Local Ocean: It’s History
Wedding of the Century
By Fred Miller
Long ago, when everyone in Ocean City seemed to know everyone else, one of the most popular local families was that of John B. and Margaret Kelly. The Kellys lived in Philadelphia where John was a successful businessman and world famous rower. He won three gold medals competing in the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games. In 1931 they built a beautiful beachfront home at 2536 Wesley Avenue. The Kelly children, Margaret, Jack, Grace and Lizanne spent their summers growing up in America’s Greatest Family Resort.
There has been a lot written about the Kelly family’s activities in Ocean City during the 25 years between 1931 and 1956, but in 1956 they received world-wide attention.
As the year began, the international press went into a frenzy when the engagement of Grace to Prince Rainier III of Monaco was announced. The civil ceremony would be held on April 18, and the church wedding the following day.
LIFE magazine took the lead in publicizing what was called “The Wedding of the Century.” Grace, wearing a gown, was on the cover of the April 9, 1956 issue. The magazine, famous for their photojournalism, included 22 pictures of Grace preparing for the wedding. The article reported: “Most of Grace Kelly’s last-minute rush was caused by the fact that M-G-M kept her busy with her two new movies until the day she left. By a fascinating coincidence both films amount to full-blown charades on the life, past and future, of Miss Grace Kelly. In High Society Grace, who herself grew up in the conservative society of Philadelphia, glides with familiar ease through the even fussier upper crust of Newport, RI.
The other film is The Swan, based on Ferenc Molnar’s famous play about a beautiful princess who marries a sleepy-eyed prince (Alec Guinness) in a fairy tale kingdom. As Princess Alexandra in the film, Grace got free lessons in the etiquette and accomplishments of royalty.
The April 23 issue of LIFE included 11 more pictures and reported on Grace’s trip across the Atlantic Ocean on the S. S. Constitution along with 72 relatives and friends. Brother Jack flew to Monaco because he was training for the Olympic rowing competitions and didn’t want take much time away from his workouts.
The April 30 issue of LIFE covered the Wedding of the Century, with 22 more pictures of the two weddings: a civil ceremony on April 18, 1956 and a church wedding the following day in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas. The article ended saying: “And so an old-style fairy tale came to its appropriately romantic conclusion, but only after a number of modern day variations and additions had come to pass.”
Five months after their wedding Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III arrived in Ocean City to visit her family and friends in America’s Greatest Family Resort.