Grace Kelly was many things --an actress, a princess, a wife, a mother and a philanthropist. Taking on so many different roles required a fair amount of bravery and courage, which Kelly showed in abundance. But this did not stop her son Prince Albert of Monaco from feeling the need to protect his mother.
The 61-year-old royal opened up about his relationship with her, as well as her philanthropy, in an interview with Fox News this week.
"She called me her traveling companion," he recalled of the years when his mother had to do a lot of traveling.
Albert was the one to accompany her and it was during these times that he began to feel the need to keep her safe.
"I felt a sense of responsibility, even though I was very young. She was taking care of me, but I felt as though I had to take care of her at times, too."
For years Albert may have been able to keep his mother out of harm's way but he could not prevent her tragic death in 1982 from injuries sustained in a car accident.
That was out of his control, but honoring her legacy was not. Which is why Albert helped establish the Princess Grace Foundation-USA.
The organization aims to assist emerging talent in the performing arts. This is something that had always been close to Kelly's heart, even after she married Prince Rainier III and gave up acting to become a member of the royal family.
She was just never able to start the foundation in her own life due to all her other responsibilities. So, Albert finally did it for her.
"It’s very simple — she had that desire to help young artists, young emerging artists, in the performing arts," he said. "That’s exactly what we [do]."
Albert said his mother was "very keen on putting up an entity that would help" because it is difficult for young artists to find work after leaving school and then still try to gain recognition for their talents.
"I think that we were able to help fill that gap," he said.
Kelly "touched many lives" of both young and old generations and Albert said he hopes that the world will celebrate this aspect of his mother.
"It’s her generosity of heart and of spirit that we are trying to carry on, and we’re trying to have it transpire out of what we do with the foundation," he said, adding that the hoped she would "still be recognized in many years to come as being that wonderful, generous, loving person that she was."
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