These socialites arguably have it better than even a princess in line to the throne – receiving all the glittering benefits of being closely connected to a royal family, without much of the responsibilities.
A prime example of this is Victoria de Marichalar y Borbón, 21, the granddaughter of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain, who this month stars on ¡HOLA!’s front cover.
Elegantly posing on a horse, the fifth in line to the Spanish throne, who holds no official royal title, told the Spanish publication how she is exploring the fashion world as she attends glamorous shows by designer brands and dresses herself in their luxury garments.
Meanwhile, Grace Kelly’s granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco, who is an ambassador for Chanel, enjoys the limelight with seemingly little responsibilities.
She has recently appeared in a quirky music video in tribute to Coco Chanel, where she rides a flying shark and pets a giant dog thanks to CGI.
In January, the accomplished equestrian wowed Paris Fashion Week attendees as she rode her horse around the Chanel runway.
So, who are the minor European royals enjoying very glamorous lives, without the pressure of being heirs to the throne?
From fashion shows to modelling contracts and social media success, here FEMAIL reveals the leading ladies in Europe that don’t need the prospect of a crown to ensure they’re leading a lavish lifestyle…
VICTORIA DE MARICHALAR Y BORBON
King Felipe of Spain’s niece, pictured at a dinner for Off White, was this year dubbed the latest ‘It girl’ by society bible Tatler after making a name for herself on the European social scene
Fifth in line to the Spanish throne, Victoria de Marichalar y Borbón, 21, is the very glamorous niece of King Felipe of Spain
She has featured on magazine covers such as Elle Spain and was this year dubbed the latest ‘It girl’ by society bible Tatler after making a name for herself on the European social scene
The jet-setter (pictured), who is fifth in line to the Spanish throne, is the younger child and only daughter of King Felipe’s older sister, Infanta Elena, 58 and her ex-husband Jaime de Marichalar, 58
Victoria (pictured in November 2021) went public on Instagram in 2019, aged 18, and has since amassed 200,000 followers thanks to the glimpses she gives of her glamorous life
Fifth in line to the Spanish throne, Victoria de Marichalar y Borbón, 21, is the very glamorous niece of King Felipe of Spain.
She has featured on magazine covers such as Elle Spain and !Hola!, and was this year dubbed the latest ‘It girl’ by society bible Tatler after making a name for herself on the European social scene.
She has taken Instagram by storm as she documents her stylish lifestyle – including trips to Greece, Italy’s Florence, and France’s capital for Paris Fashion Week.
The jet-setter is the younger child and only daughter of King Felipe’s older sister, Infanta Elena, 58, and her ex-husband Jaime de Marichalar, 58.
She reportedly went to a boarding school in Sussex during her teenage years before enrolling at the College for International Studies (CIS), in Madrid, to study business administration and management.
Victoria went public on Instagram in 2019, aged 18, and has since amassed 200,000 followers thanks to the glimpses she gives of her glamorous life.
The royal, who was is known to be a fan of bull-fighting, often spotted attending shows at the Las Ventas bullring in Spain’s capital city, made her first red carpet appearance at the ELLE Style Awards in October last year.
Since then, fans have been eager to note the similarities between Victoria and her fashionable aunt Queen Letizia.
For her first red carpet appearance, she sported a blue floor-length gown with a cut-out back by Spanish designer Lorenzo Caprile, a favourite of Letizia’s.
She teamed the eye-catching ensemble with Manolo Blahnik heels, according to Tatler, while opting to style her hair in a high ponytail.
And her glamorous displays haven’t stopped there. In December, she attended the Moet & Chandon party at the royal theatre in Madrid.
PRINCESS OLYMPIA OF GREECE
Princess Olympia of Greece, pictured celebrating her 25th birthday, grew up in Chelsea and is Prince Charles ‘s goddaughter
The princess can often be found at glamorous events surrounded by her close pals including Diane von Fürstenberg’s model granddaughter, Princess Talita Natasha von Fürstenberg and the Hilton sisters
Family fun: The socialite, who grew up in London and is Prince Charles ‘s goddaughter, spent last July in Greece with her four brothers and their parents
Loved-up: Joining them was her dashing boyfriend Peregrine, whose family has a reputed £224 million fortune
Princess Olympia of Greece, 25, grew up in Chelsea and is Prince Charles’s goddaughter.
She can often be found at glamorous events surrounded by her close pals including Diane von Fürstenberg’s model granddaughter, Princess Talita Natasha von Fürstenberg and the Hilton sisters.
Well-connected Princess Olympia, who boasts 260,000 Instagram followers, signed on with Untitled Entertainment in 2018, and has since appeared in campaigns and sponsored posts for Bulgari perfumes, Louis Vuitton, and Pretty Ballerinas
She’s also appeared in the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue Thailand.
