Princess Grace’s Cartier Bangle

Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of Princess Grace of Monaco, who was born on this day in 1929! The award-winning American Actress who became the glamorous Princess Consort of the tiny Mediterranean Principality, Princess Grace compiled a spectacular Jewellery Collection, which induced her Cartier Diamond Bangle!

This striking Diamond Bangle of brilliant and baguette diamonds was created by Cartier in Paris in 1955, and was acquired by ‘Organismes Monégasques’ to be given as a wedding gift to Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956.

Princess Grace began wearing her Cartier Diamond Bangle soon after her marriage, with one of the most notable appearances at the Baptism of Princess Caroline of Monaco in 1957, after which the Princely Family waved from the Balcony of the Palais Principer.

Princess Grace also wore the Cartier Diamond Bangle with the Bains de Mer Tiara and the Cartier Diamond Necklace for a State Visit to the Vatican in 1959.

Among a series of appearances in the 1960s, was when the Cartier Bangle was paired with her Diamond Tiara for a State Dinner in Ireland in 1961.

The following year, Princess Grace took the Cartier Diamond Bangle to Greece, where it was paired with her Diamond Tiara and Cartier Diamond Necklace for the Wedding Ball of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece, and it was paired with her for the Van Cleef & Arpels Pearl Suite for the Wedding of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece.

Throughout the 1960s, Princess Grace wore the Cartier Diamond Bangle for several evening events, including when Prince Albert and Princess Paola of Belgium visited Monaco in 1966 and when Princess Margaret visited Nice in 1966.

While appearances got less frequent, Princess Grace continued to wear the Cartier Diamond Bangle for gala appearances, with it being for for her 40th Birthday Ball in 1969, and Princess Caroline’s Wedding Ball in 1978.

After Princess Grace’s tragic death in 1982, the Cartier Bangle was among the jewels that passed into the possession of the Palais Princier Collection. The Bangle has been exhibited alongside many of her other Jewels around the world, as well as being loaned to various Cartier Exhibits.