HRH Princess Michael of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family with noble German and Hungarian heritage, as well as roots tying her to noble families going back for hundreds of years. After a brief and unhappy marriage to a British banker she married Prince Michael of Kent and became first cousin to the Queen through marriage. Although she does not perform royal duties or receive public money, she and her husband represent the queen at social events, and their two children are in the line of succession to the throne. Princess Michael has worked as consultant for fine art galleries as well as running her own interior design firm, and is also a best-selling author of five books, both novels and non-fiction. Her royal lineage and somewhat grandiose claims of her heritage have attracted a lot of media attention, and she is sometimes criticized for her flamboyant social gaffs and outspoken opinions. As a prominent member of a waning aristocracy, she is often the subject of controversy in her own country and seen as a representation of an out of touch monarchy. Despite occasional negative media coverage she is also well known for her charitable activities and her reputation as an author and historian