Queen Elizabeth II might be well into her 90s, but she still has a ton of things on her plate to worry about. The British Royal Family is in a golden age of prosperity and popularity, and for the most part, things are going smoothly. However, throughout the queen’s reign which has stretched past 70 years, she’s had to deal with setbacks, scandals and a ton of embarrassments. Unfortunately, even with the addition of Duchess Kate Middleton, Duchess Meghan Markle, and the little royals, she has to be sure that the royal family adheres to a certain standard of decency. Unfortunately, not everyone in the royal family leads a scandal-free life.
Princess Michael of Kent is perhaps one of the most embarrassing and scandal-riddled royals of the modern day. She married into the family when she wed Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin, Prince Michael of Kent in 1978. Princess Michael of Kent — who was born Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnit has not been a woman of quiet grace. Instead, she’s been dubbed the “Rent-a-Princess” by the press and the royal family. Here are all the ways she’s embarrassed herself and the royals over the years. You won’t believe the nasty things she’s said about Princess Diana (page 12).
1. A Nazi father
Princess Michael of Kent attends the RAF 100 ceremony on Horse Guards | Dan Kitwood – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Though Princess Michael of Kent is of royal blood herself and can trace her lineage back to French kings and queens and German and Hungarian nobility, her background still raised some eyebrows. She was born shortly before the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Czech Republic to Baron Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz and his second wife, Countess Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walburga Bernadett.
Her father was a member of the Nazi party, serving as Major in World War II. After the war ended, Princess Michael’s parents divorced and she her mother and her older brother moved to Australia.
2. A Roman Catholic and a divorcée
England”s Princess Michael of Kent attends a dinner in honor of fashion designer Valentino in 2001 | Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
It might not seem a big deal these days, since Duchess Meghan Markle, who is a divorcée was able to marry into the British Royal Family with ease, but it was a very deal for the countess to marry Prince Michael of Kent in the ’70s. The princess first married an English banker named Thomas Troubridge in 1971, but they were separated by 1973, got divorced by 1977 and a year later — just one month before the princess married Prince Michael, she and Troubridge had their marriage annulled by the Catholic Church.
At the time, Prince Michael was forced to forfeit his place in the line of succession to the throne because he married a Catholic. However, in 2015, because of Succession to the Crown Act 2013, he retook his place as 47th in line. Until he retook his position, Princess Michael complained to everyone who would listen about how unfair it was that her husband had to renounce his claim.
3. Obsessed with her name
Princess Michael of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent leave HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh’s 60th Diamond Wedding Anniversary royal | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
From the beginning of her royal marriage, it was clear that the countess was obsessed with titles and appearances. She took the name Princess Michael because she wasn’t eligible to be called Princess Marie Christine. Though she has noble bloodlines, she was not born royal.
To draw comparisons, this would be like if Duchess Kate Middleton demanded everyone call her Princess William of Wales or if Duchess Meghan Markle began referring to herself as Princess Henry of Wales.
It’s very odd.
4. That super offensive brooch
Princess Michael of Kent arrives by carriage to Royal Ascot Day 1 2018 | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Though she’s been a member of the British Royal Family for forty years, Princess Michael still doesn’t quite get it. She certainly didn’t bother to educate herself on race and racism before the meeting, the Duchess of Sussex back in December of 2017.
The princess showed up to luncheon that Markle (who is mixed-race) was attending wearing a very offensive blackamoor brooch. Blackmoor jewelry depicts exoticized figures of Africans and has a deep-rooted history in colonialism. Though Princess Michael’s publicist claimed it was an honest mistake, a former royal chef who worked closely with the princess believes it was intentional and driven by jealousy.
5. A racist outburst
St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matveyenko (L) and Princess Michael of Kent smile during an opening of the Imperial gardens of Russia flowers | Sergei Kulikov/ Getty Images
Though the United Kingdom doesn’t have the exact same history with race and racism that the United States does, it’s still comparable. Unfortunately, it looks like Princess Michael of Kent doesn’t care about race relations or race issues no matter where she is. In 2004, while visiting a restaurant in New York City, the princess screamed at a table of African-American diners to “go back to the colonies” while banging her first on the table. Apparently, she felt that they were being too loud.
Later, she tried to clarify her comments saying, “I did not say “back to the colonies,” I said you “should remember the colonies.” Back in the days of the colonies, there were rules that were very good.” We don’t see how that’s any better, but OK.
6. The time the Princess of Kent pretended to be mixed-race
Princess Michael Of Kent attends the SPARKS Winter Ball | David Westing/Getty Images
If you can imagine, the princess only made things worse for herself after her “colonies” outburst. Though her publicist tried to say that the restaurant incident never happened, during an interview, Princess Michael stated that she wasn’t racist because she one pretended to be black. Yes, you read that correctly.
She said in her interview, “I even pretended years ago to be an African, a half-caste African, but because of my light eyes I did not get away with it, but I dyed my hair black.” She also added that she spent time in Africa with “absolutely adorable, special people.” Ma’am what?!
7. Generally loathed by the royal family
Princess Michael of Kent, Prince William and Prince Harry watch the fly past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
We all know that Queen Elizabeth has her sassy moments, but she’s typically very fair and even-handed. However, even she can’t bear to deal with Princess Michael for more than a few times of year. The entire family finds the princess difficult and unpleasant to be around. Queen Elizabeth once commented that Princess Michael sounded “a bit grand to us.” Prince Charles calls the Kents “the rent-a-Kents.”
