A childhood marked by absence
Grace Kelly, renowned actress and princess of Monaco, has long been admired for her elegance and her image as an ideal mother. However, shocking details about her family life have recently come to light that reveal a much darker and more disconcerting reality.
Carolina of Monaco, Grace Kelly’s eldest daughter, has shared details about her childhood that paint a very different picture of the Monegasque Royal Family. According to Carolina, she and her siblings, Alberto and Estefanía, had more contact with her nanny than with her own parents. This lack of direct attention and affection from her parents, Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly, has left a deep mark on the lives of the princess’s children.
A childhood in total isolation
Despite her public image as a devoted mother, Grace Kelly maintained a considerable distance from her children. The Grimaldi children could not share the table with their parents until they were 14 years old. Meals were eaten separately, with Carolina, Alberto and Estefanía relegated to a separate table. While their parents attended to their numerous social and official commitments in the majestic main dining room, the children were far from them.
The mother figure in the young princes’ lives was their English nanny, Maureen King. She took care of all aspects of his daily life along with a French housekeeper. Maureen became the emotional center of their lives, and the children longed for her presence even when she went on vacation once a year.
The harsh reality of being a Grimaldi
Maureen King’s presence was constant until Estefania’s birth, at which time the life of Carolina and her siblings became even more rigid and isolated. They received classes at the Palace along with other children carefully selected from the most important families of Monaco. However, these relationships were strictly formal and did not allow for genuine friendship. Although Grace Kelly was interested in the education and development of her children, she delegated daily care to nannies and maintained strict discipline. She even admitted in interviews that she used to physically punish her children, a practice that would be viewed with horror today.
The myth of the perfect mother
These revelations shatter the myth of Grace Kelly as the perfect mother. Despite her declared love for her children, the Princess of Monaco maintained a significant emotional distance that left deep marks on the lives of Carolina, Alberto and Estefania. The Grimaldi children were raised mainly by caregivers, living a childhood surrounded by luxury but lacking the warmth and closeness of their own parents.