The April Fair 2024 kicked off this past Sunday, April 14, with its particular lighting of the ‘lighting’ of the Fair’s cover at the El Real venue in the Andalusian capital. After the famous ‘pescaíto’ dinner, which takes place inside all the booths of the venue, Seville’s big week began in style with the lighting of the lights of the venue and all the streets of Seville.
Throughout this week and until next April 20, the Andalusian capital will be filled with residents and tourists ready to enjoy dancing, horseback riding, music, sevillanas and rebujitos. In addition to being one of the most important festivals of the year in our country, the April Fair is also classified as a festival of international tourist interest.
For this reason, throughout its history, numerous famous faces, both national and international, have wanted to come to the Andalusian capital to experience first-hand one of the most deeply rooted traditional festivals in our territory. One of the most remembered visits will always be that of Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy in 1966.
The former first lady of the United States and the actress never had a cordial relationship. After the arrival of John Kennedy and his wife to the White House, rumors about a youthful romance between the politician and the actress began to emerge, putting the then first lady in the eye of the storm. It was the actress herself who denied all these rumors in an interview years after Kennedy’s assassination and in which she stated that the first time they saw each other was in the mid-fifties when Kennedy was admitted to the hospital for his back problems. .
The former first lady of Monaco also assured in said interview that there was never any rivalry of any kind with Jackie Kennedy. However, the wife of the thirty-fifth president of the United States never spoke out on this matter, leaving their tense relationship in the air.
However, the enmity between the two became effective on the same day of the president’s assassination, November 22, 1963. Raniero III of Monaco and Grace Kelly were in the United States to celebrate a party. After learning of the tragedy, the Princes of Monaco decided to continue with their plans to the surprise of Jackie Kennedy, who never forgave Grace Kelly’s betrayal. It is also known that when the actress wanted to call her to offer her condolences, the widow told her through her secretary that she could not assist her.
The confrontation between the two lasted over time, eventually being reproduced in a new setting: the April Fair of 1966. The Duchess of Alba decided to invite Jackie Kennedy to the big week in Seville. There she coincided with the Princes of Monaco, who had been invited by the Seville City Council itself. The three personalities met in a booth, where the tension was palpable in the atmosphere.
Furthermore, the Duchess of Alba had the mission of getting the two to attend the debutante ball at the residence of the Dukes of Medinaceli, the so-called Casa de Pilatos. During this gala, the actress and the former first lady had to face an uncomfortable situation: both were seated at the same table separated only by the Duke of Medinaceli. It was then that the Duchess of Alba tried to reduce the tension between the two, without much success. And the two spent the entire night without exchanging glances or speaking a word.