In between modelling, Olympia travels around the world, having spent July last year in Greece with her four brothers and their parents, Crown Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece.
Joining them was her dashing boyfriend Peregrine, whose family has a reputed £224 million fortune. She had been dating him for over a year at that point.
Perry’s father owns a significant chunk of the Pearson media empire as well as a 16,500-acre West Sussex estate, which is home to Cowdray Park polo club, where Princes William and Harry have played.
Preferring to stay out of the spotlight, Perry’s Instagram account is private and he rarely makes public appearances with Olympia.
Olympia’s grandfather is King Constantine, 82, a relation of Prince Philip, who was exiled from Greece following the 1967 coup. The family continue to use their royal titles decades after the abolition of the monarchy.
Last year, Olympia, who is often in New York, spent time in London, where she caught up with her uncle Prince Philippos of Greece — who is also Princess Diana’s godson — and his wife Nina.
CAMILLE GOTTLIEB
Camille Gottlieb, 24, is the granddaughter of Grace Kelly and the daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco
Camille Gottlieb celebrated her 24th birthday with a pink cowboy themed party and shared the fun-filled photos on Instagram. Pictured, Camille (left) poses with a friend
Blooming lovely! Camille, whose mother Princess Stephanie of Monaco is the younger sister of Prince Albert, was given a spectacular display of pink and white roses for the occasion
Pucker up! Camille shared another playful snap with a friend to mark her birthday last week
Camille is the daughter of Stephanie and former palace security guard Jean Raymond Gottlieb, who is understood to have been head of the princess’s security detail when they started a relationship. Pictured, the couple in 1997
Night out: Last week, Camille joined her uncle Prince Albert and his wife Charlene at the Red Cross Gala in Monte Carlo. The birthday girl looked elegant in a black and gold dress and carried a chic black clutch bag
Unsurprisingly, Grace Kelly’s granddaughter Camille Gottlieb, whose mother Princess Stephanie of Monaco is the younger sister of reigning Prince Albert of Monaco, enjoys a glamorous lifestyle.
She recently celebrated her 24th birthday with a pink cowboy themed party and shared snaps of her fun-filled bash on Instagram.
The photos show the stylish 20-something posing with a large pink and white floral display, and pouting for the camera in a cowboy hat. Another snap shows the birthday girl being given a kiss on the cheek by dashing fashion designer Andrea Del Monaco.
Camille is the daughter of Stephanie and former palace security guard Jean Raymond Gottlieb, who is understood to have been head of the princess’s security detail when they started a relationship.
Although Camille shares Gottlieb’s surname, his name is not on her birth certificate and Stephanie has never publicly confirmed that he is Camille’s father.
However Camille herself has identified Gottlieb, a former Paris gendarme, as her father in a gushing birthday post shared on Instagram in 2017.
As Stephanie and Gottlieb never married, Camille is not in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne, unlike Stephanie’s two elder children, Louis, 29, and Pauline, 28, whom she shares with her first husband, bodyguard Daniel Ducruet.
When Camille was three years old, Stephanie began a relationship with married elephant trainer Franco Knie and moved, along with her three children, into Knie’s circus caravan.
However the relationship came to an end the following year and Stephanie returned with her children to Monaco.
On Monday Camille joined her uncle Prince Albert and his wife Charlene at the Red Cross Gala in Monte Carlo. The birthday girl looked elegant in a black and gold dress and carried a chic black clutch bag.
CHARLOTTE CASIRAGHI
Charlotte Casiraghi is the second child of Princess Caroline of Hanover and the late Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi, who died in 1990
Charlotte Casiraghi attends the prestigious ‘Bal de la Rose’ (Rose Ball), in Monaco, on July 8, 2022
In January, the accomplished equestrian and one of Chanel’s most recent ambassadors wowed Paris Fashion Week attendees as she rode her horse around the Chanel runway
Grace Kelly’s granddaughter Charlotte has recently appeared in a quirky music video (pictured) in tribute to Coco Chanel
Charlotte Casiraghi is the second child of Princess Caroline of Hanover and the late Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi, who died in 1990.
The royal is eleventh in line to the Monegasque throne. Her grandmother was Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco and her uncle, Prince Albert II, is the current monarch.
Charlotte previously told Vogue she doesn’t consider herself a ‘princess’, saying: ‘My mother is, not me. I am the niece of a head of state.
‘And with this status, I have some representational duties, nothing very constraining or very exceptional.’
In January, the accomplished equestrian and one of Chanel’s most recent ambassadors wowed Paris Fashion Week attendees as she rode her horse around the Chanel runway.
And now, she’s starred in a new music video that pays tribute to Coco Chanel as she features in French singer-songwriter Sebastian Tellier’s newest song, Mademoiselle.
