Carina Axelsson

She has Swedish and Mexican ancestry. Her father was an electronic engineer. She has a younger brother and sister.[3]

After growing up in California, Axelsson moved to New York to pursue a career in fashion modelling.

Axelsson later moved to Paris, where she studied art and wrote and illustrated her first book, a picture book for children (Nigel of Hyde Park, 2004, Assouline).[4] Axelsson continued in fashion with a short stint working as PA to fashion designer John Galliano. Her experiences in fashion - along with a love of Scooby-Doo and Agatha Christie - inspired her to write the Model Under Cover book series.[5]

The Model Under Cover series:

• Model Under Cover A Crime of Fashion. Usborne Publishing. 2014. ISBN 9781409563686.
• Model Under Cover: Stolen with Style. Usborne Publishing. September 2014. ISBN 978-1409563709.
• Model Under Cover: Deadly by Design. Usborne Publishing. June 2015. ISBN 978-1409590262.

Other books:

• Nigel of Hyde Park. Assouline. 2004. ISBN 978-2843236143.
• Nigel von Hyde Park. Knesebeck. 2005. ISBN 978-3896602701.

Every year, sales of Axelsson's advent calendar increases the overall budget of her local library by 25% to 50%.[6]

Axelsson has said, "Growing up, one of my favourite places to be was in my local library. I feel strongly that town libraries are an important part of any community lucky enough to have one. But with the budget cuts so many libraries are now forced to endure, they're facing an uphill battle in bringing new books to their shelves – and my local library is no exception."[3]

Her longtime partner is Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. They live at Schloss Berleburg in Germany with their four dogs, but are unable to marry due to a clause in Gustav's grandfather's will preventing him from inheriting family property if he partakes in an unequal marriage. Nonetheless, she is treated by the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg House as his official partner and accompanies him to family events.[7]

• Official website