Blissful birthday, Princess Marie-Chantal! Glamorous Greek royal who labored for famed artist earlier than launching her clothes model celebrates milestone

She skilled ‘love at first sight’ with Prince Pavlos, inheritor to the Greek throne.

Nevertheless, Marie-Chantal of Greece‘s luxurious life-style started lengthy earlier than her royal marriage.

Her billionaire father, Robert Miller, is famend for founding the Obligation Free Procuring chain.

She can be a profitable clothes designer with a celeb clientele, together with Kate Middleton, and has just lately collaborated with the favored homeware model, Mrs Alice.

The Greek royals, with properties in New York and London, are well-known for his or her opulent events and splendid holidays across the globe. 

So it is extremely probably that Marie-Chantal will have fun her 56th birthday with an extravagant affair. 

Marie-Chantal of Greece’s luxurious life-style started lengthy earlier than her royal marriage – her billionaire father, Robert Miller, is famend for founding the Obligation Free Procuring chain

Born in London on September 17, 1968, to Mr Miller, now 89, and his Ecuadorian-born spouse Maria Clara Pesantas, 84, Marie-Chantal spent her early years in Hong Kong earlier than attending boarding college in Switzerland from the age of 9.   

Her father, Robert, initially made his fortune as a pioneer in duty-free buying, establishing the DFS, or Obligation Free Procuring, chain. 

He later expanded into funding ventures, additional rising his and his household’s wealth. 

Marie-Chantal is the center of three sisters, Pia, 58, and Alexandra, 51, who’re additionally finest identified for his or her well-connected marriages. 

Within the Eighties, she attended a bilingual college in Paris earlier than transferring to the Masters College in New York for her senior yr of highschool. 

Marie-Chantal has lengthy been related to the wealthy and well-known – earlier than marrying into royalty, she labored for Andy Warhol. 

In 1993, she started a level in Historical past of Artwork at New York College, the place she first met Prince Pavlos, 57. 

Their assembly was a blind date organized by their mutual buddy, New York funding banker Alecko Papamarkou, who was assured they might be an important match.

‘We clicked,’ the Princess advised Vainness Honest in 2008. ‘It was love at first sight. I knew that he was the particular person I might marry.’ 

Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Marie-Chantal Miller’s 1995 marriage ceremony marked the biggest royal gathering in London since Queen Elizabeth’s marriage ceremony to Prince Philip in 1946, with 1,250 company, together with the royal households of Britain, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Romania, Jordan and Bulgaria

Marie-Chantal has lengthy been related to the wealthy and well-known; earlier than marrying into royalty, she labored for Andy Warhol

Marie-Chantal spent her early years in Hong Kong earlier than attending boarding college in Switzerland on the age of 9

The couple had their firstborn Olympia in Manhattan, earlier than shifting to London in 2002 so their kids might have a European training

The couple grew to become engaged in 1995 after a romantic proposal within the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad. 

Their July marriage ceremony that yr marked the biggest royal gathering in London since Queen Elizabeth’s marriage ceremony to Prince Philip in 1946, with 1,250 company, together with the royal households of Britain, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Romania, Jordan and Bulgaria. 

The couple moved to Manhattan, the place Marie-Chantal continued her research in artwork historical past and Pavlos labored as an funding marketing consultant. 

It was right here they’d their firstborn Olympia, earlier than shifting to London in 2002 so their kids might have a European training.

The couple now have 5 kids: daughter Olympia, 28, and 4 sons: Constantine, 25, Achileas, 24, Odysseas, 19, and 16-year-old Aristidis.

In 2000, Marie-Chantal launched her eponymous luxurious childrenswear model, which is stocked in boutiques all over the world. 

Her profitable designs have garnered consideration from celebrities and royals alike, together with Kate Middleton, who dressed her daughter, Princess Charlotte, in a Marie-Chantal scarf for her first day of faculty. 

This summer time, the princess has collaborated with tableware model Mrs Alice on a collection of beautiful tablewear and equipment, together with hand-painted crockery and rattan placemats.

Talking of the gathering, she advised Vogue: ‘I like the combination of all of the completely different supplies and textures, from bamboo bud vases and rattan lanterns to hand-painted china. It’s the small particulars that make a desk so particular, and I like the color palette of blue and pink.’

Marie-Chantal (proper) and her daughter Olympia (centre) get pleasure from entrance row seats on the Valentino present throughout Paris Trend Week

L-R: Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, attend the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023

Though Greece hasn’t had an official monarchy for the reason that Nineteen Seventies, Marie-Chantal and her husband are nonetheless known as Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess 

The household enjoys a lavish life-style, dividing their time between their luxurious Higher East Facet New York residence and holidays across the globe. Pictured: Marie-Chantal and her daughter Olympia

Prince Pavlos and Marie-Chantal have 5 kids: daughter Olympia, 28, and 4 sons: Constantine, 25, Achileas, 24, Odysseas, 19, and 16-year-old Aristidis

In response to the mother-of-five, the important thing to elevating profitable kids lies in educating them the worth of excellent manners and courteous behaviour, no matter monetary standing

The Greek royals have lived between New York and London since 2004, with Marie-Chantal operating her clothes line from the UK.

The household enjoys a lavish life-style, dividing their time between their luxurious Higher East Facet New York residence and holidays across the globe. 

Apart from their New York residence, the Greek royals personal 4 different properties worldwide, together with a home in London, a Cotswolds property, a vacation residence within the Bahamas, and a rustic retreat in Yorkshire. 

In 2020, Marie-Chantal revealed Manners Start at Breakfast: Fashionable Etiquette for Households, during which she claims that parenting rules are easy and never affected by wealth.

In response to the mother-of-five, the important thing to elevating profitable kids lies in educating them the worth of excellent manners and courteous behaviour, no matter monetary standing. 

‘It is statistically confirmed that kids who’ve lovely manners do higher in life,’ she defined in an interview with Howdy! journal. ‘That youngster can be remembered for being well mannered.’

In her interview with Howdy!, she emphasised the significance of educating kids these classes from a younger age.

‘I consider kids needs to be taught from a younger age behave in a caring and aware manner. They should be taught to pay attention to others and to be instilled with these easy values when they’re nonetheless so sponge-like.

‘As soon as kids are older the teachings are a lot more durable to simply settle for. I actually prefer to suppose Olympia has taken all of it on board,’ she mentioned, referring to her eldest.

Though Greece hasn’t had an official monarchy for the reason that Nineteen Seventies, Marie-Chantal and her husband are nonetheless known as Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess – and their kids maintain these titles as effectively. 

Whereas King Constantine and his son, the Crown Prince, now not have official duties, they continue to be energetic in European royal circles. 

The household has sturdy ties with the British royals, as Constantine is Prince William’s godfather. 

Prince Charles hosted a gala at Highgrove to have fun King Constantine’s sixtieth birthday in 2000.