Institut Audiovisuel de Monaco

At the crossroads of European monarchical tradition and American-style promotion, the "wedding of the century", to quote the expression used in Le Figaro on 4 April 1956 by journalist Pierre Macaigne, undoubtedly left its mark on the minds and contemporary history of Monaco. Through photographs, moving images, sound recordings, jewels, dresses, gifts and unpublished archives, the exhibition route allows visitors to discover the key figures, locations, highlights and behind-the-scenes of a week of festivities, organised in just three months, from the spectacular arrival of Grace Kelly on the morning of 12 April, to the departure of the princely couple on honeymoon on the evening of 19 April. While the wedding ceremonies between Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly do not feature in the Mythologies of contemporary current events decrypted by Roland Barthes (1915–1980), they could very well have been the subject of study by the semiotician in the work he published in 1957, so significant was the Monegasque event, thanks to its exceptional media coverage for the time, the varied production of souvenirs and the proliferation of its various memories.Further information is available on the [Prince's Palace website](https://www.visitepalaisdemonaco.com/en/).

The Cabinet of Curiosities of the Audiovisual Institute details the production of "The Wedding of Monaco" by Jean Masson, the work of professional media (television, newsreels, photographers) and the perspective of amateur filmmakers present.

The discovery three years ago of around a dozen boxes containing film reels and offcuts from Jean Masson's "Le Mariage de Monaco" (The Wedding of Monaco - 1956) led to a preservation initiative for this emblematic document. The history of this documentary, its restoration and analysis will be at the heart of a film lecture which, alongside other filmed sources, will present for the first time on the big screen, in the Royal Courtyard of the Prince's Palace, the restored 4K version of the film.