An image of beauty and elegance, Grace Kelly epitomized the Golden Age of Hollywood’s leading lady. While her life came to an unexpected end when she was tragically killed in a car accident in 1982, her legacy still lives on.
Remembering the life of Princess Grace of Monaco, the former Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly, born on Nov. 12, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pa., quickly rose to prominence in her career as a leading Hollywood actress, with a starring role in her second film 'High Noon' (1952). Kelly won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in 'The Country Girl' (1954) and starred in several Alfred Hitchcock films such as 'Dial M for Murder' (1954) among other notable roles before marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco on April 19, 1956. Princess Grace of Monaco died in Monte Carlo on Sept. 14, 1982, of injuries sustained in a car accident the day before. She was 52. Princess Grace, the former Grace Kelly, remains a timeless icon. Take a look back at her life and career.
An image of beauty and elegance, Grace Kelly epitomized the Golden Age of Hollywood’s leading lady. While her life came to an unexpected end when she was tragically killed in a car accident in 1982, her legacy still lives on.
John Kelly Jr. of Philadelphia, Pa., who represented the United States in the Single Sculls event at the 1948 Olympic Games, gets a kiss from his sister Grace Kelly on July 14, 1948, shortly before he sailed from New York en route to the Olympics in London.
Movie producer Samuel Goldwyn, left, interviews actress Grace Kelly on Feb. 15, 1950, in New York.
Grace Kelly starred in her first major film, “High Noon” (1952), alongside Gary Cooper. The Western film was a box office success. Kelly earned her first Oscar nomination in her next film, “Mogambo” (1953), starring alongside Clark Gable and Eva Gardner.
Grace Kelly helps her old school, Stevens Junior School, raise funds, in 1953, in Philadelphia, Pa.
Grace Kelly starred in three films from iconic director Alfred Hitchcock. Here, Kelly is pictured in a scene from her first Hitchcock film “Dial M for Murder” (1954).
Getting into the spirit of the holiday, Grace Kelly donned a green dress for a photo shoot on St. Patrick’s Day in 1954, showcasing her timeless elegance and beauty.
Grace Kelly films a scene in 1953 with Jimmy Stewart, left, while being directed by Alfred Hitchcock, right, while starring in her second Hitchcock film, the suspense thriller “Rear Window” (1954).
Grace Kelly’s impact on Hollywood certainly did not go unnoticed! Grace Kelly celebrates winning an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film “The Country Girl” with screenwriter George Seaton who won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for the same film on March 30, 1955, in Los Angeles. The year before Kelly was a nominee for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in “Mogambo.”
Pfc. Andy Schummer of California talks with actress Grace Kelly and director Alfred Hitchcock on May 21, 1954, in Cannes, France, where they are filming “To Catch a Thief” (1955). Schummer, an aspiring actor back home, was spotted by Hitchcock for a small part in the film while the GI was spending his leave at the French resort.
Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III are photographed on Jan. 6, 1955.
Graceful Grace Kelly wears a beach outfit in 1955, in Paris, designed especially for her latest movie, “To Catch A Thief.” The black halter suit, with toreador pant, is topped by a loosely woven white apron skirt which can double as a cape. Chief studio designer Edith Head created the ensemble.
In her third and final Alfred Hitchcock film, Grace Kelly played opposite Hollywood’s suave leading man, Cary Grant. In this scene from the 1955 hit movie, “To Catch A Thief,” Kelly and Grant showcase their on-screen chemistry.
Prince Rainier III of Monaco has that bridegroom-to-be look as his fiancee, Grace Kelly, shows her engagement ring of interlocking diamonds and rubies to her mother, Mrs. Margaret Kelly, during a press interview following announcement that Kelly will marry Prince Rainier III. Kelly’s father, John, smiles his approval at right. The press reception was held at the home of Kelly’s parents on Jan. 5, 1956, in Philadelphia, Pa.
Prince Rainier III, 32, of Monaco and Grace Kelly, 26, queen of the American screen, pose for photographers at the Kelly home in Philadelphia, Pa. on Jan. 5, 1956, after announcing their engagement the day before. They’ll wed after Easter this year, following a romance that began last year on the Riviera.
Grace Kelly begins work on Jan. 19, 1956, with Frank Sinatra on “High Society,” the last movie she’d make before her scheduled wedding shortly after Easter to Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
Grace Kelly smiles as she holds a camera in her hands, pointed at entertainer Frank Sinatra during a pause in the filming of “High Society,” on Jan. 19, 1956, in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, Calif.
