In a Jakarta court on Tuesday, lawyers for Hereditary Count Ludwig von Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee said they will submit evidence showing that no marriage took place between German nobleman and Indonesian celebrity Jessica Iskandar. This denial has also been asserted by Ludwig's parents, the Prince and Princess of Waldburg von Wolfegg und Waldsee.
The lawyers have not stated what the evidence is, but they are convinced they will win the case.
Hereditary Count Ludwig is in Germany with his family.
http://www.kapanlagi.com/showbiz/selebriti/keluarga-suami-jessica-iskandar-tak-akui-pernikahan-putranya-5fdc3c.html
Iskandar's attorney told the media that Ludwig has been in contact with Jessica, asking about their son. He does not know if Ludwig has offered to pay child support.
http://www.tabloidbintang.com/articles/berita/polah/16520-ludwig-masih-menghubungi-jessica-iskandar-menanyakan-anak
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
The new Duke and Duchess of Wellington
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| In NYC in late 80s at the ballet: Princess Margaret greets Lady Douro @Marlene A Eilers Koenig |
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| Lady Douro (now Duchess of Wellington) Photo by Marlene A. Eilers Koenig |
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| last three photos: Marlene A Eilers Koenig Collection |
The new heir to the Wellington Dukedom is a descendant of Queen Victoria
The Duke of Wellington died today at his home, Stratfield Sayre. He was 99 years old.
He is succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, as the 9th Duke of Wellington. The new Duke is married to HRH Princess Antonia of Prussia, daughter of the late Prince Friedrich of Prussia and Lady Brigid Guinness.
The Duke and Duchess were married in February 1977. The bride was given away by her paternal uncle, Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, then head of the former ruling house of Germany.
They have five children: Arthur, now Marquess of Douro, Lady Honor Montagu, Lady Mary, Lady Charlotte and Lord Frederick, and five grandchildren.
Lord Douro is married to Jemma Kidd and are the parents of Lord Mornington, Lady Mae (twins) and Lord Alfred Wellesley (who was born two weeks ago.) Lady Honor and her husband, Hon. Oliver Montagu have two children: Walter and Nancy Montagu.
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| At the 2014 Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle. Photo is by Hein Bruins. |
He is succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, as the 9th Duke of Wellington. The new Duke is married to HRH Princess Antonia of Prussia, daughter of the late Prince Friedrich of Prussia and Lady Brigid Guinness.
They have five children: Arthur, now Marquess of Douro, Lady Honor Montagu, Lady Mary, Lady Charlotte and Lord Frederick, and five grandchildren.
Lord Douro is married to Jemma Kidd and are the parents of Lord Mornington, Lady Mae (twins) and Lord Alfred Wellesley (who was born two weeks ago.) Lady Honor and her husband, Hon. Oliver Montagu have two children: Walter and Nancy Montagu.
Donna Sandra Torlonia (1936-2014)
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| Infanta Beatriz and four children on her 80th birthday (Marlene A. Eilers Koenig Collection) |
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| Donna Sandra (Marlene A. Eilers Koenig collection) |
Donna Alessandra Torlonia died today at Cap Martin, France. She was 78 years old.
Donna Alessandra Vittoria Torlonia was the first of four children of Infanta Beatriz of Spain, elder daughter of King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia. Beatriz married Don Alessandro Torlonia, Prince of Civitella-Cesi, a member of a historic Italian noble family. (Alessandro was half-American. His mother was American heiress Elsie Moore) in January 1935.
Donna Alessandra was born the Anglo-American Hospital in Rome on Valentine's Day in 1936. Two queens were present for the birth. Queen Ena arrived in Rome the day before her daughter was due to give birth, and Queen Elena of Italy "reached the hospital a few minutes" before Alessandra was born.
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2012/02/its-girl-for-infanta-beatriz.html
Prince Alessandro and his mother were also at the hospital. King Alfonso XIII visited his daughter and granddaughter in the afternoon only after Queen Victoria Eugenia had left the hospital. Spanish royalists had hoped that the birth of a grandchildren would reunite the king and queen. Alfonso was living in Rome, and he was reported "anxious to arrange a reconciliation in order to strengthen his prestige with Spanish monarchs," according to an Associated Press dispatch two weeks before Sandra's birth.
In February 1954, Donna Sandra was made her official debut at a grand party hosted by her parents at their palace in Rome.
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/02/alessandra-torlonia-formally-presented.html
In the late 1950s, European papers were reporting that King Baudouin was going to marry Donna Sandra, but she was in love with an Italian nobleman Count Clemente Lequio di Assaba, whose father, Francesco, was Italy's ambassador to Spain. They were married on June 20, 1958 at St. Nicolino Church in Rome.
Infanta Beatriz and Don Alessandro did not attend their daughter's wedding, although Alessandro released a statement announcing that the wedding had taken place earlier that day. He released the statement "to prevent possible unjustified scandalistic speculations."
This statement was in response to reports in local newspapers that Sandra's parents were opposed to her marriage.
The reports of the marriage caught everyone off guard, even the French weekly royal magazine, Point de Vue, which ran a cover story on Sandra (June 27, 1958.)
Sandra gave birth to a son, Don Alessandro, on her first wedding anniversary. A daughter, Desideria (Desiree) was born in September 1962. Count Clemente died in 1971.
In 1966, she was named Lady Europa.
Sandra was the first of four children. She had two younger brothers (Marco Alfonso, 6th Prince of Civitella-Cesi (1937-2014), Don Marino (1939-1995) and Donna Olimpia (1943). Don Marco Alfonso died on December 5. Sandra was present for his funeral.
Donna Sandra is survived by her son, Don Alessandro, and her daughter, Donna Desiree, and four grandchildren, Clemente and Alessandro Lequio, and Count Giovanni and Count Giorgio Tournon.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Queen Margarita of Bulgaria
A new addition to my collection. A signed photo of Queen Margarita of Bulgaria!
Merry Christmas from the Swedish royal family
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| Foto Anna-Lena Ahlström, kungahuset.se / Photo Anna-Lena Ahlström, royalcourt.se Hope this gets released as a postcard. Lovely |
Jessica names father of baby in her new book
The Indonesian celebrity, Jessica Iskandar, has released her new biography, Jedar Power. She refers to Ludwig (presumably Hereditary Count Ludwig zu Waldburg von Wolfsegg und Waldsee )as the father of her son, El Barack Alexander.
She wrote: "Ludwig has taught me a sweet bitterness of life and made me a complete woman, and more appreciative of the life that I lead."
