The Unheard Truth Behind Grace Kelly's Royal Wedding
On April 18, 1956, the entire world watched as Hollywood starlet Grace Kelly tied the knot with Prince Rainier III in a fairytale ceremony. While the marriage between the world-famous film actress and the member of Monaco's royal family was a sensation, the public had little idea who set up Grace and Rainier. This matchmaker had less than romantic motivations, and they made their moves with the utmost precision. After all, the future of an entire country hung in the balance of this headline-grabbing wedding.
The Time For Action
Back when Grace Kelly was still an up-and-coming actress and Prince Rainier was an eligible bachelor, one Greek man was hatching a plan to help turn the struggling country of Monaco around. In an effort to save the large fortune he had invested in Monaco, this man knew that he had to act fast...
The Mastermind
While he may have amassed his fortune through his shipping business, Greek billionaire Aristotle Onassis decided to invest a sizable portion of his earnings in Monaco. In addition to investing in the world-famous Casino de Monte Carlo, Onassis controlled the Société Monégasque de Banques et de Métaux Précieux — a business that accounted for more than half of Monaco's wealth. Unfortunately, Onassis's fortune would soon tank...
Disaster Strikes
The Société Monégasque de Banques et de Métaux Précieux had holdings in a casino, hotels, and other tourist hotspots. When the bank went under in the early 1950s, so too did a large chunk of Onassis's fortune disappear. Time was of the essence if the mogul was to save what little investment remained. But how?
Aristotle's Dream
Financial issues were not the only matter on Onassis's mind. He also had a vision for the future of Monaco, in which he imagined that the small city-state could shed its previous reputation as a gambling hub and transform into a "playground" where wealthy tourists could rub shoulders with the Hollywood elite. In order to achieve this goal, Onassis would have to bring Hollywood to Monaco.
