Serbian Royal Spas

From the office of Crown Prince Alexander II:

PROMOTION OF ROYAL SPAS OF SERBIA AT THE WHITE PALACE

Belgrade, 30 September 2009 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine hosted a reception at the White Palace in honour of a new brand of Serbian Tourism – The Royal Spas of Serbia, and accompanying book with the same title, this afternoon. There are eight famous Royal spas in Serbia – Vrnjacka Banja, Banja Koviljaca, Ribarska banja, Brestovacka Banja, Bukovicka Banja, Niska Banja, Sokobanja and Vranjska Banja, which were frequently visited by our Royal Families in the 19th and beginning of 20th century for their excellence.

During the official opening speeches were delivered by: HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, Mr Dejan Jovanovic, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy and regional development, Ms Ljiljana Rebronja, editor-in-chief of “Touristic world” magazine and author of the project and Dr Dejan Stanojevic, President of the Managing Board of Serbian spas Association.


Among numerous guests, there were members of diplomatic corps: H.E. Ms Claire Birgin, Ambassador of Australia, H.E. Mr. Nils Krister Bringeus, Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Dante Coehlo de Lima, Ambassador of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Luis de Almeida Sampaio, Ambassador of Portugal, H.E. Mr. Georgi Dimitrov, Ambassador of Bulgaria, H.E. Ms Mercedes Martinez Valdez, Ambassador of Cuba, H.E. Mr. Erwin Helmut Hofer, Ambassador of Switzerland, H.E. Ms Hana Hubackova, Ambassador of Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Clemens Koja, Ambassador of Austria, H.E. Ms Mercedes Felicitas Ruiz Zapata, Ambassador of Mexico, H.E. Eugenio Sbarbaro, Apostolic Nuncio.

Addressing the numerous guests HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, the Patron of the Project, stated: “When Ms Rebronja invited me to be the patron of this project earlier this year, I accepted it with great pleasure. Tourism, and especially health and congress tourism is good for Serbia. The Royal spas of Serbia deserve to become a gem in the crown of Serbian tourism”.

Mr Dejan Jovanovic, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy and regional development addressed the guests on behalf of the Government of Serbia: “On behalf of the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, I would like to thank the Royal Family for supporting this important project, which we also supported as a Ministry. Any Royal Spa in Serbia could be a great touristic attraction for any region. Government of Serbia will continue to build touristic capacities, roads and infrastructure. I would like to emphasize that this project, The Royal Spas of Serbia, is among the biggest projects in Serbian tourism this year.”

Ms Ljiljana Rebronja, author of the project said: “From today’s perspective it might look surreal, but our Royal Spas were cultural and mondaine centres of Serbia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, very much like centres in Europe. Due to very healing characteristics of their waters, and good air, very distinguished guests came to these spas, together with members of our ruling dynasties, Karadjordjevic and Obrenovic. Not just to relax and heal, but also to conduct state business from the spas”.

Dr Dejan Stanojevic, President of the Managing Board of Serbian Spas Association said: “It is my honour to greet you on behalf of Association of Serbian spas, which will mark the valuable anniversary next year, 40 years of existence. For all these years we have had the ultimate goal set to us by the rulers of Serbia – to promote our spas. Most of the Royal spas preserved the most important things for any spa – preserve nature, clean air and silence.”

At the end of the official ceremony, Mr Vladan Veskovic, Secretary of the Association of Serbian Spas, handed over vouchers for sixteen children with disabilities to HRH Crown Princess Katherine. Those children will be invited by HRH Crown Princess Katherine Foundation to visit Royal Spas of Serbia for rehabilitation.

HRH Crown Princess Katherine warmly thanked the Royal spas of Serbia for their generosity: “Thank you very, very much for this wonderful gift. I am very happy that sixteen of our children with disabilities would be able to go to Royal spas of Serbia, and to have a real Royal treatment there”.

Queen Giovanna a prisoner of government

September 30, 1943

The AP reports today that Queen Giovanna of Bulgaria, the widow of King Boris III, is a prisoner of the new regency government. The AP's story is based on a report from the BBC. The BBC's report was recorded by the National Broadcasting Company. Last week "neutral sources said that the Queen Mother had threatened to go into exile" because of differences with the regency government. It was also reported that the government would arrest King Simeon's mother if she attempted to flee the country."

Princess Royal suffers a heart attack

September 30, 1929

The Chicago Tribune reports that there is "great anxiety" in Britain's royal household due to the "sudden, serious illness" of King George V's sister, Princess Louise.
The princess, whose official title is the Princess Royal, suffered a heart attack and gastric hemorrhage at her Highland home in Braemar, Scotland. Dr Russel Wilkinson was summoned from London to attend her.
Princess Louise is also the sister of Queen Maud of Norway and Princess Victoria. Her "sudden illness" follows a "chill incurred a few days ago."
In 1889, Princess Louise married the Duke of Fife, who died in 1912. Louise has two daughters, Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, who is married to Prince Arthur of Connaught, and Princess Maud, who is the wife of Lord Carnegie.
The "latest bulletin states that she passed a restful night, but her heart attack caused alarm."

A son for Crown Princess Cecilie

September 30, 1909

The New York Times reports that the Crown Princess of Prussia gave birth to a son tonight in Potsdam. The Crown Princess is the former Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
The unnamed Prince is the third son for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

Prince Miguel sued by loan shark

September 30, 1909

Prince Miguel de Braganza, who recently married the American heiress, Anita Rhinelander Stewart, is being sued in a Viennese court for 6000 crowns. The Prince is said to have borrowed the money from a usurer to pay "his Paris hotel bill or to buy a ticket to England or to Scotland where Miss Stewart waited for him."
The prince, during the proceedings, "protested against the amount charge, "has since applied to the same usurer for a loan of 200,000 crowns."
The judge "inquired strenuously" into the case's facts, and is "seeking to learn what amount of each the Prince received from the bill." Fearing he might be arrested, the usurer has withdrawn his suit against Prince Miguel.
The prince's aunts, Archduchess Maria Theresa and the Duchess of Parma "are prepared to repay the debt," but will not pay the usurer's charge.

Count of Turin makes contact

September 30, 1907

The Count of Turin, a cousin of the King of Italy, has made contact with his family, after months of being incommunicado. Prince Victor, a brother to the Dukes of Aosta and Abruzzi, is now in the African interior, according to the Marquise de Fontenoy's latest column. He has not "encountered Theodore Roosevelt in his travels," and he has set up his headquarters at Basako, in the eastern province of the Belgian Congo. He has been traveling "extensively in the most remote possessions of England and Germany in the center of Africa, beyond the reach of civilization." The news of his whereabouts is the first communication from the prince in some months.

Princess Charlotte dead

September 30, 1901

The New York Times is reporting the death of Princess Charlotte Bonaparte. The princess, who was the widow of Count Primoli, died yesterday.
Princess Charlotte Honorine Josephine was the second daughter of Prince Charles Bonaparte, the "eminent naturalist." who was the eldest son of Prince Lucien Bonaparte. She was born in Rome on March 4, 1832. She married at Rome in 1848 to Count Pietro Primoli. Her husband died in 1993.
Prince Lucien was a brother of Napoleon I.

Adalberto off to East Africa to fight

September 29, 1935

Prince Adalberto of Savoy, Duke of Bergamo, today left for East Africa, becoming the first member of the Italian royal family to fight in the current war, the AP reports. "As the guns of warships roared a salute," Prince Adalberto sailed from Taranto with "4,000 cheering soldiers."
Crown Prince Umberto, and Prince Adalberto's brother, the Duke of Pistoia, saw him off at the dock. The Duke, who will sail on a later ship, "gave his brother the traditional Italian farewell, a kiss on both cheeks."
Adalberto's cousin, King Victor Emanuel, sent a "message of good luck." He will be serving in Africa as a captain of the cavalry. He was only just out of his teens when he fought in the world war, where he "received a medal for valor."
It was noted that Adalberto's departure, which will be followed by his brother's departure and the presence of the Crown Prince, "dispelled rumors" that the house of Savoy was opposed to an Italo-Ethiopian war.

