on a note of introduction.
Hotel de Paris, that grand wedding cake of‑a landmark in the‑pretty, flower-filled Casino Square, remains unchanged from when Grace was filming To Catch A Thief in 1955 with Cary Grant. That was the beginning of her relationship with this tiny principality. The same year, she was introduced to Prince Rainier during the Cannes Film Festival and later said to Olivia de Havilland: “He is charming, so very charming.”
Wandering into the cathedral one can only imagine how she felt as a young bride on April 19, 1956, when she married her Prince.
I spoke to many Monegasques who feel as‑if it were only yesterday they saw her taking young Stephanie to‑school, sitting at the beach club with her friends or at the ballet at Salle Garnier on the Casino Terraces. She is everywhere and many of the sights around Monaco are named in her honour.
The arrival of a new Princess in the principality is also well documented.‑A privately shot film shows her landing in Monaco, unable to speak French and with no friends, giving a glimpse of a young woman lost. However, when she sees that she is being photographed, she beams for the camera. A true professional, she was determined to make it look a breeze but the scrutiny was fierce.
She was passionate about flowers and started the Monaco Garden Club. One of her hobbies was making pictures from her own‑flowers which she dried and arranged within frames. They are meticulous and imaginative.
The Princess Grace Rose Garden on Avenue Des Gullies is‑filled with the roses she loved to‑cultivate. The Japanese Minister made a gift of cherry trees which‑can be seen in the Japanese‑Garden on the Avenue Princesse Grace.
Throughout the exhibition there are dresses worn for film roles; the stunning organza wedding outfit embroidered with violets from High Society and the exquisite wedding gown from her‑marriage to Prince Rainier were my particular highlights.
Sketches from Christian Dior, Balmain and Yves St Laurent are coupled with fabric swatches and‑are displayed to correspond with many of the outfits. A section devoted to the iconic Kelly handbag from the house of Hermes and dozens of hats, kid gloves and the scarves she wore so simply and elegantly occupy yet another room.
Following years are‑sweetly recounted with‑a‑selection of tiny smocked dresses and pin-tucked pinafores that hang on the wall of‑the Nursery room. Children’s mechanical toys, a rocking horse and mini racing car for Albert are‑displayed along with lovingly kept scrap books.
The most moving aspect of this‑room are the movies that Grace filmed herself. She captures her children in the garden playing with a hosepipe, squirting each other and then herself, all laughing hysterically.
The Princess Grace Trail through the principality is worth following. You can see the Place de la Marie, where she took Princess Stephanie to school, Chemin des Pecheurs, where she arrived on the USS Constitution before her wedding, and the Princess Grace Hospital.
Right up to her untimely death after a car crash in September, 1982, Princess Grace did not just stay‑behind the‑palace gates but entered into‑the life and spirit of this most glamorous‑place. She was an attentive mother, a loyal friend‑and a loving wife, who was‑in turn loved by all.
THE wedding of Prince Rainier of Monaco to Grace Kelly (of Hollywood) took place in April 1956.
The union of a movie star and a Prince could not have been better scripted by the studios and this inaugural exhibition charts her life from Philadelphia to the glamorous Monaco where she was, and still is, adored.
The location was ideally suited to the elegant Grace. High-rise million-dollar apartments cling to the cliffs that shelter Monaco’s harbour, which is packed with floating gin palaces belonging to the lucky few who live in this tax haven. The principality has long attracted the super-glamorous and rich with‑its party culture and stunning views.
I arrived in a bright sunny Nice before being transported to nearby Monaco, a 30-minute drive away. The glittering water of the Cote d’Azur was filled with boats and jet skis. Along the beaches were‑tanned, long-limbed bodies soaking up the rays‑and the views.
Once in Monaco itself, I found the narrow streets were busy with people out shopping. Women still have big hair here and their men dutifully walk alongside carrying Chanel and Gucci shopping bags. The exhibition, at the Grimaldi Forum, doesn’t‑begin in Monaco. It goes way back to Grace’s early life in America at 3901 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia.
The curator of the much-awaited exhibition is Frédéric Mitterrand (nephew of the former French President François) and he says the idea for‑the exhibition came from Prince Albert and the Princesses Stephanie and Caroline.
“I wanted to‑portray Princess Grace as the‑complex, bright woman she was, to concentrate on the positive aspects of her life,” he said.
The Philadelphia room of the exhibition has pictures of Grace’s three siblings and her parents. Her father was an affluent and athletic man, who was‑very much in charge of family affairs. Home movies show a laughing, jolly bunch and Grace’s high school yearbook photo reveals an all-American teenager with a wide smile and twinkling eyes, hinting at the beauty she would become.
