A royal baptism

August 31, 1888

The infant son of Kaiser Wilhelm II and his wife, Auguste Viktoria, was baptized today in Berlin.  He was given the names Oskar Karl Gustaf Adolf.  The ceremony was held "with much religious pomp and circumstance" in Frederick the Great's library at the palace in Potsdam.

The guests at the baptism included the King of Sweden, the King and Queen of Saxony, the Crown Prince of Greece, Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria, Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and a "galaxy of German Princes," according to the Chicago Daily Tribune.

The infant prince was named in honor of the King of Sweden, and in "commemoration of his own imperial father's presence in Stockholm on the day of his birth."  His godparents include the Princess of Wales, the Empress of Austria, and the Queens of Italy and Saxony.

The baby's widowed grandmother, Empress Friedrich, and widowed great-grandmother, Empress Auguste, were also present for the ceremony.

Prince Oskar, who was born on July 27, is the Emperor's fifth son.

Bulgarian family reported getting ready for exile

August 31, 1946

The Associated Press is quoting a "high ranking Bulgarian government official" who said tonight that the Bulgarian royal family is planning to join the Italian royal in exile in Egypt " if the Bulgarian people vote for a republic in the upcoming plebiscite on September 8.

There is a "feeling among the Bulgarian people" that the country will become a republic and that the monarchy is in its final days.   Queen Mother Giovanna believes that her 9-year-old son, King Simeon II, will lose his throne.

The government official told the AP correspondent that members of the family planning to go into exile include, King Simeon, Queen Giovanna, and Princess Marie Louise, the young king's older sister.

President Zogu seeks Italian princess as bride

August 31 1928

President Ahmed Zogu, who will become King of Albania later today, is said to be in negotiations with Italy "for the purpose of marrying one of the Italian princesses."

The Chicago Tribune's news service quotes a cable from Rome that says King Vittorio Emanuele has "refused to consent to his daughter's marriage to a Moslem."

Although the name of the princess has not been made public, it is generally assumed that the king-to-be has his eye on Princess Giovanna, the king's third daughter.

Separation imminent for the Crown Prince & Crown Princess of Greece?

Embed from Getty Images  

 

August 31, 1912

Oh dear.  According to the Marquise de Fontenoy, the "estrangement between the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Greece has reached the point of open rupture."   Many are now assuming that a separation "is imminent," despite the many efforts "heal their differences."

The former Princess Sophie of Prussia has "many of the masterful characteristics" of her oldest brother, Kaiser Wilhelm II.  She has maintained her :"German distinctions openly in Greece," and she is apparently forcing German ways and German ideas at the court in Athens.

For a time, her "good natured husband," Crown Prince Constantine was "completely under her finger and thumb," but it has become apparent that he is in "open rebellion against her dictatorial whims."  It has also been stated by someone with strong ties to the court that he went so far as to "smack her on the cheek," for her insulting remarks about Greece and the modern Greeks.

The marriage of Princess Sophie and Crown Prince Constantine took place on October 15, 1889 in Athens. It was said to be a love match engineered and aided by Constantine's Aunt Alexandra, then the Princess of Wales, and Sophie's recently widowed mother, Empress Friedrich.

Constantine was only 21 one at the time, and he was "devoted in his attentions toward Princess Sophie."  

The Crown Princess is now in Darmstadt visiting her younger sister, Princess Friedrich Karl of Hesse.  She has flatly refused to return to Greece.

her brother has ordered her to return to Greece, reminding her of her wifely duties, but she responded with "Allow me to manage my own affairs my way."

A nice interview with Zara Philiips

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/9509806/Zara-Phillips-Im-still-living-the-Olympic-dream.html

Princess Ileana's son is baptised

August 30, 1932

At least ten thousand people "crowded inside and outside" the St. Othmar church in Vienna for the christening of Archduke Stefan, the first born child of Archduke Anton of Austria and his wife, Princess Ileana of Romania.

The crowd gave the arrivals "such an enthusiastic welcome" which could almost be "construed as a monarchist demonstration."

But this was an "intimate family" occasion without  a trace of "that rigid Spanish etiquette" that "once governed such Habsburg occasions."

Former King Alfonso XIII of Spain was the godfather and he "showed himself sufficiently familiar with the requirements" of his role, and was able to stop the young archduke's "piercing screams" by allowing the infant to suck his finger, "satisfying the Archduke, and moving the congregation to laughter."  

Archduke Anton's sister, Archduchess Margareta, was the godmother.

Queen Mother Marie of Romania, Queen Elisabeth of Greece, Archduke Theodore and Prince Edward of Parma, representing former Empress Zita, were among the "distinguished guests.

Archduke Stefan was baptised with water from the River Jordan, sent by his uncle, King Carol II of Romania.

Princely wedding: Cantacuzene-Hanbury Wlliams

August 30, 1928


Princess Zenaide Cantacuzene is to marry John C. Hanbury-Williams on November 1 in Washington, D.C.  Their engagement was announced today in London by the groom's father, Major General Sir John Hanbury-Williams, marshal of the diplomatic corps, reports the New York Times.

The couple have known each other since they were children, when Sir John "headed the military mission to Russia, and the bride's father, Prince Cantacuzene was the aide de camp to Grand Duke Nicholas.

The Cantacuzenes have been living in the United States since the Russian Revolution.

Princess Zenaide is the daughter of Major General  Prince Michael Cantacuzene and Princess Cantacuzene, and a granddaughter of the late General Frederick D. Grant.  She is also a great-granddaughter of President Ulysses S. Grant. 

Priest challenged to duel after criticizing Astrid's skirts

Embed from Getty Images

August 30, 1926

The priest who considered the skirts of Crown Princess Astrid of Belgium to be too short has been challenged to a duel by an "unnamed member of the Belgian gentry," reports United Press.

The priest wrote his criticism of the Crown Princess' skirt lengths in a Belgian clerical newspaper.  The challenge "has not been answered."

The general public is said to be amused, "taking the view that Astrid's skirts simply conform to the modern fashion."   The article in the clerical newspaper included a photograph taken at a recent event in Mons, where the Crown Princess is seated "with her skits reaching just above her knees."  The writer did concede that "the radiant beauty of the princess aroused admiration in itself, without the addition of such a piece of trivial daring."

Archduke Karl appeals to army

August 30, 1916

Archduke Karl of Austria, heir to the throne, has issued the following appeal to his the Austrian army, reports the New York Times:

"Soldiers of war and comrades: You were told that another enemy has risen in the ranks of our adversaries, the Kingdom of Roumania. Your upright soldiers' sense will find adequate contempt for this dilatory assault.

"We have overcome during the last years many grave hours. We also will fight in the new combat with honor and loyalty to our oath sworn to the flags of our chief command.  God be with you."

Adolf of Mecklenburg-Schwerin forced to disavow wife

August 30, 1908

Duke Adolph of Mecklenburg-Schwerin has been happily married for several years now, and is father of two children, but there is no mention of this marriage or the children in the Almanach de Gotha.  The Marquise de Fontenoy describes this as a "tragedy of a shipwreck of the matrimonial happiness of a prince" who is being forced to disavow his morganatic wife and their children in order to "contract a loveless marriage for the purpose of securing the succession to the throne."

