Embassy of Monaco, Smithsonian Associates and Princess Grace Foundation-USA Explore the Enduring Cultural Legacy of Princess Grace of Monaco
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Embassy of the Principality of Monaco (MonacoEventsUSA.com) with Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Gardens, and the Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGFUSA.org) presents "Princess Grace: Celebrating an Enduring Legacy," Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building at 900 Jefferson Dr. S.W. The free program explores the remarkable life and cultural influence of Grace Kelly, later Princess of Monaco. Tickets for this program are sold out. To join the wait list, the public can visit the Smithsonian Associates website or call (202) 633-3030. The evening public program will feature an historian's presentation followed by a panel discussion of Princess Grace, her life as a Hollywood icon, and her support for the performing arts - highlighting the ongoing work of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA which extends her legacy to new generations of creative talent.
Kelly, an American-born film star, became Princess Grace of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III in 1956. She is celebrated for her elegance, philanthropy and lasting influence on fashion and cinema. The program, inspired by her final film, The Swan, and her lifelong passion for flowers and gardening, opens with a ceremony for invited guests in the Smithsonian's Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden to dedicate four reproductions of an historic swan bench in the collection of Smithsonian Gardens, including one honoring Princess Grace. Permanently installed on the National Mall, the bench will serve as a lasting homage to her and to the friendship between Monaco and the USA. Planted alongside the bench, the Princess Grace rose - an elegant blush-pink variety - will provide a place of beauty and reflection for generations of visitors. To mark the Smithsonian celebration, the Embassy also created a limited-edition philatelic issue inspired by the two central themes of The Swan and the Princess Grace rose.
The event coincides with this year's 70th wedding anniversary between Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III, the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Embassy of Monaco in Washington, D.C., as well as America250, offering an opportunity to celebrate the enduring ties between the two nations while highlighting the story of Princess Grace, an American who became Princess of Monaco, a global figure, and a lasting symbol of cultural exchange and international friendship.
Media Contact: Embassy of Monaco, Elle Berdy eberdy@monacodc.org
SOURCE Embassy of Monaco
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