Grace Kelly

"Grace of Monaco" redirects here. For the film, see Grace of Monaco (film).
This article is about the American actress and Princess of Monaco. For other uses, see Grace Kelly (disambiguation).

Grace Kelly
Kelly in 1956
Princess consort of Monaco
TenureApril 18, 1956 – September 14, 1982
BornGrace Patricia Kelly
(1929-11-12)November 12, 1929
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedSeptember 14, 1982(1982-09-14) (aged 52)
La Colle, Monaco
BurialSeptember 18, 1982
Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate, Monaco-Ville, Monaco
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1956)​
Issue
HouseGrimaldi (by marriage)
FatherJack Kelly Sr.
MotherMargaret Majer
SignatureGrace Kelly's signature
EducationAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts
OccupationActress
Years active
  • 1949–1956
WorksFull list
Awards

Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982), also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from their marriage on April 18, 1956, until her death in 1982. Prior to her marriage, she achieved stardom in several significant Hollywood films in the early to mid-1950s. She received an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and was ranked 13th on the American Film Institute's 25 Greatest Female Stars list.[1]

Kelly was born into a prominent Catholic family in Philadelphia.[2][3][4][5][6] After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1949, she began appearing in New York City theatrical productions and television broadcasts. Kelly made her film debut in Fourteen Hours (1951) and gained stardom from her roles in Fred Zinnemann's western film High Noon (1952), and John Ford's adventure-romance Mogambo (1953), the latter of which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the drama The Country Girl (1954).[7] Other notable works include the war film The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), the romantic comedy High Society (1956), and three Alfred Hitchcock suspense thrillers: Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955).

Kelly retired from acting at age 26 to marry Rainier and began her duties as Princess of Monaco. Grace and Rainier had three children: Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stéphanie. Princess Grace's charity work focused on young children and the arts. In 1964, she established the Princess Grace Foundation to support local artisans. Her organization for children's rights, AMADE Mondiale, gained consultive status within UNICEF and UNESCO. Her final film role was narrating The Children of Theatre Street (1977), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Grace died at the age of 52 at Monaco Hospital, from injuries sustained in a car crash.[8] Her son, Prince Albert, helped establish the Princess Grace Awards in 1984 to recognize emerging performers in film, theatre, and dance.

  1. ^ "America's Greatest Legends" (PDF). American Film Institute. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 7, 2011.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "A Celebration of Grace Kelly". Irish America. January 1, 2008. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "1954 Academy Awards: Winners and History". AMC Filmsite. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  8. ^ Robinson, Jeffery (October 23, 1989). "Princess Grace's Fatal Crash: Her Daughter's Account". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 31, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2018.