France's far-right presidential hopeful Jordan Bardella is in a relationship with Italian socialite Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, according to celebrity magazine Paris Match.
In what has all the hallmarks of a staged scoop, this week's front page carries photographs of the couple taken recently on holiday in Corsica with the headline The idyll that no one expected.
Rumours of a love affair have been circulating since January when the pair were seen together at an event in Paris marking the 200th anniversary of Le Figaro newspaper.
The 30-year-old president of the Rassemblement National (RN) party has consistently deflected interview questions, saying that his private life was his last space of liberty. The Paris Match story suggests the decision has been taken to make the relationship official.
Bardella will run for the French presidency next year if a court rules in July that historic party leader Marine Le Pen is ineligible because of a conviction for misuse of EU parliamentary funds. Polls say either RN candidate would stand a good chance of winning.
Press commentators on Thursday emphasized the importance for Bardella to enter a presidential campaign with clarity about his personal life and who might accompany him as first lady. However, they also warned that the RN should address any possible resentment among poorer voters regarding their leader's connection with an ultra-rich aristocrat.
Princess Maria Carolina, also Duchess of Calabria and Palermo, is the 22-year-old daughter of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, one of two contenders for the leadership of the royal house of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The family lost their throne when Italy was unified, and her title has no legal standing in the Italian Republic.
Princess Maria Carolina is a distant descendant of France's Sun-King Louis XIV. She grew up in Rome, Monte Carlo, and Paris and is involved in cultural, social, and humanitarian initiatives reflecting her family's heritage. Fluent in six languages, she has over 350,000 social media followers and a keen interest in fashion.
With her father having abolished the Salic law, which allowed only male heirs, she is positioned to be the next head of her royal house.
Illustrating their public relationship, Paris Match released images of the couple walking hand in hand and exploring scenic locales, labelling them as a modern incarnation of courtly love. The contrast of Bardella's humble beginnings and Maria Carolina's aristocratic roots presents a compelling narrative for the media and public alike.
According to the magazine, the couple first met during the Grand Prix in Monaco in May last year, where Bardella was attending with his racing fan father.
Paris Match is owned by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, head of the LVMH luxury goods conglomerate.
