AT THEIR ITALIAN COUNTRYSIDE RETREAT

WELCOME US TO THEIR HOME – A FORMER MONASTERY NEAR VERONA

Prince Alexander and Princess Astrid (together inset above left) set out to explore the grounds of their vast home (main photo) overlooking Italy’s Lake Garda and situated in 75 acres of parkland (left), with stables, an olive grove and a vineyard

What the tiny Alpine state of Liechtenstein lacksin size, it more than makes up for in talent – especially for business and finance. And its royal dynasty is at the heart of that success.

Prince Hans-Adam II heads not only the reigning family, but also LGT, the country’s largest bank. His nephew, Prince Alexander, and Alexander’s wife, German-born Princess Astrid, are an entrepreneurial force in their own right, with interests in technology, pharmaceuticals and furnishings.

‘I was a bit scared of how big the villa was so I asked my parents to live here with me. They stayed for 12 years’

Princess Astrid

Under the banner Crown Designs, Astrid creates luxury interiors for boutiques, hotels and residences, deploying skills that are also much in evidence in the couple’s very own splendid home in Italy. A 1,000-year-old former Benedictine monastery near Verona, it is set in a huge park filled with ancient trees, in the hills overlooking Lake Garda.