14 replies to this topic

[Jayne]

Didn't get to watch the event on TV, just reviewed a couple of youtube links to the ceremonies.  

Fashion:  Didn't like the Chanel palazzo pants for the bride's civil ceremony, but loved the color, and the tailoring.   Loved the Armani dress for the religious ceremony, especially the simplicity and the veil.  Also loved the celebration dress (not sure of the designer).

Music: Only caught a few snippets on youtube, but the musical choices struck me as "pops" choices, star quality of the singers was clearly important in their selection.

Atmosphere:  I'm sure the Monagasques were happy with the party, but it did seem strange to get married under a parachute silk tent over a court yard, and pretend it was a cathedral religious ceremony.  Very odd.  

Guests:  The hats and fascinators were far too conservative!  I was looking for some risks, but everyone went safe.  booh.

Rumors:  Since the claim of a 3rd child seems to have some traction, I'm also giving some traction to the rumor that Monaco almost had a runaway bride.  The papers aren't backing down and claim they have excellent sources.  That said, everyone gets cold feet, and rumors of a bastard child would do me in too!

Best of luck to them.  They certainly won't be lacking for funds for a down payment on a starter home!

[dirac]

Thanks for posting, Jayne. I didn't see the wedding but if they show it again I may try to catch it. The circumstances seemed a trifle, well, sleazy to me, in all honesty, but one wishes good luck to the new Princess Charlene, who is going to need it.

If I remember correctly the Grimaldis are a princely, not royal, family, but I guess we can call it a royal wedding?? Mel?

[miliosr]

dirac, on 03 July 2011 - 11:26 AM, said:

The circumstances seemed a trifle, well, sleazy to me, in all honesty, but one wishes good luck to the new Princess Charlene, who is going to need it.

The Grimaldis were always a trifle sleazy until Princess Grace came along.  (Not for nothing was Monaco referred to as that "shady principality by the sea".)  The Princess Grace era was the aberration, as we have discovered with Princess Caroline's convoluted love life, Prince Albert siring various children around the world, and Princess Stephanie's involvement with the circus arts.

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If I remember correctly the Grimaldis are a princely, not royal, family, but I guess we can call it a royal wedding?? Mel?

You are correct.  The Grimaldis are a princely family and are styled as "Serene Highnesses," which is a gradation or two below "Royal Highnesses".

[California]

Author Somerset Maugham once famously described Monaco as “a sunny place for shady people.” But it also has an interesting place in dance history, as the site of performances by Ballet Russe under Diaghilev, its role in The Red Shoes, and more recently home of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, which will be performing at OCPAC, February 9 - 12, 2012. (We haven't hesitated to criticize other fabulously wealthy people who donated to the ballet in New York, so I suppose we should wonder where the money is coming from for the Monaco performances.)

[dirac]

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The Grimaldis were always a trifle sleazy until Princess Grace came along.

That's so. I think it was part of Grace's function in that marriage to tidy up Monaco's image. Her efforts seem to have gone for naught.

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You are correct. The Grimaldis are a princely family and are styled as "Serene Highnesses," which is a gradation or two below "Royal Highnesses".

Thanks, that's what I thought. I think Caroline is now royal by marriage as the Princess of Hanover, but as her husband no doubt reminds her during domestic disputes, marrying into royalty isn't the same thing as being born royal.

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But it also has an interesting place in dance history, as the site of performances by Ballet Russe under Diaghilev, its role in The Red Shoes, and more recently home of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, which will be performing at OCPAC, February 9 - 12, 2012.

You're right, California. And of course the late Princess Grace was a loyal fan and supporter of the ballet.

[Drew]

I knew nothing about this wedding until, around the time of Prince William's marriage, I read a short article on an apparently very nervous future princess's introduction to the press, but this thread inspired me to look it up on Google. Wow! What movie thriller potential--an (alleged) attempted escape by the bride who had to be dragged back from the Nice airport; rumors she is being drugged and a body double had to be used for one "royal" gig; more illegitimate children from the groom.

I especially enjoyed the Palace spokesman saying the even if "a third or fourth" illegitimate child came into play he/she/it could not be Albert's heir--when no-one has gone public about a FOURTH child.  I know I should have some compassion for the new wife Charlene or not pay attention to any of the gossip (the proper attitude of course--and she did have a very pretty wedding dress)...but reading about this was seriously entertaining in a guilty pleasure sort of way. It rather surpasses sleazy.

[miliosr]

dirac, on 03 July 2011 - 04:08 PM, said:

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You are correct. The Grimaldis are a princely family and are styled as "Serene Highnesses," which is a gradation or two below "Royal Highnesses".

Thanks, that's what I thought. I think Caroline is now royal by marriage as the Princess of Hanover, but as her husband no doubt reminds her during domestic disputes, marrying into royalty isn't the same thing as being born royal.

It's all very convoluted.  I don't think Princess Caroline's three children by her second husband have any kind of title but her child with Ernst of Hanover is a Royal Highness.

