Prince Albert Says His Mother Princess Grace Held Firm and ‘Insisted’ on Eating Turkey for Thanksgiving in Monaco

Mar. 15, 2025

You can take the American-born princess out of the United States, but you can’t make her stop eating turkey on Thanksgiving!Prince Albertof Monaco shared that his motherPrincess Grace— formerly known as actress Grace Kelly before marryingPrince Rainierand moving overseas from the U.S. — “insisted” on eating Turkey at the palace in Monaco for Thanksgiving, an American holiday. Grace, who was originally from Philadelphia, was adamant about maintaining the tradition even an ocean away from the United States.“We either had a Thanksgiving lunch here at the palace or we would join the American Club over there on the Riviera or the Monaco/USA Association,” Albert said. “They had Thanksgiving luncheons either at the Hotel de Paris or in another location, and so we would participate in that.”Princess Grace of Monaco, the former Academy Award-winning actress Grace Kelly, poses during a 1978 Bel Air, California, photo portrait session.George Rose/Getty ImagesHe added of turkey — the traditional staple of Thanksgiving — that it “wasn’t common on European tables. We had turkey in the ‘60s and ‘70s because these organizations which had links with the U.S., of course. But it was virtually unknown in France, and there was very little of it.”“But Mom insisted, and if we didn’t have turkey at the palace for Thanksgiving, we would have it at Christmastime,” the prince continued.Now that he has a family of his own — wifePrincess Charleneand 9-year-old twinsPrince JacquesandPrincess Gabrialla— Albert has introduced Thanksgiving to his twins, but admits that observing the holiday is “on and off” because “other commitments get in the way, sometimes travel schedules, and so we don’t celebrate every year.”Princess Charlene of Monaco, Princess Gabriella of Monaco, Prince Albert II of Monaco and Prince Jacques of Monaco attend the Monaco National Day on Nov. 19, 2024 in Monaco, Monaco.Pascal Le Segretain/GettyDuring the childhoods of Prince Albert and his sistersPrincess CarolineandPrincess Stephanie, Princess Grace made a point that they’d appreciate their American heritage. This meant month-long visits to the Kelly home on Henry Avenue in Philadelphia and summers at the family’s Jersey Shore compound. Speaking to PEOPLE about his mother in October in New York City — the city where Grace began her acting career in 1950 at age 20 — Albert said that, though Grace was from Philadelphia, she loved N.Y.C.’s energy.“She loved the atmosphere,” Albert, 66, told PEOPLE last month of his mother, who died in 1982 following a car accident at just 52 years old. “Of course, it probably has changed a lot since when she was a young actress, trying to land different roles in theater, film and television. She loved, for instance, walking in the park, which [I] did yesterday with my relatives.”Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!Grace Kelly starring in ‘The Swan’ in 1956.United Archives via Getty“She would point out different points of interest when we were there with her,” he continued. “The theaters up Broadway and different iconic landmarks. She just loved to reconnect, once in a while, with New York and the incredible artistic and cultural scene. It’s always been a feature of that great city.”

You can take the American-born princess out of the United States, but you can’t make her stop eating turkey on Thanksgiving!

Prince Albertof Monaco shared that his motherPrincess Grace— formerly known as actress Grace Kelly before marryingPrince Rainierand moving overseas from the U.S. — “insisted” on eating Turkey at the palace in Monaco for Thanksgiving, an American holiday. Grace, who was originally from Philadelphia, was adamant about maintaining the tradition even an ocean away from the United States.

“We either had a Thanksgiving lunch here at the palace or we would join the American Club over there on the Riviera or the Monaco/USA Association,” Albert said. “They had Thanksgiving luncheons either at the Hotel de Paris or in another location, and so we would participate in that.”

Princess Grace of Monaco, the former Academy Award-winning actress Grace Kelly, poses during a 1978 Bel Air, California, photo portrait session.George Rose/Getty Images

George Rose/Getty Images

He added of turkey — the traditional staple of Thanksgiving — that it “wasn’t common on European tables. We had turkey in the ‘60s and ‘70s because these organizations which had links with the U.S., of course. But it was virtually unknown in France, and there was very little of it.”

“But Mom insisted, and if we didn’t have turkey at the palace for Thanksgiving, we would have it at Christmastime,” the prince continued.

Now that he has a family of his own — wifePrincess Charleneand 9-year-old twinsPrince JacquesandPrincess Gabrialla— Albert has introduced Thanksgiving to his twins, but admits that observing the holiday is “on and off” because “other commitments get in the way, sometimes travel schedules, and so we don’t celebrate every year.”

Princess Charlene of Monaco, Princess Gabriella of Monaco, Prince Albert II of Monaco and Prince Jacques of Monaco attend the Monaco National Day on Nov. 19, 2024 in Monaco, Monaco.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

During the childhoods of Prince Albert and his sistersPrincess CarolineandPrincess Stephanie, Princess Grace made a point that they’d appreciate their American heritage. This meant month-long visits to the Kelly home on Henry Avenue in Philadelphia and summers at the family’s Jersey Shore compound. Speaking to PEOPLE about his mother in October in New York City — the city where Grace began her acting career in 1950 at age 20 — Albert said that, though Grace was from Philadelphia, she loved N.Y.C.’s energy.

“She loved the atmosphere,” Albert, 66, told PEOPLE last month of his mother, who died in 1982 following a car accident at just 52 years old. “Of course, it probably has changed a lot since when she was a young actress, trying to land different roles in theater, film and television. She loved, for instance, walking in the park, which [I] did yesterday with my relatives.”

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Grace Kelly starring in ‘The Swan’ in 1956.United Archives via Getty

United Archives via Getty

“She would point out different points of interest when we were there with her,” he continued. “The theaters up Broadway and different iconic landmarks. She just loved to reconnect, once in a while, with New York and the incredible artistic and cultural scene. It’s always been a feature of that great city.”

source: people.com