Prince Albert II of Monaco has confirmed to People Magazine that he has purchased his mother, Princess Grace’s childhood home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, saying, “It feels good.”
The Kelly Family House in East Falls section of Philadelphia (3901 Henry Avenue) was built by John B. Kelly, Sr. in 1929. Grace Kelly, actress and Princess of Monaco grew up here. It was here where Prince Rainier III, Prince of Monaco proposed her in 1955 Christmas. Photo: Shuvaev (CC 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
He will travel to Pennsylvania next week to attend a meeting to discuss plans for the home on Tuesday, 25 October.
When asked about the plans for the home, His Serene Highness said, “We’re still trying to figure out what we’re going to do with it. We’re looking at having it contain some museum exhibit space and maybe use part of it for offices for some of our foundation work.”
The home on Henry Avenue is a six bedroom 4,000-square-feet Colonial-style home that was first put up for sale for $1,000,000. However, the price was eventually reduced, and the home was sold in September for $775,000. Grace’s father, John B. Kelly, Sr. built the home in 1929. Over Christmas in 1955, Prince Rainer III proposed to Grace in the brick mansion. The upstairs doors still have the markings representing the heights of the Kelly children in their childhood.
The Kelly Family House in East Falls section of Philadelphia. View from the south end. Photo: Shuvaev (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons
Prince Albert was very happy to bring his mother’s childhood home back into the family. He was quoted as saying, “I’m very happy to have saved this old family home from a near certain death or development.”
The Kelly family last owned the home in 1974. It was owned by another family for the next 40 years. Outside of the home, a blue and yellow sign has been placed declaring the home as a Pennsylvania historical landmark.
Prince Albert told People, “The house was very beautiful and very special to our family. I remember one visit, one of the earliest I recall, Grandma put me up in one of the bedrooms upstairs. I must have been about 5 and it was one of the first times I remember when I wasn’t put in with my sister. I remember just staring out the window, watching the cars go by, enjoying being alone.”
He continued saying, “The house is filled with little moments like that. Moments of being a family. I’m looking forward to showing the house to the kids, sharing it with them, having them see the garden. It’ll probably be next year. We’ll have to finish the work and then we’ll have some sort of opening.”
No doubt Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella will enjoy their time in their grandmother’s home, much like their father and aunts did as children.
Princess Grace with Prince Albert in 1972. Photo: Peter Hans/ Dutch National Archives, The Hague, Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons
Grace Kelly was born on 12 November 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was an accomplished actress before marrying Prince Rainer III in 1956. She tragically died in a car crash, after suffering a stroke behind the wheel, in 1982 at just 52-years-old. You can read more about Princess Grace here.
I think it’s wonderful that he will be keeping Princess Grace’s home.
I saw the story about it…it will need a good deal of work
Yay! Grace Kelly’s hometown (neighborhood) of East Falls is very excited. For a personal peek at the house by a local realtor: http://www.eastfallslocal dot com