Wedding of the century – Exhibition from June 18 to September 25

At the junction of European monarchical tradition and American-style publicity, the “wedding of the century”—to borrow the phrase used in *Le Figaro* as early as 4 April 1956 by journalist Pierre Macaigne—undoubtedly left a lasting impression and shaped Monaco’s contemporary history. Through photographs, moving images, audio recordings, jewellery, dresses, gifts, and previously unseen archives, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey to discover the key figures, locations, highlights, and behind-the-scenes moments of a week of festivities—organised in just three months—from the spectacular welcome of Grace Kelly on the morning of 12 April to the royal couple’s departure on their honeymoon on the evening of the 19th. While the wedding ceremonies of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly do not appear in Roland Barthes’ (1915–1980) *Mythologies of Contemporary News*, they could very well have been the subject of a study by the semiotician in the book he published in 1957, given the major impact the Monegasque event had, thanks to its exceptional media coverage for the time, a wide variety of souvenirs, and the abundance of different accounts.

Concept and Production
Palace Archives and Audiovisual Institute of Monaco

Curators
Thomas Fouilleron, Vincent Vatrican