Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956.
Kelly was born into a prominent Catholic family in Philadelphia. After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1949, Kelly began appearing in New York City theatrical productions and television broadcasts. She gained stardom from her performance in John Ford’s adventure romance Mogambo (1953), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Kelly retired from acting at age 26 to marry Rainier and began her duties as Princess of Monaco. The couple had three children: Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stéphanie. Her 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. Kelly died at the age of 52 at Monaco Hospital on September 14, 1982, from injuries sustained in a car crash the previous day.
How Big Was Grace Kelly’s Engagement Ring?
10.48-carat
The Design. The engagement ring most associated with Grace Kelly is an impressive 10.48-carat ring purported to be one of the priciest celebrity jewels in history. Designed specifically for Kelly by Cartier, the ring features a large emerald-cut diamond flanked by two baguette-cut side stones.
How Long Did Grace Kelly Date Prince Rainer?
The two continued to correspond, keeping their romance secret, and Prince Rainier would propose seven months later in America in December 1955. And the rest, they say, is history: Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly married on April 18, 1956, less than a year after they met.