Americanized Prince Takes 'The Bachelor' to Rome

Oct. 2, 2006 — -- Who says there's no such thing as American royalty?

"The Bachelor" returns to ABC TV tonight with Lorenzo Borghese, a 34-year-old Italian-born prince who grew up in Connecticut and now helps his family operate a major cosmetics company.

Borghese returns to Rome in search of "Signorina Right," with 25 American women vying for honors. At the end of Thursday's two-hour premiere, he'll say "Arrivederci" to 15 of them.

"It's difficult telling one girl, 'Yeah, I really like you, you're awesome,' and then a couple hours' later going out with another girl and having the same emotions," says Borghese. "It was very difficult.

"I've juggled three different companies but [juggling] 25 different women is 10 times harder than that."

The Americanized prince, who moved stateside when he was 5 years old, says his mother was a huge fan of the show but that his father had never heard of it. "All I had to do was explain to him that it was 25 girls trying to get my attention," Borghese says. "He thought it was hilarious."

Still, marriage is hardly a joke in the Borghese household. His parents, Prince Francesco Borghese and Princess Amanda Borghese, met at a wedding in Madrid, and in July they celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.

Lorenzo was born in Milan, Italy, and lived in Rome and outside Paris before his parents settled in Connecticut. He received an MBA from Fordham University in New York and lives in Manhattan. In addition to his work for the family's cosmetics company, he's also the founder and president of Royal Treatment Pet Spa, a high-end bath, body and skin care line for pets.

While he's royalty by birth, Borghese realizes it's not so easy to be princely in the eyes of that special woman. "Some might think I'm a frog," he says. "Some might think I'm a jerk."

"I can tell you that it's a very happy ending for me, and I hope for the girl."

ABC News Radio contributed to this report.

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