Prince Rainier. Rainier III, Prince of Monaco: biography, children

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The daughters gave the prince seven grandchildren and granddaughters, but crown prince Albert, who was entrusted with the functions of regent due to his father’s illness, remains a bachelor at 47 years old and is considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe
Le Figaro

The Prince of Monaco died this morning after a long illness in a hospital in Monaco. Rainier III. 81-year-old Prince Rainier III of the Grimaldi dynasty was the oldest European monarch. On March 7, he was admitted to the Cardiopulmonary Center of Monaco due to an acute bronchopulmonary infection. .

Subsequently, due to a sharp deterioration in condition and degradation of the main functions of the body, the patient was transferred to intensive care, where he spent the rest of his life, Sky News reports.

The Monaco monarch suffered several heart attacks and underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. Complications of a cardiac nature gradually provoked disturbances in the bronchopulmonary system, and Rainier III underwent a number of operations on the lungs.

A 7-day mourning period has already been declared in Monaco. Throughout the territory of the principality they are lowered at half-mast national flags. It is not yet known on what day Prince Rainier's funeral will take place.

The Council of the Crown of Monaco, having stated “the impossibility of Prince Rainier III fulfilling his high duties,” a few days ago appointed his son, 47-year-old Crown Prince Albert, as regent. The Crown Prince received higher education in the USA in the field of political and economic sciences. He is interested in art, philosophy and psychology. Passed military service in the French Navy.

Prince Albert is an excellent athlete, has a black belt in judo, and has competed in the past Olympic Games for the national bobsleigh team, participated in the Paris-Dakar rally. He is a member of the Athletics Commission of the International Olympic Committee.

Crown Prince Albert, who is entrusted with the functions of regent, remains a bachelor at 47 years old and is considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe. Besides him, the prince has two more daughters - Princesses Caroline and Stephanie - and several grandchildren. The wife of the ruler of Monaco, Hollywood film star Grace Kelly, died in a car accident many years ago.

The ruler of Monaco, Prince Rainier III, held many high-profile titles, including Duke of Valentin, Count of Carlade and Baron du Buis.

He was born on May 31, 1923 and was christened Louis-Henri-Maxence-Bertrand Grimaldi. His parents were Princess Charlotte of Monaco and Prince Pierre de Polignac, who had been officially given the title of Grimaldi a few years earlier.

The future ruler of the dwarf principality received his education in Great Britain, Switzerland and France, where he graduated, in particular, from the prestigious Science-Po - High school political sciences in Paris.

He assumed the princely throne after his grandfather, Prince Louis II, died on May 9, 1949. Formally, Rainier's mother, Princess Charlotte, was the heir to the title, but she abdicated the throne in favor of her son.

In 1956, Prince Rainier married Hollywood film star Grace Kelly. The couple had three children: Princess Caroline, born in 1957, Crown Prince Albert (1958) and Princess Stephanie (1965).

In 1982, the prince's wife died tragically in a car accident, and Princess Stephanie, who was in the car with her, was seriously injured.

As the tabloid press wrote, it was Stefania who was driving the car and became the culprit of the disaster, but this version was never officially confirmed.

Currently, Carolina and Stefania, whose stormy personal life has been the subject of constant attention from paparazzi photographers for many years, are married, and Stefania is already for the fourth time.

The daughters gave the prince seven grandchildren and granddaughters, but Crown Prince Albert, who was entrusted with the functions of regent due to his father’s illness, remains a bachelor at 47 years old and is considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe.

The name of Rainier III is associated with the economic and tourist prosperity of Monaco. Before him, the main source of income for the dwarf principality was the world-famous casino in Monte Carlo (part of Monaco). It was even rumored that during the Second World War this casino was used by the authorities of Nazi Germany to launder wealth looted from the occupied territories, and the authorities of Monaco received their percentage from these operations, RIA Novosti writes.

In 1966, the ruler of Monaco bought from the Greek multimillionaire Aristotle Onassis his stake in the Sea Bathing Society, which was the official owner of the casino, and became the majority shareholder, thus strengthening his control over the gaming business.

