The Most Breathtaking Royal Women From Around The World
We all know about Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, but there are lots of royal women around the world who don't make headlines quite as often. These ladies were born into affluent, influential families. They have access to some of the world's most precious jewels and they're always expected to be on their best behavior.
Except, some of these women aren't always on their best behavior. A lot of the women on this list have been involved in their fair share of outrageous behavior. Keep reading to find out about queens, princesses, and duchesses from around the world.
Victoria Of Sweden Is A Rare Crown Heiress
Victoria is the Crown Princess of Sweden. She is the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf which puts her next in line for the Swedish throne. Once she takes the throne, she will become the fourth queen regnant in Sweden's history. Victoria wasn't always next in line for the throne, though. In 1980, the laws changed to allow the throne successor to be either male or female. That year, her title was changed from duchess to princess.
She is only one out of three crown heiresses in the world.
Princess Eugenie Recently Got Married
Princess Eugenie of York is the daughter of Prince Andrew, who is the third child of Queen Elizabeth II. She is Queen Elizabeth II's sixth grandchild. At the moment, she is ninth in line to the British throne. She will move further down the line if Prince Harry or Prince William has more children.
Eugenie lived in New York for one year to work as a benefit auctions manager before returning to London in 2015. She married Jack Brooksbank in a gorgeous royal wedding in 2018.
Princess Theodora Of Greece And Denmark Is A Working Actress
This is a photo of Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark. It's rare that a person becomes a member of two royal families, but Theodora has both Danish royal ancestry and Greek ancestry. When Theodora isn't bogged down by her royal duties, she works as an actress under the stage name Theodora Greece.
She's most well known for her recurring role on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California.
Princess Zara Tindall Is The Queen's Second Grandchild
Zara Tindall the second child of Princess Anne, who is Queen Elizabeth II's only daughter. She has an older brother named Peter who is Queen Elizabeth II's eldest grandchild. Zara is Queen Elizabeth II's second-eldest grandchild.
Zara is married to ex-England rugby player, Mike Tindall. Zara is also an athlete in her own right. She is a British equestrian and won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics for event riding.
Princess Sirivannavari Of Thailand Was Ranked As One Of The Hottest Royals
In 2009, Forbes ranked Princess Sirivannavari of Thailand as one of the 20 hottest royal in the world. Princess Sirivannavari wasn't raised in Thailand. She was raised in the UK with her mother. Now that she's an adult, she has moved back to Thailand. She lives there with her father and her grandfather.
This princess is now in her 30s. She is interested in sports and the arts and she's heavily involved in the high fashion industry.
Princess Myra Madihah Of Malaysia Is A Member Of High Society
This is a photo of Tunku Myra who is the princess of Malaysia. She is the royal daughter of Besar Kecil of Negeri. Myra lives a pampered life and she enjoys rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. She owns an event management company that has been behind some of the biggest and most elaborate parties in Malaysia.
Myra has been married to her husband, Iskandar Jaafar-Greaves for over 10 years. She loves being a wife.
Princess Mary Of Denmark Had A Fairytale Romance
Unlike many of the other royals on this list, Mary of Denmark wasn't born into a royal family. She became a royal when she married Prince Frederick of Denmark. Frederick is first in line to the nation's throne. If Frederick becomes king, Mary will become the queen of Denmark.
Mary is originally from Australia. She met the price while she was at a pub in Sydney while Frederick was visiting Australia. The two hit it off and the rest is history. Mary and Frederick now have four children.
Princess Claire Of Belgium Isn't A Belgian Native
Princess Claire married Prince Laurent of Belgium in 2003. These two are now parents to three lovely children: Princess Louise Sophie Mary, Prince Nicholas Casimir Marie, and Prince Aymeric Auguste Marie. Their sons Nicholas and Aymeric are twins.
When Claire and Laurent got married, Laurent's father was in power, but now Laurent's brother, Philippe is the King of Belgium. Before Claire got married she was a land-surveyor, Her family moved to Belgium when she was three years old.
