For centuries, the concept of royalty has been synonymous with tradition, duty, and a life meticulously crafted by lineage and expectation. Yet, in an increasingly modern world, even those born into the most gilded cages have yearned for something different—a life defined by personal choice, unburdened by ancient protocols, and often, by love. America, a nation founded on the very principle of rejecting monarchy, has, paradoxically, become a haven for these royal rebels. It’s a land where princes and princesses, once bound by their crowns, have found the freedom to forge their own paths, to embrace human interest stories that captivate us all, and in many cases, to quietly, but decisively, ‘divorce’ their old lives in pursuit of new beginnings.
Indeed, the allure of the United States has always been strong for those seeking to escape the strictures of royal existence. From early European royals fleeing political opponents or simply seeking adventure, to those whose very monarchies have been abolished, America has offered a unique blend of anonymity and opportunity. This nation’s founding alone might suggest an inherent anti-monarchical sentiment, yet its shores have welcomed countless princes and princesses over the years, many of whom have made the difficult, yet ultimately freeing, decision to leave their inherited worlds behind.
In this deeply human exploration, we delve into the lives of royal family members whose marital choices, profound relationships, or the ensuing family dynamics have driven them across the Atlantic to the US. These aren’t always stories of legal divorce, but rather of a more profound separation – a ‘divorce’ from the expectations, titles, and public lives they once knew, all for the sake of love, independence, and the pursuit of a more ordinary, albeit often still extraordinary, existence. Their journeys offer a fascinating glimpse into the human heart’s capacity to choose happiness over hereditary grandeur.
1. **Jérôme Bonaparte: The American Love Story Napoleon Tried to Annul**
The story of Jérôme Bonaparte, younger brother of the famed Emperor Napoleon, is a vivid testament to the power of love defying imperial decree, and how one royal’s audacious marital choice inadvertently laid the groundwork for an enduring American legacy. In 1803, at the tender age of 20, Jérôme ventured beyond France’s shores and, in a move that would send ripples across continents, married wealthy 18-year-old Baltimore socialite Elizabeth Patterson. The couple, by all accounts, was over the moon, and Elizabeth soon became pregnant with their son, seemingly destined for a life together.
However, this transatlantic romance was not to Napoleon’s liking. His elder brother, notoriously controlling of family affairs, was having none of it. He swiftly ordered Jérôme to return to France and, with a chilling display of authority, demanded he annul his marriage. To further assert his will, Napoleon even barred Elizabeth, now a pregnant wife, from entering French-controlled Europe. Despite Jérôme’s initial pleas and evident love for Elizabeth, he ultimately relented under the immense pressure, fearing the loss of his titles and standing within the formidable Bonaparte dynasty.
Yet, the saga of their separation was far from simple. A legal annulment proved elusive, with the Pope himself refusing to grant Napoleon’s request. Undeterred, the Emperor declared the marriage null by his own authority, effectively forcing a separation that, in all but legal ceremony, severed Jérôme’s bond with Elizabeth. He was then married off to German princess Catharina von Württemberg, a union dictated by political expediency rather than affection. This dramatic intervention marked the end of Jérôme’s short-lived American chapter as a married man, but it was just the beginning of the American Bonapartes.
Elizabeth Patterson, a woman of remarkable resolve, would not be easily dismissed. She had given birth to their U.S. citizen son, Jérôme Napoleon Bonaparte, in 1805. Despite her estranged husband’s later offers of land and titles in Westphalia if she would accept the role of his “other” woman, Elizabeth steadfastly refused, insisting on nothing less than being his rightful wife and queen. When this could not materialize, she bravely returned to Baltimore, raising their son as an American, ensuring that the legacy of her royal, albeit annulled, marriage lived on.
Their son, Jérôme Napoleon Bonaparte II, went on to attend West Point and served with distinction in the French army, eventually settling in Washington, D.C. His grandson even served as Teddy Roosevelt’s attorney general, cementing the presence of American Bonapartes and preventing them from disappearing into obscurity. This unusual tale of a royal marriage forcibly dissolved, leading to a distinguished American lineage, highlights a unique instance where a royal family member’s marital journey profoundly shaped destinies on both sides of the Atlantic, quietly embedding a royal branch within the fabric of American society, almost as if ‘divorced’ from their European roots.