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But it also has an interesting place in dance history, as the site of performances by Ballet Russe under Diaghilev, its role in The Red Shoes, and more recently home of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, which will be performing at OCPAC, February 9 - 12, 2012.

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You're right, California. And of course the late Princess Grace was a loyal fan and supporter of the ballet.

Didn't Balanchine once remark that, if things went south with the New York City Ballet, he would just write to Princess Grace and ask her if he could come there?  Also, Prince Rainier's sister, Princess Antoinette, married ballet dancer John Gilpin, who died six weeks after the wedding.

[dirac]

Drew, on 03 July 2011 - 05:37 PM, said:

I knew nothing about this wedding until, around the time of Prince William's marriage, I read a short article on an apparently very nervous future princess's introduction to the press, but this thread inspired me to look it up on Google. Wow! What movie thriller potential--an (alleged) attempted escape by the bride who had to be dragged back from the Nice airport; rumors she is being drugged and a body double had to be used for one "royal" gig; more illegitimate children from the groom.

I especially enjoyed the Palace spokesman saying the even if "a third or fourth" illegitimate child came into play he/she/it could not be Albert's heir--when no-one has gone public about a FOURTH child.  I know I should have some compassion for the new wife Charlene or not pay attention to any of the gossip (the proper attitude of course--and she did have a very pretty wedding dress)...but reading about this was seriously entertaining in a guilty pleasure sort of way. It rather surpasses sleazy.

I'll bet Charlene loved the "even if."

It was a beautiful dress. I also liked the little bridesmaids in their straw hats. Photo gallery here.

[Helene]

I had to look this up to see who was getting married.  The big news in Canada was the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's appearance in Ottawa on Canada Day for a citizenship swearing-in ceremony.

Love the dress and the construction of Isabell Kristensen's.

What was Bernadette Chirac thinking?

I don't think Princess Charlene is required to put an asterisk next to "Princess", though I suppose they get bumped to the back of the parade after all the royal children, like the wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

[dirac]

Oh yes, Kate and Wills. They're coming to L.A. next.

Photo of Princess Grace visiting backstage with Balanchine and dancers.

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Also, Prince Rainier's sister, Princess Antoinette, married ballet dancer John Gilpin, who died six weeks after the wedding.

I remember reading about the Gilpin marriage in her obit - she died not long ago. I wonder what the backstory is to that.

[Mashinka]

dirac, on 04 July 2011 - 12:11 AM, said:

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Also, Prince Rainier's sister, Princess Antoinette, married ballet dancer John Gilpin, who died six weeks after the wedding.

I remember reading about the Gilpin marriage in her obit - she died not long ago. I wonder what the backstory is to that.

I read John Gilpin's autobiography 'A Dance with Life' and the book is fairly littered with references to Princess Antoinette, she was guest of honour at his first wedding and they seem to have maintained a close friendship for much of Gilpin's life.  The book finishes before his second marriage took place though, so no real clues about the feelings that eventually led to that marriage.

Must say though that I rather like Monaco, although the population seems quite old, the place still has a glamour that is mainly missing on the rest of the Riviera.  The main tourist attraction there is the grave of Princess Grace inside the cathedral, with a long queue of people filing past.  It is an odd place in that it is very small and merges into the town above, Beau Soleil, which is actually France.  I had a feeling of déjà vu when I was there as I recognized so many places from those yearly news clips on TV of the F1 Grand Prix.

Princess Charlene is really something in my view, quite beautiful in fact and a definitely a cut above Kate Middleton.

[bart]

Thanks, dirac, for that incredible photo.  I've never seen it reproduced before.   Grace Kelly out-princessed every Grimaldi ever born. Singular and unforgettable. An Ideal Type.

How wonderful to have a photo in which she, Balanchine, and some of Balanchine's most beautiful dancers appear together.
  
Does anyone know who the woman from Rubies is?  The face is familiar but my memory just won't capture it.

[Mme. Hermine]

Looks like Marnee Morris to me.

[dirac]

It does look like Morris. You're very welcome, bart, I like the picture, too, and so nice to have it in color. Too bad you can't see anything of Farrell except her hands, she's standing right next to Balanchine. I could look at pictures of Kelly all day.

Thanks for the information about Gilpin's book, Mashinka.  Charlene is indeed very striking in her broad shouldered athletic way, although in another odd twist in this story she's said to have had work done to make her more Grace-like. Her new hubby has a sort of ghostly resemblance to his mother, in a chubby pasty-faced balding sort of way.

[Jayne]

I agree the little girls were adorable!  Charlene certainly had some minor work done on her face (lips, nose, maybe some sun wrinkles erased).  Her physique is amazing, her new husband looked like he didn't even try to disguise the brie belly. Charlene looked fantastic, especially loved the hair, it looked finished but not "overdone".  I wish her well, it's a lot of pressure to live up to, and she doesn't have Princess Grace's theatrical training to help with public speaking and appearances.