For all that, Monaco has enjoyed a reputation as a “tax haven” for many years. Only relatively recently International group financial action The FATF removed the principality from the “black list” of countries that do not cooperate properly in the fight against laundering of dubious proceeds.

In addition to the casino, the prince paid much attention to the development of transport networks and housing construction. On the Rock, as Monaco is sometimes called, modern multi-storey buildings have appeared, in which every square meter costs big money, a new station was built, great work for port reconstruction. All this activity earned Rainier III the nickname “prince-builder.” The area of ​​the dwarf state is only 200 hectares, and the population today is 32 thousand people, of which only 7676 are actually Monegasques, that is, citizens of Monaco.

In 1993, Monaco was admitted to the UN, and in 2004 it joined the Council of Europe. This latest international action was due more to Crown Prince Albert than to Rainier III himself, who in recent years had experienced serious health problems and transferred some of the functions of governing the principality to his son.

Back in the 1990s, the prince underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, and in addition, part of his lung was removed. In the last two years, he was repeatedly hospitalized due to respiratory diseases, which is why the prince began to appear in public much less often.

Every girl dreams of meeting a prince. The beautiful actress Grace Kelly not only met and fell in love with the 33-year-old Prince of Monaco, but also built a marriage with him strong family. Their union was considered ideal. Grace, who was the most happy woman at the beginning of the marriage, turned out to be a bird imprisoned in golden cage, at the end of life.

Grace Kelly

Smart, beautiful and beloved daughter.

Grace Kelly was born in 1929 in Philadelphia into the family of millionaire Jack Kelly, who made his first big money as the owner of the Kelly company. Brick works." The family had four children. All children grew up under strict rules and were not spoiled by their parents. Main role The girl’s uncle, actor George Kelly, played a role in shaping Grace’s future personality; it was he who noticed her talent at a young age.

Journalists said that there was an argument inside the car, and Grace Kelly suffered a stroke. Having never recovered from the accident, the princess died on September 14, 1982. At that time she was only 52 years old. The youngest daughter Stefania, who was in the car with her mother, survived. There was practically no scratch on it. Great love ended tragically, and it was a huge loss for Monaco and the whole world.

Rainier's life after Grace's death

The prince and his daughter at his wife's funeral.

Celebrities and monarchs from America and Europe came to the princess’s funeral, local residents cried in the streets, and Rainier walked arm in arm with his daughter and did not hide his tears. By his decree, he banned the showing of films in Monaco in which his wife starred. He remained alone more and more often, and appeared less and less at social events.

Rainier III shortly before his death.

He outlived his wife by 24 years, living to the age of 82. Rainier III was buried next to his wife. For a whole generation love story Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier was a fairy tale with a sad ending.

Monument to Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco in Yoshkar-Ola.

Love not only moves mountains, but also revives entire countries. Prince of Monaco and Hollywood actress at by example proved that the union of two loving and strong hearts can change the world.

In 1955, an acquaintance occurred that changed the fate of the entire state. Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, who had long been looking for a worthy wife, saw the Hollywood actress and beauty Grace Kelly and immediately realized who was destined to share the royal throne with him. An aristocrat not by title, but by spirit, the daughter of a successful millionaire entrepreneur and the sex symbol of Hollywood in the 60s became a real princess. The titled couple went down in history as one of the happiest ruling couples, their union revived the fading state of Monaco, turning it into one of the richest countries in the world, and Grace remained in the hearts of local residents as a pure angel and the personification of kindness itself.

Still from the film "The Country Girl", 1954

Fateful meeting

By the age of 26, Grace Kelly had become a Hollywood star, Hitchcock's favorite, received a marriage proposal from the Shah of Iran and refused it. Behind her deceptive Nordic appearance and obedient behavior hid an amorous and passionate nature, full of ambition and creative impulses. She attracted dozens of admirers, but her ambitious parents prepared the girl for a special future from childhood and rejected one suitor after another. The father believed that the hand of his talented and brilliant daughter should belong to the most worthy of all men. She didn’t have to wait long; in 1955, a real prince appeared on Grace’s life horizon.

