Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding draws closer every day, yet it still seems like something out of a Netflix movie: a “commoner” marrying a prince. Though Meghan is basically flawless and had the benefit of already being famous, if she can marry Harry, maybe the rest of us have a chance to bag a royal, too?
Though there’s not too many princes around still, the world isn’t too seriously lacking in single young royals. I’ve been known to Google “single aristocrats” a couple of times, and may have looked up “universities that have royal students” when I was deciding where to apply to university (unfortunately, most of them seem to be outside of North America). So I consider myself a bit of an expert on the subject.
This is definitely not a damsel in distress situation, though—I wouldn’t encourage marrying into a royal family to be anyone’s biggest goal. If Meghan Markle is showing us anything, it’s that you can be a smart, accomplished woman and also marry a prince; they’re not mutually exclusive. You can be a girl boss, have goals, and still Google lists of young royals sometimes. Everyone needs a backup plan, and marrying into a royal family is as good as any.
So, now that Harry is getting married, and Prince George is still far too young, who is there for you to Insta-stalk and figure out how you could “accidentally” meet somewhere? Don’t worry, I have some candidates for you to keep in mind …
1. Maharaja Padmanabh Singh
Though royal titles were abolished in India in 1972, royal families still hold unofficial titles throughout the country. 19-year-old Padmanabh serves as an unofficial maharaja in the state of Jaipur, and is the youngest to ever do so. He has said he wants to work to empower youth and promote gender equality. Gotta love a woke royal! Additionally, he is a godson of Prince Charles, so he’s got an in with the British royal family. In 2017, he escorted Reese Witherspoon’s daughter, Ava Phillippe, to Le Bal in Paris, and honestly, I’m not sure which one of them I’m more jealous of. His instagram is @pachojaipur—you’re welcome.
2. Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp
A nephew of Princess Diana’s, Louis has stayed out of the spotlight for the most part, and made few public appearances—probably for the best, as there’s far too many people who would follow his every move and try to meet him somewhere. The 23-year-old is currently attending the University of Edinburgh, though he probably doesn’t have to worry much about the job market—he’s set to inherit Althorp estate, an over 500-year-old, 90-room home with 13,000 acres of land. You know, just a regular estate, like everyone has!
3. Lord Settrington, Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox
If you’re into intellectuals, this 23-year-old student at Oxford University is a perfect match! If that isn’t enough, Charles is the future Duke of Richmond and heir to the Goodwood Estate. The Dukedom of Richmond holds three dukedoms and a French duchy. It’s chill, though—that’s just more than any other duke. The Goodwood Estate hosts multiple motorsport events and horse races throughout the year, so there’d never be a dull moment! Alas, if only Oxford had accepted me!
4. Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah of Jordan
Have you ever toured the United Nations building in New York? Well, Hussein has been there, too! He was the youngest person ever to chair a UN Security Council session. He also delivered a speech at the UN on behalf of his country, all before age 24! Jordan may be pretty far away, but don’t lose hope: he seems to have a keen interest in international relations (if you know what I mean *winks* ). He’s @alhusseinjo on Instagram, and with 1.2 million followers—he’s instafamous, too!
5. Prince Joachim of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este
Not only is Joachim a Prince and Archduke, he’s also a descendant of the Austrian, Italian, French, Belgian, Swedish, Danish, British, Portuguese, Spanish, and German royal families. Some people just have it all! The 26-year-old knows his finances, too, as he has a degree in international economics, management, and finance from Bocconi University in Milan. Considering the wealth of most royals, probably a good thing for him to know his way around! He’s kept a fairly low profile as an officer in the Belgian Navy, but if your dream first date involves going on a boat, look no further!
6. Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece and Denmark
Honestly, there’s not much information out there about Constantine-Alexios (he’s on the left in the photo). The 19-year-old started at Georgetown University last fall and, from his Instagram, he seems to like cars, tropical vacations, and spending time with his family (love a family man!). But I do know Greece is a lovely place for a wedding, probably even better when you’re marrying a Greek prince. He seems to be fairly active on Instagram (@alexiosgreece). Do princes respond to DMs?
7. Marius Borg Høiby
Though he’s not technically a prince (Marius is the son of the Crown Princess of Norway from before she married into the royal family), he still gets the benefits of being the son of a princess. Recently, he’s stepped away from royal duties, and is now living in LA; a lot closer than everyone else on this list, and flights to LA are cheap right now! 21-year-old Marius looks like a combination of Draco Malfoy and Chuck Bass—though I’m sure he’s less villainous—but it’s working for him. If you like LA scenery and cute rabbits, give his Instagram (@marius_borg) a follow!
8. Prince Mateen of Brunei
If you like adventure and aspire to the jet-setter life, you already have something in common with 26-year-old Prince Mateen: his Instagram (@tmski) frequently shows him on international trips. He’s a keen polo player, and represented Brunei at the South East Asian Games. With 11 siblings, family dinners would always be entertaining!
9. Arthur Chatto
The 19-year-old grandson of Princess Margaret has kept a pretty low profile, but has gained some media attention lately for his fondness for posting shirtless pictures on Instagram. (I’ll save you the time: it’s @artchatto.) He’s apparently a talented bagpipe player, and enjoys climbing mountains. He’s currently studying art history at the University of Edinburgh—art gallery dates, anyone?
That’s two for the University of Edinburgh—I may have figured out where to study abroad!
10. Ferdinand Habsburg
Though he’s not technically a royal—his grandfather, the former Archduke of Austria, had to give up their claim to the throne in 1961—his family is still related to the other royal families of Europe, and has considerable wealth. The 20-year-old is pursuing a career as a racecar driver, competing in Formula 3 and Grand Prix championships (keep up with him on Instagram at @fhabsburg62). Fun fact: his full name is Ferdinand Zvonimir Maria Balthus Keith Michael Otto Antal Bahnam Leonhard von Habsburg—that’d lengthen your wedding vows just a bit!
So keep on hustling, break some glass ceilings, and live your best life. But if you meet a royal along the way, there’s no shame in the marrying rich game.