Belgian papers clash over arrival of Zita and family

September 29, 1929

Former Empress Zita of Austria and four of her children arrived in Belgium today, creating a media storm in some of Belgium's newspapers. The "quiet black veiled" woman's arrival relighted "political and wartime passions throughout Belgium," reports the Chicago Daily Tribune.
Zita is the widow of Austria's last Emperor, Karl I, who died in 1922, nearly four years after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
The family arrived by train, traveling in a second class car. Zita, who is the mother of the heir to the former throne, wants her children to attend Catholic schools.
"Newspaper polemics" broke out as soon as she stepped on Belgian soil.
The Catholic daily, La Libre Belgique, opined: "born to wear the crown of an empire where the vast majority of people hope for Zita's return." The paper's editorial added: "Zita saw a brilliant future at the side of the beloved Charles, last emperor of Austria and Hungary. Revolution, which since the armistice has undermined so many dynasties, ruined the big-hearted dreams of the young Austrian rulers."
La Libre Belgique's views were scorned by other newspapers, including, Le Peuple, the labor daily. Their comments were far more scornful toward the former empress. "What does all this nonsense mean? The Habsburgs, just like the Hohenzollern, are responsible for the world war. Their Austro-Hungarian empire was a freak state which thrived only as long as it oppressed the Czechs, the Slovaks, the Italian and Roumanian minorities.
"Zita may be pitied, but she ought to be less pitied than a hundred million orphans, widows and lonely old mothers who owe their misery to sinister old man [the emperor Franz Joseph] whose worthy successors Charles and Zita wanted to be. Let all those princes keep in the shade! That will be best..."
Archduke Otto will be attending Louvain University.

Grand Duchess re-elected in a plebiscite

September 29, 1919

The citizens of the tiny Grand Duchy of Luxembourg have voted in a plebiscite to retain Grand Duchess Charlotte has the head of state. The vote was in a margin of nearly two-one, "according to the first 8,000 ballots counted up to noon today." An economic alliance with France over Belgium received an even higher percentage of votes.
The voters had four choices on their ballots: retain Charlotte as head of state, select another ruler from the same family, installing another dynasty or establishing a republic.
Unofficial reports, according to the Associated Press, "reiterate the vote of women exceeded the men."
Grand Duchess Charlotte has returned to Luxembourg for the plebiscite's outcome. "I am sure the people voted for me because it was the surest way to preserve the independence of the country," she said after the outcome was made known.
She also spoke of her resignation, "and the passage of the referendum bill, which she said was the first time any monarch had placed a dynasty in legal jeopardy."
The Grand Duchess said she "was willing to do it because it seemed the right thing to do."

Ex-archduke to marry daughter of horse dealer

September 29, 1907

The Countess of Montignoso's brother, Leopold, announced today that he is going to marry Maria Magdalena Ritter. The former archduke, who renounced his rights and titles when he married Wilhelmine Adamovics, announced his engagement to Fraulein Ritter in telegram to London' Daily Mail, according to the New York Times.
Leopold, who is now known as Leopold Wolfing, "disapproves of his sister's marriage" to Enrico Toselli." He calls her decision a "foolish step," and he had advised her to not marry the singer because of "the enormous difference in age between her and Toselli."
Maria Magdalene Ritter was born in Silesia in 1877, and is the daughter of Albert Ritter, a "proprietor of horses."

Toselli to sing in America

September 29, 1907

Enrico Toselli, the Italian singer, who married the Countess of Montignoso last week in London, has told reporters that he plans a singing tour of America, reports the Associated Press. He declined, however, "to give any details" concerning a tour.
He "protested energetically" that his wife is in a "delicate condition." He also added that the countess "would defend her rights" to care for her young daughter, Princess Anna Monica Pia.
The Countess recently had a meeting with a representative of her former husband, King Frederick August of Saxony. Toselli declined to say if his wife "intended to keep the child at all hazards," or if she will lose the allowance given to her by the Saxon king if she does "surrender the child."

Empress Alexandra provides for half-brother

Alexandra and new baby Anastasia 

September 28, 1901

The Marquise of Fontenoy reports in her column in the Chicago Daily Tribune that the Empress of Russia "is providing for the future of her 17-year half brother by securing for him a Muscovite title of nobility and a commission in the Russian army, Alexandra is also providing a liberal allowance to the young man.

It was Alexandra's older sister, Elisabeth, who is married to Grand Duke Serge, who suggested that something be done for their half-brother. Grand Duchess Ella "has always maintained a certain amount of sympathy for her fascinating stepmother."

The unnamed half-brother is apparently the result of the brief marriage between Grand Duke Ludwig IV of Hesse and by Rhine and Mme. Alexandrine Kolemine.

Madame Kolemine's first husband, Alexander, was a "drunken, brutal fellow," a very jealous man, "coupled with his wife's fondness for admiration and flirtation."

De Kolemine was the Russian Minister at Darmstadt. The Grand Duke was able to use his influence at the Russian court to secure a divorce for Alexandrine and to have her former husband transferred to the Far East.

The Grand Duke and Madame de Kolemine were married secretly on April 30, 1884, only several hours after his eldest child, Princess Victoria married Prince Louis of Battenberg. The news of the Grand Duke's marriage caused distress and consternation among Ludwig's family. To make matters worse, his mother-in-law, Queen Victoria (the mother of his first wife Alice) was in Darmstadt for Victoria's wedding. She was furious that this wedding "should have been celebrated while she was staying under his roof," and Victoria threatened to cut off an allowance she was giving him if he didn't have the marriage immediately annulled.

The Grand Duke was forced to acquiesce, and his new wife was quickly hustled out of Darmstadt. The marriage was ended, and Alexandrine was created Countess Romrod in her own right. She also received an allowance from the Grand Duke.

The Countess has since remarried, but her third husband should not be "saddled with the maintenance" with the Grand Duke's son. Mme. de Kolemine gave birth at Venice some months after the marriage was dissolved.

Empress Alexandra, "prompted by her sister, Elisabeth, has virtually adopted the boy and has undertaken to provide for his welfare, relieving his mother of all further anxiety on his behalf."

Elisabeth was the only member of the Grand Duke's family to show any kindness to Mme. de Kolemine. As Alexandrine was leaving the palace, Elisabeth sent to her, via a maid, "a bundle of rugs and a handsome fur" coat to use in the carriage. Elisabeth also expressed sympathy for Alexandrine's position, as she did not think it "a crime for a woman" to love her father.

[The Marquise, a nom de plume for the French noble wife of a British diplomat-cum-journalist, certainly had connections, but I think, at times, she was barking up the wrong tree.]

A new addition to my collection

I've just added this postcard to my collection -a nice photo of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Prussia and their six children: Princes Wilhelm, Louis Ferdinand, Hubertus, Friedrich and Princesses Cecilie and Alexandrine. Probably from the late 1920s.

A rather good article about Queen Elizabeth II

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/diana/6234373/Criticism-of-Queen-after-death-of-Diana-hugely-upset-Queen-Mother.html

Lady Angela's comments about the death of Diana are not new as others have said exactly the same thing.

