Princess Grace of Monaco, also known as simply Grace Kelly, actress, was born in Philadelphia on the 12th November 1929. Grace was an icon of elegance and beauty and her film credits accordingly, were testimony to her popularity. Those film credits were numerous, one of which (The Country Girl) won her a best actress Oscar in 1954. She is still better known for playing the gorgeous, reserved blonde in three Alfred Hitchcock films: Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954, with Jimmy Stewart) and To Catch a Thief (1955, with Cary Grant). She also played Gary Cooper's wife in the iconic western High Noon (1952) and starred with Crosby and Frank Sinatra in the musical romp High Society (1956). It is not surprising that even today, she remains upheld as a standard of beauty, grace and style. It is suggested that talent and persona influenced the great motion picture director Alfred Hitchcock so strongly, that he attempted to make other actresses into her image, without success. At 19, Grace’s graduation performance was in The Philadelphia Story, a role with which she would also end her film career, in the MGM musical film version High Society. She was cast as "Bethel Merriday", an adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel of the same name, in her first of nearly sixty live television programs. Success on television eventually brought her a role in a major motion picture and she made her film debut in a small role in the 1951 film Fourteen Hours. This small role led to many offers, all of which she turned down for independence and another chance at the theatre. She was performing in Colorado’s notable Elitch Gardens when she received a telegram from Hollywood producer Stanley Kramer, offering her the starring role opposite Gary Cooper in High Noon. According to biographer Wendy Leigh, at age 22 Grace had an off-set romance with both Cooper and director Fred Zinnemann. High Noon would go on to be a popular film of the 1950s. Her attendance at the Cannes Festival of 1954 would prove to be a life-changing event for Grace. In a brief meeting with Prince Rainier Grimaldi of Monaco, Grace proceeded to capture his heart. The bachelor prince sought her out over the next few months and desperately tried to create another opportunity to meet. The opportunity came on Christmas Day 1955, when Rainier, his priest, and his doctor were invited to dinner at the Kellys' home in Philadelphia. On 5th January 1956, after a whirlwind romance, the Prince and Grace formally announced their engagement in New York and Monaco. However, before marrying, she had to fulfill her contract with MGM by appearing in High Society, a musical remake of The Philadelphia Story. One week after filming, Grace and her closest friends and family set sail for Monaco, where they were greeted with much pomp and ceremony. Grace and Prince Rainier were married on 18th April 1956, in a short civil ceremony at the royal palace. The next day, they married again in a large formal ceremony at Monaco's Cathedral of St. Nicholas. On 23rd January 1957 gave birth to Caroline Louise Marguerite, the first heiress to the throne. As is usual however, the birth of a son, Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre 14 months later made him the rightful heir. Grace had her third and final child, Princess Stephanie Marie Elizabeth, on the 1st February 1965 and this completed the royal family. Life was very different and in fact more difficult for Grace at the royal palace than she had imagined, due to cultural differences and Rainier's difficult family. In 1960, Graces’ father died which left her griefstricken. Grace, although interested in returning to work as an actress, turned down any offers due to the disapproval of her husband and Monaco's public. Even though there was some tension, due to these restrictions and having had several miscarriages, Grace did not hesitate to become involved in her official duties. She succeeded her husband as president of the American Red Cross and established several charities, primarily devoted to childcare and improving the situation for Monaco's youth. On behalf of her work with young people, the U.N. Food and Agricultural Association awarded Grace the Ceres medal in 1977. During the early 1970s, Princess Grace and Rainier began to grow apart, although they put up a facade for the public. Grace later attributed their endurance during this difficult time to their shared Catholic faith, and her belief in and support of traditional women's roles. On 13th September 1982, Princess Grace was driving Stephanie back to the Palace in Monaco and had a stroke behind the wheel. Losing control of the car, it plunged off the road down a steep embankment. Stephanie suffered serious injuries but survived and Grace, critically injured, fell into a coma. Grace died the next day when Rainier, Albert, and Caroline decided to remove her life support. Monaco and the Grimaldi family mourned the loss of Princess Grace, and Rainier never remarried. Despite the ultimate tragedy and the many struggles she endured, her apparent fairy tale life continues to inspire the publics imagination to this day.