He was referring to the foreign-born escorts his beautiful sister, Cinemactress Grace Kelly, seemed to prefer. Last fortnight another young foreigner came to call on Grace at the Kelly mansion in Philadelphia. Thus, three weeks after his arrival in the U. After the family learned the happy news, even brother Kell had to admit that his prospective brother-in-law was no oddball.
Announcement of the royal engagement was first made public in the princely palace of Monaco. Shortly afterward, Jack Kelly confirmed the news to a small group of friends at a luncheon at the Philadelphia Country Club, and afterward to a thundering herd of reporters and photographers at the graceful mansion that Jack built himself.
In Monaco the engagement announcement was received with some jubilation and considerable relief. The Monacan succession has been fairly tenuous in recent decades. Albert stonily refused to recognize his grandchild, and threatened to disinherit Louis. Kaiser Wilhelm promptly proposed the German Duke of Urach as a suitable heir. In the nick of time the prodigal prince came home, was reconciled with his father. Prince Albert recognized his granddaughter, Princess Charlotte.
Later, Polignac attempted to kidnap his son, who was then a schoolboy in England, but doughty old Prince Louis won custody in a bitter battle in a London court, and Rainier remained the heir apparent. In , three years after marrying an aging actress, Prince Louis died, leaving his 24 titles, his considerable bank account and his principality to Rainier. With both an actress and an American among her recent predecessors, Princess-elect Kelly should have no difficulties with her royal in-laws in a country that is not much larger than the M-G-M lot.
Jack Kelly is the son of a County Mayo farmer who emigrated to Philadelphia and begat a large and boisterous family. Jack Kelly has made several names for himselfβin business, sports and politics. As a young boy, he went to work carrying hods for his brother, a brick contractor. He was turned down, though; as a former bricklayer, he was not considered a gentleman. Kelly beat the Diamond Sculls winner just the same, at the Olympics two months later, and sent his stained sculling cap to King George V as a booby prize.