It was from this closely-knit background that Grace left for Bucks County Playhouse, then New York to pursue acting. The New York and Hollywood years are documented with previously unseen photographs, telegrams and letters.
A hand-written note from Cary Grant reads: “Delighted you are here, dear Grace! It will cheer up the whole town – me, too! Love, Cary.”
Other messages from Frank Capra, Douglas Fairbanks, Yul Brynner, Greta Garbo and Frank Sinatra provide excellent, voyeuristic pleasure. Bing Crosby declares his love and even an upstart Jack Nicholson persuades a mutual friend to pass on a note of introduction.
Hotel de Paris, that grand wedding cake of‑a landmark in the‑pretty, flower-filled Casino Square, remains unchanged from when Grace was filming To Catch A Thief in 1955 with Cary Grant. That was the beginning of her relationship with this tiny principality. The same year, she was introduced to Prince Rainier during the Cannes Film Festival and later said to Olivia de Havilland: “He is charming, so very charming.”
Wandering into the cathedral one can only imagine how she felt as a young bride on April 19, 1956, when she married her Prince.
I spoke to many Monegasques who feel as‑if it were only yesterday they saw her taking young Stephanie to‑school, sitting at the beach club with her friends or at the ballet at Salle Garnier on the Casino Terraces. She is everywhere and many of the sights around Monaco are named in her honour.
The arrival of a new Princess in the principality is also well documented.‑A privately shot film shows her landing in Monaco, unable to speak French and with no friends, giving a glimpse of a young woman lost. However, when she sees that she is being photographed, she beams for the camera. A true professional, she was determined to make it look a breeze but the scrutiny was fierce.
She was passionate about flowers and started the Monaco Garden Club. One of her hobbies was making pictures from her own‑flowers which she dried and arranged within frames. They are meticulous and imaginative.
The Princess Grace Rose Garden on Avenue Des Gullies is‑filled with the roses she loved to‑cultivate. The Japanese Minister made a gift of cherry trees which‑can be seen in the Japanese‑Garden on the Avenue Princesse Grace.
Throughout the exhibition there are dresses worn for film roles; the stunning organza wedding outfit embroidered with violets from High Society and the exquisite wedding gown from her‑marriage to Prince Rainier were my particular highlights.
Sketches from Christian Dior, Balmain and Yves St Laurent are coupled with fabric swatches and‑are displayed to correspond with many of the outfits. A section devoted to the iconic Kelly handbag from the house of Hermes and dozens of hats, kid gloves and the scarves she wore so simply and elegantly occupy yet another room.
Following years are‑sweetly recounted with‑a‑selection of tiny smocked dresses and pin-tucked pinafores that hang on the wall of‑the Nursery room. Children’s mechanical toys, a rocking horse and mini racing car for Albert are‑displayed along with lovingly kept scrap books.
The most moving aspect of this‑room are the movies that Grace filmed herself. She captures her children in the garden playing with a hosepipe, squirting each other and then herself, all laughing hysterically.
The Princess Grace Trail through the principality is worth following. You can see the Place de la Marie, where she took Princess Stephanie to school, Chemin des Pecheurs, where she arrived on the USS Constitution before her wedding, and the Princess Grace Hospital.
Right up to her untimely death after a car crash in September, 1982, Princess Grace did not just stay‑behind the‑palace gates but entered into‑the life and spirit of this most glamorous‑place. She was an attentive mother, a loyal friend‑and a loving wife, who was‑in turn loved by all.
THE wedding of Prince Rainier of Monaco to Grace Kelly (of Hollywood) took place in April 1956.
The union of a movie star and a Prince could not have been better scripted by the studios and this inaugural exhibition charts her life from Philadelphia to the glamorous Monaco where she was, and still is, adored.
The location was ideally suited to the elegant Grace. High-rise million-dollar apartments cling to the cliffs that shelter Monaco’s harbour, which is packed with floating gin palaces belonging to the lucky few who live in this tax haven. The principality has long attracted the super-glamorous and rich with‑its party culture and stunning views.
I arrived in a bright sunny Nice before being transported to nearby Monaco, a 30-minute drive away. The glittering water of the Cote d’Azur was filled with boats and jet skis. Along the beaches were‑tanned, long-limbed bodies soaking up the rays‑and the views.
Once in Monaco itself, I found the narrow streets were busy with people out shopping. Women still have big hair here and their men dutifully walk alongside carrying Chanel and Gucci shopping bags. The exhibition, at the Grimaldi Forum, doesn’t‑begin in Monaco. It goes way back to Grace’s early life in America at 3901 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia.
The curator of the much-awaited exhibition is Frédéric Mitterrand (nephew of the former French President François) and he says the idea for‑the exhibition came from Prince Albert and the Princesses Stephanie and Caroline.
