Grace, Princess of Monaco: Celebrating a Remarkable Life on the 25th Anniversary of Her Passing

Grace, Princess of Monaco: Celebrating a Remarkable Life on the 25th Anniversary of Her Passing

Unprecedented New York Exhibition Featuring Personal Belongings Spanning Her Extraordinary Life Will be Open to the Public From October 15 -- 26, 2007, at Sotheby's

Two Outfits Worn by Princess Grace to be Auctioned at Gala to Benefit The Princess Grace Foundation-USA

NEW YORK, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- From October 15 through 26, 2007, the Consulate General of Monaco and the Monaco Government Tourist Office in New York with Sotheby's, in close collaboration with the Princely Palace and the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, will present a tribute exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of Princess Grace of Monaco.

   (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/NYW091-a )   (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/NYW091-b )   (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/NYW091-c )  

The exhibition, which will be free and open to the public at Sotheby's in New York, will feature dresses, jewelry, photographs, letters, video and other unique items, most of which have never been seen outside of Monaco. These items span the extraordinary life of Grace Kelly, from Hollywood star and style icon to Princess of Monaco as a wife, mother and humanitarian. The exhibition will set the stage for a series of glamorous events at Sotheby's including the 25th Anniversary Princess Grace Awards Gala and an evening of high stakes and high fashion co-hosted by Wynn Resorts to benefit the arts. Her life and style will also be celebrated throughout October in New York City with dedicated window displays featuring one-of-a-kind Grace Kelly-inspired creations by renowned American designers at Saks Fifth Avenue, and a limited edition lipstick shade specially created by Estee Lauder.

"Sotheby's is honored to host Grace, Princess of Monaco: A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Grace Kelly in New York this October," said James G. Niven, Vice Chairman of Sotheby's and son of legendary actor David Niven. "Grace Kelly was a great friend of my father's from her days as an actress in Hollywood to her reign as Princess of Monaco. She took me under her wing when we lived in France, and I was lucky to be invited to Palace events as a young man and experience the world she inhabited first-hand. The pieces selected for this exhibition highlight her great beauty and style for which she is so well- known, and her personal letters and correspondence show that she was open, friendly, interesting and had a great sense of humor."

"We invite visitors to the exhibition and related tribute events in New York to share some of the irresistible allure and compassion for others that Princess Grace brought to the Principality and that remains today as a valuable part of her legacy," commented Hon. Maguy Maccario Doyle, Consul General of Monaco in New York.

"This year's Gala is truly special," continued Hon. John F. Lehman, Princess Grace Foundation-USA Chairman. "The past 25 years of supporting emerging artists has made an indelible mark on the performing arts in this country. It is most fitting that this celebration of Princess Grace's legacy

will culminate in this extraordinary night at Sotheby's when we present the 2007 Princess Grace Awards recipients."

The Exhibition

Grace, Princess of Monaco: A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Grace Kelly will open to the public at Sotheby's New York on October 15, 2007 (ends October 26) and will include numerous items that are being featured in an unprecedented retrospective in the Principality of Monaco this summer. Entitled The Grace Kelly Years this exhibition at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco opened on July 12 and ends on September 23. HSH Prince Albert II said of The Grace Kelly Years, "It revives happy memories we shared with our mother, and I hope that, through this exhibit, visitors will discover the many aspects that helped make her personality so richly diverse."

Grace Kelly is a name synonymous with style, and the New York exhibition at Sotheby's will include many of the iconic elements associated with her life. A selection of gowns, outfits, jewelry and accessories portraying her signature style and marking important events in her life will be on view. Among them will be the blue satin column dress and cloak by legendary Hollywood costume designer Edith Head which she wore to the March 1955 Academy Awards -- the night she accepted the OSCAR(C) for best actress for her role in The Country Girl. The OSCAR(C) statuette will be on view alongside the gown, as will her famous Life magazine cover.

In May that same year, while attending the Cannes Film Festival for a screening of The Country Girl, her first meeting with Prince Rainier III of Monaco at the Princely Palace was arranged. The taffeta dress with floral motif she wore for the occasion, an American creation, will be on view along with photographs of them strolling through the Palace grounds.

On January 5, 1956, Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly announced their engagement in Philadelphia. Grace wore a shirtwaist dress by Branell, New York, which will be displayed. The beige silk dress was subsequently touted as "To Catch A Prince" after photos were published of Grace wearing it. Accompanying this dress will be her stunning engagement ring, a 10.47 carat Emerald Cut Diamond set with two baguette diamonds and mounted in platinum. The ring can be seen in High Society which was filmed the same year.

