NBC Network News Special: "The Funeral of Princess Grace" (Complete Broadcast, 9/18/1982)

Here is NBC News' coverage (aired over WMAQ Channel 5) of the funeral of Princess Grace of Monaco (the former actress Grace Kelly), who died on September 14th 1982. The coverage is headed in Monaco by Jane Pauley with royalty expert Robert Lacey, and in New York by Edwin Newman with Father Robert O'Donnell of the Paulist Fathers. The picture was mostly provided by French TV via satellite.Show more

Includes:

NBC News Special title card (with "We interrupt this program..." voiceover by Arthur Gary), followed by animated open and "The Funeral of Princess Grace title card" (voiceover by Arthur Gary)

Edwin opens program 30 minutes before funeral is to start, and mentions timeline of Grace's death, explains Monaco (mostly French), and that her funeral is to take place at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, 1 block from the Royal Palace where, at the Palatine Chapel, her body lay in state; Father O'Donnell mentions what the mass is to be about (followed by the Last Commendation and Farewell, and her burial in a crypt at the cathedral next to her husband's three predecessors), and the procession. Jane and Robert discuss the procession from their observations (they come in and out as the connection is wonky and the picture of their feed intermittent at the outset). The funeral is piped through loudspeakers to Monaco's citizenry.

The procession was led by Prince Rainier with Prince Albert and Princess Caroline (Princess Stephanie, who was in the car with Grace at the time of the latter's fatal accident, was still hospitalized), followed by members of Grace's family including brother John and two sisters, Margaret and Elizabeth; attendees included First Lady Nancy Reagan, Navy Secretary John Lehman, Pennsylvania Gov. Richard Thornburgh, U.S. Ambassador to France Evan Galbraith and Rep. Thomas Foglietta (R-PA) (U.S. delegation), Princess Diana (British delegation), Danielle Miterrand and Foreign Minister Claude Cheysson (French delegation), Prince Bertil of Sweden, Princess Benedicta of Denmark, Prince Paul of Belgium, Grand Duchess Josephine of Luxembourg, former King Michael of Romania, former Queen Anne Marie of Greece, Prince Philipp of Liechtenstein, the Count of Paris, Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia, and celebrities including Cary Grant, Mrs. Frank Sinatra and race car driver Jackie Stewart, among the over 400 who attended - but no tourists, only citizens. Part of the route the procession is going is home to car races. Edwin notes controversy because of muddled details over her accident and death at the time.

Station ID lower third appears nearly 32 minutes into this clip.

The funeral (which starts 10 minutes behind schedule) is presided by the Most Rev. Charles Brandt, Archbishop of Monaco, in French (translated by Rev. O'Donnell). A boys choir sings hymns in Latin and assorted Gregorian chants, an orchestra plays various classical concert pieces (including Bach's "Air on a G String"). The attendees then start filing out.

Edwin, Father O'Donnell, Jane and Robert make their post-funeral observations, the procession is replayed, shots of the view of the Mediterranean are shown, Edwin mentions a service for Grace the prior day in Philadelphia presided over by John Cardinal Krol (reported by Mike Moss, with interviews with Richard Rowe, husband of Grace's niece; Grace's nun; and her former neighbors), followed by replays of parts of funeral mass.

Edwin goes into Grace's life and times, and Jane and Robert give their reminiscences; a report by Fred Briggs about a speech Grace gave in 1971 before a La Leche League banquet at Franklin Park, IL, and Mrs. Marian Tompson, La Leche League's founder, is interviewed.

For the end, Edwin mentions Monaco's history, then the coverage ends with a tape of a speech by Grace from the Parable of the Good Samaritan at the Sistine Chapel in 1980.

Original Source Video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pcLk95BBS5E&pp=ygUWcHJpbmNlc3MgZ3JhY2UgZnVuZXJhbA%3D%3D