Meanwhile, the queen’s sister, Princess Margaret apparently refused to speak to Princess Michael for years because she’s Catholic. Princess Margaret’s son, David, Viscount Linley, was once asked what he would wish on his worst enemy. He replied, “‘Dinner with Princess Michael of Kent.” Honestly, she sounds dreadful.
8. No cooking and no diapers
The Princess Michael of Kent and her son Freddie leave the service in St George’s Chapel, 23 April 2006 | Johnathan Buckmaster/AFP/Getty Images
Princess Michael sees herself as quite a first-class woman. Though she and Prince Michael have two children, Lord Frederick Windsor, and Lady Gabriella “Ella” Windsor, Princess Michael never cooked for her children or even bothered to change their diapers.
In an interview, she once revealed that her mother tried to teach her how to cook when she was younger, and she replied, “Mama, I will have a cook when I marry.” Apparently, she foresaw the future. She described her morning ritual by saying, “I have a tray brought to my bedroom at 9 am. Breakfast is served on my Herend china. I have zero-fat yogurt with cinnamon, which is meant to be a fat-burner, and a pot of ginger tea made with grated ginger. Some mornings I just have fresh juice made from five vegetables my manicurist told me about.”
As far as the diapers go, the princess simply stated, she wasn’t “keen” on it at all.
9. Obsessed with breeding and bloodlines
Princess Marie-Christine of Kent and Richard Drasche-Wartinberg attend the Diamond Soiree Gala | Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Though the British Royal Family has finally done away with archaic ideas about breeding and bloodlines, Princess Michael Kent is still obsessed with them. In a 2005 interview, she said, “The English take the breeding of their horses and dogs more seriously than they do their children. God forbid that the wrong drop of blood should get into their labrador. But their children marry everywhere.”
10. She thinks very “highly” of her children
Princess Michael of Kent attends day four of Royal Ascot | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Like most mothers, the princess is very proud of her children. However, she might have taken things a step too far while singing their praises. Her son, Lord Frederick was educated at Eton College and Magdalen College, Oxford. Meanwhile, Princess Michael’s daughter, Lady Gabriella was educated at Downe House, Brown University, and Linacre College, Oxford.
Princess Michael Kent said very haughtily, “no children in the Royal Family have got as good degrees as they’ve got.” Interestingly enough when Lord Frederick got married in 2009, all of the higher ranking royals couldn’t be bothered to attend. The highest ranking royal present was Princess Eugenie who is currently 9th in line for the throne.
11. Not a fan of animal rights
Exiled King of Greece, Constantine and Princess Michael of Kent | Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Since she’s a self-proclaimed “workaholic” Princess Michael Kent works with many animal charities and claims to be an animal lover. However, she doesn’t believe that animals have rights. In a 2015 interview, she said, “Well, I’m a great animal lover and involved in a lot of conservation, but animals don’t have rights. They don’t have bank accounts; they don’t vote. We have an obligation to animals, but to say they have rights? You only have rights if you pay your taxes. You earn your rights.”
Perhaps animal activism isn’t the best fit for the princess.
12. She called Princess Diana boring and uneducated
Princess Diana | Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images
Meghan Markle was not the first royal that made Princess Michael green with envy. She also was rather rude to Princess Diana who was dubbed the People’s Princess and beloved by all. In a 2014 interview, Princess Michael talked about living close to the late Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace.
Princess Michael explained, “Like probably many people of little education who find themselves, like pop stars or film stars, suddenly lauded by the whole world, it is very difficult if you have not had a mother bringing you up who was quite stern and strict. She did not have a mother bring her up, and she did not have much education, so it is much harder to cope with eulogy.”
13. Princess Michael of Kent wants her lifestyle paid for
HRH Prince Michael of Kent and HRH Princess Michael of Kent attend the World Premiere of ‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time’ | Jorge Herrera/Getty Images for Disney
From the time the Kents moved into their apartment in 1979 until 2010, she and the prince were asked to pay £69 of rent per week for their 21-room apartment in Kensington Palace. Luckily for all of those years, Queen Elizabeth footed the bill for them. They were only responsible for their utility bill. However, that all changed in 2010 when the Kents were asked to pay £120,000 annually to continue living there.
Princess Michael was not pleased, and she whined openly to the press about her new circumstances saying she and her husband were forced to sell their mansion in Gloucestershire to help pay for their Kensington apartment. She was quite pained by the concept of “downsizing.”
14. She doesn’t much care for the older royals
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (L), Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of Wessex(M) and Princess Michael of Kent attend the second memorial service for Lord Lichfield | MJ Kim/Getty Images
Princess Michael once said the older royals were “boring for most people.” Though she knows about her nickname, “Pushy Princess” which was given to her by Princess Anne, the royal said of the nickname, “It comes up all the time, but nobody has ever given an incident of where I have pushed. We’re not very social. We don’t go out that much. But they had to put a handle on me. I guess someone said, “She pushed her way into this family.” I didn’t. I held out for years, refusing to marry.”
If you recall, the princess married Prince Michael exactly, one month after her first marriage was annulled.
15. Her horrifying black sheep
Princess Michael (L) sits with the Duke of Kent as they watch Roger Federer of Switzerland and Mark Philippoussis play their Men’s Final match at the Wimbledon | Odd Andersen /AFP/Getty Images
Perhaps one of the most horrifying and recent allegations against Princess Michael came from an ex-boyfriend of the princess’ daughter, Lady Ella Windsor. The man claimed that the princess owned two black sheep at her Gloucestershire mansion that she called Venus and Serena – after the tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams.
This must have been even more alarming for Duchess Meghan Markle considering the fact that she and Serena are dear friends.
Read more: These Are All of the Members of the Royal Family Who Now Live at Kensington Palace, Including Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
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