Top 10 Surprising Facts about Grace Kelly

By Trailer screenshot – Wikimedia

Top 10 Surprising Facts about Grace Kelly

Most Hollywood shows tell of the fairy tale story of a damsel in distress saved by a knight who ends up being a prince. This tale became a reality for princess Grace Kelly.

She was born in Philadelphia in 1929 and later moved to Hollywood to pursue her long-term dream. During her short time in Hollywood, Grace won an Oscar Award.

Grace quit acting after she met Prince Rainer III of Monaco in 1955 on a train. They got married and she officially became the princess of Monaco.

She took up her royal duties seriously and was loved by many. Grace and Prince Rainer had three children, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert and Princess Stephanie.

From Hollywood to the castle, Princess Grace Kelly lived the best lives of both worlds. Here are the top 10 surprising facts about Grace Kelly.

1. She grew up in a tight-knit Catholic community

Grace Kelly grew up in Philadelphia, in a community made up of Catholics. Her family was affluent and quite influential.

She went to a Catholic school and was very active in plays. This is when she discovered her love of acting.

2. Princess Kelly came from a talented family

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Grace Kelly and her family were very athletic. Her dad won three Olympic gold medals for sculling. He was part of the U.S rowing team and the only rower in the U.S Olympic Hall of Fame.

Kelly’s mother was the coach of the women’s team at the University of Pennsylvania.

This talent was not limited to her nuclear family, her uncle, a playwright, won the Pulitzer Prize. She followed her uncle’s footsteps into becoming thespian.

Grace’s brother was also a rowing champion and won the bronze medal in the 1956 Olympic Games.

3. Grace Kelly’s parents disapproved of her acting career

Grace showed her interest in acting while she was a teenager. This was however not approved by her parents. They took this to be a phase thinking she’ll get over.

Kelly was resilient and put all her energy into becoming a better actor. Her father was once quoted as having said that acting and prostitution were the same.

Despite this, Grace enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.

4. Growing up, Grace Kelly was not considered beautiful

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Although Grace was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, this was not the case growing up.

Grace was not considered to be attractive in her younger years. Despite this, she landed a modelling job.

Her family and friends were pleasantly surprised to see her make it on the silver screens. They were stunned by her beauty and glamour.

This came as a surprise because growing up, Grace was always in bandanas, glasses and sweaters.

5. Grace had to get rid of her accent

Making it in Hollywood meant that Grace had to get rid of one thing, her accent. She had to take lessons to get rid of her Philadelphian accent.

At the acting school, she was advised to work on her voice and delivery. Grace used her tape recorder and soon her accent was close to the British accent.

Her new accent was termed as being well measured and well rounded.

6. She won an Oscar

Grace Kelly had a successful career in Hollywood. It was very rewarding that she became popular.

She got major roles in one of the best movies in the 1950s. Grace won the Best Actress in the film Country Girl. Other movies that earned her awards were Dial M for Murder and Rear Window.

7. Becoming a princess cost her $ 2 million

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One Kelly family member that was least amused by the royal wedding was Grace’s dad. He was not happy about paying $2 million as dowry.

Part of the dowry money was taken from her inheritance while Kelly paid for the remaining amount. She met her husband during the Cannes Film Festival in 1955.

A year later, the prince of Monaco proposed to Grace Kelly. She shot her last film in 1956 and left the USA for Monaco.  

More than 20,000 people came to the streets during her wedding.

8. Grace Kelly liked an older man

There was an incident that many did not know about. It may surprise you. She liked one Hollywood actor Gable. Unfortunately, he did not reciprocate her feelings.

Their affair was short-lived after Kelly’s mom started to pressure the two to get married.

9. She was a heart breaker

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Men in Hollywood were drawn to Grace like a moth to light. One man that even went as far as proposing to Grace was Bing Crosby.

The men could not resist her charm. She flirted Ray Milland, her co-star in Dial M for Murder.

Women who had their partners work with Grace feared that she would break their families and therefore warned her. These women referred to Grace as a maneater.

10. Grace Kelly appeared in several of Hitchcock’s films

Hitchcock was one celebrated movie director in Hollywood. It is therefore no surprise when he and Kelly worked together.

Most of the films that Grace featured in were directed by Hitchcock. The three films that she got to feature in won the Oscars and other notable awards.