The enduring appeal of Grace Kelly 44 years after her death

Forty-four years after her death at age 52 in 1982, she remains a fashion idol – and an example of grace under pressure. Despite the intense spotlight she lived in, “she did whatever it took to prepare for the work she did,” says Jay Jorgensen, co-author of Grace Kelly: Hollywood dream girl.

Kelly’s tireless work ethic came naturally. Her father, John Kelly, was an Olympic gold medalist in rowing, and she grew up in a wealthy athlete family in Philadelphia.

“She was a shy girl – she was the dreamer of the Kellys,” Jorgensen said. “When she became an actress, she gave it her all.”

The model quickly proved she was a real movie star, starring opposite Gary Cooper in High Noon at the age of 22 and winning an Oscar for the 1954 film. The country girl. With her top-notch attitude, “she could play refined and a little older,” Jorgensen said.