Grace Kelly: Lessons to be a Leading Lady in Life

“The idea of my life as a fairy tale is itself a fairy tale.”

(November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982)

Quick! I’ll name an actress from Hollywood’s Golden Age, and you think of the first words that come to mind. Ready? Audrey Hepburn . . . Marilyn Monroe . . . Grace Kelly. For Audrey you may have thought – whimsical, charming, graceful. For Marilyn possibly – sexy, vulnerable, humorous. And Grace Kelly – classy, sophisticated, glamourous.

There are aspects of each of these Hollywood Stars’ lives that we can learn from. Here we’ll learn 5 lessons from Grace Kelly to be the leading lady in our own life. By following her heart and working hard she had a career that spanned Hollywood, royal life, motherhood, philanthropy, and fashion. She was a modern woman who excelled in each role she played.

Family and Early Life

Grace Patricia Kelly’s story begins when she was born into an affluent Irish Catholic family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Margaret, was of German ancestry, descending from German noble families. Margaret had taught physical education at the University of Pennsylvania and was the first woman to coach women’s athletics at Penn. After marrying, she became a homemaker until all her children were of school age, following which she began participating in various civic organizations.

Grace’s father, John, had won 3 gold medals in rowing. He owned a successful brickwork contracting company and during World War II, was appointed by President Roosevelt as National Director of Physical Fitness. His brothers were Walter, a vaudeville star who also made films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Paramount Pictures, and another named George, a Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist, screenwriter, and director.

All this to say that Grace Kelly was gifted with noble ancestry, physical beauty and athleticism, financial stability, and connections to Hollywood! We may not have these advantages, yet by applying our gifts and learning lessons from Grace, we can have a more happy and successful life.

Lesson 1: Have the Courage to Pursue Your Dreams

In 1947 Grace graduated from an all-girls college prep school in Philadelphia, where she participated in drama and dance. Because of low math scores, she was rejected by Bennington College, a women’s liberal arts college in Vermont. Despite her parents’ initial disapproval, Grace decided to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress. Her father believed acting was “a slim cut above streetwalker.” 

Using a scene from her uncle George’s The Torch-Bearers, she auditioned for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. The school had met its semester quota, yet she obtained an interview with admissions, and was admitted through her uncle’s influence. During this time Kelly signed with the Walter Thornton Model Agency. She was on the covers of magazines and worked as a photographer’s model to pay her tuition. 

Grace was advised and mentored by her uncle throughout her acting career. In 1949, after graduation from the Academy, Grace made her first appearance on Broadway. In the early 50’s she was cast in several television dramas, and in 1951 made her silver screen debut. Following is a list of the 11 movies she acted in.

1951 Fourteen Hours – Grace had a minor role opposite Paul Douglas, who later commented, “…she was one of the most un-temperamental, cooperative people in the business.”

1952 High Noon – Grace co-starred opposite Gary Cooper. The movie earned four Academy Awards and has since been ranked by some reviewers among the best films of all time.

1953 Mogambo – Regarding her role Grace said, “Mogambo had three things that interested me: John Ford, Clark Gable, and a trip to Africa.” Kelly won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and received her first Academy Award nomination.

1954 Green Fire

1954 The Bridges at Tokyo-Ri 

1954 Dial M for Murder – Grace’s most memorable roles were those in a series of Alfred Hitchcock films. In the Hollywood age of the blonde bombshell, she became a new archetype: the icy blonde, commonly known as a “Hitchcock Blonde.”

1954 Rear Window – At Grace’s funeral, her co-star James (Jimmy) Stewart said, “You know, I just love Grace Kelly. Not because she was a princess, not because she was an actress, not because she was my friend, but because she was just about the nicest lady I ever met. Grace brought into my life as she brought into yours, a soft, warm light every time I saw her, and every time I saw her was a holiday of its own.”

1955 To Catch a Thief – Grace starred opposite Cary Grant in her third and last Hitchcock film. Years later when asked to name his all-time favorite actress, Grant replied, “Well, with all due respect to dear Ingrid Bergman, I much preferred Grace. She had serenity.”

