Europe's leading ladies 'we live like princesses!

These lesser-known blue bloods are having aroyally good time thanks to their connections

Being related to kings and queens may sound exciting, but when you’re a senior working royal, life can be full of mundane duties. Just ask those members of the British royal family who spend large chunks of their time carrying out tasks like opening hospitals and visiting industrial sites.

However, the ones who are really living the dream are the minor European royals who have the titles, the fortunes and the lavish lifestyles without any of the responsibilities. For them, having a monarch or royal ruler as a relative has opened the door to lives most of us can only imagine. Here’s a few of them…

CHARLOTTE CASIRAGHI

The best known of the minor European royals is Charlotte Casiraghi, 36, who has grown up in the spotlight thanks to being a member of Monaco’s royal family. Her actress grandmother Grace Kelly went from being Hollywood royalty to an actual princess after marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco.

Charlotte is the eldest daughter of Grace and Rainier’s daughter Princess Caroline, and was just four when her father, Italian businessman Stefano Casiraghi, was killed in a powerboat crash.

A professional model by the age of 16, she has been the face of Gucci cosmetics and is currently brand ambassador for Chanel. She’s also a talented equestrian who has competed in some of the world’s top events.

After gaining a degree in philosophy, she’s had a career in journalism that included founding a magazine that promoted sustainability in the fashion industry. She has also co-written a book about the meaning of life and co-founded a philosophical think-tank.