In 1956, Grace Kelly appeared in her final film, “High Society,” before she traded in her life as Hollywood royalty for a life of actual royalty. The blond beauty is seen here in a scene from the musical with her co-stars Bing Crosby, left, and Frank Sinatra.
From left, Jean Simmons, Gregory Peck and Grace Kelly are photographed at the 1956 Golden Globe Awards on Feb. 23, 1956, in Los Angeles. Simmons won an award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical/Comedy for her role in “Guys and Dolls” and Kelly was honored with the Henrietta Award for World Film Favorites.
Grace Kelly wears a costume from the film “High Society,” an afternoon-length gown of white organdy embroidered with pink and green flowers over a pink taffeta slip, in April 1956, designed by costumer Helen Rose. Rose is also designing the bridal gown to be worn by Kelly for her marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
Grace Kelly takes the sun on a deck of the S.S. Constitution, on April 12, 1956, on her way from New York to Monaco to marry Prince Rainier III.
Grace Kelly teaches her two nieces, Margaret, 9, at left, and her sister Mary Lee, 7, how to play shuffleboard on April 8, 1956, on a deck of the S.S. Constitution en route to Monaco. The girls are daughters of Mr. and Mrs. George L. Davis and were flowers girls at Kelly’s wedding.
Dubbed “the wedding of the century” by the press, the wedding of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco was estimated to have been watched by over 30 million viewers on April 19, 1956, on live television. Kelly’s lavish gown was designed by Academy Award-winning costume designer Helen Rose and required three dozen seamstresses and six weeks to make.
On April 19, 1956, Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco, making her the Princess of Monaco. A vision in white, Kelly is pictured here with her husband after their wedding ceremony.
Princess Grace waves to cheering crowds lining the road as she rides in an open car with Prince Rainier III following their marriage in a religious wedding ceremony in the St. Nicholas Cathedral on April 19, 1956, in Monaco.
Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III board his yacht, the Deo Muvante 11, in April 1956, in Monaco, to sail for a Mediterranean honeymoon. Oliver, Princess Grace’s pet poodle, goes too.
The first official photograph of Prince Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre of Monaco, the son and heir of Prince Rainier III, is taken in the arms of his mother, Princess Grace, on March 17, 1958, in Monaco.
Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III of Monaco had three children together: Prince Albert and Princesses Caroline and Stephanie. Here, Princess Grace is presenting their newborn son Albert II, while Prince Rainier III holds their daughter, Princess Caroline, on April 19, 1958.
Princess Grace of Monaco and her 18 month-old daughter Princess Caroline leave a toy shop on Sept. 16, 1958, in Monaco. Princess Caroline helped her mother select a gift for her baby brother Prince Albert II.
Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco are together in Royal Box at Imperial Ball, Society-Charity Event on Dec. 4, 1958, in New York. They were guests of honor at benefit, one of the top society outings of the year.
From left, Prince Rainier III, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II and Princess Grace of Monaco are on a lawn on April 18, 1963, in Philadelphia, Pa.
Renowned opera singer Maria Callas, left, chats with Princess Grace at a gala in aid of refugees on Aug. 1, 1963, in Monaco, while Prince Rainier III stands in the background.
From left, Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco visit with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 1966.
Princess Grace of Monaco, the former Grace Kelly of Philadelphia, Pa., waves from the doorway of the plane on Sept. 8, 1966, as she arrives in Boston, Ma., with her daughter, Princess Stephanie, and son, Prince Albert II. They were en route to her hometown.
Princess Grace and her children, Princess Stephanie and Prince Albert II, sit by a pool in January 1967, in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Princess Grace, left, is with ballet stars Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn in 1968.
Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco participate in opening ceremonies of a two-week festival of flowers on Oct. 11, 1971, at Neiman-Marcus in Dallas, Texas.
Alfred Hitchcock tried to convince his favorite leading lady to return to film, but he was unsuccessful. Here, the duo is reunited for the Film Society Tribute to Alfred Hitchcock in 1974.
Six years before her untimely death, Princess Grace is photographed with her family on April 26, 1976, in Monte Carlo. With her from left are Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II, Princess Stephanie and her husband, Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
Princess Grace is with her daughter, Princess Caroline, on July 30, 1978, in Ocean City, N.J.
Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III attend the installation of John Paul II as Pope in Rome on Oct. 22, 1978.
