ACTOR · BORN 1929 · DIED 1982
Grace Kelly
- Born
- 12 November 1929, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Died
- 14 September 1982
- Known for
- Rear Window (1954), Dial M for Murder (1954), To Catch a Thief (1955), High Noon (1952)
71 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
21 Facts About Grace Kelly's Life and Family
- #002
Cary Grant described Grace Kelly as his favorite leading lady. Friends and family said Kelly's death affected Grant far more deeply than the deaths of Louis Mountbatten, Alfred Hitchcock and even Ingrid Bergman. This shows how strong the pair's on-screen chemistry and real-life friendship were.
- #003
Grace Kelly had three children from her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco: Princess Caroline, born in 1957, Prince Albert, born in 1958, and Princess Stéphanie, born in 1965. As heirs to the Monégasque throne, these children shaped the principality's future. Kelly's motherhood was an important part of her public image.
- #005
Grace Kelly graduated from Stevens School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 5, 1947. In the senior yearbook, her classmates predicted she would definitely 'become a stage and screen star'. The prophecy came true shortly afterwards, and Kelly became one of Hollywood's brightest stars.
- #006
Grace Kelly's favorite flowers were roses. After her death, her husband Prince Rainier opened a public rose garden in Monaco. The garden keeps her memory alive while also adding to the principality's beauty.
- #017
In 1981, Grace Kelly bought a silver frame for the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. The gesture shows her good relations with the British royal family. Kelly wanted to contribute to the special day with a wedding gift.
- #022
Grace Kelly died on 14 September 1982 in a car accident in Monaco. The accident is said to have occurred on the Moyenne Corniche road, where the famous chase scene in 'To Catch a Thief' (1955) was filmed. This road was also close to the spot where the picnic scene with Cary Grant was shot.
- #023
Grace Kelly's father built a beach house in Ocean City, New Jersey, in 1929. The house became a popular holiday spot for the family and hosted celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Kelly's sister Lizanne lived there until the house was sold in 2001.
- #026
After Grace Kelly's untimely death, her body was buried in Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco. This cathedral was also where she married Prince Rainier in 1956. Kelly lies there alongside other members of the royal family.
- #028
Grace Kelly appeared in three films directed by Alfred Hitchcock: 'Rear Window' (1954), 'Dial M for Murder' (1954) and 'To Catch a Thief' (1955). These films show that she was one of Hitchcock's favourite actresses. Kelly stood out in these productions for both her beauty and her acting.
- #031
Grace Kelly was a registered Democrat, and her family were close friends with Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidency. These political connections strengthened her family's standing in society. Growing up in this circle, Kelly became familiar with political and social milieus.
- #034
The 'wealthy' family Grace Kelly was born into was in fact an immigrant bricklayer's family, and its business success went back only one generation. Her father and brother were Olympic gold medal-winning rowers. Her cousin John Lehman Jr., a former US Secretary of the Navy, now chairs the Princess Grace Foundation, which supports young talent.
- #040
Grace Kelly was the daughter of John Brendan Kelly Sr., the son of Irish immigrants, and Margaret Katherine Majer, of German origin. She had three siblings: Peggy, John Jr. and Lizzane. Her family had built a successful business empire in Philadelphia.
- #041
For her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier, Grace Kelly summoned Sydney Guilaroff, MGM's chief hairstylist, to do her hair. Guilaroff was one of Hollywood's most famous hair designers. Kelly's choice suggests she wanted to reflect Hollywood glamour even at her wedding.
- #050
Grace Kelly was the niece of the celebrated playwright George Kelly. This family connection may have shaped her interest in the arts at an early age. George Kelly's success in the theater world was an inspiration in Grace's career.
- #054
Grace Kelly's hobby was making plant collages. She developed this interest during her flower-design training at the Stevens School in Philadelphia. Through this artistic pursuit, Kelly expressed her creativity.
- #059
Grace Kelly was the grandmother of many grandchildren: Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre Casiraghi; Princess Alexandra of Hanover; Louis and Pauline Ducruet; Camille Gottlieb; Jazmin Grace Grimaldi and Alexandre Coste. These grandchildren carry on her legacy in Monaco and in various royal families across Europe.
- #060
Grace Kelly's father, John Reid Kelly, won an Olympic medal in rowing. This achievement demonstrates the family's athletic abilities. Kelly's father was also a successful businessman.
- #065
Grace Kelly and her husband Prince Rainier attended the opening ceremony of Expo '58 in Brussels in 1958. The event, a world's fair, drew great international attention, and Kelly's presence there demonstrated her role in international events alongside the royal family.
- #066
Grace Kelly was the former mother-in-law of Stefano Casiraghi (1983-1990), the first husband of her daughter Caroline, and the mother-in-law of Daniel Ducruet (1995-1996), the husband of her daughter Stéphanie. She was also the future mother-in-law of Princess Charlene, the wife of her son Albert. These family ties form the wide network of the Monégasque royal family.
- #070
Grace Kelly's grandfather Karl Majer (1863-1922) was a tenth cousin of Theodor Heuss, the first president of Germany. This kinship shows the European connections of Kelly's German-origin family, and her family tree brings together different cultures.
- #071
Grace Kelly is a twelfth cousin of German television host and comedian Guido Cantz. This kinship is an interesting detail showing that the famous actress's family tree extends across different parts of Europe. While Kelly stood out for her elegance and talent during Hollywood's golden age, Cantz is a well-known figure in German entertainment, and this distant relation is a striking example of how intertwined the worlds of art and media can be.
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