Hollywood Royalty
Hollywood is no stranger to turning some of its biggest stars into real life royalty. We all witnessed the fairytale wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. But Markle was not the first actresses turned princess to come out of Hollywood! Today I am taking a look back at the royal relationships that has involved some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Rita Hayworth
These photos are not mine.
Arguably the trendsetter for this phenomenon, no one had ever seen a Hollywood actress date a foreign prince before Rita Hayworth did. Way back in 1948, Rita was traveling the world as a superstar after her many successful films when she was introduced to Prince Aly Khan. They dated for two years before their marriage on May 27, 1949. Part of why Rita Hayworth was so excited at the prospect of starting a new life was because she felt like her role as Gilda followed her. She never wanted to just be a “pin-up” girl.
The union produced one daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan. Though it seemed like a fairytale ending, it wouldn’t last. Prince Aly Khan was known for being a ladies’ man, and being married to one of the most sought after and glamorous ladies of the time did not stop him from continuing his hobbies. Finally, Hayworth had enough of the infidelities. In 1951, Rita Hayworth made the long journey back to the United States with her two daughters Princess Yasmin and Rebecca Wells (who she had with Orson Wells in a previous marriage). The couple officially divorced in 1953.
Gene Tierney
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Another famous actress who was linked to Prince Aly Khan was Gene Tierney. After her eleven year marriage to famous fashion designer Oleg Cassini, Tierney began a romance with the high profile prince while filming Personal Affair. This whirlwind romance was rapidly moving towards the alter when the couple became engaged in 1952.
At the time, Prince Aly Khan was still going through his divorce to actress Rita Hayworth. With fear of another Hollywood actresses becoming royalty, Prince Aly Khan’s father (Aga Khan III) opposed the marriage to Tierney. Soon the couple broke off their engagement.
Grace Kelly
These photos are not mine.
The first successful royal marriage Hollywood saw was between Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco. In 1955, Kelly was attending the Cannes Film Festival when she was invited to the Prince’s Palace for a photo call. Although Kelly was dating French actor Jean-Pierre Aumont when she met Prince Rainier, their meeting left a lasting impression on the both of them.
For one year the couple dated before making Kelly an official princess. Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly married on April 18, 1956. The photos from that day are still shared on social media and remain a favorite among those who consider themselves “Royal Watchers”. Kelly’s dress has also cemented its place in legendary wedding dresses, and has been emulated by the likes of the Duchess of Cambridge when she married Prince William of Great Britain.
Grace Kelly brought glamour and fame back to the royal titles of Monaco. Often there were Hollywood friends of her’s like James Stewart and Cary Grant who would stop by the palace in which she lived with Prince Rainier. The couple remained married until Grace Kelly’s untimely passing in 1982.
Meghan Markel
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Our most recent example of Hollywood star turned royalty is Meghan Markel! The couple met through a friend who set them up on a blind date. Previously, Prince Harry had said that an actress or someone in the public eye would be the best fit for him because then they would be able to handle the fervor that constantly surrounds the British Royal Family. Well, Prince Harry knew what he was talking about when he came up with this hypothesis! Meghan Markel has handled herself beautifully despite all of the trials and tribulations that come along with dating a British Royal.
The world witnessed their fairytale wedding in May of 2018. They were given the title of Duke and Duchess of Sussex and have quickly become favorite members of the British Royal family for many. In October of 2018, it was announced the happy couple would be expecting their first child together.
These photos are not mine.
So there you have it! A little history of all of the Hollywood stars turned royalty so far. Pictured above is a photo of Grace Kelly as she was leaving the United States for the last time before marrying her prince! I thought it was a lovely photo to leave you with, and beautifully captured how happy she was.
Much Love,
Sarah