Still from the film To Catch a Thief, 1955

Prince Rainier of Monaco ruled his tiny country in splendid isolation, trying his best to raise the standard of living in the state. A talented and intelligent politician, he understood the need to get married and present an heir to his people, but at the same time he wanted what was almost impossible for a royal person - to marry for love. He paid attention to Hollywood beauties, who come every year to the festival in Cannes, but did not find among them the one who would truly interest him and would become a respected ruler of an entire state.

With Marlon Brando at the Oscars, 1955

Grace Kelly appeared in the prince's house thanks to the mission assigned to her by Paris Match magazine. The actress headed the American delegation at the Cannes Film Festival and for a spectacular cover she needed a meeting with Rainier. Their first acquaintance took place under dozens of camera flashes. Both immediately felt mutual sympathy, but the surrounding bustle and haste did not allow them to communicate with each other longer. Grace went back to America, and long thoughts and the beginnings of love settled in the soul of the enchanted Rainier. The prominent and elegant girl was ideal for the role of his wife, and the flaring feelings indicated that she was also the lady of his heart. Rainier sends the beauty a letter of gratitude for the visit and desperately awaits an answer - after all, it will decide the future fate of the country and its prince.

Kings can do anything!

The secret correspondence between Grace and the prince lasted six months. During this time, both became convinced that they were halves of a whole and were ready to unite their destinies. On New Year's Eve 1956, Rainier flies to America and proposes to the girl. Grace's parents blessed the future union, and even the need to raise two million dollars as a dowry for the bride did not darken their joy. In April 1956, one of the most magnificent weddings of the 20th century took place. The crown jewel of the ceremony was, of course, the bride. For Grace, a luxurious and feminine dress was made from antique lace to order - the prince’s wife was supposed to personify new round in the history of Monaco and give the people hope for better times.

The most amazing thing is that Rainier and Grace seem to have managed to fulfill the unattainable dream of many princes and kings - to become a truly happy and loving couple. Together they made a harmonious duet. Kelly had the ability to win over any person and often smoothed out rough edges when visitors communicated with the straightforward Rainier. But she received the unconditional love of the people with the birth of the heir Albert and two daughters, Caroline and Stephanie. The country idolized its new princess, because in addition to the heir, Grace gave Monaco new financial opportunities. Together with her local market a flow of tourists and financial investments poured in.

The prince competently managed new prospects and methodically built a new luxurious look for his state. The country finally gained independence and became a major financial center, home to major cosmetics companies, car racing and gambling. And his wife is not only his inspiration, but also an active participant in the formation of new traditions. She was involved in charity work: she ordered Christmas trees for children every year, opened a hospital, kindergarten and led the activities of the Red Cross in Monaco, helping victims of military conflicts. She truly believed in sharing her wealth with those less fortunate.

The cult of Grace Kelly

For the sake of the role of Princess Grace, she had to sacrifice future film roles. After the wedding, she abandoned her career as a film actress, although offers from famous directors continued to arrive year after year. One day, the thirst for acting in films made itself felt, and Grace agreed to play in Hitchcock’s film. The prince did not interfere with his wife’s wishes and was ready to let her and the children go to America, but then the residents of Monaco rebelled. The monarchs were bombarded with indignant letters and requests not to let the princess into Hollywood. “Our princess cannot act in film and should not!” Petitions and threats poured in. Under pressure from the people, Rainier was forced to refuse Grace, after which the princess did not leave her room for a week... For her, this became a real tragedy.

To your silver wedding the couple turned into just good friends, Grace spent more and more time in Paris, away from her husband. And a year later the princess was gone. On September 13, 1982, her car flew off the serpentine road leading to Monaco, straight into the abyss. In addition to Grace, in the car was her youngest daughter Stefania, who miraculously survived. Grace's injuries were incompatible with life. The official conclusion showed that the princess had a stroke on the road and lost control, but some reporters still consider Kelly's death an unsolved mystery. Celebrities from America and Europe came to the princess’s funeral, local residents cried in the streets, and the gray-haired and aged Rainier walked arm in arm with his daughter and did not hide his tears. “With the death of the princess, emptiness entered my life,” the prince admitted.

