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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
The name of Princess Madeleine's baby
HRH Princess Madeleine/Kungahuset.se
Christopher O'Neill/Kungahuset.se
Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill have named their daughter, Leonore Lilian Maria -- she is HRH Princess Leonor of Sweden, Duchess of Gotland. So much for Christopher's statement of five names.
Actually it was a reporter who said she would have five names. I just listened to Chris' press conference and he never stated she would have five names. It was a reporter question and he dodged giving any numbers quite gracefully.
I didn´t expect she had a royal status although his father hasn´t a royal title !!!! That is new in a western royal family. This didn´t happen in Spain or Norway. In The Netherlands Princess Margrit´s children became Princes of Orange-Nassau, not Princes of The Netherlands. It´s strange, most european monarchies are reducing number of member of the royal family, in Sweden Leonore will have a royal title although her father is a common.
It was announced after the pregnancy was announced that the children would be a princess. Sweden's succession is gender equal, and there is nothing in the constitution about limiting titles ... expect that will change.
what do you think about the baby's father turning down a title upon his marriage to Madeleine? on the one hand, it is kind of a statement of wanting to remain a private individual, and of course sort of offers "proof" that he is in the relationship purely because he loves the girl & not the title. on the other, let's face it, he's married to the king's daughter, the sister of the next queen & aunt of the one after that. his daughter may theoretically one day inherit the throne, though of course this isn't likely.
it almost, to me personally, feels like with his remaining simply mr. o'neill and their decision to live in the U.S. that he doesn't see her as royal. like she can be removed from her position. now that HIS CHILD is fully titled - Her Royal Highness Princess Leonore Lilian Maria, Duchess of Gotland - i wonder how he feels. i wonder if he fully accepts that their position is real, not just playing dress-up. not sure why i get that vibe... maybe because seeing Daniel fully embrace his position in the Swedish monarchy makes it seem almost like mr. o'neill is rejecting it even if that isn't really the case. what it comes down to, for me, is a feeling that he is rejecting how real & important it is. which isn't to say that is the case, it's simply something i get the impression of.
makes me wonder about how they will raise Leonore. will they decide to go against the requirement that she must be raised "within the Realm"? will she grow up with Swedish as her first language - the way Crown Princess Mary's children have had Danish as theirs - or will she speak English, like her father, living in U.S.? will her father EVER learn to be fluent in Swedish & do what CP Mary does, living in that language at home, or will Madeleine let go of that part of herself and speak English at home?
granted, the situation he's in is VERY different from that of Mary or Daniel. it just raises a lot of questions which i suppose will only be answered in time.
to me, Leonore is a Swedish princess, and as such, should have a Swedish identity. have they said if they will EVER move back to Sweden? if she is raised in the U.S., apart from the ramifications that would have on her position in regards to succession, that would likely give her a more American identity.
also, does the Swedish constitution/laws/etc say what happens if she were to be raised solely in the U.S. (apart from visits to Sweden)? they have said she may not be eligible to then inherit the throne, which in her case isn't too much of a concern given her sister, niece, AND brother would all have to die before any more children are born for her to be in direct line. but would she still BE a princess?
Chris did not want to give up his British or American citizenships. His career is in the USA, at present. It was noted yesterday that the family will return to Sweden when it is time for Leonore to attend school. One can assume that Chris will speak English to his children, and Madeleine will speak Swedish. You have to understand that in Europe, children learn a second and third language -and that starts early. I am sure the Danish royal children are learning English as well so they can communicate with their grandfather, etc. I also think there were plenty of conversations with Chris - he knew that his children will be royal. Let's wait 6 years (when kids start school in Sweden) to see what happens.
Actually it was a reporter who said she would have five names. I just listened to Chris' press conference and he never stated she would have five names. It was a reporter question and he dodged giving any numbers quite gracefully.
ReplyDeleteI didn´t expect she had a royal status although his father hasn´t a royal title !!!! That is new in a western royal family. This didn´t happen in Spain or Norway. In The Netherlands Princess Margrit´s children became Princes of Orange-Nassau, not Princes of The Netherlands.
ReplyDeleteIt´s strange, most european monarchies are reducing number of member of the royal family, in Sweden Leonore will have a royal title although her father is a common.
It was announced after the pregnancy was announced that the children would be a princess. Sweden's succession is gender equal, and there is nothing in the constitution about limiting titles ... expect that will change.
ReplyDeletewhat do you think about the baby's father turning down a title upon his marriage to Madeleine? on the one hand, it is kind of a statement of wanting to remain a private individual, and of course sort of offers "proof" that he is in the relationship purely because he loves the girl & not the title. on the other, let's face it, he's married to the king's daughter, the sister of the next queen & aunt of the one after that. his daughter may theoretically one day inherit the throne, though of course this isn't likely.
ReplyDeleteit almost, to me personally, feels like with his remaining simply mr. o'neill and their decision to live in the U.S. that he doesn't see her as royal. like she can be removed from her position. now that HIS CHILD is fully titled - Her Royal Highness Princess Leonore Lilian Maria, Duchess of Gotland - i wonder how he feels. i wonder if he fully accepts that their position is real, not just playing dress-up. not sure why i get that vibe... maybe because seeing Daniel fully embrace his position in the Swedish monarchy makes it seem almost like mr. o'neill is rejecting it even if that isn't really the case. what it comes down to, for me, is a feeling that he is rejecting how real & important it is. which isn't to say that is the case, it's simply something i get the impression of.
makes me wonder about how they will raise Leonore. will they decide to go against the requirement that she must be raised "within the Realm"? will she grow up with Swedish as her first language - the way Crown Princess Mary's children have had Danish as theirs - or will she speak English, like her father, living in U.S.? will her father EVER learn to be fluent in Swedish & do what CP Mary does, living in that language at home, or will Madeleine let go of that part of herself and speak English at home?
granted, the situation he's in is VERY different from that of Mary or Daniel. it just raises a lot of questions which i suppose will only be answered in time.
to me, Leonore is a Swedish princess, and as such, should have a Swedish identity. have they said if they will EVER move back to Sweden? if she is raised in the U.S., apart from the ramifications that would have on her position in regards to succession, that would likely give her a more American identity.
also, does the Swedish constitution/laws/etc say what happens if she were to be raised solely in the U.S. (apart from visits to Sweden)? they have said she may not be eligible to then inherit the throne, which in her case isn't too much of a concern given her sister, niece, AND brother would all have to die before any more children are born for her to be in direct line. but would she still BE a princess?
Chris did not want to give up his British or American citizenships. His career is in the USA, at present. It was noted yesterday that the family will return to Sweden when it is time for Leonore to attend school. One can assume that Chris will speak English to his children, and Madeleine will speak Swedish. You have to understand that in Europe, children learn a second and third language -and that starts early. I am sure the Danish royal children are learning English as well so they can communicate with their grandfather, etc. I also think there were plenty of conversations with Chris - he knew that his children will be royal. Let's wait 6 years (when kids start school in Sweden) to see what happens.
ReplyDelete