Princess Charlene is stepping into Princess Grace’s shoes as she married Prince Albert II and becomes Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco. During Princess Grace days it was not all about the shoes and designers, in fact Grace Kelly’s favorite shoes were simple, comfortable espadrilles (yet her ‘Grace Kelly’ wedding shoes were custom designed and even hid a lucky copper penny for good fortune).
X-ray of Grace Kelly Wedding Shoe – with Lucky Penny
On July 1 & 2nd, 2011 the new Princess of Monaco emerged in the public eye. See this rare video of the Prince Albert and Princess Charlene Wedding – this footage was taken after the civil marriage (in the Palace’s Throne Room) July 1st but before the religious wedding ceremony of July 2nd (in the courtyard of the Palace).
When Grace Kelly became Princess Grace, it was the first televised “Wedding of the Century” on April 19, 1956, but she was actually already legally married to Prince Rainier in a civil service in the Palace’s Throne Room the day before on April 18. The book My Days with Princess Grace of Monaco, by Joan Dale, intimately shares what life was really like for Grace Kelly after she became Princess of Monaco, including the joys and challenges involved in taking on her new role in her new country as she struggled to learn the language and gain the acceptance of her people. The book, recounted by her best friend in Monaco at the time, portrays the real Princess Grace and dispels her one-time label as the Ice Princess – through never-before-told stories from the first years of her marriage to the last days of her life, we see the warm and loving side of Grace and how she became beloved by the Monegasque people.
Some people have called Princess Charlene “Princess Serenity”; in private moments there are loving smiles and it may be just a question of time for her to warm her way into the peoples’ hearts as she has big shoes to fill. The birth of the Monaco twins was a big step forward in endearing herself to the Monegasque subjects. Princess Charlene has been leaving her own mark in Monaco from simple things like the inauguration of the first Starbucks in Monaco to following traditions from the Princess Grace days, like distributing gifts to children at Christmas.
Princess Grace had her Hollywood connections, while Princess Charlene will be focusing on fashion connections – yet both focus on philanthropy. While the Princess Grace Foundation continues to assist emerging performing artists (& actors), the Princess Charlene Foundation aims to help women and children on five of the world’s seven continents, with one of the focal points being awareness of water safety and preventing deaths from drowning, as Charlene was an Olympic swimmer. Princess Charlene and Prince Albert share a passion for water and the oceans, just as Prince Albert’s ancestors have for generations.
At the 2013 Princess Grace Gala, Princess Charlene gave an emotional ovation to the former Princess of Monaco: “Princess Grace, to me, provides unending inspiration. I admire and respect her for all she accomplished and for the values that she continues to transmit… For so many people around the world, Princess Grace is an icon, an accomplished actress, a princess with a big heart, a fantastic mother and a remarkable woman. For me, she is a constant reminder of what is important: to be a woman who is strong and caring, hard-working and dedicated to her family but fiercely determined to make a difference. Whatever is our mission in life, it is to never give up giving back, because this is the only way to change things for the better, just as she did.”
Princess Charlene of Monaco gets teary speaking about Princess Grace
The pressures of following in Princess Grace’s footsteps were evident as she broke down in emotion after her homage to Princess Grace of Monaco. The added pressures of pervasive social media could make it even more difficult for Charlene Whitstock to follow the legend of Grace Kelly. With time on her side – and beauty – she is definitely emerging into a true princess – in style.
Over 100 images showcasing Princess Charlene’s evolution of style
