E.T Feature - Commoners who steal the hearts of royalty

Commoners who steal the hearts of royalty.

In the past, a royal having a relationship with a commoner was unheard of. These days however, royal rules have relaxed (somewhat) with monarchs picking love over expectation. Take a look at our slideshow of the commoners who have stolen these Royals’ hearts…

Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly 1956-1982 The original fairytale. After meeting the actress at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955, the Prince stayed in secret contact with Kelly, proposing to her three days after meeting her family on a trip to the United States. They were wed in Monaco in the April of 1956, and had three children-Princess Caroline (1957), Prince Albert (1958) and Princess Stephanie (1965). Although rumors swirled of infidelities and growing feelings of entrapment in her marriage, the two remained together until her ultimate death in 1982.

Prince William and Kate Middleton April 2011 Rmours swirled for years and years, and for a while it seemed that Prince William may never pop the question. However, it was formally announced on November 16th 2010 that the Prince was engaged to his long-time love, commoner Kate Middleton, who formally worked as an accessories buyer for the clothing line Jigsaw. After proposing with his late mother’s engagement ring, they are set to marry in April 2011.

Prince Albert of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock July 2011 One of the more controversial Royals, Grace Kelly’s son is no stranger to the common lady. After producing two children out of wedlock (firstly with Californian real estate agent Tamara Rotolo and secondly with flight attendant Nicole Coste from Togo), and battling ongoing debates about his sexuality, he announced his engagement to commoner Charlene Wittstock, a South African former swimmer. Together in the public eye since 2006, they plan to wed July 2011.

Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling 2010-present The Swedish media went into overdrive with the announcement that their Crown Princess Victoria was to wed her personal trainer and gym owner, commoner Daniel Westling. As Princess Victoria is the first Swedish female heir, Westling’s title after the marriage was drawn into question. He eventually became known as Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland and after permission was granted, the couples were married in July 2010.

The former Princess Sayako of Japan and Yoshiki Kuroda 2005-present The classic Anastasia story came to life when The former Princess Sayako of Japan was stripped of her royal title when she fell for urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda, as is required

by Japanese law. Although no longer entitled to an imperial allowance or any ties to the throne, Sayako married Kuroda in 2005, of which both her parents were present. \ Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mary Donaldson 2004-present The handsome crown prince fell for the Australian advertising and marketing executive in a bar after attending the Sydney 2000 Olympics. After months of meeting in secret, Mary eventually moved to Europe and the Cinderella fairytale was made complete with the engagement announcement released on October 8th 2003 and married in May 2004. They have since had four children, Prince Christian (5), Princess Isabella (3) and twins earlier this year.

Crown Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz 2004-present The Prince of Asturias fell for the Spanish journalist divorcee at a dinner party in 2002.

They were engaged in 2003, married in 2004 and she gave birth to daughters Infanta Leonor in 2005 and Infanta Sofía in 2007. If she becomes Queen of Spain, she will be the first commoner to do so.

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby 2001-present The Norwegian Crown Prince met Hoiby through mutual friends at the Quart Festival in 1999. Their relationship was considered wildly sensational at the time. Hoiby, a waitress, was a single parent after a failed relationship with a man with a drug conviction, and admitted to former drug use and heavy partying in her youth. However, they were wed in 2001 where her son participated in the ceremony, and had two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra (2004) and Prince Sverre Magnus (2005).

Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones 1999-present The youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip met at a tennis club, and five years later the Prince became engaged to the public relations executive in 1999. Dubbed by the press as their love being ‘the real thing,’ they have one daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, who was born in 2003.

Princess Stephanie of Monaco 1995-1996, 2003-2004.

Again with the Grimaldis! Prince Albert’s sister first began a relationship with her bodyguard, Daniel Ducruet, and after having two children they married in 1995, only to divorce a year later. She then had another child with an unidentified man in 1998, before marrying circus performer Adans Lopez Peres in 2003. They divorced less than a year later.

Prince Andrew and Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson 1986-1996 Prince Andrew, Duke of York and currently fourth in line to the throne of 16 countries, fell for the former public relations worker and announced their engagement after a twoyear courtship. The marriage produced two daughters, Princesses Beatrice (22) and Eugenie (20) but ultimately ended in divorce in 1992 amid speculation that Ferguson was cavorting with other men.

Caroline, Princess of Hanover 1978-1980, 1983-1990, 1999-2009.

Prince Rainier of Monaco and Princess Grace Kelly’s eldest daughter also had her string of relationships with the common man. There was her first marriage in 1978 to Parisian baker Philippe Junot (ended 1980), her second in 1983 to sports heir Stefano Casiraghi with whom she had three children and remained until his death in 1990; and her third to the head of the House of Hanover, Ernst August. The two had a child and separated in late 2009.