Julia Grant's wedding

September 25, 1899

Police had to keep back the crowds from the canopied entrance to All Saints' Memorial Chapel in Newport, Rhode Island, today as Miss Julia Grant, daughter of Brig. General and Mrs. Frederick Dent Grant, married Prince Michael Cantacuzene, Count Speransky. The New York Times reports that "curious spectators were out in large numbers, and the police had difficulty in maintaining crowd control.

The bridal party arrived shortly before noon and entered the chapel. It was very warm inside, and "several ladies came near fainting." The doors of the church were kept open to maintain a flow of air.

This is a grand and brilliant occasion for the "Summer colony" at Newport, as members of prominent families who live in Newport for the summer, joined heads of the army at the wedding of late President Ulysses S. Grant's granddaughter.

The bridegroom and his best man waited at the altar and were preceded by eight ushers. The bride was escorted down the aisle by her brother, Ulysses Grant III.
The service was conducted according to the rites of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

Julia "looked stately and handsome and was perfectly at home throughout the ceremony." She wore a "severely cut gown," which was of a simple design. The gown was of "rich white satin, with a sweeping train, and very long white tulle veil." The veil was held in place by a wreath of real orange blossoms. The bride carried a bouquet of lilies and stephanotis, and she "wore the ornamental gifts of the bridegroom, corsage ornaments of diamonds and enamel, with a rope of pearls." This was the second wedding for the couple. Last night they were wed in a private Russian Orthodox service at Beaulieu, which was attended by close family and friends.

A breakfast reception was held at Beaulieu, the summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer, the bride's aunt and uncle. The newly married Prince and Princess Cantacuzens "received the congratulations of their relatives and friends." During the meal, toasts were made to the Prince and his "charming wife." Everyone stood and drank to the health of the bride's father, Brig. Gen. Grant, who is in the Far East.

Flags of the United States and Russia were on prominent display on the cliffside of the cottage. One of the Prince's relatives sent the Russian flag.

The bride's engagement ring "consists of a large emerald set in a string of brilliant diamonds." The ring was made in Russia. The groom gave his bride "a diamond pendant worn from a string of pearls around the neck." The Prince's family sent to his bride "a number of the most valuable pieces of the family jewelry."

The bride and groom received many cablegrams and telegrams of congratulations, including one from President McKinley. Perhaps the most treasured of the telegrams was the one sent from the Philippines by Julia's father.

The wedding gifts will be "carefully packed" and be shipped to Odessa tomorrow.

The Prince and Princess left Beaulieu at 4 p.m., for New York City, where they will stay the Waldorf=Astoria for several days. The carriage "was placarded with a sign" that read "Off to Russia." The young couple was given a "hearty send-off with a shower of rice and a few old shoes."

The new princess's traveling dress was of "dark blue cloth trimmed with white, with a close-fitting jacket to match." She also wore a large hat.
It is understood that Mrs. Potter Palmer will visit the prince and princess during the winter in St. Petersburg. The bride's mother will also be spending a "portion of the Winter" with her daughter and son-in-law in St. Petersburg. Next summer, the prince and princess will spend the summer at Beaulieu with the Potter Palmers.

Prince Michael Cantacuzene has homes in Odessa and St. Petersburg.

Julia Dent Grant was born on June 6, 1876, at the White House. She was the eldest child of Frederick Dent Grant and his wife, Ida Honoré, a Chicago real estate heiress. President Benjamin Harrison named Julia's father as Ambassador to Austria Hungary, a position Grant held until 1893. Julia made her formal debut into society in Vienna. Julia and her aunt, Bertha (Mrs. Palmer Potter) spent some time traveling throughout Europe after her parents had returned to the United States, It was in Rome, where Julia and Prince Michael first met. Prince Michael was attached to the Russian embassy in Rome. He had earlier served as Russia's representative to the United States.

Two weeks after meeting Julia Grant, Prince Michael followed her to Cannes. He proposed to her after only two days of courtship. The marriage took place four months later.

Beaulieu was owned by the Astors and rented to the Potter Palmers for several years.

If you liked this article, perhaps you could buy me a cup of coffee 

 

Suicide attempt for Hohenlohe prince?

September 25, 1949

Prince Alexander zu Hohenlohe, 30, is in critical condition at a New York City hospital, following what officials have called a suicide attempt, reports the Chicago Daily Tribune.

He was found tonight in his midtown apartment with "a bullet wound in his chest." Police said that "he had shot himself in a suicide attempt."

The Prince was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and was accompanied by a doctor and a priest. The doctor told reporters that one lung had collapsed from the bullet's impact. He added that "I think he has a chance" to survive.
The prince was arrested at his bedside "on a charge of illegally possessing firearms." Police said that he did not have a license for the pistol that he used to shoot himself, or for another pistol found in his home.

Francis P. Garvan, the prince's attorney, and friend said that the Prince has been "depressed and brooding" since the separation from his wife several months ago. Prince Alexander recently spent three weeks in the Payne Memorial Clinic at New York Hospital, where he was treated for a "mental disorder." Garvan told police that Alexander had telephoned him earlier tonight and "instructed him to open a sealed envelope left with the lawyer last night. He said "the note worried him," but Garvan "would not admit that it was a suicide note. He left immediately for Prince Alexander's apartment, stopping only to pick up a doctor and a policeman.

Prince Alexander is a partner in the Fifth Avenue dress firm, Cassini-Dardick Ltd. He married the former Peggy Schulze, 27, a stepdaughter of Anthony J. Drexel Biddle in Paris on October 5, 1939.

Although his title is German, Prince Alexander is a Polish national. He was born in Austria, but his branch of the family acquired Polish nationality "through adoption by another branch of the Hohenlohe family. He is half-American, as he is the son of Prince Alfred of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst and the late Catherine Britton.

Prince and Princess Alexander's marriage took place after the fall of Poland, where he had served as a subaltern in the 14th Polish Uhlans during the German invasion. He was later assigned to the Polish embassy in Washington, D.C., as an adjutant to the military attache.

The couple's two young children are with relatives in White Plains, New York. Alexander's estranged wife also lives in New York City, but the police would not release her address.

Vienna celebrates Prince and his American bride

September 25, 1925

Prince Edward de Lobkowicz "was given a triumphal welcome on his arrival" today in Vienna with his young American wife, Anita Lihme.

Anita is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Bai Lihme, formerly of Chicago, and now New York.

The Chicago Daily Tribune reports that before the war, Prince Edward "was one of the figures in the aristocratic life of Vienna." In 1924, he left Austria "to seek his fortune in America." With $300 in his pocket, he boarded a ship for the United States, "arriving in New York with just $80."

The Prince, who spoke little English, wandered around the city for several days as he searched for work. He was finally able to secure a position at Wanamaker's, where he was hired as a clerk at the cloth counter. He earned $25.00 a week, and "was barely able to live on his wages."

Despite earning a limited wage, the prince "always appeared perfectly garbed at receptions to which he was invited because of his high titles."

He left his clerking position to short a caviar business with M. Isvolsky, the son of the former Czarist ambassador to France. They set up their business in Palm Beach, Florida, where it "became the fashion of the Palm Beach high society to buy the only caviar recommended by the prince and his friend."

It was in Palm Beach where Prince Edward and Anita Lihme, a wealthy American heiress, were first introduced. They met on a golf course, as the Princess is an avid golfer.

Prince Edward has advised Austrians to travel to America where "you will not find dollars on the streets, but where you will find work and you must work hard. I learned, and I am proud of it."

All of Austria's important nobility are vying to "entertain the newlyweds," as the prince and princess "will be the guests of honor" at numerous social functions.

Nicholas and Alexandra arrive in Darmstadt

Marlene A Eilers Koenig collection 

September 25, 1903

The Emperor and Empress of Russia and their children arrived today in Darmstadt, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Hesse and By Rhine. They received a "hearty welcome" from Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig, who is the Empress' brother, and the public.