2. **Princess Mako of Japan: Love’s Sacrifice for an Ordinary American Life**
In 2021, the world watched as Princess Mako, a beloved member of Japan’s imperial family, made a choice that epitomized a quiet yet profound ‘divorce’ from royal life for the sake of love and personal freedom. Her decision to marry her “commoner” husband, Kei Komuro, meant leaving behind everything she had ever known—her title, an official imperial wedding, and even her significant inheritance. It was a move driven by a deep conviction, underscoring the universal human desire for genuine connection over gilded obligation.
Their courtship began in 2012 when they met at a restaurant while both were studying overseas. Initially, their union received the blessing of both the palace and the public, signaling a hopeful, modern path for the imperial family. However, this approval quickly soured when Komuro became embroiled in embarrassing family financial drama. The media storm that ensued in Japan was relentless, turning what should have been a joyful engagement into a national controversy and a source of intense public scrutiny.
Unwilling to abandon the man she loved, Princess Mako stood firm in her resolve. She chose to relinquish her imperial status, opting for a scaled-back ceremony that reflected her determination. During the ceremony, Mako reiterated her unwavering commitment, stating, “Kei is irreplaceable for me. For us, marriage is a necessary choice to live while cherishing our hearts.” This powerful declaration underscored the personal cost of her decision, a deliberate shedding of her royal identity for the pursuit of a shared, ordinary future.
Following their marriage, the couple sought refuge and anonymity far from the relentless Japanese media. They moved to New York City, desperate for distance and the chance to live what they hoped would be a more normal life. In the bustling anonymity of the US, Kei Komuro now works for a prominent law firm, while the former princess interns at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, embracing a life far removed from palace duties and public engagements. This transition symbolizes a complete ‘divorce’ from her royal past, enabling her to forge an identity on her own terms.
By all accounts, Princess Mako and Kei Komuro genuinely lead a fairly typical life in America. The American press, largely unconcerned with their imperial lineage, has afforded them the privacy they craved, a stark contrast to the intense scrutiny they faced in Japan. While paparazzi occasionally capture images of the pair walking the streets of their new hometown, these moments are fleeting and infrequent, confirming that their gamble on love and a quieter American existence has, for the most part, paid off. They found their peace and their ‘normal’ life, albeit in a country thousands of miles from the royal traditions they left behind.
3. **Princess Martha Louise of Norway: Trading Crowns for Consciousness in California**
Princess Martha Louise of Norway provides another fascinating example of a royal who chose to ‘divorce’ her traditional duties and ancestral home for a life driven by love and spiritual connection in the United States. In 2021, mirroring Princess Mako’s decision to embrace a new path for love, Martha Louise took the monumental step of leaving her European palace and royal obligations. Her destination? Los Angeles, where she sought happiness with a shaman and healer named Durek Verrett.
The couple’s relationship, which began in 2019 and quickly led to an engagement, immediately sparked controversy. Concerns arose almost universally that the princess’s title and royal connections were being utilized for commercial gain, particularly in ventures such as their European speaking tour, provocatively titled “The Princess and the Shaman.” The blurring of lines between royal status and personal enterprise created an uncomfortable spotlight on the Norwegian royal household and raised questions about the appropriate use of her inherited position.
Faced with these public and familial pressures, Princess Martha Louise made a difficult but resolute choice. She essentially gave up her role as a working member of the royal family, a decision that a representative told CBS News was seen as the best way to “create peace around the royal household.” This formal stepping back from her royal obligations was a significant act of self-determination, a symbolic ‘divorce’ from the public duties and expectations that had shaped her life from birth, granting her the freedom to pursue her chosen path without further compromising the monarchy.
Freed from the constraints of her royal obligations, the princess felt the time was right to join her fiancé stateside. Now, along with her two younger daughters, she lives somewhere in the vibrant, sprawling city of Los Angeles. This move signifies a complete immersion into her new life, where personal fulfillment and spiritual pursuits take precedence over state functions. Her relocation to America underscores a growing trend among royals to prioritize individual happiness and well-being over the rigid demands of their birthright.