Rainier never married a second time; until his death, he remained faithful to his princess and never stopped fighting for the prosperity of the principality.

Photo: Interfoto/PHOTAS, Legion-Media.ru

Remember Andersen's fairy tale? “Once upon a time there was a prince, he wanted to take a princess as his wife, but only a real princess. So he traveled all over the world, looking for one, but everywhere there was something wrong; There were plenty of princesses, but whether they were real, he could not fully recognize, there was always something wrong with them.” Grace Kelly did everything to become a real princess. But it didn’t bring her happiness.

Text: Natalya Turovskaya

The main street of New York on the eve of the new year, 1956, was as noisy and crowded as always. When, in the middle of the crowd, a short, stocky man in an elegant coat suddenly stopped and handed his companion a box of wedding ring with the words: “Marry me,” hardly anyone paid attention to them. It would be worth it! After all, this man was none other than the Crown Prince of the Principality of Monaco, Rainier III, Duke of Valentinois, Count Carladez, Baron Bui, Sir Matignon, Lord Saint-Rémy, Count of Torigny, Duke of Mazarin. And his charming chosen one is the American movie star, the beautiful blonde Grace Kelly. She answered “Yes!” And only one gloomy thought tormented the bride: according to the protocol, before the wedding she had to undergo a medical examination confirming that the future princess was able to give the throne an heir. But... it will also reveal the fact that Grace is no longer a virgin. That evening, having shared her doubts over the phone with her old friend and ex-lover Don Richardson, she received useful advice: "What problems? Tell me what you once did unsuccessfully gymnastic exercise At school". Grace did just that. And the prince believed her. However, it couldn’t have been otherwise - Grace and youth knew how to produce the most best experience. Although in fact she was one of the breed of women about whom it is customary to say: “there are devils in still waters”...

"Snowy Volcano"

“She’s like a volcano under the snow,” director Alfred Hitchcock said about Grace Kelly. “Behind her coldness lies an unimaginable heat of passion.” The femme fatale is usually presented as a fiery brunette or a red-haired beast, but not as a fragile blonde with the face of an angel. Grace only seemed touching and naive on the outside. Inside, she was a passionate, hot woman looking for love and adventure. Her first lover was a teacher acting skills at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts by Don Richardson. He was much older than the girl and for a long time could not decide to explain himself - she seemed so pure to him. And when he nevertheless took the risk of inviting the beauty to visit, he was quite surprised by her emancipation. “I lit the fire,” Richardson later recalled, “and went to make coffee. When I walked back in, I saw that Grace was already waiting for me on the bed. She took off all her clothes... I have never seen anything more beautiful!”

Grace Kelly was a girl, as they say, without complexes. Although she was raised in a Puritan family with strict rules. But she dreamed of breaking away from her parental care and quickly appreciated the beauty of an independent life when she left home. Her natural appearance helped her quickly find work as a fashion model. By posing for the covers of Redbook and Cosmopolitan magazines, Grace not only supported herself, but also sent home hefty sums of money. "If the story is mine real life will someday be told, people will understand that I was a living being, and not a fairy-tale character,” she would write much later. And he will be wrong.

Grace Kelly is the only Hollywood actress who wore white gloves so naturally and gracefully. Even alone with herself, she remained invariably glamorous and elegant.

Tommy Hilfiger

The model with refined features and a marvelous figure was immediately noticed in Hollywood. In 1952, she starred with Fred Zinnemann in the western High Noon, opposite Harry Cooper himself. And in 1953, John Ford offered her a role in the film “Mogambo”, where her partners were Clark Gable and Ava Gardner. A year later, she already received her first Oscar for the film “The Country Girl” and knew her worth. When the host of the ceremony invited Grace to kiss Marlon Brando, who won the Best Actor category, she innocently retorted: “I think he should kiss me.” With a height of 176 cm, Grace weighed 58 kg, had a chest volume of 88 cm, hips - 89, and waist - 60. She had a wonderful porcelain skin tone, high cheekbones, a sensual mouth and amazing eyes Parma violet color. Add to this her innate sense of style: pastel-colored clothes and wide-brimmed hats suited her amazingly. The look was completed with a string of pearls and a Hermes scarf, as well as massive sunglasses that were fashionable at the time. Why not a princess? There was only one thing left to do: find your prince.