The Grand Duke and his morganatic wife, a commoner, who is "extremely attractive,"  are very happy together.   He is devoted to her and to their young children, but he is under great pressure to disavow her, and their "little ones," in order to contract a "loveless marriage."

The present Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Friedrich Franz IV, has been married for the past four years to Princess Alexandra of Cumberland.  They have no children, and there is no hope or expectation in their "union resulting in any offspring."   He has no brothers.  One uncle, Heinrich, is now the prince consort of the Netherlands, the husband of Queen Wilhelmina, and is no longer in the succession for the Schwerin throne.  Another uncle, the elderly Duke Johann Albrecht, the regent of Brunswick, was recently widowered.  He was much devoted to his wife, and "will not hear of marrying again."  

The Grand Duke's third uncle, Paul, is bankrupt, as is his son.  Moreover, on the occasion of his marriage to Princess Marie of Windisch-Graetz, a Roman Catholic,  he was forced to "surrender for himself and for any sons born to the marriage," the right of succession to the throne of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  Paul, his wife and son, due to the severity of their financial problems, are largely personas non grata among the "royal houses of Europe."  They are unable to live in Germany, and have been "subjected to the severest kind of boycott."

Thus, the only possible heir left is Duke Adolf Friedrich.  He is 35 years old, "handsome and popular," and he is looked upon by his family, and by the people of the grand duchy to "perpetuate this dynasty, which claims to be the most ancient in all of Europe."

Alexander wants to adopt a peasant child as his heir

August 30, 1902

King Alexander of Serbia recently announced his determination, in the event that his marriage remains childless, to "adopt some peasant child as his heir."   He has justified this decision, according to the Marquise de Fontenoy's latest dispatch, by saying that "he himself is descended from a peasant -- his great-grant-grandfather," who founded the Obrenovic dynast.

Apparently, great-great-grandpappa was a "swineherd," and, now the King is perhaps scouring the Serbian countryside for a possible heir.

Archduchess Walburga of Austria and the GOP

I follow the Twitterings of Archduchess Walburga of Austria, Countess Douglas, who describes herself "as a European moderate in the Swedish Parliament.  So why is the daughter of Archduke Otto waxing lyrical about the GOP convention, and stating that she feels at home when she listened to Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell.  

There is no thing as a moderate in the GOP these days. I would suspect that many of the delegates at the GOP convention would not be able to find Sweden on the map.

Archduchess Walburga makes her home in Sweden, where she is guaranteed health care, day care for her child,  she won't have to worry about losing her home in order to pay for her health care as a senior citizen.  Even in these days of austerity in Europe, Sweden is a success story.

Swedes have a high standard of living They pay more in taxes than the average American.  But they do not have to worry about health care or education.  The disabled and the elderly have no worries.  Pregnant women do not have to save vacation and sick days in order to take a few weeks off after having a baby as millions of American women must do because the Family Leave act allows for 12 weeks off without pay, but this usually kicks in after the vacation and sick days have been used.   Most American women cannot afford to take from their jobs for 12 weeks without pay.

I am absolutely appalled by Walburga's enthusiasm for Governor McDonnell.  As an employee of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I would like Walburga to know that I  have not had a raise in five years.  The Commonwealth of Virginia used to contribute 5% of my income into the Virginia Retirement System.  A nice perk because it is rare to get a raise, but Governor McDonnell decided that it would better for the already financially strapped state employees to contribute the five percent.  It comes out of my paycheck. In other words, my employer contributes nothing to my retirement. 

I sincerely doubt that Walburga would support such an action in Sweden.  Earlier this year, Governor McDonnell vetoed legislation that would have ensured that every child in Virginia would have access to a screening test for critical congenital heart disease.

More recently, the governor vetoed a bill that would have allowed "Virginia children living in kinship care arrangements with the educational stability they need to endure a family crisis."

There are far less dollars for health care for children in Virginia. 
http://www.thecommonwealthinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/120118_cuts_to_health_For

For a time, Virginia had a reputation for being a well-run state. Our universities are among the best in the USA, if not the world.   Tim Kaine ran this state well. 

Would  the Archduchess be willing to give up her 25 plus days of paid vacation, plus a paid Christmas break in order to live here in the only western country that does not have legislated vacation time.  Would she be willing to have on the average of 12 days per year plus a few federal holidays -- unlike other countries the US does not have any national holidays.  We have federal holidays, created for federal workers,  but many employers, public and private, offer some or most of the federal holidays to their employees.    The amount of vacation is at the discretion of the employer, but there are no laws that require an employer to provide a paid vacation.  The GOP is not going to jump on the wagon for legislated vacation.

Sweden may have many "socialized benefits," but it is a very capitalistic country.  More than 25% of Swedes have a second home in the country.  They get to see more of the world than Americans, who spend more time at work, even when we do take a vacation, it is usually a long weekend. 

Many of us live in Right to Work states.  Sounds good, but it Right to Work means an employer can fire you without just cause.   It also means we can move from one job to another.  Americans tend to do this.  We move from one state to another for a job, and then change jobs again.   A new job means new benefits, but not always better.  I had four weeks vacation at my last job.  I have been at this job for more than four years, and I get 12 vacation days, every year, for the first five years.  After my fifth anniversary, I will start accruing time toward three weeks of vacation per year. 

I  wonder what the Archduchess would say about trans vaginal probes.  How can she, an educated woman who lives in a progressive country, where no one has to worry about decent housing, health care and education, support a party that wants to ban all abortions and gay marriage, and make further cuts that will lead to more poverty.  

Would she also approve of Sweden increasing its defense budget, and sending its men and women into harm's way?  

I thank God every day that McDonnell cannot run for a second term. 

After the convention is over,  Archduchess Walburga can go back to Sweden and tell everyone how wonderful Governor McDonnell is as the governor of Virginia  ... she can say this knowing full well that she does not have to worry about her health care or her retirement.    We in Virginia do have to worry thanks to this incompentent man.

Yes, Gerald Lascelles is engaged to a canteen worker

August 28, 1942

The Hon. Gerald Lascelles, the 18-year-old nephew of King George VI, is engaged to be married, reports the Associated Press.  The engagement was confirmed by the mother of 17-year-old June Morris, a dark-haired canteen worker.

"Yes, they are engaged, and there is no thought of calling it off," said Mrs. Morris. "The way circumstances are now; they will just wait until Gerald is 21."

June will celebrate her 18th birthday on June 24, 1943.    Her mother added:  "We want to make it clear that June is an English girl.  She was born in London, and went to school in England."

The Hon. Gerald Lascelles is the younger son of Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, and her husband, the Earl of Harewood.

The first edition of the London Daily Mirror "published a report of the engagement," but the article was "eliminated" from further editions.

A Mirror official told the AP that the story was dropped after the paper received a request "from a high official who could not be disregarded."

Mrs. Morris confirmed quotations attributed to her daughter June, which were published in the Mirror's first edition story. 

"It doesn't matter to me who he is. I can't help his being the son of an earl. I fell in love with Gerald before I knew who he was when I met him on a bus."

The Morris family lives in Moortown, near Leeds.  June's father, W.S. Morris, is stationed at York.  The first edition of the Mirror also published a letter written by Lord Harewood to June's father. 

"Obviously both you and I agree that the marriage between your daughter and my son cannot be countenanced by us before my son is 21, i.e, after three years.  I am doubtful if it is possible even then."

