Happy ever after for the princes and the showgirls?
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary on May 19 but, writes Steve Cain, Meghan isn’t the first actress to marry into royalty
When Prince Harry, the UK’s most eligible bachelor, married the Hollywood actress Meghan Markle in a fairtytale wedding ceremony at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on a gloriously sunny spring day in May 2018, who would have doubted that they’d live “happily ever after”?
However, what followed was more like the stuff that soap operas are made of rather than fairy tales: two explosive tell-all TV interviews, one with Tom Bradby and, more controversially, the other with Oprah Winfrey; an acrimonious brotherly feud between Harry and William; the decision to step down as senior members of the royal family; the publication of Harry’s raw and damning autobiography, “Spare”, and a six-part Netflix documentary series, “Harry and Meghan”.
So, the road to happiness, contentment and fulfilment has been a rather rocky one for the prince and the showgirl. But, how did others fare before them?
Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly
On April 19, 1956, in the Cathedral of St Nicholas, Monaco, Grace Patricia Kelly married. His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III. To the rest of the world, their wedding was the ultimate version of the classic fairytale. She, the third child of a Philadelphia bricklayer, had left an unhappy home to find fame and fortune in Hollywood. He, the archetypal dashing prince, had transported her across two continents to a palace where they would rule together and live happily ever after. The true story, however, was not so magical.
Although Grace was a naturally good mother to the couple’s three children (Caroline, born January 23, 1957; Albert, born March 14, 1958, and Stephanie, born February 1, 1965), under the surface there were strains, and she was often unhappy – and very lonely.
Although Rainier was a devoted father, who spent as much time as was possible with his family, work kept him away from them for long periods. And, although Grace had plenty of visitors, she found it very difficult to meet and make friends in Monaco.
Her longings to reprise her career, which she had kept to herself since she married in the vain hope that they would go away, would not be silenced. When, in 1962, Hitchcock sent her the script for “Marnie” she badly wanted to do it. Rainier, who could not bear to see Grace unhappy, agreed.
Despite the announcement that all the money Grace earned would go to a charity to help needy children in Monaco, public reaction in the principality was unanimous outrage. So much so that Grace was forced to give up the role, which subsequently went to Tippi Hedren. Grace would never star in a movie again.
However, she slowly carved out a role for herself in Monaco and also began to use her influence subtly on her husband as Prince. One of her greatest successes was to convince him to introduce votes for women.
Tragically, in September 1982, Grace was killed as a result of a road traffic accident when the Rover 3500 she was driving collided with a truck on a dangerous stretch of road with three particularly sharp hairpin bends.
Prince Aly Khan and Rita Hayworth
The Prince with the playboy reputation pursued the beautiful actress who epitomised Hol
lywood stardom: Aly Khan and Rita Hayworth’s love affair was deeply passionate and tempestuous. But all she really wanted was a happy home life. Instead jealous scenes and extravagant reconciliations finally wrecked their dreams.
The couple met at a dinner party held by the American high society personality, Elsa Maxwell. Hayworth arrived fashionably late, looking radiant, and Prince Aly Khan was immediately smitten.
When the couple married, on May 27, 1949, Aly Khan became Rita’s third husband. However, her dreams of blissful domesticity were never to come true. Though passionately in love, neither Aly nor Rita seemed able to adapt to the other’s lifestyle.
Aly was happiest surrounded by a very sophisticated international group of people. Rita, despite her glamorous image, was completely out of her depth and found her new role as Princess Aly Khan remarkably hard to master. She struggled to fit in with his friends, and found it difficult to learn French.
Aly Khan’s restless spirit required constant entertainment and stimulation, while Rita preferred to spend quiet intimate evenings at home with her husband. Known in certain circles as “the playboy prince”, it was suspected that Aly Khan was unfaithful to Rita during their marriage.
Inevitably, perhaps, the marriage soon began to disintegrate – despite the birth of their daughter, Yasmin, who was born on December 28, 1949.
Their differences aside, there were still strong bonds of love between Rita and Aly, not least their devotion to their daughter. Sadly, though, efforts to regain the earlier magic failed.
In September 1952, Hayworth told reporters: “I love Aly very much, but he doesn’t understand family life. He thinks only of gambling, horse racing, and big game hunting. He is a playboy, while I work all year round in Hollywood. When I come to Paris, it isn’t to live in a house where there are 80 friends of all kinds coming and going. What’s more, Aly spends too much, while I have to work for the two of us.”
In January 1953, Rita was awarded an uncontested divorce from the playboy prince and was granted custody of Yasmin.
Prince Frederic von Anhalt and Zsa Zsa Gabor
In 1984, Prince Frederic von Anhalt moved to the United States, becoming a socialite and living a flamboyant lifestyle. On August 14, 1986, he married the Hungarian-American actress and socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was 26 years his senior. It was his seventh marriage and her ninth!
“We didn’t marry for love,” said Anhalt. “It was friendship, but when you’re with someone over a certain time you fall in love.”
The couple remained married until Gabor’s death in 2016. It seemed that she had finally found her Prince Charming, since her marriage to Anhalt was the longest of her nine.