Mozah Bint Nasser Of Qatar Received An Honorary Doctorate
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser is the one of three wives who are married to the Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa. She holds BA in Sociology, and was awarded as an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has many foreign honors, and is the chosen wife who represents her husband at international events and conventions.
Queen Rania Of Jordan Has An Honorary Masters
Queen Rania of Jordan is known for her work with education, health, youth, and community empowerment, as well as cross-cultural dialogue. She has four children -- two sons and two daughters -- with her husband, King Abdullah bin al-Hussein. She has an honorary Masters Degree in International Cooperation and Development from the University of Rome.
Princess Sonam of Bhutan Is Very Well Educated
Princess Sonam of Bhutan has a degree from Stanford University and a Masters in Law from Harvard. She is the daughter of the fourth King of Bhutan, and has been married to Dasho Phub W. Dorji since 2009. She is a major political player and the current President of the Bhutan National Legal Institute.
Queen Letizia Of Spain Is A Fashion Icon
Queen Letizia of Spain is one of the royal world's favorite fashion trendsetters. She was a journalist and a news anchor before her marriage to King Felipe in 2004. In 2015 she was named the Ambassador of Nutrition in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
Princess Marie-Chantal Of Greece Is A London Native
Marie-Chantal is the current Crown Princess of Greece, although she is a London native. She is married to Pavlos, son of the deposed King Constantine, and converted to Greek Orthodoxy so they could be wed. Pavlos is the heir apparent to the defunct throne of Greece (the country no longer has a monarchy) and is also a Danish prince. In 2000, Marie-Chantal founded, and still directs, her own children's clothing line.
Queen Jetsun Pema Of Bhutan, AKA The Dragon Queen
Queen Jetsun Pema is also known as the "dragon queen" of Bhutan, and the wife of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. To Asian nations, Jetsun is a fashion icon who combines traditional style clothing with vibrant colors and design. The royal couple had their first child in February, 2016.
Princess Mette-Marit Of Norway Married Into Royalty
Crown Princess of Norway, Mette-Marit, is next in line to succeed the throne next to her husband, Crown Prince Haakon. Also a commoner before her marriage, she came from an unfortunate upbringing and was a single mother before meeting her husband. Since the royal wedding in 2000, she has become well known for her philanthropic work and humanitarian efforts in the arts.
Manohara Odelia Pinot Of Malaysia Stirred Up Controversy
Manohara Oledia is a controversial royal figure. Once an Indonesian model, she married Malaysian Prince Tengku Fakhry in 2008. Her mother claimed that he abducted the new princess. She was only 16 at the time of their marriage. Manohara reported abuse during the marriage and escaped to Indonesia in 2009, spurning all gifts and grand gestures from the Prince attempting to win her back.
Charlene Of Monaco Is An Olympian
Charlene of Monaco is a former Olympic swimmer and married her husband in July of 2011. The wedding day did not go as smoothly as expected though. Following the wedding, it was discovered that Charlene had attempted to call off the wedding and runaway three separate times prior to the ceremony. Despite this, the couple are still currently married and appear to be happier. She currently serves as a Special Olympics Ambassador and is a style icon in high society. The couple have two children and heirs to the throne of Monaco, Jacques and Gabriella.
Princess Clotilde Courau Of Venice Was A Controversial Bride
Clotilde Courau, Princess of Venice, is an award-winning French actress and is a Dame of the Arts in France. She married the last reigning Prince of Venice, Italy in 2003 and the pair have two children together. She was a controversial bride at the time of their wedding in Rome, as she was six months pregnant with their first child.
Elisabeth Of Germany Made An Instagram Mistake
Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis is a member of the royal German house Thurn und Taxis. She is a German journalist who lives in London and works as style editor for Vogue. She also writes a column for the Vatican's magazine, mainly focused on faith and values. In 2015 she caused a firestorm of controversy after posting an Instagram of a homeless person reading Vogue, saying, "...there are readers everywhere!" which was criticized as being cruel and tasteless.
Princess Charlotte Of Monaco Is A Very Private Person
The royal family in Monoco gained some notoriety after American Grace Kelly married into the family. Princess Charlotte Casiraghi is eighth in line to the throne of Monaco. Grace Kelly was her maternal grandmother.