El is aid to be the "fruit of love" between Jessica and the German-born nobleman.
http://banjarmasin.tribunnews.com/2014/12/22/jessica-iskandar-mengaku-ludwig-ayah-dari-bayi-lelakinya
The trial to have the alleged marriage declared annulled continues. Next week, Ludwig's lawyers will introduce more evidence to prove that the marriage was a sham. Jessica's lawyers state that they will have evidence to refute Ludwig's claims.
http://www.tabloidbintang.com/articles/berita/polah/16515-jessica-iskandar-siap-bantu-dukcapil-dki-jakarta-melawan-ludwig-franz-willibald
She wrote: "Ludwig has taught me a sweet bitterness of life and made me a complete woman, and more appreciative of the life that I lead."
El is aid to be the "fruit of love" between Jessica and the German-born nobleman.
http://banjarmasin.tribunnews.com/2014/12/22/jessica-iskandar-mengaku-ludwig-ayah-dari-bayi-lelakinya
The trial to have the alleged marriage declared annulled continues. Next week, Ludwig's lawyers will introduce more evidence to prove that the marriage was a sham. Jessica's lawyers state that they will have evidence to refute Ludwig's claims.
http://www.tabloidbintang.com/articles/berita/polah/16515-jessica-iskandar-siap-bantu-dukcapil-dki-jakarta-melawan-ludwig-franz-willibald
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Prince Bernard zur Lippe joins German Navy
Prince Bernard zur Lippe is the first member of his family to serve at sea for more than 400 years.
The 19-year old prince is the eldest of six children of Prince Stephan and Princess Marie zur Lippe, who live in Detmold. Prince Stephan is the heir to his father, Prince Arnim, the current head of the zur Lippe family.
The young man is now serving as a member of the crew of the Gorch Fock, a training ship based in Kiel. He was recently visited by his parents and his sisters, Luise and Mathilde. In November, Prince Bernhard sailed to Malaga on board the Gorch Fock.
Prince Bernhard is committed to serving in the military for twelve years. He also plans to study aerospace engineering in Munich.
http://www.lz.de/lippe/detmold/20290006_Prinz-zur-Lippe-segelt-auf-der-Gorch-Fock.html
The 19-year old prince is the eldest of six children of Prince Stephan and Princess Marie zur Lippe, who live in Detmold. Prince Stephan is the heir to his father, Prince Arnim, the current head of the zur Lippe family.
The young man is now serving as a member of the crew of the Gorch Fock, a training ship based in Kiel. He was recently visited by his parents and his sisters, Luise and Mathilde. In November, Prince Bernhard sailed to Malaga on board the Gorch Fock.
Prince Bernhard is committed to serving in the military for twelve years. He also plans to study aerospace engineering in Munich.
http://www.lz.de/lippe/detmold/20290006_Prinz-zur-Lippe-segelt-auf-der-Gorch-Fock.html
No originality: Daily Mail
The Daily Mail, a British-based tabloid newspaper (a word I use loosely), has fallen so far down that it can no longer get up.
The notion of responsible journalism or ethical reporting is largely non-existent these days. The website (which has been given an American flare to encourage more American readers, which was duly noted by the New York Times more than a year ago) is filled with errors, repeated statements in articles, material lifted straight from US papers, and largely nonsensical reporting. It is sad to see this paper fall so far down into the gutter.
In the U.S media it is customary to site the source of a news story. The Daily Mail's editorial staff have no compunctions to respect the source, let alone credit the source.
One of the lead stories on the Mail on Sunday is about the protection of palace guards, who have been moved back behind gates, and less accessible to the general public.
Here is a link to the Mail's story.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2888716/Retreating-Queen-s-Guard-End-era-palace-sentries-fall-face-mounting-fears-new-lone-wolf-terrorist-attack.html
But there is little originality in the Mail's story, which has been picked up by other British newspapers, including the Mirror, the Sun and the Daily Telegraph.
The original story was published on December 6 on Royal Central, a British-based website that reports on the daily activities of the British royal family. The site's authority continues to grow as most of the British media have largely stopped reporting on the day to day activities of the Queen and her family, concentrating on Kate Middleton (The Mirror has yet to catch on that Kate has been married for several years now and is now known as HRH The Duchess of Cambridge) and her what she wears. There is also a lot of cooing over the ever adorable Prince George of Cambridge (which means less press attention for Lupo).
The Mail is guilty of non-stop snark about the Middletons. The Mail's editors and reporters won't up be upfront about the negative reporting about Catherine's parents and siblings, but I will say that the paper does not play fair. The paper is run by a bunch ersatz snobs, and they cannot appreciate the fact that the Middletons are self-made millionaires. Michael and Carole worked hard to create their Party Pieces business. Party Pieces is a great success, allowing the family to send their children to the best schools and universities.
But they have no titles. They are not aristocrats. The Mail went all giddy when Prince Harry was dating Cressida Bonas's whose mother, Lady Mary-Gaye, is the daughter of an earl. It didn't matter to the Mail that Lady Mary-Gaye has been married and divorced four times, and the Middletons are a happily married couple.
The Duke of Cambridge's mother, Diana, was the daughter of an earl. Her parents were divorced when she was a young child. Unlike Catherine Middleton, Diana did not have the benefit of growing up in a stable home. A big house, yes, but not a two-parent home. When her sons were spending Christmas Day with their father and grandparents at Sandringham, Diana remained at Kensington Palace, alone, playing the martyr, seeking pity for her "desperate" situation. She did have her own family: two sisters, a mother, a brother in South Africa, but none of them appears to have extended invitations to come and join them for Christmas dinner. If invitations for a turkey dinner and all the trimmings were issued, Diana seemed to eschew them all, preferring beans on toast and the star at her own pity party.
It is no wonder that William enjoys the robust family life that the Middletons offer. Stability, honesty, and loving parents. The Queen understands this, and, made sure that the Middletons were invited to attend Christmas Day services. (The Countess of Wessex also grew up in a two parent middle class family. The Queen has also included Christopher Rhys-Jones in royal events, including riding in the carriage with her at Ascot.)
I have digressed. Back to the reason for this post: the shameful stealing of Royal Central's exclusive story without the acknowledgement of the original source. Although Royal Central's Deputy Editor, Chloe Howard is quoted near the end of the article, the two reporters neglected to mention the original source. According to the original article's writer, Martin, the reporters did "contact us for the facts," and promised to provide credit, when the Mail's article was published. Promise not kept. For true journalists, this lack of credit is considered to be unethical.
http://royalcentral.co.uk/state/queens-guards-moved-behind-fence-over-security-threat-41048
Another British newspaper, The Independent, also has a story about the guard situation. Although the article does not mention Royal Central by name, the reporter did include a link to Royal Central's original story.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/royal-guards-withdrawn-from-contact-with-public-following-isis-terror-threat-chatter-online-9947007.html
Without Royal Central's exclusive piece three weeks ago, it is unlikely that the Mail would have reported on the change to the placement of the palaces' guards. More likely, the paper would have run yet another factually inaccurate and negative story about the Middletons.
