The new generation of European princesses

The new princesses are women of the 21st century. Several of them have received (or will receive) military training on equal terms with their male contemporaries. This is the case of the crown princess of Belgium, Elizabeth (2001), who trained at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels.

The new generation of European princesses (some of them heiresses to the Crown in their respective countries) is very different from previous generations of female royals.

(In the image, the heiress to the Spanish throne, Leonor, and her sister, Sofía).

Due to their future royal status, most of them are prepared from a very young age to assume unimaginable responsibilities. This is the case of Leonor (in the photo, together with her sister Sofía) and many others who make up the new generation of princesses from the old continent.

Coming of age is a key date in the development of its institutional role. A very special moment in which, far from being frivolous, they begin to wear their first gala dresses and tiaras. An example? Ingrid Alexandra from Norway (in the image) in the official photos taken on her 18th birthday.

Who are the princesses of the new generation? Let's learn their names and (very long) surnames.

Elizabeth Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe, born in 2007, is the daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. Queen Margrethe II is her grandmother. Like many other members of the Nordic royal families, Isabella attends a public school.

Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria, or Amalia for short, is the heir to the Dutch throne. Born in 2003 as the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, she is now preparing to become Queen of The Netherlands some day.

Princess Amalia of the Netherlands has two younger sisters, Alexia and Ariana. The middle sister, Alexia, is the one who most closely resembles her Argentinian mother, Máxima Zorreguieta, in terms of style. She was born in 2005 with the full name Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentien. She studied at the Atlantic College of Wales, the same one where Princess Leonor of Spain went.

Photo: RVD, the Netherlands Royal Family press service

Leonor, born in 2005) is the first daughter of Philip and Letizia from Spain. They say that she is a hard worker, thoughtful, a perfectionist, and responsible. As the future queen of Spain, she will have to deal with very different sensibilities from the ones experienced by her grandfather and father.

The sister of Leonor has been in the background but is said to be a great support to the future Queen. Her outfits, much more daring than those of her older sister, made her a real 'it' girl. 

Princess Ingrid Alexandra, born in 2004, is the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his wife Mette-Marit. She attended a public primary school on the outskirts of Oslo and like many young people of her generation, she is committed to fighting climate change. In her free time, she practices sports such as surfing or kickboxing.

Elisabeth Theresia Maria Helena is the eldest daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. Born in 2001, she is first in line for the Belgian throne and may become the first woman to hold it. She is currently studying History and Politics at the University of Oxford.

Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Inés of Orange-Nassau (The Hague, 2007) is the youngest of the three Dutch princesses. Like her sisters, she has studied at a public school.

Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary from Sweden (Stockholm, 2012) is the eldest daughter of Victoria from Sweden and Daniel Westling. Therefore, she has been growing up aware of the responsibility of her position as a possible future monarch. She always participates in events with a smile. Among her hobbies is music: in fact, she sings in her school choir.

Mafalda Cecilia von Saxe-Coburg und Gotha-Koháry (London, 1994) is the eldest daughter of Prince Kyril of Bulgaria and the Spanish aristocrat Rosario Nadal. She grew up in London with her two little siblings, Olimpia and Tassilo, but when she decided to pursue music, she moved to Boston to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Since then she has dedicated herself professionally to music and has performed at Valentino and Michael Kors fashion shows and parties. 

Alexandra Joséphine Teresa Charlotte Marie Wilhelmine is the princess of Luxembourg, Nassau, and Bourbon-Parma. Her parents are the Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg. Born in 1991, Alexandra has studied psychology, social sciences, and philosophy. She has also worked as a journalist after spending time at the United Nations Security Council in New York. This talented princess is fluent in Luxembourgish, French, English, and Spanish, and she has knowledge of Italian and German.

Pauline Grace Maguy Ducruet (Monaco, 1994) is the daughter of Stephanie of Monaco and her ex-husband Daniel Ducruet. She is a fan of fashion and studied at the Marangoni Institute in Paris and at Parsons in New York. She also worked at Vogue and Louis Vuitton and even launched her own eco-responsible clothing firm.

Camille Gottlieb (Montecarlo, 1998) is the youngest daughter of Stephanie of Monaco. Her father is Jean-Raymond Gottlieb, the head of security for the Grimaldi family palace. Camilla is very active on social networks (@camillerosegottlieb on Instagram), where she shows her life as a Monegasque princess. As a child, she had an odd upbringing, in circus caravans with her siblings while her mother had a relationship with the circus leader Franco Knie. 

Here is another Alexandra, albeit a bit younger than the previous princess (she was born in 1999). Alexandra Charlotte Ulrike Maryam Virginia of Hanover, a political science and philosophy student, loves haute couture and is a regular guest at designer parties and fashion weeks. Her parents are Princess Caroline of Monaco and Prince Ernest of Hanover.

Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark (New York, 1996) is the eldest of the five children of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, and Marie-Chantal Miller. The couple are claimants to the throne of Greece, but the country doesn't recognize the monarchy anymore. Olympia is quite an 'it' girl. She has posed for prestigious magazines such as Teen Vogue and walked the catwalk for firms such as Dolce & Gabbana.

Although much younger than the rest, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge is a serious contender for the title of Europe's most charming princess. She is the great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and was born in 2015. Despite her young age, Charlotte has already accompanied her parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, on some official trips outside the United Kingdom. And she has overcome the challenge with flying colors.