Despite her royal background, Jahnavi Kumari Mewar worked three jobs in catering, telemarketing, and club promotion while studying in Melbourne. (Photo: Jahnavi Kumari Mewar/Instagram)Even though royal titles in India no longer carry official authority, several former royal families continue to oversee large business interests and inherited wealth. Princess Jahnavi Kumari Mewar of Rajasthan’s Mewar family recently opened up about modernising her family’s investment operations while balancing tradition and long-term wealth preservation.In an essay for Business Insider, Jahnavi reflected on growing up inside the family palace, where she lived alongside her cousins and was encouraged from an early age to interact confidently with dignitaries, guests, and visitors from across the world.“I had this most tremendous privilege of birth. The last official, government-recognized king in India was my grandfather’s elder brother, and then after that, the monarchy didn’t really exist. It turned into a democracy. I grew up as most kids would. The difference was that I ended up going to school within the palace with my cousins,” she said.She described how those early experiences, from showing guests around family properties to observing conversations between influential people, gradually helped her develop confidence and communication skills. Although her parents never pushed her toward the family business, Jahnavi said she was naturally curious about her father’s work.Over the years, that curiosity turned into active involvement as she began attending meetings, reading through documents, and learning how investment decisions were made.She also made it clear that growing up in a royal household did not mean unlimited luxury. While studying business and international trade in Melbourne, she balanced academics with three different jobs in catering, telemarketing, and club promotion.“When I went to university, I got a car, my rent was paid for, and I got pocket money, but it was never unlimited. I worked three jobs while still doing my assignments and going to classes. I worked for a catering company, as a club promoter, and as a telemarketer. It was a nightmare — that’s when the privilege comes in,” she said.Story continues below this adIn her early twenties, Jahnavi stepped in to restructure the family’s investment setup into a more organised multi-family office. According to her, the earlier approach under her father focused more on relationships, solidarity, and co-investments than on profitability, with the family itself absorbing many of the operational costs.Wanting to make the system more sustainable, she insisted that investors should begin paying their share of expenses. She recalled that after her father brushed off the proposal, she announced the decision herself during a family gathering.Under her leadership, the family office also adopted a broader global investment outlook, viewing emerging markets as serious long-term opportunities instead of side bets. At the same time, she said the business reduced its dependence on intermediaries like accountants, bankers, and advisers to improve efficiency and accountability.Looking back on her journey, Jahnavi admitted that entering rooms filled with older, more experienced investors was intimidating at times. Still, she said she learned to own her place while remaining open to learning from others.Story continues below this adShe also credited a group of senior advisers — whom she jokingly called the “dinosaur squad” — for teaching her one of the most important lessons in wealth management: protecting family assets before chasing aggressive growth.“It’s a very precarious balance. I also learned a lot from what I call the ‘dinosaur squad.’ They’re protective toward my parents. They want to protect the portfolio assets. They are very risk-averse. They made me understand the absolute need for preservation before shooting the lights out,” she said.