Prince Charming And The Star

Rainier And Grace Were Mutually 'Dazzled'

(CBS)  Prince Rainier III of Monaco leaves a legacy of romance, in addition to his other accomplishments. He was credited with glamorizing the tiny principality when he married Grace Kelly. It was one of the world's greatest love stories that probably continued even after her tragic death in a car accident in 1982.

Sarah Bradford, a biographer whose books include "Princess Grace," spoke about the romance to The Early Show co-anchor Rene Syler.

"It really was a love marriage," says Bradford. "One of Grace's friends described it to me that he was dazzled by her, and she was dazzled by him. I mean, although it's over half a century ago now, you have to remember that Grace was the queen of Hollywood. She was the most beautiful actress in the world. And he was a real-life prince. So it was a tremendous fairy -ale romance."

How did the prince handle her death? There are some reports that say he was never the same.

"Well, I interviewed him…about six months after Grace died, when I began my book, and he was absolutely shattered, still," Bradford recalls. "Although, I mean, he was obviously in command of himself, he just was tremendously sad… I think they'd had a happy family. There were the three children. They were very much together.

"Whatever people might say about their marriage, on the whole, they were deeply fond of each other," she continues. "And I think he was tremendously respectful of her. She was so loved by people in Monaco, and he realized that (her death) would make his life extremely lonely and difficult."

Prince Rainier is survived by just one son, Prince Albert, who is unmarried and has no heir. Rainier's daughters, Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie, do have children. What is the succession plan?

Bradford says she assumes the Prince Albert will succeed his father. "It's very important that there is an heir, because under the treaty that they made with France (I think in 1918), if there is no heir to the principality, it reverts to France."

Monaco changed its succession law in 2002 to allow power to pass from a reigning prince who has no descendants to his siblings, making Princess Caroline and her children next in line.

As for Prince Rainier's legacy, Bradford sums up: "He, really, with Grace, is responsible for Monaco being transformed from a rather seedy little place into a very glamorous place."