I hope to see more exclusives from Royal Central.
The notion of responsible journalism or ethical reporting is largely non-existent these days. The website (which has been given an American flare to encourage more American readers, which was duly noted by the New York Times more than a year ago) is filled with errors, repeated statements in articles, material lifted straight from US papers, and largely nonsensical reporting. It is sad to see this paper fall so far down into the gutter.
In the U.S media it is customary to site the source of a news story. The Daily Mail's editorial staff have no compunctions to respect the source, let alone credit the source.
One of the lead stories on the Mail on Sunday is about the protection of palace guards, who have been moved back behind gates, and less accessible to the general public.
Here is a link to the Mail's story.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2888716/Retreating-Queen-s-Guard-End-era-palace-sentries-fall-face-mounting-fears-new-lone-wolf-terrorist-attack.html
But there is little originality in the Mail's story, which has been picked up by other British newspapers, including the Mirror, the Sun and the Daily Telegraph.
The original story was published on December 6 on Royal Central, a British-based website that reports on the daily activities of the British royal family. The site's authority continues to grow as most of the British media have largely stopped reporting on the day to day activities of the Queen and her family, concentrating on Kate Middleton (The Mirror has yet to catch on that Kate has been married for several years now and is now known as HRH The Duchess of Cambridge) and her what she wears. There is also a lot of cooing over the ever adorable Prince George of Cambridge (which means less press attention for Lupo).
The Mail is guilty of non-stop snark about the Middletons. The Mail's editors and reporters won't up be upfront about the negative reporting about Catherine's parents and siblings, but I will say that the paper does not play fair. The paper is run by a bunch ersatz snobs, and they cannot appreciate the fact that the Middletons are self-made millionaires. Michael and Carole worked hard to create their Party Pieces business. Party Pieces is a great success, allowing the family to send their children to the best schools and universities.
But they have no titles. They are not aristocrats. The Mail went all giddy when Prince Harry was dating Cressida Bonas's whose mother, Lady Mary-Gaye, is the daughter of an earl. It didn't matter to the Mail that Lady Mary-Gaye has been married and divorced four times, and the Middletons are a happily married couple.
The Duke of Cambridge's mother, Diana, was the daughter of an earl. Her parents were divorced when she was a young child. Unlike Catherine Middleton, Diana did not have the benefit of growing up in a stable home. A big house, yes, but not a two-parent home. When her sons were spending Christmas Day with their father and grandparents at Sandringham, Diana remained at Kensington Palace, alone, playing the martyr, seeking pity for her "desperate" situation. She did have her own family: two sisters, a mother, a brother in South Africa, but none of them appears to have extended invitations to come and join them for Christmas dinner. If invitations for a turkey dinner and all the trimmings were issued, Diana seemed to eschew them all, preferring beans on toast and the star at her own pity party.
It is no wonder that William enjoys the robust family life that the Middletons offer. Stability, honesty, and loving parents. The Queen understands this, and, made sure that the Middletons were invited to attend Christmas Day services. (The Countess of Wessex also grew up in a two parent middle class family. The Queen has also included Christopher Rhys-Jones in royal events, including riding in the carriage with her at Ascot.)
I have digressed. Back to the reason for this post: the shameful stealing of Royal Central's exclusive story without the acknowledgement of the original source. Although Royal Central's Deputy Editor, Chloe Howard is quoted near the end of the article, the two reporters neglected to mention the original source. According to the original article's writer, Martin, the reporters did "contact us for the facts," and promised to provide credit, when the Mail's article was published. Promise not kept. For true journalists, this lack of credit is considered to be unethical.
http://royalcentral.co.uk/state/queens-guards-moved-behind-fence-over-security-threat-41048
Another British newspaper, The Independent, also has a story about the guard situation. Although the article does not mention Royal Central by name, the reporter did include a link to Royal Central's original story.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/royal-guards-withdrawn-from-contact-with-public-following-isis-terror-threat-chatter-online-9947007.html
Without Royal Central's exclusive piece three weeks ago, it is unlikely that the Mail would have reported on the change to the placement of the palaces' guards. More likely, the paper would have run yet another factually inaccurate and negative story about the Middletons.
I hope to see more exclusives from Royal Central.
Friday, December 26, 2014
latest issue of European History Journal
I wrote the cover story - the wedding of King Constantine II and Queen Anne Marie (on the occasion of their 50th anniversary).
The issue to follow will include an article I wrote in the 100th anniversary of the death of Prince Maurice of Battenberg.
On the agenda for European Royal History Journal for 2015: Princess Augusta of Cambridge (Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz), Princess Frederica of Hannover (daughter of Georg V), the Spanish royal weddings in 1935, the death of Princess Beatrice (Princess Henry of Battenberg) and one other. (Six issues a year.)
Danish & Greek Royal Families celebrate at Fredensborg
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| @Steen Brogaard |
Friday, December 19, 2014
Attending a royal funeral: the final goodbye to Queen Fabiola of Belgium
Queen Fabiola's Funeral by Arjan Bower
More than 21 years later, King Baudouin's
widow, Queen Fabiola died on December 5, 2014, at the age of 86. The funeral would take
place a week later, on December 12, in the Cathedral of St. Michael and St.
Gudula in Brussels.
As you can see, I took some pictures. I was in doubt whether it was the appropriate thing to do. Many people made pictures with their cell phones and in the end, I decided to take some pictures myself as well. Maybe I shouldn't have done so, but as this was such a unique experience for me, I couldn't resist myself.
Then, the casket containing the remains of late Queen arrived, followed by the members of the Royal Family. Very impressive.
Then the service began. I'm not religious, but I think some beautiful texts were being read and the soprano sang beautifully. I was most impressed by the Spanish choir, that was joined by the Marchioness of Ahumada, one of Queen Fabiola's nieces. The acoustics on the Cathedral made it even more memorable. Beautiful.
Turned out I seemed to be the only non-Catholic of the 'normal citizens' attending (not that surprising of course), because when everybody could take Communion, I was the only one who didn't take it.
After a 2-hour service, the coffin, the Royal Family and the extended family of Queen Fabiola left the Cathedral.