1956 The Swan

1956 High Society – In her last film, Grace co-starred with Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. 

Grace Kelly could have chosen a more stable career path, but with passion and hard work she succeeded in a highly competitive field.

Lesson 2: Don’t Typecast Yourself

In 1955 Grace headed the U.S. delegation at the Cannes Film Festival. While in France she was invited to be in a photo shoot with Prince Rainier III of Monaco, at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. After many delays and complications she met him at the palace on May 6th. They didn’t have much in common –  she was raised in the United States and earned a living as an actress, and he was the  head of state for a tiny  principality.  Yet something clicked, and a year into their romance, the couple announced their engagement.

Grace was 26 years old, and Prince Rainier of Monaco, 32, when they wed in a civil ceremony on April 18, 1956. A lavish religious ceremony took place the next day and actress Grace Kelly became princess of Monaco.  According to Vogue magazine, on the day of the couple’s wedding Marilyn Monroe sent a humorous telegram to Grace that read: “I’m SO happy you found a way out of this business.”

The wedding was estimated to have been watched by over 30 million viewers on television and was described by biographer Robert Lacey as “the first modern event to generate media overkill.” The couple left that night for their seven-week Mediterranean honeymoon cruise on the prince’s yacht.

Grace Kelly was a Hollywood actress with a bright film career, yet she listened to her heart and recast herself as Princess Grace of Monaco.

Lesson 3: Put Family First

Nine months after their legendary wedding Princess Grace gave birth to their first child, Princess Caroline. A year later the heir to the throne, Prince Albert was born. Their youngest, Princess Stéphanie, arrived seven years later.

Even though she led a multifaceted life, Princess Grace did not neglect what she considered her most important role – that of a devoted mother. She raised her three children, seeing it as “a privilege”, and instilled in them the same values of artistry, philanthropy, and elegance that defined her life. Prince Albert of Monaco told People magazine that his mother was a “loving and caring hands-on mom” who only ever sought the best for her three children. All of Grace’s children carried on her legacy of humanitarian work.

Lesson 4: Give Back

In addition to her wife, princess, and motherly duties, Princess Grace was active in charitable and cultural work.

In 1958, she was named President of the Monaco Red Cross and directed its various charitable activities. At Christmas time, she personally distributed “care” packages through its social services branch. ​

After witnessing the plight of Vietnamese children in 1963, she founded AMADE, a non-profit organization to promote and protect the rights of children around the world.

In 1964 Princess Grace established La Fondation Princesse Grace, which initially supported two activities close to Her heart; the Princess Grace Dance Academy and Les Boutiques du Rocher, to support local artisans.

In 1966 Princess Grace initiated the International Monte-Carlo Ballets Festival, and nine years later helped found the Princess Grace Academy, the resident school of the Monte Carlo Ballet.

In 1968 her love of flowers and gardening resulted in the forming of the Monaco Garden Club, encouraging awareness and education of artistry through plants and flowers as well as the protection of natural sites.

To support her charitable activities Princess Grace revived Monaco’s most illustrious charity balls, making them into highly anticipated events. Under her presidency both the Red Cross Gala and the Rose Ball (an event to raise funds for the Princess Grace Foundation) took on a new luster and funds raised reached unprecedented levels. Hollywood icons such as Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra and Gregory Peck were regular attendees.

Her love for the people of Monaco and its heritage showed the world that being a royal is not just about lineage but about legacy.

Lesson 5: Play Your Roles in Style!

Grace Kelly is remembered for her “college-girl” everyday fashion, defined by her pulled-together yet simple look. She introduced the “fresh faced” look, having natural beauty with little makeup. When Grace appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1955, she was hailed as the movie star who brought about “a startling change from the run of smoky film sirens and bumptious cuties”. 

Princess Grace had an eye for fashion, and her classic style represented her timeless elegance. She was described as the “Girl in White Gloves” and journalists often called her the “lady” or “Miss Kelly” for this reason.

Her wedding gown is a masterpiece of lace, silk, and pearls. It took six weeks by 35 dress makers to construct. The dress remains a source of inspiration for brides today. 