The track is a tribute to the founder and namesake of the Chanel brand – and the abstract video sees Charlotte ride a flying shark, pet a giant corgi and showcase her dancing skills.
Charlotte, has a seven-year-old son, Raphaël, with Moroccan-French stand-up comedian Gad Elmaleh, whom she dated from 2011 to 2015. She went on to date Italian filmmaker Lamberto Sanfelice, before splitting in 2016.
Shortly afterwards she met fiance Dimitri Rassam, a 39-year-old French film producer. Rumours of a relationship first started swirling in early 2017.
The couple choose to keep a low-profile, although they did both attend the civil marriage ceremony of Charlotte’s step-brother, Prince Christian of Hanover, and his wife, Alessandra de Osma, in London in November 2017.
News of Charlotte and Dimitri’s engagement was first reported by Hola! in March 2018. The couple made their formal debut at the Rose Ball in Monte Carlo that same month.
PRINCESS MARIA CHIARA DI BORBONE-TWO SICILIES
Princess Maria Chiara Di Bourbon-Two Siciliesa, 17, pictured in Paris, comes from a cadet branch of the Spanish royal family , which descends from the Capetian Dynasty and ruled over Southern Italy and Sicily during the 18th and 19th centuries
Princess Maria Chiara Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 17, pictured in St Tropez, is the daughter of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro
Princess Camilla de Bourbon Siciles with her daughters Maria Carolina de Bourbon Siciles and Maria Chiara de Bourbon Siciles attend the wedding of Prince Jean-Christophe Napoleon and Olympia Von Arco-Zinneberg at Les Invalides on October 19, 2019 in Paris
Chiara loves fashion, make-up and is making her way in the world as a 17-year-old socialite (pictured in Paris)
The sisters at Le Bal Des Debutantes in Paris in 2018, with their parents Duchess Camilla and Duke Carlo
Princess Maria Chiara Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 17, is the daughter of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro.
Prince Carlo holds a claim to the now defunct throne of the former House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the Spanish royal family, which descends from the Capetian Dynasty and ruled over Southern Italy and Sicily during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Although the family has no official remit, they spend their time doing charity work and promoting the interest of Southern Italy.
The prince’s daughters – which also includes his heir Maria Carolina, 19 – enjoy a life of luxury, spending their time between Italy, Monaco, Paris and St Tropez, soaking up the sun, sporting designer labels and making the most of their families’ wealth.
They are also actively involved with charity work and rub shoulders with the most elite socialites of Europe, speaking fluently in English, French and Italian.
The two princesses want for nothing and are often showered with gifts from their doting parents for their birthdays. On their respective Instagram accounts, they share snaps of their holidays around the globe, from Paris to Dubai and New York.
The eldest, Maria Carolina, Duchess of Calabria and of Palermo – or Carolina for short – was born in 2003 in Rome. She is her father’s direct heir and will inherit his title and duties, as well as his claim to Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.
At just 17, she’s already a natural at public engagements, having accompanied her parents throughout her teenage years, worked as a model for Chopard and Dolce & Gabbana, and even made their big screen debut in a film with Nicole Kidman.
Charia, Duchess of Noto, who is two years younger, was also born in Rome, in 2005. She shares her sister’s passion for travelling and charity work and documents her love of fashion on Instagram.
Their mother, Duchess Camilla, born Crociani, is the daughter of Italian industry Tycoon Camilla Crociani and the actress Edy Vessel.
COUNTESS ELOISE OF ORANGE-NASSAU
Fifth-in-line to the Dutch throne, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands’ niece Countess Eloise of Orange-Nassau is a huge hit on social media – taking both Instagram and TikTok by storm after making public profiles
Eloise, whose grandmother Beatrix is the former Queen of Netherlands, lives in The Hague, along with her parents Princess Laurentien and Prince Constantijn, who is the brother of King Willem-Alexander
She is the eldest grandchild of Princess Beatrix, the Netherlands’ former queen – yet has remained largely out of the public eye so far, along with her younger siblings Count Claus-Casimir and Countess Leonore
But she can be spotted on social media, where she shares videos showing off her enviable wardrobe, plentiful getaways to Marbella, Rome, Austria, Malta and Mexico, and spending time with her adorable pet Dachshund
Fifth-in-line to the Dutch throne, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands’ niece Countess Eloise of Orange-Nassau is a huge hit on social media – taking both Instagram and TikTok by storm after making public profiles.
Eloise, whose grandmother Beatrix is the former Queen of Netherlands, lives in The Hague, along with her parents Princess Laurentien and Prince Constantijn, who is the brother of King Willem-Alexander.
She is the eldest grandchild of Princess Beatrix, the Netherlands’ former queen – yet has remained largely out of the public eye so far, along with her younger siblings Count Claus-Casimir and Countess Leonore.
