Grace of Monaco lays its cards on the table from the outset.  The opening credit states that “The following is a fictional account inspired by real events” and then provides a quote from Grace Kelly, in which she states "The idea of my life as a fairytale is itself a fairytale". Having forewarned the audience, the film lives up to its promise, delivering a miserable tale of an unhappy princess… most of which is invented out of whole cloth.

Five years after retiring from the screen to marry Prince Rainier, Grace Kelly seems to be regretting her decision. The prince is too busy for her, Hitchcock wants her back, and her forthright American attitude is complicating relations in and outside the palace. With France and Monaco on the brink of war, now is not the best time to star in Marnie (1964). Better perhaps to consult an etiquette expert and star in your own version of The Princess Diaries, but this time without the laughs.

With its glamourous locations, newsreel montages and extreme close-ups that seem to hover an inch from the star’s noses, Grace of Monaco’s attempts to evoke the style of yesteryear only calls attention to the fact that this is indeed a very pale imitation.

Despite the filmmakers insistence that this is not a biopic, the film's title suggests otherwise. Presumably because Edna of Liechtenstein didn’t have the same ring to it.