When Princess Alexandra of Leiningen shared the first photo of her engagement, all eyes went straight to the brilliant-cut diamond sparkling on her ring finger. The proposal was pure storybook: Her fiancé, Everett Kohl, popped the question over the weekend in Whistler, Canada, beside a lake at the foot of the mountains.
© Alexa LeiningenAlexandra, who goes by Alexa, summed up her response with three words: “What a weekend!”
It was her mother, Deborah Cully, who confirmed the news. “Thrilled to announce that our beautiful daughter Alexa is marrying the love of her life, Everett. Wishing this wonderful couple a lifetime of love, laughter and happiness. Let the celebrations begin!” she wrote on social media.
A royal family tree with branches everywhere
© Alexa LeiningenBehind the low-key Canadian upbringing is a pedigree that reaches deep into European royalty. Alexa, born December 18, 1997, is the youngest of three daughters of Prince Hermann of Leiningen, a Toronto-born banker, and Deborah Cully.
Hermann’s mother was Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria, the older sister of King Simeon II, which makes Alexa the late king’s great-niece and a member of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry.
The engagement has given that sprawling family a reason to celebrate, and a reason to travel. The Bulgarian royals are scattered across the globe, having a strong foothold in Madrid, home to Prince Boris of Bulgaria, King Simeon’s grandson, as well as Princess Mafalda and Dr. Kubrat.
Others, like Prince Kyril, live in London. Many of them are expected to make the trip to Canada to stand beside Alexa on her big day, but no wedding date has been announced yet.
© Alexa LeiningenFrom the stage to the boardroom
Alexa’s career began at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where she earned an arts degree in English literature and drama. She went on to complete a master’s in digital marketing and spent a year teaching at a school in Ontario before pivoting to communications and public relations.
At the agency 1Milk 2Sugars, Alexa climbed the ranks to digital account executive in October 2023. In January 2025, she leaped to finance, joining investment firm RBC Global Asset Management as a marketing specialist, and in February 2026 she was promoted to manager.
It’s an impressive résumé she’s built while keeping a discreet public profile, which is why her wedding is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated family gatherings of the season, and a rare occasion to bring the far-flung branches of one of Europe’s most storied dynasties together under one roof.
© Instagram