The Duke of Kent's coffin is brought back to Windsor

Embed from Getty Images

August 28, 1942

The coffin with the Duke of Kent's body was brought back to London today on a Royal Air Force ambulance wagon, reports the New York Times The ambulance was "driven through the Henry VIII gate at Windsor Castle.

The coffin was covered with the duke's personal standard.   On top of the flag was a wreath of lilies from the Duchess of Kent and her three children and one from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

The Duke of Kent was killed last Tuesday when his flying boat, en route to Iceland, crashed into a Scottish mountain.

This afternoon, the duke's widow, the duchess of Kent was "driven from her home at Coppins, Iver," where she visited the chapel where the coffin lay.  She knelt in prayer at the bier for several minutes.

The body will remain at the chapel until the funeral. All social events at Windsor have been canceled.

Infanta Cristina and family back in Barcelona

Iñaki Urdangarin, husband of Infanta Cristina of Spain, is taken a temporary leave of absence of Telefonica, the Spanish communications company, and had returned with his family to Barcelona after living in Bethesda, Maryland, for the past three years.

The couple's four children, Juan, Pablo, Miguel, and Irene, are back at the school that they attended before moving to the United States, reports El Mundo.

In a statement to the press, Urdangarin said he took the decision to have the company temporarily suspend his contract and take a leave of absence because of the "possibility of open judicial proceedings," which could have a negative impact" on Telefonica. 

He added that it is his intention to return to the company "with new activities in the future."  

King Juan Carlos has been informed of his son-in-law's plans.   Palace officials confirmed that the Royal Family was informed of the "new situation, " but Urdangarin's position remains unchanged and will not be included in official events. 

Infanta Cristina's position also remains the same.  She will not have any official duties, nor will she be included in family events.

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2012/08/28/espana/1346150932.html

Countess Alix de Lannoy (1941-2012)

Countess Alix de Lannoy, mother of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg's fiancee, Stéphanie, died on Sunday after suffering a stroke.  She was 70 years ago.  

The former Alix della Faille de Leverghem was born on September 20, 1941.  She is survived by her husband, Count Philippe de Lannoy, 90, and their eight children.   Countess Stéphanie is the youngest child. 

http://www.wort.lu/en/view/mother-of-stephanie-de-lannoy-passes-away-503b2f86e4b0194b2e3a49d4

The wedding is scheduled to take place in Luxembourg on October 20.

Prince William of Gloucester & Zsuzsi Starloff

From today's Mail


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2193349/How-Queen-sabotaged-passionate-affair-cousin-Zsuzsi-Starkloff-tells-story-Prince-William-Gloucester-fell-scandalised-royals-process.html

This newest book on Prince William is available only in an electronic form.  It is also available through Nook.

Harry and privacy

The Sun, the most "read" newspaper in England (not sure how much reading is actually accomplished because there are more photos than words, and the words are usually less than three syllables) has published the photo of Harry.

So far no news organization on either side of the Pond has noted that a hotel room is considered private in the United States, according to the 4th Amendment to the Constitution.

Harry & the slut puppies

The European media have a different code to follow in regards to privacy.   Princess Caroline of Monaco has used legal channels to her own advantage in regards to privacy, although in February of this year, the European Court of Human Rights upheld a German court decision that ruled against the Princess's claim of a violation of privacy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16933815

In Europe, a person, even a celebrity or a member of a royal family, can be
"private" even if they are in a public place where there are other people.

Here in the United States,  laws are less defined.  Private spaces are largely defined as your home, a doctor's office, medical facilities, a department store's dressing room, and, yes, a hotel room.  Privacy does not extend to a hotel lobby or an outdoor cafe.   There is no privacy if you are walking down the street.  This is why celebrities cannot stop the paparazzi from snapping photos.   (There are laws for stalkers, and that is a different situation.)

So what about those grainy nekkid-as-a-jaybird photos of Prince Harry?  He was in a private hotel room.   According to the interpretation of different laws in the United States, Harry was in a hotel room.  He was in a "private" place.  That privacy did not extend to the pool where he and Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Lochte had a swimming race.

His Personal Protection Officers are there to protect him from danger?  Question:  should his PPOs been more aggressive in stopping the photos from being taken.   This is a difficult question to answer because Harry was not outside, he was not carrying out an official duty, he was in his hotel room being private.  It is not up to the PPOs to say, it is time for the party to stop, everyone go home, and throw Harry into the shower to sober him up.

Harry had traveled to Las Vegas with a few close male friends,  after spending time on Richard Branson's private island.  The girls (certainly not ladies) who partied with the prince were total strangers.  Pick ups.  Slut puppies.  I would be surprised if Harry even knew the name of the slut puppy he embraced in one of the photos.  [Memo to Prince Harry:  you need to hang out with chicks who  keep their phones in their handbags.]

The slut puppy who took the photograph needs to be outed and shamed.  Once this information is made public, Prince Harry's lawyers can take legal action against her in an American court for violating his privacy.

Legal action should also be taken against TMZ for violating Prince Harry's privacy.  What goes on in a hotel room is a private matter.  It is not our business.  It would be an entirely different situation if these photos had been taken at the pool.

Yes, Prince Harry used poor judgment.  He does have  an engaging personality, but he has proved over and over again that he also can be a few fries short of a Happy Meal. 

There is no doubt that Harry, now sober, realizes that it was very, very foolish to pick up scantily clad slut puppies from the pool, bring them back to his room and expect everyone else to behave.  Slut puppies have boobs, but no brains.  They don't hang around hotel pools to discuss why the Romney-Ryan ticket is bad for America.  They hang around the pool to be picked by rich guys who will provide the booze ... and perhaps a bit of rustling the sheets, too.    They have no moral compass.  They do not know what "personal responsibily" means.  Their motto is the song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!"

I won't be surprised if there are more photos.  The slut puppy apparently sold the photos to TMZ for $10,000.  That amount will allow the slut puppy to have more fun in Vegas. 



I have to say it was a dumb idea to put a camera on a phone.  When I travel somewhere, I leave my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone in my handbag, and carry a Sony Digital SLR. 

Prince Harry and the crown jewels

Embed from Getty Images 

Oh, dear.  What happened in Vegas did not stay in Vegas.   Prince Harry of Wales, third in line to the British throne, appears to have gotten soused and lost at strip billiards.  He decided to chill out in Vegas at a posh resort before heading to California for a reception in honor of his charity, Sentebale.  After "beating" Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Lochte in a swimming race,  Harry, the ever charming lad, picked up a few scantily clad girls at the pool and decamped to his room for more fun.

I am sure Harry's antics were fueled by too much booze in the tank.  But these newfound "friends"  .. came with their Smartphones.  Smartphones have cameras.  Need I say more, people?  Do these women have moral compasses?  Are they aware of what "personal responsibility" means?  Absolutely not. Their favorite song must be "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!"  

Prince Harry, who turns 28 in a few weeks, has done some really stupid things in his well-photographed life.  Dressing up as a Nazi, a few drunken racial slurs, those sort of embarrassing things that don't escape the scrutiny of the press. 

