Grace Kelly's Grandchildren Grew Up To Be Gorgeous
Many know of Grace Kelly's tragic life, but the legacy she left behind is not often talked about. Decades after her death, though, Monaco's royal family continues to honor Kelly. The late Princess of Monaco's children and grandchildren have found subtle ways to honor and remember her, like purchasing the royal's childhood home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Despite helping their parents keep their grandmother's legacy alive, they never actually got the chance to meet Kelly. Kelly's first grandchild, Andrea Casiraghi, was born two years after the princess passed, as Hello! magazine detailed.
However, it's not far-fetched to believe that if Kelly were alive today, she would be proud of each and every one of her grandchildren as they've all grown up to be admirable adults. Some of Kelly's grandchildren have gone on to start families of their own while others have established careers or play a part in humanitarian efforts. Here's a closer look at Grace Kelly's gorgeous grandchildren.
Grace Kelly looked forward to having grandchildren
In an interview with People in 1982, Grace Kelly admitted, "No one likes the idea of getting older. It's a question of facing the inevitable and not getting upset about it." This is, of course, a sentiment that holds true decades later. However, there was one aspect of getting older that Kelly was actually looking forward to. In the same interview with the magazine, Kelly revealed, "I'm lucky, and am just looking forward to what comes next. Being a grandmother would be an exciting experience."
The possibility of having grandchildren was actually something Kelly had been looking forward to for years. In 1979, some three years prior to the princess' interview with People, Kelly mused of one day becoming a grandparent, telling Image, "Of course I'd enjoy [being a grandmother]. And I can tell you one thing, the Prince will make a wonderful grandfather."
This of course makes it all the more heartbreaking that the Princess of Monaco was unable to experience this aspect of getting older, as her grandchildren were all born after she died in a car accident on September 13, 1982.
Grace Kelly's firstborn grandchild is all grown up with kids of his own
In 1984, Grace Kelly's oldest child, Princess Caroline, gave birth to the late princess' first grandchild, a son, Andrea Casiraghi, according to Hello! magazine. Though part of the Monaco royal family, Andrea grew up in Paris, France and moved to New York to get a master's degree at The New School. As an adult, Andrea (with Princess Caroline's support) became involved in two charity organizations, the Motrice Foundation and AMADE, Hello! revealed.
In 2013, People reported that Andrea married Tatiana Santo Domingo, the daughter of a successful beer mogul, in a rather laid-back affair, especially compared to some of the most expensive royal weddings ever. For the ceremony, Tatiana opted for a flower crown and silver flats rather than a tiara and heels.
Prior to his and Tatiana's wedding, Andrea welcomed his first child, a son, thus Grace Kelly's first great-grandchild. According to People, Andrea and his wife welcomed a daughter in 2015 and another son in 2018.
Grace Kelly's granddaughter Princess Alexandra was in line for the British throne
Grace Kelly's granddaughter Princess Alexandra of Hanover is Princess Caroline's only child from her third marriage to Prince Ernst August of Hanover, according to Town & Country. Per the publication, Princess Alexandra is actually a descendant of Queen Victoria on her father's side and was thus a distant member of the British line of succession. However, in 2018, Grace Kelly's granddaughter became a member of the Catholic Church, effectively making her ineligible for the already highly unlikely chance she'd go on to inherit the British throne.
Despite being a princess, Alexandra didn't have most royal of ambitions. By the time she'd become a teenager, she was a competitive figure skater. However, she set aside the sport and pursued an education at New York University. The young princess told Telva (via Hola!), "It was always clear to me that I wanted to go to college. So I did it." She continued, saying, "But more with the desire to nurture myself intellectually than with a job vision."
Grace Kelly's eldest granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi is an accomplished equestrian
According to Harper's Bazaar, Grace Kelly's daughter, Princess Caroline, chose to raise her children in relative privacy — at least, as private as one's life can be when part of a royal family. Despite her quiet life, Caroline's second child, Charlotte Casiraghi, made a name for herself in the world of equestrian show jumping. The 2013 report noted that Charlotte had been representing Gucci's equestrian line since 2010.