Even though she comes from a famous family, she's kept her personal life out of the public eye. We do know that she had a son with her partner actor Gad Elmaleh in 2013, but Charlotte and Gad have since split up.
Queen Máxima Of The Netherlands Wasn't Born In Europe
Máxima of the Netherlands is the first Queen consort since the year 1890. She is married to King Willem-Alexander, and they have three daughters together. She is also the first Queen consort to not only have been a commoner, but to have been born outside of Europe (in Argentina).
Princess Madeleine Of Sweden Found Her Prince Charming
Princess Madeleine of Sweden is also known as the Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland. She was born as third in line to the Swedish throne, but has since become sixth in line after the birth of three nieces and nephews. She is regarded as one of the world's top beauties and is a philanthropist who focuses on raising awareness surrounding child abuse. For as stunning as she is though, she's had her fair share of heartbreak. In 2011 her wedding was called off after it was revealed her former fiance-to-be had an affair with a 21 year old during their engagement. Madeleine has since found her Prince Charming though and married in 2013.
Haya Of Jordan Graduated From Oxford
Haya bint Hussein is the junior wife of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and is known as the Princess of Jordan. She graduated from Oxford University and is the two-term President of the International Federation of Equestrian Sports. She has two children with the Sheikh.
Queen Mathilde Of Belgium Has A Psych Degree
Queen Mathilde of Belgium is married to King Phillipe, and is the first Belgian-born queen who is a member of nobility by birth. She speaks four languages (Dutch, French, Italian and English) and holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. She serves as a Special Representative for the World Health organization and is the honorary President of UNICEF Belgium.
Princess Keisha Of Nigeria Is A Mother
Keisha Omilana is the Princess of Nigeria and wife of Prince Kunle Omilana. She is a model and philanthropist, but takes pride in being a businesswoman first and foremost. She has one child with her husband, a son named Diran King.
Princess Tatiana Of Greece And Denmark Is Living The Royal Life
Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark is the wife of Prince Nikolaos and sister-in-law of Princess Theodora. She has a BA degree in sociology from Georgetown University and used to work for Diane Von Furstenberg as an event planner. She resigned her position in 2010 to focus on living the royal lifestyle.
Princess Märtha Louise Of Norway Is Very Charitable
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is the fourth in line to succeed the Norwegian throne, after her brother Haakon (heir apparent) and his two children. She is a certified physiotherapist but has chosen to open her own entertainment business as opposed to practicing physiotherapy. She founded a charity, Her Royal Highness Princess Märtha Louise's Fund, that assists disabled children under the age of 16.
Princess Ameerah Of Saudi Arabia Is An Activist
Princess Ameerah of Saudi Arabia has a degree in Business Administration from the University in New Haven. She was previously married to Prince Alwaleed al-Taweel, a man who was almost 30 years her senior, and they divorced in 2013. She is an active humanitarian and strives for women's rights in the Middle East. She wishes to become one of the first woman to drive on Saudi roads.
Princess Lalla Salma Of Morroco Is Working To End AIDS in Africa
Princess Lalla Salma of Morroco is the wife of King Mohammed, and the first female Moroccan ruler to be given a royal title publicly. She has two children with her husband and is also honored as the Dame Grand Cross in Belgium, Spain and Senegal. She founded a cancer prevention association and is actively involved with HIV and AIDS prevention in Africa.
Stephanie Of Luxembourg Speaks Many Languages
Originally born as a Countess, Grand Duchess Stephanie received a new title upon her marriage to Duke Guillaume, the heir to the Luxembourg throne. She is also the Princess of Nassau, as well as Parma. She is fluent in German, English and French, but can also speak a little Russian, as she studied in Moscow for a short time.
Princess Tamara Of Spain Has Been On TV
Princess Tamara is of Polish and Spanish ancestry, and although royalty, works as a sportswoman and model. She has appeared on many television programs, including reality TV shows that include Cirque de Celebrity and Australian Princess. On her father's side she belongs to a noble family from Poland before World War I, and is the descendant of Kings from Spain and France.
