“Grace of Monaco,” the Grace Kelly biopic starring Nicole Kidman, makes its U.S. debut May 25 on Lifetime.
The Cannes Film Festival flop fails to convey the inextricable link between the Hollywood actress-turned-royalty and this playground for the One Percent. It’s a bond best explored with a visit to the tiny city-state, where the presence of Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco is still palpable more than 30 years after her fatal car crash on the region’s notoriously steep, twisting roads.
Fresh roses are a constant on the marble slab marking Grace’s tomb in Monaco Cathedral. The Philadelphia native and Prince Rainier III exchanged marriage vows here in 1956 in what was billed as “The Wedding of the Century.” Rainier, who never remarried after his 52-year-old wife died in 1982, is buried by his bride in the Roman-Byzantine-style church.
The nearby Prince’s Palace served as the couple’s home base for more than a quarter century. It’s where they raised their three children, Caroline, Stephanie and Albert II, who carries on the Grimaldi tradition of reigning over the principality from this ornate perch built on the site of a medieval fortress.
Onlookers file into the palace courtyard every day to catch the changing of the guard ceremony at 11:55 a.m. From April through October, 8 euros gets you inside for a look at the lavishly appointed State Apartments showcasing Grace’s interior design skills.
Rainier commissioned a park to memorialize his late wife, who devoted much of her time and resources to local charities. The newly expanded Princess Grace Rose Garden in Monaco’s Fontvieille district includes a statue of the Oscar-winning star surrounded by 300 varieties of her favorite flower.
The best way to get a sense of Grace’s widespread influence in Monaco is to put on some comfy shoes and hit the Princess Grace Trail. (Download a map at http://www.tinyurl.com/gracetrail.)
Informational placards and photos are posted along path’s 25 stops, each one giving a little more insight into Grace’s huge impact on this small country.
Rackl is a freelance reporter.
