Commoners Who Married Into Royal Families To Find Their Fairy Tale Endings
Many little girls dream of finding their "Prince Charming" though most don't think it will actually happen. Or, on top of it all, that their Prince will have any actual claim to a royal throne. In some cases though, commoners have been known to get their fairy-tale happy endings by marrying into the British royal family or Japanese Imperial family.
It's important to remember though that just because you marry into royalty doesn't mean you're guaranteed a happy ending; it doesn't always work out. Just ask Rita Hayworth or Hope Cooke!
Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier III
Arguably one of the most famous Americans to marry into a royal family, Hollywood actress Grace Kelly married Prince Ranier III of Monaco in 1956 and became the Princess of Monaco.
The couple was together for a year before getting married, and their televised wedding was estimated to have been watched by over 30 million viewers. The couple had three children and were married until 1982 when Kelly passed away.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Perhaps the most famous American woman to marry into a royal family - and the most recent - is Meghan Markle. Markle's engagement to Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex in 2017 was surrounded by controversy due to Markle being a bi-racial divorcee, on top of her being American and an actress. It's notable that Markle is the first woman of African descent to be welcomed into the English royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began dating in June of 2016 and married less than two years later in March 2018. The couple welcomed their first child, Archie, in May 2019.
Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII
Wallis Simpson (a two-time divorcee, the horror!) was engaged to the King of England, King Edward VIII but at the time it wasn't acceptable for the Queen of England to be a divorcee, regardless of her nationality.
Famously, King Edward chose true love over the British empire and chose to abdicate the throne in order to be with Simpson. It was the scandal of the century at the time. The two were married from 1937 until Edward passed in 1972.
Diane Halfin and Prince Egon von Fürstenberg
Prince Egon von Fürstenberg, the father of Prince Alexander Fürstenberg (more to come on him), married Diane Halfin. You probably know her though as Diane von Fürstenberg, and for a short time, she was known as Princess Diane.
During their brief marriage, Diane and Prince Egon had two children, and Diane began designing clothing almost immediately after they wed because she wanted to have her own career outside of the marriage. The couple parted ways in 1983 but despite remarrying in 2001, Diane kept the last name von Fürstenberg, likely in part due to her company.
Rita Hayworth and Prince Aly Khan
American actress Rita Hayworth had a brief stint as royalty when she married Prince Aly Khan, the son of Sultan Mahommed Shah, Aga Khan III. The short-lived marriage was Hayworth's third, and Khan's second.
The pair were only married for four years from 1949 to 1953. Hayworth filed for divorce in 1951 on the grounds of "Extreme cruelty, entirely mental in nature" but it wasn't finalized until '53. Their divorce was followed by an intense legal battle over what religion their daughter would be raised as, Christian or Muslim.
Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles
Prince Charles of Wales' marriage to the future Princess of Wales Diana Spencer is one of the most infamous to come from the British royals. The couple met when Prince Charles was dating Diana's sister Sarah, but they didn't become romantically involved until a few years later. They were married on July 29, 1981, when Diana was just 19 and Charles was 32.
The pair's marriage was surrounded by rumors and after the couple had two children - Prince William and Prince Harry - they eventually divorced in August 1996. Sadly, Princess Diana died a year after the divorce in a tragic car accident.
Alice Heine and Prince Albert I of Monaco
Another American woman who found love with a member of Monaco's royal family, Lousiana-native Alive Heine married Prince Albert I of Monaco in 1889.
It is said that neither Heine or the PRince were faithful in their marriage, which ultimately led to its end. Prince Albert had a long-time mistress named Caroline Otero, and Heine supposedly had an affair with composer Isidore de Lara. The pair split just 13 years later in 1902, but they remained married for the entirety of their lives.
Caroline Lee Bouvier and Prince Stanislaw Albrecht Radziwill
Caroline Lee Bouvier, socialite and younger sister to the First Lady at the time, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, was another American woman who ventured across the pond for love. Bouvier was a former public relations executive for Armani whose second marriage was to Polish Prince Stanislaw Albrecht Radziwill.
The couple married in 1959 and they had two children together but their marriage wasn't meant to be. Bouvier and Radziwill divorced in 1974, just two years before the Prince's death.
