Grace: Her Lives - Her Loves
www.apostrophebooks.com
Contents
AUTHOR’S NOTE
AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The feature films of Grace Kelly
Books and articles about Grace Kelly
Coming soon by Robert Lacey . . .
AUTHOR’S NOTE
AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am very happy to welcome this new edition of my biography of Grace Kelly, and would like to thank my enterprising literary agent Jonathan Pegg for finding such a quick-moving and stylish publisher in Apostrophe. Martyn Forrester has coordinated the re-publication with such panache – Anglo-French words seem particularly appropriate to the story of Princess Grace
– and I would also like to thank Jamie and Louise Downham for their striking design and cover. Grace never took a poor photograph.
I am by no means the first biographer to have written about Grace Kelly. I was lucky to draw on the work and discoveries of a number of other writers when I started my own researches in 1991, and any list of acknowledgments must begin by expressing my thanks to them.
In the days following Grace’s death and funeral in 1982, Gwen Robyns added a final chapter to her biography of the princess, which was reissued within weeks as
Princess Grace: 1929-1982.
This commemorative edition was as warm and complimentary as the original. The author did not alter or restore the pages she had expurgated at Grace’s request. But Princess Caroline considered it offensive of her mother’s friend to publish the book so close to Grace’s death, and she wrote to tell the author as much.
Caroline was apparently unaware of all that could have been written about her mother. She soon found out. In the summer of 1983,
People
magazine commissioned Linda Marx to research and write a major profile, “Grace Kelly of Philadelphia,” which was published on the first anniversary of Grace’s death. After decades of orchestrated press coverage, it was a first serious glimpse at the vulnerable side of the icon, and it led to more. Further disclosures and some penetrating psychological analysis were delivered by the posthumous biographies
Princess Grace
by Sarah Bradford and
Grace of Monaco
by Steven Englund, which raced each other to appear virtually simultaneously in the early summer of 1984.
In 1983 Doubleday commissioned the Los Angeles writer James Spada to compile a picture-book tribute to Grace Kelly, and it was in seeking out fresh sources for his text that Spada tracked down Don Richardson and the story of his extraordinary romance with Grace. Securing confirmation of this episode from Grace’s family and friends—most notably from her sister Lizanne—Spada abandoned his picture-book plans in favor of a full-scale biography,
Grace: The Secret Lives of a Princess,
which was published in 1987.
Spada’s revelations provided the most profound departure to that date from the traditional image of Grace, and they prompted Prince Rainier to provide special help to two authors who were friends of the family and who would, he hoped, paint an alternative picture. The prince and his three children gave extensive and frank cooperation to the American writer, Jeffrey Robinson, and to Judy Quine, the former bridesmaid.
Published in 1989, Robinson’s
Rainier and Grace
was an unabashed attempt to present the Grimaldi point of view. Judith Balaban Quine’s
The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, and Six Intimate Friends
might have been expected to be similarly partisan—but Judy Quine proved more of a friend to Grace’s memory and to her own recollections of Rainier’s tempers and moodiness, which she portrayed with unflinching clarity. Her book was a bestseller.
Pondering the results of his cooperation with Judy Quine and Jeffrey Robinson, Prince Rainier came to feel, according to Nadia Lacoste, his press officer for more than twenty years, that he was damned if he helped authors, and damned if he didn’t. Their books either betrayed him and sold well—or presented his own point of view and attracted little attention. In a telephone conversation on July 30, 1992, Ms. Lacoste courteously and rationally explained why I should not expect any help from the princely family in the preparation of my own book, and so it proved.
Prince Albert sent the most human and considered regrets. He signed his letter personally. Stephanie declined, briefly, through a private secretary. Caroline also replied through an assistant: “It is not our practice to give our approbation to projects of this nature and we would ask you to verify that no mention of, or allusion to an authorization by the princely family, or members of their staff, be made in the book or in publicity associated to the promotion of this book.”
I was happy to give this verification – then and now. My book was not authorized by the Grimaldi family, and least of all by Prince Rainier himself, who declined a succession of interview requests. I am grateful to those of his friends who did grant me interviews.