Oh, but poor Harry lost his mother when he was so young.  Diana's death caused a terrible void in Harry's life, but let's be realistic.  Harry's current behavior cannot be blamed on the loss of his mother.  How many children lost a parent on 9-11 or in a car accident, or were killed in action?  How many of these young people grow up and do stupid things?  I think Harry would have been the bad boy even if his mother were still alive. 

Think Princess Margaret.  Younger sibling.  Indulged.  Spoiled.  Substance abuse issues.  Crazy antics.  Stupid remarks (Irish & pigs in the same sentence during a visit to Chicago some years ago.) 

The photos will not be published in UK newspapers because the PCC announced earlier today that the photographs violate Harry's privacy. I think Harry violated his own privacy by taking his clothes off in front of strangers.  In Vegas, baby, Vegas.  Not Blackpool, but the ultimate Sin City: Vegas!

British newspapers may not be able to publish the photographs, but no one in Britain is prevented from seeing them.  An Irish newspaper has decided that Harry and the cupping of his jewels (private parts) is front-page news.  The grainy photographs first appeared -- where else -- on the TMZ website and have now gone viral. 

Prince Harry has made a quick exit from the USA, and is now en route home, where he will face his commanding officer in an "interview without coffee,"  his dad, his brother, and sister-in-law, and, oh, his grandmother, who was so proud of his Jubilee duties. 

Harry is not the first to be caught sans pants (or much else.)  Andrew got photographed skinny dipping, and the Prince of Wales, while in France at a chateau, stepped out of the shower and walked past a window .... and got right into the viewfinder of a very long lens ... now that's invading privacy. 

Before you ask, yes, Clarence House has acknowledged that the photographs are of Prince Harry. 

Before all of this happened, I considered the Vegas trip to be a breather before Harry was sent back to the front.   Now I am not so sure what he will be doing next.

The photographs embarrass Harry, and no one else.  Not the monarchy, not the Queen, and not even the country.    The real question that should be asked:  is there a substance abuse (alcohol) issue that must be addressed before Harry gets into another scrape?

It also should be noted that the US has a different view of privacy than Europe.  If this happened outside, in a public space, Harry would not be able to say that his privacy was invaded.  But according to laws here in the USA, a hotel room is one of the places that a person is deemed to be "private."   

TMZ has broken the law by publishing these photos.
http://www.tmz.com/2012/08/21/prince-harry-naked-photos-nude-vegas-hotel-party/

Edward plans to extend cruise

August 21, 1936

Continental newspapers and magazines are "devoting much attention" to photographs of King Edward VIII, who is currently cruising the Mediterranean on board the Nahlin.   The yacht is visiting ports on the Dalmatian coast, reports the Chicago Daily Tribune.

French newspapers are reporting that Edward is enjoying his holidays and plans to extend the cruise.

Today's copy of the French illustrated newspaper Vu has published photographs of King Edward walking along the quay in Split.  The king was accompanied by Mrs. Ernest Simpson of Baltimore, Maryland.    Mrs. Simpson's name recently appeared in the Court Circular "as among the guests at intimate dinner parties" hosted by the king.

The king's other guests on the cruise are Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten, Alfred Duff Cooper and Lady Diana Cooper, the American-born Lady Cunard, and Lord and Lady Brownlow.

Grand Duke Paul arrested!

August 21, 1918

A Moscow dispatch to the Berlin newspaper, Lokal-Anzeier (and passed to the New York Time's correspondent in Amsterdam,) states that Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich has been arrested by the Bolsheviks.  He is an uncle of the late Nicholas II and father of Grand Duke Dimitri, who was recently appointed an "honorary Captain in the British Army.

Countess Camilla Hoyos to wed

August 21, 1912

The Marquise de Fontenoy's latest dispatch discusses the recently announced engagement of Countess Camilla Hoyos, who is to marry Charles Wilkins Short, Jr., of Cincinnati, Ohio.  The marriage is scheduled to take place in London in November.

The countess is half-English, as her mother is the daughter of Robert Whitehead, "inventor and manufacturer of the famous torpedo." 

One of the major torpedo factories is located at Fiume, on Austria's Adriatic coast.   It was there where the late Count Georg Hoyos, a captain in the Austrian Navy, was "employed to supervise the filling of a large order for his government."   He met and married Miss Alice Whitehead, an heiress to her father's "great fortune."

Although the Hoyos family is Roman Catholic,  Alice and Georg raised their children as Anglicans.    Camilla is the youngest of seven children ("what's so fearful about that") and is the recipient of a large allowance.   She is said to be a "tall, handsome woman with blue eyes and fluffy golden hair."  A previous engagement to Samuel Pepys Cockerell, who works at the Foreign Office, was broken off just two weeks before the wedding.

Camilla was born thirty two years ago on the Isle of Wight, and she is "considerably older than her American fiance," a 1908 graduate of Hamilton College.

She and her siblings were raised in England, due to the "disadvantageous position in Vienna" due to the fact that her mother is a commoner.  For this reason, Camilla cannot be presented at court.

One sister, Marguerite, is the widow of Prince Herbert von Bismarck, son of the late Chancellor Otto von Bismarck.  They were married in 1892, adn were introduced by Marguerite's brother-in-law, Baron Ludwig von Plessen, who is married to her eldest sister, Leopoldine.  A third sister, Lillian, is the wife of Count Adolf von Reventlow, chamberlain of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  Their eldest brother, Edgar, is married to Countess Ilona Kinsky.

Robert Whitehead died in 1905.  He left most of his fortune to another granddaughter, Agathe Whitehead, the daughter of his son, Sir James Whitehead,and the Hon. Marion Brodrick.  Agathe  is married to Baron Georg von Trapp, commander of the Austrian U-6 submarine, and is based in Pola, Croatia.  Their first child, Rupert, was born in November 1911.  Agathe agreed to raise her children Roman Catholic. 

Grand Duke Boris wins polo match

August 21, 1902


Grand Duke Boris, a cousin of Nicholas II, "invaded the extensive precincts of Lake Forest and Onwenstia" earlier today, where he "took luncheon," played polo, and "witnessed the maneuvers of two companies of cavalry," according to the Chicago Daily Tribune.

The Grand Duke's team won the polo match.  This evening he was "escorted by the soldiers to the Marine hotel in Highland Park," where he dined.

Although he is not a "novice on the polo pony," the Grand Duke pleaded that he had not played in more than a year, and was "sadly out of practice."

Grand Duke Boris is the son of Grand Duke Vladimir and Grand Duchess Marie of Russia. 

ONE COPY LEFT of Marie a French Princess in Denmark

I have ONE COPY LEFT for sale through Royal Musings and RBN  (Paypal only) for US sales  Just the US.  The price is $55.00 + $3.99 for postage.  Total $58.99  The price is set by Rosvall Royal Books.  If you live outside the United States, you can order the books from Hatchards in London or Hoogstraten in the Hague.

These books are sold on behalf of the publisher. 

Queen Victoria's newest great-grandson

August 20, 1892

This portrait shows "little Prince George of Greece," the youngest great-grandson of Queen Victoria.  He is the first child of Crown Prince Constantine and Crown Princess Sophie of the Hellenes.   The Crown Princess is the sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Young George was named for his grandfather, King George of the Hellenes, who was born Prince Vilhelm of Denmark.  

The Chicago Tribune writes that "the little Prince should be happy, for he is as yet so young that, like the happiest nations, he has no history."