Majesty and Lord Frederick's wedding

Contrary to what the Sunday Times reported on September 13, Majesty Magazine WILL NOT have exclusive coverage of Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor's wedding. This was confirmed to me in an email from the magazine's editor, Joe Little.

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2009/09/no-exclusive-for-majety.html

Eugenie starts college!

Princess Eugenie, the younger daughter of the Duke of York and his former wife, Sarah, is now a college freshman. She joined other incoming students today at the University of Newcastle for freshmen orientation. She will be majoring in English literature, history of art and politics, and is expected to receive her combined degree in three years. Eugenie will live in ordinary student housing, but will continue to be protected by her personal protection officer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/8272728.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/tyne/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8270000/8270559.stm

Lord and Lady Frederick's wedding: Hello's coverage

I picked up this morning at Borders the latest issue of Hello! magazine. The magazine touts "Royal Wedding Special" and features the newly married Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor on the cover. Following the wedding, three official photographs of the newly weds were released to the media. I expected that several more photos -- the official photographer was Sir Geoffrey Shakerley -- would be released, including one or two group photos. This has not happened. Judy Wade's coverage of the wedding is abysmal, but, to be honest, she really didn't have a lot to work with. Most of the photographs are the candid shots of the arrivals and departures at Ormeley Lodge, the home of Lady Annabel Goldsmith. Wade's article is short on details on who was actually at the wedding, but even without an official list being released to the media, a good journalist could have ferreted out more details. She mentions that Eloise Taylor, the daughter of Lady Helen Taylor, Frederick's first cousin, was a bridesmaid, but makes no comment about India Balfour, another bridesmaid, who happens to be the granddaughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia.
The British media largely focused on the British royals who did not attend, but chose not find out if any of Prince Michael's maternal family were guests at the wedding. These relatives would include descendants of his mother's two older sisters, Olga and Elisabeth. One assumes that India's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Balfour were present at the wedding, so her perhaps her grandmother also attended. Several Toerring-Jettenbachs, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of the Hellenes and Mr. George and Lady Rose Gilman also were at the wedding.
The magazine also has far too many photos of Princess Michael of Kent, and her ample, but unfortunate decolletage, but not a single photograph of Sophie's mother.

Boris to marry Ileana

Embed from Getty Images 

September 24, 1929

King Boris has been thwarted in his plans to marry Italian Princess Giovanna because the Vatican will not grant a dispensation for the marriage. King Boris is Orthodox, and Giovanna is Roman Catholic.

The Roumanian newspaper, Adverul, reports that the Bulgarian king has dusted off a previous plan to wed Princess Ileana of Roumania, the youngest daughter of Queen Marie and the late King Ferdinand. The New York Times reports that the Adverul's account is "based on information from a reliable court authority."

Princess Ileana, 20, recently returned from a visit to Schloss Langenburg, where her first cousin, Prince Gottfried -- described by the Times as a "German princeling -- was a candidate for her hand in marriage. However, her summer visit to Langenburg proved "fruitless," and the princess returned to Roumania without an engagement ring.

Embed from Getty Images 

It is being said that Queen Marie is encouraging the match between Boris and her daughter. The King has apparently sounded out Marie's opinion regarding the marriage. Her response was favorable. Queen Marie once joked to a newspaperman that she would be the mother-in-law of the Balkans, comparing herself to her kinsman, the late King Christian IX of Denmark, who was called the "father-in-law" of Europe.

Marie's two eldest children, the former Crown Prince Carol, and Princess Elisabeta are married to Princess Helen and King George of the Hellenes. Princess Marie is the wife of King Alexander of Yugoslavia.

Should Marie be able to secure a Balkan crown for Ileana, "her action might have important effects on Balkan peace." The marriage "might lay the keystone of Bulgaro-Rumanian reconciliation and initiate better relations between the courts of Belgrade and Sofia."

Diplomatic dispatches also cite the Adverual, which reports that the engagement is expected to be "announced shortly."

King Boris has also been linked with Grand Duchess Kira of Russia, who is Ileana's first cousin.

Ileana is "an athlete and an organizer. She "holds a record as a short distance runner," and heads several organizations in Roumania, including the YMCA, the Girl Scouts and the Junior Red Cross.

Mafalda and Philipp "slipped away"

September 24, 1925

Despite the presence of large crowds outside castle of Racconigi, no one has actually seen the newly married Prince and Princess Philipp of Hesse leave for their honeymoon. The Associated Press reports "on good authority" that the couple slipped out of the castle in a closed car "which contained only themselves." It is understood that they went to Bordighera on the Italian Riviera, where they "first met and fell in love." The couple plan to stay a few days in Bordighera before traveling to Germany to Philipp's home, Schloss Friedrichshof. The Prince and Princess will settle in Rome, and will move into a villa, designed by Prince Philipp, near Mafalda's parents' Villa Savoia.

Princess Ernest Augustus of Cumberland not well

September 24, 1913

The New York Times is reporting that Princess Ernest Augustus of Cumberland's illness "has caused her to give up temporarily her residence at Rathenow," where her husband, Prince Ernest Augustus, is garrisoned. The Princess has arrived at the Neues Palais for a "prolonged stay under the personal care of her mother, the Kaiserin."

Luise and Toselli back in London

September 24, 1907

After several days of reports of "mysterious disappearances", the Countess of Montignoso and Sgr. Toselli are back in London, according to a report in the New York Times.
It is entirely plausible that the former Crown Princess of Saxony and Toselli, a pianist, are married. Last month, the countess took up "temporary residence" in Hempstead and then at Cromer. Luisa and Toselli lived in England for three consecutive Sundays, which is the requirement for a Special License to be married. The Countess and Toselli are now living in a hotel near a major railway station in London.
The whereabouts of the countess' daughter, Princess Anna Monica Pia, are unknown. The little princess may be living in Switzerland, "where the countess can find her as soon as convenient." She recently signed an agreement with the Saxon court, in which she agreed to surrender her daughter next May.

Olav to marry Astrid!

September 23, 1925

The AP reports that the engagement between Crown Prince Olav of Norway,22, and Princess Astrid, the youngest daughter of Prince Carl and Princess Ingeborg of Sweden "is expected soon." The Princess will celebrate her 20th birthday on November 17. Princess Astrid is the niece of King Gustaf V.

Royal engagements to be announced shortly

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 September 23, 1913


Expect two royal engagements to be announced "an an early date," according to the New York Times. Grand Duchess Olga of Russia, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress of Russia is to marry her second cousin, Crown Prince Carol of Roumania. Carol's sister, Elisabetta, is to marry another second cousin, Crown Prince George of Greece.

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The Empress of Russia, Queen Marie of Roumania and Queen Sophie of the Hellenes are first cousins, and granddaughters of Queen Victoria.

Mafalda's trousseau

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September 22, 1925

Princess Mafalda's wedding trousseau doesn't include "mid-Victorian brocades." Instead, the princess, who will marry Prince Philipp of Hesse tomorrow, has chosen "diaphanous chiffons and cobwebby lingerie." The trousseau, which cost $10,000, was purchased in Rome, Milan and Turin, "at the princess' desire." All of her lingerie and linen have been embroidered with "a monogram, surrounded by the royal emblem," according to the Chicago Daily Tribune.

The princess' wedding train is said to be four yards long, and "will have two bearers." Crown Prince Umberto has given his sister a "magnificent necklace of 300 pearls," that she will wear at the wedding.

The palace's baker has made a cake "in the form of a garland of flowers," which will serve 200 guests.

The exiled King George of the Hellenes and Crown Prince Carol of Roumania have already arrived in Racconigi. King George and the bridegroom are first cousins, as their mothers are sisters.