“I wanted to‑portray Princess Grace as the‑complex, bright woman she was, to concentrate on the positive aspects of her life,” he said.
The Philadelphia room of the exhibition has pictures of Grace’s three siblings and her parents. Her father was an affluent and athletic man, who was‑very much in charge of family affairs. Home movies show a laughing, jolly bunch and Grace’s high school yearbook photo reveals an all-American teenager with a wide smile and twinkling eyes, hinting at the beauty she would become.
It was from this closely-knit background that Grace left for Bucks County Playhouse, then New York to pursue acting. The New York and Hollywood years are documented with previously unseen photographs, telegrams and letters.
A hand-written note from Cary Grant reads: “Delighted you are here, dear Grace! It will cheer up the whole town – me, too! Love, Cary.”
Other messages from Frank Capra, Douglas Fairbanks, Yul Brynner, Greta Garbo and Frank Sinatra provide excellent, voyeuristic pleasure. Bing Crosby declares his love and even an upstart Jack Nicholson persuades a mutual friend to pass on a note of introduction.
Hotel de Paris, that grand wedding cake of‑a landmark in the‑pretty, flower-filled Casino Square, remains unchanged from when Grace was filming To Catch A Thief in 1955 with Cary Grant. That was the beginning of her relationship with this tiny principality. The same year, she was introduced to Prince Rainier during the Cannes Film Festival and later said to Olivia de Havilland: “He is charming, so very charming.”
Wandering into the cathedral one can only imagine how she felt as a young bride on April 19, 1956, when she married her Prince.
I spoke to many Monegasques who feel as‑if it were only yesterday they saw her taking young Stephanie to‑school, sitting at the beach club with her friends or at the ballet at Salle Garnier on the Casino Terraces. She is everywhere and many of the sights around Monaco are named in her honour.
The arrival of a new Princess in the principality is also well documented.‑A privately shot film shows her landing in Monaco, unable to speak French and with no friends, giving a glimpse of a young woman lost. However, when she sees that she is being photographed, she beams for the camera. A true professional, she was determined to make it look a breeze but the scrutiny was fierce.
She was passionate about flowers and started the Monaco Garden Club. One of her hobbies was making pictures from her own‑flowers which she dried and arranged within frames. They are meticulous and imaginative.
The Princess Grace Rose Garden on Avenue Des Gullies is‑filled with the roses she loved to‑cultivate. The Japanese Minister made a gift of cherry trees which‑can be seen in the Japanese‑Garden on the Avenue Princesse Grace.
Throughout the exhibition there are dresses worn for film roles; the stunning organza wedding outfit embroidered with violets from High Society and the exquisite wedding gown from her‑marriage to Prince Rainier were my particular highlights.
Sketches from Christian Dior, Balmain and Yves St Laurent are coupled with fabric swatches and‑are displayed to correspond with many of the outfits. A section devoted to the iconic Kelly handbag from the house of Hermes and dozens of hats, kid gloves and the scarves she wore so simply and elegantly occupy yet another room.
Following years are‑sweetly recounted with‑a‑selection of tiny smocked dresses and pin-tucked pinafores that hang on the wall of‑the Nursery room. Children’s mechanical toys, a rocking horse and mini racing car for Albert are‑displayed along with lovingly kept scrap books.
The most moving aspect of this‑room are the movies that Grace filmed herself. She captures her children in the garden playing with a hosepipe, squirting each other and then herself, all laughing hysterically.
The Princess Grace Trail through the principality is worth following. You can see the Place de la Marie, where she took Princess Stephanie to school, Chemin des Pecheurs, where she arrived on the USS Constitution before her wedding, and the Princess Grace Hospital.
Right up to her untimely death after a car crash in September, 1982, Princess Grace did not just stay‑behind the‑palace gates but entered into‑the life and spirit of this most glamorous‑place. She was an attentive mother, a loyal friend‑and a loving wife, who was‑in turn loved by all.
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
globe spotters
Until August 16th, the Hôtel de Ville in Paris is hosting “Les Années Grace Kelly, Princesse de Monaco,” a free exhibition that explores the life the MGM star actress who later became the “Peoples Princess.” The exhibition is a must do for anyone nostalgic for the simple elegance of an era studded with stars like Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn and gallant heart throbs like Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart.
Walking into the exhibit, one gets a glimpse into Grace Kelly’s childhood in Pennsylvania and the source of her confidence. Her father was a former gold medal Olympic rower whose bricklaying business became the biggest on the East Coast; her mother was the first director of the Physical Education department at the University of Pennsylvania. Against that muscular background, the young Grace Kelly was attracted to fashion shows with her mother and sisters, and starred in school plays.