Prince George was born on July 20, 1890.  This portrait may have been released in connection with his second birthday.

Royal wedding: Sweden-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

August 20, 1932

The wedding banns for the marriage of Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Hereditary Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden were published today in Coburg.  The couple will be married on October 20.

Marie demands Anton fly plane

August 20, 1932


Archduke Anton of Austria became the "somewhat unwilling airplane pilot today" for his mother-in-law, the Dowager Queen Marie of Romania, according to the Associated Press.

Anton, who became a father six days ago, did not want to leave his wife, Princess Ileana, and their young son, but Queen Marie "refused to entrust her life to any other pilot."

Thus,  Archduke Anton was obligated to take the controls, and fly to Karlsbad, as Queen Marie is en route to Castle Koenigswart, where she will stay with former Spanish monarchs King Alfonso and Queen Victoria Eugenia.

Marie and Queen Ena are first cousins.

The flight was delayed as Queen Marie of Yugoslavia  got lost while driving her mother and brother-in-law to the airfield.

The Civil List: 1901 & 1910

Embed from Getty Images

In 1901, King Edward VII's Civil list was £470,000.  This amount covered "Their Majesties' Privy Purse," staff salaries, expenses for the King's household, Works, Royal Bounty Alms and Special Services, and the final category "Unappropriated."  £8000 fell into the final category.

In 1901, the Prince of Wales received £20,000 per year.  The Princess of Wales received £10,000.  The other members of the royal family who received a Civil List appanage (for their expenses) were the Duke of Connaught (£25,000), Empress Friedrich (£8,000), Princess Christian (Princess Helena) of Schleswig-Holstein (£6,000), Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (£6,000), Princess Henry of Battenberg (£6,000), Duchess of Edinburgh (£6000), the Duchess of Albany ($6000), the Duke of Cambridge (£12,000), the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (£3000), and Edward's daughters shared £18,000.


There were few changes to the 1910 Civil List. The new King received the same amount as his father.   Queen Alexandra was added to the 1910 Civil List.  She received £70,000 a year.  No appropriations were made for King George V's young children.

With the exception of Empress Friedrich and the Duke of Cambridge, as both died during the reign of Edward VII, there were no other changes to the amount of money provided to members of the Royal Family, including the widows of Queen Victoria's younger sons and the Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the former Princess Augusta of Cambridge, a granddaughter of George III.  She received £3000 per year, which had been approved by Parliament in 1843 and included in her marriage treaty.

Embed from Getty Images 

 The Dowager Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Stretliz's annuity was suspended by the British Government in September 1914. The matter was debated in Parliament as the "payment arose out of a contract made before the war began," according to a New York Times report. The British government proposed that the payments be stopped because the Grand Duchess had become a German subject by marriage.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Lloyd George confirmed that the payments to Princess Augusta had been "suspended." The final payment was made on July 6, 1914.   The Dowager Grand Duchess, Queen Mary's maternal aunt, died in 1916.

Sir John Jardine, in a parliamentary debate on November 18, 1914, asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any "grand dukes, dukes, or other sovereign princes of the German Empire, or any of their relations, being subjects of the German Emperor, are in receipt of pensions, allowances, or other money payments out of the public funds of the United Kingdom?

Lloyd George responded that the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz's pension had already been suspended, but the annuities to Princess Christian and Princess Henry of Battenberg were being paid, these princesses being British subjects who were resident in the United Kingdom. In the case of the Duchess of Edinburgh, it was held, as stated in 1893 by the then Solicitor-General in the House of Commons, that the late duke did not lose his British nationality by taking the Oath of Allegiance as Duke of Saxe-Coburg, and the payment of the annuity to the duchess is being continued in view of this fact and of the terms of the Treaty between Great Britain and Russia of 22nd January 1874.

The Duchess of Edinburgh's pension was brought up again in a debate on June 5, 1917, when Arthur Lynch, MP, asked Stanley Baldwin, then Financial Secretary of the Treasury, if the Duchess' annual annuity of £6000 was being paid during the war.  He referred to the duchess as the Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Mr. Baldwin responded, "An annuity of £6,000 has been paid during the war to the Duchess of Edinburgh under license, and the payment is being continued in consequence of the terms of the Treaty of 22nd January 1874, between Great Britain and Russia."

Embed from Getty Images

The Duchess of Edinburgh received her annuity until her death in 1920.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2009/04/19011910-civil-lists.html

If you liked this article, perhaps you can buy me a coffee

Dagmar gets permission to marry

August 17, 1922

King Christian X has given permission for the "early marriage" of his sister, Princess Dagmar, to Lieutenant Castenskjold, reports the New York Times.
Lt. Castenskjold recently returned to Denmark after spending two years in Alaska.

Princess Dagmar is the youngest of King Christian's siblings.  She was born at Charlottenlund on May 23, 1900.

Archduke Karl Stephen gets a Polish throne

August 17, 1918

Germany has approved Austria's recommendation that an Archduke "be made King of Poland," according to the New York Times.

It is understood that Archduke Karl Stephen, is Austria's choice.

Archduke Karl Stephan was born on September 5, 1860, at Gross-Seelowitz, Silesia.  He is the son of the late Archduke Karl Ferdinand. He married his cousin, Archduchess Maria Theresa in 1886.  They have six children. The eldest son, Archduke Karl Albrecht, is an artillery officer in the Austrian army.

The archduke has long prepared himself for the role of King of Poland. When he was exiled from Austria "many years ago," he moved to Cracow, "setting up a Polish household. All of his children speak Polish.  One of his daughters is married to Prince Jerome Radziwill, and another is the wife of the Polish leader, Prince Czartoryski.

Various demands and counter demands between Berlin and Vienna must be met before a final decision is made on Poland's future.

The Hamiltons continue their battle

August 17, 1902

Despite all efforts by members of the British royal family to "bring about a reconciliation" between Olga and Archie Hamilton, and to "prevent their matrimonial troubles being aired publicly in the divorce court, Mrs. Hamilton has applied for an "order for the restitution of conjugal rights."

This order, according to the Marquise de Fontenoy's latest column, is the first step toward securing "a judicial separation on the ground of abandonment, and eventually a divorce."

The very pretty and "ultra-fashionable woman," Olga Mary Hamilton is the only daughter of Admirable Adolphus FitzGeorge, the middle son of the Duke of Cambridge. 

The Duke of Cambridge is a grandson of King George III and a first cousin of the late Queen Victoria.  Victoria's son, King Edward VII, and his wife, Queen Alexandra, were among the guests at Olga's wedding to C.E. Archibald Hamilton in 1897.   She gave birth to a son a year later.

Mrs. Hamilton was born in Athens, where her father was serving with the Mediterranean fleet. She was named after her godmother, Queen Olga of the Hellenes.

Mr. Hamilton is the eldest son of Sr Edward Archibald Hamilton of the Mount, Middlesex.

The marital discord arose from Mrs. Hamilton's reputation of spending too much money, and her husband's endeavors to "check her expenditures."  But the marriage finally came to an end after Mrs. Hamilton opened a "manicure and beautifying establishment" just off Bond Street in London.  Much to Archie's displeasure, she put her husband's name above the door.  It was this action that led to Archie Hamilton leaving his wife.

Olga Hamilton is far too "headstrong and capricious" to submit to her husband's control, and no one believes that reconciliation will take place.

