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Hereditary Count and Countess von Neipperg

Prince Stefan turns 2

Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine with their grandson, Prince Stefan @Crown Prince Alexander.

PRINCE STEFAN TURNS TWO YEARS OLD

Belgrade, 25 February 2020 - His Royal Highness Prince Stefan is celebrating his second birthday with his family.

His Royal Highness Prince Stefan, the son of Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philip and Princess Danica, was born in Belgrade, Serbia on 25 February 2018. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, the bells of Belgrade’s St. Sava Temple tolled heralding the birth of the newborn member of the Serbian Royal Family. That was the first time that the 49 bells of the biggest orthodox temple in the Balkans announced such a birth. The bells of St. George church in Oplenac and Zica monastery tolled heralding the birth, too. This birth of a male child was the first one in the Royal Family in Serbia after 90 years when HRH Prince Tomislav was born in Belgrade, who was the brother of HM King Peter II, the grandfather of HRH Prince Philip.

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia christened young Prince Stefan at the Royal Chapel of St. Andrew the First-Called in the Royal Compound in Dedinje, Belgrade, Serbia on 15 December 2018. Prince Stefan’s godparents are HRH Prince Alexander (twin brother of HRH Prince Philip), Mrs. Petra Lazarevic and Mr. Dusan Antunovic, long-standing family friends of the Royal Couple Prince Philip and Princess Danica. Joining the Patriarch in officiating the christening was His Grace Bishop Lavrentije of Sabac who married TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine in 1985, and also christened Princes Philip and Alexander. Prince Stefan wore the Christening gown that His Majesty King Peter II wore on the day of his christening officiated by His Holiness Patriarch Dimitrije of Serbia in 1923 in Belgrade, and his godfather was King George V.

Who will return to their thrones?

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February 24, 1945


As the war in Europe moves toward an Allied victor, six exiled monarchs, four kings, a queen, and grand duchesses, watch and wait every political move, each hoping they will be able to "reascend their long-vacated thrones," according to an INS dispatch.

In what is being called the European Monarchical Stakes,  three "will prove to be winners, two may fade before they can reach the winning post, while the sixth is being spoken of in informed quarters as an eventual nonstarter."

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, King Haakon of Norway, and Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg are all expected to regain their thrones when the war is over.  Neither King Peter II of Yugoslavia nor King George II of the Hellenes will return to their countries anytime soon.

King Zog of Albania is not expected to even "leave the starting gate."

Watching from the sidelines from the secure monarchies, including King George VI and the Kings of Denmark, Sweden, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Ethiopia.  Less secure are the thrones of the young King Michael of Romania and King Simeon of Bulgaria, who is a child monarch, under the protection of a regency.  No one expects King Umberto to regain his throne, as the monarchy was voted out in a referendum last May.   Also waiting in the wings in exile is Don Juan, the Count of Barcelona, son of the late King  Alfonso XIII, who went into exile in 1931 after Spain was declared a republic.  There is no sign that Generalissimo Franco will restore the monarchy.

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 Grand Duchess Charlotte has the shortest odds as political commentators believe that there is no doubt that the Luxembourg monarchy will return.  The only matter is the actual date of restoration.

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King Haakon VII of Norway is also expected return although some believe he will abdicate in favor of his son, Crown Prince Olav.  Haakon is 72 years old.  His son has been "closely identified with the Norwegian resistance movement."

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Queen Wilhelmina has been queen for 54 years.  She is an "institution" in the Netherlands. Only a "major constitutional upheaval" could prevent her return.  This seems unlikely, however.

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King Peter II, according to political observers has done "his personal cause incalculable harm" by his objection to the Tito-Subasich agreement. His cause, and, indeed, his throne,  may have been weakened by the frequent squabbles with his British advisors.

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King George II has proved to be "tractable" in accepting the Greek regency, but whether this can translate into a restoration remains to be seen.  The Greek monarchy has not known stability in this century.   There are worries that free elections will lead not to restoration but to a republic.

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No one believes that Zog, who went into exile with his wife, Queen Geraldine, and newborn son, Leka, in 1939, after Italy invaded Albania, will return to his country.  If Albanians decide to restore the monarchy,  Zog is unlikely to get their support.