After the family had left, I expected that the next to leave would be the highest ranking royal guests, as protocol prescribes. I didn´t expect to be able to leave the Cathedral for the next 30 minutes or so. Not that I cared: it would be nice to see all the royals walking by. But to my surprise, an official made clear that we were all allowed to go. Everybody stood up and I walked to the door. I was very surprised. I walked outside and everybody could stand on the steps, while the car with the coffin and the cars of the family still hadn't left.
Then I saw the Empress of Japan coming out of the Cathedral. So it became clear to me that the senior royals hadn't left from another exit, but were still in the Cathedral.
When I got to the front of the church, I saw many younger members of the extended family still being there, together with old Archduchess Yolande.
If you're on Twitter, make sure you follow me: @houseoflemon.
Thanks to Marlene Koenig
for asking me to write something about my experiences. It was my pleasure!
.
In 1993, King Baudouin of the Belgians died
unexpectedly during his holiday in Spain. I remember it vividly: I was 12 years
old at that time and it made a huge impression on me. There was a huge outpouring
of emotions from the Belgian people and his funeral was an impressive event,
attended by many heads of state from all over the world, including Queen
Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Emperor and Empress of Japan. For
me, it marked the beginning of a fascination for royalty that lasts until this
day.
A few days after the Queen's death, I read
that 200 seats in the Cathedral would be available for members of the general
public. Those interested could send an email with some personal information. I
live in the Netherlands (not even a two hour ride by car from Brussels) and I
would be free on the day of the funeral: I decided to apply for an invitation.
I didn't expect too much of it: I figured many people (5000, as I heard later)
would try to attend and most inportant: I'm Dutch and I expected that only
Belgians would be allowed to attend.
I almost forgot about it, when on Thursday
December 11 (a day before the funeral) I received an email with a pdf-file
containing an invitation for the funeral!
I was flabbergasted. I had never expected
this! That afternoon, I was busy sorting out my outfit and making travel
arrangements.
The day of the funeral, I got in my car at 6 a.m., to drive to Brussels. It was very bad weather. There was a storm. and after
two hours, I arrived on the outskirts of Brussels. I parked my car, took the
subway and half an hour later, I was at the Cathedral. A police officer looked
at my invitation and my ID and everything was okay. I was amazed that security
measures didn't seem tight: I wasn't extensively searched or whatsoever. Before
I knew it, I walked on the main stairs of the Cathedral. I almost felt royal
myself!
Inside the Cathedral, I could take a seat in
one of the last rows of the Cathedral. I had a good seat: fourth seat from the
aisle, about the seventh row from the back. Not bad. It would take another hour
before the service would begin, but I knew that it would be a great hour,
watching many high guests arrive.
During that hour, I could see many guests arrive. I saw Archduchess Yolande of Austria arrive with her son Rudolf. I also saw Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia walking by very quickly, with huge steps. He seemed to be in a hurry. I also recognized the Duke of Braganca, Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein and the Duke and Duchess of Castro walking by. Meanwhile, I saw on the TV screens that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain and Empress Farah of Iran were already inside. I was surprised: I would have expected Juan Carlos and Sofía to arrive later, more in line with the order of precedence. Later it would appear that this was only one of the strange things concerning protocol and precedence that day.
Many descendants of the late Queen's sister-in-law, the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, attended the funeral. Besides all of her children and their spouses, I also saw the children of Princess Margaretha and Prince Guillaume. Later, it appeared that also some children of Prince Jean attended, but I failed to recognize them. Of course, also Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie attended.
After that, the highest ranking foreign royal guests arrived. Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, the King of Norway with his sister Princess Astrid, the King and Queen of Sweden, the Empress of Japan and the Queen of Denmark. It was nice to see that the congregation stood up when a high guest arrived: a huge difference with the Netherlands, where everybody remains seated (f.e. the Inauguration of King Willem-Alexander). Very respectful. I even saw some curtseys here and there. When the Empress of Japan arrived, everyone seemed very impressed by her quiet, regal presence.
Then the service began. I'm not religious, but I think some beautiful texts were being read and the soprano sang beautifully. I was most impressed by the Spanish choir, that was joined by the Marchioness of Ahumada, one of Queen Fabiola's nieces. The acoustics on the Cathedral made it even more memorable. Beautiful.
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| King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and King Albert II. |
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| Left to right: Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein and Princess Alexander of Belgium. |
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| Next to Prince Guillaume: his wife, Princess Sibilla. |
After the family had left, I expected that the next to leave would be the highest ranking royal guests, as protocol prescribes. I didn´t expect to be able to leave the Cathedral for the next 30 minutes or so. Not that I cared: it would be nice to see all the royals walking by. But to my surprise, an official made clear that we were all allowed to go. Everybody stood up and I walked to the door. I was very surprised. I walked outside and everybody could stand on the steps, while the car with the coffin and the cars of the family still hadn't left.
The logistics were all a bit chaotic. I walked off the stairs and I was that the Luxembourgish siblings (Marie-Astrid, Margaretha, Jean and Guillaume) and their spouses all had to wait in the pouring rain for their cars to arrive. They all hid under an umbrella. I could hear them laugh about it and I could make some nice pictures of them.
When their bus arrived, I could see Princesses Margaretha and Sibilla walking to the bus while holding each other. They seem close.
I walked back to the Cathedral and was on the stairs again. It still seemed very strange: I had already left my seat, while the senior royals still seemed to be inside. It became stranger when I saw Grand Duke George walking off the stairs: so he was allowed to leave before the Kings and Queens? Or had those royals already left through another door? Questions, questions.
Grand Duke George of Russia
Then I saw the Empress of Japan coming out of the Cathedral. So it became clear to me that the senior royals hadn't left from another exit, but were still in the Cathedral.
I looked up and it seemed like it was allowed to go back inside the Cathedral once you had left. Since I figured many royals were still inside, I decided to go back inside as well. Good decision. I walked inside and I almost bumped into the Duke of Castro, who was on the telephone. Some moments later, I saw a woman with a very familiar face standing very close to me: it was Empress Farah. Very strange! When she was a bit further away, I took some pictures of her.
I saw on the TV screens that the highest ranking guests were still in their seats, as I already thought they would be. I decided to stay were I was: near the aisle, close to the door, so I could have a good view of the leaving royals.
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| King Harald V and Princess Astrid of Norway (I love the look on Empress Farah's face) |
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| King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden |
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| Queen Margrethe II of Denmark |
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| Prince Hans Adam of Liechtenstein |
When the most senior royals had left, I saw that many family members and other guests were still in their seats in the front of the Cathedral. As everybody was allowed to move freely, I decided to walk to the front. On the way, I saw the Duke and Duchess of Castro chatting with Archduke Simeon and Archduchess Maria of Austria. Then Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand approached me, surrounded by some entourage. Someone helped her put on her coat. I also saw the Duke and Duchess of Angoulême. All those people were standing very nearby, so it felt very inappropriate to make pictures. I couldn't stop being surprised by the fact that I could just walk there.
