As European aristocrats who lead an enviable, high-paced international lifestyle, Princesses Maria Carolina and Maria Chiara Bourbon-Two Sicilies love nothing more than to retreat to their family home in the French Riviera to recharge their batteries.
The breathtaking St Tropez chateau is where the family – and their eight pet dogs – go to regroup, having spent the year jetting between their homes in Paris, Monte Carlo and Rome.
Although sisters Maria Carolina, 21, and Maria Chiara, 19, both graduated from the Marangoni Fashion Institute in Paris a year and a half ago and are now finishing their studies at Harvard University in the US, they were able to catch up with their parents, Prince Charles and Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, at their impressive stuccoed villa set in lush grounds sheltered by cypress and palm trees.
As HELLO! discovers in this exclusive interview, the rapport between the siblings is strong – they finish each other’s sentences and are touchingly proud of each other. Home-schooled as children, they have relied on each other, and Their parents, for friendship and companionship.
© BEST IMAGE / BACKGRID"Our bond was always based on a lot of love, support and respect. In our family, the words jealousy, competition and rivalry don't exist," says Maria Chiara, who describes herself as the "artistic" one, while her older sister is more interested in the worlds of business and marketing.
"We have a unity of strength, and sisterhood is super-powerful," she adds, "especially in a world where there's a lot of solitude."
Maria Carolina nods in agreement. "I heard a quote once that said parents leave too early, your future partner maybe arrives too late, but the only person who stays with you forever is your sibling. "It's great to have someone by your side who always has your back, who helps you and loves you, and with whom you can create memories."
© BEST IMAGE / BACKGRIDMost siblings enjoy a healthy dose of rivalry, but for the Princesses, whose father heads one branch of the royal house that once ruled southern Italy and Sicily from a base in Naples, encouragement is far more important.
"When one of us does well and succeeds in something, it drives the other one to do their best," Maria Chiara says. "It makes us push ourselves to be the best version of ourselves."
© BEST IMAGE / BACKGRIDThey are aware of their privilege, which they aim to balance with responsibility.
"A princess today is not a girl who lives in a castle and waits for her Prince Charming," Maria Chiara says. "It's not like a fairy tale. A princess today is engaged in the challenges of the world, someone who uses her title and position to make a positive change to help others."
Their parents, they say, taught them "the importance of respect, hard work and education" and they are both involved in charitable work, including with the Red Cross and the World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF), following the example of their mother, who runs her own Princess Camilla of Bourbon Charitable Foundation.
Although they don't live in a fairytale, they both embrace the idea of romance.
"I am still waiting for Prince Charming to come and serenade me with a guitar and a red rose," Maria Carolina laughs. "The position is still open and I'm accepting applications."
Royal rumours
Her sister, however, is more circumspect. Last year, it was reported that Maria Chiara was dating Crown Prince Christian of Denmark– a rumour she strenuously denied.
"Prince Christian and I are very good friends, and every time we see each other, we have a great time," she says. "But we're just friends."
© BEST IMAGE / BACKGRIDThe experience, however, has made her more protective of her personal life.
“It's a subject I prefer to keep private, as we're in the public eye most of the time, so it's something I prefer to keep to myself," she says. "This is the danger of social media, because it's super-hard to control your image and keep up with everything that's written about you."
Their own parents, who met 28 years ago, are their role models, and have no expectations about who their daughters might choose to marry – prince or pauper.
"We have the freedom to express our feelings for the people we love," Maria Carolina says. "For me, the most important thing is to find a husband I love, someone with the same values, who complements me and with whom I can build a happy future, regardless of title or status."
Animal Magic
Before they find their Mr Rights, the sisters, who are fluent in six languages, are busy with their other passions – animals and fashion. Their greyhound dogs, Cairo and Cosmo, were joined by Candy in 2021, and five puppies (the offspring of Cosmo and Candy) arrived soon after.
© BEST IMAGE / BACKGRIDThey are also committed supporters of animals that need rehoming, adopting or fostering. Both are patrons of Monaco-based charity Rokethon, which raises awareness and money for abandoned dogs.
"It's important to remember that animals are like us: they experience emotions, they feel pain, and it's vital we understand that mistreating animals, whether through abuse or industrial farming, is completely unacceptable," Maria Chiara says. "We need to stop cruelty and testing on animals, and protect nature.”
The white dog the sisters are pictured with above belongs to a friend and was rescued from Ukraine.
"Adopting animals, especially those who have been caught up in conflict zones, is super-important. There are a lot of animals in shelters who are just waiting for someone to give them a second chance."
© BEST IMAGE / BACKGRIDThe family have sponsored, fostered or adopted a number of animals over the years – rabbits, snakes, horses, frogs, tortoises, parakeets, mice and hamsters have all lived under their roof. They've even adopted a couple of cows, Bella and Pomponette, who live in Jersey.
"They were a gift from our parents 15 years ago, so they're quite old now,” Maria Carolina says. "They’re sisters, and we visit them every time we go to the UK.”
© BEST IMAGE / BACKGRIDWhen they travel, their father despairs of the amount of luggage they take.
"He looks at us and says, 'Why 20 suitcases?' But he’s a man, so he doesn’t understand,” Maria Chiara laughs.
They’re usually regular fixtures at the fashion shows, but weren’t able to go to Paris or Milan this year as they were in Hong Kong.
"It’s a way to learn so much more about the fashion industry – the creativity, craftsmanship and details –and to understand emerging trends," says Maria Chiara, who plans to setup a fashion brand with her sister.
"We’re putting all our efforts into developing it, and will hopefully share it very soon,” she reveals. "We’re always excited about doing new things."
For more information, visit rokethon.com
The full interview appeared in HELLO! Magazine, out now.