The couple's son, George Edward Archibald Augustus FitzGeorge-Hamilton, was born on December 30, 1898.   In May of this year, Mrs. Hamilton gave birth to a daughter who lived for only a few hours.

The Duke of Edinburgh: responding to treatment

The Duke of Edinburgh is responding to treatment

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-philip/9480611/Duke-of-Edinburgh-responding-well-to-treatment.html

Marta says King Alfonso wants her to marry his son

August 15, 1936


Marta Rocafort, a 22-year-old Cuban beauty, is said to be the "latest heart interest" of the Count of Covadonga, the eldest son of former King Alfonso XIII.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Miss Rocafort says she "plans to marry the count" as soon as his marriage to another Cuban beauty, Edelmira Sampedro."  She says the honeymoon will be spent in Austria.

"We have accepted an invitation to be the guests of my future father-in-law.  I have letters from him expressing a desire to meet me and call me his daughter.  We will meet former Queen Victoria in London, and go together to see him. The count's parents have been reconciled."

Miss Rocafort was also asked if her fiancee, who renounced his rights to the Spanish throne when he married Edelmira Sampedro, was as poor "as his wife has asserted." 

"The count has a large fortune and only works for sport in New York.  He wants to prove to his father that he is a real man and can earn his own living."

It's a boy for Ileana and Anton

August 15, 1932

Princess Ileana of Romania gave birth to a son at 3 a.m.  Mother and son are doing well, according to the physicians.

The New York Times reports that the infant archduke will be named Stefan. He will take his father's nationality -- Austrian -- and will not be a Romanian citizen.

The exiled King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, who are now at Koenigswarth, Czechoslovakia, and King Carol II of Romania, will be the godparents, although King Carol is not expected to attend the baptism.

The birth took place at the family's villa in Mödling, near Vienna.

Prince Friso: Little hope

It has been nearly six months since Prince Friso of the Netherlands was buried in an avalanche on February 17.   The German newspaper, Die Welt, recently noted that "with each passing day the hope of recovery fades."   Friso's wife, Princess Mabel, and his mother, Queen Beatrix, face "very difficult decisions."

Princess Mabel celebrated her 44th birthday on Saturday. It was her first birthday in some years without a kiss or a gift from her husband.  There is no doubt that she finds great joy in her two daughters, Countess Luana, 7, and Countess Zaria, 6, but Princess Mabel's life remains on hold.

Prince Friso is a patient at London's Wellington Hospital. He is in a coma with "severe brain injuries."   Princess Mabel visits him every day.  Queen Beatrix spends weekends with her middle son.

Prince Friso went skiing with friends on February 17.  He got caught in an avalanche and was buried for 25 minutes, where he was without oxygen.  It took a further 50 minutes to resuscitate him.  

Prince Friso was taken to a hospital in Innsbruck, where one of his doctors told the press a week after the accident that "it cannot yet be said whether or not he will ever regain consciousness."

Last month,  Friso's older brother, Willem-Alexander, the Prince of Orange, spoke to reporters after visiting his brother. "I hope we can come in the future with a more positive report."

This is unlikely to happen.    A medical ethicist at Erasmus University Hospital in Rotterdam said "Six months is a critical level.  Until then, there is still hope for an improvement."

In the Netherlands, after six months of a patient being in a coma, doctors and family members can have treatment stopped.  But Prince Friso is in a private London hospital.  The laws in the United Kingdom are not the same as in the Netherlands regarding the ending of life support.

Princess Mabel and the Dutch royal family will have to face "difficult decisions."

http://www.welt.de/newsticker/dpa_nt/infoline_nt/boulevard_nt/article108631899/Wenig-Hoffnung-fuer-Prinz-Friso.html

Prince Philip update

The Duke of Edinburgh has suffered a recurrence of a bladder infection, and has been admitted to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

From Buckingham Palace:  "The Duke of Edinburgh has had a recurrence of the bladder infection that he had in the summer and has been admitted to hospital for investigation and treatment. His Royal Highness is likely to remain there for the next few days."

This made my day

I have been nominated for a Reader's Appreciation Award .. not exactly sure what that means, but it sounds nice, and I appreciate it.  Thank you.

I was nominated by the blogger who writes "Daily Returns."  http://dailyreturns.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/1886/

James writes about Royal Musings. " I have long had an interest in monarchy. This blog is written by Marlene Eilers Koenig, a longtime author and researcher in the area of royalty."

 Recipients of the award are asked to:

1. Identify their award and who gave it to them.
2. Post the logo on their blog.
3. Share 7 (?) items about themselves.
4. Nominate 5-10 other bloggers to receive this award, and notify them on their blog.

I have identified the blogger and the award.  I have posted the logo.  Now I have to share seven things about me:  I love baseball (and thrilled about the current status of my team, the Washington Nationals (original season ticket holder), I love cats and dogs.  London is my favorite place for a vacation..  Shrimp is my favorite food.  Iceland is my second favorite place for a vacation.

My five candidates are:

Royal Romania http://royalromania.wordpress.com/  Diana Mandache, who lives in Bucharest, knows more about the history of the Romanian royal family than anyone I know ....

The Cross of Laeken  http://crossoflaeken.blogspot.com/  Good historical pieces about the Belgian royals, especially Queen Astrid

Royal Correspondent http://royalcorrespondent.com/  Plenty of royal news coverage with a touch of snark. 

Lutheran Confessions http://lutheranconfessions.blogspot.com/  This Pastor rocks. For me - Lutheran - the one true faith, although I accept that others have the same view of their church!

Luxembourg http://lux-arazzi.blogspot.com/  Have no idea who runs this blog, but they have a keen sense of where those Luxembourg royals are  ... most of the time. 

Now I think I need to tell these bloggers too ... Surprise!

Duke of Edinburgh taken to hospital

The Duke of Edinburgh was taken by ambulance to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as a "precautionary measure."  He felt  "unwell" this afternoon, and his condition is now being assessed by doctors.    The Duke, 91, is undergoing tests. 

Buckingham Palace is expected to release further information later today.

/9477832/Duke-of-Edinburgh-taken-to-hospital-as-precautionary-measure-Buckingham-Palace-says.html

Ileana awaits birth of baby as palace is guarded

August 13, 1932

Princess Ileana of Roumania is awaiting the birth of her first child at a villa in Mödling, Austria.  According to the Associated Press, the villa is under heavy guard by police.  It is being reported that "disaffected political elements that threatened to bomb" the villa.

Ileana's husband, Archduke Anton of Austria "paced nervously up and down" in the villa's garden, "his ancient lineage almost forgotten in the distraction of a young man about to become a father."

Attending the princess is a famous Viennese specialist.  Ileana's mother, the Dowager Queen Marie, and her younger sister, Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, are at her bedside.

Princess Ileana's attending doctor said that there are no complications or "cause of anxiety."

Two candidates for Finnish throne

August 13, 1918


There are two candidates for King of Finland reports a dispatch for the Exchange Telegraph in the Hague.  The Exchange Telegraph states that the Stockholm correspondent for the Frankfurter Zeitung has announced that the the "election of a King of Finland" will take place in September.

The two leading candidates are said to be the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg and Prince Wilhelm of Hohenzollern.