But she can be spotted on social media, where she shares videos showing off her enviable wardrobe, plentiful getaways to Marbella, Rome, Austria, Malta and Mexico, and spending time with her adorable pet Dachshund.
Her family are seen on some royal occasions, such as the annual winter photo call in Lech, Austria.
Eloise was a member of the Royal House of the Netherlands until her grandmother’s abdication in favour of her uncle. She and her siblings then ceased being part of the household, but remain members of the royal family.
She was christened at the Church of the Netherlands on 15 December 2002 at the Royal Chapel of Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn.
Her godparents are her paternal uncle, Prince Friso, her paternal cousin, Princess Carolina, Marchioness of Sala, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Sophie van de Wow.
PRINCESS MAFALDA OF BULGARIA
Princess Mafalda of Bulgaria, 27, is the daughter of Kyril, Prince of Preslav, who attended Prince Philip ‘s Service of Thanksgiving , and granddaughter of King Simeon II, also known as Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the last reigning Tsar of Bulgaria and later served as Prime Minister
Based in New-York, the princess, a ‘modern society swan’ and singer-songwriter, was born and raised in London alongside her siblings Olimpia, 26, and Tassilo, 20, before moving to the US for university
Talented: Mafalda, pictured on holiday, enrolled at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston
On the rise: The singer released her first single, Don’t Let Go, in 2015 while still a student, which she followed up two years later with an EP, Daisy Chain, although she has still yet to write a breakout hit
Thanks to her family connections, Mafalda was invited to perform a Valentino fashion show in Athens in 2016. She has also performed at New York Fashion week. Pictured at an event in 2018
Princess Mafalda of Bulgaria, 27, is the daughter of Kyril, Prince of Preslav, who attended Prince Philip’s Service of Thanksgiving, and granddaughter of King Simeon II, also known as Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the last reigning Tsar of Bulgaria and later served as Prime Minister.
Her mother is former Valentino muse Rosario Nadal, who now works as an art director and consultant.
Kryil and Rosario, who have been separated since 2009, rubbed shoulders with Diana on board Valentino’s yacht in the Nineties.
Based in New-York, the princess, a ‘modern society swan’ and singer-songwriter, was born and raised in London alongside her siblings Olimpia, 26, and Tassilo, 20, before moving to the US for university.
She enrolled at the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, where her partner Lebanese-born British financier Marc Abousleiman was living while completing his degree at Harvard. He now works for US firm Further Global Capital Management.
The singer released her first single, Don’t Let Go, in 2015 while still a student, which she followed up two years later with an EP, Daisy Chain, although she has still yet to write a breakout hit.
Thanks to her family connections, Mafalda was invited to perform a Valentino fashion show in Athens in 2016. She has also performed at New York Fashion week.
Five years ago Mafalda moved to New York and was named one of the city’s New Modern Swans by Town & Country magazine.
Despite her public persona, she and Marc prefer to keep their relationship out of the spotlight and rarely share photos on social media.
LEAH BEHN
Leah Behn, 17, the daughter of Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her late husband Ari Behn, is a social media sensation after building up a 200,000-strong following sharing snaps of her stylish outfits and easy make-up tips
The glamorous granddaughter of the King and Queen of Norway has racked up tens of millions of views across her TikTok , YouTube and Instagram pages where she share insights into her jet-set lifestyle
Outside of snaps with her family (pictured with her mother in 2020), Leah has also posted dozens of outfit, make-up and fashion tutorials
Leah often shares pretty make-up looks to her Instagram page – this one she says is inspired by Emma Chamberlain
Leah Behn, 17, the daughter of Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her late husband Ari Behn, is a social media sensation after building up a 200,000-strong following sharing snaps of her stylish outfits and easy make-up tips.
The glamorous granddaughter of the King and Queen of Norway also announced earlier this year that she has signed to Norway’s leading modelling agency.
The student, who is untitled and sixth in line to the throne, announced on Instagram in April that she had signed to modelling agency Team Models, posting: ‘Dream come true!’
She has racked up tens of millions of views across her TikTok, YouTube and Instagram pages where she share insights into her jet-set lifestyle, including sunny trips to LA and Dubai, going thrift shopping, and spending time with her mother and sisters Maud, 18, and Emma, 13.
Outside of snaps with her family, Leah has also posted dozens of outfit, make-up and fashion tutorials.
Last year, she won ‘beauty influencer of the year’ at the Vixen Influencer Awards – which highlights the best influencers in Norway.
She sites Emma Chamberlain among her inspirations, and made her red-carpet debut last year at a Kylie Cosmetics event in Oslo.
‘I had this kind of palette make-up stuff for little kids and wanted to put tiaras on my head. And then I’ve been interested in beauty and fashion all my life,’ she previously told Newsbeezer.