By then, it was time for
me to leave. My head was full of all the impressions of that morning. I think
this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was huge honour to be invited and
I'm very grateful to the Belgian authorities. I'm also grateful to them that
the protocol was a bit of a chaos: thanks to that, I could come closer to so
many royals than I could have ever thought.
If you're on Twitter, make sure you follow me: @houseoflemon.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
New Postcards for my collection
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| Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria |
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| The eldest two children of Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia. |
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| Prince Adolf II (1883-1936) Last ruler of Schaumburg Lippe |
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| Prince Wilhelm and Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, eldest sons of Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia. The woman behind the two boys may be their nanny, Lillian Brimble, She appears to be holding the hand of the third son, Hubertus |
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| Viktoria Luise with her two sons and daughter, Friederike |
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| Monica of Saxony, daughter of Friedrich August III of Saxony and Archduchess Louisa of Austria |
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| Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hannover, son of Ernst August and Thyra (Duke and Duchess of Cumberland) |
King Boris seeks wife
December 18, 1924
King Boris III of Bulgaria will leave Sofia in early January for a "tour in search of a wife," reports the Chicago Daily Tribune. The "youthful bachelor sovereign" will start his search in Belgrade, then travel to Bucharest, Rome, Paris, and ending in London.
Bulgarian diplomats are "hopeful" that the king will find a bride among the "princesses of the Little Entente powers or Greece or Italy."
Queen Marie of Romania has one daughter, Princess Ileana, left, and she is eager to place her on "a Balkan throne."
King Boris III of Bulgaria will leave Sofia in early January for a "tour in search of a wife," reports the Chicago Daily Tribune. The "youthful bachelor sovereign" will start his search in Belgrade, then travel to Bucharest, Rome, Paris, and ending in London.
Bulgarian diplomats are "hopeful" that the king will find a bride among the "princesses of the Little Entente powers or Greece or Italy."
Queen Marie of Romania has one daughter, Princess Ileana, left, and she is eager to place her on "a Balkan throne."
A new king for Belgium?
December 18, 1914
The Germans are "doing their utmost to force upon the Belgians the conviction" that their country is conquered, and will soon become a German state, according to a dispatch from the London Daily News, and reported by the New York Times.
Authorities are hinting that the future ruler will be Prince Otto of Windisch-Graetz, who is married to Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of the late Archduke Rudolf, only son of Emperor Franz Joseph, and Princess Stephanie of Belgium, daughter of the late King Leopold II.
The Germans are "doing their utmost to force upon the Belgians the conviction" that their country is conquered, and will soon become a German state, according to a dispatch from the London Daily News, and reported by the New York Times.
Authorities are hinting that the future ruler will be Prince Otto of Windisch-Graetz, who is married to Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of the late Archduke Rudolf, only son of Emperor Franz Joseph, and Princess Stephanie of Belgium, daughter of the late King Leopold II.
An interview with Lady Helen Taylor
Lady Helen talks about family, Christmas and shopping
http://www.bicestervillage.com/en/campaign/step-into-the-story/influencers/lady-helen-taylor
http://www.bicestervillage.com/en/campaign/step-into-the-story/influencers/lady-helen-taylor
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Crown Prince Alexander not invited to battle anniversary
DANAS – Royal Family not invited to the Battle of Kolubara
Anniversary
17 December 2014
Author: Jelena Tasic
Royal Family not invited to the Battle of Kolubara
anniversary
Karadjordjevics ignored Belgrade
– Prince
Alexander Karadjordjevic, the grandson of the supreme commander of the Serbian
army in the First World War, was not invited to the celebration of the 100th
anniversary of the Battle of Kolubara, nor the official protocol included
laying his wreath in honour of the fallen soldiers in this battle – confirmed
the Royal Palace PR to “Danas”.
At the Palace, they consider it was a “malicious failure not
to invite Crown Prince Alexander, not only to the celebration of the Battle of
Kolubara, but also the Battle of Cer, as well as to the other public
celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World
War, because the descendants of Serbian Voivodas Stepa Stepanovic and Zivojin
Misic were invited”.
They also point out that Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic
in his speech did not mention King Peter I and King Alexander.
Yesterday it was not possible to get an answer from the
Government of Serbia who determines the protocol in such situations. The
Ministry of Labour, Employment, Social Affairs and Veterans told “Danas” they
were not responsible for the guests and it is in the competence of the Ministry
of Culture’s Committee for marking 100 years since the beginning of the First
World War. The Ministry of Culture, however, claims they have nothing to do
with it, and that it is the job of the special Committee for preserving the
tradition of the liberation wars at the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Social
Affairs and Veterans.
Prince Alexander, however, did attend the celebration of the
100th anniversary of the Battle of Kolubara last week in Lazarevac, as the
guest of Serbian Patriarch Irinej and Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, and, as
announced by the Royal Palace, “laid a wreath and paid tribute to the memory of
the Serbian warriors who gave their lives for king and country”.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Newest QVD
Am sure I tweeted this ... I think.
The Countess of Mornington, the wife of the Earl of Mornington, gave birth to a son, on December 10. The couple are the parents of twins, Lady Mae Wellesley and Viscount Wellesley (Arthur) who will celebrate their 5th birthday in January.
The 40-year-old Lady Mornington is the former Jemima Kidd. Lord Mornington is the eldest son of the Marquess and Marchioness of Douro. Lady Douro was born HRH Princess Antonia of Prussia. Lord Douro is the heir apparent to the Duke of Wellington.
http://www.elledecor.com/celebrity-style/homes/jemma-kidd#slide-1
The Countess of Mornington, the wife of the Earl of Mornington, gave birth to a son, on December 10. The couple are the parents of twins, Lady Mae Wellesley and Viscount Wellesley (Arthur) who will celebrate their 5th birthday in January.
The 40-year-old Lady Mornington is the former Jemima Kidd. Lord Mornington is the eldest son of the Marquess and Marchioness of Douro. Lady Douro was born HRH Princess Antonia of Prussia. Lord Douro is the heir apparent to the Duke of Wellington.
http://www.elledecor.com/celebrity-style/homes/jemma-kidd#slide-1
Interview with Hans Adam and Alois of Liechtenstein
Johannes Kaiser interviewed the Prince of Liechtenstein and his eldest son, Hereditary Prince Alois
http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/country-and-people/state/princely-house-head-of-state/interview/?bpid=2006749816&nlid=2025700761&chk=hFaTfmATZm
http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/country-and-people/state/princely-house-head-of-state/interview/?bpid=2006749816&nlid=2025700761&chk=hFaTfmATZm
Princess Charlene: "today I am blessed"
Earlier today, Princess Charlene of Monaco spoke by phone from the Princess Grace Hospital, with a reporter from the Nice Matin.
