She was born into royalty, became a Hollywood icon, and then found herself facing the unthinkable: her daughter trapped in a secretive sex cult. This is the real-life story of Catherine Oxenberg — not just an actress, not just a princess, but a mother who refused to back down.
👑 A Princess in Hollywood
Born in 1961 in New York City, Catherine Oxenberg is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia. Raised among European royalty, she could have lived a life of quiet nobility — but she chose the limelight instead.
She rose to fame in the 1980s playing Amanda Carrington on the hit series Dynasty — the icy, poised beauty of prime-time television. With her aristocratic features and regal charm, she became a pop culture icon. But Catherine’s real drama was still to come — and it wouldn’t be scripted.
🕳️ The Cult That Took Her Daughter
In 2011, Catherine introduced her teenage daughter, India Oxenberg, to what she believed was a leadership seminar. The group was called NXIVM — marketed as a self-help organization for high achievers. What she didn’t know: NXIVM was actually a dangerous cult led by Keith Raniere, hiding a secret society of women branded and groomed as sex slaves.
India was pulled in, emotionally manipulated, and isolated from her family. Catherine watched helplessly as her once vibrant daughter became a stranger — cold, distant, and defensive.
“I felt like I had lost her,” Catherine later said.
“And I blamed myself.”
⚔️ A Mother’s War
But Catherine refused to stay silent.
She began a public campaign to expose NXIVM, speaking to the press, appearing on TV, and working closely with law enforcement. While India was still inside the cult, Catherine was on the outside fighting with everything she had — often alone, often doubted, but never backing down.
In 2018, her efforts paid off. India escaped NXIVM. Keith Raniere was arrested, prosecuted, and ultimately sentenced to 120 years in prison.
Together, Catherine and India co-produced the chilling documentary Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, and co-authored the memoir “Captive”, giving voice to survivors everywhere.
💔 Royalty Isn’t a Title — It’s Courage
Catherine Oxenberg once played a wealthy heiress on TV. In real life, she became something far more powerful: a mother who went to war for her child’s soul — and won.
“They tried to break her. They almost broke me.
But I wasn’t going to let evil win.”