Princess Caroline of Monaco certainly wasn’t going to miss the opening of Mariage du Siècle, the exhibition at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco dedicated to the ultimate royal wedding: that of her parents, Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly 70 years ago.
Caroline wandered through the Palace’s exhibition halls alongside her daughter, Princess Alexandra of Hanover, and her brother, Prince Albert II of Monaco in a necklace steeped in sentiment.
Caroline paired her all-white ensemble, a classic blouse and embroidered skirt by Chanel, with a heart-shaped pendant. The golden heart, dotted with small embedded gemstones is inscribed with the names of her parents — Grace and Rainier — along with her own, Caroline. Intertwined among the three is a large “R”: her father’s initial, and the letter shared by all three names.
The exact origins of the pendant, worn on a thick gold chain, are unknown. Some claim it was a gift from Rainier III and Grace Kelly to celebrate the birth of their first daughter, but there is no historical evidence to support this.
This may be the first time we’ve seen the princess wearing the piece — or if not the first, certainly one of very few — which raises the question of whether she dusted it off after decades to honor her parents, the stars of the exhibition, or whether she commissioned it herself, or received it as a gift.
These are all hypotheses. But one thing is certain: with this small yet significant stylistic choice, Princess Caroline of Monaco expressed her love for her parents — carrying them in her heart, in every sense.
This article originally ran in Vanity Fair Italy