Did Wilhelm of Wied try to drop jewels from plane?

September 22, 1919

A mystery regarding royal jewels is unfolding in Germany and Sweden, according to a report in the Chicago Daily Tribune. Swedish police are frustrated by a story about Prince Wilhelm of Wied. Jewels, which may belong to the Saxony royalty family, were apparently dropped from the air over Sweden by a seaplane piloted by Prince Wilhelm of Wied. Two Germans were arrested after the parcels were dropped, and the prince's role in the attempt for aerial smuggling is not known.

Princess George of Greece converts to Orthodoxy

September 22, 1909

In her column in the Chicago Daily Tribune, the Marquise de Fontenoy reports that Princess George of Greece -- the former Princess Marie Bonaparte -- has become a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. The Marquise finds it "astonishing" that the Princess, who was born and raised Roman Catholic, had not taken this step before as she had not obtained a dispensation from the Roman Catholic church when she married Prince George. The Roman Catholic Church has not recognized her marriage, and she has not been able to receive the Sacraments.

A dispensation is only granted "on the most solemn undertaking on the part of the applicant" that he or she must agree to raise the children born of the marriage as Roman Catholics. Prince George, however, could not agree to this as the Greek constitution requires the princes and princesses to be raised in the Orthodox faith.

Prince George might have forfeited his children's succession rights if he had allowed them to be baptized in the Roman Church.

The Vatican has remained strict "on the matter of mixed marriages" among Europe's reigning royal houses, since the marriage of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Roumania.

Pope Leo XIII granted a dispensation to the couple because they would raise their children in the Catholic faith.

Crown Prince Ferdinand, as a member of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family, is Roman Catholic. Crown Princess Marie is a member of the Church of England. Although he agreed to the church's requirement for marital dispensation, Ferdinand allowed his children to be baptized according to the rites of the Orthodox church, which is the primary religion in Roumania.

The former Princess Sophie of Prussia, a Lutheran, joined the Orthodox church after her marriage to Crown Prince Constantine. Sophie's sister-in-law, Alice, who is married to Prince Andrew of Greece, has retained her Lutheran faith, although her daughters are being reared in the Greek Orthodox church.

Two royal weddings for London's autumn season

September 21, 1923

Two royal weddings will highlight London's Autumn season, according to the New York Times. The Autumn season, which is also known as the "little season," is sandwiched between the "older and more conventional" Summer season and the Winter season, which is largely spent in the sunny Riviera.
The two royal brides are Princess Maud, the younger daughter of the Princess Royal and the late Duke of Fife, and Lady Louise Mountbatten, the younger daughter of Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven, and the late Marquess of Milford Haven.

Lady Louise's wedding to Crown Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden will take place at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace on November 3 in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary. The King of Sweden and the Crown Prince will spend several days at Buckingham Palace before the wedding.

This is the second marriage or the Crown Prince. His first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught, died in 1920. Lady Louise will become the stepmother to five children.

Princess Maud, who is the king's niece, is to marry Lord Carnegie, the heir to Earldom of Southesk on November 12. Members of the Royal Family are expected to return earlier to London because there will be "many entertainments" during Maud's wedding week.

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2013/06/priness-maud-to-mary.html

A "notable edition" to the London hostess scene is the new Duchess of York, who has been unable to make her debut as a hostess as she was suffering from whooping cough.

Is Spain's Maria Cristina "deaf and dumb?"

September 21, 1913

According to the Manchester Guardian, relatives of Queen Ena of Spain are worried that her younger daughter, Infanta Maria Cristina, will be "deaf and dumb" like her elder brother, Jaime. It is believed that the Infanta, who was born on December 12, 1911, is deaf and will never learn how to speak.
"The pessimistic reports" of the royal family's physicians "have nearly broken the heart of the Queen." She and her children are frequent visitors to convents in the Madrid area, where she prays for the children, and asks for intercession on behalf of her nearly two-year-old daughter.

Infante Jaime, 6, was born deaf, and has never spoken. He had undergone numerous treatments, and the Queen sent his doctor to the United States to learn more about treatments for the "deaf and dumb." The doctor learned about the treatment for Helen Keller, who cannot see, hear or speak. Queen Ena is also supporting the growth of schools for children who are "deaf and dumb."

Manoel to marry Princess Alexandra

September 22, 1909

Lisbon papers are reporting that the engagement between King Manoel and Princess Alexandra of Fife, the elder daughter of the Princess Royal and the Duke of Fife, will be announced at Windsor Castle on November 15, King Edward VII's birthday.

Prince & Princess Michael's upcoming auction

In Monday's Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1214884/Kents-sell-royal-treasures.html

Tim Taylor a victim of the recession

Tim Taylor,who is married to Lady Helen Windsor, has been forced to close his furniture store, Sebastian & Parquet, due to the recession.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/6209767/Lady-Helen-Taylors-husband-is-recession-victim.html

Tim has also employed cost-cutting measures at his gallery.

http://www.timothytaylorgallery.com/

Look what I got from Amazon

A special order, I think! This is Sienna, not a new arrival. I have four cats .. enough!

No rooms in Raccogni

September 17, 1925

Even though that "every available sleeping place is occupied or reserved," hundreds of visitors, including royal aids, are pouring into the mountain town of Racconigi to attend the wedding of Princess Mafalda of Italy and Prince Philipp of Hesse, according to the Associated Press.
There are no rooms available for Premier Mussolini's staff. Mussolini, as Crown Notary, will perform the civil ceremony.
Workmen are currently redecorating in red and gold the rooms at the palace which will be used for the wedding dinner and entertainment.
The wedding will take place on September 23.

Mafalda and Giovanna critically ill

September 17, 1923

There are unconfirmed reports out of Rome that Princess Mafalda of Italy, the second daughter of King Victor Emanuel and Queen Elena, has died The Associated Press reports that this rumor "lacks official confirmation. Prime Minister Mussolini, however, has received a telegram from the king, saying there are "grave developments" regarding the condition of Mafalda and her younger sister, Princess Giovanna.
The two princesses are suffering from Typhoid fever.
Crown Prince Umberto has been recalled to Racconigi.
Later this afternoon, the premier received a phone call from the king who said that Mafalda's condition had "abated" and her doctors believe she has passed through the "critical stage."

Countess and lover go for a drive

September 17, 1905

The Countess of Montignoso and Sgr Toselli "drove away from their hotel this morning in a hansom" and only returned later in the evening, according to the New York Times.

The Countess, who is the former Crown Princess of Saxony, and Toselli, an Italian pianist, are expected to marry shortly, by Special License.

When they returned to the hotel, they went straight to their rooms and did not speak to anyone. Since their arrival, the Countess and Toselli have received no correspondence or visitors. It is believed that the Countess was able to keep her whereabouts a secret, even from her lawyer.

The Countess has no pressing need for money as this morning she changed a thousand lira note into sterling, "which she carefully counted and placed in a silver handbag." It appears that the Countess is managing the business affairs for herself and for Toselli, who is said to be "penniless."

She continues to receive an annuity of $9000 a year from the Saxon court, but this appanage will cease when she remarries. When they arrived at the hotel, the Countess, who speaks perfect English, made all the arrangements. She asked for an apartment in the hotel and was told that the rate was 18 shillings. She responded that the price was too high. She was able to obtain another apartment in the hotel for 15 shillings. She turned to Toselli, and told him, in Italian, that "she had struck a bargain."

The couple are using an assumed name. The New York Times did not name the hotel where they are staying.

