Grace Kelly, the star of Hollywood, wed Monaco’s Prince Rainier III in an extravagant ceremony in 1957.
Even while there have been famous nuptials since, including that of Prince Charles and Lady Diana and Prince William and Kate Middleton, none have come close to Kelly’s picture-perfect wedding.
Amazing photos clearly demonstrate why their lovely event was dubbed “the wedding of the century.”
The couple’s lone son, Prince Albert, previously told People magazine that the romance “was such an incredible affair, and it’s left such a mark on people.”
However, what it has meant for Monaco, for people everywhere, and for how their narrative continues to fascinate people is something that is unthinkable.
Grace married Prince Rainier in a civil ceremony on April 18, 1956, when she was 26 years old. The ecclesiastical wedding took place on April 19, 1956.
Philadelphia-born When Kelly led the American delegation to the Cannes Film Festival in 1955, she had already been captivating audiences for five years with movies like Dial M For Murder and Rear Window.
While there, she received an invitation to visit the neighboring microstate of Monaco over the border in France for a picture session with the prince at his palace.
They then started a covert correspondence. They got engaged that same year, which sparked the start of their stunning wedding planning.
Two weddings must be held: a civil ceremony and a religious ceremony, according to the Napoleonic Code of Monaco and the Roman Catholic Church. For the first ceremony, which was to be followed by a reception for 3,000 Monaco residents, the entire Palace of Monaco was therefore redecorated.
The Saint Nicholas Cathedral needed to be ready for the religious service, which would be presided over by Monaco’s Bishop, Gilles Barthe, and seen by an estimated 30 million people on international television.
Two bridal gowns, one of which took three weeks to make, were given by Helen Rose, an Academy Award winner, and were created for Kelly by MGM, the studio that had supported her throughout her most successful years as a star.
Aristotle Onassis (after known as Mr. Jackie Kennedy), hotelier Conrad Hilton, and actors David Niven, Cary Grant, Gloria Swanson, and Ava Gardner were among the 700 people who received invitations.
And the bride remained in America throughout all of this.
The religious ceremony was scheduled for April 19, 1956, while the civil ceremony was arranged on April 18, 1956. However, Kelly had to travel from America to Monaco with her large entourage before either of those two events could take place.
They would travel there by boarding the SS Constitution ocean liner and setting sail towards the French Riviera for an eight-day journey.
Kelly boarded the ship in New York on April 4 with her family, six bridesmaids, 80 pieces of luggage, and a poodle, as well as a swarm of reporters and photographers who were anxious to witness history being made. 400 journalists applied to participate in the crossing, but the majority were denied.
Even those on shore, however, were treated to a breathtaking sight as Kelly boarded the ship: an Aristotle Onassis-owned aircraft swooped overhead, showering those below with red and white carnations.
Mom occasionally brought up the entire Constitution trip, Albert recalled to People. “She’d say the wedding party had fun,” It truly brought her relatives and friends who crossed across together from the Philadelphia side together.
He claimed that she would also discuss Oliver, a French poodle that Cary Grant, with whom she had acted in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief, had given her as a gift.
Kelly’s arrival in Monaco was even more of a spectacle than her departure, with 1,800 photographers present to record the occasion. Even before the ceremony started, the string of events had been taxing.
According to Albert, “my father said it is exhausting to go through the circumstance, the pageantry, and the planning.”
The preparation nevertheless produced one of the most magnificent celebrity events of the 20th century, when Monaco began an eight-day series of celebrations before April 17.
On that day, a sizable reception with 40 foreign delegations, outdoor entertainment, and a stunning fireworks show were held at the recently refurbished palace.
The civil ceremony was held the next day in the Throne Room of the palace, and Kelly, wearing the first of the gowns made available by MGM, wore a light pink taffeta two-piece set covered in champagne-colored French Alençon lace.
According to People, the ceremony itself only lasted 16 minutes, but there followed a full 25 minutes of listening to Kelly receive the 140 new titles she suddenly had as Princess of Monaco.
The newlyweds then had to go over everything again for the news crews.
The following day, a second ceremony was held in Saint Nicholas Cathedral. In front of 30 million spectators, Kelly arrived wearing a princess-worthy gown made of 150 yards of silk, taffeta, and tulle and 300 yards of vintage Belgian lace.
Instead of a tiara, the future princess chose to wear a Juliet Cap to keep her veil in place.
In order to prevent Kelly’s face from being hidden from cameras, the 90 yards of tulle that made up her veil as well as her shoes and Juliet Cap were all pearl-encrusted.
Due to the fact that Kelly and her future husband-to-be were of comparable heights, she chose to wear a very modest 2.5-inch stiletto. According to Tatler, even her David Evins-designed shoes were personalized with Kelly’s name etched on the left shoe and Prince Rainier’s on the right.
To wish the newlyweds luck, the heels were embellished with seed pearls, lace, and a copper penny.
The exquisite outfit had taken 36 seamstresses three weeks to create, and Kelly did each of them proud by walking into the cathedral looking every bit the princess she had become.
Kelly’s bridal gown was so well-known that princesses today continue to be inspired by it decades later. The exquisite lace wedding dress worn by Kate Middleton, created by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, is very similar.
Kelly’s stunning wedding gown is currently on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where visitors may admire the garment that she wore to support future princesses.
In religious rituals at the time of the wedding, in 1956, brides carried the Bible rather than a bouquet of flowers down the aisle. Kelly was given a Bible that was embellished with silk, pearls, and lace and carried the religious book and lilies of the valley since she was a stickler for tradition.
Lilies of the valley, which have stood the test of time and are a gorgeous choice for a wedding, are frequently a favorite among royal brides.
Kelly had to assist Rainier in putting the ring on her finger since he was a little uneasy while his new wife floated serenely in front of millions of onlookers.
The wedding culminated with a traditional offering to St. Dévote, the patron saint of Monaco, and a feast for 600 guests that included caviar, lobster, champagne, and other delectables.
Their extravagant wedding cake, which is said to have cost over £10,000, was unique because it featured two live turtle doves, which stand for loyalty, trust, and enduring love.
The exquisite turtle doves were released as the groom sliced the cake with his sword, and the cake was also covered with a musical box that made it come to life.
The prince and princess thereafter departed on a seven-week honeymoon aboard the Deo Juvante II, the prince’s yacht.
They then anchored close to the coast of Monaco and soon went to sleep after a well-earned day.
The following day, the couple officially started their honeymoon, leaving behind memories and pictures that would survive far beyond their own lifetimes.
They would experience a happily ever after until Grace tragically passed away at the age of 52 in an automobile accident on September 14, 1982. Prince Rainier focused on his career and never got remarried. 2005 saw his passing.
