Wedding to Prince Rainier III. After clasping her hand warmly and taking a moment to wave at the people both on boats and ashore, the Deo Juvante turned toward Monaco. He won a bronze medal in the 1956 Olympics. Representatives of dozens of nations and royal families were in attendance, including Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones representing the British royal family, Conrad Hilton who represented President Eisenhower, and Francois Mitterrand, then Minister of Justice, representing France. Sources: Early on the morning of April 12, Prince Rainier boarded his yacht, the Deo Juvante, and set out into the Bay of Hercules. The boy first studied in England and Switzerland, then moved to Montpellier. 0 bids. The Famous People - Biography of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco The Guardian - Biography of Prince Rainier of Monaco Independent - Princess Antoinette: Member of Monaco's Royal Family Decried For Her Attempt to Meddle With The Succession Smiling in a brisk March wind and surrounded by photographers and fans, Grace Kelly poses just off of Fifth Avenue in New York, 1956. The nuptials were held in two parts: a civil ceremony followed by an intimate religious ceremony. Eventually, she was escorted away to the bridal suite by security and the press was removed, in some cases bodily, to the dock. Prince Rainier III of Monaco and US actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly are seen during their wedding lunch in Monaco on April 19, 1956. The wedding had … Howard Sochurek The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. The civil ceremony took place on April 18, 1956, in the Throne Room of the palace. There were 66 members of the party, plus the Weimaraner puppy Grace received as a wedding gift and her pampered poodle, Oliver. Tragically, Princess Grace died on September 14, 1982, from injuries received in an automobile accident. In addition to their son Rainier, the couple had a daughter Antoinette Louise Alberte Suzanne who was born December 28, 1920. Princess Charlotte was born Charlotte Louise Juliette Louvet, the illegitimate daughter of Marie Juliette Louvet, a cabaret singer, and Prince Louis II of Monaco. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco, April 1956. Ending Nov 21 at 10:15AM PST 6d 17h. 1956: Prince Rainier marries Grace Kelly Prince Rainier III of Monaco has married the American film actress Grace Kelly. Select from premium Prince Rainier Iii Of Monaco of the highest quality. Given the diverse backgrounds of the bride and groom, the guest list for their wedding ceremonies was equally unusual. Lisa Larsen The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. Each of the other layers held scenes from Monaco’s history crafted gently into the sides, and between the fourth and fifth layers, the Monegasque crest was duplicated in red and white spun sugar. Among the more practical was a Rolls-Royce, among the less useful a gold and bone hatchet. The marriage was met with mass attention from the public, described as the "wedding of the century" and the Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, the day after announcing their engagement, January 1956. After both Grace and Rainier had quietly answered “Yes” to the vows posed to them, Monseigneur Paul Marella, representative of Pope Pius XII, gave a blessing from the Pope and the ceremony was complete. Online takes a look back at one of the most iconic weddings of the century, which holds much pride in Monaco's heart, that of American actress Grace Kelly to her handsome Prince Rainier III of Monaco. . The former was a famous American actress while the latter was the Prince of Monaco. $2.62 shipping. The Principality of Monaco, probably the smallest sovereign state in all the world, is home to 4,000 Monegasques and 16,000 other foreign nationals. She was bestowed with the royal title on her marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco at the age of 26; the prince was 32 at the time. The whole country of Monaco held its breath… and was terribly disappointed when they actually saw Grace. Other items such as stockings were purchased in New York, in addition to a number of everyday dresses and shoes. YouTube: Wedding of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly Prince… Rainier’s father, Count Pierre de Polignac, was the son of Count Maxence de Polignac, a French aristocrat, and Susana María de la Torre y Mier, whose family were descendants of Mexican nobility. For her arrival, she had chosen a navy blue coatdress and a broad-brimmed white hat. Rainier, Grace and their three children; Photo source: The Telegraph, All content copyright Unofficial Royalty 2018. Grace Kelly, daughter of a millionaire former hod carrier [in short, a construction laborer] from Philadelphia and the virtual princess of moviedom’s make-believe world, was getting married there. . Grace’s sister, Margaret (Peggy) Kelly Davis, was her matron of honor. Ninety yards of tulle tied with bows of taffeta and lace constituted her veil. Rainier was born on 21st May 1923. Rainier went on to get himself a Chrysler model in New York the following day and had it sent to Monaco. by Susan Flantzer Prince Rainier III of Monaco married Grace Kelly on April 18, 1956, in a civil ceremony in the Throne Room of the Prince's Palace in Monaco-Ville, Monaco and in a religious ceremony on April 19, 1956, at St. Nicholas' Cathedral in Monaco-Ville, Monaco. Grace’s father, known as Jack, had won three gold medals in rowing in the 1920 and 1924 