On April 18, 1956, Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier wed in a small civil ceremony in front of 80 guests. She wore a beautiful lace suit by Helen Rose with a fitted bodice, rounded collar and flared skirt. The following day hundreds of VIPs including heads of state and government, royalty, Hollywood stars, friends and family attended the "Wedding of the Century" at Monaco's Cathedral amid a media frenzy. Her wedding dress, also created by Helen Rose, was a gift from the MGM studios. Her unique style continued to captivate the public throughout her marriage to Prince Rainier. In 1958 the young Princess of Monaco appeared in the pages of Life concealing her pregnancy with a rectangular crocodile Hermes bag -- thereafter known as the Kelly Bag -- and the exhibition will include a brown leather version of this iconic bag. A tiara belonging to Princess Grace, which was worn by Princess Caroline on the April 1986 cover of Life magazine, will also be on exhibition

Also to be featured are photographs that trace Grace Kelly's life through her childhood, her years in Hollywood and life in the Principality. Many of these images from the Princely family and Palace archives give a private view of her life and have never before been seen in the United States. Highlights include a photograph of Princess Grace and Alfred Hitchcock in a crowd at a film screening in Cannes in 1972 and many images with her family, including a touching photograph of Princess Grace with nine-year-old Crown Prince Albert from March 1967.

A selection of Hollywood movie excerpts and archived news clips - including footage of her OSCAR(C) acceptance speech plus a selection of home movies, made available by Prince Albert for the first time in the United States, will transport visitors to another facet of her private life.

Also on display will be personal letters from family, her Hollywood friends (such as Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra) and official correspondence and documents including an invitation to her wedding, programs from important state occasions and gala events, handwritten speeches and scripts. Sketches and paintings of her (for example the Andy Warhol painting)

and by her (pressed flower collages), stamps and coins featuring her visage and profile will also be on view.

THE 25th ANNIVERSARY PRINCESS GRACE AWARDS GALA

On October 25, 2007, the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, will host the annual Princess Grace Awards Gala at Sotheby's in New York and present awards to emerging artists in theater, dance and film. The recipients are selected by a panel of experts in their respective fields and the prizes awarded are in the form of scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. The Awards, first instituted in 1984, are named in honor of Princess Grace, who helped aspiring artists pursue their goals throughout her lifetime. To date, the Princess Grace Foundation- USA (PGF-USA) has awarded more than $5 million to support and continue excellence in the arts. Master of Ceremonies for this year's event will be CNN's Larry King who has presided over the Gala for the last three years. This year's Princess Grace Awards will mark the jubilant culmination of the exhibition at Sotheby's. It will take place in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and TRH The Prince and Princess of Hanover.

The auction of Princess Grace's two outfits will be conducted by long-time family friend, James G. Niven. The outfits -- which will also be included in the exhibition -- were personally selected by Prince Albert and Princess Caroline. The first outfit to go under the hammer is a Givenchy-designed sleeveless dress with matching fringed bolero jacket in vivid green worn on an official 1961 visit with Prince Rainier to lunch at the White House with President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy. The outfit was also worn on an official visit with Prince Rainier to her ancestral Ireland in June 1961. It will be sold with a coordinating hat (also her own, but not the one accompanying the original outfit). The second dress to be auctioned is the beautiful Helen Rose ball gown worn by a young Grace Kelly in the 1956 musical comedy, High Society. The layered gray-over-rose chiffon gown is appliquéd with rhinestones and pink and white embroidered flowers. Helen Rose was the chief costume designer for MGM Studios and was responsible for creating Princess Grace's wedding dress, the suit she wore to her civil marriage ceremony as well as costumes for three other Grace Kelly films. Bidding for those who are not able to attend the gala will be available online and by phone. All auction proceeds will benefit PGF-USA. Crown Sponsors for the Princess Grace Awards Gala include Estee Lauder Inc and Lily Safra. Individual gala tickets start at $1,000 and tables start at $15,000. To purchase tickets, please call (845) 591 2392, email maryfioreevents@verizon.net or visit www.pgfusa.org

WYNN RESORTS CASINO/COUTURE EVENING TO BENEFIT THE ARTS

An evening of high stakes and high fashion co-hosted by Wynn Resorts, the Consulate General of Monaco and the Monaco Government Tourist Office at Sotheby's

On October 24, 2007, under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert, the Principality will pair with Steve and Elaine Wynn and the Societe des Bains de Mer Hotels, Spas & Casinos, to "transform" Sotheby's into a glamorous high- stakes Casino salon for a star-studded night to benefit the Princess Grace Foundation-USA. A highlight during the evening will be the final bidding for the unique Grace Kelly-inspired outfits to be created by some of America's favorite designers. These outfits will be displayed in the Saks Fifth Avenue windows from October 22-26 with bidding available online or by phone. During this event, Grace, Princess of Monaco will be closed to the public allowing private access to the exhibition by guests. For details, please contact Casino@VisitMonaco.com

   RELATED Events   Saks Fifth Avenue  

From October 22-26, Saks Fifth Avenue will showcase Princess Grace's singular style in the windows of its captivating Fifth Avenue store as some of the world's best-known American designers create Grace Kelly/Princess Grace- inspired outfits. The public will be able to bid on these outfits via a silent auction during the week with final bidding and results to be announced during the event at Sotheby's on October 24. Also during this week, renowned Chef de Cuisine Sylvain Etievant of the legendary Hotel de Paris' Le Grill Restaurant will collaborate with Saks Executive Chef Jean-Louis Dumonet to present Monegasque cuisine and signature dishes at each of the restaurants at Saks.