Princess Masako Of Japan Is Changing The Rules
Princess Masako of Japan is a member of the Imperial House of Japan through her marriage to the Crown Prince, Naruhito. Once her husband ascends to the throne, she will become the Empress Consort to the nation. After the birth of the royal couple's daughter, plans to change the law prohibiting a female heir from claiming the throne have been widely debated. The birth of her nephew has thwarted this possibility, temporarily.
Princess Fathima Of Saudi Arabia Advocates For Women's Rights
Princess Fathima Kulsum is reportedly the highest educated female in the Saudi Arabian royal family. Married to Sheikh Awadi, she maintains a fairly low profile and receives little to no coverage concerning her personal and professional affairs. She is said to be devoted to the Islamic religion, but remains an advocate for women's rights and wishes to see progress in her country's potential transition to equality.
Princess Himani Shah Of Nepal Won't Be Queen
The former Crown Princess of Nepal, Himani Shah, is married to the ousted Crown Prince, Paras, since 2000. They have three children together, but will never ascend to the nation's throne. She is now a social worker, taking part in social welfare activities, although she is still a royal member of the House of Shah.
Nandi Zulu Of The Zulu Tribe Is Missing
Nandi Zulu's 2002 marriage to tribe leader Mtirara was meant to bring together two tribes of different cultures and traditions. The tribal Princess stayed married to Mtirara for just two years, eventually running away from the arranged marriage. Princess Nandi has been missing for eight years, but her husband still claims that she is his wife. Nelson Mandela attended the upscale wedding and ultimately supported the marital merger.
Gabriella Windsor Of The UK Is Dating A Rugby Player
Lady Gabriella Windsor is the daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and works as a writer. She has two educational degrees, in Comparative Literature and Social Anthropology. Her great-grandparents were the late King George V and Queen Mary. She is currently dating rugby star Tom Kingston.
Princess Sikhanyiso of Swaziland
Princess Sikhanyiso of Swaziland is the first and oldest child of out 30 and her mother, the Queen, is the first wife out of the King's ten! Sikhanyiso is a an active speaker and public figure against the polygamy movement in her country and has been silenced by the nation's government on two occasions for opposing their views. She wishes to be a rapper and an actress, and is known as "Pashu" in Swaziland.
The One And Only Diana Princess Of Wales
Who can deny the timeless beauty of Princess Diana? No one, that's who! The Princess was married to Prince Charles until 1996 and suffered a fatal car crash that would change the world forever in 1997. She is still remembered and commemorated by the royal family and the public who loved her so much.
Princess Grace Kelly Of Monaco Was A Big Star
Grace Kelly, late Princess of Monaco, was one of the most iconic women in human history. She turned Crown Princess from beautiful movie star after her marriage to Prince Rainier the 3rd in 1956. The actress died of a stroke in 1982, while behind the wheel of her car with her daughter in the passenger seat. Her husband never remarried, and was buried next to her after his death in 2005.
Meghan Markle, Duchess Of Sussex
She may not be royalty yet, but Megan Markle has caught the eye of Prince Harry. There are some concerns over the American actress' etiquette and poise, as a potential addition to the Royal Family. But according to Vanity Fair, a former butler to the royal family by the name of Grant Harrold said it isn't the most important aspect.“Harry loves her and she loves him. And that will be what matters in the eyes of the Queen and Prince Charles. I don’t see any reason why Meghan couldn’t be the one.”
Kendra Spears
Kendra Spears is now known as Princess Salwa Aga Khan since her 2013 marriage to Prince Rahim Aga Khan, whose father is currently the 49th Imam of Nizari Ismailism. But before the Princess was given her title, the Seattle native had already forged a successful career as a fashion model.
Princess Hajah Hafizah Sururul Bolkiah
Princess Hafizah is one of 12 children to Hassanal Bolkiah, the current Sultan of Brunei and one of the wealthiest royals in the world. Brunei is located on the northern coast of Borneo in the South China Sea and is one of the smallest nations that still has a monarchy.
