03 July 2009

Her Serene Highness | Grace Kelly, 1956

Grace Kelly's departure from Hollywood, photographed by Allan Grant. Kelly became a famous actress in the 1950s, starring in such memorable films as Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, High Society, and The Country Girl, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She retired from acting at age 26.

Kelly became 'Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco' upon marrying Rainier III, Prince of Monaco in 1956. Princess Grace gave birth to the couple's first child, Princess Caroline nine months and four days after the wedding. 21 guns announced the event, a national holiday was called, gambling ceased, and free champagne flowed throughout the principality. A little over a year later, 101 guns announced the birth of their second child, Prince Albert.