Estee Lauder Inc.

Beginning October 15, Estee Lauder will offer a special limited edition shade of lipstick in honor of Princess Grace to be sold exclusively at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York and also available online at www.saks.com and www.esteelauder.com.

Making Music in Monaco on WQXR (96.3 FM)

From October 15-26, a very special edition of Making Music in Monaco will feature interviews with Princess Grace's friends, music by her favorite musicians and a selection of her poetry readings. Now in its 11th year, this radio program presents the very best sounds of the Principality from musicians with ties, past or present, to Monaco.

Children's Art Contest -- How Princess Grace Inspired Me

More than 100 entries were submitted in an art contest for children aged 8 to 12 who were invited to create a piece of artwork on the subject of how Princess Grace inspires them. The winner, Anna (12) from New York City, will travel to Monaco to see The Grace Kelly Years exhibition courtesy SWISS International Air Lines with accommodation at the Fairmont Monte Carlo.

Town & Country Magazine

Town & Country, the longest continuously published lifestyle magazine in America, will feature a special tribute including rare and never-before-seen photographs of Princess Grace of Monaco.

About the Consulate General of Monaco and the Monaco Government Tourist Office:

The only fully accredited Consulate General of Monaco in North America, the New York office provides consular services, cultural, commercial and general information. The Consulate also organizes exclusive promotional and philanthropic events and activities to benefit numerous charitable endeavors, many under the patronage of the Princely Family. The Monaco Government Tourist Office offers personalized tourism advice and information for individuals, group and business travel to the Principality as well as access to MonacoAuction.com and Le Club Diamant Rouge -- VIP travel membership within Monaco. Please visit www.Monaco-Consulate.com and www.VisitMonaco.com.

About the Princess Grace Foundation-USA:

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA, a public charity formed after the death of Princess Grace in 1982, awards scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships to assist emerging theater, dance and film artists. Some past Award winners include Stephen Hillenburg, creator of Nickelodeon's Sponge Bob Square Pants; Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright; Gillian Murphy, principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre; and Eric Simonson, Academy Award winner. For more information about PGF-USA, please visit www.pgfusa.org.

About Sotheby's:

Sotheby's is a global company that engages in art auction, private sales, dealer and art-related financing activities. The Company operates in 35 countries, with principal salesrooms located in New York and London. The Company also regularly conducts auctions in 13 other salesrooms around the world, including Australia, Hong Kong, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Singapore. Sotheby's is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BID. For more information, go to www.sothebys.com.

OSCAR(R) is the registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

   Sponsors and Partners    Exhibition   Consulate General of Monaco/Monaco Government Tourist Office   Estee Lauder Inc   Princely Palace of Monaco   Princess Grace Foundation-USA   Princess Grace Irish Library   Societe des Bains de Mer Hotels, Spas & Casinos   Sotheby's   Town & Country    Casino Event   Consulate General of Monaco/Monaco Government Tourist Office   Saks Fifth Avenue   Societe des Bains de Mer Hotels, Spas & Casinos   Sotheby's   Wynn Resorts    Princess Grace Awards Gala   Consulate General of Monaco/Monaco Government Tourist Office   Estee Lauder Inc   Lily Safra  

NOTES TO EDITORS: There will be a Press Preview of the exhibition on the
morning of October 15. Detailed information about the Preview to come in
September; A selection of images (that may be used only in conjunction with
this exhibition, free of copyright fees and with the appropriate credit) and a
biographical summary of the life of Princess Grace of Monaco are available
upon request
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/NYW091-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/NYW091-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070718/NYW091-c
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN11, 12
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Monaco Government Tourist Office

CONTACT: Elle Berdy of Consulate General of Monaco, +1-212-286-0500,
e.berdy@monaco-consulate.com; or Michelle Colligan of Redpoint Marketing PR,
Inc., +1-212-229-0119, colligan@redpointpr.com, for Consulate General of
Monaco; or Christine Kite of Princess Grace Foundation-USA, +1-212-317-1470,
ckite@pgfusa.org; or Lauren Thayer of Lisa Lori Communications,
+1-212-925 2300, thayer@lisalori.com; or Gail Parenteau, Awards Recipients
Press of Parenteau Guidance, +1-212-532-3934, gail@parenteauguidance.com, both
for Princess Grace Foundation-USA; or Kristin Gelder of Sotheby's,
+1-212-606-7176, kristin.gelder@sothebys.com

Web site: http://www.monaco-consulate.com/
http://www.sothebys.com/
http://www.pgfusa.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment