Monaco Style: A fairytale wedding

Photo source: Internet

American film star Grace Kelly became, “Princess Grace of Monaco”, when she married, 68 years ago, on April 19th, 1956, in what was then called, “the wedding of the century”, Prince Rainier of Monaco. Thirty million télévision viewers followed live, the fairytale wedding in Monte Carlo. One thousand eight hundred (1800) photographers and reporters waited to photograph the 26-year-old beauty as she descended the ship at the Port in Monaco.

The two-day event included two ceremonies, a  civil ceremony held at the Palace (a civil ceremony is the only legal form of marriage in France) and a religious ceremony at the beautiful Saint Nicolas Cathedral, Monaco.

This tiny state-country is the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican City in Rome.  The size of New York City’s ‘Central Park’ (approximately one square mile) Monaco is a premier luxury tourist destination.  One-third of Monaco’s population are millionaires.

Situated on the French Riviera, posed between France and Italy, it all started back on January 8, 1297 when Francesco Grimaldi, a pirate from Genoa, Italy, dressed himself as a monk and stormed the fortress and proclaimed it his.  Monaco grew into an industrious port over the next few centuries – a port used for military purposes.

In 1604, Lord Honoré XI came to the throne and felt he deserved a more prestigious title, so he began to introduce himself as, “Prince” – a title which has survived the centuries and is used by Monaco’s rulers to this very day.

On the 9th of May, 1949, at the tender age of 26 Prince Rainier III became, “Sovereign Prince of Monaco”.  Prince Rainier reigned for 56 years and had three children with Grace Kelly. Monaco has been a United Nations member since 1993 and a Council of Europe member since 2004.  This business, financial, and cultural hotspot, with a population of 37,000 is famous  for the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters [tennis tournament], and scenes in James Bond films shot at the famous, “Monte Carlo Casino”.

Author eiffeltowerweddingnews Posted onApril 19, 2017Leave a comment on A fairytale wedding: Monaco style