Assisted by a "strong German influence," Finland's "monarchist sentiment is said to have grown rapidly."

Princess Friedrich Karl robbed at Victoria Station

August 13, 1912

Princess Friedrich Karl of Hesse, youngest sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II,  was robbed last Saturday "of costly jewelry" at London's Victoria Station, reports the New York Times.  The Princess was starting her journey to return home to Germany.

She was "surrounded by members of the British royal family and a number of foreign diplomats," who had accompanied the princess to the station, to bid their farewells. 

Police "took strict precautions" to keep people at a distance, but as soon as the train's engines started, the "bags containing the valuables were missed."

The police tried to keep the robbery a secret, and it only became known earlier today, when descriptions of the priceless jewels," were released by Scotland Yard.

The princess is the former Princess Margarethe of Hesse, whose mother, Victoria, was Queen Victoria's eldest child.  She is a first cousin of King George V.

Prince Carl Philip attacked in France

Credit:  Royal Palace, Sweden

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, third in line to the throne, was attacked outside a French nightclub this weekend.  He told reporters "this is an incident that we want to handle privately."

Carl Philip and his girlfriend, Sofie Hellquist, were leaving the Baoli nightclub in Cannes at around 3 a.m., Saturday, when he was assaulted by an unknown assailant.

"It's been an emotional and overwhelming experience.  We feel fine considering the circumstances, but this is an incident that we want to handle privately," the 33-year-old prince told a reporter from Aftonbladet, a  Swedish newspaper.

Miss Hellquist tried to diffuse the situation.  "We had a pleasant night with our nearest and dearest," she told Aftonbladet.  "When we were leaving, Carl Philip was attacked by a stranger.

Miss Hellquist also dismissed reports that the attacker was an acquaintance.  "We've heard from several people that our near friends were involved, and we truly want to highlight that this is not the case."

The Royal Court said the Prince's schedule has not been affected, and the attack is being investigated.  "We're considering how we can proceed with a possible lawsuit. This will be decided this week," said Bertil Ternert, the official spokesman for the Swedish royal family.

On Sunday, the Royal Palace's press office released an official statement regarding the attack.  Prince Carl Philip was with a companion (not named) when he was attacked in Cannes. The attack was unprovoked.  Carl Philip was not injured.

The first link includes a video of the attack.
http://www.thelocal.se/42572/20120813/

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/08/13/Swedish-prince-attacked-outside-nightclub/UPI-19691344870511/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2187702/Swedens-rebel-prince-happy-slapped-glamour-model-girlfriend-night-Cannes.html

ROYAL MEMORIES: PRINCE CHARLES’ TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN

PBS ANNOUNCES U.S. PREMIERE OF “ROYAL MEMORIES: PRINCE CHARLES’ TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN”
September 2, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET on PBS

– Narrated by the Prince of Wales, Documentary Celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee –

ARLINGTON, VA; JULY 25, 2012--PBS announced today that ROYAL MEMORIES: PRINCE CHARLES’ TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN, which premiered to 10 million viewers in the UK as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee weekend, will air Sunday, September 2, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET on PBS. In this touching, personal film, Charles, Prince of Wales reflects on Her Majesty’s 60-year reign — both as the nation’s queen and as his mother.
Providing a rare glimpse of the everyday private life of the royal family, Prince Charles narrates the documentary, adding his own insight and commentary to archival newsreels, never-before-seen home movies and previously unseen photographs from Her Majesty’s private collection. Included in the program is footage of a young Prince Charles and his sister Princess Anne on a family holiday — filmed by Queen Elizabeth herself.
“ROYAL MEMORIES: PRINCE CHARLES’ TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN is a captivating documentary that gives viewers the extraordinary opportunity to see the royal family through the eyes of an insider,” said John Wilson, senior vice president & chief TV programming executive for PBS. “The unique commentary offered by the Prince of Wales makes this film about Queen Elizabeth unlike any other.”
ROYAL MEMORIES includes exclusive camera footage taken behind the scenes on Coronation day at Buckingham Palace, and clips of the family on board the Britannia, at the royal residence of Windsor Castle in Berkshire and on holiday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The result is a documentary that depicts Queen Elizabeth in her dual role as the Queen of England and as a loving mother, providing an unprecedented glimpse of the private life of the royal family throughout the monarch’s six-decade reign.

Baby Buddy.

what a handsome boy

Just a few hours after his rescue ... sucking up to dad!

I miss my boy ....

Buddy loved high places

The comfort of a box

On the couch

Christmas 2011

Buddy - the bestest of all orange tabbies!

I want this wallpaper

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands at Palais Let Hoo in 1967.   Love the wall paper

Buddy Rich Koenig: May 27, 1996- August 8, 2012

Buddy Rich Koenig, the beloved orange tabby, died today. He was 16 years old.  He had suffered from a lung ailment, perhaps pneumonia, and had not responded to treatment. 

He is survived by his mom, Marlene, and his brother, Edison, 15, and his sister, Sienna, 7.

Buddy was much loved.

Lady Charlotte Diana Spencer

The Countess Spencer gave birth to a daughter, Lady Charlotte Diana,  on July 30 at Althorp, the family home in Northamptonshire.  Charlotte weighed 8lbs 14 ozs.  

This is the seventh child for Lord Spencer.  He has four children by his first wife, Victoria Lockwood, and two children by his second wife, Caroline Freud.  

Lady Charlotte is said to be the first baby born at Althorp since 1793.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2183882/KATIE-NICHOLLS-DIARY-Spencers-joy-Althorp-sees-birth-1793.html

Princely wedding: Salm-Salm-Neipperg

Princess Maria-Anna of Salm-Salm and Count Dominik von Neipperg were married today at the the Pfarrkirche  St. Laurentius in Wallhausen.

More than 400 guests were present for the wedding.  The groom, Count Maria Dominik Georg Christoph Johannes Pantaleon von Neipperg, 31, is the third of five children of Hereditary Count Karl von Neipperg and Archduchess Andrea of Austria, the eldest child of the late Archduke Otto.

The 26-year-old bride, Princess Marie-Anna Franziska is the fourth of six children of Prince Michael of Salm-Salm and Countess Philippa of Castell-Castell.

After the wedding, the newlyweds appeared at the front door of the church, where they were greeted by cheers and a gun salute.   The wedding was co-celebrated by Father Henry Wansborough, an English Benedictine whom the couple met in Kenya, and Chaptain Tim Sturm, a school friend of Princess Marie-Anna.

The couple have known each other since childhood. They would run into each other at wine festivals and other events.  Count Dominik, who studied business administration in Vienna, is one of the four founders of Courage in Kenya.  The other three founders are Friedrich Wilhelm and Carl Alexander von Trott, and Prince Felix zu Salm-Salm.

Prince Felix is Princess Marie-Anna's older brother. 

Princess Marie-Anna attended Midleton College, a boarding school in Cork, Ireland.  She continued her education in Dublin, where she studied Spanish, economics and psychology.   She received a bachelor's degree in international business management at Heidelberg.  Since 2005, she has spent a part of every summer in Kenya, working at the Courage, at a summer camp for disabled and HIV positive children.
Princess Marie-Anna's parents own one of Germany's oldest wineries.