I am also grateful for the chance to have met and talked to several of the authors on whose work I have built. My debt to Gwen Robyns is obvious from the text. Sarah Bradford and James Spada were thoroughly generous and collegial in sharing their contacts, and helping me to push the story further. As described in the source notes to chapter one, Linda Marx lent me her research material—and though Jeffrey Robinson, an old friend, could not see the need for any more books about Grace, he conveyed his opinion with his customary wit and charm.
Philadelphia was the foundation of my research into Grace’s upbringing and character, and I remain grateful to the many people who helped me there: at the Order of the Assumption, Sister Dorothy and Sister Francis Joséph; Tom Baldwin and the staff of Baldwin’s Book Barn; Professor E. Digby Baltzell; Hugh Best; Fran Bolno; Charleen Brooks; Lynn Brown; Jess and Selma Bulkin; Sam Bushman; Frazier Cheston; Mary-Ellen Tolan Creamer; Vincent Deeney; Jack Edelstein; Art Gallagher and Patty Gallagher; Karen Gallen; Gloria Otley Hamilton; Rachel Harlow; Betty Hess; Jane and Theodore Hughes II; Mary Agnes Hagen James; John Paul Jones IV; Harry J. Katz; John B. Kelly III; Mary Keon; Andrea Kurz; Harry Leopold; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Levy; Arthur H. Lewis; Bill Lynch; Jim and Carol McAllister; Don McDonough; Kathy McKenna; Joan Mateer; Philip S. May, Jr.; Glenna Costello Millar; Merrill Pannitt; Maree Rambo; Joe Regan; Jack and Elizabeth Seabrook; Dorothy Langdon Sitley; Ezra Stone; Richard Waterman; Jay and Carole Weitzman; Candie Weitzman; Alice Godfrey Waters; Emily and Harleston Wood.
Alan Wood opened many doors and was a tireless companion on my trips to Philadelphia; Charlotte Thayer was the perfect hostess and playmate; J. Permar Richards introduced me both to the fellowship of Boathouse Row and to Tully Vaughan, who took me out on the Schuylkill River with his crews and also served as a generous guide at Henley to the world of the Diamond Sculls.
In Los Angeles my thanks are due to: William Allyn; Frances Brody; Lydia Bunka; Lucille Ryman Carroll; James Carville; Alex D’Arcy; Chico Day; Mel Dellar; Robert Dornhelm; Zsa Zsa Gabor; Sydney Guilaroff; Mrs. Henry Hathaway; Fred Hayman; Joe Hyams; Jody Jacobs; Arthur Jacobson; Jay Kanter; Joséph Kenworthy; Stanley Kramer; Irving Lazar; Joe and Marti le Guori; Brian and Jean Mawr; Sanford Meisner; Mark Miller; David Niven, Jr.; Linda Obst; Natalie Core O’Hare; Fred Otash; Don Richardson; Herman Rush; Charles Rappleye; Tony Santoro; John Seeley, Jr.; Robert Slatzer; Mr. and Mrs. Tim Street-Porter; David and Micheline Swift; Bob Thomas; Gore Vidal; Jack Wiener; Tichi Wilkerson; Willie Wilkerson III.
Robert Cort and Rosalie Swedlin were most gracious and accommodating hosts; Donald Spoto was a guide, mentor, and friend; and what a pleasure it was to travel up Coldwater Canyon for tea with Jean Howard!
On my trips to New York I was extended warm hospitality by Peter and Nancy Kirwan Taylor and by Barry and Sandy Cronan. My thanks to them and to: Bob Adelman; Dr. Patricia Allan; Milly de Cabrol; Oleg Cassini; Dr. Jonathan Charney: Richard Coons; Jean Dalrymple; James Danziger; Dominick Dunne; Jeffory Martin FitzGerald; Paul and Gillian Friedman; Rita Gam; Lee Grant; Martin and Audrey Gruss; Tom Guinzberg; Radie Harris; Tom Hogan; Celeste Holm; Joey Hunter; Dr. Gerald Imber; Zita Ingster; George Lang; Jennifer Lee; Michael and Laurence Levin; Jim McMullen; Meg McSweeney at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts; Dr. Ernest Mitler; Ward Morehouse III; Ted Morgan; Helga Philippe; David Pochna; Martin Riskin; Al Rosenstein; John Springer; Rachel Taylor; Jane Ellen Wayne; Cynthia White.