Palace denies Caroline marriage rift

The press office at the Palace in Monaco has issued an official statement regarding the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Hannover: "The information [about a split] is absolutely false and baseless."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i0MdYjtOlOXWhLQtv0OQczAIis3Q

A Habsburg wants to run for president ... but cannot

Austrian law does not permit members of the Habsburg family to run for the president. This is largely due to a fear that a Habsburg might want to restore the monarchy. Ulrich, who has the title Count Ulrich von Habsburg-Lothringe, is a non-dynast as he descends from a morganatic marriage. His grandfather, Archduke Heinrich Ferdinand of Austria, was married in 1919 to a commoner, Karolina Ludescher. As this marriage was morganatic, Heinrich's descendants are not heirs to the former Austrian throne. The Austrian law does not differentiate between the equal and not-equal descendants of the former ruling house. Ulrich is a descendant with the surname Habsburg. His daughter-in-law, Gabriele, also wants to run for political office, but she is also barred because she married to a Habsburg.
Ulrich bears the title Count of Habsburg-Lothringen, but in Austria one cannot use a title, even as a part of one's surname. Thus, Ulrich's legal surname is Habsburg without even the von.

http://www.austriantimes.at/news/General_News/2009-09-16/16436/Habsburg_goes_to_court_over_presidential_ban

Kaiser's grandson killed in battle

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September 16, 1939

Prince Oskar of Prussia was listed as "killed in action," according to the Associated Press. The 24-year-old Prince is the first member of the Hohenzollern family to be killed in the German-Polish war. The family learned yesterday of Prince Oskar's death, and that he "fell honorably somewhere in Poland." He was a lieutenant in the Fifty-First Infantry Regiment.

The prince's mother, the former Countess Ina von Bassewitz, is seriously ill in a hospital in Mecklenburg. His father, Prince Oskar, the former Kaiser's fifth son, is in charge of a reserve regiment with the rank of colonel. The young prince's brother, Prince Burchard, is serving on the Polish front with the Ninth Infantry regiment.

A spokesman for the family said that there are eight Prussian princes currently serving in the German military. Although the spokesman would not name the princes, it is believed that the eight include, three of the former Crown Prince Wilhelm's sons. Prince Wilhelm, the eldest, is on the Polish front with the First Infantry. Prince Louis Ferdinand is serving with the Hindenburg Bombing squadron and Prince Hubertus is with the Air Force, now in Poland.

The Crown Prince's fourth son, Prince Friedrich, who is known as Fritz, "was feared to be interned in England." He had been ill at a friend's home near London, and he may have "recovered too late to leave the country."

Prince Adalbert's only son, Prince Wilhelm-Victor, is "believed to be on the Western front." Prince Karl-Franz-Joseph, the only son of the late Prince Joachim, is reported to be with an armored car regiment on the Polish front.

Luise and lover found in London

September 16, 1907

The former Crown Princess of Saxony, who is now known as the Countess Montignoso, and Signor Toselli, a pianist, are now in a London hotel, according to a report in the New York Times.
They have "arranged to be married" in London by special license in two weeks, if their plans are not "interrupted by a score of detectives and German agents who are now looking for them."

The Countess and Toselli arrived at the hotel four days ago, and asked for an apartment. They brought with them only a few pieces of luggage and were not accompanied by servants. Although they were registered with the title of Count and Countess, but they look more like "modest Italian tourists who wanted to be as quiet as possible."

"So complete is their incognito" that the hotel's owner remains unaware "of the character of his guest," although he has received numerous press requests asking if the countess is a guest in his hotel. He has said no.

The couple take most of their meals in their room, and "thus avoid the danger of recognition." However, today, "they boldly descended to the public dining room" for lunch. They were "evidently nervous when awaiting the elevator," as they watched everyone who looked at them. The countess was dressed in a "gray, tight-fitting traveling dress with a brown hat and veil."

She was divorced from her husband in 1903, and was forced to relinquish custody of her children to him, although a date for the return of the youngest child, Princess Anna Monica Pia, has been delayed several times.

Leopold tries to recover tragic accident

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 September 15, 1935

The grieving King Leopold III of the Belgians today left with his mother, the Dowager Queen Elisabeth, for the estate of Duchess Karl Theodore in Bavaria. The Duchess, the former Infanta Maria Josefa of Portugal is Queen Elisabeth's mother.

The king and his mother plan to stay in Germany for a week, where he will try to regain his health.

Princess Axel of Denmark, the sister of the late Queen Astrid, is now caring for the king's three children.

A Palace spokesman said, according to the New York Times, that the royal family will soon move into the palace at Laeken because "Stuyvenberg Palace reminds the king too insistently of his wife," who was killed in an auto accident in Switzerland.

Grand Duchess Marie starts job

September 15, 1929

Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna of Russia will begin work tomorrow as a style consultant for the New York department store, Bergdorf-Goodman.

Bergdorf-Goodman, which is located at 5th Avenue and 58th Street, made the announcement today. The Grand Duchess, a first cousin of the late Nicholas II and the former wife of Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, recently came to live in the United States. She recently told a reporter that she preferred to work in America because "Paris may present the new fashions but only those which American women finally adopt are the fashions which have significance."

Umberto becomes a senator; family prepares for Mafalda's wedding

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September 15, 1925

Crown Prince Umberto of Italy, who turns 21 tomorrow, will become a Senator, according to the Italian Constitution. He will take the oath next week. The Prince is celebrating his birthday privately as the Italian Royal Family prepares for the wedding of his sister, Princess Mafalda to Prince Philipp of Hesse. The Chicago Daily Tribune reports that Mafalda's wedding will be a private ceremony in the chapel at the palace of Raccogni. Although about a half dozen royal houses will be represented at the nuptials, the total number of weddings guests will be under one hundred.

After the wedding, the newly married couple will appear on the palace balcony, and there will be a fireworks display in the town.

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The Pope has given a special dispensation for the wedding as Prince Philipp is a Lutheran. Although there are strained relations between the Quirinal and the Vatican, which frowns on mixed marriages, a court chaplain was able to "conduct negotiations" that led to a quick decision by the Pope, who granted the dispensation. In a written declaration, Prince Philipp agreed to not try to convert his wife to his faith, and he and Mafalda agreed that their children will be raised in the Roman Catholic faith.

There may be some issues regarding this if Princess Mafalda gives birth to a son, as the religion of the Hesse family is Lutheran.

Mafalda and Giovanna are doing better

September 15, 1923


Princesses Mafalda and Giovanna are "still ill with a high fever today," according to the New York Times. Their doctors report that the princesses are not in danger, and are expected to recover from the typhoid fever.
It is being suggested that because of their illness, the engagement between their brother, Crown Prince Umberto, and Princess Marie Jose of Belgium, has been postponed.

100 Questions for Charlotte Payne

Here is the link to 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne, which stars Sophie Winkleman. The comedy is set to premiere on NBC in March 2010. It will be a mid-season replacement, but there is no guarantee that the show will be a hit, and renewed for the 2010-2011 season. I am skeptical of reports that Lady Frederick has asked Selfridge's to send the wedding gifts to their home in California. It seems more likely that most of the gifts will remain in England, as Sophie and her husband will be living in a rented home. Lord Frederick hopes to secure a position with J.P. Morgan in Los Angeles, but with so many Americans out of work, he might find it difficult to get a work visa.

The newly married Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor are now in southern California, where they are having a brief honeymoon before Lady Frederick -- who will continue to use her maiden name professionally -- begins filming the comedy series.

http://www.nbc.com/100-questions/

Afghan king and wife become Catholics

September 14, 1929


According to Italian Catholic circles, the former King of Afghanistan, Amanullah, and his wife, Souriya, converted to the Roman Catholic faith during their exile in Italy. It is understood that a Jesuit priest "is credited with having converted the deposed Afghan monarch."
A senior official at Cardinal Bourne's residence confirms the reports that the King, "disillusioned by reactionary Afghan mullahs," decided to convert from Islam to Christianity.

