Books
Q & A with Wendy Leigh -
Author of TRUE GRACE
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF AN AMERICAN PRINCESS.
Why did you decide to write Princess Grace's biography?
Apart from the fact that 2007 marks the 25th anniversary of her death, since 1970, when I was present at the Royal Festival Hall in London, when she introduced Frank Sinatra's concert, I have always admired her as an elegant, stylish, and breathtakingly beautiful Hollywood star, a strong and wonderful woman - an American icon whose life was all too short.
You interviewed 125 sources for the book, including 98 who have never talked about Princess Grace before. What surprised you?
After three years' research, and in-depth interviews with diverse sources as Princess Grace's friend, Father Peter Jacobs, Bernard Combemal - the former head of the S.B.M. who runs Monaco - and psychic, Frank Andrews, whom Grace consulted and to whom she confided her premonition that she would die in a car crash, I was surprised by the fact that so little of Grace's existence in Monaco had hitherto been revealed. During her time there, she interacted with a glittering galaxy of twentieth century legends, fought to raise her children with good values - constantly reminding them that their grandfather was a bricklayer - and grappled with the reality that her husband, Prince Rainier, was unfaithful to her.
Grace's own romantic history has been revealed in previous biographies. Did you discover anything new?
A great deal. Tony Curtis, tennis player, Barney Strauss, Philadelphia lifeguards, Bill D'Arcy, Joe Mustin, tennis player Sidney Wood, 'Brief Encounter' producer, Sir Anthony Havelock Allen, Robert Slatzer, musician, Richard Boccelli, and producer, Robert Evans - none of whom have ever spoken to any of Grace's previous biographers before - talked to me about their romances with her.
I was also able to establish that Grace dated Philip Barry Jr - the son of 'High Society' author, Philip Barry, 'High Noon,' Marlon Brando and 'High Noon' director, Fred Zinemann.
Were you shocked by any of Princess Grace's romances?
No. Before her marriage, as one of the world's most beautiful women and a Hollywood star, Grace had a great deal of romantic opportunities and can hardly be blamed for taking them. And given that her husband, Prince Rainier was continually unfaithful to her during their marriage, it seems to me to be understandable that she was not immune to the blandishments of Frank Sinatra, an old friend and co-star, when he visited her in Monaco. Later in her marriage, when she and Rainier were living distinctly separate lives, Grace embarked on a romance with English academic, Graham Binns, and also took comfort in her friendship with director, Robert Dornhelm, and with actor David Niven, whom she had first dated in Hollywood, and with whom she conducted a deep and passionate relationship which endured until her death. And - in a bitter irony, according to distinguished author, Sir John Mortimer, Prince Rainier once approached Niven asking him if he could find him an apartment where he could conduct his extramarital affairs without Grace finding out.
One of the book's major revelations concern Grace's bridesmaid, Carolyn Reybold and her husband, Malcolm, with whom Grace had an affair, then confessed all to Carolyn.
According to legendary society columnist, Suzy, Grace sent Carolyn the confessional letter in the summer of 1960. At that time, Grace's father was on his deathbed. I believe that Grace became virtually unhinged by grief at the prospect of losing him. Hence, her letter of confession to Carolyn. As to her affair with Malcolm, wrong as it was, I believe that she succumbed to Malcolm, an accomplished seducer, at a time when she was vulnerable in the extreme.
So is the book just a catalogue of Grace's romances?
Not at all. The book covers every aspect of Grace's childhood and early years, her life in Hollywood and Monaco, and illustrates Grace's kindness, her humanity, describes her abiding friendship with Cary Grant and his wife, Betsy Drake (and how they had a séance in London, during which they attempted to contact Einstein), how she transformed Monaco from a faded principality into a jet-set destination, her open-minded tolerance when her brother, Jack had an affair with a trans-sexual and Grace accepted and was kind to her, how Jacqueline Kennedy retained a lifelong jealousy of Grace (and - in front of a group of friends - launched into a cruel imitation of her performance in 'Rear Window'), and her empathy for Princess Diana (who believed that she and Grace had a psychic connection).
Have you uncovered anything new about Grace's death?
Even twenty-five years on, there are still a great many conspiracy theories swirling around Grace's fatal accident. However, I decided to focus on her life, not her death. And although it has been rumoured that Princess Stephanie, not Grace was driving the car in which Grace died, I firmly believe that was not the case. As her nephew, Baron Christian de Massy has said to me, Stephanie was underage and Grace would never have allowed her to drive illegally in France (where Grace's home, Roc Agel was situated). She was far too law-abiding, far too correct, and far too good a mother to allow her daughter to break the law by driving the car that day. I believe that Grace was, indeed, driving, and that she suffered a stroke or a heart attack, causing her to lose control of the car.