The stylish sisters Chiara and Carolina Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies share a glimpse of their lavish life
The VERY charmed princesses you’ve never heard of: Italian teenage sisters Chiara and Carolina Di Bourbon reveal their lavish lifestyle on Instagram – from birthdays in Dubai to the most glittering society events in Europe
- Maria Chiara and Maria Carolina are heiresses of House De Bourbon-Two Sicilies
- Parents are Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, 57, and Camilla, Duchess of Castro, 49
- The sisters, respectively 15 and 17, jet off around the world in lavish holidays
- They share their luxurious lifestyle with their army of Instagram fans
By Claire Toureille For Mailonline
Published: 13:33 EDT, 31 July 2020 | Updated: 06:15 EDT, 1 August 2020
Royal watchers usually get just the occasional glimpse of their favourites on official engagements, two Italian princesses are rapidly amassing legions of fans on Instagram as they show off their charmed lifestyle – and you’ve probably never heard of them.
Princess Maria Carolina, 17, and Maria Chiara Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 15, are the daughters of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, 57, and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, 49.
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.
Although the family has no official remit, they spend their time doing charity work and promoting the interest of Southern Italy.
The prince’s daughters 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.
Two Italian Princesses are making waves online with snaps of their lavish lifestyle. Princess Maria Carolina, 17 and Maria Chiara Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 15, are the daughter of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, 57 and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, 49
Princess Chiara, pictured in St Tropez, the younger of the two sisters, shares her sister’s passion for fashion and lvoes sharing pictures of her holidays on Instagram
The two princesses want for nothing and are often showered with gifts from their doting parents for their birthdays. On their respective Instagram accounts, they share snaps of their holidays around the globe, from Paris to Dubai and New York.
The eldest, Maria Carolina, Duchess of Calabria and of Palermo – or Carolina for short – was born in 2003 in Rome. She is her father’s direct heir and will inherit his title and duties, as well as his claim to Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.
Her godparents at her Sardinia baptism were Prince Pierre of Arenberg, Anna Maria Pisanu (the spouse of Sardiana’s president Guisseppe Pisanu) and Spanish model and actress Ines Sastre.
At just 17, she’s already a natural at public engagements, having accompanied her parents throughout her teenage years, worked as a model for Chopard and Dolce & Gabbana, and even made their big screen debut in a film with Nicole Kidman.
The girls with their mother Princess Camilla at the wedding of Jean-Christophe Napoleon to Olympia Von Arco-Zinneberg at Les Invalides in Paris in October 2019
Carolina (pictured) and Chiara are often showered with gifts from their parents for their birthdays
In an interview with French-speaking magazine SoirMag in 2018, she revealed she was home-schooled in six languages.
She is an ambassador for Passion Sea since 2015, a project which promotes the safeguarding of the oceans and seas eco-system.
Carolina is also a member of the UN Women For Peace Association and took part in its Peace March in 2016, in New York.
Her eyes are set on the silver-screen, and Carolina hopes to study at the New York University of Art and pursue a career in film, following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Edy Vessel, who held a small role in Otto e Mezzo by famed Italian director Federico Fellini.
In 2014, she and her sister had cameos as young girls reading poetry in Grace of Monaco, starring Hollywood legend Nicole Kidman.
When she’s not attending to her charity work, the aristocratic beauty is seen at Paris, Rome and Monaco’s most select events, such as the Debutante Ball – known in French as ‘Le Bal des Debutantes’, or ‘Le Bal,’ – where she and her younger sister were spotted in November 2019.
The two princesses pose like models on their respective Instagram account. Here, Carolina enjoys the sun in St Tropez
Demure Chiara loves fashion, make-up and is making her way in the world as a 15-year-old socialite (pictured in Paris in April)
Carolina and the family’s golden Christmas tree and presents in 2019. Nothing is too good for the Bourbon-Two Sicilies
On Instagram she indulges her 87,500 followers with snaps of her designer outfits, families trips around the world and enthuses about her love of make-up by documenting her visits to Sephora stores.
She has a close relationship with her family, especially her mother and sister, who make regular appearances in her feed.
Charia, Duchess of Noto, who is two years younger, was also born in Rome, in 2005.
Like her sister, she has illustrious godparents, which include Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Victoria Windisch-Graetz, Prince Augusto Ruffo di Calabria, and Swiss businessman Sergio Mantegazza, who, according to Forbes, is the 16th richest man in Switzerland.
Who are the ancient royal family of Bourbon-Two Sicilies?
The last King of Two Sicilies was Francis II, who was overthrown in 1860 and spent the remainder of his life in exile
The Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies is an ancient branch of the Spanish royal family which ruled parts of southern Italy for more than 100 years from 1734 to 1861. Its descendants still carry the name today, some 150 years later.
The line descends from Philippe de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France (1638–1715), who established the Bourbon dynasty in Spain in 1700 as Philip V (1683–1746).
In 1759 King Philip’s younger grandson was appanaged with the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, becoming Ferdinand IV and III (1751–1825), respectively, of those realms. His descendants occupied the joint throne (renamed ‘Kingdom of the Two Sicilies’ in 1816) until 1860.
The family, then led by Francis II, was overthrown in 1860 by Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi, who proclaimed a dictatorship on behalf of Victor Emmanuel II, the the King of Piedmont-Sardinia and later King of Italy. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Kingdom of Sardinia were merged into the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.
The deposed Francis II and his wife spent time in Rome as guests of the Pope where they ran a government in exile. They left the city before it was occupied by the Italians in 1870.
They led a wandering life from then on, living in Austria, France, and Bavaria.