Olympics. Constitution. The bridesmaids included Bettina Thompson Gray and Sally Parrish Richardson, with whom Grace had attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts; Maree Frisby Pamp, who had known Grace since high school; Carolyn Scott Reybold, who had lived in the same residence hotel with Grace as they began their acting careers in New York; Rita Gam Lumet, another young actress from New York; and Judith Balaban Kanter who was, at that time, married to Grace’s agent, Jay. A gangway was extended between the two ships, and the Prince stepped forward to meet his fiancée. Because air travel was not, in 1956, what it is today, Grace Kelly traveled to her wedding in Monaco by ship. A woman puts the finishing touches on the pearl-studded prayer book for Grace Kelly’s wedding, Hollywood, Calif., 1956. One of the most famous royal love stories is that of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III. The bodice and Grace’s lace Juliet cap were re-embroidered with seed pearls, as were her shoes. She accessorized the dress with matching Cuban heeled shoes, a pleated chiffon turban adorned with flowers, and white gloves. Last on the list were sable, mink and leopard skin coats. Allan Grant The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. Kelly’s dress required 25 yards of silk taffeta, 100 yards of silk net, 125-year-old rose-point lace bought from a museum, and thousands of tiny pearls. At that moment, a seaplane belonging to Aristotle Onassis flew over the harbor, dropping thousands of red and white carnations, the colors of Monaco, on the ships and crowds below. “Not too high in the heel,” the media noted of Grace’s new shoes, probably because she and Rainier were close in height. At eleven o’clock, Monsieur Marcel Portanier, President of the State Council of Monaco began the ceremony by asking Prince Rainier if he had permission to proceed. Grace had intended to have a small press conference to announce her departure. Related He was the second child, and only son, of Princess Charlotte of Monaco , illegitimate and adopted daughter of Prince Louis II of Monaco , and Count Pierre de Polignac . Grace’s friends and family were fond of word games, cards, and charades and all these were played with great gusto. And so an old-style fairy tale came to its appropriately romantic conclusion, but only after a number of modern day variations and additions had come to pass. Conversely, Hollywood columnist Dorothy Kilgallen was a reporter first and a guest second. Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace on their wedding day on April 19, 1956 in Monaco. Pierre had been made a citizen of Monaco the month before the wedding. After meeting the Prince in Monaco during the Cannes Film Festival in May of 1955, Grace corresponded quietly with Rainier until he made a trip to the United States in December of that year. The three petticoats beneath were so well made that the designer admitted they could have been worn separately as evening dresses. YouTube: Wedding of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly, Unofficial Royalty; Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Unofficial Royalty: Princess Grace of Monaco, Wedding of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Unofficial Royalty Current Monarchies Websites, Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick, Mistress of King Edward VII of The United Kingdom. Find the perfect Prince Rainier Iii Of Monaco stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Rainier wore a dress uniform he had designed himself, which included a black tunic with gold leaves on the cuffs, sky blue trousers with a gold stripe down the side, and a dark blue tricorn hat with a white ostrich plume. During the two-day celebration held across the 18th and 19th April 1956, the couple were to begin a marriage heralded by many Americans as a fairy tale. Seamstresses work on Grace Kelly’s wedding dress and veil, conceived by MGM’s wardrobe designer, Helen Rose, Hollywood, Calif., 1956. He died on April 6, 2005, after ruling Monaco for nearly 56 years. Prince Rainier III of Monaco married Grace Kelly on April 18, 1956, in a civil ceremony in the Throne Room of the Prince’s Palace in Monaco-Ville, Monaco and in a religious ceremony on April 19, 1956, at St. Nicholas’ Cathedral in Monaco-Ville, Monaco. She had to go through two weddings, separately required by the Napoleonic Code of Monaco and the laws of the Roman Catholic Church. It buttoned down to a silk cummerbund and then descended in a perfect bell shape to the floor. Once they were finished, they had to go through the entire 40-minute ceremony again for the MGM cameras present. The Prince, however, seemed overwhelmed by her appearance. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier show her engagement ring to her mother and father at the Kelly home in Philadelphia, 1956. Prince Rainier III in the childhood. The Choir School of the Cathedral sang Bach’s “Uxor Tua” and Purcell’s “Alleluia”. In the years since he has maintained the tiny Mediterranean principality as a prosperous slice of a bygone era, attractive to the rich and idle for its sunshine, lavish casino, and absence of income tax. Bush. His Serene Highness Prince Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi was born on May 31, 1923, in Monaco. After their wedding, Monaco’s newlyweds wasted no time starting a family: Nine months and four days later, Grace gave birth to Princess Caroline, their first of three children. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier dance not long after announcing their engagement, 1956. Five years later, upon the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II on May 9, 1949, Rainier became Rainier III, Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Their children are: Approximately 250 members of the press swarmed Grace as she stood on deck. The days were spent visiting with friends and family and making last-minute preparations. Grace Kelly leaves a Hollywood studio lot for last time before her marriage, 1956. The religious ceremony took place in the main Cathedral of the Principality in Monaco-ville, at the end of the service a congratulation from the Pope of Rome was read. Grace Kelly packing for her trip to Monaco, March 1956. Grace’s close friend from Hollywood, Rupert Allen, sat with Ava Gardner, whom Grace had befriended when they worked on “Mogambo”. The couple was married for 26 years, until the princess’ death in 1982 from injuries sustained in a car accident. [During the second] she became a wife indeed when she helped the nervous Prince Rainier settle the ring on her finger. In addition, Ms. Rose used 25 yards of silk peau de soie, 25 yards of silk taffeta, and approximately 100 yards of silk tulle. At the age of 26, the Oscar winning actress Grace Kelly became Her Serene Highness, Princess Grace of Monaco when she married Prince Rainier III. Sixty years ago today actress turned princess Grace Kelly and Monaco's Prince Rainier III were married in a fabulous two-week event. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier in Monaco, the day before their wedding, April 1956. Grace Kelly was a well-known film actress before her marriage. Later, legislation made Charlotte legitimate, allowed her father to adopt her, and gave her the surname Grimaldi, and the title Duchess of Valentinois for life. The gentlemen witnesses wore dark suits, and the ladies wore tea-length dresses and hats. It was created by Helen Rose, MGM’s costume designer and personal friend of Grace. Interestingly, Grace’s son Albert participated in bobsledding in the Winter Olympics of 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002 and has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1985. The bridesmaids wore pale yellow organdy dresses which had been custom-made at Neiman Marcus, with yellow organdy hats and wrist-length white gloves. After that, the couple spent several weeks cruising the Riviera, the coast of Spain where they met and spent time with friends, and Corsica, where days were spent lounging on sun-drenched beaches. Wedding of Rainier III Prince of Monaco to Princess Grace on April 19 1956 in Monaco. The most prominent guest at both ceremonies was the world. Grace began shopping for her trousseau at Neiman Marcus in Dallas. Gilles Barthe, administers the nuptial benediction at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, April 1956. Princess Grace and Prince Rainier wedding photo (Getty) The 26-year-old also said he felt a duty to his country and to marry in Monaco, instead of the bride's hometown of Nice, France. Monaco’s Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly at time of the announcement of their engagement, January 1956. Throughout the palpitant anxieties which are the lot of every bride, Miss Kelly was everything the enthusiastic Monegasques could have wished. Jack had started his work career as a bricklayer and after serving in World War I, he created a bricklaying business that made him a millionaire. 3777 Getty Images This marks the second time this year … Before Harry and Meghan, before William and Kate, before Charles and Di, before Liz and Dick (I and II), before any of the “storybook” weddings of the past several decades, there was the fairytale wedding of the last century: the April 1956 nuptials of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The back of the gown was a marvel, the silk skirt dividing in such a way that the antique lace and tulle seemed to flow from the waist into a long, graceful train. As Grace’s party waited on deck, they could hear bands on the shore and on nearby boats playing American tunes and every window in Monte Carlo appeared to be open and filled with people. Ralph Morse The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. Monseigneur Paul Marella, the Apostolic Nuncio of Paris, represented Pope Pius XII and carried blessings from the Pontiff. Before filming ended in February, Rainier returned to Monaco, and Grace began throwing herself actively into wedding plans and closing her New York apartment. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier kneel during Mass at their religious wedding, April 1956. Besides Grace, the Kellys had three other children: Margaret Katherine, known as Peggy, born on June 13, 1925; John Brendan, Jr., known as Kell, born on May 24, 1927, and Elizabeth Anne, known as Lizanne, born June 25, 1933. Constitution with her family, her bridal party, their families, and assorted friends for the voyage. Among her films are: High Noon with Gary Cooper, Mogambo with Clark Gable, three Alfred Hitchcock films: Dial M for Murder with Ray Milland, Rear Window with James Stewart, and To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant, The Country Girl with Bing Crosby and William Holden for which Grace won an Academy Award for Best Actress, and her last film High Society with Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. She boarded the U.S.S. After a year-long courtship described as containing "a good deal of rational appraisal on both sides" (The