World remembers Grace Kelly as son Prince Albert weds

Yesterday, her only son Prince Albert II got married to Charlene Wittstock at the ripe old age of 53, but Irish American legend Grace Kelly has long departed this earth.
Her death in a car crash in 1982 shocked the world. She was every bit as glamorous as Jackie Kennedy, with whom she was once compared.
Indeed, her influence has lasted down to the present day. The wedding gown of Catherine Middleton when she married Prince William was based on Grace's own stunning nuptial gown when she married Prince Rainier in 1956.
Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12th, 1929, and would have been only 82 on her only son’s wedding day if she had lived. She had two daughters also.
She was born to Jack Brendan Kelly, an Olympian gold medal rower, who traced the family tree back to County Mayo. Grace Kelly's father's ancestors were from Newport in County Mayo.
Her father (born 1889) was married to Margaret Maier; her grandfather was John Henry Kelly (born 1847) married to Mary Costello; and her great-grandfather was Brian Kelly (born 1804) married to Honora Margaret McLaughlin.
This year Albert took his bride to be on a trip to Mayo to the ancestral home of the Kelly’s, a nice touch much appreciated by the locals.
Jack Kelly was a prominent Irish American Democrat and narrowly lost a race to be mayor of Philadelphia. His daughter. Grace was named after his father’s sister, who died at a very young age.
Her Uncle George Kelly was estranged from the family because he was gay, but won the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for drama for his play "Craig’s Wife."  
The acting gene was clearly in Grace’s DNA. She first appeared on Broadway at just 19 in Strindberg’s play "The Father." She made her film debit in 1951 in the film "Fourteen Hours."
Soon she was Hollywood’s hottest property starring in such notable films as "Rear Window," "High Noon," "Dial M for Murder" and "The County Girl," for which she won an Oscar.
She met Prince Rainier during a visit to Monaco in the 1950s. Their wedding was described as the Wedding of the Century.
Now her son has finally tied the knot to a woman who looks in many ways as statuesque and beautiful a blond as his mother.
One can only wonder what the Catholic Grace would make of her son’s three children out of wedlock!

A look back at Grace Kelly’s wedding day, as Prince Albert says ‘I do’

Prince Albert II of Monaco wed Charlene Wittstock, a former Olympic swimmer from South Africa, in a civil ceremony Friday The prince and his new princess will say “I do” again at a larger religious wedding Saturday.
More than 50 years ago, his mother and father, American actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco, wed in a simple civil ceremony, with a more elaborate affair at Saint Nicholas Cathedral held the following day.
Sadly, neither of the prince’s parents will be there as the world’s most eligible bachelor takes a wife. Kelly was tragically killed in a car accident in 1982, while Prince Rainier succumbed to declining health in 2005.
In honor of Prince Albert’s wedding, here’s a report from Bob Considine that ran in the Washington Post on April 18, 1956 following the couple’s civil ceremony:

Pale and faintly smiling film star Grace Kelly was married to a nervously restive Prince Rainier III today in the gilded damask throne room of the Palace of Monaco.

“I am numb,” the new princess said in awe after the 20-minute civil ceremony.

The prince, who bit his lip, looked only during the ceremony at the 26-year-old woman who is now her serene highness.

She, however, often turned in her chair next to the 32-year-old prince as if to seek reassurance from him.

It was a kissless marriage, this prelude to Thursday’s religious ceremony at St. Charles Cathedral.

The morning-frocked prince took his bride — a vision in beige lace over rose and a trim hat of organdy across her honey-colored hair — and led her out of the throne room without touching her.

The tense sadness of most of the ceremony was due, it was later explained, to the collapse just before the marriage of Count Fernand Caillard D’Aillieres, the prince’s Chamberlain, from a nervous breakdown.

A palace attendant rushed a wheeled stretcher to the count in a small suite where the Rev. Francis Tucker the Prince’s priest, was conferring with Papal Nuncio Marella and Bishop Gilles Barthe, who will perform the religious ceremony tomorrow.

But the austerity, and the old-fashioned bridegroom nervousness of a man who until today was called “Europe’s most eligible bachelor,” melted quickly once he led Grace and the tiny wedding party — including this reporter — to his attractive Palace apartment for champagne.

The beautiful Grace, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Kelly, smiled radiantly as she took champagne and invited us to have drink while the Prince wandered among the relatives.

Monaco Grand Prix 2011: live

 
Sebastian Vettel wins the Monaco Grand Prix He took it at a canter in the end - those laps after the restart were a procession as far as the podium positions go. But further down there's still action on the final lap, as Webber sets the fastest time of the race and claiming fourth place. He's set the fastest lap in four of the last five Grands Prix, but it isn't working out for him. Kobayashi held off Hamilton to claim a career-best fifth, and Hamilton might still be struck with a time penalty for a dodgy manouevre which ended Maldonado's race.

Paddock Postcard from Monte Carlo

 
Monaco may turn itself over to Formula One racing for the weekend of the Grand Prix, but tradition dictates that football takes centre stage before the on-track action begins, with the annual pre-race ‘World Stars’ charity match. This year’s event - the 18th to be held - was raising money for the reconstruction of the church in Port au Prince, Haiti.

Whilst the Star Team MC, made up of international sports names, was captained by Monaco’s very own HSH Prince Albert II, the Formula One side was captained Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. Sauber’s Sergio Perez, HRT’s Vitantonio Liuzzi, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, Renault’s Vitaly Petrov, Virgin Jerome D’Ambrosio and Force India reserve Nico Hulkenberg were amongst the other drivers in action.

