Graceful Princess lives on as movies tar royalty
With her breathtaking beauty and piercing blue eyes, it’s no wonder Grace Kelly became one of the most iconic “Hitchcock Blondes” in cinematic history.
Starring alongside such cinema legends as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, James Stewart and Carry Grant, Kelly’s elegant poise helped her secure an enviable place on the silver screen, staring in 11 feature films in her short, six-year career.
But just as her star was beginning to rise, the actress made the most shocking move of all, abandoning her leading lady status to take up a new role – that of wife and princess.
Born on November 12, 1929, Grace Patricia Kelly was third child of three-time Olympic medal-winning rower John B Kelly and wife Margaret Majer.
Raised in Philadelphia surrounded by wealth and influence, a young Kelly stunned her family by announcing plans to pursue acting, a profession her father famously described as a “slim cut above streetwalker”.
Undeterred, Kelly sought advice from her paternal uncle George, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, who helped her win a place at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
After a short stint in television and theatre, Kelly caught the attention of Hollywood with her appearance in 1952 hit, High Noon.
From there a contract with MGM studios ensured more high-profile roles followed, and the young starlet soon garnered a reputation as one of industry’s most enigmatic and intriguing characters.
Starring in three Hitchcock flicks – Dial M For Murder, Rear Window and To Catch A Thief – the director described Kelly as a “snow-covered volcano”, referencing her icy hair and powerful screen presence. However, fame, wealth and the acclaim of one of the world’s most respected directors didn’t mean much once she found the love of her life.
Kelly met Prince Rainier III of Monaco during the 1955 Cannes Film Festival and, just one year later, left Tinsel Town behind to become Princess Grace. The coming years saw Kelly dedicated to her new title within the House of Grimaldi.
But audiences around the world would never get to see Kelly grow gracefully into her later years, after a tragic car accident in the hills above Monaco brought her life to an end in 1982, aged just 52. Speaking at her memorial service, former co-star James Stewart effortlessly summarised why Grace Kelly remains Hollywood royalty to this day:
“Grace brought into my life as she brought into yours, a soft, warm light every time I saw her, and every time I saw her was a holiday of its own.
“No question, I’ll miss her, we’ll all miss her, God bless you, Princess Grace.”