She expressed her intense joy at the births of the twins. "I feel happy, relieved, proud and very excited. I have always wanted to start a family. It took time, but today I am blessed."
The Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella were born 15 days early, and continue to require daily care at the hospital. Princess Charlene and her infants should be back at the palace in time for Christmas.
"It is my wish to spend Christmas at home with my children and my husband."
She also said why she and Prince Albert chose Jacques and Gabriella as the first names for their children. "I've always loved Jacques, a French name, but also common in South Africa." The name Gabriella is not as well known, but "the Prince and I found it charming."
http://www.nicematin.com/monaco/exclusif-la-princesse-charlene-se-confie-pour-la-premiere-fois-sur-la-naissance-de-ses-enfant.2027874.html
The entire interview will be published in Wednesday's Nice-Matin and Monaco-Matin.
The Princess also spoke with Paris Match http://www.parismatch.com/Royal-Blog/Monaco/Charlene-de-Monaco-l-interview-Gabriella-et-Jacques-ce-sont-eux-les-boss-desormais-671814
She expressed her intense joy at the births of the twins. "I feel happy, relieved, proud and very excited. I have always wanted to start a family. It took time, but today I am blessed."
The Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella were born 15 days early, and continue to require daily care at the hospital. Princess Charlene and her infants should be back at the palace in time for Christmas.
"It is my wish to spend Christmas at home with my children and my husband."
She also said why she and Prince Albert chose Jacques and Gabriella as the first names for their children. "I've always loved Jacques, a French name, but also common in South Africa." The name Gabriella is not as well known, but "the Prince and I found it charming."
http://www.nicematin.com/monaco/exclusif-la-princesse-charlene-se-confie-pour-la-premiere-fois-sur-la-naissance-de-ses-enfant.2027874.html
The entire interview will be published in Wednesday's Nice-Matin and Monaco-Matin.
The Princess also spoke with Paris Match http://www.parismatch.com/Royal-Blog/Monaco/Charlene-de-Monaco-l-interview-Gabriella-et-Jacques-ce-sont-eux-les-boss-desormais-671814
Monday, December 15, 2014
Grand Duchess Victoria ready to return home
December 15, 1924
Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of Russia is spending her last day in New York City. She sails for Coburg tomorrow.
In the Presidential Suite at the Waldorf-Astoria earlier this evening, the Grand Duchess spoke to the New York Times and other members of the press. Standing on a Persian rug, the Grand Duchess, "graciously beaming as she surveyed the visitors." She was dressed in a "silvery gown" with the "lustre of a necklace of exceptionally large pearls." She wore a peach cloche, which "concealed her blonde hair."
"I leave tomorrow, and am sorry to be off. Americans everywhere have been so kind to me. It is with the greatest regret that I am leaving and it is with a feeling of real friendship for all Americans I have met. I have loved every moment I have met. I have loved every moment of my stay here -- everybody has been so kind."
In response to the differences between American and European society, Victoria Feodorovna said: "I found you so extraordinarily well informed. I have learned a lot since I have been here -- much more than you know."
Another reporter asked "How did you find sentiment here for the old regime in Russia?"
"I have found a very friendly sentiment for all the troubles they have been through."
"Did you find a sentiment against the Soviets?"
"I don't think people here appreciate that regime," responded the Grand Duchess, a British princess by birth.
But when she was asked about a possible restoration of the monarchy, the Grand Duchess, whose husband, Kirill, is the proclaimed head of the family, backed off, saying political questions were not allowed.
This trip "had been social only," was the response.
One of her ladies-in-waiting came into the room, and reminded the Grand Duchess that she had another engagement, and after murmuring her regrets, Grand Duchess Victoria hurried off.
Tonight she will attended the Metropolitan Opera for a performance of "Andrea Chenier." Afterward, she and her guests will go to Sherry's, where the Monday Opera Supper Club, will give the Grand Duchess a "farewell reception. It was under their auspices that she came to the United States.
Tomorrow, she will sail to Paris on the SS France. She will spend some time in Paris before traveling to her home in Coburg, Germany.
Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of Russia is spending her last day in New York City. She sails for Coburg tomorrow.
In the Presidential Suite at the Waldorf-Astoria earlier this evening, the Grand Duchess spoke to the New York Times and other members of the press. Standing on a Persian rug, the Grand Duchess, "graciously beaming as she surveyed the visitors." She was dressed in a "silvery gown" with the "lustre of a necklace of exceptionally large pearls." She wore a peach cloche, which "concealed her blonde hair."
"I leave tomorrow, and am sorry to be off. Americans everywhere have been so kind to me. It is with the greatest regret that I am leaving and it is with a feeling of real friendship for all Americans I have met. I have loved every moment I have met. I have loved every moment of my stay here -- everybody has been so kind."
In response to the differences between American and European society, Victoria Feodorovna said: "I found you so extraordinarily well informed. I have learned a lot since I have been here -- much more than you know."
Another reporter asked "How did you find sentiment here for the old regime in Russia?"
"I have found a very friendly sentiment for all the troubles they have been through."
"Did you find a sentiment against the Soviets?"
"I don't think people here appreciate that regime," responded the Grand Duchess, a British princess by birth.
But when she was asked about a possible restoration of the monarchy, the Grand Duchess, whose husband, Kirill, is the proclaimed head of the family, backed off, saying political questions were not allowed.
This trip "had been social only," was the response.
One of her ladies-in-waiting came into the room, and reminded the Grand Duchess that she had another engagement, and after murmuring her regrets, Grand Duchess Victoria hurried off.
Tonight she will attended the Metropolitan Opera for a performance of "Andrea Chenier." Afterward, she and her guests will go to Sherry's, where the Monday Opera Supper Club, will give the Grand Duchess a "farewell reception. It was under their auspices that she came to the United States.
Tomorrow, she will sail to Paris on the SS France. She will spend some time in Paris before traveling to her home in Coburg, Germany.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Updated: British representatives at Foreign Royal events
For those who like to keep track of such things, here is a list of European royal events (Marriages, funerals) with the British representation.
The final decision on who is sent depends on several factors, including whether the event is a state occasion or a nation event. The final decision is made on the advisement of the Foreign office. It is not always the Sovereign's decision.
