The Wedding of the Century: Seventy Years On, the Legend Endures

Seventy years ago, Monaco became the setting for the “wedding of the century” between Hollywood star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III.

At precisely eleven o’clock on 18 April 1956, Grace Kelly became Princess of Monaco. In that instant, Alfred Hitchcock’s favourite actress ceased to belong to Hollywood and became part of European dynastic history. By marrying Grace Kelly, Rainier III gave Monaco unprecedented international visibility and helped redefine the image of a modern monarchy—glamorous, media-savvy and resolutely contemporary. Much of the world discovered a tiny Mediterranean Principality that, only a few months earlier, many Americans would have struggled to locate on a map.

“I’m very happy”

Grace Kelly’s voyage to Monaco remains one of the most romantic episodes of the story. On 4 April 1956, she boarded the SS Constitution in New York, accompanied by her family, friends and dozens of journalists. Before departure, in an atmosphere of almost surreal calm despite the crowds and the microphones thrust towards her, she simply remarked: “I’m very happy.”

More than 1,600 journalists

Monaco suddenly found itself at the centre of the world’s attention. More than 1,600 journalists travelled to the Principality, more than had attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Photographers, reporters and cameramen competed to capture every gesture of the princely couple. Some disguised themselves as priests to gain access to the cathedral, while others spent hours waiting in the rain in the hope of securing an exclusive photograph.

An exceptional exhibition