The Scandalous Past of Grace Kelly’s Childhood Home

Dark secrets and scandals have come to light surrounding Grace Kelly's childhood home in Philadelphia, despite her own fairy-tale story of Hollywood glamour and marrying a foreign prince.

In 2016, Prince Albert, Kelly's son, purchased the suburban Pennsylvania home for $754,000, bringing attention back to the infamous stories that plagued the Kelly family.

The same residence where Kelly once posed with her fiance, Prince Rainier of Monaco, showcasing her dazzling Cartier engagement ring, was also the home of her politician brother, who had an affair with a transsexual woman.

Additionally, the house housed an elderly recluse who hoarded flea-infested animals before being placed in psychiatric care.

Kelly and Prince Rainier often brought their three children to the two-story bricked home, which featured six bedrooms and four bathrooms.

However, it was sold in 1974, almost ten years before Kelly's untimely death at the age of 52 in 1982.

Prince Albert expressed fond memories of visiting the residence, stating that it was “very special to our family.”

By purchasing the home, he saved it from potential destruction or development.

The estate was sold by Kelly's mother to Thomas and Janet Lawnton, who then sold it to Marjorie Bamont.

She lived in the home for over 40 years until she was charged with animal cruelty in 2013 when authorities discovered 14 live cats and one dead cat infesting the premises.

This was not the first scandal to occur within the walls of the Kelly home.

Built in the 1920s by Kelly's father, the house has a history of unfortunate events.

Kelly's politician brother, John ‘Jack' Kelly Jr., had a highly publicized love affair with a transsexual woman in the 1970s, leading his mother to sabotage his mayoral bid in Philadelphia.

Kelly's father also had two brothers with troubled pasts.

One brother squandered away his small fortune and died penniless, while the other faced rejection from his family due to his homosexuality.

Despite these scandals, Prince Albert is determined to give the home a fresh start.

He plans to reopen it as a museum in 2018, occasionally hosting public events rather than adhering to traditional museum hours.

The home will also serve as an outpost for the Princess Grace Foundation and Monaco's Princess Grace Irish Library.

With repairs and restorations underway, Prince Albert and his team are working on developing events that will attract visitors to the museum.

Although the home holds a scandalous past, it is now poised to become a symbol of Grace Kelly's legacy and achievements.