A glimpse from my collection

Duchess Cecilie and Grand Duke Friedrich Franz IV of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

This was an image published at the time of Cecilie's engagement to Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia

 http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2016/04/grand-duchess-marie-of-mecklenburg.html

Grand Duchess Anastasia Milkhailovna of Russia, widow of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III

Grand Duchess Marie, third wife of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II

A few images of members of the Grand Ducal House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Oh no, another Mrs. Simpson?

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 September 17. 1949

Former Washington, D.C., native,  Romaine Simpson is reported to be engaged to David, the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven, reports the Associated Press.

Lord Milford Haven, a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, is a first cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh, and served as Philip's best man at his wedding to Princess Elizabeth, nearly two years ago.

The 30-year-old Marquess has been one of Princess Margaret's "favorite dates," during the last year.  He is an enthusiast of night clubs in London and in the United States, and has also dated in London and in the United States, Sharman Douglas, the daughter of the American Ambassador Lewis Douglas.

Romaine Simpson, 27, is the daughter of the late Vinton Dahlgren Pierce of Washington, D.C..  Her first marriage to William Simpson of Locust Valley, New York, ended in divorce in 1946 in Reno,  Nevada.

King Edward VIII gave up the throne in 1936 to marry the woman he loved, Mrs  Wallis Warfield Simpson, from Baltimore, Maryland.

The Church of England "frowns" on remarriages of divorced persons.   The Daily Mail contacted Lord Milford Haven "before he pulled the shutter down on the press."  The London newspaper said the marquess would neither decline or affirm that he and Mrs. Simpson are engaged although he did acknowledge that they had their picture taken together by society photographer Baron Nairum.

Nairum's secretary refused to provide the photographs, stating that the images will be released when the engagement is official.

Mrs. Simpson, a "curvesome and smartly dressed brunette," moved to London from Paris a few days ago.

Her mother, Mrs. Clark McIlwaine, who lives on Connecticut Avenue, NW, told reporters  she had "no comments" about the purported engagement.

Mrs. Simpson is staying at the "fashionable" Claridge's Hotel, where it was learned that she is "out" to callers.  A servant at Lord Milford Haven's home at Kensington Palace stated that "his lordship is away."

For the past year, Lord Milford Haven has been "commuting" between England and the United States as a "salesman for a British oil heater firm."

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Lord Milford Haven is the second of two children of the late George, the 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven and Countess Nada Torby.  He succeeded his father in 1938.   His grandmother, Victoria, the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, lives in an apartment at Kensington Palace.

Countess Szechenyi returns home

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 September 17, 1919


Countess Szechenyi returned to  the United States today after spending five years in Hungary.  She and her four children were among the passengers who traveled from Genoa on the Italian liner Pesaro, reports the New York Times.

The former Gladys Vanderbilt and her children, Cornelius,10; Alice, 8; Claudia, 6 and 10-month old Sylvia, were met at the pier by her brother, Reginald Vanderbilt, her sister, Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, "who embraced her affectionalty," and Mrs. Spencer Aldrich.

The Countess, who was "dressed in a dark blue tailor made costume with a black hat,"  was delighted to be back in "the land of her birth," but was reluctant to talk about the war.

"I do not wish to speak about what has happened to me during the five years that I have been in Hungary or anything connected with the war.  All I care to say is that I am glad to be back in the United States and to greet my relatives on this side of the Atlantic."

She added that her husband, Count Laszlo, is currently in Lucerne, Switzerland.  After having lunch with her brother, Reginald  Vanderbilt at the Ritz-Carlton, she and her children would be leaving for Newport.

Gladys married the Hungarian count in January 1908.

Mail call from Belgium

The mailman brought this thank you card today -- cannot believe Prince Gabriel is sweet sixteen.

Mail call from Luxembourg

I received this thank you from Grand Duke Henri, but put it in a pile as my scanner was not working ...

Mail call

A thank you card from the Prince and Princess of Isenburg.  On August 8, the Princess gave birth to a son, Hereditary Prince Franz Salvator Ferdinand Bonifatius Wilhem Maria. 

Franz Salvator has two older sisters, Princess  Alix Imagina Blanca Irmingard Maria (2015) and Princess  Zita Maria Immaculata Elisabeth Irina  (2017).

The family live at Schloss Birstein.

https://isenburg.de/

Archduchess Elisabeth marries Heinrich Karl of Liechtenstein

September 12, 1949

Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria married Prince Heinrich Karl of Liechtenstein ceremonies today, reports the Associated Press.

The 27-year-old Archduchess is eighth and youngest child of the late Austrian Emperor Karl and his wife, Empress Zita.  Elisabeth was born nearly two months after the death of her father on April 1, 1922 from pneumonia.  Prince Heinrich, 33 is the son of Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein and Princess Theresa of Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Wallerstein

The couple had three separate ceremonies.  The first ceremony took place last night at the Chateau Lignieres. This was the family statue ceremony that members of the Austrian imperial family take part in to show that their marriage is "within their rank.