In their new American life, Shaman Durek continues his work as a spiritual guide and healer, maintaining close ties with many of his well-known celebrity clients, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Nina Dobrev. Princess Martha Louise, meanwhile, embraces her life in California, away from the constant scrutiny of European royal reporting. Her journey is a powerful narrative of a royal’s deeply personal choice to ‘divorce’ from a life of inherited duty, seeking instead a path aligned with her heart and spirit, finding a new sense of belonging and purpose in the diverse landscape of the United States.
4. **Prince Amadeo: Sacrificing a Throne for an Independent American Chapter**
Not all royals who venture across the Atlantic are princesses. Prince Amadeo of Belgium provides a compelling narrative, demonstrating that even those positioned intimately close to the throne can choose a profoundly different path. As the sixth in line to the Belgian throne at the time of his engagement, Amadeo had a future meticulously planned by royal tradition. His chosen fiancée, Elisabetta Maria Rostock von Wollenstein, an Italian aristocrat, was deemed a politically suitable match. Yet, despite these seemingly perfect alignments, the young prince made a choice that would drastically alter his destiny, effectively ‘divorcing’ him from his inherited position.
For reasons that have never been fully explained to the public, Prince Amadeo decided not to obtain the requisite royal decree for his marriage from his uncle, King Philippe. This seemingly bureaucratic oversight carried immense weight within the Belgian monarchy. The direct and irrevocable consequence of this decision was the forfeiture of his right of succession, a powerful statement of prioritizing personal autonomy over royal duty. After tying the knot in a ceremony in Rome, the newly wed couple, now royal only in name, made a decisive move across the ocean, eager to begin a new life far from the formal strictures of European palaces.
New York City became their chosen sanctuary, a vibrant metropolis where they could pursue what The Daily Mail aptly described as “an independent life… free of any official role.” This bustling anonymity allowed Prince Amadeo to carve out a career entirely separate from royal engagements. As of 2011, he was reportedly working as an analyst at Deloitte, embracing a professional life akin to any other highly educated New Yorker. His preference for a quiet profile in the years since has further underscored his commitment to this independent existence.
Indeed, details about his current job or precise residence remain scarce, a testament to his successful integration into American life and his clear desire for privacy. Without constant public updates, the world is left to imagine Prince Amadeo and his wife living a happy, ordinary life, blending seamlessly with the myriad of New Yorkers who arrive from all corners of the globe, each carrying their own fascinating, untold backstories. His journey illustrates a powerful and deliberate separation from royal formality, choosing the quiet dignity of a self-made life in America over the grandeur of a throne.
5. **Prince Harry: Forging a New American Home Amidst Royal Discord**
Perhaps the most globally recognized example of a royal who quietly, yet dramatically, ‘divorced’ his ancestral life for America is Prince Harry, Duke of Sus. In a move that captivated headlines worldwide, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, officially relocated to California in March 2020. Their decision came after stepping back as senior working members of the UK’s royal family, a cross-continental shift that, from an outsider’s perspective, appeared sudden and steeped in drama. Initially, without a home of their own, they spent several months finding their footing in the Los Angeles-area mansion of actor and producer Tyler Perry.
Eventually, the couple found their permanent sanctuary, purchasing a magnificent $14 million, nine-bedroom mansion in Santa Barbara, California. This secondary move, according to a source who spoke to People magazine, was the pivotal moment that allowed the family to truly feel settled and confident in the momentous decision they had made for their future. Prince Harry himself has publicly affirmed his connection to his new home, telling Hoda Kotb in an interview on Today, “Home for me now, at the time being, is in the states. It really feels that way. We’ve been welcomed with open arms, and have such a great community up in Santa Barbara.” He expressed that it didn’t feel strange to consider America home, especially with his entire nuclear family by his side, despite having spent the bulk of his life in the UK.
However, this pursuit of a new life has come amidst undeniable strain with his family, the Windsors, a relationship long impacted by events following his marriage to American socialite Meghan Markle. In an interview with James Corden, the prince highlighted how media portrayals, often printing untrue or grossly exaggerated stories, significantly worsened the issues between him and his relatives. Yet, even through these challenges, he fondly recalled that when Queen Elizabeth II was alive, she continued to send presents to her grandchildren and ensured they were cared for as family members, painting a more nuanced picture than some sensationalized reports.
