Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies
Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies
Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies
Her Royal Highness
Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies
Duchess of Calabria and of Palermo
Princess
Maria Carolina of Bourbon
Two Sicilies
Duchess of Calabria
and of Palermo
Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies was born in Rome on June 23, 2003. She is the daughter of Her Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Head of the Royal House, and Princess Camilla of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Castro. As the eldest daughter of the family, she takes on a role of responsibility with dedication and determination, contributing to public and private initiatives that reflect her family’s values.
In 2016, Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies abolished the Salic law, which excluded women from dynastic succession, introducing the principle of absolute primogeniture. Following this reform, Princess Maria Carolina became the heiress and has since held the title of Duchess of Calabria, traditionally attributed to the heir of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies.
Raised in an international environment between Monte Carlo, Paris, and Rome, Princess Maria Carolina is actively engaged in cultural, social, and humanitarian initiatives that reflect her family’s heritage and values. She also participates in creative and philanthropic projects alongside her younger sister, Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.
TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Calabria and of Palermo, received an international and cosmopolitan education, taught at home by private tutors. Her academic path followed the Cambridge international program as well as that of the CNED (Centre National d’Enseignement à Distance), under the supervision of the Department of Education of the Principality of Monaco. She completed her schooling in March 2020, obtaining her diploma one year early.
She subsequently continued her training at the Istituto Marangoni in Paris, where she specialized in fashion design, fashion business, and styling. She also enriched her academic path by taking online economics courses at Harvard University.
She speaks, reads, and writes six languages fluently: Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.
ROYAL AND HUMANITARIAN COMMITMENTS
Since childhood, Princess Maria Carolina has regularly represented the Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies at official events, religious ceremonies, and charitable initiatives.
She actively supports the humanitarian projects of the Constantinian Order throughout Europe and in various countries around the world.
In 2022, she collaborated with the Italian Red Cross to coordinate the shipment of over thirty tons of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including medical supplies and basic necessities.
In the same year, she visited the Breast Unit of the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital Foundation as part of the breast cancer prevention and awareness programs funded by the Constantinian Order.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT
Princess Maria Carolina is committed to various social and environmental causes, particularly those related to ocean protection, gender equality, and support for vulnerable populations.
She particularly supports the initiatives of UNICEF, the World Wide Fund for Nature, as well as those of organizations active in the environmental and social sectors such as Passion Sea and Ocean 1, which work for ocean protection and awareness of climate issues.
Princess Maria Carolina is particularly committed to the defense of women’s rights, the promotion of gender equality, and the fight against violence against women. In this context, she participated in the “March in March” marches in New York in 2016 and 2018, organized by the Women for Peace association as part of initiatives linked to the United Nations.
She has also collaborated with the Fondation des Femmes, supporting emergency shelters and support programs for women victims of domestic violence.
She is also an ambassador for the Italian association Salvamamme, which helps women and young people in vulnerable situations by providing concrete assistance including basic necessities, moral and psychological support, as well as access to reception facilities.
Her philanthropic commitment also extends to local organizations such as Les Anges Gardiens de Monaco, which helps vulnerable people in the Nice region, as well as Action Innocence Monaco, which works to protect minors from digital dangers.
She regularly participates in the “No Finish Line” charity event in Monaco, organized under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco, a solidarity race where every kilometer covered is transformed into a donation for disadvantaged children.
She also supports the environmental initiatives of the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco, committed to environmental protection and the fight against climate change.
PROFESSIONAL AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
Princess Maria Carolina has gained experience in various fields related to humanitarian work, art, the environment, and creative industries, thus developing a profile that combines social commitment, culture, and heritage.
In 2017, she completed an internship at the Monegasque Red Cross, where she received first aid training and participated in humanitarian and awareness initiatives.
In 2019, she worked at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, deepening her interest in issues related to ocean protection and public awareness of environmental themes.
In the same year, she was officially presented to international society during the prestigious Bal des Débutantes in Paris, an event that brings together young personalities committed to cultural and charitable initiatives every year.
Passionate about the arts and cinema, she took acting classes in Monaco and appeared in the film ‘Grace of Monaco’ alongside Nicole Kidman.
In 2024, she completed an internship at the international auction house Sotheby’s, where she took an interest in the contemporary art market and the dynamics of the international art market.
In 2025, she collaborated with her younger sister, Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon* Two Sicilies, and the French brand Olympia Le-Tan on the creation of the capsule collection “Dolce Vita del Mezzogiorno,” a project inspired by the craftsmanship and cultural heritage of Southern Italy aimed at promoting the traditions and savoir-faire of the Mezzogiorno.
She has also collaborated with several international fashion and jewelry houses, including Chopard, Pierre Cardin, Louis Vuitton, and Emilio Pucci, participating in projects that highlight Italian elegance and contemporary creativity.
DYNASTIC POSITION AND HONORS
As the heiress of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Princess Maria Carolina plays an active role in her family’s dynastic institutions.
She is a Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and a Dame of the Royal Order of Saint Januarius, two historical distinctions linked to the tradition of the monarchy of the Two Sicilies.
Since 2006, an annual scholarship bearing her name has been awarded by the Constantinian Order to a student of the prestigious Nunziatella Military School.
In recognition of her international humanitarian commitment, in 2018 she received the Queen Maria Cristina Benedetta Award, conferred by the International Queen Elena Association. A scholarship in her name was also established at the Santi Marta e Venera Hospital in Acireale to support medical training.
Since 2022, she has also contributed, through the educational initiatives of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, to the awarding of scholarships for students from modest families, to enable them to access preparatory classes for the Grandes Écoles and to continue their higher education.
A rose cultivated at the Agricultural Technical Institute of Caronia, in Sicily, was also named in her honor, a symbol of her link with the cultural and natural heritage of Southern Italy.
