Grace Kelly Gave Up Hollywood to Become a Real-Life Princess
She had an Oscar and three Hitchcock hits. Then she met a prince at the Cannes Film Festival.
By 1955, Grace Kelly was one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. She had starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder, Rear Window and To Catch a Thief, and she won the Best Actress Oscar for The Country Girl.
A photo shoot in Monaco
That spring, while at the Cannes Film Festival, she was invited to a photo session at the palace of Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The two exchanged letters for months afterward.
The wedding of the century
Their engagement was announced in January 1956. The wedding in April 1956 was watched on television by an estimated 30 million people. Her lace gown, designed by MGM costume designer Helen Rose, remains one of the most copied wedding dresses in history.
Her Serene Highness
Kelly retired from acting at 26 to become Princess Grace of Monaco. She raised three children and devoted herself to arts and charity work in her new country.
Hitchcock tried to lure her back for the film Marnie in 1964, but the people of Monaco objected, and she declined.
This story is based on the stars' own interviews and memoirs and on widely reported history. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.