The exhibition elegantly catalogues her acting career. In the 1940s, Grace signed a contract with MGM, and within five years she did eleven movies, receiving several Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. A striking wall of magazines, including the cover of Life and Time, showcases her budding celebrity. Scenes from her films, such as “Rear Window” and “The Country Girl,” for which she won the academy award for Best Actress, are projected on the walls. Her only Oscar is displayed alongside head shots, letters she exchanged between with the director Alfred Hitchcock, descriptions of her relationships with other actors like Jimmy Stewart, David Niven and Ava Gardner, and the outfits worn in her most popular films.
The exhibition makes another transition to the time after Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier of Monaco at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955 and describes their short courtship and marriage proposal. It would be a life-changing decision for America’s sweetheart. Images of the future princess leaving the United States line the walls as well as the press conference announcing her decision to abandon her acting career for her prince. Telegrams are displayed in which the Prince admits his elation with her imminent arrival and what will come with their new life together. Wedding invitations lie under glass in front of a great window featuring the princess’s exquisite Helen Rose wedding gown.
The exhibition then delves into Princesse Grace’s contribution to Monaco, how she revived state balls and invigorated culture in her adopted country. You learn about her love for writing poetry, gardening and her children Caroline, Albert II, and Stephanie — home videos that she filmed are projected. Not all connections with her homeland are lost as you learn from the display of correspondence with political contemporaries such as letters between the princess and Jackie Kennedy after the assassination of JFK.
By combining film clips, pictures, letters, clothing and purses, the exhibition not only gives insight into one of Hollywood’s iconic leading ladies, whose style and grace carried onto the royal stage, but, in a summer of special affects and comic book heroes, it makes one nostalgic for the elegance of black and white Hollywood. The exhibition, entered at the rear of the Hôtel de Ville, is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday but Sunday. Because the entrance is free, lines are inevitable. (MAP)
Until August 16th, the Hôtel de Ville in Paris is hosting “Les Années Grace Kelly, Princesse de Monaco,” a free exhibition that explores the life the MGM star actress who later became the “Peoples Princess.” The exhibition is a must do for anyone nostalgic for the simple elegance of an era studded with stars like Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn and gallant heart throbs like Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart.
Walking into the exhibit, one gets a glimpse into Grace Kelly’s childhood in Pennsylvania and the source of her confidence. Her father was a former gold medal Olympic rower whose bricklaying business became the biggest on the East Coast; her mother was the first director of the Physical Education department at the University of Pennsylvania. Against that muscular background, the young Grace Kelly was attracted to fashion shows with her mother and sisters, and starred in school plays.
The exhibition elegantly catalogues her acting career. In the 1940s, Grace signed a contract with MGM, and within five years she did eleven movies, receiving several Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. A striking wall of magazines, including the cover of Life and Time, showcases her budding celebrity. Scenes from her films, such as “Rear Window” and “The Country Girl,” for which she won the academy award for Best Actress, are projected on the walls. Her only Oscar is displayed alongside head shots, letters she exchanged between with the director Alfred Hitchcock, descriptions of her relationships with other actors like Jimmy Stewart, David Niven and Ava Gardner, and the outfits worn in her most popular films.
The exhibition makes another transition to the time after Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier of Monaco at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955 and describes their short courtship and marriage proposal. It would be a life-changing decision for America’s sweetheart. Images of the future princess leaving the United States line the walls as well as the press conference announcing her decision to abandon her acting career for her prince. Telegrams are displayed in which the Prince admits his elation with her imminent arrival and what will come with their new life together. Wedding invitations lie under glass in front of a great window featuring the princess’s exquisite Helen Rose wedding gown.
The exhibition then delves into Princesse Grace’s contribution to Monaco, how she revived state balls and invigorated culture in her adopted country. You learn about her love for writing poetry, gardening and her children Caroline, Albert II, and Stephanie — home videos that she filmed are projected. Not all connections with her homeland are lost as you learn from the display of correspondence with political contemporaries such as letters between the princess and Jackie Kennedy after the assassination of JFK.
By combining film clips, pictures, letters, clothing and purses, the exhibition not only gives insight into one of Hollywood’s iconic leading ladies, whose style and grace carried onto the royal stage, but, in a summer of special affects and comic book heroes, it makes one nostalgic for the elegance of black and white Hollywood. The exhibition, entered at the rear of the Hôtel de Ville, is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. everyday but Sunday. Because the entrance is free, lines are inevitable. (MAP)
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
gasoline alley
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
starface
scriptgirl
Active Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Messages
- 12,226
- Reaction score
- 5
You are most welcome!
flickr
flickr