Princess Caroline
If Kate Middleton came to fame around the '80s and '90s, then Princess Caroline would have given her a run for her money. Caroline belongs to the famous Monaco royal family as the first-born daughter of the late Grace Kelly and Rainer III, Prince of Monaco. She was heir to the throne for just over a year until her brother, Prince Albert II was born. She regained official princess status in her third marriage to Ernst August, Prince of Hanover.
Jazmin Grace Grimaldi
No, this is not Lady Gaga (although Jazmin does bear a striking resemblance to her in this photo). Jazmin Grace Grimaldi is the first-born daughter of Prince Albert II of Monaco, and therefore is Prince Caroline's niece and Grace Kelly's granddaughter. However, she is considered an illegitimate child in the eyes of the Monaco monarchy, since she was born out of wedlock. As a result, she is not heir apparent to the Monegasque throne, even though she is Prince Albert's first-born. Still, she respects and admires her father, who acknowledged in 2006 that he is indeed her father and who is also protective of her. The picture above is from a feature in Harper's Bazaar, in which Jazmin spoke about her royal roots.
Pauline Ducruet
Another member of the Princely House of Grimaldi is Pauline Ducruet, whose mother is Princess Stéphanie, the youngest child of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly. She holds no royal title, but is 12th in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne. She is also a competitive diver who represented Monaco at the World Junior Diving Championships in 2010.
Tatiana Santo Domingo
Like Kate Middleton, Tatiana Santo Domingo married into royalty. Her husband is Andrea Casiraghi, Princess Caroline's first-born son and fourth in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne. The two met at boarding school in Fontainebleau and dated for seven years before getting engaged. Before her entrance into the Monaco royal family, however, Tatiana was already from a wealthy family whose roots trace back to South America.
Beatrice Borromeo
Like Tatiana, Beatrice married into the Monaco royal family as well. Beatrice Borromeo is the wife of Pierre Casiraghi, Princess Caroline's youngest son and seventh in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne. But without that connection, she is also a member of the ancient aristocratic House of Borromeo, a wealthy merchant family with roots in ancient Italy. Her father, Don Carlo Ferdinando Borromeo is also the Count of Arona.
Queen Noor of Jordan
Born Lisa Najeeb Halaby in Washington, D.C. in 1951, she became the Queen of Jordan in 1978 when she married the then-King of Jordan, Hussein bin Talal. Although she was considered an outsider by the country of Jordan at first, she was accepted after the citizens have seen her charitable contributions to the country as the Queen consort, a position she held until 1999.
Queen 'Masenate Mohato Seeiso
Queen 'Masenate is the Queen consort of King Lestie III. Together, they reign over the country of Lesotho in Southern Africa. As Queen, she is heavily involved in charity work which includes helping and giving a public voice to People with Disabilities and HIV/AIDS patients in her community.
Sophie Winkleman
Sophie Winkleman is known as Lady Frederick Windsor, the wife of Lord Frederick Windsor, who is 46th in line of succession to the British Throne and 8th in line to the Dukedom of Kent. Before her marriage, she already made a name for herself as an English actress boasting acting credits such as The Chronicles of Narnia, CSI: Miami, and Two and a Half Men.
Archduchess Elisabetta of Austria-Este
Elisabetta became archduchess in her marriage to Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, with whom she is pictured above. She received her Bachelor's of Arts degree from Queen Mary University of London, where she studied comparative literature and film, and has since contributed work to the cultural section of Bloomberg News.
Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Beatrice is the older sister of the aforementioned Princess Eugenie. As the first-born to the Duke and Duchess of York, she is seventh in line to succeed current Queen Elizabeth II, her grandmother. She regularly attends royal events, even though she is not a working member of the Royal Family and therefore does not receive a royal salary. But she still represents her family well in the various causes she supports, even being the first member of the Royal Family to run in the London Marathon when she raised money for Children in Crisis.
Sarah, Crown Princess of Brunei
Princess Sarah gained her title when she married the Crown Prince of Brunei, Al-Muhtadee Billah. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Administration at the University of Brunei Darussalam, where she graduated with honors and was a member of the university's army cadets.