Times, 7 April 2005, page 59), Prince Rainier married Oscar-winning American actress Grace Kelly (1929–1982) in 1956. $50,000 worth of jewels swiped from the wife of a pal of Grace’s father . The Monaco wedding on April 18, 1956, was one of the most visually beautiful weddings the world had seen. Fireworks light up the sky above Monaco in celebration of the wedding of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly, April 1956. The Prince wore a morning coat, gray trousers, white waistcoat, and gray silk tie. In the film, Grace plays a young woman engaged to be married. ... Kelly accepted the proposal, and they began to plan the wedding. Somerset Maugham, along with other luminaries, boarded small buses for the trip to the church since parking was unavailable. April 19, 1956, 63 years ago, the legendary wedding of Prince Monaco Rainier III and the 27-year-old American actress Grace Kelly took place. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier join hands as the Bishop of Monaco, Mgr. 0 bids. $4.25. At 10:30 a.m., Grace and her attendants arrived at the church which was filled with white lilacs and lilies of the valley. Thanks! Grace Kelly and her poodle, Oliver, 1956. Grace’s sister Peggy and Rainier’s sister, Princess Antoinette, acted as her witnesses, and Rainier had his cousin Count Charles de Polignac, his good friend Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Marie Ardant, and Grace’s brother Kell. Wedding ceremony of Prince Rainier III of Monaco to Grace Kelly, April 1956. The top held two cherubs standing upon clouds of filigreed icing, with a replica of the crown of Monaco suspended above their heads. CREATIVE. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier wed, St. Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco, April 19, 1956. She switched the rings immediately; which means the lovely diamond she’s seen polishing on a throw pillow in the movie is her actual engagement ring. One page dropped Rainier’s ring, and the Prince struggled to put Grace’s ring on her finger. The gown had a high, stiffened lace collar with a close-fitting bodice and arms. By the time of the wedding, Grace Kelly’s fame was enshrined with pieces such as Fred Zinnemann’s High Noon and Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and … Grace’s wedding gown for the religious ceremony was a gift from MGM. On the day before Prince Rainier’s twenty-first birthday, Princess Charlotte renounced her claim to the throne of Monaco in favor of her son. Grace Kelly with her mother, Margaret Majer Kelly, before leaving New York for Monaco in March 1956. Since Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly had two wedding ceremonies, they also had two receptions. There were six tiers in all, making it taller than both the bride and groom. Aristotle Onassis, who had showered Monaco with flowers when Grace arrived, was also there for the religious ceremony accompanied by his wife, Tina. The religious ceremony took place the following day. Home » Wedding to Prince Rainier III. Barney Balaban, a founder of Paramount Pictures, and his wife made the trip from America. Nonetheless, Kelly gave up her film career at the age of 26 to become Princess of Monaco and wife to Prince Rainier III, 32 years old. For the civil ceremony that took place on April 18, 1956, Grace and Rainier had five official witnesses. Each evening there was a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and a party. Grace Kelly prays before her wedding to Prince Rainier III, April 1956. Storyline. The ceremonies in Monaco were on 18 April 1956 (civil) and 19 April 1956 (religious). Also included were Grace’s showbiz friends. When Rainier arrived a few minutes later, the ceremony began. . The wedding itself is only one part of the … Monaco 1885 Prince Charles III, MH, VF (Scott #8) $58.50. Thomas D. McAvoy The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images. The second wedding reception, following the religious ceremony, was much more elaborate and limited to the 600 guests who attended the service. Scion of one of Europe's oldest extant monarchies, Prince Rainier III (born 1923) became the thirty-first ruler of Monaco in 1949. | Source: Getty Images Several instances nearly derailed the couple’s first meeting, including a city blackout and car accident, but eventually, the two met. . MGM, in exchange for releasing Grace from her contract, was permitted to film both events for broadcast on television and the silver screen. It was beautiful, but it prevented the crowds from seeing her face. More than 3,000 guests attended the first reception. He was the only son of Monegasque Princess Charlotte and her husband Prince Pierre, Count de Polignac. As with so many royals, the Prince and Princess used Rainier’s ceremonial sword to cut the cake which was then packaged in white faille boxes decorated with white and gold rope and the intertwined initials “R” and “G”, tied with a golden cord, and distributed amongst the guests. When she went to California, Rainier went with her for a short time. Following the religious ceremony on April 19, 1956, Grace and Rainier sailed into the sunset aboard the royal yacht, Deo Juvante. In the years since he has maintained the tiny Mediterranean principality as a prosperous slice of a bygone era, attractive to the rich and idle for its sunshine, lavish casino, and absence of income tax. Grace and Rainier’s wedding cake was a culinary masterpiece. Ending Nov 21 at 8:48AM PST 6d 15h. Because of the intricacies of Monegasque law, Grace and Rainier