At the crossroads of European monarchical tradition and an American-style promotion, the «marriage of the century,» to borrow the phrase used in Le Figaro on 4 April 1956 by journalist Pierre Macaigne, undeniably left its mark on the minds and contemporary history of Monaco. Through photographs, moving images, sound recordings, jewellery, dresses, gifts, and previously unseen archives, the exhibition trail reveals to visitors the key players, locations, highlights, and behind-the-scenes aspects of a week of festivities, organised in just three months, from the spectacular arrival of Grace Kelly on the morning of 12 April to the princely couple's departure on their honeymoon on the evening of the 19th. While the marriage ceremonies between Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly are not featured in Roland Barthes' (1915-1980) "Mythologies of the News of the Time," they could very well have been the subject of a study by the semiotician in the work he published in 1957, given the significant impact of the Monegasque event, thanks to its exceptional media coverage for the time, a varied production of souvenirs, and the abundance of its different memories.

Design and implementation
Archives of the Palace and Audiovisual Institute of Monaco

Police station
Thomas Fouilleron, Vincent Vatrican