Marie Chantal Miller and Prince Pavlos
Marie Chantal Miller, daughter of American businessman and billionaire Robert Miller, and her sister Alexandra both managed to find royal families to marry into,
Current Crown Princess of Greece Marie Chantal, after converting from Roman-Catholicism to Greek Orthodox, married Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece in 1995. The marriage sparked concern that the couple was rushing into marriage due to them both being in their 20s, but they proved everyone wrong as they are still together! They now share 5 children together as well and Pavlos remains the heir apparent to the defunct throne of Greece.
Kendra Spears and Prince Rahim Aga Khan
American model Kendra Spears (now known as Princess Salwa Aga Khan) found her fairytale love story when she wed Prince Rahim Aga Khan in 2013.
Prince Rahim is the eldest son of the Aga Khan, who is the Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. The couple is still together and the Princess has given birth to two sons since they wed. The Princess has also continued her modeling career; she's been featured as the face of ads for Armani, Moschino, Calvin Klein, Diane von Fürstenberg, and others.
Alexandra von Fürstenberg and Prince Alexander von Fürstenberg
The second daughter of businessman Robert Miller, Alexandra Miller married German Prince Alexander Von Fürstenberg in 1995, adding to the family's royal clout following her sister Marie Chantal marrying into the Greek royal family.
Prince Alexander is the son of the famed fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg, and Alexandra still works for the company as the furniture designer and image director of DvF. The couple separated after three years together and finalized their divorce in 2005, but Alexandra chose to keep her married name even after she remarried.
Hope Cooke and King Palden Thondup Namgyal
Hope Cooke became the envy of every college girl when she met the Crown Prince of Sikkim on a trip to India during her freshman year at Sarah Lawrence College.
Palden Thondup Namgyal, who eventually became the 12th (and final) Chogyal of Sikkim, was nearly twice Cooke's age but that didn't stop the pair from marrying after she graduated from college. They married in 1963, and Namgyal ascended the throne after his father passed in 1965. Cooke and Namgyal separated in 1975, partially due to the annexation pressures Sikkim was facing from India at the time, and the royal couple divorced in 1980.
Kelly Rondestvedt and Prince Hubertus Michael
American Kelly Rondestvedt received both her Bachelor's degree and MBA from UCLA in Los Angeles, but likely never imagined moving across the country would lead her to marry a German Prince.
After moving to New York to pursue a career as an investment banker, Kelly met Prince Hubertus Michael of Germany. The couple wed in 2009 and continue to live in NYC with their three children. Kelly maintains her job as an investment banker and Prince Hubertus is employed by a German bank in New York.
Ariana Austin and Prince Joel Makonnen
A member of the Ethiopian royal family, Prince Joel Makonnen's love story with his now-wife Ariana Austin seems like the plot of a Hallmark movie. The couple met at a Washington, D.C. nightclub in 2005 but it wasn't until several months after they'd started dating that one of Makonnen's friends revealed to Austin that she was dating a prince.
After 9 years of dating the couple got engaged in 2014 and were married in 2017 at a ceremony in Maryland. They now run their own media production company that focuses on producing documentaries, and define themselves as 'cultural entrepreneurs.'
Sarah Butler and Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein
Houston, Texas-native Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan (born Sarah Butler) earned her BA in International Relations then went on to receive a Master's in Development Studies from the University of London, which led her to for the United Nations Organization in New York City.
While employed with the U.N., Sarah met her future husband Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, the Crown Prince of Iraq, who was serving as the Jordanian Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. The couple has been married since 2000 and has three children together.
Lisa Halaby and King Hussein
Lisa Halaby became the fourth wife of Hussein bin Talal in 1978, who was the reigning King of Jordan, a position he maintained until his passing in 1999. They were married until Hussein's passing and had four children together, in addition to the seven Hussein already had.
Before getting married Halaby converted to Islam and assumed the name Noor Al-Hussein, becoming Queen Noor after their wedding. The family was concerned about Halaby's transition into the position of Queen because she was American, however, she was also of Syrian descent which helped her in the eyes of the public to seem like less of a foreigner.
