Grace Kelly was the first Hollywood actress to be honored with a commemorative postage stamp by the United States Postal Service in 1993. The stamp was issued to honor Grace Kelly’s career as an actress before she became the Princess of Monaco. While both the United States and Monaco released commemorative postage stamps in honor of Grace Kelly, the U.S. stamp had to comply with federal law which prohibits the depiction of foreign heads of state. As a result, the U.S. stamp used the name “Grace Kelly”, while the Monaco stamp used her title “Princess Grace”.
Grace Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in a wealthy and prominent family. Her father was a successful businessman and her mother was a former Olympic athlete. After attending college, Kelly moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting.
Kelly’s breakthrough role came in 1952, when she was cast in the film “High Noon.” She went on to appear in several other successful films, including “Dial M for Murder,” “Rear Window,” and “To Catch a Thief,” all directed by Alfred Hitchcock. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “The Country Girl” in 1955.
In 1956, Kelly met Prince Rainier III of Monaco at the Cannes Film Festival, and the two became engaged later that year. Kelly retired from acting and became the Princess of Monaco after their wedding in 1956. She was known for her grace, elegance, and philanthropic work.
Tragically, Grace Kelly died at the age of 52 in a car accident in 1982. She is remembered as one of the most beautiful and talented actresses of her time, and as a beloved princess and humanitarian.
Some Fun Facts about Grace Kelly:
- She was an accomplished equestrian: Grace Kelly was an avid horseback rider and often competed in equestrian events. She even won several medals in horse shows. Last year, Grace Kelly’s granddaughter made quite an entrance at Paris Fashion Week – on a horse!
- She was a Girl Scout: Grace Kelly was a member of the Girl Scouts of the USA when she was growing up in Philadelphia.
- She was multilingual: Grace Kelly was fluent in several languages, including French, which came in handy when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco and became a princess.
- She was related to a famous playwright: Grace Kelly was the niece of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright George Kelly, who wrote several hit plays including “The Torch-Bearers” and “The Show-Off.”
- She had a famous on-screen kiss: In the film “High Society,” Grace Kelly had a famous on-screen kiss with co-star Bing Crosby. The kiss was considered scandalous at the time because it was one of the first times a woman had been shown initiating a kiss in a Hollywood film.
- She was a skilled seamstress: Grace Kelly was known for her fashion sense and her elegant style, and she was also a skilled seamstress. She often designed and made her own clothes.
- She was a philanthropist: Grace Kelly was known for her charitable work, and she established the Princess Grace Foundation in 1964 to support emerging artists in the performing arts. The foundation still exists today and has awarded millions of dollars in grants to artists.
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