Controversies, including allegations of a fallout over Meghan’s race that surfaced during their interview with Oprah Winfrey, further complicated their departure. Despite the tumultuous transition, the couple has retained their titles as Duke and Duchess of Sus, signaling a blend of their past and present identities. While Prince Harry did attend his father King Charles III’s coronation in 2023, and expressed a desire for reconciliation in May 2025, he has also firmly ruled out moving his family back to the U.K., emphasizing his commitment to their life in America.
Prince Harry continues to embrace public life in ways that align with his new independence, exemplified by his appearance at the Invictus Games in Vancouver in February. There, he was spotted alongside Prince Joachim of Denmark and Princess Marie, cheering on Danish athletes and participating in various events and receptions. His journey reflects a profound and intentional ‘divorce’ from the traditional royal path, not to escape duty entirely, but to redefine it on his own terms, creating a home and a future in the United States where his family’s well-being and personal peace take precedence.
6. **Prince Joachim of Denmark: A New Diplomatic Chapter in Washington D.C.**
Prince Joachim of Denmark, along with his family, represents one of the newest chapters in the story of royals seeking a new life in the United States. His relocation in September 2023 was not merely a change of scenery but the culmination of significant familial tensions, often likened to the “heir-and-spare drama” that has famously affected other European royal houses. According to The New York Post, strains within the Danish royal family had simmered for several years, but the situation dramatically escalated in early 2023 when Queen Margrethe II made the profound decision to strip all of Prince Joachim’s children of their royal titles.
The official explanation from the palace cited a desire to streamline the monarchy and adapt it to modern times, a justification echoed by other European royal families undertaking similar modernizations. However, this move, delivered with little prior warning, was deeply hurtful to the prince and his children. Feeling the need for distance from his “offending family,” Prince Joachim, his wife Princess Marie, and their two younger children, Count Henrik and Countess Athena, made the momentous decision to move across the Atlantic to Washington D.C., seeking a fresh start and a reprieve from the intense familial scrutiny.
In the American capital, Prince Joachim has embraced a new role as a defense attaché at the Danish embassy. While this position is officially unpaid, the Danish palace has committed to continuing his royal stipend, providing him with approximately $48,000 US a month. This financial support, combined with his diplomatic responsibilities, ensures a lifestyle befitting a royal, even as he undertakes significant duties. His work is far from ceremonial; it involves serving as a crucial liaison between the Danish government and military on one hand, and the U.S. military and defense industry on the other, promoting vital transatlantic military cooperation. Given Denmark’s status as a NATO member since 1949, the timing of his move, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, suggests a strategic purpose rooted in critical geopolitical developments.
The move to Washington D.C. has also meant a new educational chapter for the younger members of his family. Count Henrik, 15, and Countess Athena, 13, are now enrolled in schools in the American capital, immersing themselves in a new cultural and academic environment. This contrasts with his older sons from a previous marriage, Count Nikolai, 25, and Count Felix, 22, who are forging their own careers and lives in Denmark, with Nikolai having graduated from Copenhagen Business School and developing a modeling career. Despite their new American residence, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie frequently travel back to Denmark, maintaining strong ties with their extended family.
Demonstrating that even in their new roles, royal connections endure, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie were recently spotted with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in Vancouver in February. They actively cheered on Danish athletes and participated in various events, underscoring their continued commitment to causes and international engagements. Prince Joachim’s journey exemplifies a pragmatic yet deeply personal ‘divorce’ from the immediate pressures of his birthright, finding a meaningful and influential role that bridges his royal heritage with an independent, purposeful life in the United States, allowing his family a unique blend of privacy and continued service.
From the audacious defiance of Emperor Napoleon’s brother to the quiet sacrifices of modern-day princesses and princes, the narratives of these royal family members who have found a second home in the United States are as diverse as they are compelling. Each story, in its own unique way, underscores a profound human desire to reconcile duty with personal happiness, tradition with individual choice. America, with its promise of anonymity and opportunity, has offered a remarkable canvas for these royals to redefine their lives, marry for love, pursue careers unburdened by crowns, and ultimately, find a form of peace and belonging that their birthright could not always provide. They may have ‘divorced’ their traditional royal existence, but in doing so, they have married themselves to a future of their own making, proving that even the most gilded paths can lead to a quiet, yet extraordinary, American dream.
