Grace Patricia Kelly (born November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died September 14, 1982, in Monaco) was an American film actress and Academy Award winner. After marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, her name and title changed to Princess Grace of Monaco, also known as Grace Patricia Grimaldi. In German-speaking countries, she is often called Princess Grace Patricia of Monaco or simply Gracia Patricia.
From August 1950 to March 1956, Kelly appeared in eleven feature films after gaining experience in theater. She achieved early success in 1952 with Gary Cooper in the Western High Noon and in 1953 with Clark Gable in Mogambo, for which she received a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1955 for her role as Georgie Elgin in the drama The Country Girl. At the peak of her career, she starred in three Alfred Hitchcock films, including the 1954 thriller Rear Window with James Stewart. Between 1948 and 1954, she also appeared in over 40 television productions. In 1956, she ended her film career with the musical High Society and married Prince Rainier III of Monaco, whom she had met a year earlier at the Cannes Film Festival. They had three children: Caroline, Albert, and Stéphanie. As princess, she focused on representative and charitable duties. She died two months before her 53rd birthday from injuries sustained in a car accident near Monaco, in the presence of her youngest daughter Stéphanie. Kelly was known for her elegant style and influenced global fashion trends. Her presence elevated Monaco’s reputation and economic development. The American Film Institute ranked her 13th among the 25 greatest female American film stars of all time.
United States