She collaborated with fashion houses like Christian Dior, Gucci, Cartier, and Hermés. Her work with these designers resulted in lasting fashion pieces like the Gucci “Flora” scarf, and Cartier’s “Grain de Café” necklace. While pregnant with her daughter Caroline, Princess Grace was frequently photographed holding a Hermés leather handbag. The purse was probably carried to hide her growing belly from the paparazzi. However, the purse became so closely associated with the fashion icon that to this day it is known as the Kelly bag.

She remains a fashion muse today with the Grace Kelly look as relevant now as it was then. 

Untimely Death

In 1982, Grace suffered a mild stroke while driving, causing a fatal car accident. She lost control of her Rover and drove off a steep, winding road and down a mountainside. Her teenage daughter Stéphanie was in the passenger seat. The Princess was taken to the hospital with injuries to her brain and thorax and a fractured femur. She died the following night at 10:55 p.m. Stéphanie suffered a light concussion and a hairline fracture of a cervical vertebra and was unable to attend her mother’s funeral.

Princess Grace’s funeral was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate in Monaco on September 18, 1982. She was buried in the Grimaldi family vault. Over 400 people attended, including Cary Grant, Nancy Reagan, and Diana, Princess of Wales. Rainier, who did not remarry, was buried alongside her after his death in 2005.

Legacy

“I would like to be remembered as someone who accomplished useful deeds, and who was a kind and loving person. I would like to leave the memory of a human being with a correct attitude and who did her best to help others.” ~Princess Grace

Princess Grace’s legacy remains strong today. The following list contains several of the many tributes to her.

• She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her professional achievements.
• The charity Grace started, AMADE, is still active and helps more than 40,000 of the most vulnerable children each year. The President of the organization is Grace’s daughter, H.R.H. The Princess of Hanover.
• The activities of the Princess Grace Foundation, also under the presidency of The Princess of Hanover, now also includes providing support to hospitalized children, the modernization of hospitals in developing countries and financial aid for medical research.
• The International Monte-Carlo Ballet Festival is known today as the Spring Arts Festival – an annual gathering of the world’s leading dancers, musicians and artists who perform in the Principality.
• Today, the Monaco Garden Club, continues to encourage awareness and education of artistry through plants and flowers as well as the protection of natural sites. The club runs a popular annual international floral competition in the Principality.
• Grace Kelly has an avenue named after her – Avenue Princesse Grace. It is one of the most expensive streets in the world and located in the Larvotto ward of Monaco.
• In 1982 The Princess Grace Foundation USA was established by her husband to continue the work she had done anonymously during her lifetime. It assists emerging theater, dance and film artists in America.

• In 1984 her son helped establish the Princess Grace Awards, a program of the Princess Grace Foundation USA, which has awarded nearly 800 artists at more than 100 institutions in the U.S. with more than $15 million to date. 
• Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo is a ballet company established in 1985 by the Princess of Hanover to honor the wishes of her mother. It is the official national company of the Principality of Monaco.
• In 2003 the Henley Royal Regatta, in Oxforshire, England, renamed the Women’s Quadruple Sculls the “Princess Grace Challenge Cup.”
• To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Kelly’s death, €2 commemorative coins were issued with the “national” side bearing the image of her.
• 2007-15 The look and style of TV series Mad Men’s Betty Draper is influenced by Grace Kelly, and she is frequently complimented in the show by other characters for resembling Grace.
• Her fashion legacy was commemorated at the Victoria and Albert Museum of London in 2010, where an enchanting exhibit titled, “Grace Kelly: Style Icon” paid tribute to her impact on the world of fashion. The exhibit included 50 of her legendary ensembles.

• 2019-23 Originating at the Musée Dior in Granville, France, the exhibit “Grace de Monaco: A Princess in Dior” explored Princess Grace’s stylish life through images, dresses, and accessories.
• Princess Grace’s children, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II, & Princess Stephanie remain her greatest legacy.

In Princess Grace we find inspiration to thrive in the different roles of our lives. Her ability to gracefully traverse the realms of acting, royalty, philanthropy, fashion, and motherhood is an important reminder that we don’t need to be confined to a single path. Her rich and meaningful life teaches us that by following our passions, having a willingness to recast ourself, put our family first, give back to our community, and do it all with style, we can live a more meaningful life and leave a lasting legacy.