Princess Caroline Crew at St Tropez

Princess Caroline and family have been on vacation in St Tropez, resting up for Andrea's upcoming wedding perhaps. In any event, Charlotte was out and about and the photos taken should dispel any doubts about her pregnancy being 'just a rumor'. It looks pretty definite to me...

Princess Grace, Hometown Girl

HSH Princess Grace of Monaco became a famous and beloved figure all around the world first as a movie star and later as the princess consort of one of the oldest monarchies on earth. However, in her own hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania she is still known as the local girl who made it big. A reminder of that, and how Princess Grace never lost her connection with her native city, will be coming to Philadelphia. On Thursday at the Hotel Monaco in the 'City of Brotherly Love' officials announced an upcoming exhibit dedicated to Princess Grace called "Grace Kelly: Beyond the Icon" which will focus on her childhood, early film career and finally her rise to the world of royalty.

Christopher Le Vine, a nephew of Princess Grace, spoke at the event about how his beloved aunt never lost touch with her roots, her family and friends. He also spoke of her love for scrapple, a local Philly dish that is, let us say, a rather acquired taste. It consists of a loaf of pork scraps and cornmeal -hardly the sort of thing one would expect a Princess of Monaco or even a Hollywood movie star to be fond of. Yet, Princess Grace took a sample back to the principality with her so that the chefs at the Princely Palace could recreate the dish in her new home (though one has to wonder what highly skilled masters of French cuisine must have thought of such a thing).

The exhibit will open on October 28 at the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doyelstown, a suburb not far from the Bucks County Playhouse where Princess Grace made her stage debut in 1949. Items that will be on display for the exhibit include clothes, clips of home movies, the Oscar the Princess won for her role in "The Country Girl" as well as love letters from HSH Prince Rainier III. HSH Sovereign Prince Albert II also recorded a special message for the crowd in Philadelphia that was played at the announcement, paying tribute to his late mother and noting how beloved she was by the Monegasque and how much her legacy lives on in Monaco today. She will never be forgotten.

Charlotte Causing a Stir, Andrea Setting a Date

Not a few people (including yours truly) were less than thrilled when Charlotte Casiraghi started getting serious with the Jewish-Moroccan-French actor/comedian Gad Elmaleh, 15 years older than her and already the father of a 12-year old son, but it seems things have only gone further and recently Charlotte has been causing the rumor-mill to go into overdrive. Recent photos of Charlotte have shown what many see as the beginnings of a 'baby bump' and (as seen above) Princess Caroline's youngest was recently spotted shopping for baby clothes. Are they for big brother Andrea's offspring -or one of her own? Charlotte recently celebrated her 27th birthday and has been keeping company with Gad for about eighteen months now. Rumors are thick that the two are already engaged but, if so, there has been no official announcement of it as yet. Still, many are running with the story that Charlotte is expecting a baby and that the two will be married before the year is out. Time will tell if these people are correct.

Meanwhile, August 31 has been named as the date for the wedding of Andrea Casiraghi and Tatiana Santo Domingo. According to the Princely Palace it will be a small, private ceremony. Not long ago the couple welcomed their first child, a boy, to the world; Sacha, Princess Caroline's first grandchild. Will another be far behind?

Red Cross Ball

 Last Friday (yes, I'm behind a little) was the annual Red Cross ball in the Principality of Monaco, one of the major charitable events of the year hosted by the Princely Family. This year the entertainment was provided by Eros Ramazzotti and, as usual, the Princely couple cut a fine figure on the dance floor.

HSH Princess Charlene was looking good in blue, a good color for a swimmer

HSH Princess Charlene, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover, the three biggest names on the scene without question