Bardella's princess photos signal presidential bid

Source: thetimes.com

TL;DR

• Jordan Bardella, National Rally chairman, featured in staged photos with Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies on Paris Match cover.
• The couple, aged 30 and 22, met at Monaco Grand Prix; images shot discreetly in Corsica to look candid.
• Photos signal Bardella's presidential ambitions as Le Pen faces corruption ban appeal.

The story at a glance

Photos of Jordan Bardella with Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies appeared on Paris Match, confirming their relationship and hinting at his plans to succeed Marine Le Pen as National Rally's candidate. The images, taken in Corsica, were staged but shot with a long lens to seem natural. This comes amid Le Pen's trial, with a verdict due in July that could bar her from running.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/jordan-bardella-picture-princess-national-rally-9967557zr)

Key points

• Bardella, from a working-class background, and the princess, from a family with €200 million fortune and elite ties, met in VIP seats at last year's Monaco Grand Prix.
• The shoot in Ajaccio, Corsica, featured Bardella in conservative tie and navy jumper; advisers view her as an asset for older conservative voters.
• Princess supports European heritage and opposes erasure of French and European identity but avoids party politics.
• Le Pen is official candidate but may step aside if her five-year ban from corruption case holds on appeal.
• Party officials call the romance a plus for working-class appeal, countering left-wing claims it hurts his populist image.
• Echoes past political photo ops, like de Gaulle in 1954 and Macron in 2016 by Paris Match before campaigns.
• National Rally united on immigration but split on economy: Le Pen focuses welfare for white workers, Bardella eyes business and wealth creation.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/jordan-bardella-picture-princess-national-rally-9967557zr)

Details and context

Bardella relies on social media for young voters but used this traditional glossy spread to reach older conservatives. Paris Match, owned by Bernard Arnault, published the cover, framing it as a fairytale between populist and princess.

The timing ties to Le Pen's trial over alleged misuse of EU funds; an upheld ban would clear Bardella's path for 2027 presidency. Critics see the photos as calculated image-building, similar to how predecessors managed publicity.

Under Bardella, the party softens on some issues to attract mainstream right-wing support while holding firm on immigration.

Key quotes

Party official to Le Parisien: “You bet she’s an asset. Everyone loves tales of the little guy and the princess, particularly the working classes. It means anything is possible.”[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/jordan-bardella-picture-princess-national-rally-9967557zr)

RTL radio political editor Olivier Bost: “Everything [was] under control. These are not stolen photographs.”[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/jordan-bardella-picture-princess-national-rally-9967557zr)

Why it matters

The romance burnishes Bardella's image as a viable president, blending populist roots with elite appeal ahead of a potential Le Pen exit. For French voters, it tests National Rally's working-class credentials against perceptions of detachment. Watch Le Pen's July appeal verdict and any further party shifts on economy.

LANG: en