Glamour was firmly back on the agenda on Thursday. Not only were we treated to the unique sights and sounds of Formula One cars winding their way round the Principality’s narrow streets, but one of the most expensive watches ever created was unveiled to the media and a spectacular Bollywood-inspired yacht party was thrown to delight the paddock glitterati.

The watch came courtesy of luxury Swiss brand Hublot, the Official Watchmaker of Formula 1™. The Two Million Euro BB was presented in the presence of Formula One group CEO Bernie Ecclestone - and a crowd of reporters - in the paddock on Thursday afternoon. Made up of 637 baguette diamonds the watch weighs in at more than 140 carats and required 2,000 hours of work by master gem-setters.

The yacht party, hosted by Force India boss Vijay Mallya, has become something of tradition in recent years and Thursday night’s event didn’t disappoint. With Mallya’s boat, the Indian Empress, decked out like a Bollywood studio, guests including Sir Richard Branson, Princess Beatrice of York and hoards of famous Formula One faces enjoyed delicious Indian canapes, cocktails and music.

Friday - traditionally Monaco’s ‘rest’ day - was as busy as ever. Record-breaking free diver Pierre Frolla got the day off to a brisk start in the harbour, retrieving the official chequered flag for the Monaco race from a depth of 60 metres. The flag, which had been signed by a host of athletes and driver, will eventually be auctioned for the Peace & Sport charity.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel was also among those in charitable mood and made time to meet children from the Starlight Foundation, which helps to brighten the lives of seriously and terminally ill children. Vettel was joined at the meet and greet by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

Glitz is never missed off the Monaco agenda and several drivers unveiled some sparkly new helmet designs for the Monte Carlo race. HRT’s Vitantonio Liuzzi had an exclusive new livery which featured a picture of himself dressed as a pirate captain with gold bullion. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, meanwhile, got their hands on special-edition, diamond-encrusted helmets. Produced by sponsor Steinmetz, each helmet was embellished with 10 carats of handcrafted diamonds.

On Friday at the Yacht Club Bernie Ecclestone made a nice speech bidding farewell to his longtime business partner, former Autosport Grand Prix writer and Marlboro publicity manager Paddy McNally, who after 38 years is stepping down from his day-to-day role running Allsport Management, which handles circuit advertising and the Paddock Club.

Friday evening saw the return of the ever-glamorous Amber Lounge Fashion Show and charity auction, which was held at Monaco’s Le Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel. With Taio Cruz providing the soundtrack, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, Lotus’s Heikki Kovalainen, Renault’s Vitaly Petrov, Sauber’s Sergio Perez, Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari, Force India’s Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil, HRT’s Tonio Liuzzi and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg were among the Formula One drivers-turned-models taking to the catwalk for the night.

As ever, Monaco has been full of famous faces throughout the weekend. On the celebrity front, Prince Albert’s fiancee Charlene Wittstock, the former swimmer, was naturally much in evidence, as were Kim Kardashian, Tamara and Petra Ecclestone, Michael Johnson, Sir Philip Green and actor Jason Statham.

Familiar racing faces included FIA President Jean Todt and his wife Michelle Yeoh, three-time world champion Alain Prost and racing son Nicolas, steward’s assistant Allan McNish, former champion Keke Rosberg, Jochen Mass, Maria Theresa de Filippis, Max Welti, Eddie Irvine and Daniel Audetto.

In GP2, Team AirAsia’s Davide Valsecchi scored a terrific victory on Thursday as he led from start to finish to head home Racing Engineering’s Alvaro Parente and SuperNova’s Luca Filippi.

Poleman Sam Bird’s iSport car stalled at the start after a much longer than usual wait for everyone to line up, and as they avoided his stricken car Parente and Stefano Coletti (Trident Racing) banged wheels and Giedo van der Garde (Barwa Addax) made a strong getaway to follow them through Ste Devote ahead of Josef Kral (Arden) and Jules Bianchi (Lotus ART).

Further back Romain Grosjean (DAMS) was moving up fast from P19, while Bird set a string of fastest laps - at times he was two seconds a lap faster than anyone else! - as he launched a great recovery.

Filippi worked his way up behind the two leaders and stayed out longer during the pits stops, as did Grosjean. The gamble paid off as they pitted on lap 22: the Italian had a sticking left rear wheel but still emerged in third place, with the Frenchman on his tail.

Unfortunately for Bird, his brilliant charge ended in a tangle with team mate Marcus Ericsson, forcing both into retirement. Valsecchi handled the resultant safety car intervention, to win from Parente, Filippi and Grosjean, as Coletti just held off Kral for fifth ahead of Carlin’s British team mates Oliver Turvey and Max Chilton.

Saturday’s sprint race, meanwhile, saw Frenchman Charles Pic dominate from pole position for Barwa Addax, and led from lights to flag ahead of Kral and Grosjean. His only real threat came when the lights went out: Kral got alongside him after making an excellent start, but had to concede at Ste Devote. Pic handled two safety-car periods - one to remove Kevin Mirocha's stricken car from the front straight and the other after Ericsson jumped the kerb at the Swimming Pool and hit the wall - without any problem from Kral, who had his hands full with Grosjean.

Chilton made a poor start from the front row but ran fourth for a while before finishing sixth over being overtaken by Filippi and Valsecchi. The result left Grosjean sharing the 23-point championship lead with Bird who was trapped in the inevitable traffic in ninth place after a great early charge which earned him fastest lap, with Pic on 22 and Valsecchi and Van der Garde on 21.