Recently a distressing email came my way announcing very matter-of-factly that Paris Hilton has displaced Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg as “America’s True Princess.” This means she was ranked above Mrs. Schlossberg as the so-called “ America’s True Princess”, and coming in with a whopping 48% of the vote. Mrs. Schlossberg trailed behind by 10%. The study was conducted by Women's Entertainment and the InsightExpress research company, where 1000 American women 18+ were polled on a variety of questions regarding their current opinions on royalty, its role in modern society and the differences in popularity in American vs. royal life . In her recent, provocative editorial for Lookonline’s New York Fashion Industry Report, Diane Clehane bemoans this new trend and looks back to the days---not too long ago---that the American public admired the incandescent elegance of John F. Kennedy Jr. and his one of a kind style setter wife, Carolyn. And of course, Princess Diana was one of our icons not too long ago. The Royal Family has not a lot to admire these days.

In this same distressing email, we are informed that when told about the survey results while summer vacationing on her friend's yacht in the Mediterranean, Paris replied, "That's Hot!"

And what criteria did these women use in making their selections for the top "American Princess?"  A quarter of the women (24%) polled ranked being part of a famous American family as the top trait, followed by financial wealth, attitude and an even split between a trust fund, expensive clothes and jewels and a multi-million dollar home.

The survey discovered that being an "American Princess" is considered very different though from being a "royal Princess;" more than two-thirds (65%) agreed that being an "American Princess" carries different traits than its royal counterpart.

It might be easy to blame top Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe for these cloned sexpots/princesses, but Rachel Zoe is adorable in her thin, long blonde hair, tough girl/soft girl mélange. Rachel Zoe is actually responsible for pulling together the looks of former style losers Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie. American Princesses will not seem to part with their long blonde hair. Even Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, a natural brunette, turned to bleach to enhance her American Princess look.

Haute Couture front row celebrities include the ever present Ivana Trump,­­Gwen Stefani, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Even Christina Aguilera, a front row regular, looks like a queen compared with Paris Hilton, her sister Nicky, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie. I had to be told I was looking at Aguilera during the shows—I keep confusing her with Stefani since they currently look the same. The cameras that swept upon Aguilera before each show was nothing short of ridiculous. Do we need these princesses so badly? Is this what ultimately sells Manolo Blahnik shoes and Birkin bags?

Here’s a story for you. An American woman who keeps her privacy guarded bought an haute couture ensemble from one of the top Paris couturiers. It was in the six figures. When she learned that the same ensemble had been given to a starlet living in the same town, she complained—and the couture house refunded her money and she kept her ensemble. Princess power is not just running amok in the tabloids and on our televisions. Top fashion companies also realize the debt they owe to the non-celebrities, often beautiful women, who buy their clothes and accessories at top dollar and wear them to the most chic places in the world. But you won’t hear about these women. They have the elegance of the late John Jr. and Carolyn as well as Diana, without the burden of celebrity.

Meanwhile, I rather doubt Caroline Kennedy Shlossberg is wringing her hands over her loss to Paris Hilton as “America’s True Princess”. What goes around comes around, especially in style matters, and Fashionlines predicts Paris Hilton will be a has-been when Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is still doing her good works all over Manhattan.

Editor’s note: The survey was executed as research in support of the launch of WE:  Women's Entertainment's new reality series American Princess, in which twenty women compete to become the first-ever American Princess.  American Princess premieres on WE:  Women's Entertainment on August 7 at 10pm ET/7pm PT.