Royal drama at the heart of Europe: High society eyebrows are raised at engagement rumours between Danish prince ‘who quit royal duties’ and influencer heiress to the defunct Italian throne whose VERY pushy mother cuddles up to Euro royals

When rumours began to swirl of an engagement between Prince Christian of Denmark, 17, and Princess Maria ‘Chiara’ Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 18, eyebrows were raised across aristocratic circles in Europe.

And perhaps the most surprised was Queen Margrethe of Denmark who has never met her grandson’s girlfriend, despite the dashing young Prince having what Chiara claims as lifelong friendship with her.

While Chiara has known Christian’s parents Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik for years, royal watchers have questioned what Margrethe – who last year took away titles from her own family –  will think of the Rome-based aristocrat. 

Unlike many European royals, Chiara and her sister Princess Maria Carolina di Bourbon, 19,  are known to chase the spotlight, often posing for photos on glamorous trips and giving tell-all interviews to Italian media.

The pair also have a huge Instagram presence and their own YouTube channel, where they ask each other questions like ‘have you ever been in love’ and ‘have you ever been kissed?’.

Speaking recently to Italian paper Corriere, Chiara said she and the future king have a ‘very special relationship’.

‘We’ve known each other since we were little, my father Carlo is godfather to his younger sister, Josephine,’ she added.

‘Christian knows how to stay in his place,’ she went on, before saying she ‘hopes to meet Queen Margrethe soon’.

While Chiara likes to appear in the public eye, Prince Christian has kept his private life quiet and has said he won’t take a royal pension when he turns 18.

He will only take money from the royal grant if his father ascends the throne, and will remain limited in his royal duties until he turns 21. 

Chasing the spotlight – and bragging about their connections – is perhaps unsurprising given the showbusiness past of Chaira’s family.

The Italian heiress is the youngest daughter to Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro. Her parents are family friends with Christian’s parents Crown Princess Mary, 54, and Crown Price Frederik, 55.

They’re also close to the scandal-ridden Prince Albert of Monaco,  and spent a lot of time in Monte Carlo.

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.

She won’t inherit the titles, but says she has ‘the same responsibility to continue the history of my royal family’.

‘I feel the link with the land where the Bourbons reigned. I’ve just been with my parents in Hungary, an official trip and I’m learning the sense of role. I understood that that Royal Highness perhaps means being worthy, not disappointing those who look at you. It’s a responsibility.’ she said. 

Meanwhile, her mother, Princess Camilla, born Crociani, is the daughter of Italian industry tycoon Camilla Crociani and the actress Edy Vessel.

While the Danish royal family is yet to comment on the rumours, Chiara is not afraid to flex her connections.

‘The Bourbon family is related to almost all the royal families or former rulers of Europe, it’s a kind of big club,’ she said.

‘King Felipe VI of Spain he is my father’s cousin and I am very close to the heir, Leonor who, like me, loves sports and in particular women’s football’. 

‘Then the Belgian royals were often our guests in the summer in St Tropez…  and one of my best friends is Alexandra of Hanover, Carolina of Monaco’s youngest daughter.’

Meanwhile,  Camilla is not as close to her family, having been embroiled in a battle with her sister over their inheritance for over a decade.

The family feud began when their mother, Italian film star Edoarda Crociani set up a trust fund for her two daughters Cristiana and Camilla.

But when £100m of investments and art was taken from the fund in 2010 and transferred into Edoarda’s name, Cristiana feared the cash was being given to her sister.

The socialite began legal proceedings in 2011, claiming steps were being taken to block her from inheriting the family’s estate.

But Princess Camilla has refused to disclose the location of valuables including a painting worth £49.9m.

Details of the feud emerged when Princess Camilla was ordered to pay a £2m fine by the Royal Court on Jersey which ruled she had ignored a court order.

Her application to stay the order has now been rejected and she has been given two months to pay the £2m fine and warned she faces a 12-month prison sentence if she fails to do so.

Princess Camilla has lodged an appeal against the fine, which was issued on 22 December, by claiming that she ‘does not have immediate access to £2 million’.

She also requested an ‘application of stay’ – a suspension of proceedings – in relation to the order.

But in rejecting this, the court, pointed out that the princess had been aware for some time that a heavy fine was a possibility. The case is ongoing. 

Chiara and her older sister Maria 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 regularly share snaps of their glamorous lifestyles on Instagram, posting pictures from destinations around the globe, from Paris to Dubai and New York.

Because Chiara is the younger sibling, she will not inherit her father’s title and duties, or his claim to Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies – they will go to older sister Maria Carolina, Duchess of Calabria and of Palermo (or Carolina for short).

The pair aren’t afraid to show off their extravagant lifestyle either with frequent trips to Trump’s Mar-a-lago complex in Florida, and Chiara recently telling Italian media about her trip to Denmark.

This week, the pair were pictured indulging in a spot of shopping in Saint Tropez, with Camilla opted for a very unroyal pair of leggings and a crop top, while Chiara opted for a dress.       

Despite Chiara’s family having no official remit, they are high profile, and spend their time doing charity work and promoting the interest of Southern Italy.