were married twice, once in a civil ceremony and once in a religious ceremony. Each was decorated with tiny blue bows, “something blue”. You can search for royalty-related items - or anything else - by using this link. ... Grace Kelly Prince Rainier 1956 100f Monaco Wedding Stamp Block S# C46 MNH. “Princess Grace” by Sarah Bradford $8,000 in gems lifted from the hotel room of one of the bridesmaids. The pages were dressed in white suits with trousers banded at the knee, and the four flower girls wore mid-calf length dresses of white broderie anglaise from Neiman Marcus, short white socks, and white shoes from J.C. Penney. This weekend marked the 64th wedding anniversary of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly, one of America’s leading actresses of the 1950s. Grace’s brother Kell followed his father’s athletic footsteps and competed in rowing at the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Summer Olympics. She would not see Rainier again until she arrived in Monaco in April. The wedding of Prince Rainier, Prince of Monaco, and Grace Kelly took place on 18 and 19 April 1956 at the Prince's Palace of Monaco. Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III, newlyweds, are whisked away in a Rolls Royce convertible, April 1956. The tunic was graced with medals representing the Prince’s links with Italian and French military history, and across his chest hung the red and white sash representing the Order of St. Charles. The nearly 320 yards of lace used for the bodice and train was antique and had been purchased from a museum for an estimated $2,500. Once the yacht had left the Bay of Hercules, Rainier and the crew gave in to Grace’s obvious illness and anchored the ship for the night to allow her a chance to adjust. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier arrive at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, the day after announcing their engagement, January 1956. Follow her on Twitter at @LizabethRonk. Free shipping. Prince Rainier III of Monaco. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Since much of both Grace and Rainier’s lives were in the public eye, a private courtship was something of a task, especially considering the distance between the United States and Monaco. For the first reception, following the civil ceremony, the courtyard of Monaco’s pink palace was opened and approximately 3,000 Monegasques sipped champagne and ate cake along with the members of the wedding party and other family members. The princess-to-be had barley set foot in Monaco when the principality and much of the rest of Europe were there bearing gifts. Before Harry and Meghan, before William and Kate, before Charles and Di, before Liz and Dick (I and II), before any of the “storybook” weddings of the past several decades, there was the fairytale wedding of the last century: the April 1956 nuptials of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco. On Saturday, the religious wedding at Monaco Cathedral was attended by more than 200 guests. Doing some shopping on Amazon? Because seating space was limited, attendees had to juggle not only their plates and glasses, but also gloves, programs, hats, handbags, or anything else they had been carrying. Here, LIFE.com presents photos many of which never ran in LIFE magazine from the moment the couple announced their engagement in January 1956 until they were married three and a half months later in Monaco. $1.00. The future ruler of Monaco attended the School of Political Sciences in Paris. Unfortunately, it proved to be a bit more than seasickness, and Grace spent the first week of her honeymoon with the flu. shipping: + $0.55 shipping . Grace Kelly in Monaco before her wedding, April 1956. Her shopping continued in Los Angeles where she purchased negligees, nightgowns, and other lingerie items in pink, peach, and black. . The wedding presents ranged from the fabulous to the foolish. Travel back in time with treasured photos and stories, sent right to your inbox, The Family Life of a Young George H.W. MONACO : ROYAL WEDDING OF PRINCE RAINIER & GRACE KELLY, FIRST DAY COVER (1956) $2.62. Scion of one of Europe's oldest extant monarchies, Prince Rainier III (born 1923) became the thirty-first ruler of Monaco in 1949. The groom, Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, was the sovereign Prince of the Principality of Monaco. Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Grace Kelly takes a momentary breather while packing her things before the wedding, 1956. With her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, Grace Kelly will not only become the Princess of Monaco, but will also acquire a multitude of other royal titles matching those of her husband. Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly ascend the steps of Monaco Palace. When Grace Kelly left America for Monaco, she had four enormous steamer trunks and fifty-six other pieces of luggage holding not only her beautiful new clothes but a few well-worn sweatshirts and pairs of jeans, too. Prince Louis had no legitimate children and to prevent a cousin from succeeding to the Monegasque throne, in 1911 a law was passed recognizing Charlotte as his daughter and as a member of the princely family. Getty Images On April 19, 1956, American actress Grace Kelly walked down the aisle to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco in what was dubbed "the … The Aga Khan, in his wheelchair, made the trip to Monaco, accompanied by his wife and guards who protected them 24 hours a day.