Charlotte herself told Harper's Bazaar her horses played a vital part in her childhood, saying, "They gave me the energy to move forward, the ability to fight, giving me a rare confidence and invaluable strength. They taught me great humility too."
Although her life may differ from that of Kelly's, you can't help but notice some similarities between Charlotte and her royal grandmother. In fact, according to Vanity Fair, Grace Kelly's eldest granddaughter honored the late Princess of Monaco at her 2019 wedding to Dimitri Rassam. Charlotte wore a dress similar to one Kelly wore in To Catch a Thief, donned a necklace that was gifted to Kelly at her own wedding, and even wore her hair in a way that emulated Kelly's Old Hollywood style.
Grace Kelly's grandson Pierre Casiraghi tries to live a normal life and loves to sail
Pierre Casiraghi, Princess Caroline's youngest son, doesn't like to spend too much time discussing life as a wealthy royal, noted Boat International. Although Pierre is a member of a prominent royal family, he told the publication that he was "like any other kid" growing up. He halted personal questions, saying, "Everyone deserves their privacy."
When it comes to sailing, though, he's an open book. Pierre inherited his love of sailing not from Grace Kelly's daughter, but from Stefano, Caroline's husband and Pierre's father, whose death in a 1990 boating accident came just eight years after Kelly's own tragic accident.
Still, Pierre's love of boating errs on the extreme side. He told Boat International he prefers one of the most challenging classes of racing, saying, "It's the scariest, the most aggressive and most insane fleet." However, Pierre revealed that he used to loved extreme sailing even more, but once he got married in 2015 and subsequently started a family, he stopped taking as many risks while out on the water.
Notably, in 2021, he became an ambassador for Dior men's wear, so clearly there's more to him than just sailing.
Grace Kelly's granddaughter Jazmin Grace Grimaldi is following in her grandmother's footsteps
It wasn't until 2006 that the world was made aware of Prince Albert II's oldest child, Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, according to Town & Country. Prince Albert met his secret love child's mother in 1991 and the two had a short relationship, Harper's Bazaar reported. When Jazmin was born, her mother chose to give her a normal childhood in California rather than a royal one in Monaco. While Jazmin knew she would one day have to face public life (her mother was always open about her father's identity), the news of her identity unfortunately became public just as she was entering her awkward teen years.
Since then, however, Jazmin has grown into life as a royal. Harper's Bazaar noted that she spends significant time with her family in Monaco and has followed in her grandmother's footsteps as an actor and singer.
Aside from her interest in the arts, Jazmin is also a humanitarian, and has led the Jazmin Fund since she was just 14 years old. In 2018, the organization raised enough funds to open a community center in a Fijian village where people could gather to express themselves through art.
Grace Kelly's grandson Prince Jacques is first in line for the throne
In December 2014, Monaco's royal family welcomed two new heirs — twins — to the world. According to BBC News, Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II didn't find out their children's genders before they were born. As such, Prince Albert stated prior to their birth that, if the children were of the same sex, the firstborn would become the heir apparent.
However, the Monaco ruler's twins are a girl and a boy: Gabriella and Jacques, respectively. Gabriella was born first, per BBC News, but Monaco's rules of succession favors male heirs, so her younger (by just a couple minutes) brother is actually first in line to the throne.
Monaco's rule of succession is arguably outdated. Even the British royal family changed centuries of tradition in 2013 when the Succession to the Crown act was passed. This modern rule allowed Princess Charlotte upon her birth in 2015 to retain her place in the line of succession regardless of a younger sibling's sex.
Grace Kelly's twin grandchildren can be exhausting at times
Grace Kelly's youngest grandchildren are growing up quickly, according to Princess Charlene, who discussed her children in an interview with Point de Vue (via People). Charlene told Point de Vue the twins have a close bond, saying, "[They] talk to each other all the time, and like all children they sometimes can be a little abrupt, a little hard even in their exchanges, but they support each other unconditionally."
While Charlene acknowledges the twins are adaptable and confident, she also revealed that raising them can be a challenge, "often exhausting" and "also very stimulating in many areas."
