Princess Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies makes a statement in a VERY big headpiece as she continues St Tropez trip with sister Princess Chiara... who's rumoured to be dating Danish future King

Her sister is rumoured to be dating Denmark's future King, Prince Christian - but it appears the speculation hasn't put a dampener on Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies' summer holiday. 

The Italian heiress, 20, took to Instagram yesterday to offer her 116,000 followers a glimpse of her lavish Saint-Tropez getaway.

Putting on a flirtatious display in the collection of snaps, Carolina opted for a plunging cream bikini, teamed with an elegant array of golden necklaces.

However, it was her statement headpiece that commanded the most attention, with the heiress wearing a huge straw hat while lounging by the sea.

Carolina's equally glamorous sister Chiara, 18, is thought to be dating Prince Christian, the 17-year-old heir to the Danish throne. 

Her sister is rumoured to be dating Denmark's future King, Prince Christian - but it appears the speculation hasn't put a dampener on Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies' (pictured) summer holiday

The sisters are daughters to Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro - who holds a claim to the now defunct throne of the former House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies - and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro. 

They have been spending much of August in France, enjoying gettogethers with several royals, including the children of Prince Laurent of Belgium and British-born Princess Claire, as well as Jean-Christophe Napoleon, the great-great-great nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte I, Emperor of France.

Sharing a selection of snaps from her time by the waves, Carolina wrote: 'POV: When you want to be in the shade but also want to swim in the sea… so you end up buying a HUGE hat to do both.'

Chiara, alongside her sister, have been staying in the French Riviera including at the Chateau de la Messardiere where prices can cost as much as £3,000 a night. 

Their father Prince Carlo holds a claim to the now defunct throne of the former House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the Spanish royal family, which descends from the Capetian Dynasty and ruled over Southern Italy and Sicily during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Meanwhile, their mother, Duchess Camilla, born Crociani, is the daughter of Italian industry Tycoon Camillo Crociani and the actress Edy Vessel.  

Chiara has courted attention recently after hinting at a relationship with Prince Christian, the future King of Denmark. 

'We've known each other since we were little, my father Carlo is godfather to his younger sister,' she recently told Italian paper Corriere. 

The Italian heiress, 20, took to Instagram yesterday to offer her 116,000 followers a glimpse of her lavish Saint-Tropez getaway

Putting on a flirtatious display in the collection of snaps, Carolina opted for a plunging cream bikini, teamed with an elegant array of golden necklaces

Carolina pictured (left) drawing a heart in the sand, before posting a photo of her artwork (pictured right)

While Chiara likes to appear in the public eye, it seems Prince Christian has kept his private life quiet and has said he won't take a royal pension when he turns 18.

He will only take money from the royal grant if his father ascends the throne, and will remain limited in his royal duties until he turns 21. 

Chasing the spotlight - and bragging about their connections - is perhaps unsurprising given the showbusiness past of Chiara's family.

Chiara won't inherit the titles but says she has 'the same responsibility to continue the history of my royal family'.

She added: 'I feel the link with the land where the Bourbons reigned. I've just been with my parents in Hungary, an official trip, and I'm learning the sense of role. 

However, it was her statement headpiece that commanded the most attention, with the heiress wearing a huge straw hat while lounging by the sea

Carolina's (pictured) equally glamorous sister Chiara, 18, is thought to be dating Prince Christian, the 17-year-old heir to the Danish throne

Chiara has courted attention recently after hinting at a relationship with Prince Christian, the future King of Denmark (pictured together in Monaco) 

'I understood that Royal Highness perhaps means being worthy, not disappointing those who look at you. It's a responsibility.' 

While the Danish royal family is yet to comment on the rumours, Chiara is not afraid to flex her connections.

'The Bourbon family is related to almost all the royal families or former rulers of Europe, it's a kind of big club,' she said.

'King Felipe VI of Spain, he is my father's cousin and I am very close to the heir, Leonor, who, like me, loves sports and in particular women's football.

'Then the Belgian royals were often our guests in the summer in Saint-Tropez…  and one of my best friends is Alexandra of Hanover, Caroline of Monaco's youngest daughter.'

Who are the ancient royal family of Bourbon-Two Sicilies? 

The last King of Two Sicilies was Francis II, who was overthrown in 1860 and spent the remainder of his life in exile

The Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies - or Bourbon des Deux Siciles - is an ancient branch of the Spanish royal family which ruled parts of southern Italy for more than 100 years from 1734 to 1861. Its descendants still carry the name today, some 150 years later.

The line descends from Philippe de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France (1638–1715), who established the Bourbon dynasty in Spain in 1700 as Philip V (1683–1746). 

In 1759 King Philip's younger grandson was granted the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, becoming Ferdinand IV and III (1751–1825), respectively, of those realms. His descendants occupied the joint throne (renamed 'Kingdom of the Two Sicilies' in 1816) until 1860. 

The family, then led by Francis II, was overthrown in 1860 by Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi, who proclaimed a dictatorship on behalf of Victor Emmanuel II, the the King of Piedmont-Sardinia and later King of Italy. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Kingdom of Sardinia were merged into the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.

The deposed Francis II and his wife spent time in Rome as guests of the Pope where they ran a government in exile. They left the city before it was occupied by the Italians in 1870. 

They led a wandering life from then on, living in Austria, France, and Bavaria. 

Francis II died in 1894 and was succeeded by his half-brother, Prince Alfonso, who was in turn succeeded by his son, Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Calabria.  

Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, 57 and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, 49 with their daughters Princess Maria Carolina, 17 and Maria Chiara Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 15

The succession has been disputed since Ferdinand's death in 1960. Both his nephew Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, and brother Prince Ranieri, pictured, laid claim to the throne. This feud continues between their descendants today

The succession has been disputed since Ferdinand's death in 1960 because he had six daughters and no sons to carry the family line. 

Both his nephew Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, and brother Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro, laid claim to the throne. This feud continues between their descendants today. 

Chiara and Carolina are the daughters of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, grandson of Prince Ranieri. The claimant on the other side of the family is Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria, grandson of Infante Alfonso.    

Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, grandson of Prince Ranieri, and his wife Camilla

Prince Carlo, who only has two daughters, has overturned centuries of male primogeniture and has stated his title will pass to his eldest daughter, Carolina. 

Prince Carlo married his wife Camilla, daughter of Italian film star Edoarda Crociani, better known as Edy Vessel, in 1998 at Monte Carlo cathedral. Camilla's sister Cristina revealed their mother was obsessed with her daughters marrying princes.  

As Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Carlo holds many honours, including Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Saint Januarius, of the Two Sicilian Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit. 

Today Carlo and Camilla are 'very active in promoting the cultural, artistic, historical, and spiritual identity of southern Italy,' according to their official website. They split their time between homes in Monte Carlo and Paris.      

Camilla is also active in charity work and gives her time to the Red Cross and UNICEF, as well as the Association Monaco Against Autism, Amitié sans Frontières et la Princess Grace of Monaco Foundation.

She campaigns against animal cruelty and is in charge of her own non-profit organisation, the Camilla of Bourbon Charitable Foundation, which works with the government in Mauritius to preserve its wildlife and promote sustainable development.

The family posing for pictures at the Influencer Awards in Monaco in 2019, with Chiara in a pink gown, Camilla in a grey number and Carolina in a rose gold dress