Catherine Oxenberg

Catherine Oxenberg Bio

Catherine Oxenberg (born September 22, 1961) is an American actress best known for her role as Amanda Carrington on the 1980s primetime soap opera Dynasty. The daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and her first husband Howard Oxenberg, she comes from a family with royal connections and a long public profile. Oxenberg twice portrayed Diana, Princess of Wales on screen, in The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana (1982) and Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After (1992). She has a career spanning film and television, and she later expanded into documentary and reality projects, including production work and involvement in high-profile public life related to her family and charitable endeavors.

Early Life and Background

Catherine Oxenberg was born on September 22, 1961, in New York City, New York, and grew up in London. She is the eldest daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, a member of the House of Karađorđević, and her first husband Howard Oxenberg (1919–2010), a self-made textile and clothing tycoon and close friend of the Kennedy family. Her sister is Christina Oxenberg. Through her maternal grandfather, Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, she is a great-great-great-granddaughter of Karađorđe, who started the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1804.

Oxenberg is a first cousin once removed of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Michael of Kent, and a second cousin once removed of Queen Sofía of Spain and Charles III of the United Kingdom. She is a third cousin of Felipe VI of Spain and William, Prince of Wales, and is also related to several other European royals through her maternal line. Her early upbringing in both the United States and Europe exposed her to a mix of cultures and public expectations tied to her heritage.

Path to Acting

Oxenberg was educated at the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in Kensington, London, St. Paul’s School, and Columbia University, though she did not finish college. She had initially enrolled at Harvard University as a member of the Class of 1985 before leaving to pursue an acting career. Her transition into entertainment came through her royal likeness and the appeal of her family background.

Her first screen appearance came when she was cast to play Diana, Princess of Wales in the 1982 made-for-television film The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana. This early role positioned her within the television industry and opened the door to her work on one of the most popular programs of the 1980s.

Catherine Oxenberg Career

Early Career (1982–1983)

Catherine Oxenberg made her acting debut in 1982, starring as Diana, Princess of Wales in the American television film The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana. The role introduced her to a wide audience and set the tone for a career built on television productions. Her first major project after the telefilm was a recurring role in prime time drama.

By 1984, Oxenberg joined the cast of the hit ABC prime time soap opera Dynasty, then at the height of its popularity, in the role of Amanda Carrington. Her early work on Dynasty brought her critical recognition and two Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1985, for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Female Newcomer. The series gave her a steady platform to build her craft in front of a national audience.

Breakthrough (1984–1994)

Oxenberg’s breakthrough came with her role as Amanda Carrington on Dynasty, which she played from 1984 to 1986 before leaving following a salary dispute after the end of her second season. During this period she also hosted the May 10, 1986, episode of Saturday Night Live, becoming the only descendant of a royal family to host the show. Her rising profile in the mid-1980s established her as a recognizable television actress.

After leaving Dynasty, Oxenberg starred as Princess Elysa in the 1987 television film Roman Holiday and appeared in the film The Lair of the White Worm in 1988. In 1992, she reprised her portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales in the television film Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After. From 1993 to 1994, she starred in the short-lived action series Acapulco H.E.A.T., expanding her range into adventure television.

Notable Works and Milestones

Oxenberg’s signature work remains her portrayal of Amanda Carrington on Dynasty, which earned her two Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1985. Her two portrayals of Diana, Princess of Wales, in The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana (1982) and Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After (1992), became defining moments in her career. She has also remained a public figure through reunion specials such as Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar in 2006, and through her later production and documentary work.

Catherine Oxenberg Award Nominations

Information regarding specific award nominations for Catherine Oxenberg beyond the verified wins in 1985 is not detailed in available sources. Her two 1985 Soap Opera Digest Awards, for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Female Newcomer, stand as the primary cited honors tied to her work on Dynasty.

Catherine Oxenberg Awards Won

Catherine Oxenberg won two Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1985 for her work on the prime time soap opera Dynasty. These awards recognized her performance as Amanda Carrington and marked her arrival as a notable television actress in the 1980s.

Catherine Oxenberg Family

Oxenberg is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia and her first husband Howard Oxenberg (1919–2010), a self-made textile and clothing tycoon. Her sister is Christina Oxenberg, a fashion designer and public figure. Through her mother’s family, the House of Karađorđević, she is descended from Karađorđe and connected to several European royal houses, including the British, Spanish, Danish, Norwegian, Belgian, and Luxembourgish lines.

Personal Life

In June 1991, Oxenberg had a daughter, India Riven Oxenberg. Oxenberg’s first marriage was to the producer Robert Evans, in Beverly Hills, California, on July 12, 1998, but the marriage was annulled nine days later. In May 1999, she married the actor Casper Van Dien at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the couple had two daughters together before Van Dien filed for divorce in 2015. In June 2023, Oxenberg announced her engagement to businessman Ellis Jones, and the couple married on October 21, 2023. She has also been involved in public advocacy and documentary work related to her family and personal experiences.