According to Hello! magazine, it is very apparent how close the twins are when they are out and about in public. They've been pictured holding hands and hugging at events with their parents. Princess Charlene also commented on her family's closeness to Point de Vue, telling the outlet, "But when we're just [us] four, it doesn't matter where we are: that place is our home."
Grace Kelly's grandson Louis Ducruet got married in a lavish two-day event in 2019
Louis Ducruet is the oldest child of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier's youngest daughter, Princess Stephanie of Monaco. While he didn't get to meet his grandmother, Louis told Hello Monaco that he'd always admired his grandfather — which is why he chose to get married in the same church that held Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly's ceremony in 1956. Louis told the publication, "At some point he will be with me during the wedding ceremony at the cathedral."
Louis' wedding to his college sweetheart happened over the course of two days, according to People. Louis' now-wife, Marie Chevalier, was very hands-on during the planning and actually wore a dress designed by Louis' younger sister, Pauline Ducruet, for the church service, Louis told Hello Monaco.
Grace Kelly's grandson is indeed very connected to Monaco. He explained to Point de Vue (via People), saying, "Growing up in the princely family binds you very strongly to this country." Louis' bond to Monaco is perhaps most exemplified in his work. According to Town & Country, he worked as a scout for AS Monaco, the principality's soccer club. In 2020, he started working for the Nottingham Forest Football Club.
Grace Kelly's granddaughter Pauline Ducruet was once an elephant trainer
Pauline Ducruet, Princess Stephanie of Monaco's oldest daughter, had an unusual childhood for a royal — or anyone else for that matter. According to an interview with the Daily Front Row, Pauline grew up training elephants in the circus. Pauline told the outlet, "My mom was the director of a circus in Switzerland, and we lived there for two years, and it was the best experience I could have had as a kid. I went to school in the morning and spent the afternoon taking care of the animals."
However, Pauline's childhood in the circus didn't turn into a lifelong career. Instead, she's made a name for herself in the fashion world. Per the interview, Pauline went to Parsons School of Design in New York and interned at Vogue. In 2019, according to Tatler, Pauline turned that experience into her own fashion line, Alter.
Pauline told Tatler she'd always dreamed of having her own fashion line. She revealed, "I always loved both menswear and womenswear and I wanted to give this freedom to my clients not to have to choose between the two."
Grace Kelly's granddaughter Camille Gottlieb shares her luxurious life on Instagram
Princess Stephanie of Monaco's youngest daughter, Camille Gottlieb, shares her life as a royal to her thousands of followers on Instagram. On her account, Grace Kelly's granddaughter can be seen relaxing on boats, cuddling her dog, enjoying the snow, and just generally living it up as a royal. Of course, that's not all she does.
In 2017, Camille created Be Safe Monaco, an organization that aims to educate people on the dangers of drinking and driving, according to Hola! magazine. Camille and a couple friends decided to start the organization after losing a friend in an accident. Along with educational services, Camille told Point de Vue (translated from French) that the organization also sets up services for people to get home safely after drinking, including shuttles from events like the Grand Prix, the Yacht Show, or the Deep Klassified music festival.
Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste inherited his grandmother's good looks and became a model
While Grace Kelly's son, Prince Albert II, has two children with his wife Charlene, the prince also has two illegitimate children. Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste was born on August 24, 2003, making him the oldest son of Prince Albert. However, as his mother, Nicole Coste, was a flight attendant who was not married to Prince Albert, Alexandre wasn't raised in the palace. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Nicole and Albert had a five-year relationship, but it wasn't until Alexandre was 19 that Albert recognized Nicole's paternity claim.
Because of an amendment to the Monaco constitution in 2002 that prohibits illegitimate children from ruling, Alexandre is not in the line of succession. However, he does seem to have a good relationship with his father. "He's a very nice kid. I must say he has had a really good upbringing. He's [a] very nice and polite young man and I'm always very happy to see him when I can," Albert once told People.
While Alexandre isn't recognized as royalty, he "has the same inheritance rights to Prince Albert's billion-dollar fortune as any of his other siblings," according to SCMP. As of 2021, Alexandre is both a model and college student.