The woman who was born a star and died a princess: From Hitchcock to Rainier of Monaco, this is the story of Grace Kelly

In May 1962, Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco arrived at the cosmopolitan “Stars” of Glyfada.

The princess wowed in her white chignon dress, jewels, gloves and Hermes bag – a subversively chic look.

The then-famous Athenian Riviera destination hosted the couple for a few days as they were guests at the wedding of Princess Sofia and Juan Carlos of Spain.

The previous year, the couple had visited Athens, invited by Aristotle Onassis.

This visit had taken place in the company of the famous singer Maria Callas.

During this visit, they had enjoyed evenings at the bouzoukis, where they had listened to the acclaimed Manolis Chiotis and Mary Linda.

With an outstanding film career and a beloved public image, Princess Grace has made her mark in history as a symbol of elegance and grace.

One of the most memorable love stories of the 20th century began when the famous American actress participated in a photo shoot at the palace of Monaco, where she was warmly received by Prince Rainier.

Grace’s love of animals and his impressive display with his pet tigers impressed her. As they shared moments together walking through the beautiful gardens, they realized that despite their public image as strong and confident individuals, they had a shy and spontaneous personality.

She was impressed by Rainier’s gentle manner and he was charmed by Grace’s beauty and authenticity. Over the next few months, they exchanged endless letters, until Prince Rainier took the plunge and visited her over Christmas. She then accepted his proposal to become a princess at his side.

The wedding of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace in 1956

Their fairytale wedding in the spring of 1956 in Monaco was recorded and shown in theaters around the world.

Their life continued with the birth of their three children, Prince Albert, Princess Caroline and Stefania, and their everyday life seemed to be like a fairy tale setting.

Grace’s wedding dress was made by Helen Rose

It was the most expensive dress Rose had ever designed, and consisted of 25 yards of silk taffeta, 100 yards of silk netting, and took 30 seamstresses and six weeks to make. The material from which it was made, faille, is a type of silk that is slightly ribbed.

It is known to be a very difficult fabric to work with. However, Helen Rose and her team made it look spectacular due to their great expertise.

Grace Kelly’s veil was 90 yards long and made of very fine mesh.

On September 14, 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco, who was once Hitchcock’s muse and beloved screen personality, passed away at the age of just 53.

Her death came when the car she was driving, a Rover P6, lost control and went off the road, causing a tragic fall from a height in the hills above Monaco.

Her daughter, Princess Stefani, was also in the car at the time of the accident. Despite the passage of time, the circumstances that led to this accident still remain shrouded in mystery.