Princess Anne's wedding set for November 5

September 14, 1927

The Associated Press reports today that Princess Anne of France will marry the Duke of Apulia, the eldest son of the Duke of Aosta, on November 5.

King Victor Emmanuel has consented to the marriage, which will take place in Naples. The Duke and Duchess of Aosta live at Capodimonte in Naples.

 
The couple's engagement was announced on September 6 at San Rossore, the royal family's summer residence. Anne, 24, is the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Guise. Her fiancé, an artillery officer in the Italian army, is 29 years old.

Countess Torby is dead

September 14, 1927


The Countess Torby, the morganatic wife of Grand Duke Michael, died suddenly today of heart failure at her home in London.

For some years, her house was guarded by the police," because of her fear of Nihilists."

The Countess was the daughter of Prince Nicholas of Nassau and his morganatic wife, Countess Sophie Merenberg, who was the daughter of the Russian poet Pushkin.

The Countess Torby was "a famous hostess, noted for her costly jewels." She and her husband spent most of their time in London and Staffordshire, where they had an estate. They formerly lived "in great pomp," at Kenwood House in Regent's Park, but their fortune was lost in the Russian revolution, reports the Chicago Daily Tribune.

In 1918, Grand Duke Michael was forced to sublease Kenwood House, and he found a position as a clerk with a firm near Westminster Abbey. The job paid £2000 a year. The Countess was able to manage their small home on her husband's meager salary.

The Countess is survived by her husband, and three children, Count Michael Torby, Lady Zia Werhner, and the Marchioness of Milford Haven.

https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2021/06/the-milford-haven-ruby-kokoshnik.html

King Manoel leaves for England; engagement expected

September 14, 1909

It was announced today that KIng Manoel II of Portugal will leave for England on November 20. He plans to spend four days in Spain, where he will return the visit of King Alfonso.
It is "generally understood" that Manoel's engagement to the daughter of the Princess Royal and the Duke of Fife will be announced from Windsor Castle, reports the New York Times. King Edward VII will confer the Order of the Garter on Manoel "in honor of the engagement."

The Countess of Mornington expecting

The Countess of Mornington is expecting twins in the New Year, according to press reports. The Countess is married to the Earl of Mornington, the son of the Marquess and Marchioness of Douro. The Marquess is the heir apparent to the Wellington Dukedom.
Lord and Lady Mornington do not know the sex of the twins. Only males can inherit the titles.
Lady Mornington is better known as the make-up artist Jemma Kidd. She runs a make-up school, the Jemma Kidd Make Up School, in Notting Hill. (Here in the US, the Jemma Kidd make up line is sold at Target.)

The twins will be descendants of Queen Victoria, as the Marchioness of Douro is also HRH Princess Antonia of Prussia, a great-granddaughter of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

No exclusive for Majesty

Contrary to what the Sunday Times is reporting today, Majesty Magazine will not have an exclusive or a post-wedding interview with the newly-married Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor.
This was confirmed to me in an email from Joe Little, Majesty's editor. The magazine will have a report on the wedding, however, in the next issue.

Majesty Magazine gets the royal wedding photos

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 The monthly British royal magazine, Majesty,  will have the photographs for the wedding today of Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor. The couple turned down a "life changing" amount of money from two glossy magazines, Hello and Ok! Both magazines offered the couple £600,000 for the exclusive rights to the wedding. The offers were declined. The amount was £100,000 more than Peter and Autumn Phillips received from Hello for the exclusive coverage of their wedding in May 2008.

Frederick and Sophie "certainly thought hard about it but in the end they decided it wouldn't be right."

Majesty's exclusive will include a post-wedding interview with Lord and Lady Frederick with the magazine's editor-in-chief, Ingrid Seward, who is a friend of Princess Michael of Kent.

Majesty Magazine did not have to pay for the wedding coverage.

Lady Frederick "wore a white pearl-coloured dress made of silk duchesse," which was designed by Anna-Roza Bistroff. The gown was complemented by a ten foot train

Sophie said that she "wept throughout the whole thing," referring to the wedding ceremony.

The bride and her father "swept into the grounds" of Hampton Court in a silver Rolls-Royce.

Although Sophie's father, Barry Winkleman, 70, is a non-practicing Jew, Sophie is not Jewish as her mother, Cindy Black, is a Christian.

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 Royal guests included the Duke and Duchess of Kent (the groom's aunt and uncle), and Princess Eugenie of York. The other guests included Rupert Evans and Jane Asher, who played the king and queen mother in The Palace, which also starred Sophie, director Mike Figgis, and the Canadian rock star, Bryan Adams. Princess Alexandra was accompanied by her grandson, Alexander Ogilvy. The Earl of St. Andrews, who is Frederick's godfather, and his wife were also present for the wedding.  The Duchess of Cornwall was represented by her very pregnant daughter, Laura Lopes

Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece was also a guest, according to the Daily Mail.
It is assumed that other relatives of Prince and Princess Michael, which would include descendants of Princess Olga and Princess Elisabeth of Greece and Szapary relations.

It is possible that Prince Michael's first cousin, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, was present for the wedding as her granddaughter, India Balfour, 7, was one of the bridesmaids. Princess Elizabeth is the daughter of the late Prince Paul and Princess Olga of Yugoslavia. Princess Olga was Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent's eldest sister.

Another bridesmaid was nine-year-old Countess Tatiana Gabriella Margareta Szapary, another cousin of the groom. Tatiana's father, Count Peter, who is married to Sylvia van Kleef, is Princess Michael's first cousin. Peter is the third child of Count Lazslo Szapary and Charlotte Star-Busmann. Lazslo was born in 1910, but he did not marry until 1957. His sister, Maria Anna, is Princess Michael's mother. Tatiana's mother is a film producer. The Szaparys live in Naivasha, Kenya.

Lady Helen Taylor's six-year-old daughter, Eloise, was also a bridesmaid.
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Asher and Evans read poems, "The Meeting" and "Christina Rosetti's Birthday,"during the wedding. The groom's sister, Lady Gabriella Windsor, read from the Song of Solomon.

The bride entered the church to Mozart's Laudate Dominum. The Hymns sung at the wedding included Be Thou My Vision, Dear Lord, I Vow to Thee My Country and Father of Mankind.

The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court was decorated with "white and pale pink roses and handmade jasmine garlands," according to the Daily Mail.

The couple will be moving to Southern California as Lady Frederick, who will continue to use her maiden name professionally, begins work on an American comedy series, 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne. Sophie will star as Charlotte Payne, and the comedy series is expected to premiere on NBC in March 2010, as mid-season replacement after the completion of the Winter Olympics, which will be seen on NBC.

The Times is reporting that Lord Frederick is expected to quit his job with J.P. Morgan's private banking department, but "is hoping to work for the bank in California."

The reception -- champagne, canapes and cake - was held in the Great Hall at Hampton Court. The newlyweds and their guests then made the short journey to Ormeley Lodge, Ham, the home of Lady Annabel Goldsmith for dinner and dancing. At the reception, the new Lady Frederick Windsor wore her husband's wedding gift: four strings of pearls with a large opal flower "adorned with diamonds."

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The official photographs were taken by Sir Geoffrey Shakerley, BT, who is described by the Daily Mail as a friend of the Winklemans. This may be possible, of course, but Sir Geoffrey is married to Lady Elizabeth Anson, whose mother, Anne, was a niece of the late Queen Mother. Lady Elizabeth runs Party Planners. (One wonders why Princess Michael did not call Lady Elizabeth to help plan the wedding as Lady Elizabeth planned the wedding reception at Hampton Court for the Crown Prince and Princess of Greece. Lady Elizabeth also planned birthday parties for Lord Frederick and Lady Gabriella.)