Crown Princess Elia of Albania
Known as singer and actress Elia Zaharia, she recently became Princess of Albania when she married Leka II, Crown Prince of Albania in October 2016. Before her marriage, she was a prominent figure in Albania theater and she was also the head of the Queen Geraldine Foundation, a non-profit created by the Royal Court that aims to lend aid to Albanian families and children in need.
Fawzia Fuad, Egyptian Princess
Fawzia Fuad was born an Egyptian princess, as her father was Sultan Fuad I of Egypt and Sudan during the first half of the 20th century. She had an arranged marriage to the Crown Prince of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, which was seen as a political move since Fawzia was a Sunni royal and the prince was a Shia royal. When Mohammad became the Shah of Iran, Fawzia subsequently became the Queen of Iran in 1941. As Queen, she led the Association for the Protection of Pregnant Women and Children in Iran and was featured on the cover of a 1942 edition of Life. However, the marriage didn't work out and ended in divorce.
Princess Soraya of Iran
After Fawzia of Egypt divorced her husband, Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi remarried to Princess Soraya. Since Mohammed was already Shah, Soraya was instantly Queen of Iran upon their marriage. Unfortunately, this marriage would end in divorce as well, due to Soraya's infertility and inability to produce an heir. After the divorce, she was still granted the title of Princess and moved to France to become an actress.
Leila Pahlavi
After divorcing Soraya, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi married again, and with his third wife had Princess Leila Pahlavi. As the fourth child to the Shah, she would never see an opportunity to succeed the throne since her family was forced into exile after the Iranian Revolution. Because of this, she grew up and obtained her education in the United States. In her adult years, she suffered from multiple mental illnesses and passed away at age 31 due to an overdose on medication.
Marie Marguerite, Duchess of Anjou
Marie Marguerite was born an heiress to a success Venezuelan bank owner, but became a duchess when she married Louis Alphonse, Duke of Anjou. French Legitimists, royalists who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession before the 1830 Revolution in France and who believe the French king must be chosen according to rules based in Salic law, believe that Louis Alphose should be the current rightful head of the French Royal House. Because of this, Marie Marguerite is considered the titular Queen consort of France.
Sirikitiya Jensen
Sirikitiya Jensen, also known as Khun Mai, is the granddaughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. She and her siblings grew up in San Diego and she even went on to attend University of California, Riverside, then transferred to New York University where she earned her degree in East Asian studies.
Lady Sarah Chatto
Born as Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, she is the daughter of the Earl of Snowdon and Princess Margaret, as well as the youngest grandchild of King George VI and Elizabeth, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom. She is 23rd in the line of succession to the British throne. She met her husband, actor Daniel Chatto, while working on a film in India. She remains close to her aunt, Queen Elizabeth II, and regularly attends royal events and vacations.
Alexandra Of Luxembourg
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg is the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess Luxembourg. She is a fairly laid-back princess, one who makes the casual social appearance at royal events and weddings. She is 25 years old, and a stunning beauty.
Newcomer Meghan Markle Hits The Royal Scene
In 2016 it was announced that Prince Harry was dating American actress Meghan Markle. Markle, who stars in the dramatic TV series Suits, hails from Los Angeles, California. She has a degree from Northwestern University and currently serves as the Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada. According to US Weekly, Queen Elizabeth is "fully supportive" of the royal courtship. Meghan and Harry were spotted hand-in-hand for the first time in London on December 15, 2016. How sweet!
Kate Middleton
No list of stunning royal women would be complete without the Duchess herself, the lovely Kate Middleton. Kate, whose official name is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, led a relatively normal life until she charmed Prince William during their college days. The two were married on April 29, 2011, and the world has been smitten with her ever since.
Kate is simply one of the most stylish public figures out there. She’s always impeccably dressed and beautifully put together although she also seems quite down-to-earth and is very active and hands-on with her two children, George and Charlotte. Kate was once named to the "100 Most Influential People in the World" list by Time magazine.
