Prince Dimitrije "Dimitri" Karađorđević was born on 18 June 1958 in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. Also known as Dimitri Karageorgevich, or Dimitri Karađorđević, he is the Founder, President and Creative Director of the jewelry firm bearing his name, "Prince Dimitri Company".
Prince Dimitri was raised in Versailles, and attended boarding schools in France and Switzerland, before graduating from the University of Paris with a degree in Business Law. He then moved to New York City in 1983.
Originally pursuing a career on Wall Street, he decided to move into the field of jewelry. He was offered a position in Sotheby's jewelry department, eventually rising to Senior Vice President. During his 15 years at Sotheby's, he also became an appraiser and studied gemology.
In 1999, Prince Dimitri began designing jewelry, with a collection of gemstone cufflinks that was sold at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. He also designed a line of women's jewelry for Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus. In 2002, he moved to the Phillips de Pury & Luxembourg auction house to head their jewelry department. In 2007, he and business partner Todd Morley founded the Prince Dimitri Company. His jewelry has also been sold at auction by Christie's.
Prince Dimitri was named to the International Best Dressed List's Hall of Fame in 1994.
In 1958, with his brother, Prince Michael of Yugoslavia, they became the first set of twins born to Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and his first wife, Princess Maria Pia of Savoy, the eldest daughter of Umberto II of Italy. Alexander and Maria Pia had a second set of twins, Prince Sergius and Princess Helene of Yugoslavia in 1963. Prince Dimitri has a younger half-brother, Prince Dushan of Yugoslavia, from his father's second marriage to Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein.
Prince Dimitri belongs to the cadet branch of the Royal House of Yugoslavia, descending from Prince Regent Paul of Yugoslavia. He is a third cousin of Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia.
His maternal grandmother was Princess Marie José of Belgium, whose father was Albert I, King of the Belgians. His paternal grandmother was Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark (sister of Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent). His paternal great-grandfather was Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark, an avid oil painter and son of George I (1845–1913), King of the Hellenes. His paternal great-great grandfather was the Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia, patron of the avant-garde, who spurred the creation of the Ballets Russes. From here, Prince Dimitri’s lineage of creativity can be followed, as can his curiosity and love for fine gems and jewelry. It was his paternal grandmother who related first-hand the magnificence of the jewelry collection of her mother and grandmothers. His great-grandmother Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia had inherited all of the diamonds belonging to her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, a collection renowned the world over for its lavish, exquisite breadth.
Prince Dimitri is also a first cousin of Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice, the son and heir of the pretender to the throne of Italy, and also first cousin of the actress Catherine Oxenberg. Through Prince Dimitri's parents he is related to every royal family in Europe, making him over 1000th in the line of succession to the British throne.
Prince Dimitri is one of the extraordinary guests featured on The One Way Ticket Show.
In the podcast, Host Steven Shalowitz explores with his guests where they'd go if given a one way ticket, no coming back! Destinations may be in the past, present, future, real, imaginary or a state of mind.
Several of Steven's guests have included: Legendary Talk Show Host, Dick Cavett; CNN's Richard Quest & Bill Weir; Journalist-Humorist-Actor Mo Rocca (of CBS Sunday Morning & The Cooking Channel's "My Grandmother's Ravioli" fame); Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.; as well as leading photographers, artists, writers and more.