Monaco was a hard nut to crack. Glossy brochures crammed with facts about the principality abound, but, as in all authoritarian societies, real information is quite another matter. It is a strange experience to telephone a western European country and to be cautioned, as I was on more than one occasion when phoning Monaco, “It is not a good idea to discuss this sort of thing over the telephone.” I am the more grateful, therefore, to those residents of the principality who provided me with both information and warm hospitality in the course of my several visits. It would be poor repayment to give their names here.
In France I should like to thank Jean-Pierre Aumont; Captain, now Commandant Roger W. Bencze; Richard Evans; Pierre Galante; Pierre and Silvita Gallienne; Adrian George and Amanda Monypenny; Xavier and Michele Givaudon; Mr. and Mrs. Philippe Junot; Elisa Kitson; Nadia Lacoste; Susanne Lowry; Mike Meade; Edward Meeks; Patrick Middleton; Jacqueline Monsigny; John Pochna; Michael and Marie-France Pochna; June Sherman; Georges Charles Tomaszewski; Jane Tresidder.
I am grateful to Bryan and Greta Morrison for their enduring hospitality on my trips to England. I would also like to thank Geoffrey Bailey; Peter Bate; Lord Patrick Beresford; Kevin Billington; Sir Dirk Bogarde; Melvyn Bragg; John Carroll; Barry Chattington; John Blundell and Richard Hodgkin of Coutts & Co; Mr. and Mrs. Buff Crisp; Danny Danziger; Nigel Dempster; William Drummond; Peter Evans; Margaret Gardner; Tim and Eileen Graham; Ed Gudeon, visa king; Sir Alec Guinness; Gabe and Bay Gutman; Nicholas Haslam; Sanford Henry; Craig and Pamela Herron; Ruth Jackson; Howard Jacobs; David Jamison; Helene Kemble; Barbara Leigh-Hunt and Richard Pasco; Euan Lloyd; Christopher Moorsom; Sheridan Morley; Nigel Pollitzer; Catherine Portwain and R S. Goddard at the Regatta Headquarters, Henley-on-Thames; John and Victoria Raymond; John Rendall; Gwen Robyns and Paul von Stemann; Pierre Salinger; Michael Sears; Jennifer Sharp; Donald Sinden; Alexander Walker; James Whitaker; Fred Zinnemann.
Two years of research builds up obligations for many kindnesses. My warm thanks to: Sandy Abouzeid; Betty Aldridge; Susan Allison; Chuck Anderson and Bonnie James at PBW Photo; Jayne Barton; Carol Baugh; Cari Beauchamp; Laura Boccaletti; Nancy Blinker; Janet Brooks; Art Buchwald; Joe Carrigan; Alfred Clarke; Herbert Coleman; Howell Conant; Richard Connell; Bernie Crawford; Paul Dorman; Jacqueline Dwoskin; Josi Finsness; Sandi Fish; John Franco; Dr. Stuart Goodman; Bettina Thompson Gray; Dr. Iain Hassin; Dr. Jack J. Hirschfeld; Evan Hunter; Maria Karlsson; Kitty Kelley; Ronald Kessler; Arthur Kudner; Wendy Leigh Karten; Earle Mack; Alvin Malnik; Emily Marschok; Linda R Marx; Mario de Mendoza III; Dr. Bill Miller; Kris Morley and Eva Ollson of British Airways Special Services, Miami; Murr Sinclair Murdoch-Muirhead; Al and Tammy Nait; Jim Nicholson; Dr. Paul Niloff; Chuck Owens at Advance Video; John Patrick; Eunice Ridenaur; Daniel St. George; Jon Sobotka; Cathy Tankoos; Chase Thomas and Margaret Ellis; Alejo Vidal Quadras; Ralph Wolfe Cowan; Debra Wallace; Mike Wheeler.