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The princess proved Hollywood glamour runs in the family at the annual Monaco Red Cross Ball
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- Princess Charlene of Monaco channeled the old-school Hollywood glamour of her late mother-in-law, Princess Grace, at this year’s Red Cross Ball
- The annual event was Princess Grace’s pet project, and her son, Prince Albert, previously spoke with PEOPLE about how she made it the “highlight of the summer”
- Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, who married in 2011 and share 11-year-old twins, open the gala every year by sharing a dance
Princess Charlene of Monaco channeled the Hollywood glamour of her late mother-in-law, American actress turned Monaco's Princess Grace, at the country’s annual Red Cross Gala last week.
The 48-year-old princess stunned on the red carpet in a champagne Elie Saab gown, with a matching clutch from the same designer and old-school Tinseltown curls. She entered the event alongside her husband, Prince Albert, 69, before the couple opened the gala with their tradition of sharing a dance.
Like her late mother-in-law, Princess Charlene was born a “commoner” before marrying into the royal family of Monaco. She was an Olympic swimmer for South Africa before tying the knot with Prince Albert in 2011. The couple shares 11-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.
Charlene never met Princess Grace, known as Grace Kelly before her marriage, who was an Oscar-winning movie star when she retired from acting at age 26 to move to Monaco and marry Prince Rainier III. Along with Prince Albert, the royal couple shared two daughters, Princess Caroline, now 69, and Princess Stéphanie, now 61.
Princess Grace died in a car accident in 1982, 18 years before her son would meet his future bride. Following her death, Prince Albert, then just 24, took over as head of the Monaco Red Cross. The position included overseeing the annual Red Cross Gala, which his mother had championed, using her Hollywood connections and glamorous influence to fill the event with celebrities and top entertainers.
“The Red Cross Gala is unique,” Albert told PEOPLE of the event in 2018. “There’s great history there. It’s the highlight of the summer in terms of social and charity events.”
“I remember we would see Mom and Dad get ready for it when we were kids,” the Prince recalled. “It was always something to see. I didn’t attend it until I was 16. But I haven’t missed too many years since then.”
In 2022, on the 40th anniversary of her death, Prince Albert exclusively spoke with PEOPLE about his mother’s legacy, and how she remains an influential figure decades after her untimely death.
“It doesn’t seem like 40 years,” the prince said at the time. “Many times during a day, a week, not only do I find myself thinking of her, but numbers of people still recall her to me. They remember her and that’s a great tribute to her and who she was — to what an exceptional human being she was.”
“Forty years on, she still captures people’s imagination,” he added. “She managed to capture the imagination and attention of several younger generations and not many have done that. It’s an incredible gift that she had.”
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“She had charm and incredible allure about her. And It’s not only her beauty or the fashion icon that she was that attracts people,” Prince Albert continued. “It was her warmth, her heart, the humanity people saw in her that they remember.”
If he had the chance to speak with her again, Prince Albert said, “I would say that I wish she were here to see her grandchildren and how great they are. They’re great kids.”
Read the original article on People
