A man of the people, Prince Lorenzo Borghese is not your stereotypical royal. His relatives include Pope Paul V Borghese (Prince Camilo Borghese), Napoleon’s sister, Paolina Bonaparte and his late grandmother, cosmetic icon, Princess Marcella Borghese. He is Italian lead of one of the world’s most successful pet care product companies — Prince Lorenzo’s Royal Treatment, co-founder and president of Animal Aid USA, The Bachelor of 2006, and founder, president and taste-tester extraordinaire, in South Beach Brewing Company. Here, the international businessman, activist and modern day prince tells Bode Magazine what is inside his royal wardrobe, the latest hybrid in the beer market, and the amazing grace he has found through his animal aid.

If you know the name Lorenzo Borghese, then you most likely think of two things — the Italian Bachelor or the prince with two passions, animal care and great beer. Before we joined Borghese in the sunny state of Florida to talk craft beers and his latest venture, we first had to learn more about his personal style and where he finds inspiration. “I’m not really that fashionable to be honest with you,” said the prince with an honest smile. “My resistance to fashion started in high school when I was forced to wear a jacket and tie. I hated it. So my fashion now is just about comfort and that is one of the reasons why I love living in Florida, it’s more jeans and a button down. So looking back, I guess my inspiration for comfort fashion came from hating being forced to wear a suit,” laughed Borghese. While jeans and a classic tee may be Borghese’s go-to ensemble, the entrepreneur still pays homage to the Italian flare that runs through his veins, opting for the slim fit cuts of a tailored Armani suit.

Coming from a line of well-dressed successors, Borghese picked up a trick or two when it comes to dressing for the occasion. “When I would go out with my grandparents, I would wear a suit and I’d have to make sure that my hair was perfect, but when going out with friends, I usually wear whatever I want which is often comfort over style, so my advice is to dress for the occasion. My paternal grandfather would wear a suit every single day,” said Borghese. “He would wake up and put on a 3-piece suit, so I think in a way, he received more respect because his suits made him appear intimidating (even though he was an extremely nice man) and they conveyed confidence and great wisdom. It sounds strange, but it was so true and due to his fashion choices, he received more respect, at least from me. I don’t know, maybe it subconsciously conveys that you’re taking care of yourself, that you’ve traveled the world and that you’re serious. And he was very serious, at least on the surface, so I think that passion really shows what personality you have and what state of mood you are in.” Currently immersed in the relaxed state of Florida, the prince welcomes the sunshine and the beach embracing the more casual dress code, “because that’s the state of mind you’re in,” beams Borghese; “so for me, it’s always about dressing according to the occasion.”

Taking style cues from more than just his besuited family lineage, the Italian culture has also had a lasting impression on the charming royal. “Well I can say this,” begins Borghese, “I personally believe that the men in Italy dress better than the men in the United States and that’s one of the reasons women love Italian men. If men in the United States could dress like Italian men, I believe they would have better luck on their dates. But again, it takes a lot more effort and usually more money,” laughs the casually dressed Italian with an accepting shrug. That being said, “One of the most celebrated days for me was when Wall Street went casual.” Fortunately for this good-looking man, casual attire does not mean slouching in the skincare department. Being well-versed in the industry of cosmetics, it is no surprise that Borghese is loyal to his daily skincare regimen. “U Beauty has a really great serum and moisturizer. It’s a new line that has been getting a lot of attention and the results after you use it are incredible. It’s just an amazing skin care line. I use the serum and moisturizer in the morning and at night I use Perlier’s Platinum Black Rice Night Cream and eye serum. That’s it,” reveals Borghese; “and in the shower I use Perlier’s honey or almond soap,” he adds.

While diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, Borghese has made it his life’s mission to aid and protect man’s best friend. Given his first dog on his 21st birthday, Belle, a kind-eyed Labrador, his love and passion for animals was ignited; “but by the time she was five she started developing really bad skin issues. At that time, doing research on the internet wasn’t possible so I went to the library to determine what was causing her skin issues. What I learned was that traditional pet shampoos are really shampoos formulated for human skin, not dog’s skin, and dogs and humans have different skin, including different pH levels. That is why the shampoos I was using on Belle were the cause of her dry skin. It’s also why veterinarians were suggesting that I only bathe her once a month. I thought that was weird. Why would I only be able to bathe her once a month? After two years of research, I developed a shampoo and conditioner formula for Belle. These formulas excluded all the ‘bad’ ingredients that were okay for human skin, but could potentially irritate a dog’s skin. And what a difference these formulas had on Belle. Her fur looked amazing, shiny and silky, and she stopped scratching. I also used real fragrance oil versus synthetic fragrances and as a result, she really smelled amazing.” He was able to create these formulas by using his family ties in the cosmetic’s industry. What came next may not have been intentional, but it was inevitable. “After seeing the results — that Belle no longer suffered from skin irritations and her coat was shiny and silky, I knew I had to share these products with other dog owners — and the Royal Treatment was born.”

