Monaco · 25th anniversary of the death of Gracia Patricia

Gracia Patricia was born in Philadelphia in 1929 as Grace Patricia Kelly. At the beginning of the 1950s, she began her career as an actress in Hollywood. Among other films, she appeared in Fred Zinnemann’s western *High Noon* (Zwölf Uhr mittags) and in Alfred Hitchcock’s films *Dial M for Murder* (Bei Anruf Mord), *Rear Window* (Das Fenster zum Hof) and *To Catch a Thief* (Über den Dächern von Nizza). For her role in *The Country Girl* (Ein Mädchen vom Lande), she received an Oscar for Best Actress.

During the Cannes Film Festival (Filmfestspiele von Cannes) in 1955, she met Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The wedding in April 1956 was broadcast internationally on television and attracted considerable media attention. With her marriage, Grace Kelly ended her film career and, as Gracia Patricia, took on representative duties in the Principality. The couple had three children: Caroline, Albert and Stéphanie. Albert later succeeded his father to the throne as Prince Albert II.

Gracia Patricia was particularly involved in social and cultural institutions. She was president of the Monegasque Red Cross and founded the children’s aid organisation AMADE, which is committed to the protection and medical care of children. She also supported arts and crafts, music and theatre in Monaco. Her origins in the American film industry and her position at the Monegasque court made her an internationally known representative of the small principality.

In September 1982, she was involved in a car accident on a road above Monaco. Her daughter Stéphanie was also in the car and survived. Gracia Patricia died the following day as a result of the accident and was buried in Monaco Cathedral (Kathedrale von Monaco).

The choice of the commemorative occasion can be explained by her close connection with the ruling family and her enduring presence in Monaco’s public memory. At the same time, the principality was able to use the coin to honour a personality who was known far beyond its borders.