Adorable Story #106: Marie-Chantal of Greece
From Heiress to Princess: The Chic Life of Marie-Chantal of Greece
“Good manners are all about kindness, consideration, and respect—qualities that never go out of style.”
— Marie-Chantal of Greece
This week we feature the fascinating story of Marie-Chantal of Greece. Born into privilege, Marie-Chantal’s journey from heiress to beloved royal is filled with glamour, romance, and interesting life choices.
We will explore her family life and entrepreneurial successes blending modern living with old-style traditions.
Table of Contents: Early Life / Meeting Royalty and Marriage / Family and Children / Entrepreneurship and Fashion / Modern Etiquette / A Queen Without a Throne / Did you know?
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Early Life
Marie-Chantal was born on September 17th, 1968 in London, the daughter of American billionaire Robert Warren Miller and Ecuadorian-born María Clara Pesantes Becerra.
Robert Warren Miller was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1933. A visionary entrepreneur, Miller co-founded Duty-Free Shoppers (DFS) in 1960, alongside business partner Chuck Feeney.
Their groundbreaking concept was simple yet ingenious: to provide international travelers with luxurious, easy to store, goods —perfumes, liquors, fashion, and jewelry— free from taxes and duties within Airport premises.
Starting modestly in Hong Kong, the DFS empire rapidly expanded to airports and other locations worldwide, revolutionizing travel retail and creating immense wealth and prominence for the Miller family.
Marie-Chantal attended prestigious schools, including the Peak School in Hong Kong and, later, Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland, famous for educating royals and aristocrats.
Later, in 1982, she transferred to the Ecole Active Bilingue in Paris until her senior year which she took at New York Academy of Art (where she interned with Andy Warhol and was in the same class as Jean-Michel Basquiat, who, famously, did not attend a single lesson).
After high school, she began a degree in History of Art at the New York University.
Meeting Royalty and Marriage
Marie-Chantal’s life took a fairy-tale turn when she met Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece in 1992.
Alecko Papamarkou, a banker who was a friend of both Robert Miller and Constantine of Greece, connected the dots when he realized that his clients’ two children would be perfect for each other.
When Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos decided to throw an unforgettable birthday party for his son Philip in New Orleans in 1992, Papamarkou set up a blind date between Marie-Chantal and Pavlos. That same year, her sister Pia had already married Christopher Getty, grandson of oil magnate Jean Paul Getty, in Bali.
Pavlos was instantly struck and, after a whirlwind courtship, proposed to her on a ski-lift in Gstaad, Switzerland, during the Christmas holidays of 1994.
After Pavlos proposed to her, Marie-Chantal dropped from her History of Art degree and then converted from Roman Catholicism —the faith of her upbringing— to Greek Orthodoxy.
The couple married in one of the most glamorous and lavish weddings of the decade on July 1st, 1995, in London.
St. Sophia’s Cathedral hosted an unforgettable royal event, attended by dignitaries, royals, and celebrities alike. Although Constantine II had been deposed in 1974 and the Greek monarchy, once abolished, showed no signs of revival in Greece, no one wanted to miss the event.
Her Valentino wedding gown remains iconic: the Italian fashion designer crafted a pearl-encrusted dress with a train over four meters long, costing around USD 225,000 and requiring four months of work by expert seamstresses.
Valentino’s Roman Atelier was also commissioned to design the dresses of Marie-Chantal’s mother María Clara and of the sisters Pia and Alexandra as well as those of Queen Sofia of Spain, Infanta Cristina, Princess Rosario of Bulgaria and Empress Farah Diba.
Family and Children
“Keeping a calm head is so important at all times but most importantly with family and kids. Kids learn through osmosis like plants and they will pick up on bad energy, so it is so important to keep the home a sanctuary of happiness.”
— Marie-Chantal
Marie-Chantal and Crown Prince Pavlos have built a beautiful family, raising five children together:
Princess Maria-Olympia (born July 25th, 1996), a prominent fashion influencer and socialite.
Prince Constantine-Alexios (born October 29th, 1998), second in line to the former Greek throne.
Prince Achileas-Andreas (born August 12th, 2000), known for his charming social media presence.
Prince Odysseas-Kimon (born September 17th, 2004), sharing his birthday with his mother.
Prince Aristidis-Stavros (born June 29th, 2008), the youngest son of the couple.
The family splits their time between residences in London, New York City, and various Greek islands.
Entrepreneurship and Fashion
Marie-Chantal is also a savvy entrepreneur.
Fashion was somewhat of a family affair as her younger sister Alexandra married in 1995 Prince Alexander von Fürstenberg (son of designer Diane and Egon, also a designer, son of Tassilo von Fürstenberg and Clara Agnelli, sister of Gianni Agnelli “l’Avvocato”).
“I wanted to work and start something on my own and I noticed there weren’t many children’s wear brands at the time that offered a one stop shop.”
— Marie-Chantal
Marie-Chantal passion for fashion and children’s wear inspired her to launch her luxury clothing line, “Marie-Chantal,” in 2000. The brand quickly became synonymous with chic and stylish children’s clothing, beloved by celebrities and royals alike.
Marie-Chantal dresses have obviously won over other royals and many other famous families: just to name a few, Prince George and Princess Estelle of Sweden are among those who have worn the brand’s clothes and in July 2015 Nicky Hilton’s little bridesmaids were dressed in Marie-Chantal.
Her collections are sold all over the world and the Marie-Chantal brand has opened up to collaborations such as the one with Marks & Spencer in 2016 and the one with Silver Cross prams.
“The brand is my sixth child.”
— Marie-Chantal
Modern Etiquette
In 2020, Marie-Chantal published a practical etiquette book titled “Manners Begin at Breakfast: Modern Etiquette for Families.” The book became a modern reference for parents looking to instill good manners and elegance in everyday life, cleverly blending tradition with contemporary practicality.
A Queen Without a Throne
Marie-Chantal of Greece is destined to remain a princess forever, since after the death of Constantine II of Greece, her husband Pavlos is only the “pretender” to a throne that no longer exists.
Despite this, she is a very active “royal” in terms of commitments such as royal weddings, jubilees, coronations and even funerals but at the same time, not being a royal to the full extent, she can also focus on her work and continue with her life as a socialite heiress (she is one of the richest women on earth according to the Sunday Times Rich List).
—Alberto @
Did you know?
Alecko Papamarkou, the banker who organised the “blind date” in New Orleans between Marie-Chantal and Pavlos of Greece was not invited to their wedding in London because, apparently, he dared to ask the payment of a “success fee” to King Constantine of Greece.
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