Looking for a Prince

Of course, like many girls, Grace dreamed of one day meeting a noble prince on a white horse, but she could not even imagine that in her case the dream would come true so literally! She was in love and more than once tried to get married, but it seems that fate itself kept the girl from this step, as if saying: “Take your time, your happiness is yet to come!” At first, Grace dreamed of connecting her life with the famous fashion designer Oleg Cassini, but her parents were categorically against it: he was older and also divorced. In 1949, Kelly began a torrid affair with the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He proposed to her, Grace agreed again, but then, reasonably reasoning that the Shah could have two or three wives, she took back her word. However expensive gifts“The groom” - a gold cosmetic bag decorated with diamonds, a gold bracelet with a watch and a gold brooch in the form of a bird in a cage with diamond wings and sapphire eyes - was left as a souvenir... The next lover was Clark Gable, the same Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind " He was twenty-eight years older than Grace, married four times, so he himself decided “not to complicate the girl’s life.”

In 1955, Grace Kelly led the Hollywood delegation at the Cannes Film Festival. The visit program also included a meeting with Prince Rainier III of Monaco at his personal residence. This idea belonged to Paris Match photographer Pierre Galant, who was eager to take an exclusive photo for the cover of the magazine. The idea did not arouse enthusiasm from either the prince or Grace Kelly. But both were men of action, so the meeting took place. This fateful day began very unsuccessfully for Grace: due to a trade union strike, the electricity was turned off throughout the city, and her hair, which had not had time to dry after washing, had to be tied into a simple bun at the back of her head. And instead of putting on an elegant outfit prepared - oh horror! - the only thing that did not require ironing: simple black dress into a large rose. Since etiquette required arriving at the palace in a hat, and Grace did not have one with her, she made a wreath of artificial flowers and pinned it to her hair. While leaving the hotel, her car collided with another, and although no one was hurt, Grace considered it a bad omen... Not in the best possible way Prince Rainier also spent the morning: because of the same strike, he was quite late for a meeting with the actress and therefore was not in a good mood. Entering the hall, he found a Hollywood movie star practicing curtseying in front of the mirror. Such spontaneity instantly dispelled the bad mood of the 32-year-old prince. The “heavenly creature” charmed His grace, and after this meeting a lively correspondence began between them in the most romantic style. Grace was flattered by such attention, besides new fan He was not only good-looking, but witty and unusually gallant. Already at Christmas, he came to Philadelphia to visit Kelly’s parents and officially declared that he had “finally found his princess!”

A small kingdom for big love

In the 20s of the last century, the famous writer Somerset Maugham wittily called Monte Carlo “a sunny place for dark personalities.” Grace Kelly was not afraid of this. On the contrary, the small “state within a state” in which she was to ascend the throne seemed to the actress like heaven on earth.

Stepping on board the ocean liner Constitution in the company of a personal hairdresser from her home studio, Metropolitan Goldwyn Mayer, her beloved poodle Oliver and her five girlfriends, who were to become bridesmaids at the wedding, Grace was unusually happy. She wore a long, elegant coat of dark silk and a round white hat of starched muslin, giving her face an expression of charming mystery. Future husband arrived to meet his bride at the pier in a ceremonial uniform, and when they finally joined hands, a rain of red and white carnations fell from the plane above their heads - a gift from a friend royal family millionaire Aristotle Onassis. A week later it took place magnificent wedding, after which Grace gave her girlfriends gifts from the sheikh: that same gold cosmetic bag, watch and brooch. The past was over. From that moment on, Grace Kelly began a completely different life, which can be characterized by one phrase: noblesse oblige, which translated from French means “position obliges.”