Belgium
1909 King Leopold II funeral Duke of Connaught
1927 Crown Prince Leopold wedding: Prince Henry
1934 King Albert I funeral: The Prince of Wales
1935 Queen Astrid funeral: Duke of York
1953 Princess Josephine Charlotte wedding: Princess Margaret (but due to Queen Mary's death, was unable to attend. Geoffrey Allchin, the British Minister attended instead.)
1959 Prince Albert wedding: none
1960 King Baudouin wedding: Princess Margaret and Mr. Antony Armstrong-Jones
1965 Queen Elisabeth funeral: Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
1983 King Leopold III funeral: the British Ambassador
1984 Princess Astrid wedding: Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
1993 King Baudouin funeral: Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh
1999 Crown Prince Philippe wedding: the Prince of Wales
2014 Queen Fabiola funeral: the British Ambassador
DENMARK
1878 Princess Thyra wedding to Duke of Cumberland: Sir Charles represented Queen Victoria, Lord Colville represented the Prince of Wales, Colonel Teesdale represented the Princess of Wales, & Captain Mildmay represented the Duke of Cambridge. (The Royal Family was in mourning for Princess Alice, who died a week earlier.)
1898 Queen Louise Funeral: the Princess of Wales (her daughter)
1906 Christian IX Funeral: Queen Alexandra
1912 Frederik VIII Funeral: Queen Alexandra (sister) and Prince Arthur of Connaught
1926 Queen Louise Funeral: Prince Arthur of Connaught
1935 Crown Prince Frederik Wedding: Prince and Princess Arthur of Connaught and Lady Patricia Ramsay. Prince Arthur was the official representative. He was the bride's uncle.
1947 Christian X Funeral: Duke of Beaufort
1950 Queen Alexandrine funeral: no one (Alexandrine's request was for a very simple funeral)
1967 Crown Princess Margrethe wedding: Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
1968 Princess Benedikte wedding: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (godmother)
1972 Frederik IX funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
1995 Prince Joachim wedding: Prince Edward.
2000 Queen Ingrid funeral: Prince of Wales. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Alexandra and Lady Saltoun attended privately
2004 Crown Prince Frederik wedding: The Earl and Countess of Wessex
2010 Queen Margrethe II's 70th birthday: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (who had to cancel due to the volcanic ash from Iceland.
Germany
1878 Princess Charlotte wedding: Duke of Connaught
1881 Crown Prince Wilhelm wedding: The Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh
1892 Princess Margarete wedding: Duke of York; Duke and Duchess of Connaught
1905 Crown Prince Wilhelm wedding: Prince Arthur of Connaught. Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein attended
1913 Wedding of Princess Victoria Luise King George V and Queen Mary
Greece
1889 King Constantine I wedding: Prince of Wales (with Princess and 4 children)
1912 Funeral of George I Prince Alexander of Teck
1938 Wedding of Prince Paul: Duke and Duchess of Kent
1947 Funeral of George II: Duke of Beaufort
1964 Funeral of King Paul: Duke of Edinburgh, who represented the Queen, and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
1964 Marriage of King Constantine. Duke of Edinburgh. The Prince of Wales and Prince Michael of Kent were two of the crown bearers. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent also attended, as did Princess Anne.
1981 Funeral of Queen Frederika: Duke of Edinburgh
Hanover
1900 Princess Marie Wedding to Max of Baden: Sir Horace Rumbold, British Ambassador in Vienna represented Queen Victoria
1904 Princess Alexandra wedding: Duke and Duchess of Teck
1923 Duke of Cumberland funeral: no one
1933 Duchess of Cumberland funeral: Sir Eric Phipps, British Ambassador in Vienna
1987 Prince Ernst August funeral: Prince Edward
Hesse and By Rhine
1878 Princess Alice funeral: The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Prince Leopold & Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
1884 Princess Victoria wedding: Queen Victoria, Prince & Princess of Wales
1892 Grand Duke Ludwig IV funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
1894 Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig IV wedding to Victoria Melita of Edinburgh. Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught
Italy
1930 Crown Prince Umberto wedding: the Duke of York
Liechtenstein
1967 Prince Hans Adam wedding: Duke of Edinburgh declined due to a previously scheduled polo match
1989 Princess Gina funeral: Prince Edward
1989 Prince Franz Josef funeral: Princess of Wales
Luxembourg
1981 Hereditary Grand Duke Henri wedding: The Duke of Edinburgh
1982 Princess Marie Astrid's wedding: Prince Andrew, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
1985 Grand Duchess Charlotte funeral: Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
2005 Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte's funeral Prince Andrew, Duke of York
2012 Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume's wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex
Monaco
1956 Prince Rainier wedding: none
1982 Princess Grace Funeral: The Princess of Wales
2005 Prince Rainier funeral: Duke of York
2011 Prince Albert wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent also attended but did not represent the Queen.
Netherlands
1890 Willem III Funeral: Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, representing Victoria
1934 Queen Emma funeral: no official representation, although Lady May Abel Smith attended.
1934 Prince Hendrik Funeral: British Ambassador
1937 Princess Juliana wedding: Duke of Kent and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
1948: Queen Juliana's installation: Princess Margaret, accompanied by the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.
1962 Queen Juliana and Prince Bernard's Silver wedding: Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh (visit was described as semi-private). Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra of Kent also attended.
1962 Princess Wilhelmina funeral: Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
1966 Crown Princess Beatrix's wedding: Princess Alexandra (a witness). Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent also attended
1980: Queen Beatrix installation: the Prince of Wales
2002 Crown Prince Willem-Alexander wedding: Prince of Wales and the Earl and Countess of Wessex
2002 Prince Claus funeral: the Prince of Wales
2004 Princess Juliana funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
2004 Prince Bernhard funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
2013 King Willem-Alexander's installation: the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall.
Norway
1929 Crown Prince Olav wedding: Duke (best man) and Duchess of York
1938 Queen Maud Funeral: Duke of Kent
1953 Princess Ragnhild wedding: Princess Margaret
1954 Crown Princess Martha funeral: the Duke of Gloucester
1957 King Haakon VII funeral: The Duke of Gloucester
1961 Princess Astrid: Princess Margaret
1968 Crown Prince Harald wedding: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (but did not attend due to Princess Marina's funeral)
1991 King Olav funeral: The Prince of Wales
2001 Crown Prince Haakon wedding: The Prince of Wales, The Earl and Countess of Wessex
Portugal
1908 King Carlos & Crown Prince Luiz funeral: Prince Arthur of Connaught
1913 King Manoel wedding: the Prince of Wales
Romania
1921 Prince Carol and Princess Helen wedding: None
1921 Princess Elisabeth and King George of the Hellenes wedding: None
1922: Coronation of Ferdinand and Marie: the Duke of York
1927 King Ferdinand: None although the Duke of York represented the King at the Memorial Service at the Greek Cathedral of St. Sophia in London, which was held on the same day as the funeral.