Francis II died in 1894 and was succeeded by his half-brother, Prince Alfonso, who was in turn succeeded by his son, Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Calabria.
The succession has been disputed since Ferdinand’s death in 1960 because he had six daughters and no sons to carry the family line. Both his nephew Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, and brother Prince Ranieri, pictured, Duke of Castro, laid claim to the throne. This feud continues between their descendants today
The succession has been disputed since Ferdinand’s death in 1960 because he had six daughters and no sons to carry the family line.
Both his nephew Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, and brother Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro, laid claim to the throne. This feud continues between their descendants today.
Chiara and Carolina are the daughters of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, grandson of Prince Ranieri. The claimant on the other side of the family is Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria, grandson of Infante Alfonso.
Chiara and Carolina are the daughters of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, grandson of Prince Ranieri, and his wife Camilla. split their time between homes in Monte Carlo and Paris. The couple in Monaco last year
Prince Carlo, who only has two daughters, has overturned centuries of male primogeniture and has stated his title will pass to his eldest daughter, Carolina.
Prince Carlo married his wife Camilla, daughter of Italian film star Edoarda Crociani, better known as Edy Vessel, in 1998 at Monte Carlo cathedral. Camilla’s sister Cristina revealed their mother was obsessed with her daughters marrying princes.
As Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Carlo holds many honours, including Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Saint Januarius, of the Two Sicilian Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit.
Today Carlo and Camilla are ‘very active in promoting the cultural, artistic, historical, and spiritual identity of southern Italy,’ according to their official website. They split their time between homes in Monte Carlo and Paris.
Camilla is also active in charity work and gives her time to the Red Cross and UNICEF, as well as the Association Monaco Against Autism, Amitié sans Frontières et la Princess Grace of Monaco Foundation.
She campaigns against animal cruelty and is in charge of her own non-profit organisation, the Camilla of Bourbon Charitable Foundation, which works with the government in Mauritius to preserve its wildlife and promote sustainable development.
The two sisters are close and often share pictures of each other on their Instagram feeds. Pictured together in St Tropez in front of their residence
The oldest, Carolina, is active with charity work, being the ambassador from an ocean preservation non-profit, and a members of the UN Women for Peace association
The two heiresses are living in the lap of luxury. Because she is the eldest, Caroline (pictured) will inherit her father’s claim to the headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
She shares her sister’s passion for travelling and charity work and documents her love of fashion on Instagram, where she counts 57,800 followers.
Their mother, Duchess Camilla, born Crociani, is the daughter of Italian industry Tycoon Camilla Crociani and the actress Edy Vessel.
Like her daughters, she is also active with her charity work. She has worked with the Red Cross and UNICEF, as well as the Association Monaco Against Autism, Amitié sans Frontières et la Princess Grace of Monaco Foundation.
She campaigns against animal cruelty and is in charge of her own non-profit organisation, the Camilla of Bourbon Charitable Foundation, which works with the government in Mauritius to preserve its wildlife and promote sustainable development.
The sisters at Le Bal Des Debutantes in Paris in 2018, with their parents Duchess Camilla and Duke Carlo
The family posing for pictures at the Influencer Awards in Monaco in 2019, with Chiara in a lovely pink gown, Camilla in a grey number and Carolina in a rose gold dress
The two sisters have rubbed elbows with the world’s most influencial people including Bill Gates (centre) during a United States visit in 2018
In March 2017, she received an UN Women For Peace Award due to her charity efforts to help under-privileged children.
Her husband, Prince Carlo succeeded his father Ferdinand, Duke of Castro’s claim to the headship of the Bourcon-Two Sicilies’ house in after his death 2008, and held his title.
He is issued from the French branch of the Bourbon-Two Sicilies and his claim to the head of the House is disputed, by the Spanish branch.
His claim stems from the decision of his great uncle Infante Carlos to renounce the throne for himself and his descendants in 1900.
The House Bourbon-Two Sicilies are related to the Grand Ducal family of Luxembourg. Pictured: Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa
Carolina at Le Bal in 2019 with her cousin Leopold of Nassau, the nephew of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
Chiara enjoying the sun during a boat trip around St Tropez, where the sisters spend most of their summers
This meant that the rights of succession were passed on to Carlo’s grandfather, Ranieri, Duke of Castro, then to his father Ferdinand and eventually to Carlo himself.
Infante’s Carlos’ claim to the throne were recognised by the Spanish government, and an investigation into the matter found that Carlo’s claim to the throne was legitimate.
As Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Carlo holds many honours, including Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Saint Januarius, of the Two Sicilian Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit.
A picture of the mountain of presents awaiting Chiara on her 15 birthday, which the family celebrated last year in Dubai
Chiara celebrating with an army of balloons during her Dubai birthday last year, where she turned 15.
Chiara posing by the water in St Tropez during the sister’s summer last year. The socialites are well known around their habitual haunts
Chiara on a family ski holiday in 2018 at the Peak Walk by Tissot, located by the Glacier 3000 in Switzerland
He also holds national and international honours, which include the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, and Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
In the UK, he also holds the Freedom of the City of London award, which is a recognition awarded to people who have achieved success, recognition or celebrity in their chosen field and is a companion of the Order of Mercy, a Catholic order.
The family are often spotted together at several events around the globe and count famous relatives all around the continent.
In October last year, they attended the wedding of Camilla’s nephew Jean-Christophe Napoleon Bonaparte, 33, the great-great-great nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte I, Emperor of France, and Olympia, 31, the great-great-great niece of the French Emperor’s wife in Paris.
The family also has links with the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg. Through their father’s side, Chiara and Carolina are cousins with Leopold de Naussau, the son of nephew of Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and and the nephew of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.