Hampton Court was closed because of the wedding and reception. The only photographers who were present were the ones who were hired to photograph the wedding. It would have been largely impossible to catch a glimpse of all the guests, and then try to figure out Prince and Princess Michael's royal and princely relatives. I am not sure why the Daily Mail would list Prince Ernst August of Hanover as a possible guest, as he is not a close relative to either Prince Michael nor Princess Michael.

But it is possible that Princess Irina of Hesse and her husband, Count Alexander von Schönburg-Glauchau were invited as Irina's mother is a cousin of Princess Michael. Ten years ago, Princess Michael and her two children attended Irina and Alexander's wedding. Every thing is based on supposition unless the bride and groom release a complete guest list. This is unlikely to happen.

The Times has a nice article on the wedding, but the writers got it wrong, once again. Lady Annabel Goldsmith is not Lord Frederick's godmother.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article6832411.ece

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/6180273/Royal-wedding-Lord-Frederick-Windsor-marries-Sophie-Winkleman.html

Lord Frederick marries today

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 Lord Frederick Windsor, the 30-year-old son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, married actress Sophie Winkleman in an evening ceremony at the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court. A champagne reception followed the ceremony in the palace's Great Hall.

The 29-year-old Miss Winkleman will be wearing a "fairy tale" gown designed by Roza Couture and the groom will wear a suit designed by Hardy Amies.

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There are six bridesmaids: Matilda Thykier, who is Sophie's niece (the daughter of her older half-sister, Claudia); Eloise Taylor, who is the daughter of Frederick's first cousin, Lady Helen Taylor; Ben and Kate Goldsmith's daughter, Iris; Tatiana Szapary, who is the daughter of Count and Countess Peter Szapary; Matilda Hubble, the daughter of Dominic and Shoonagh Hubble; and India Balfour, who is the daughter of Nicholas and Stephanie Balfour.

Nicholas Balfour is the son of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, who is Prince Michael's first cousin.

Roza Coture has also designed the bridesmaids white, silk organzas dresses. Lord Frederick has selected 15 ushers. His best man will be his friend, Henry Morton Jack. 

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Willem-Alexander & Maxima meet for tea with First Lady Michelle

The Crown Prince and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands paid a courtesy call today at the White House, where they had tea with First Lady Michelle Obama. The President of the United States Barack H. Obama also stopped in to say hello. Contrary to what some Dutch are saying, it is not unusual for a President to pop in on the First Lady when she has guests, royal or not royal. In 2005, when the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were in Washington, D.C., President Bush did more than "pop in." He and the First Lady hosted an official dinner for the royal couple at the White House.

more on Caroline

The Daily Mail has weighed in. Rather hilarious to call Point de Vue, a respected magazine.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1212713/Princess-Caroline-divorce-time-reigniting-fears-Monaco-royal-curse.html

It's a Boy!

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 Lady Nicholas Windsor gave birth on September 8 to a son at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital.

The former Paola Doimi de Frankopan married Lord Nicholas Windsor, the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Kent in a Roman Catholic ceremony at the Vatican on November 4, 2006. Lord Nicholas converted to the Roman Catholic faith in 2001, and thus, ceased to be a dynast to the British throne. The Act of Settlement, which was promulgated by Parliament in 1701 and regulates succession to the throne, states that possible dynasts to the British throne cannot be Roman Catholic or marry a person who is Roman Catholic, and remain in line to the throne.

Prince Michael of Kent and the Earl of St. Andrews married Roman Catholics, and thus, ceased to be in line to the throne. Lord St. Andrews' children were baptised, according to the rites of the Anglican church, but Lord Downpatrick and Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor have been confirmed in the Roman Catholic church, and are no longer dynasts.

The Duke of Kent's wife, Katharine, converted to the Roman Catholic faith in 1994, but the Duke did not lose his succession rights as his wife was Anglican at the time of the marriage.

Lord and Lady Nicholas's first child, Albert, was born on September 22, 2007.
Lord Nicholas and his two sons remain in line for the Kent dukedom.

Lady Nicholas' mother, the Swedish-born lawyer, Ingrid Detter, is an adviser the Holy See on international relations.

Alfonso XII to marry Archduchess

September 10, 1979

Nearly a year has gone by since the death of Queen Mercedes of Spain, so it is not a surprise that the young King Alfonso XII is reported to be courting an Austrian archduchess, reports the Chicago Daily Tribune. The palace in Madrid is being renovated in order to welcome Alfonso's new bride, who is said to be Archduchess Maria Christina, who is not rich, but acceptable as a future queen of Spain. The reported rumors that the Cortes has opposed this marriage are false.

The King will leave La Granja in a few days and travel incognito to Pau, where he will "interview" the young Archduchess. He will return to LaGranja and remain there for the rest of September with his sisters, the Infantas Paz and Eulalia and the Princess of the Asturias.

After the king has met with the archduchess, Manuel Silveia will take a signed letter to the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph with Alfonso's official offer of marriage. It is expected that the Emperor will provide his assent, and once this assent is received, the Cortes will meet to make the final approval for the marriage and to make arrangements for the new Queen's allowance.

It is not known at this time when the wedding will take place, but the ceremony is unlikely to be performed at the church --the Basilica of Atocha where Alfonso married his first wife.

Alfonso married his first cousin, Princess Marie de las Mercedes of Orleans, Infanta of Spain, on January 238, 1878. Shortly after the marriage, it was learned that Mercedes suffered from tuberculosis. She died shortly after suffering a miscarriage. She died two days after her 18th birthday.

The king was persuaded by one of his ministers, Antonio Casanova del Castillo, to marry again, and the grieving king chose Mercedes' sister, Marie Christine, as his future wife. She, too, suffered from consumption, and she died not long after their engagement was announced.

Archduchess Maria Christina, 21, is the daughter of Archduke Karl Ferdinand and Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska.

Princess Charlotte of Monaco much improved

September 10, 1929

The Associated Press reports that Princess Charlotte of Monaco is has recovered from her serious illness, and is much improved. She will soon be able to "renew negotiations with her father's subjects regarding the Constitution of Monaco."
Charlotte, who is the natural daughter of Louis III, is married to Count Pierre de Polignac. They have two children, Princess Antoinette,8, and six-year-old, Rainier.

A Vanderbilt heiress for Prince George

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 September 10, 1923

The Chicago Daily Tribune reports on a rumor now making the rounds in London Society. There is a "strong possibility" that a marriage between Prince George,21, the youngest son of King George, and Miss Grace Vanderbilt, is about to be arranged.

Grace is the daughter of General and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt of New York. They are residing at Brook House, "a fine London mansion," and plan to stay in London "indefinitely." The Vanderbilts took Brook House to take part in the London Season. The "pretty and clever" Grace has been "popular in the most exclusive set of society." She is a friend of the Duchess of York, and has been "welcomed into the royal circle."

The Duke and Duchess of York and Prince George are frequent visitors to Brook House. All three were present for a ball given by Mrs. Vanderbilt at Brook House a few weeks ago, and the General and Mrs. Vanderbilt and Grace were guests of the king and queen aboard the royal yacht at Cowes during the racing week.

It is being said that the young couple "are really attracted to each other."

There is no doubt that King George V would approve of his son's marriage to an American heiress. The king is "fairly wealthy," but might find "difficulty in providing for his younger sons while leaving the heir with sufficient wealth to carry the deficit which the King of England must provide out of his provide income."

In New York, relatives of Miss Vanderbilt say they know "nothing of the engagement rumor."