Grace Kelly; the princess and the pedal

18.06.2014

“If you look closely, you can see the imprint of her heels in the foot mat of her Renault Floride. She must’ve have pushed hard with those mean Fifties queenie-heels.” Wait a minute, Grace Kelly had a bit of a temper on the road? Which means she was…. actually human?

We’re getting a private tour of the Grace Kelly show at Paleis Het Loo and I have to admit: I’ve never liked Grace Kelly much. I prefer my icons French, wanton and half naked. Kelly is the anti-Bardot, all prim and proper, the perfect Ice Queen. Her beauty too smooth, too impeccable. And why on earth would a movie star let herself be cast in the role of a princess, a real life princess? I’m not surprised Marilyn Monroe kindly refused the part before her: ‘Mating in captivity, no thank you darling!” (I SO enjoyed gossiping with very charming museum director Michel van Maarseveen!)

But here we are, looking at Kelly’s pictures, letters, dazzling couture pieces and jewelry. And there they are: her original Kelly bag by Hermès (avant-le-waiting-list), and the aforementioned swanky Renault Floride, heel marks and all. I decide to copy her very sexy habit of wearing white opera- and driving gloves with everything, and when I see pictures of her during the Seventies, -her hair less severe, her face softened by little lines, – I’m actually starting to like her!

Scroll down to see a relaxed Kelly in a floaty chiffon Yves Saint Laurent maxi dress, surrounded by her adoring family. You may smirk at her ridiculous fairy tale wedding or her ‘gilded cage lifestyle’, but that’s undeniably a queen; a woman in the driver seat of her life. Mean queenie firmly on the pedal.

The Grace Kelly expo at Paleis Het Loo -on till the 26th of October- is powered by Renault Nederland.