The appearance of a Hollywood movie star in Monaco as a princess greatly influenced the financial situation of the principality. in a positive way. A flow of wealthy tourists from Europe poured into the country. Grace was actively involved in charity work. Already in the winter of 1956, she organized a Christmas tree in the palace for children of the principality from three to twelve years old. This captivated the hearts of local residents so much that it immediately became an annual tradition.

In 1957, she and Prince Rainier had a daughter, Caroline Margarita Louise, and a year later the long-awaited heir to the throne, little Albert II, appeared. The citizens of Monaco idolized their princess: she was young, beautiful, and during the holidays anyone in the crowd could shake her hand.

After the birth of Grace's youngest daughter Stephanie in 1965, the uncrowned "king of horror" Alfred Hitchcock, for whom Grace played her best roles, unexpectedly invited the actress-princess to his new film. Kelly really wanted to return to cinema and work with her favorite director, but the public of the principality literally stood on its hind legs at such a “frivolous undertaking.” And Grace resigned herself, deciding to devote herself entirely to her husband and children. In the press, she commented on her decision as follows: “You see, actors in the USA can separate their social, public life and private life. Here in Monaco, as the wife of Prince Rainier, I can only play one role... To be his princess.”

How do fairy tales end?

Alas, it is only in books that good princes promise that after the wedding “you will have everything you want, and we will live with you so friendly and cheerful that your soul will never know tears and sadness.” In real life, everything is much more prosaic. Even real princesses. Very soon, Grace Kelly realized that her husband, despite his royal title, was endowed with the same shortcomings as most ordinary men.

Rainier turned out to be a hot-tempered, unsociable recluse, so different from the gallant gentleman who bombarded Grace with love letters. He didn't like social life, preferring her to communicate with animals, for which the palace had a personal zoo. He went to bed early and spoke little, while Grace wanted to chat with her husband just before going to bed. Trying to find something to do, Grace became interested in creating paintings from dried wildflowers. The princess was offered to organize a charity exhibition of her works, and it was a huge success. This little luck alienated the spouses even more: Rainier was jealous of his wife for her ability to win over people. His Highness publicly ridiculed and humiliated Grace on several occasions. The princess often began to leave her husband’s office in tears, while he was furiously smashing dishes outside the door, once again “offended” by his wife for something... “Any man, and not just an actor, can hardly become good husband"- Grace will confide her disappointment in her diary.

And after 40 years, a new problem was added to Grace’s frequent depressions: she began to inexorably gain weight. The children grew up and also rarely pleased their mother: an unsuccessful romance eldest daughter Caroline was well known to everyone, her son Albert was only interested in sports and women, and not in government affairs, and the younger Stefania grew up as a “difficult teenager”, rode a motorcycle with the son of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo and sang cheap pop hits. The family that Grace sacrificed for stellar career in the movies, was not her reliable support. Each lived his own life, with little regard for the interests of others. The princess now dreamed of only one thing: to break free from the golden cage.

What does a desperate woman do, surrounded by the indifference of family members, bound by the rituals and protocol of the palace? Makes a lover. And Grace tried to escape from loneliness by changing young lovers, “teddy boys,” as she herself called them, like gloves. First it was 30-year-old documentary director Robert Dornhelm, then 29-year-old American businessman Jeffrey Fitzgerald... She dreamed of returning to her old life, to acting profession, even began to read poetry from the stage, taking part in poetry festivals throughout Europe. Grace thought that she could create her own drama theater in Monaco, where the best foreign actors would play, but these plans were not destined to come true.

On the way to heaven...

On a clear September morning in 1982, Grace Kelly and youngest daughter Stephanie was about to go on a car ride. Her personal driver was respectfully waiting for both ladies at the highly polished 1972 Rover 3500, when the princess, who had always been superstitiously wary of cars, suddenly decisively declared: “Thank you, but I’ll drive myself: I need to have a serious conversation with my daughter alone.” .

