Monaco Royals.Photo:By Frédéric Nebinger / Courtesy of Princes Palace
By Frédéric Nebinger / Courtesy of Princes Palace
Monaco’s royals paid tribute toPrince RainierandPrincess Gracewith a “secret” ball on Friday evening.
Held as part of this year’scentennial celebration of Prince Rainier’s birth, the evening — which proposed an “undisclosed location” — evoked one of the principality’s most glamorous traditions: the midnight ball.
Friday evening’s black-tie event began in the Casino Atrium, and featuredPrincess Stephanie, who has organized the Rainier Centenary, wearing a subtle homage to her mother: an Empire-waisted, champagne-colored, strapped gown.
Prince Albertescorted his sister, and also lending support for the evening benefitting the Fight Aids Monaco charity was Princess Stephanie’s daughter, Camille Gottlieb, and her daughter-in-law,Marie Ducruet.
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Monaco Ball.By Frédéric Nebinger / Courtesy of Princes Palace
Back in 1966, to honor the 100th anniversary of Monte-Carlo, Princess Grace attended the “Ball of the Century.”
During the Second Empire-themed costume event, guests dressed in 19th-century fashion and period military uniforms, and gathered at the Monaco’s Belle Epoque casino.
For the evening, Grace made a dramatic entrance and wore a high-waisted opera gown of pink silk and taffeta.
The authentically recreated Empress Eugenie-style dress descended into a full skirt featuring many ruffles, and the hem resolved the skirt into a fully rounded six-foot wide bell.
Princess Grace.Daniele Darolle/Sygma via Getty
Daniele Darolle/Sygma via Getty
To complete her look, Princess Grace adapted a style she had portrayed onscreen inThe Swan, and had celebrity hairdresser Alexandre de Paris arrange a crossover braid and a cascade of blonde curls, which flowed through a 1,040-stone diamond Empress-style tiara.
Monaco Royals.By Frédéric Nebinger / Courtesy of Princes Palace
Among attendees curtsying to Grace and Rainier during the evening were Princess Aga Khan, Gina Lollabrigida, Curt Jurgens and perfume designer Helené Rochas.
Held in the spring, Bal de Siecle invited guests out onto the balcony and lawns overlooking the Mediterranean.
source: people.com
