As the daughter of Hollywood star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III, Princess Stephanie of Monaco was used to being in the public eye from childhood. However, that scrutiny became much more intense when she was 17, after she was in the car crash that would kill her mother. Since then, Princess Stephanie’s life has been filled with rumour and innuendo, even all these years later. Parallels have been drawn between the pressure Stephanie, 57, has faced and the spotlight on Princess Charlene of Monaco. Both have been the subject of intense speculation during their time as members of Monaco’s royal family. Is Princess Caroline replacing Princess Charlene as Monaco’s first lady? Last year, Charlene – who is married to Prince Albert of Monaco – spent months away from her husband and children after she was “grounded” in South Africa because of a medical emergency . When she returned to Monaco months later, the 44-year-old was admitted to a treatment facility. Her only communication since has been sparse and through Instagram. Scarce information on her health and previous rumours about the state of her marriage to Albert has escalated concerns around her mental health, raising questions over whether the palace is presenting a truthful version of events to the public. Princess Stephanie knows this all too well. Here’s how she went from doted princess to horrible rumours plaguing her life. Why will Camilla be queen when Prince Philip wasn’t a king? Her mother’s death The princess was just 17 years old when she and her mother, Princess Grace, were involved in an accident that would claim the life of the famous film star. Several conspiracy theories around the accident emerged, one being that it was Stephanie who was driving the car during the fatal collision on September 13, 1982. Another rumour was that mother and daughter had been in an argument just before the accident. The speculation was amplified by poor communication from the palace, which at first underplayed the extent of Grace’s injuries only to later confirm her death. It was also unusual for Grace to drive, but Town & Country reported that mother and daughter were going to Paris, and Grace said the car they had could not fit their luggage and three people. She insisted on driving and lost control of the car, allegedly because of a stroke. 7 things to know about Monaco’s ‘Pink Palace’, home of Princess Charlene The long-lasting impact Being with her mother in the car that fateful day had a massive impact on Stephanie. She never spoke about what happened until an interview with author Jeffrey Robinson for his book, Rainier and Grace: An Intimate Portrait , in 1989 . She told the writer she remembered every minute of what happened and she could still not travel down that road because of the memories it brought back. She admitted she hadn’t spoken to her father, Prince Rainier about the accident because she knew it hurt him. A gardener had said he pulled her out the driver’s window, leading to speculation she had been driving, but Stephanie said that is it not what happened, explaining she kicked the door open and called for help. Stephanie said the insinuation was that she had killed her mother and she felt guilty for being alive. She said she believed people were wondering why she survived and when her internationally famous mother died, and she was left feeling very alone. 6 of the longest-lasting royal marriages in history The “colourful princess” A after the tragedy, Stephanie enrolled in a fashion course in 1983 and started modelling to finance a bathing suit company, Pool Positions, that she and a partner started. According to The Chicago Tribune , she was then offered the chance to make a record and her song, Irresistible , was No 1 on the French charts for several weeks. Stephanie told Robinson she never expected to be a performer, but at the time felt she had discovered what she wanted to do with her life. In 1986 she moved to the US to escape criticism and the lingering rumours around her role in her mother’s death. She said she knew her mum would have supported her and she was working hard to “make something” of her life. Her unusual choice of career led to Stephanie being called a “wild child” and the “colourful princess”. It wasn’t just her artistic side that got attention, though, but also her love life. 5 ‘illegitimate’ royals born from affairs with blue-blooded fathers Following her heart … to the circus Stephanie’s love life has long been tabloid fodder. She raised eyebrows after she dated and later married her bodyguard, Daniel Ducruet. The couple have two children together, Pauline and Louis. In 1998, she gave birth to Camille Gottlieb, the father of her child being Jean Raymond Gottlieb, a former palace bodyguard. Stephanie reportedly had a relationship with elephant trainer Franco Knie after they met at Monaco’s annual International Circus Festival in 1999. According to a British documentary , Stephanie joined the circus and moved into Knie’s trailer with her three children from previous relationships. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @miss_nostalgiamc This may have been a way to show her children that a different life was available to them if they so chose, one British journalist told the Insider website. After that relationship ended, she dated acrobat Adans Lopez Peres. Hello! reported that they were married for a year before filing for divorce. Stephanie’s daughter Pauline Ducruet spoke about life in the circus in an interview with The Telegraph. She said it was “interesting” and the circus was filled with children from around the world. Are Princess Charlene’s troubles all down to a Grimaldi family curse? A perfume from a princess Last year, Princess Stephanie released a perfume called Princesse de Coeur (“Princess of the Heart”) to support the Fight Aids Monaco foundation. It was released on World Aids Day (December 1) and has been billed to have deep scents with notes of bergamot, rose and aldehyde, iris, carrot, sandalwood and patchouli. However fragrant her perfume is, it can’t cover up the stink left from her treatment by the tabloids and social media rumour mill. That’s something her sister-in-law is becoming sadly familiar with. Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and Twitter .