As if launching a leading pet care product line for the sensitive skin of our beloved four legged companions was not enough, Borghese took it a step further. The co-founder and president of Animal Aid USA, a volunteer organization dedicated to helping animals, has saved over 30,000 dogs since 2012. “You can bump that to over 32,000 now,” said Borghese with humble pride. “We rescue a little over 300 dogs a month now and some months are bigger than others, but we’re over 32,000 lives saved. Everyone who does it with me, loves doing it. We are all volunteers and saving dogs is our passion.”

Working hard to fill a much-needed gap in the world for animal advocates, not only are the animals moved by his selfless mission, but a kind-hearted man showed his support to Borghese’s cause in a way the co-founder will never forgot. “I met a man at a party in New York City, and upon meeting he said, ‘You know, my mother, she was the heir to my estate, but she passed away and now I would like to leave my inheritance to an animal charity. Do you have any recommendations ?’ I said ‘Yes, why don't you leave it to ours.’ He messaged me on Facebook several months later, ‘Do you remember me? We met at a party and I want to learn more about your organization.’ So I sent him some information and introduced him to Karen Talbot, who is the other co-founder of Animal Aid and the best person in dog rescue I have ever met. Sadly, several months later he died. I was unaware of his death until Karen called me and said, ‘We just got a check for $500,000’. We did a caravan in memory of him. This story reminds me of Billy Currington’s song, People are Crazy. It’s about a man he meets in a bar who ends up leaving his entire inheritance to him. Just goes to show that you should always be kind to everyone, even a complete stranger.”

Image copy.jpeg — “We are all volunteers and saving dogs is our passion.”

- Lorenzo Borghese

Much like this generous man, Borghese also has a soft spot in his heart for Georgian Beagle, Grace. Grace survived the gas chamber in Georgia and was adopted by a very nice gentleman, Phil Draughon. “They used to euthanize dogs in Georgia by using gas, and because she survived, the news got out about her survival. People were obviously shocked about this horrific and cruel way to euthanize animals and as a result, using the gas chamber in Georgia was banned. As the story grew in popularity, other states banned the use of the gas chamber. To this day, that was the most rewarding adoption story that I've witnessed because it banned the gas chamber, not just in Georgia, but in countless states. So in celebration of Grace, we organized a caravan in her honor called Amazing Grace Caravan. She became the poster child of banning gas chambers. Sadly, Grace died about two years ago, but her memory is alive and well today,” shared Borghese.

Now that is hero status; and while Borghese may be the hero to canine companions around the world, his parents deem hero status in his eyes. “I know it sounds cheesy, but [my parents] brought me up this way. They brought me up to care. They’ve always loved animals and they’ve always been supportive of nonprofits. My parents always loved St. Jude’s. I just follow what I’ve been taught and my parents are extremely kind, generous and you know, I think they brought me up right,” acknowledged Borghese with a respectful air of gratitude.

Today, Prince Lorenzo Borghese is well underway in his latest venture — South Beach Brewing Company, pleasantly located in South Beach, Florida. Always interested in this industry, the prince noticed a lack of breweries in Florida and sought the opportunity to fill that gap. “I’m a guy that grew up drinking beer (legally) when I was younger and what I like about beer now, besides the taste, is that it brings people together,” shares the entrepreneur. “You usually have a beer during a celebration, whether it’s to celebrate the end of a hard, but productive work day, a birthday, or an amazing and well-deserved vacation. When you crack open that beer you've earned it! You are in a good state of mind, a happy and positive state of mind. For me, the industry is about brining people together. Friends, family, and strangers that become friends and for this reason I love being part of the industry. In a way, it enables me to be a part of people’s amazing memories. That’s why on each can and beer cap you will find the words, ‘I Love Right Now,’ as beer is about enjoying the moment.” While breweries may be missing in Florida, until now, Borghese also noticed a missing beer in the industry. Enter the Strawberry Orange Mimosa Sparkling Ale — a hybrid between a hard seltzer and a beer. “It’s more of a beer than a hard seltzer, but I really wanted to create a beer that focused on the health conscious trends. It’s GMO free and gluten free, it also contains 100% natural Florida orange juice and is low in sugar and calories. It’s a real Florida beer as it’s brewed with Florida oranges. It’s also the official ‘Brunch Beer’ as it is an easy drinking beer, and can be drank from morning until bedtime. It also has electrolytes, and that’s just an added bonus.”

Expecting to be operating by the end of November, South Beach Brewing Company is soon to be your home away from home. If you are in Florida, you can also buy their beer at their many distribution locations around the state — “And if not,” Borghese adds, “you can go to our website and order directly from southbeachbrew.com.” As he prepares to head back to his many roles, the prince leaves us with these parting words: “It’s been a hard time for us all, and do what you can to support the local community. You know a lot of people who have lost their jobs, have lost their business and are struggling, and everyone needs to support local as best they can. Also, many people are suffering from depression and one phone call can do so much. So continue to call your family and friends. We’ll get through this. When times are tough and you're upset, crack open a beer, you’ll feel better. Get your day started right with a Strawberry Orange Mimosa. There’s a smile in every bottle. And go adopt a dog!”