“Princess Charming”: Lea Hoppenworth leaves the dating show as a single

This has never happened before
“Princess Charming” goes home alone

04.09.2024, 20:16

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When Lea Hoppenworth slips into the role of “Princess Charming” in July, she is naturally hoping to find true love. She travels to Thailand with 20 potential sweethearts – but in the end she returns home as alone as she came. A first in the dating format.

The fourth season of “Princess Charming” started on RTL+ at the beginning of July. Following her predecessors Irina Schlauch, Hanna Sökeland and Madleen Matthias, this time Lea Hoppenworth took on the role of the femme fatale, around whom everything revolves for a few weeks. 19 women and one non-binary person are ready to go through life with the 30-year-old in the future. But the finale of the show, which is already available on RTL+ and will also be broadcast on VOXup on free TV next Wednesday at 10:10 p.m., ended with a bitter surprise.

The two women who, after weeks of elimination, still had hope of being chosen by Hoppenworth at the end were Christine and Maike. The latter was special from the start, because the 30-year-old Berliner was actually an ex-lover of “Princess Charming”. Their time together in Thailand, where the show was filmed, had shown that a love comeback was definitely possible – after all, Maike fought her way to the final.

In the end, Hoppenworth was the first bartender to face Christine from Cologne. But despite the beautiful moments the two had shared together, the “Princess Charming” ultimately turned the 28-year-old down: “Unfortunately, I have to take your necklace off for this trip. For me, it doesn't have that completely romantic vibe that would have been needed to say now, today: 'Hey, let's get started together.'”

Christine took the defeat in the final meters of the format in a very sporting manner: “Thank you for your time. I think it's completely fine that you made your decision. I thought the time with you was wonderful and wonderful. And I wish you and Maike all the best.” All the best. You are both great people.

“Your flight instinct scares me”

But soon it became clear that even the best wishes would not be enough to rekindle the love between Hoppenworth and Maike. When the “Princess Charming” faced the copywriter, she plucked up her courage: “I wanted nothing more than to celebrate the love comeback of the year with you here in this place. But your instinct to flee scares me,” said Hoppenworth.

They were longing for a “clear yes,” she added. After all, she was very afraid of making the same mistake again and losing Maike a second time. “I realized that I don't want to go to bed every night with the feeling that you might not be there the next day, the next morning. And that's why I unfortunately have to take the necklace off you today,” Hoppenworth explained through tears. And Maike's eyes also became moist.

In the subsequent one-on-one conversation, the woman, who had just been rejected, seemed to be somewhat calmer again. “I'm definitely very happy that we gave it a second chance,” said Maike. They really enjoyed the time with their ex and both learned a lot. Many people could probably identify with exactly this situation: “That it's not as easy as you sometimes imagine – letting go of people you really like.”

“Not what I’m looking for”

The “Princess Charming” also ultimately drew a sober conclusion: “Here I realized: OK, it just doesn’t have what I’m looking for right now. And I think it’s the best decision for me personally to accept: Then go.” I’m leaving here with myself and not with – perhaps – fears or later regrets.

Lea Hoppenworth and Maike had already had a long affair about a year before filming the dating show. But then Maike ghosted Hoppenworth once. Even in front of the cameras it became clear that the two had different life plans. For example, unlike Hoppenworth, Maike would like to have a polyamorous relationship.

However, that will not happen now. Instead, this year's “Princess Charming” has given all fans of the format a unique experience: no “princess” has yet left the show single.