Mail call

Finally putting away all the cards that I have received since before Christmas.  I will post more in the next few days. 

Italian King frees thousands

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 February 24, 1940


King Vittorio Emanuele of Italy today granted amnesty to thousands of Italian prisoners in Italy, Africa and the Dodecanese islands in celebration of the birth of  his newest granddaughter., reports the Associated Press.

Crown Princess Marie Jose gave birth to Princess Maria Gabriella earlier today in Naples.  The infant is the third child for Crown Prince Umberto and his wife.

The new princess weighed eight pounds and ten ounces.  Mother and daughter are said to be "doing well."

The couple's two older children are Princess Maria Pia, age 5, and Prince Vittorio Emanuele, 3, who is second in line to the Italian throne.

Monaco's army mobilized over separation of Princely couple

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 February 24, 1930

The eighty strong Monegasque army has been mobilized following "the stir caused by the marital differences" between Princess Charlotte, heir to the princely throne and her husband, Prince Pierre, reports the Associated Press.

Prince Pierre is said to be a favorite with Monaco's citizens, who instructed the mayor to convey their regrets at his departure from the country and "to express the real sentiments of the population in this crisis the dynasty is traversing."

Princess Charlotte and her husband have filed suits for separation.  Most of the members of Monaco's council have resigned as they do not want to rule on this case.

As the Prince and Princess are Roman Catholic, there are no plans to seek a divorce,  but they will ask for an annulment after courts rule on the separation.


Princess Charlotte and Count Pierre de Polignac were married in 1920.  They have two children, Princess Antoinette ,9,  and six-year-old Prince Rainier.

Princess Charlotte is the only child of Prince Louis II.  Her official titles are Hereditary Princess and Duchess of Valentinois.

as expected ...no Sussex Royal Foundation

photo by Marlene A. Eilers Koenig

https://sussexroyal.com/spring-2020-transition/

Ileana's betrothal will be canceled

February 20, 1930

It now seems likely that the engagement between Princess Ileana of Romania and Count Alexander von Hochberg will now be "accepted as definitely dissolved," although no formal announcement has been made, reports the New York Times.

The Dowager Queen Marie spoke to her daughter yesterday about "all the developments in the affair" and Princess Ileana said she was in favor of ending her engagement.

Earlier today, the Queen and her daughter left Bucharest for Constanza, where they will board a ship to travel to Alexandria, Egypt, on a "voyage of indefinite length."

The Princess has taken "great pains to hide her feelings" as she said good bye to members of her family.  Her mother, however, looked "deeply depressed."

It is expected that the official announcement will be made within the next few days, when the Princess and the Queen will be on their way to Egypt.

The Princess's adjutant, Colonel Manulescu, who was responsible for the announcement of the engagement at a ball at the Predeal Sporting Club last month, has been relieved of his duties.  He has been made "the scapegoat" for making the original announcement "in the most unsuitable circumstances" and without the queen's approval.

Friends of Ileana's older brother, Crown Prince Carol, have suggested that this incident is "proof of the necessity" for Carol's return.  As head of the royal house he would have been "able to protect his sister's name."

But is is Ileana who is suffering greatly as her "feelings have been treated with scant delicacy by those who launched attacks against her prospective bridegroom."

It is understood that inquiries into Count Alexander's past have been "extended into his financial circumstances."   His father, the Prince of Pless, is  wealthy man with large estates, but this does not mean that his second son will benefit from the family's wealth.

Bucharest newspapers have ceased to report about the aborted engagement, although it is a topic of conversation in Bucharest.  There is "unqualified sympathy" for Princess Ileana.

Earl and Countess of Snowdon announce they are divorcing

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"The Earl and Countess of Snowdon have amicably agreed that their marriage has come to an end and that they shall be divorced.

They ask that the press respect their privacy and that of their family.

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Their divorce is expected to be finalised later this year, making 2020 an already equally difficult year for the Royal Family after its woes in 2019.

David and Serena have agreed that their marriage has broken down, they have in effect been living separate lives for some time.

But they are determined to handle their separation in a civilised manner. There is no blame or acrimony on either side.

