To cover Grace Kelly's wedding (see FOREIGN NEWS), some 1,600 reporters swarmed about Monaco. There were al most as many differences of opinion on what had gone on as there were newsmen.
The civil wedding took place in the palace throne room, which was described by I.N.S. as decorated with "gilded damask," by the New York Herald Tribune as "crimson damasked," and by the New York Post as "tapestried and frescoed." During the ceremony Grace Kelly had "tears in her eyes" for the U.P., but the A.P. said flatly: "No tears." Miss Kelly, said the U.P., looked at Prince Rainier just once, with a "shy glance." The Herald Tribune called it "a proud romantic glance"; the New York Times thought it was "twice . . . distraughtly," while I.N.S. wrote that she glanced "often . . . as if to seek reassurance."
Even in their own ranks, Hearstlings managed to avoid sameness. Dorothy Kilgallen reported that "not once did the Prince look at his bride"; Bob Considine wrote that it was "only once." When the time came for the couple's responses, "both replied 'Oui' firmly . . . Miss Kelly in husky, throaty sincerity," according to the Herald Trib. But in the Times, "each assented with a virtually inaudible 'Oui.' " In any case, the ceremony lasted just 20 minutes (Considine), 16 minutes (Kilgallen), 40 minutes (Post), 15 "emotion-laden" minutes (New York News).
At the religious ceremony next day, Grace was "close to tears" in the Post, but for the U.P., "uncontrolled tears coursed down [her] cheeks." How did she make her responses this time? "Je veux (I will)," said the U.P. "Oui," said the Post. "Oui, Monseigneur," said the Times. "Oui, je veux," said the Herald Trib. Finessed Newshen Kilgallen: "[It was] barely audible."