Princess Carina of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Carina, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born Carina Axelsson; August 5 1968) is an America author and former model, best known for the teen fashion detective series Model Undercover. Her other series are the Nigel of Hyde Park books and the Royal Rebel books. As a model, she appeared on the covers of Madame Figaro, Elle, and Vogue Patters in the 1990s. She is the wife of Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

Biography and Career-Personal Life

Carina Axelsson was born on August 5 1968 in Northern California, United States, to Bertil and Alicia Axelsson. She has a brother Erik and a sister Liselotte. Her father was an electronic engineer and was born in Sweden, and her mother is Mexican. After growing up in California, Axelsson moved to New York to pursue a career in fashion modelling.

On June 3 2022 she married civilly the German-Danish aristocrat Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Bereburg, thus becoming the Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, after dating for 19 years. They married religiously the following day in Bad Berleburg. They live at Schloss Berleburg in Germany with their four dogs. They were unable to marry earlier due to a clause in Gustav's grandfather's will preventing him inheriting family property if he partakes in an unequal marriage (meaning with a commoner). Nonetheless, she was treated by the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg House as his official partner and accompanied him to family events.

Axelsson is good friends with Prince Joachim of Denmark, the son Margrethe II of Denmark, and Joachim's second wife Princess Marie of Denmark. Axelsson is godmother to their daughter Princess Athena. Axelsson married into the Danish royal family, as her husband is Danish Princess Benedikte's first child.

Career

Axelsson modeled for a number of notable magazines. She appeared in the August and September 1991 editions of the American version of vogue, shot by photographers Robert Diadul in August and Angel Morale in September. In the December 1992 edition Vogue Italia, she had a 10-page spread styled as Bianca Jagger, shot by German photographer Ellen von Unwerth. She appeared in Vogue Italia in later editions as well, including February 1993, again shot by von Unwerth, and in 1995. She appeared on the July 1993 cover of French magazine Madame Figaro, the September 1993 of the German edition of Elle magazine, followed by the January/February 1994 edition of Vogue Patters magazine.

From New York, Axelsson moved to Paris, where she studied art and wrote and illustrated her first book, a picture book for children (Nigel of Hyde Park, 2004 Assouline). Axelsson continued in fashion with a short stint working as PA to fashion designer John Galliano. Her experiences in fashion-along with a love of Scooby-Doo and Agatha Christie-inspired her to write the Model Undercover book series. Axelsson announced the series in a 2014 article for The Children's Book Review, and the book was released that year. Clare O'Beara of Fresh Fiction stated "her mystery series is a winner as far as I'm concerned."

Published Works

Nigel of Hyde Park Series

-Nigel of Hyde Park. Assouline 2004

-Nigel von Hyde Park. Knesebeck. 2005

Title

August 5 1968-June 3 2022: Miss Carina Axelsson

3 June 2020-present Her Highness Princess Carina of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

House: Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (by marriage)

(https://en.wikipedia.org)