Grace - By Howell Conant

[Ianna]

What amazing and exlusive photos you posted here, tbhrc!! Thank you so much for sharing!

Howell Conant definately deserved the title that Princess Grace and Prince Rainier gave to him! He really made impressive picture book!

[flowerpower]

Tbhrc thank you so much for sharing these amazing and so private pictures of Pss Grace and Rainier
It’s a fine acquisition you made

[princess olga]

These pictures are just mesmerizing! Can't get enough of them; you have more?! :)

[xtan]

yeah i enjoyed the pic so much that i ordered the book!!

[sm1939]

those pictures are fab !! Im so going to get that book !

[tara1983]

What nice photo's of grace and the family.

[LadyMacAlpine]

During the filming of High Society, David Niven and his wife offered Grace their home so she could meet privately with Prince Rainier, away from the eyes of the press. Howell was invited to one of the gatherings and took photo's. "Life Remembering Grace" from last year was the first time these photo's have been published
Grace
Rainier
Rainier
Rainier and the ladies
Rainier and David Niven
Grace and David Niven
Rainier
Grace and Rainier

[Tzu An]

Like a lot of royal brides who were commoners, I don't think Grace was properly trained for her eventual role as Princess Consort. She went from freedom to a heavily restricted life and wasn't eased into her role. I think it's a pretty big mistake to throw someone used to being in charge of their life to the restricted lifestyle of of a full fledged royal. I personally think she should have undergone a brief time where she would train and then marry Ranier. If they had been more discreet, Grace could have secretly trained, fulfilled her contractual obligations to MGM, and then married Ranier.

[Elly C]

Originally Posted by LadyMacAlpine

During the filming of High Society, David Niven and his wife offered Grace their home so she could meet privately with Prince Rainier, away from the eyes of the press. Howell was invited to one of the gatherings and took photo's. "Life Remembering Grace" from last year was the first time these photo's have been published
Grace
Rainier
Rainier
Rainier and the ladies
Rainier and David Niven
Grace and David Niven
Rainier
Grace and Rainier

There's a lovely relaxed & happy mood to these photos. Howell Conant was clearly a trusted friend. I hope some more previously unseen photos will come to light soon.

[sandsla]

Originally Posted by Tzu An

Like a lot of royal brides who were commoners, I don't think Grace was properly trained for her eventual role as Princess Consort. She went from freedom to a heavily restricted life and wasn't eased into her role. I think it's a pretty big mistake to throw someone used to being in charge of their life to the restricted lifestyle of of a full fledged royal. I personally think she should have undergone a brief time where she would train and then marry Ranier. If they had been more discreet, Grace could have secretly trained, fulfilled her contractual obligations to MGM, and then married Ranier.

Where exactly do you think she failed? And where were they not discreet? Considering both were high profile personalities, Grace more than Rainier? i thought they did a pretty good job? Most people didn't even know where Monaco was until Grace married Rainier? I personally think they were very discreet, and I don't understand how Grace could have fufilled her contractual obligations with MGM and at the same time, train for her role? Travel then wasn't a puddle jump away? Plus Grace had a lot of films to make to fulfill her contractual obligations. She had been loaned out to Paramount fot many of her roles? Plus she gave MGM the rights to film her wedding and that was in lieu of fulfilling her contractural obligations. Her wedding put Monaco more on the map than her becoming the Princess of Monaco, mainly because it was pretty much a Hollywood production. She could not be shooting films and training at the same time? Not even close to a possibility? She shot two films after she met Rainier, at least one after she was engaged. There was a reason Rainier had to come visit her. Her career as an actress was demanding and I believe she had quite a few more films to complete for MGM. I think Grace was not the average commoner, she was an Oscar winning actress, she was use to the press and knew how to handle it. She was use to being in the limelight, so the transition there was probably an easy one! Grace was the one that was surprised that the Palace didn't even have a Press Office? She got pregnant on her honeymoon and had two babies in quick succession. I think she balanced her children and palace duties very well, especially for the time. She created much in the way of culture for Monaco including many foundations. I just can't imagine anyone, a consort who could bring more than Grace did for Monaco especially for the 1950's. I do agree that since she was at the top of her career and still young, that if she had been allowed a few more years to fulfill her own needs, she would have evolved more naturally into the role, meaning she would be ready to move on in her life and find other things more fulfilling. But it was the 50's and she was 26 and eager also to have a family. For a Hollywood actress I'm sure her life might have seemed restricting at first, but had she been given too much a glimspe she may have change her mind altogether? Once you own yourself, you own yourself, there is no way of going back or easing out of it! That is equal to unlearning something - How do you ease yourself into being less smart? For me that is the equivalent? No one wants to be owned! But remember it was the 50's.

[mdeledda]

Grandiose, graziöse Grace

[attaininggrace]

Originally Posted by sandsla

Where exactly do you think she failed? And where were they not discreet? Considering both were high profile personalities, Grace more than Rainier? i thought they did a pretty good job? Most people didn't even know where Monaco was until Grace married Rainier? I personally think they were very discreet, and I don't understand how Grace could have fufilled her contractual obligations with MGM and at the same time, train for her role? T.

I absolutely agree, Sandsla. I recently read Grace by Robert Lacey (which I reviewed on my blog) and I thought that she handled her situation extremely well and she put Monaco on the map, as you say!

bookaddiction