Christopher O’Neill and Princess Madeleine of Sweden
Finally we have an American man who married into a royal family! Princess Madeleine of Sweden met her husband financier Christopher O'Neill while they were both working in New York City. The couple became engaged in 2012, were married soon after in 2013 and have said 3 children since.
O'Neill is of British-American descent and has dual citizenship for England and the United States. To become an official member of the Swedish royal family you're required to become a Swedish citizen, but O'Neill was unwilling to renounce his British or American citizenship so he holds no royal title in Sweden.
Joan Douglas Dillon and Prince Charles of Luxembourg
American-born divorcee Joan Dillon became the first commoner to marry into the reigning dynasty of Luxembourg in 1967 when she married Prince Charles of Luxembourg. Prince Charles was the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma. Dillon assumed the title of Princess Joan of Luxembourg.
The couple shared two children together but were only married until 1977, due to the passing of Prince Charles. Just one year after the Prince's death, Dillon married for a third time to Philippe Francois Armand Marie Noailles, the 8th Duke of Mouchy.
Julie Elizabeth Huston Ongaro and Prince Robert of Luxembourg
The son of Princess Joan and Prince Charles of Luxembourg, Prince Robert went on to follow in his father's footsteps when he married American Julie Elizabeth Ongaro. The couple started dating in 1987 when Prince Robert was studying at Georgetown University and were married several years later in 1994.
At the time of their marriage, Prince Robert reportedly did not ask permission from the royal court so his wife was given no royal titles. It wasn't until 2004 that the Grand Duke granted "permission" and Prince Robert's wife and children were given royal titles.
John Owen Dominis and Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii
New York-born John Owen Dominis was moved to Hawaii as a child due to his father's career as a ship captain, where he attended school alongside members of the Hawaiian royal family and in 1862 he married Princess Lydia Kamaka'eha.
The couple had a notoriously unhappy marriage and Dominis frequently carried on with other women, including a house servant who he sired a child with. In 1891, Princess Lydia became the first and only Queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Dominis was given the title of Prince Consort when his wife became Queen, but Dominis died less than a year later.
Anita Stewart and Prince Miguel of Braganza
Anita Stewart Morris was an American heiress and socialite from a wealthy family who met and married Prince Miguel the Duke of Viseu in 1909. The Prince was 21 years her senior and was the grandson of King Miguel I of Portugal.
Morris was given the title of Princess Anita de Braganza and the couple remained married until the Prince's passing in 1923, upon which time Morris chose to move back to New York City. In order to move back to America, she was required to give up her royal title and later re-married to an American banker.
Julia Mullock and Prince Yi Gu of Korea
Princess Julia Lee of Korea (formerly Julia Mullock, of Ukrainian-American descent) met her future husband Prince Gu of Korea while they were working at the same architecture firm in NYC.
The pair married in 1959 and Julia became Her Imperial Highness Princess Julia Lee of Korea, however, there is a rumor that the two were never legally married. The couple remained married until Prince Gu filed for divorce in 1982 due to pressures from the Prince's family because Julia was unable to have children. Despite the divorce, Prince Gu never remarried and never had any child.
Jetsun Pema and Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Bhutanese
At the current age of 29, Jetsun Pema is one of the youngest queens in the world. Pem came from the family of the Bumthang Pangtey, which is one of the oldest noble families in Bhutan. She met her future husband Prince Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck Bhutanese at a family picnic when she was 7 and he was 17.
When they met he promised her that if Pema still wasn't married by age 20 then he would marry her, which is exactly what happened in October 2011. The now King Namgyal Wangchuck Bhutanese married her in a traditional Buddhist ceremony, and she is now known as Her Majesty the Queen of Bhutan.
Christopher Thomas and Princess Ruth Komuntale of Uganda
Missouri-native Christopher Thomas was working as an accountant at Discovery Channel when he met who he would later find out was Princess Ruth Komuntale of Uganda. When they met she was studying at American University in Washington D.C. and the two eventually started dating.
After some time, Christopher proposed to her at one of their favorite local restaurants, Ruth's Chris Steak House. However, it wasn't even until after Christopher proposed that he learned about her status back in Uganda's Toro Kingdom. By marrying, Christopher was accepted into the royal family and the couple married in November of 2012, in her home country of Uganda.
