Washington's Imperial Wedding: Archduke Imre and Kathleen Walker

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Archduke Michael and Archduke Franz Ludwig

Archduke Michael, Kip Guen, Julius Jackson & Archduke Franz Ludwig

Callise de Marillac and Thibaut and Clémence de Torcy

Prince Carl Philip of Croy

Princess Alexandra and Prince Sebastien of Luxembourg

Hector Riesle, Archduchess Alexandra and Felipe Riesle

Arcduchess Marie Helene and her daughter, Archduchess Priscilla

Prince Carl Philipp of Croy

Archduchess Marie Helene, Archduke Simeon, and Archduchess Priscilla

Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg with their son, Prince Jean

The Prince and Princess of Löwenstein- Wertheim-Rosenberg

Claire Lademacher and Prince Louis of Luxembourg

The Duke and Duchess of Braganza with Archduchesses Maria Anna and Maria Beatrice

The Duchess of Croy and Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, Princess Galitzine.

The Duke and Duchess of Braganza

Duke of Braganza and the Duchess of Croy

Countess Anna Theresa  of Arco-Zinneberg, Prince Ioann and Princess Tatiana Galitzine

Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein with two of her children, Marie-Astrid and Josef

Archduke Alexander

Princess Marie Gabrielle and Prince Carl Johan of Nassau  

Archduchess Marie Christine and her husband, Count Rodolphe de Limburg-Stirum

Prince Constantin de Nassau and Prince Josef of Liechtenstein

Archduke Christian and Archduchess Marie Astrid, parents of the groom

Jean Christophe Prince Napoleon

Archduchess Gabriella

Thankfully, the rain held out. It's raining now that I am back at home after hanging outside St. Mary Mother of God Church on 5th Street NW, Washington, D.C. The sun held out for the wedding of Archduke Imre of Austria and Kathleen Elizabeth Walker.

The bride was late, the bridesmaids and bridal children were even later, due to traffic. The bride and her family spent last night at the Fairmont Hotel near Georgetown. The rehearsal-cum-family dinner was also held at the Fairmount.

I got to the church at about 8:45 a.m.  The florist was still arranging the flowers so I walked inside.  The church's priest (who did not officiate at the wedding) gave me a program.   I also took a few photos.



The Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg did not attend, nor did their eldest son, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, and his fiancee, Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy, who is mourning the death of her mother, Countess Alix de Lannoy.

There were Luxembourgs and other royals out in full force, all close relatives or friends.   The bride, who wore a traditional white gown with a train, a lace veil and a pearl headband,  was attended by her Maid of Honor, Julie Broering, a close friend, and the bridesmaids were Elizabeth and Maria Walker, the bride's sisters, Archduchess Gabriella, the groom's sister, Alexandra Deptula and Adrienne Alessandro, friends of the bride.

Archduke Imre's groomsmen were his two brothers, Archdukes Christoph and Alexander of Austria,  his first cousin, Prince Felix of Luxembourg, and two friends, Guillaume Heck and Louis-Victor Douville de Franssu.  

Kathleen's younger siblings, Caroline, Joseph and Andrew, were the flower girl and ring bearers, respectively.

The prelude was Ode to Joy (Beethoven) and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach).  Archduke Imre entered to Gounod's Ave Maria.  The bride and her father, Robert Walker, walked down the aisle to the strains of Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke).

Schubert's Mass No 2 in G Major was used for the Kyrie, Gloria, Benedictus and Agnus Dei.  Ubi Caritas et Amor (Durufle) and Ave Verum Corpus were played during Holy Communion.

The closing hymn was Kaiserhymne from 1797 to 1918 by Hayden.  The guests were asked to stand for this.  The newly married Archduke and Archduchess processed down the aisle to The Heavens Declare the Glory of God (Marcello).

The marriage service was in English where Imre of Austria married Kathleen Elizabeth Walker.   This followed by the Mass of the Faithful, which was conducted in Latin.  

The service was scheduled to being at 11 a.m., but the bride and her parents did not arrive until 11:15.  Kathleen was helped out of the car  by one of her wedding planners.  Her mother handed her the bouquet and she and the wedding planner started up the short staircase.  Before heading into the church, she said: "Come on, dad!" 

The bridesmaids and the three children arrived in a stretch Hummer, about seven minutes after the bride, which meant that the wedding began at about 11:30.  It was not until after 1 p.m., when the doors to the church opened and Archduchess Imre and Archduchess Kathleen emerged to bright sunlight ... and three photographers: the official wedding photographer,  Craig Spiering, Jean-Claude Ernst from LuxpressTageblatt and Revue. 

There were no television cameras, no local press, nothing.  This wedding was under the radar, which was the decision of the couple and their families.   Imre is not a member of a reigning royal house.

The wedding reception was held at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, D.C., where the official photos were taken.   No idea where the honeymoon will be spent, but the bride and groom will be moving to Europe, perhaps Brussels or Poland, where Imre is studying.  This was not confirmed.  The information about Brussels came from the driver who picked Imre up at a town house on Massachusetts Avenue, NW. 

The guests included the groom's parents, Archduke Christian and Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria, Archduchess Marie Christine of Austria and her husband, Count Rodolphe of Limburg-Stirum, Archduke Michael of Austria (usher), Archduke Franz Ludwig of Austria (usher), Archduke Simeon,  Archduchess Marie Helene, wife of Archduke Rudolf, and her daughter, Priscilla,  Prince Jean-Christophe Napoleon, who has been dating Countess Olympia von und zu Arco-Zinneberg, a second cousin of the bridegroom, Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg, and their youngest son, Prince Jean, Prince Felix, Prince Louis, Prince Sebastien and Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, Claire Lademacher, who has been linked with Prince Felix, Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein and two of her children, Marie Astrid, and Josef, Princess Marie Gabrielle and Prince Constantin de Nassau, Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria and her husband, Bronislaw Chrobok, Archduchess Alexandra and her husband, Hector Riesle and their son, Felipe,  the Prince and Princess of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg and  Duke and Duchess of Braganza.   Members of the Arco-Zinneberg family were also in the church as was Archduke Christophe's fiancee, Adelaide Drape-Frisch. The  Duchess of Croy and her son, Carl Philipp.

Guests started to arrive at about 9:45 and the stream continued to even after the bride had arrived ... not the royal guests though. They were all inside before the bride arrived.

I walked over to Princess Sibilla and her family, and she immediately asked me how the book was coming.  Prince Guillaume leaned over to kiss me on the cheek, and, when Princess Sibilla introduced her son, Prince Jean, to me, he took my hand and kissed it.

There were also hugs from the Duke and Duchess of Braganza, and Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria.


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