Grace Patricia Kelly

Circa 1955

(November 12, 1929-September 14, 1982)

Grace Kelly was born into an exceptionally prominent, wealthy and athletic family in Philadephia where she spent the first twenty years of her life before finding Hollywood stardom and marrying into European royalty.  The Kelly family left an indelible mark on the city's civic, athletic and architectural history. 

The Patriarch (John "Jack" B. Kelly Sr.):  The son of Irish immigrants, he started as a  bricklayer and built a massively successful brickwork contracting company, John B. Kelly Inc.  He was a three-time Olympic gold medalist in rowing (sculling), a near-winner of the 1935 Philadelphia mayoral race and served on the Fairmount Park Commission.

The Mother (Margaret Majer Kelly):  A former cover girl and Temple University graduate, she made history as the first coach of women's athletic teams at the University of Pennsylvania.  

The Siblings:  Grace grew up alongside three highly competitive siblings: an older sister, Margaret  ("Peg"); an older brother, John B. Kelly, Jr. ("Kell") who followed his father's rowing footsteps to bcome an Olympic medal-winning champion and city leader; and a younger sister, Elizabeth Anne ("Lizanne"). 

The Talented Uncles:  The family also boasted deep creative roots in the city.  Grace's Uncle Walter C. Kelly was a prominent vaudeville star and he Uncle George Kelly was a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who heavily influenced Grace's early interest in acting. 

Grace's Childhood Home 

The center of gravity for the family was their stately Georgian Colonial mansion located in Philadelphia's charming East Falls neighborhood.  

The Address:  3901 Henry Avenue 

The House:  Built by Grace's father's brick construction firm in the lae 1920s, the 4,000-square-foot 6-bedroom home featured a sprawling garden, a tennis court, a basement den dubbed the "Kelly Tavern" and a closet door where the family famously etched the growing heights of the children.  

An Historic Proposal:  It was inside this very house during Christmas of 1955 that Prince Rainier III of Monaco proposed marriage to Grace kelly.  Their formal engagement announcement to the global press followed on January 5, 1956.  Here they are posing with Kelly's parents and showcasing her first Cartier ruby and diamond ring.

Royal Restoration and Present Day Status of the Kelly Home

After being sold out of the family in 1973, the home fell into severe disrepair under the subsequent owners.  In 2016, Grace's son, Prince Albert II of Monaco, repurchased the property for $755,000.  Using old family photographs, the royal family meticulously restored the home to its exact 1930s elegance, including replicating Grace's original childhood bedroom.  The home is not a public museum and is entirely closed for regular interior tours.  It operates as a private residence for the Monegasque royal family when they visit Philadelphia.  It acts as the regional offices for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and hosts private events for The Princess Grace Foundation-USA.  Traverls can easily view the exterior structure and its Pennyslvania Historial Marker for the public sidewalk.

Other Kelly Landmarks in Philadelphia

Kelly Drive:  This scenic, major thoroughfare running along the Schuylkill River in Fairmount Park was officially renamed in honor of the Olympic rowing legacy of the Kelly family. 

Old Academy Players:  Located nearby in East Falls, this theatre is where Grace Kelly made her very first amateur acting debut as a young girl.  

Grace Kelly had two older siblings, Margaret "Peggy" and John Jr. and a younger sister, Elizabeth "Lizanne".  Both sisters were active in Philadelphia's social circles and remained close to the actress throughout her life, later serving as bridesmaids at her April 18, 1956 royal wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco.  

Margaret was born Margaret Katherine Kelly in 1925.  She was Grace's older sister.  "Peggy" was highly involved in charitable and social events in Philadelphia.  She had two daughters, Meg and Mary Lee who frequently served as flower girls for the Kelly family, including at Grace's wedding.  

Elizabeth was born Elizabeth Ann Kelly in 1933 though passed November 24, 2009.  "Lizanne" lived a quiet and grounded life away from the Hollywood spotlight.  She was an avid athlete and a well-known local volunteer in Philadelphia.  In 2009, she passed away at the age of 76 after a long illness.

Grace Kelly's older sister, Margart Katherine "Peggy" passed on November 23, 1991 in Pennsylvania. John Kelly, Jr. (often known as Jack Kelly Jr.) passed in 1985. 

..the sisters and their brother watched their sister become a princess ..

Grace Kelly:  From Hollywood Royalty to Real Life Royalty

Grace rose to fame in Hollywood through her role in High Noon and she won an Academy Award for her work in The Country Girl.  Additionally, she started in various Alfred Hitchcock thrillers including Rear Window, Dial M for Murder and To Catch a Thief.

Grace Kelly at 9 years of age and her younger sister, Elizabeth is on her left.

Grace Kelly with Elizabeth on the day of her wedding.