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They have simply reached a point at which they both feel they have to move on."

The Earl of Snowdon is one of two children of the late Princess Margaret and the late 1st Earl of Snowdon (ne Antony Armstrong-Jones).   He was born at Clarence House on November 3, 1961.  He has a younger sister, Lady Sarah who is married to Daniel Chatto.

@Marlene A Eilers Koenig   I did not own a zoom lens in 1993

As Viscount Linley (the courtesy title for the heir apparent to the earldom),  David married the Hon. Serena Stanhope on October 8, 1993 at St. Margaret's Westminster.   She is the daughter of Charles Stanhope, the 12th Earl of Harrington (who was Viscount Petersham at the time of his daughter's wedding) and his first wife, Virginia Freeman-Jackson.

@Marlene A Eilers Koenig

Lord and Lady Snowdon have two children:  Charles Patrick Inigo Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley (July 1, 1999) and  Lady Margarita Elizabeth Rose Alleyne Armstrong-Jones (May 14, 2002) /

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Lord Snowdon's interview with Vanity Fair in 2017 gave a big clue (at least to me) that the couple were living apart.

 https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/03/earl-of-snowdon-lifestyle-provence

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-new-earl-of-snowdon.html

https://www.davidlinley.com/

Prince Alexander von Preussen weds Jenny von Rumohr

Prince Alexander von Preussen, the eldest son of Prince Adalbert of Prussia and his wife, Eva Maria Kudicke, was married in a civil ceremony in Munich on Valentine's Day.

Alexander Friedrich Wilhelm-Viktor Marcus Prinz von Preussen was born on October 3, 1984 at Munich.  He has two younger brothers, twins, Prince Christian and Prince Philipp.

He attended the Hockerill Anglo-European College, a boarding school in Bishop Stortford, England.  He has degrees in international economics and international business, from Universita Commerciale 'Luigi Bocconi,' and Maastricht University.

Since August 2019, Prince Alexander has been employed as a Senior Director Digital and Investments at Holtzbrinck Digital in Munich.

Jenny von Rumhor is the elder daughter of Joachim von Rumhor and  Baroness Amélie von Holzing-Berstett.  She was born on December 15, 1985 at Nuremberg.   Jenny has a younger sister, Elena.


She has a Bachelor's degree in European Studies from Maastricht University and a Master's of Art in International Peace and Security from King's College in London.

The new princess is the Head of the Migration Office for Bavaria and Thuringia at MW Malteser Werke.

A date and place for the religious wedding has not been announced.

Prince Alexander is a descendant of Queen Victoria. 

Victoria - Victoria - Wilhelm II - Adalbert - Wilhelm Viktor - Adalbert - Alexander.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-von-preussen-793442110/?originalSubdomain=de

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-von-rumohr-58644047/?originalSubdomain=de

White Lodge for the Prince and Princess of Wales

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February 14, 1900


Queen Victoria is planning to give White Lodge in Richmond Park to the Prince and Princess of Wales as a "suburban residence," reports the Washington Post.  The Prince and Princess have "frequently expressed" the desire for a "quite retreat" not too far from London for use during the summer season when the "temperature at Marlborough House, as elsewhere in the metropolis, is sufficiently tropical."

For a number of years, the Prince and Princess have rented Chiswick House, near the Thames and Richmond but have had to give it up as the owners are selling.

Only a few years ago, many had believed that the Duke of York would take over the house following the death of his mother-in-law, Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck who died in 1897.   White Lodge had been the home of the Duchess of York until her marriage, but the Duke "pointed out" that he could not afford to maintain the house.  It is now vacant due to the recent death of the "poor demented Duke of Teck.

The Duchess of York's father died on January 21.

So now, White Lodge, a "stately pile, consisting of a center block, with two side wings connected by corridors of so defined a curve that the ground plan of the building constitutes the segment of a circle." 

The mansion has an imposing look, and is "surrounded by exquisite grounds, and a commanding magnificent view of the royal park of Richmond."

The grounds will be "especially convenient" for the Prince and Princess of Wales' annual garden party.

The Duke and Duchess of York's first child, Prince Edward of York was born at White Lodge in June 1894.  His baptism took place there on July 16, 1894.