We will never know what they were talking about, because ten minutes later the royal “rover” fell into the abyss at great speed. Princess Stephanie escaped with a slight fright, and Princess Monaco was taken to the hospital unconscious with a severe head injury. She had no chance to survive, and the next day, with the permission of her family, she was disconnected from the artificial respiration system...

Prince Rainier III outlived his wife by more than twenty years and never married again. “With the death of the princess,” he said, “emptiness entered my life.” After Grace's death, her subjects loved her even more than during her life, and almost elevated her to the status of a saint. To mark the 25th anniversary of her death, the Monegasque government issued a series of 2 euro coins with a portrait of the princess on the reverse. She is depicted with her signature hairstyle - curled hair at the back of her head - and her favorite earrings with large pearls. Frank Sinatra once said of Grace: “She was a real princess from the moment she was born.” Perhaps the old heartthrob was right. But... even if SUCH Grace Kelly did not exist, it would be worth inventing her as a consolation to millions of Cinderellas around the world who dream of marrying a prince, even “if they are a little over thirty.”

Their love story seemed to be copied from the most beautiful fairy tales about princes and princesses. He is the hereditary ruler of the Principality of Monaco, an officer, a graduate of the prestigious Institute of Political Studies (forge political elite France) – and a rich man. She is an Oscar-winning Hollywood star, a real beauty and an enviable bride. This union had all the “components” of a brilliant love scenario: handsome heroes, a fateful first meeting, love letters, obstacles on the path to happiness, a magnificent wedding. But was there the main “component” here – love? More than 60 years after their wedding, there is no doubt: there was love. Fleeting, spontaneous, but still strong enough for Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier to live together for the rest of their lives.

Meeting

It only took them a second to fall in love with each other. And only a year to tie the knot. Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly met in 1955 in Cannes. Then the star of the films “Mogambo” and “The Country Girl” (for which the actress was awarded an Oscar) headed the American delegation at the Cannes Film Festival. Grace's agenda generally contained the ordinary, “routine” affairs of any movie star: choosing a toilet, meeting with journalists, attending a gala dinner in her honor. Oh yes, and a joint photo shoot with the Prince of Monaco for Paris Match - an item that, as close to the actress say, Grace really wanted to cross out from her busy schedule.

Aristotle Onassis, even before the monarch met the heroine, once said that the best way to draw attention to the principality would be Rainier’s wedding to someone like Marilyn Monroe or Grace Kelly...

However, the Prince of Monaco himself was not so eager to attend the photo shoot. Moreover, on that day everyone and everything seemed to be against their meeting. Grace got stuck in a traffic jam for many hours, then had a minor accident and, as contemporaries testify, she was in a terrible mood - including because she was not happy with either her outfit or her hairstyle. Prince Rainier also got stuck in an endless stream of cars, as a result of which he showed up for a photo shoot half an hour late and without the slightest desire to pose with any actress (even the highest-grossing actress of his time).

However, everything was resolved by a small but very sweet episode. Prince Rainier subsequently admitted that upon entering the hall where the meeting was to take place, he was at first sight fascinated by the way Grace rehearsed a curtsy in front of the mirror. Finally, they met and, as legend has it, fell in love at first sight. This look, by the way, was captured by photographer Pierre Galant, who took one of the most famous photographs of the prince and future princess. Grace was also fascinated by the 32-year-old monarch, who impressed her with his courtesy and gallantry. After the photo shoot, he invited her to his residence. There, among the flowering gardens, she was especially touched by the small zoo, as well as by how calmly and fatherly Rainier played with the little tiger cub.

After this meeting, a stormy romantic correspondence began between the young people. And even here there were some literary reminiscences (we refer to “Romeo and Juliet”): his spiritual mentor, Father Tucker, helped him send letters to Grace Rainier. In just six months, the prince in love will cross the Atlantic, ask for blessings from Grace's parents and on Christmas Eve propose to the actress in the center of New York, presenting her with an engagement ring, which, however, a month later will be replaced with the famous jewelry with a 10-carat diamond from Cartier.

