Icons of Style
THE PRINCESS DIARIES Words: Robina Dam Two enchanting new exhibitions capture the timeless allure of the late Princess Grace of Monaco and Diana, Princess of Wales IT WAS A FAIRY TALE for grown ups: a prince who fell in love with the modern young miss, married her in a maelstrom of publicity and whisked his radiant princess off to a castle to live happily [...]
THE PRINCESS DIARIES
Words: Robina Dam
Two enchanting new
exhibitions capture the timeless allure of the late Princess Grace of
Monaco and Diana, Princess of Wales
alt="Princess Diana and Grace Kelly" class="picright">IT
WAS A FAIRY TALE for grown ups: a prince who fell
in love with the modern young miss, married her in a maelstrom of
publicity and whisked his radiant princess off to a castle to live
happily ever after.
While interpretations of fairy tales may differ when it comes to the
late Diana, Princess of Wales or Princess Grace of Monaco, what is
certain is that their allure remains as strong as ever.
This month sees the launch of two exhibitions to commemorate their
lives, style and work. From 12 July, the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo
(near Nice airport) is hosting the first ever exhibition dedicated to
Grace Kelly, marking the 25th anniversary of her death. Entitled
Princess of Monaco, the collection of photographs, letters, dresses and
jewellery reveals public and private moments. It charts her childhood
in Philadelphia, career as a model/actress and her transformation to
Her Serene Highness, consort to Prince Rainier III. Their marriage in
1956 was described as “the wedding of the century”. For Kelly, already
a screen star and Oscar-winner after appearing in Rear Window, Dial M
for Murder and To Catch a Thief, the role of princess was to be just as
compelling.
alt="Princess Diana and Grace Kelly" class="picleft">It
was seen as unlikely that she would be able to
maintain her Hollywood career. Director Alfred Hitchcock, who was her
biggest champion, even quipped that he was “very happy that Grace has
found herself such a good part”. Although further roles were offered to
her, Prince Rainier’s reluctance that she accept them meant that she
never appeared on celluloid again.
The show curated by
Frédéric Mitterand, nephew of the late French
president François Mitterand has the support of
her three children. Her son Prince Albert II states: “I hope that
visitors will discover that behind the mythical image lay an extremely
sensitive woman and a deeply loving mother.”
Grace’s relationships with the fashion set marked her as a thoroughly
contemporary princess. It was for this reason that when Lady Diana
Spencer married the Prince of Wales in 1981, aged just 20, many drew
comparisons with Princess Grace.
alt="Princess Diana and Grace Kelly" class="picleft">Within
a matter of years, Diana had firmly
established herself as a global fashion icon, even becoming a Vogue
cover star (Kelly had appeared on the covers of Life magazine and
Time). Hence, many of the portraits on display at the Diana exhibition
in London’s National Portrait Gallery are by renowned fashion
photographers such as Mario Testino and Terence Donovan.
alt="Princess Diana and Grace Kelly" class="picright">The
show, which opens on 14 July, marks the tenth
anniversary of her death at 36. The pictures towards the end of her
life reveal a greater informality, which is summed up by Testino’s
recollection of his photo session with her: “My original reaction was
to photograph her in her traditional role as the fairytale princess.
Then I realised that the most exciting image you could hope to see of
her was as if you were alone in private with her.”
DIANA Princess of Wales
National Portrait Gallery
St Martin’s Place
London WC2
www.npg.org.uk
+44 (0)20 7306 0055
THE GRACE KELLY YEARS
Princess of Monaco Espace Ravel
Grimaldi Forum Monaco
10 avenue Princesse Grace
98000 Monaco
www.grimaldiforum.mc
+377 99 993000
© Archives du Palais Princier-Monaco
© John Swannell
© Mario Testino
© Archives du Palais Princier-Monaco
© David Bailey
© Archives du Palais Princier-Monaco
