The cliffs of Monaco.Credit: New York Times
Inspired by the movie Grace of Monaco Amanda Woods visited a little-known museum dedicated to the actress.
"To Miss Grace Kelly.
When I was in school, I read up on all the great princesses. But Madam Grace you cut ’em all.
The signed copy of Louis Armstrong's autobiography Satchmo.
Best wishes from Louis Armstrong."
Looking upon the words Armstrong had written to his High Society co-star who became a famous princess, I feel my skin prickle with goosebumps. When they worked together she was still the movie star Grace Kelly, albeit the movie star wearing a Cartier engagement ring from Prince Rainier III. A ring her character, Tracy Lord, wore as her own throughout what would become Kelly’s last film.
While Grace Kelly’s story ended in tragedy, what was widely viewed as a fairytale began at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955when she met her prince for the first time. Nicole Kidman’s portrayal of the princess, Grace of Monaco, was the opening film for the same festival last week and has helped reignite the fascination for her story.
Some of the princess? Collection of Irish books.
Growing up on the other side of the world, far from Hollywood and European principalities, I would never have dreamed that one day I would get the chance to hold a personally signed copy of Armstrong’s autobiography, Satchmo – let alone the very copy he gave to Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco.
Yet here I am, surrounded by the princess’ memories in a tiny library on the Rock of Monaco. A short walk down a narrow street from the palace where she lived, and just around the corner from the cathedral where you can now visit her grave, the Princess Grace Irish Library is the place I feel closest to the woman who became the legend.
Celebrating its 30th birthday this year, the library was opened in November 1984 by His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince Rainier III of Monaco in memory of the wife he had lost two years earlier.
Princess Grace of Monaco.Credit: Hulton Archive
While an Irish library for an American film star who became Monegasque royalty may seem odd at first, it was a tribute to Princess Grace’s Irish heritage, which she marked with a state visit to Ireland in 1961.
The princess’ own collection of Irish books that had lined the walls of her palace office are on display in a locked bookcase, and most can be read by visitors who simply have to ask a member of the library staff for help. Some of the older and most precious volumes are kept out of new hands, but the staff will happily don white gloves and turn some of the pages for people.
Today the library holds more than 9000 books, mostly first editions, with many donated by benefactors and visitors over the years, and every spring and autumn, an Irish writer or academic can be found studying there as part of a bursary created by the Ireland Fund of Monaco.
The Princess Grace Irish Library.
But there’s more to this library than books.
There’s the sewing basket that belonged to her mother, Margaret Majer Kelly, complete with the tiny name tags, ‘‘Grace Kelly’’, ‘‘Peggy Kelly’’ and ‘‘Lizanne Kelly’’, to be sewn into the future princess’ and her sisters’ childhood clothes.
Down in the Monaco district of Fontvieille, the Princess Grace Rose Garden is being given a 30th birthday makeover before reopening in June.
Up here in the library I can also see the princess’ love of flowers in the linen designs she created for the American label Springmaid, complete with her GPK initials, and in a copy of My Book of Flowers, by Princess Grace of Monaco, her own guide to the art of pressed floral arrangements.
A precious-looking box turns out to be a casket of Connemara marble with Irish silver casing, and harp strings and buttons made from24-carat gold, which was given to the princess during her 1961 visit to Ireland. While she no doubt received many valuable gifts over the years, photos of the princess in her library with the casket on her mantelpiece prove this is one she kept close by.
There’s the bust created by French sculptor Lucien Gibert in 1970,which you should only view from the side. Sculpted with a medal or coin in mind, the profile is perfect, but face-on it doesn’t quite look like the princess. Then there’s her collection of rare Irish- American sheet music, filled with ballads I can only imagine the star of one of my favourite musicals singing along to.
Like so many of Grace Kelly’s fans, I’m curious yet cautious about how she will be portrayed by Kidman in the new movie.
The royal family of Monaco may have condemned it as being filled with historical inaccuracies and ‘‘purely fictional’’ scenes, but no matter what is in the film, her true fans won’t let their adoration for her waver.
And when they make their way to Monaco, the books she loved will be waiting.
Amanda Woods travelled with the assistance of the Monaco government and tourist authority, and stayed as a guest of The Hotel Columbus.
TRIP NOTES
LOCATION
The Princess Grace Irish Library is at 9 rue Princesse Marie-de- Lorraine, Monaco-Ville, Principality of Monaco. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm, it closes for public holidays and for the summer holidays (Monday, August 4 to Friday, August 29, 2014). Some building work in 2014 and 2015 may affect opening dates so it is best to check ahead. Admission is free.
See pgil.mc.
GETTING THERE Qantas flies to Nice via Dubai with fares from $1960 return from Sydney. From Nice to Monaco, a helicopter with Heli Air Monaco is €120 ($175) one way while a taxi could cost between €90 and €120.
MORE INFORMATION
See qantas.com; heliairmonaco.com.
STAYING THERE
The Columbus Monte-Carlo hotel overlooks the Princess Grace Rose Garden. Rooms from €150, columbushotels.com.
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