Princess Diana and Grace Kelly’s tragically similar fates: how they went from humble beginnings to superstar royals ... and eventually died untimely deaths

Sep 2 , 2021

Grace Kelly of Monaco and Britain’s Lady Diana Spencer – two royal women doomed to a similar fate? Photos: Handout, @princess_grace_of_monaco/Instagram

One was a Hollywood starlet turned Princess of Monaco, the other a shy high society belle thrust into the limelight when she married Prince Charles of Britain

When the pair met at a musical recital in London, Princess Grace took ‘the people’s princess’ aside to warn her, ‘it’ll only get worse’

Princess Grace of Monaco, and Diana, Princess of Wales: both of them played the role of the fairy-tale princess perfectly. But from their relatively humble beginnings to the men they married and the tragic accidents that ended their lives, this pair had more in common than you may have realised.

Their royal marriages

Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier on their wedding day in 1965. Photo: @history_queen/Instagram

Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier III of Monaco at the Cannes Film Festival in April 1955. They dated for just a year before marrying in 1956.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana first met at Diana’s family home, Althorp, when the prince was in fact dating her older sister, Sarah. Photo: AP

The heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, was first introduced to Diana Spencer during a grouse hunt at Althorp, the Spencer family home, in November 1977. However, he was actually dating Diana’s older sister, Sarah, at the time.

Their charities

Princess Diana talks to amputee Sandra Thijica in Angola during a visit in 1997, in an effort to raise awareness about landmines. Photo: AP