A glamorous German princess has told how she brought a real-life fairytale ending to a drama when she found a drunk drowning in a river.

Animal rights campaigner Princess Maja von Hohenzollern, 51, had been on an official visit to Budapest to see Hungary’s Animal Protection minister.

But as she walked her dogs by a village river she saw an elderly man fall off his bike and into the Tapio River.

Without hesitating, she rushed to the riverbank and saw him lying motionless in the water with his skin turning blue.

So Princess Maja dragged him to the bank and immediately began to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation massages on him.

Then – she told local media – he started coughing and she knew that he would live.

She said: “I was afraid he might already be dead. Then he started coughing. I was so relieved.”

Pictures of the rescue show the bearded man on his side in the recovery position on the riverbank moments after the princess had pulled him out of the water.

The princess revealed the dramatic rescue in Tapiobicske, Pest County, in an Instagram posting on 24th April.

She said: “I could save a life. I’m still shaking but I’m glad I listened to my intuition.”

The princess went on: “While walking my dogs, I saw a man riding a bicycle along the banks of a small river.

“I brought the dogs home and felt weird. I ran back to the little river and only saw the bike.

“The man lay face down under the water in the river and was motionless!! I jumped into the river and pulled the lifeless man onto the bank.”

She added: “He wasn’t breathing and his face and lips were blue. I slapped his back and laid him on his side to get the water out.

“I did CPR with him and after a short while, he was coughing. He started breathing again. He was apparently drunk and in bad shape.

“I called the ambulance and held his cold hands until the doctor came.

“He’s fine now so far.

“I’m writing this because I want us all to look out for those around us with empathy and caring.

“There are so many people who go through the world apathetically.

“I’m so thankful that I could save this man’s life. Please do not hesitate to help anyone in need. “

Princess Maja was married to German royal Prince Ferfried von Hohenzollernis for eight years.

She now lives in Marbella, Spain, and is the founder of Heart4strays Foundation which is committed to animal welfare.