Princess Grace Irish Library anniversary book now available online
A screenshot of the digital book's cover © PGIL
Prince Albert II and Princess Caroline attended a special 40th anniversary celebration at the Princess Grace Irish Library (PGIL) on 20 November 2024, exactly 40 years to the day after they inaugurated the Library in tribute to their mother, . They were each presented with a copy of a commemorative book to mark the milestone in the Library’s history.
Only a limited number of books were printed, and they are not available for sale. However, a digital version of the book is now available online.
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The 130-page book is carefully curated and lavishly illustrated with archive images of Princess Grace, Prince Rainier III and their family visiting Ireland during the first State visit in 1961 and others leading up to the present day. These are augmented by documents of the time.
Like the Library itself, founded by Prince Rainier III as a tribute to his late wife, the book evokes the bond between Princess Grace and Ireland, and more specifically County Mayo, the birthplace of her grandfather John R Kelly. His descendants hail from Philadelphia, and the links with the United States are also explored in the book, including a chapter on Grace Kelly as an ‘American icon’.
While the PGIL is known for its collection of Irish literature, including a rare first edition of Ulysses by James Joyce, as well as Princess Grace’s private collection, there is also her collection of sheet music. And thanks to QR codes in the document, you can hear recordings of some of these by the conservatoires in Monaco and Dublin.
There are also testimonials from Nobel peace prize winner and Commander of the order of Saint Charles John Hume, Anne Anderson, former ambassador of Ireland to the United States, Dr Michael Smurfit, Honorary Consul of Ireland in Monaco, entertainer and philanthropist Michael Flatley, of Riverdance fame, and Louisette Lévy-Soussan Azzoaglio, Princess Grace’s former personal assistant, to name just a few.
While there is no charge for browsing the book, the Library would of course gladly receive any donations as a gesture.