Princess Grace, 35 Years Later

By Mary Claire Kendall

Grace Kelly in High Society (1956)

Princess Grace (Grace Kelly), died tragically 35 years ago today.  She was just 52.  Here's how Wikipedia recounts those sad days:

"On September 13, 1982, while driving with her daughter, Stéphanie, to Monaco from their country home, Roc Agel, on the French side of the border, Princess Grace suffered a stroke, which caused her to drive her Rover P6 [1] off the serpentine road down a mountainside. The accident site is located at 43°43′35″N 7°24′10″E.[2] Grace was pulled alive from the wreckage, but had suffered serious injuries and was unconscious. She died the following day at the Monaco Hospital (renamed Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace – "The Princess Grace Hospital Centre" in English—in 1985), having never regained consciousness; she was 52 years old. It was initially reported that Princess Stéphanie suffered only minor bruising, although it later emerged that she had suffered a serious cervical fracture.[3]

Grace was buried in the Grimaldi family vault on September 18, 1982, after a requiem mass in Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco.[4] The 400 guests at the service included representatives of foreign governments and of present and past European royal houses. Diana, Princess of Wales represented the British Royal Family. Cary Grant was among the members of the film community in attendance. Prince Rainier, who did not remarry, was buried alongside her following his death in 2005.[5]

In his eulogy, James 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. No question, I'll miss her, we'll all miss her, God bless you, Princess Grace.

Yes, God bless, Princess Grace. 

Note: This piece was originally posted on September 14, 2012, the 30th anniversary of Grace Kelly's death.
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1. Rover P6 Club (September 13, 1982). "Princess Grace of Monaco, P6 fan | Rover P6 Club". Newsite.p6club.com.     

2. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011.   

3. "BBC On This Day September 14th 1982". BBC News. September 14, 1985.  

4. "Death of Princess Grace – history – central – British Council – LearnEnglish". British Council.  

5. "Monaco Cathedral". Service Informatique du Ministère d'Etat (Monaco Minister of State Information Service. July 28, 2008.