Background
It is not an unusual occurrence when a resident of Palm Desert, California undertakes charitable activities within the locality and overseas to be honored nationally. But, it is unusual and even special when one is recognized by an Imperial Family from Africa and a Christian Dynasty from West Timor in Indonesia.
Princess Karen Cantrell or Her Excellency Princess Karen Cantrell, Ratu Muda Cantrell as she is entitled to be called due to her being honored by both the Imperial House of Ethiopia and the Royal House Kupang in Indonesia as an exemplary. Over the years, Karen had contributed efforts, time, and material contributions through various organizations to charitable and social development causes in the United States, Africa, and Indonesia. They range from children’s rights, animal welfare, special needs people, water projects and educational activities.
As President and CEO of Rancho Mirage Golf Inc. (DBA Lady Golf), Karen has made a commitment to sharing her success and philosophy with other entrepreneurs and professionals with a common goal of empowering women and giving back to the community. Her extensive knowledge in apparel design, manufacturing, and how trends impact the fashion industry has led to many collaborative works with top industry leaders such as Oscar De La Renta, Bob Mackie, Victor Costa, Michael Costello, Richard Blackwell, and many others. She has a successful international website and a 6000 sq. ft. store located in Palm Desert CA.USA. Being in Palm Desert does not seem to stop Karen from working with a passion not only within California or the United States but internationally in far-flung corners of the whole world and virtually through social media. With her network of international connections from royalty and nobility to academics and those in charitable work, she has her fingers on the pulse of her passion’s domain. If not her actions, at least her views, opinions, and motivations tries to make a difference towards her causes. Karen realizes the importance of social media and the global attention it can gain for her causes.
Karen had been involved with projects in Ethiopia for which she was granted the right to use the title of Her Excellency by His Imperial Highness, Prince Ermias Haile Selassie. HIH Prince Ermias is the head of the Ethiopian Imperial Council that continues the lineage that started from the union of Queen Sheeba and King Solomon. Over the years, for her continuing dedication to the causes of the Imperial House of Ethiopia, they have granted her the highest rank of Dame Grand Cross in their chivalric orders of Imperial Order of the Star of Ethiopia, Order of the Ethiopian Lion and Imperial Order of Menelik. Also in 2014, for her various contributions, Karen was bestowed the customary title of Ratu Muda by Don Leopold Nisnoni, 4th Raja of Kupang, and the 21st Liurai of Sonbai Kecil (14th Nisnoni Liurai of Sonbai Kecil). Don Leopold Nisnoni is the current head of the Nisnoni Branch of the Sonbai Dynasty, head of Sonbai Kecil, and head of the Royal House of Kupang (Sonaf Kupang).
In early 2015, The Royal House of Kupang bestowed its highest appreciation in terms of the Star of Sonbai on Ratu Muda Cantrell for her continuing commitment to causes of global consequences and benefits to mankind. The Star of Sonbai had been sparingly granted to other Indonesian Dynastic Heads such as HRH Raja of Denpasar XI (Bali), civic leaders in Kupang, and very few international individuals.
Her involvement with activities in Kupang and Ethiopia is an example of her good works across boundaries of culture, ethnicity, religion, and geography. In far corners of the world and right home in California, Karen is focused on making the best out of her abilities to make a positive difference and for the good of all. Through any benefits out of her social standing, Karen strives to bring to light the various causes that she supports whether nationally or internationally. Interesting enough is the fact that Karen descends from an illustrious line of ancestry combining both royalty and nobility background that stretches the pages of history. This fact had been verified by professional genealogical studies and certified by her entry into various organizations and membership bodies that represents descendants of such ancestors. Membership in some of them requires strict genealogical proofs and records even to be considered for application.
Some of her nobility and hereditary societies’ membership includes:
The Society of Descendants of Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter – Life membership – A membership must prove beyond doubt that one has descent from a Monarch of England who was a member of The Most Noble Order of The Garter
• Colonial Order of The Crown – Royal Pedigree Society of Descendants of The Emperor Charlemagne
• Order of Alba – A membership must prove beyond doubt that one has descent from a Monarch of Scotland
• Member of Descendants of the Order of the Garter – Life membership
• Descendant Member of The Friends of St George
• Member of the Baronial Order of Magna Charta – Gateway Ancestor Major Thomas Owsley. Baron of eligibility – Henry de Bohun, Earl of Hereford
Princess Karen Cantrell’s personal coat of arms, title of Ratu Muda Cantrell and Her Excellency with her hereditary aspects had been certified and registered in Archivo del Cronista de Armas de Castilla Y Leon – registrada al numero 63 Del minutario del Ano 2014. This was given by the notarized signature of Don Alfonso Ceballos, Chronicler of Arms of Castille and Leon in the Kingdom of Spain. The Chronicler of Arms is also the personal Herald to His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain.
Titles, honors, and memberships may be recognition and reward for Karen’s hard work in her tireless efforts to give to humanity what is best but they provide greater impetus for Karen’s to contribute even further.
Karen Cantrell is a child of God, wife, entrepreneur, political activist, successful businesswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian, and citizen of the world.