Princess Cece

**Cece** (Full name: *Cecilia Elizabeth Makemakeikamakani*; born 31 March 1976) is a member of the Hawaiian royal family and the younger sibling of Kāwika II. Born into the House of Alohalani, she is the middle child and only daughter of Kāwika I and Queen Leialoha.

For most of her early life, Cece was the fourth-in-line for the Hawaiian throne, but became third-in-line following the death of her grandfather King Kamaka in 1995. She has since fallen to fourth-in-line, following the ascension of her elder brother and birth of her niece and nephews. After the birth of her niece in 2004, the National Assembly adopted absolute primogeniture and Cece subsequently became superior in the line of succession to her younger brother Prince Daniel.

In 2003, Cece married Russian real estate developer Vladimir Izmaylov. They have two children together: Kathleen, Duchess of Malakiko and Samuel, Duke of Waimea, who are the fifth and sixth-in-line for the throne, respectively. Outside of her life as a royal, Cece has established herself as a fashionable figure in Hawaiian media, appearing as a fashion icon, red carpet regular, and social media influencer.

## Early life

Princess Cecilia was born on 31 March 1976 at Kāhala Palace in Honolulu as the second child of Prince David and Princess Mae (later Kāwika I and Queen Leialoha). Her father was the eldest child of King Kamaka, while her mother was a professor at the University of Hawaii – Manoa before her marriage. She developed the nickname Cece in infancy, as her elder brother Prince David Oliver (later Kāwika II) could not pronounce *Cecilia* correctly as a two-year-old, and resorted to calling her "Cece".

Cece's elder brother Prince David Oliver was born two years before her, while her younger brother Prince Daniel was born seven years after her. Cece was raised in Kaʻaʻawa Palace, the traditional residence of the heir apparent, in Kaʻaʻawa. After beginning school in 1982, she began spending time with her grandparents in Honolulu, as travel from Kaʻaʻawa to Honolulu specifically for attending school became difficult.

### Education

Cece began her education in 1982 at Punahou School, a private coeducational school in Honolulu and the traditional school for all royal children in Hawaii. She began high school in 1990, where she was a cheerleader and an active member of the school's fashion club and choir. She graduated from Punahou School in 1994.

After her high school graduation, Cece moved to New York City in Atlantica to attend New York University. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in English literature in 1998. Cece then moved to London, England and received a master's degree in English literature from King's College London in 2000. She returned to Hawaii after graduating.

## Adulthood

For most of her young life, Cece was fourth-in-line for the Hawaiian throne behind her father Prince David and brothers Prince David Oliver and Prince Daniel. Due to the system of male-preference primogeniture, all females were immediately ranked below their male siblings in the line of succession regardless of date of birth; this put Cece below her younger brother Prince Daniel in the line of succession. In 1995, Cece's grandfather King Kamaka died, and her father ascended to the throne as Kāwika I. This resulted in Cece becoming third-in-line.

In 2004, the birth of her niece Princess Isabella brought changes in the line of succession. The National Assembly of Hawaii enacted a law that abolished male-preference primogeniture in favor of absolute primogeniture, allowing females to rank above their male siblings in the line of succession if they were born before them. The law was passed in order to secure Princess Isabella's place as the future heir to the throne, and was applied retroactively, allowing Cece to rank above her younger brother Prince Daniel for the first time in the line of succession. Following the ascension of her brother to the throne in 2009 and the births of her nephews Prince Jason and Prince Jackson, Cece has since fallen to fourth-in-line.

### Marriage

While living in London, England in 1999, Cece met Russian real estate developer Vladimir Izmaylov at a lounge. They soon began a romantic relationship, which was officially confirmed by the House of Alohalani later that year. After returning to Hawaii in 2000, Izmaylov moved from London to Honolulu to continue the relationship. Cece and Izmaylov became engaged on Christmas Eve of 2001, and later were married on 15 February 2003 in Honolulu. They had a traditional Russian Orthodox wedding ceremony in Moscow, Russia the following week for Izmaylov's family that could not travel to Honolulu for the official ceremony.

Cece gave birth to their first child, Kathleen, Duchess of Malakiko, on 27 July 2005. Their second child, Samuel, Duke of Waimea, was born on 22 January 2008. The family resides in Kanalu House on the grounds of Kāhala Palace in Honolulu. They also own an apartment in Moscow. Cece learned to speak fluent Russian after her marriage to Izmaylov, and is also fluent in English and Hawaiian like all Hawaiian royals.

## Titles

* **31 March 1976 – present:** *Her Royal Highness* Princess Cece