Don’t most little girls dream of being a princess? A princess costume is generally a favorite costume of girls for Halloween. But what are the chances of that dream ever coming true?
I imagine that Grace Kelly was at one time one of those little girls who dreamed of being a princess. But Grace Kelly loved the spotlight and truly wanted to be an actress. . As an actress she played the role of Princess Alexandra in her final film. Shortly after that Grace Kelly did indeed become the wife of Prince Rainier of Monaco making her a royal princess.
Young Grace Kelly Her Early Years
Grace Patricia Kelly was born in, “The City of Brotherly Love”, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 12, 1929. She was the third child for John (Jack) and Margaret Kelly. While athletics played a big part in the Kelly family, Grace was not much for athletics. She had more of an avid interest in drama and acting.
When Grace was about twelve, she became interested in acting. But at twelve many considered her to be an ugly duckling of sorts. She was small, thin, and she needed glasses because she was nearsighted. But Grace Kelly was destined to turn into a beautiful swan, an actress and eventually a royal princess.
Grace Kelly the Actress
In 1942, she appeared in “Don’t Feed the Animals” which was a small theater group near her home. In the fall of 1947, she enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, located in New York. It was during this time that she became a successful model. She appeared on covers of many women’s magazines, while also making appearances on TV dramas.
In 1949, Grace made her debut on the Broadway stage. Shortly after that Grace made the move to Southern California and motion pictures. Her first motion picture was “Fourteen Hours” in 1951, which also starred Gary Cooper and Lloyd Bridges. She starred in the movie “Country Girl” in 1954 with Bing Crosby. Her performance won her the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for best actress.
Grace Kelly Movies
- The Swan 1956
- Fourteen Hours 1951
- High Society 1956
- Dial M For Murder An Alfred Hitchcock thriller 1954
- Mogambo 1953
- To Catch A Thief 1954
- High Noon 1952
- The Country Girl 1954 Won the Oscar for Best Actress
- The Rear Window 1954 Another Alfred Hitchcock movie
Grace Kelly was a highly talented, beautiful, and sought after actress of the 1950s.
The American Actress Meets her Prince
In May 1955, Grace met Prince Rainier of Monaco, the richest bachelor in the world. She had agreed to attend the Cannes Film Festival and to be photographed with the Prince. Grace was just twenty six and the Prince was thirty two. After the photo session ended, the Prince took Grace to visit the gardens and his zoo. Over time, the Prince and Grace began a courtship that would lead to marriage. It was a union between the beautiful American actress and the Prince of Monaco. Marrying into a royal family, a bride must meet certain conditions like providing a dowry to the husband.
Grace’s family was required to send a sizable dowry in the amount of $2,000,000. Grace had to take a fertility test to ensure that she could produce an heir to the throne. It was also agreed that Grace would give up her acting career. She would move to Prince Rainier’s home in Monaco, which was a 235 room palace that overlooked the Mediterranean Sea. The hardest thing for Grace to accept was the possibility of giving up all rights to her children. If the marriage did not work, then Prince Rainier would have custody of any children the couple produced.
The Wedding
On April 18, 1956, Prince Rainier Grimaldi and Grace Kelly exchanged vows in French in a civil ceremony. On April 19, 1956 the couple were married again in a religious ceremony officially making Grace Kelly Princess Grace of Monaco. Princess Grace would give birth to three royal children. Princess Caroline was born in 1957, Prince Albert born in 1958, and Princess Stephanie born in 1965.
Tragedy Strikes
Tragedy struck the royal couple on Sept 13, 1982. Princess Grace was driving with her daughter Stephanie on a steep curving road and her car went over one of the steep curves. While Stephanie only had minor injuries, Princess Grace’s injuries were more severe and would claim her life two days later.
There have been many rumors about what caused Princess Grace’s car to plunge down the cliff, akin to the rumors surrounding Princess Diane’s death. However, Dr Louis Chateline, the physician who treated the princess at Monaco states that Princess Grace suffered two strokes. The first stroke struck her while she was driving causing her to lose control of her vehicle. A second stroke took her life.
Grace Kelly will long be remembered for many things. Her movies and her timeless beauty are among them. Her family remembers her as a wife, mother, and daughter. She will also always be known as the American Princess Grace of Monaco
History Lovers Corner 