Before the fall of Hapsburg empire, the ceremony was directed by the Grand Marshal at the palace in Vienna.  Last night's ceremony was performed by Count Karl Esterhazy, who acted as the grand marshal.  The bride's oldest brother, Archduke Otto, who is the head of the imperial family, signed for the Habsburgs, and Prince Josef, the sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein, signed on behalf of Liechtenstein.

The mayor of Lignieres, who is also the town's pharmacist,  presided at the civil ceremony which would place this morning.

The Roman Catholic service was held at the church  at the  Château de Lignières, The religious ceremony "revived for the moment the formal protocol and glory of the ancient court of the Habsburgs.

The Château de Lignières is owned by the bride's maternal uncle, Prince Xavier of Bourbon-Parma.

For most of the second world war,  Elisabeth and her family lived for a few months  in New York State before settling in Quebec.  She was born at El Pardo in Madrid after King Alfonso XIII invited the newly widowed Zita and her children to live in Spain.

The newlyweds will live at Schloss Waldstein in Steiermark.

and we have a name

@Royal Palace

Prince Amedeo and Princess Elisabetta's new son has been named Maximilian.

I expect he will receive at least one more name at his baptism.

Mail Call

In the mail today ...  a thank you from King Albert II and Queen Paola for their 60th wedding anniversary - a lovely family photo showing the retired king and queen with their children, grandchildren and great-granddaughter, Anna Astrid.  Princess Elisabetta was pregnant with her second child, who was born a few days ago.

The second card is a thank you card from Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille, who were married on May 18.  Alexandra is the niece of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2019/05/princess-alexandra-of-sayn-wittgenstein.html

Prince Heinrich of Croy to marry Joana de Sotto-Mayor

HSH Prince Heinrich of Croy is engaged to marry Joana de Sotto-Mayor.  The engagement took place at Kjerag, Norway, while the couple were on vacation.

Prince  Heinrich Carl Rupprecht Rudolph Zdenko Seraphim Maria of Croy is the fourth of six children of  HSH Rudolf Carl Rupprecht, Duke von Croy and his late wife,  Alexandra Miloradovich.

He has a master's degrees  in Rural Estate Manage from the Royal Agricultural University in Circencester  and International Marketing from the Hult International Business School and a BA in Business Studies from Vesalius College.

Maria Joana de Sotto-Mayor is an atelier and artist.  Miss de Sotto-Mayor  has masters of Art in History of Art and Art-World Practice from Christie's and Glasgow University.  She is fluent in five languages.  Portuguese is her mother tongue.

https://www.joanasottomayor.com/

https://angel.co/maria-joana-de-sotto-mayor

Heinrich's paternal grandmother was HRH Princess Gabriele of Bavaria, fifth child of HRH Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria and HRH Princess Antonia of Luxembourg.  One paternal great-grandmother -- the mother of Heinrich's grandfather,  HSH Carl, the Duke of Croy - was American.  Nancy Leishman, daughter of John Leishman and Julia Crawford.  Leishman served as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany (1911-1913).

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2015/09/hsh-duchess-of-croy-1960-2015.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/06/hsh-carl-14th-duke-of-croy.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2019/04/hrh-dowager-duchess-of-croy-1927-2019.html

Duke to meet Miss Elkins in Paris

September 10, 1909

The Duke of the Abruzzi is expected to meet with Miss Katherine Elkins in Paris tomorrow, reports the Los Angeles Times.  Miss Elkins, the daughter of West Virginia Senator Stephen Elkins, has already arrived in Paris with members of her family, including her mother, and her brother Stephen Elkins, Jr., who arrived earlier today from Biarritz.

Mr. Elkins is staying at the Ritz while his sister is across the street at the Hotel du Rhin with her mother.  She is "denying herself to all callers."

The Duke is said to be en route from Naples to Marseilles although "great secrecy attends his movements."  Italian embassy officials are denying all knowledge of the Duke's presence or his plans.  There is an attempt to "make light of the romance between the American girl and the cousin of Italy's King."

Miss Elkins has been in Europe with her mother for the entire summer.  It has been largely assumed that she has been waiting for the Duke to return to Europe from his expeditions to the Himalayas.

There re rumors that the couple will marry secretly in Paris at the American or Italian embassy.   These reports are being denied, but it is understood that the "love-crossed couple" will meet in secret after the Duke arrives in Paris.

It is also believed that the Duke may have found  a way to overcome King Vittorio Emanuele and Queen Margherita's opposition to the marriage.