Rania Al Yassin and Prince Abdullah II
Rania Al Yassin was working at the Apple office in Amman, Jordan in the 1990s when she was introduced to Prince Abdullah II. She had known Prince Abdullah's sister and was invited to a dinner party where she met the Prince himself. The two hit it off quickly and were arranged to be married just two months after they met.
The pair were married in 1993 and just a few years later Prince Abdullah ascended the throne to become the King of Jordan. Rania went from working for the Apple office to marrying the King of Jordan in just a few months.
Letizia Ortiz and Prince Felipe of Spain
While working as a reporter for CNN, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano was covering an oil slick occurring along the coast of Galicia. The business trip led to her meeting Prince Felipe of Spain, who was in the area visting towns that had been affected by the disaster.
The two reportedly had great chemistry from the moment they met and were married on May 22, 2004. They had two daughters in the years to come and are still together. In 2014 Felipe ascended the throne making him the King of Spain. Letizia was given the title of Queen consort of Spain.
Tatiana Blatnik and Prince Nikolaos
It seems if you want to marry a prince you should work with Diane Von Fürstenberg! Venezuela-born Tatiana Blatnik formerly worked as an event planner and fashion designer for Fürstenberg, and she met Prince Nikolaos of Greece on a ski trip in 2003.
After seven years together Prince Nikolaos rid himself of his forever-bachelor status and the two married on August 25, 2010. Tatiana was given the official title of Her Royal Highness Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark.
Farah Pahlavi and Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi
Farah Pahlavi was studying architecture at the École Spéciale d'Architecture in Paris when she met the Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi. At the time, he was meeting with various Iranian students to learn about their studies and political views in order to make himself look like a man of the people.
Farah was one of these students interviewed by the Shah at the time and the two married a few years later in December of 1959. They were together until 1980 when the Shah passed away from cancer. Although she is now exiled from Iran for political reasons, she was once Her Imperial Majesty The Empress of Iran.
Charlene Wittstock and Prince Albert II of Monaco
Charlene Wittstock, a former South African Olympic swimmer, met her Prince Charming while at a swimming competition in Monaco in 2000. Wittstock began dating Prince Albert II of Monaco (who is the son of Grace Kelly) but they weren't seen in public together until they announced their official status at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.
The pair married more than a decade after they started their relationship and are still together, despite rumors of possible marital trouble. The couple shares two children, and Charlene was given the title of Her Serene Highness the Princess of Monaco.
Adans Lopez Peres and Princess Stephanie of Monaco
Another member of the Monaco royal family who married a top-class athlete was Princess Stephanie of Monaco, who was the daughter of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III. The Princess became romantically involved with award-winning circus acrobat Adans Lopez Peres, who was a 5th generation circus performer and 10 years younger than her.
The pair were secretly married on September 12, 2003, despite concerns about the couple and Peres became the Princess' second husband. Unfortunately, it seems the Princess' family and the public were right to have concerns as the couple divorced in 2004.
Mabel Wisse Smit and Prince John Friso of Orange-Nassau
Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau (formerly Mabel Wisse Smit) met Prince Johan Friso of Orange-Nassau owe their marriage to mutual friend Laurentien Brinkhorst as she introduced the pair. Brinkhorst herself even went on to marry Johan's brother, Prince Constantijin.
The couple were married in April 2004 and had two daughters however Prince Johan reportedly didn't ask permission of the Dutch Royal house and was forced to give up his claim to the throne, which meant his children have no claim to the throne either, but they were allowed to keep their titles. The Royal house disapproved of Mabel due to her relationship in college with a known Belgium drug-baron.
Silvia Sommerlath and King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden
While working as an interpreter and host for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, Silvia Sommerlath came into contact with King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden. The pair reportedly became fast friends and romantic partners, and after four years of dating the two married in June 1976.
The King had ascended the throne three years before their marriage and Silvia was .given the title of Her Majesty The Queen Silvia of Sweden. The couple is still together, they share three children and King Carl remains in power in Sweden. Talk about happily ever after!
Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby and The Crown Prince Haakon of Norway
Prince Haakon of Norway's engagement to commoner Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby was not without concern in the eyes of the Norwegian public. The pair met at a festival, the Quart Festival, in Oslo but didn't start dating till years after.
The Norwegian public felt the Prince's choice for his wife was inappropriate because Høiby was a single mother who was involved in the rave scene and her child's father was a convicted felon. The pair married in 2001 despite the ongoing discourse surrounding the Princess' past. They now share two children and Prince Haakon is a step-father to Høiby's son Marius.
Michiko Shoda and Emperor Akihito of Japan
Former Japanese Emperor Ahikito sparked controversy back in the late 1950s when he met his future wife, now-Empress Michiko, at a tennis match. The public, as well as many family members including Ahikito's mother, were opposed to the pair getting married because Michiko was a commoner and his family wanted Ahikito to marry someone a status.
Despite protests, the pair were married anyways in April of 1959 and remain married to this day. Ahikito served as Emperor of Japan from January 1989 until April 2019 when he became the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years.
Daniel Westling and Princess Victoria of Sweden
Daughter of King Carl XVI Gustav and the Queen consort Silvia of Sweden, Princess Victoria followed in her father's footsteps when she chose to marry her former personal trainer Daniel Westing.
The pair began dating in 2002 and were married in June 2010 but initially, the King himself was opposed to the marriage due to Westing's status, or lack thereof, which seems a little hypocritical on his part. Westing agreed to attend a form of 'prince academy' where he was taught about specific mannerisms and rules of royalty, and after that, he was accepted fully into the family.
Daniel Ducruet and Princess Stephanie of Monaco
Before her husband Adans Peres, Princess Stephanie of Monaco dated Daniel Ducruet, who was her bodyguard prior to them becoming romantically involved. Ducruet and Princess Stephanie began dating in 1992 and had two children in 1992 and 1994, respectively. It wasn't until July 1995 that the Princess' father Prince Rainier III allowed them to be married, which also meant the two children were now included in the line of succession for the Monegasque throne.
Unfortunately, the marriage seemed doomed from the beginning and after Ducruet was caught cheating with the former Miss Bare Breasts of Belgium, the couple divorced in October 1996.
Alfonso Diez and Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba
Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart the 18th Duchess of Alba was involved in a royal scandal of her won when she decided to marry Alfonso Diez Carabantes, a civil servant 24 years her junior. It would be Stuart's third marriage and Carabantes' first.
The Duchess' children and family were concerned Carabantes was only after Stuart's multi-billion dollar fortune however he formally renounced his claim to her wealth prior to their union. The couple were married in 2011, however, it was short-lived as the Duchess passed away in 2014.
Masako Owada and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan
Another royal to follow the patterns of his father is the current Japanese Emperor Naruhito, who met his commoner wife Masako Owada at a tea party for the Duchess of Lugo in 1986.
Despite the Imperial Household's disapproval of Owada, the pair fell in love and the then-Prince reportedly proposed to Oawada three times before the Imperial House announced their engagement. The two were married in June of 1993, and in May 2019 Prince Naruhito ascended the throne as Emperor after his father abdicated, and Masako became the Empress consort of Japan.
Lalla Salma and King Mohammad VI of Morocco
Very little is known about the beginning of King Mohammed VI of Morocco's relationship with his now-wife Princess Lalla Salma, other than that they met at a private party in 1999 when Salma was working as an engineer.
The King and Princess were married in October of 2001, and the Princess is the first wife of a Moroccan ruler to ever be publicly acknowledged and given a royal title. The Princess has taken a more public role than her predecessors and has been known to represent her husband the King in political meetings around the world.
Mary Elizabeth Donaldson and Prince Frederik of Denmark
Another way to meet your future royal spouse is apparently to go to the Olympics! Mary Donaldson met her future husband Prince Frederik of Denmark during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, but she had no idea of his royal status.
Prince Frederik is the heir apparent to the throne of Denmark and his mother is the second-longest-reigning Danish monarch, but Donaldson has said that he didn't reveal his royal standing until the two were seriously involved. The pair have been married without incident since 2004 and have had four children since.