Bets are placed

Like any marriage of this level, the wedding of Grace and Rainier became the subject of general interest and hopes for strategic benefits. It must be understood that in the middle of the 20th century, the Principality of Monaco was by no means the paradise for billionaires that it is today. Then it was a poor and not very popular small state, for which every random tourist was worth its weight in gold. It is not surprising that the people had high hopes for the new prince, who ascended the throne in 1949. One of the prince’s best friends, billionaire Aristotle Onassis, even once (even before the monarch met our heroine) said that one of the best ways Rainier's wedding with someone like Marilyn Monroe or Grace Kelly could attract attention to the principality... And here Onassis was more insightful than ever: the wedding of the ruler of a small principality with Grace really advertised this state for decades to come. Tourists flocked to Monaco in droves, and billionaires from all over the world began to consider it their duty to buy their own villa in the principality.

Before the wedding, his spiritual mentor, Father Tucker, helped him send letters to Grace Regnier.

Grace’s parents also had certain hopes, who, by the way, having met the prince, decided that he was not the ruler of Monaco, but of Morocco. But, be that as it may, such an alliance was beneficial to the descendants of Irish immigrants, for whom the path to high society in New York (despite their considerable fortune) had been closed for a long time.

However, they had to pay for their interests. The parents received about $2 million as a dowry, and Grace herself, in turn, had to undergo a fertility test (a protocol requirement), as well as an informal virginity test. Of course, the Hollywood star, who had many lovers before Rainier, was worried about the results. However, since Grace was fine with the ability to give the monarch heirs, no one paid attention to the “side” conclusions.

But perhaps the most serious sacrifice for Grace was the condition under which she had to give up her career as an actress. From now on, she had to play only one role - the wife of the ruler of Monaco.

Before the wedding, Grace had to undergo a fertility test (a protocol requirement) and an informal virginity test.

And she made this sacrifice. Later, only once did Grace try to break this condition, when Alfred Hitchcock offered her a role in one of his new films. The prince was inclined to show understanding and let his wife go to filming. However, the people of the Principality of Monaco were sharply against this idea: “Our princess cannot and should not act in films like some actress!” In the end, Grace stayed home. According to the testimony of her relatives, she almost did not leave her room for a week; for her, this last missed chance to again plunge into her beloved world of cinema turned out to be a real tragedy.

"Wedding of the Century"

This is how the celebration of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier was loudly called, which, according to some estimates, even surpassed the wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Duke Philip in terms of spending. It is no wonder: the entire festivities lasted about a week and ended with official ceremonies - civil (April 18) and religious (April 19).

Grace herself arrived on the shores of the principality on the ocean liner Constitution on April 12. As soon as the bride stepped onto the pier and greeted her lover, the legendary “rain” of red and white carnations fell on the newlyweds from heaven (in fact, just from the plane) - a gift from that very friend of Rainier Aristotle. About a thousand guests were present at the celebration itself, including Hollywood stars, prominent politicians and even representatives of the Pope.

The wedding celebration cost, according to various estimates, 45-55 million dollars, most of which was covered by the MGM film studio, which collaborated with Grace. By the way, in exchange for breaking the contract with the newly minted princess, the company received the exclusive right to broadcast the ceremony on television and in cinema.

The famous Grace Kelly dress, which many to this day consider the standard wedding dress, were made by about 30 dressmakers over six weeks. The outfit, designed by costume designer Helen Rose, was embroidered with pearls and vintage Brussels lace and today is valued at approximately $300,000.

The celebration of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier, according to some estimates, surpassed the wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Duke Philip in terms of spending.

In the evening after the ceremony, the newlyweds went to Honeymoon on a snow-white yacht - it was a gift from Aristotle Onassis to his friend and his dear wife.

And they lived for a long time...

But is it happy? Today it becomes clear to many that the strong marriage of Grace and Rainier was not based so much on all-consuming love, how much on friendship, respect and loyalty to one’s own status. Grace seemed like an exemplary princess: always elegant, she was present at all protocol events, did charity work and behaved like a perfect wife. However, it soon became clear that what she seemed to have no time heavenly place the principality became a golden cage for her.