Anyone carrying a noble title has to deal with tiresome prejudices. But Eugenia von Hannover is far too busy to engage with gossip. At 25, she’s in the middle of medical school while simultaneously building her modeling career. We wanted to know from her how she defines beauty, what fashion and medicine can learn from each other, and where she sees her future.
FACES: You didn’t have to do your own makeup for our shoot. Do you prefer doing your own makeup, or would you rather have professionals do it?
Eugenia von Hannover: I prefer doing my own makeup because I know my face best. With professional makeup, I sometimes look completely different and barely recognize myself. But that’s exactly what I find exciting, because fashion is all about being adaptable and constantly discovering new sides of yourself.
F: Which beauty product do you never leave the house without?
EH: Lip balm. Preferably a classic lanolin balm or a nice lip gloss. I especially like lip glosses with a slight plumping effect.
F: Do you have an unusual makeup trick you’d like to share with us?
EH: I like to repurpose lip liner, for example as blush or on my eyelids.
F: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
EH: When I’m heading to the hospital, every extra minute of sleep counts, so I usually only need five to ten minutes. If I have a bit more time and can get ready at a relaxed pace, it can take up to 20 minutes.
F: What does beauty mean to you today — and how has that definition changed over the years?
EH: For me, it’s no longer about a face fitting a certain beauty ideal or the golden ratio. I find it much more beautiful when people have distinctive, unique features that stand out and make a face unmistakable. But ultimately, it’s inner beauty that truly matters. Humor, presence, character, and the way a person treats others — that’s what makes someone beautiful to me. Personality determines whether I truly find someone beautiful.
F: Is there something about yourself that you used to want to change but now love?
EH: My gap between my front teeth. I used to often consider having it corrected with braces. Today, I’m very glad I didn’t, because it’s simply part of who I am, and I love it.
“Personality determines whether I truly find someone beautiful.”
F: What quality makes someone instantly attractive to you?
EH: Humor. I love people I can laugh a lot with.
F: What surprised you most about the fashion world when you first got a look behind the scenes?
EH: I was surprised by how open people are with each other. You quickly get the feeling of having known someone forever, even though you just met. And somehow you adapt to that dynamic just as quickly, almost as if you’re speaking your own language.
F: What would you change about the fashion industry immediately if you could?
EH: Safety. Both the mental safety for people who may be particularly vulnerable in this industry, and protection from assault. I personally have fortunately never been affected, but unfortunately such cases keep happening. I wish much more emphasis was placed on making sure everyone in this industry can feel safe, respected, and comfortable.
F: Your favorite modeling job so far?
EH: Choosing a favorite modeling job isn’t easy at all. But my time in Singapore in 2023 was especially wonderful — I worked there as a model for over two months. I got to shoot for fashion magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Elle. On many jobs, the team was the same. And since Singapore is relatively compact, you keep running into the same people. I really valued that. In the modeling world, I sometimes find the constant solitude difficult, because you start from zero again from one set to the next. In Singapore, though, I was able to build real connections, and that’s what made the experience special for me.
F: Most people can hardly imagine modeling and medicine coexisting in the same person. Yet you do both. Why do these two worlds work so well for you anyway?
EH: In medicine especially, it’s important to get to know a broad range of people and ways of life. It gives you a better understanding of people and of how different life can be outside the hospital. For me personally, modeling is a balance. I love the fashion industry, but I’m glad I found my passion in medicine. Medicine challenges my mind and gives me the feeling that I can make a difference, while modeling is my creative and playful side. Right now, I wouldn’t want to give up either one.
F: Is there something the fashion world could learn from medicine — and vice versa?
EH: The fashion world could learn from medicine to look more at the person behind the exterior and to focus more on mental health. Conversely, medicine could learn from fashion that not every standard approach fits every patient, and that individuality is very important.
F: Medicine is about the person behind the facade. Has that changed how you see beauty?
EH: Of course. In medicine, you quickly realize that life is about so much more than beauty ideals or appearances. Seeing people fight for their lives every day makes you see the world differently. Small problems suddenly become unimportant. True beauty, for me, lies in inner strength, in joy, in family togetherness, and in consciously appreciating life.
F: What was the moment in your studies that shaped you the most?
EH: I often think back to the time I briefly worked in adolescent psychiatry. What shaped me the most was seeing how difficult it can be to treat mental illness in children and teenagers when they return after inpatient treatment to an unstable environment that offers little stability or support. It became very clear to me there how crucial the social environment is for long-term treatment success.
F: And what has been the moment so far when you thought: “This is exactly why I want to become a doctor”?
EH: Actually, it’s the everyday moments when you receive gratitude in return. Knowing that you can help someone else feel better is incredibly fulfilling to me.
“Medicine challenges my mind and gives me the feeling that I can make a difference.”
F: You’re at home in Vienna. Where would you take someone who’s never seen the city — and where would you take someone who thinks they already know Vienna?
EH: Definitely to Café Bendl — it’s one of Vienna’s most authentic spots, where you can experience Viennese culture and its signature charm and wit firsthand. If it’s someone’s first time in Vienna, they absolutely have to visit the Hofburg. It’s the largest palace complex in Europe by area. My personal favorite spot is the Burggarten, right behind the Hofburg. That’s also where the Palmenhaus is located, which used to be a greenhouse and is now a café and restaurant.
F: Where do you find peace in Vienna when everything gets too loud?
EH: At home. I’ve lived with my brother for five years, and that’s where I can unwind.
F: Does the name “Hannover” carry more history, expectation, or simply identity for you?
EH: The name Hannover is, for me, mostly connected to history. I find it fascinating to experience that history not just through books, but also personally through the stories passed down by older generations. Of course, the name also brings certain expectations and prejudices with it. Still, I don’t see it as my identity. I am more than just a name.
F: How do you see your future: as a doctor, a model, or both?
EH: I see my future mainly in medicine. But I want to always hold onto fond memories of the fashion industry, and for now, I want to gather as many wonderful experiences and memories as possible.
F: Tell us something about yourself that almost no one knows!
EH: I’d love to try acting at some point. I don’t know if it will ever happen, but in a thriller, I’d like to be on the other side for once, not just a viewer.
F: Are there any prejudices about you that you now find amusing?
EH: That I supposedly bought my way into medical school. I had to pass the medical entrance exam just like everyone else. That amuses me a lot.
F: What’s on your bucket list?
EH: Skiing in Japan is definitely on my bucket list. I’ve never been there, and I’d love to go skiing on a volcano and
EUGENIA VON HANNOVER
Her life sounds like a fairy tale. And not just because Eugenia von Hannover is actually of noble birth and therefore a princess — the dream of every little girl — but above all because the 25-year-old lives her life to the fullest. The adopted Viennese is passionately studying medicine while just as passionately standing in front of the camera as a model. For now, she’s making the most of the fashion world, but she sees her future in medicine. @eugeniaha
You can see our full shoot with Eugenia and Yves Saint Laurent Beauty here.
You can follow everything that’s coming up for Eugenia here.
