'The Bachelor': A prince of a guy

By Rick Porter

September 29, 2006 4:20 PM

First things first: Yes, new Bachelor Lorenzo Borghese is, in fact, a prince. And no, he doesn't have a castle.

The "Prince" in front of his name is there because his family tree includes Pope Paul V (Camillo Borghese), who was head of the Catholic Church from 1605-21. As Borghese explains it, "The pope at that time was like the king. He was one of the most powerful people in the world, and he had the authority and the right to give out titles. So he gave the Borghese family prince titles."

As for what that means to him today, "It's just a title out of respect and tradition. We don't have any say in the politics of Italy." (His family name, however, is still pretty prominent in Rome, as early scenes in Monday's Bachelor premiere point out.)

The 34-year-old has lived most of his life in the United States, and says he speaks only "menu Italian." He's a partner in his family's cosmetics business, and he's also the founder of Royal Treatment Pet Spa, which makes cosmetic products for pets.

Several of the women on this edition of The Bachelor are giddy at the fairy-tale possibility of meeting and possibly marrying a prince (and Borghese says he did find love on the show), but Borghese insists he's just a regular guy. His princely lifestyle includes "watching football on Sunday, ordering pizza, going to the beach when it's nice."

"I mean, I work Monday to Friday, so it's not like I'm just hanging out and going to these great parties," he says. "I have a job, I live in New York City. ... I can only describe it this way: Whoever you dated in the past, I'm like that person. There's no difference just because I have a title in front of my name."

Borghese is the ninth Bachelor to look for love in front of ABC's cameras, and he's aware of the show's spotty relationship record. Nonetheless, he's upbeat about his experience, even though he got a few odd proposals soon after he was announced as this season's guy.

"They announced me before the show started filming, and I guess that's when they started to get a bunch of applications. I got some very strange e-mails before I changed my address about how these girls wanted to marry me," he says. "They don't even know me, you know?

"But I think the casting group involved in the show did a really good job. They have a pretty good idea of my personality and what I'm looking for, so I think they weeded out most, if not all, the people who would be there for the wrong reasons."

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