Prince Luigi Amedeo of Italy, Duke of the Abruzzi, is the third son of Prince Amedeo of Italy, Duke Aosta, and his first wife, Maria Vittorio dal Pozzo.  Amedeo briefly reigned as King of Spain (1870-1873).  Prince Luigi, a noted noted expolorer, is the younger brother of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta, who is married to Princess Helene of Orléans.

King Umberto I bestowed the Abruzzi dukedom on Prince Luigi in 1890.


https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2018/10/washington-to-be-scene-of-royal-wedding.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2012/09/duke-of-abruzzi-to-marry-katherine.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2010/03/duke-declines-to-talk-about-engagement.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2018/10/will-katherine-become-queen-of-albania.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/07/duke-of-abruzzi-to-marry-in-october.html

A new video from the singer Mafalda (HRH Princess Mafalda of Bulgaria)

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The singer Mafalda has released the video to her new song, Daisy Chain.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh8GoUITOCU&fbclid=IwAR1mbtERZb__Xpqi5Kz4lRk_NfStL4u82l-SGzVJjyLfpwfH35R9ghelACU


https://mafalda.lnk.to/DaisyChainEP?fbclid=IwAR1RjTfUxTA0ypdRXSgJvbbsiodpR9tW40_2YN8Q81IPqAKlw3lqjqUFGMo

http://www.mafaldamusic.com/

I normally do not promote singers.  Mafalda is a princess.  HRH Princess Mafalda of Bulgaria, the daughter of HRH Prince Kyril of Bulgaria and Rosario Nadal.   She is a granddaughter of King Simeon and Queen Margarita.

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-budding-singer-princess-mafalda-of.html

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HRH Princess Andrew of Prussia (1947-2019)

Alexandra Blahova  was born at Brno, Czechoslovakia  on December 28 December, 1947, daughter of Frantisek Blaha and Vlasta Dokoupilova.  Her first marriage to Tom Alsbett ended in divorce in 1979.

After her divorce , Alexandra married  HRH Prince William Andrew of Prussia, the second son of HRH Prince Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Christoph of Prussia  and Lady Brigid Katherine Rachel Guinness, daughter of the 2nd Earl of Iveagh.  The wedding took place quietly on January 2, 1979 in London.

The Princess is survived by her husband, Prince Andrew, their two children,  Tatiana, an architect, who is married to the writer Philip Womack, and Alexander and one grandchild, Arthur Womack.

She lived with her husband at Thorpe Hall at Horham, Suffolk.


[The male line descendants of the late Prince Friedrich of Prussia are British citizens and use the surname von Preussen. ]

A selection of Swedish postcards

 These images come from my personal royal postcard collection.

King Gustav V (1858-1950) m Princess Victoria of Baden (1862-1930) in 1881.  Three sons, King Gustav VI, Prince Wilhelm and Prince Erik

Prince Wilhelm,Duke of Södermanland (1884-1965) m Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (1890-1958) in 1908. They divorced in 1914.  One son, Lennart (1909-2004)

Prince Oscar of Sweden (1859-1953), second son of Oscar II, married in 1888 to Ebba Munck af Fulkila (1858-1948).  This marriage was without the king's consent.  Ebba had served as Victoria's lady-in-waiting.  Oscar was created Prince Bernadotte by his uncle, Grand Duke Adolph of Luxembourg in 1892.

Prince Erik, Duke of Västmanland (1889-1918), the youngest son of King Gustav V and Queen Victoria.  He suffered from epilepsy and learning disabilities.  

Prince Eugen, Duke of Närke (1865-1947) was the youngest of four sons of King Oscar II.  He never married,  Prince Eugen was a gifted artist.

Prince Eugen's home, Waldemarsudde, is now a museum and open to the public.

https://www.waldemarsudde.se/in-english/


Scroll down to see photos of my visit to Waldemarsudde in 2017.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/07/day-4-djurgarden-walking-and-walking.html

Victoria said to be in good health

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 September 9, 1899

Queen Victoria is said to be in good health as she "making an assiduous round of her old retainers" at Balmoral, according to a special cable to the Chicago Daily Tribune.

The The 80-year-old queen's health is said to be "admirable."  Her advice has been sought for the a new book, The Life of Lord Beaconsfield, a study of the late "great statesman," which is nearly finished.  Boxes of  correspondence have been brought to the Queen, which has had each "document read aloud to her."

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 The Princess of Wales and Princess Victoria have arrived Bernstoff, ear Copenhagen, with the Princess' of Wales' father, KIng Christian IX of Denmark.  The King;'s second daughter, the Dowager Empress of Russia and all of her family, with the exception of her elder son, Nicholas, have already arrived at Bernstoff.

The Princess of Wales is expected to stay in Denmark for about two months. She will return to England in late October and will travel to Sandringham, where she will remain for the winter.