The newlyweds will live in Munich, where Count Dominik will work for the private bank, Merck Fink.

http://www.rhein-zeitung.de/region/bad-kreuznach_artikel,-Traumhochzeit-in-Wallhausen-Marie-Anna-Prinzessin-zu-Salm-Salm-und-Dominik-Graf-von-Neipperg-geben-_arid,463863.html

An interview with Prince Eduard of Anhalt

In German

Hit the translate button!  http://www.mz-web.de/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=ksta/page&atype=ksArtikel&aid=1343315656317&openMenu=1013016724285&calledPageId=1013016724285&listid=1018881578312

More heirs for Saxony ....

Andreas Tümmler, 67, claims to be the great-grandson of King Albert of Saxony (1828-1902), and he says he is happy about it.
He was one of the guests at the Requiem Mass held earlier today in Dresden for the late Margrave of Meissen.  He was invited to the service by Klaus von Przyklenk, who is described as the master of ceremony for Prince Albert of Saxony.   Mr. von Przyklenk asked Andreas to carry one of the ceremonial flags during the service.  

In an interview with a local television station, von Prezyklenk, described as a nobility expert, stated that Prince Albert is now the head of the family,  despite Albert's signature on a notarized document that recognized Prince Alexander as the Margrave of Meissen's heir.

Several days ago, Tümmler, a cultural studies graduate, said he wants to be recognized as a member of the Wettin family.   It's the old King gets maid pregnant story.

Tümmler claims that his great-grandmother, Berthe Auguste (1855-1905),  maid, got pregnant and the father was King Albert of Saxony.  In 1875, Berthe gave birth to a son, Gustav Adolf. 

Apparently, the King found a compliant husband, Dobelner factory owner Robert Tümmler (1856-1917).  Tümmler owned a furniture fittings factory that employed more than 1000 men.

Andreas' Oma Charlotte told him the family history on her deathbed in 1953.

Since 1991,  Andreas has been fighting for official recognition from the former ruling family.  He claims that the late Margrave of Meissen would not agree to a DNA test.    It also appears that Prince Albert, the late Margrave's younger brother, and his morganatic wife, Elmira, also were skeptical about his claim.  Princess Elmira called his claim evil.

"I hope my royal lineage is finally being recognized. I can official belong to the Wettin claim." 

He knows what he wants to do:  "I'll take care of the culture and gun clubs.  This has been very neglected by my family."

[King Albert of Saxony was the eldest son of King Johann of Saxony and Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria.  In June 1853, he married Princess Carola of Vasa, daughter of Prince Gustav of Vasa.  Their marriage was childless.   Carola was the granddaughter of King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden, the second to last king in the House of Holstein-Gottorp.   Would Berthe name her son after the father and grandfather of King Albert's wife?]
http://www.bild.de/regional/chemnitz/deutsche-royals/der-uneheliche-koenigs-urenkel-steigt-auf-25464004.bild.html

What she does in her spare time ...

The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry were interviewed earlier today by the BBC.  They were completely unaware that their grandmother's new hobby.

Prince Harry said: “Both of us were slightly surprised with our grandmother's secret hobby that she had of parachuting which went down unbelievably well."

Harry added:  "What she does in her spare time is her spare time."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/9450708/Princes-in-the-dark-about-Queens-Bond-performance.html#disqus_thread

Princess Nora presents medals

Princess Nora of Liechtenstein has become the third princess of present the medals at the Summer Olympics.  On Thursday, she presented the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the archery competition at the Lords' Cricket ground.

Britain's Princess Royal has present medals at the Equestrian (to her daughter, Zara Phillips) and other events.  Princess Haya of Jordan presented the Gold Medal to American Gabby Douglas, the Individual All-Around Gymnastic champion.  Princess Haya also presented the Silver and Bronze to the young Russian gymnasts.

http://www.vaterland.li/index.cfm?id=19242&source=lv&ressort=home

(a sort of) Royal Engagement: Bernadotte-Manville

August 3, 1928

Miss Estelle Romaine Manville is engaged to Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg, reports the New York Times.   The engagement was announced by Miss Manville's parents, Mr.and Mrs. H. Edward Manville, at a dinner last night at their country home, Hi-Esmaro, in Pleasantville, New York.

Count Folke is a nephew of King Gustaf V of Sweden.   He is the second son of Prince Oscar Bernadotte, the king's eldest brother.
Miss Manville also has "distinguished ancestry." She is a descendant of Geoffrey de Magnavail of the Duchy of Magnavail in Normandy.  Geoffrey was one of William the Conqueror's allies "in the conquest of England.

She is also a descendant of John Manville, who emigrated to the United States in 1674.

Count Folke's father, Prince Oscar, lost his royal title and dynastic rights when he married a Swedish noblewoman, Ebba Munck. The Swedish constitution does not allow royal princes to marry commoners, and retain their rank.   He was created Prince Bernadotte and Count of Wisborg by his brother, King Gustav V.

Prince Oscar, a deeply religious man, is President of the Swedish YMCA.   His daughter Countess Elsa Bernadotte visited the United States four years ago at the time of the YMCA's convention.

The wedding will take place in November at the Manvilles' home in Pleasantville.

The much loved Duchess of Aosta

Embed from Getty Images

August 3, 1912

 The Italian people are said to be "profoundly touched" to learn that the Duchess of Aosta has returned to her duties "on the hospital ship which plies between the new African possessions of Italy the mother country.
The Duchess, whose husband is the heir presumptive to the Italian throne, expressed her intention of "undertaking this patriotic and womanly duty," when war was declared, but, according to the New York Times, she had to wait sometime for the consent of the King and her husband.

The former Princess Helene of Orléans made the decision to board the ship and "announced her purpose of staying there."  She remained on board, working as a nurse until her "weak health gave way," and she was forced to leave the ship and recuperate at home.

Her family hoped she would remain at home, and be "content with what she had already done,"  but the Duchess of Aosta was determined to return to nursing.  She is now back on board the Memfi.

On board, the duchess is known as Signora Ellena.  She is not addressed as Your Royal Highness."   She "ranks no higher than any other of the devoted nurses, except that she is at the head."

This is what the Duchess of Aosta wants when she is working as a nurse, but she has found it has also "caused considerable  embarrassment," as many of the nurses are taking the "liberty of putting themselves on an equality with her."

It appears that the ship's doctors are the most forgetful.  There are glances in a doctor's direction, and he slips up, and refers to the Duchess as Royal Highness, in front of a patient "who is not supposed to know her rank."

The Duchess is very popular with the patients, some of whom have recognized her on their own.  She often writes "in somewhat bad Italian," as French is her native language,  to the families of the young men who do not survive.

The duchess continues to nurse even though she is not fully recovered.  She suffers from lung trouble. One of her lungs is "entirely gone, and the other is seriously affected."  Her doctors did proscribe sea air for her health, but they did not "order broken nights, unusual fatigue, anxiety, and deep feeling when things are going badly."

For the past few years, the Duchess traveled to the warmer climes of Africa for her health.  But this past winter she chose to eschew her annual visit to Italy's African colonies, and chose to work on the Memfi, "engaged in works of charity," but after her health failed, she was obliged to leave the ship, and return to her palace at Capo di Monte "and be nursed herself."

Now she is back on board the hospital ship, tending to the "ill and wounded," but her family fear that Helene may lose her own "remaining strength."