Prince Charming!: 5 Hot European Princes for you

 

Meet a handsome European prince, fall in love, get married, become a princess.

Come on, girls. We’ve all dreamt of that at one time or another, either when we were engrossed in The Princess Diaries or watching Kate Middleton walk down the aisle.

Hollywood has implanted a really romanticised image of princes and royalty in our heads, but that does not mean that Europe does not have its fair share of princes who look like they stepped out of a chick lit novel or Disney animation.

But if they were hypothetically single (because, unfortunately, most of them are not), how would one choose from Europe’s rich collection of handsome princes? Well, it depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want titles, movie star looks, money, a beautiful country, or a very famous ancestor?

Because apart from their royal heritage and gorgeous looks, each of these five princes offers something more.

Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este

If you want a man with titles, this royal hottie has titles. Lots and lots of ’em.

Amedeo Marie Joseph Carl Pierre Philippe Paola Marcus d’Aviano (long names seem to be a prerequisite for royals, no?) is formally styled His Imperial and Royal Highness Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Imperial of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia.

And how does one get so many titles? You’d have to come from not one, but two noble houses. Through his mother, Princess Astrid of Belgium, Prince Amedeo is the grandson of King Albert II of Belgium and nephew to the reigning King Philippe of Belgium. Through his father, Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, Prince Amedeo is the great-grandson of Charles I of Austria, the last Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.

Not that Prince Amedeo needs titles to win your heart. This tall (and I mean tall. He reportedly stands around 6′ 3″), gorgeous prince is also a reserve officer in the Belgian Army, a graduate of the London School of Economics, and worked for Deloitte in New York City. Man in uniform? Check. Educated? Check. Young professional in the Big Apple? Check. Royal? Check check check.

Unfortunately, ladies, he’s engaged. Darn.

Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland

If you want a prince with movie star looks, this Swedish royal version of Orlando Bloom is your man.

The only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Prince Carl Philip was born the Crown Prince of Sweden until Sweden’s adoption of ‘absolute premogeniture’ (in English, brothers no longer take precedence over sisters) meant that his older sister, Princess Victoria, became the heiress apparent to the Swedish crown.

Comparisons have often been drawn between Prince Carl Philip and Orlando Bloom, but the Swedish royal and naval officer has one of those faces that resembles a number of “typical”-looking Hollywood movie stars.

So, if you want a prince who looks almost exactly like the types in Hollywood films, head to Stockholm.

Pierre Casiraghi

If you want a rich prince (I’m talking socialite/Gossip Girl- rich), look no further than this Monegasque royal.

Let me translate that for you clueless lot out there. “Monegasque”, as in “from Monaco”. That’s right. Monaco. That tiny billionaire’s playground at the southeastern corner of France. Yachts, sports cars, luxurious resorts and casinos, and Pierre Casiraghi comes from the family that reigns over this beyond-wealthy city-state.

Pierre Casiraghi is the son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, which makes him the nephew of the reigning Prince Albert II of Manaco and the grandson of Prince Rainier III of Manaco and Grace Kelly. The Grace Kelly. He’s related to Hollywood royalty as well.

Are you sold?

Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg

If you grew up watching The Princess Diaries and you dream of becoming a royal in a small, beautiful, quaint European country, then let me introduce you to Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg.

Check out pictures of Luxembourg, and you’ll find that it satisfies your tastes if you’re looking to live in your very own Genovia-esque little kingdom. The only Grand Duchy in the world (meaning that it is headed by a Grand Duke), Luxembourg’s monarch is Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, whose fifth and youngest child is Prince Sébastien.

Your inner Disney tween is going crazy now, isn’t she?

Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon

If you want a prince with a (really) famous ancestor, head to France.

But don’t all princes have famous ancestors? They are descended from kings, after all.

Well, I’m talking about history books famous. You don’t remember every monarch in history, but you’ll certainly remember this one.

As his title so obviously indicates, Prince Jean-Christophe is the great-great-great-grandnephew of none other than Napoleon Bonaparte (who has no legitimate direct descendants of his own), or Emperor Napoleon I of France. As such, Prince Jean-Christophe is the Head of the former Imperial House of France and a Pretender to the French Throne.

No, he’s not faking anything; a “Pretender” is a legitimate claimant to a throne that has either been abolished or is now occupied by someone else.

Even though he’s not in line to inherit an existing throne, he is still the descendant of one of the most famous leaders in history. Plus, he kinda looks like Zac Efron in this picture, don’t you think?