1938 Queen Marie Funeral: Duke of Kent
1948 King Michael Wedding in Athens: None
Russia
1866 Tsarevitch Alexander to Dagmar of Denmark: Prince of Wales (brother-in-law of bride)
1884 Grand Duke Serge wedding to Elisabeth of Hesse: Duchess of Edinburgh
1894 Alexander III funeral: The Prince of Wales
1894 Nicholas II & Alix of Hesse: The Prince of Wales (with the Princess)
1928 Empress Marie funeral: Duke of York
Spain
1902 King Alfonso XIII Proclamation: Duke of Connaught
1906 King Alfonso XIII wedding: the Prince and Princess of Wales
1962 Juan Carlos and Sophia of Greece wedding: Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, Princess Alexandra (bridesmaid) and Prince Michael of Kent, and Lord Mountbatten
1969 Queen Victoria Eugenia funeral: the Duke of Kent (for the Queen)and Lord Mountbatten (for the Queen Mother)
1975 King Juan Carlos I Accession ceremonies: Duke of Edinburgh
1993 Count of Barcelona funeral: Prince of Wales
1995 Infanta Elena wedding: Prince of Wales
1997 Infanta Cristina wedding: Prince Edward
2000 Countess of Barcelona funeral: Prince of Wales
2004 Wedding of the Prince of Asturias: Prince of Wales
Sweden
1907 King Oscar II Funeral: none
1920 Crown Princess Margaret funeral: the Earl of Onslow (most members of the Royal, including the king and Queen and Prince Albert and Princess Mary, attended a memorial service at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace on the same day.)
1932 Hereditary Prince Gustaf Adolf wedding: the earl of Athlone
1950 King Gustav V Funeral: Duke of Gloucester
1965 Queen Louise Funeral: Princess Royal, representing the Queen and Lady Pamela Hicks, representing Lord Mountbatten. The Duke of Edinburgh, who was Louise's nephew, was on an official trip and did not return for her funeral
1973 King Gustaf VI Adolf funeral: The Duke of Edinburgh. He was joined by Lord Mountbatten and the Princess of Hesse. Lord Windlesham represented Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.
1976 King Carl XVI Gustaf wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
2010 Crown Princess Victoria wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex
2013 Princess Madeleine wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex
Yugoslavia
1922 King Alexander and Princess Marie of Roumania wedding: The Duke and Duchess of York
1934 King Alexander funeral the Duke of Kent
1944 King Peter II wedding: King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Duke of Gloucester, and Duchess of Kent
1956: Prince Andrej & Princess Christina of Hesse: the Duke of Edinburgh (represented by the Margrave of Baden)
1957 Prince Tomislav & Princess Margarita of Baden: Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra and the Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma
1972 Crown Prince Alexander wedding: Princess Anne
The final decision on who is sent depends on several factors, including whether the event is a state occasion or a nation event. The final decision is made on the advisement of the Foreign office. It is not always the Sovereign's decision.
Belgium
1909 King Leopold II funeral Duke of Connaught
1927 Crown Prince Leopold wedding: Prince Henry
1934 King Albert I funeral: The Prince of Wales
1935 Queen Astrid funeral: Duke of York
1953 Princess Josephine Charlotte wedding: Princess Margaret (but due to Queen Mary's death, was unable to attend. Geoffrey Allchin, the British Minister attended instead.)
1959 Prince Albert wedding: none
1960 King Baudouin wedding: Princess Margaret and Mr. Antony Armstrong-Jones
1965 Queen Elisabeth funeral: Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
1983 King Leopold III funeral: the British Ambassador
1984 Princess Astrid wedding: Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
1993 King Baudouin funeral: Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh
1999 Crown Prince Philippe wedding: the Prince of Wales
2014 Queen Fabiola funeral: the British Ambassador
DENMARK
1878 Princess Thyra wedding to Duke of Cumberland: Sir Charles represented Queen Victoria, Lord Colville represented the Prince of Wales, Colonel Teesdale represented the Princess of Wales, & Captain Mildmay represented the Duke of Cambridge. (The Royal Family was in mourning for Princess Alice, who died a week earlier.)
1898 Queen Louise Funeral: the Princess of Wales (her daughter)
1906 Christian IX Funeral: Queen Alexandra
1912 Frederik VIII Funeral: Queen Alexandra (sister) and Prince Arthur of Connaught
1926 Queen Louise Funeral: Prince Arthur of Connaught
1935 Crown Prince Frederik Wedding: Prince and Princess Arthur of Connaught and Lady Patricia Ramsay. Prince Arthur was the official representative. He was the bride's uncle.
1947 Christian X Funeral: Duke of Beaufort
1950 Queen Alexandrine funeral: no one (Alexandrine's request was for a very simple funeral)
1967 Crown Princess Margrethe wedding: Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
1968 Princess Benedikte wedding: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (godmother)
1972 Frederik IX funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
1995 Prince Joachim wedding: Prince Edward.
2000 Queen Ingrid funeral: Prince of Wales. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Alexandra and Lady Saltoun attended privately
2004 Crown Prince Frederik wedding: The Earl and Countess of Wessex
2010 Queen Margrethe II's 70th birthday: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (who had to cancel due to the volcanic ash from Iceland.
Germany
1878 Princess Charlotte wedding: Duke of Connaught
1881 Crown Prince Wilhelm wedding: The Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh
1892 Princess Margarete wedding: Duke of York; Duke and Duchess of Connaught
1905 Crown Prince Wilhelm wedding: Prince Arthur of Connaught. Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein attended
1913 Wedding of Princess Victoria Luise King George V and Queen Mary
Greece
1889 King Constantine I wedding: Prince of Wales (with Princess and 4 children)
1912 Funeral of George I Prince Alexander of Teck
1938 Wedding of Prince Paul: Duke and Duchess of Kent
1947 Funeral of George II: Duke of Beaufort
1964 Funeral of King Paul: Duke of Edinburgh, who represented the Queen, and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
1964 Marriage of King Constantine. Duke of Edinburgh. The Prince of Wales and Prince Michael of Kent were two of the crown bearers. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent also attended, as did Princess Anne.
1981 Funeral of Queen Frederika: Duke of Edinburgh
Hanover
1900 Princess Marie Wedding to Max of Baden: Sir Horace Rumbold, British Ambassador in Vienna represented Queen Victoria
1904 Princess Alexandra wedding: Duke and Duchess of Teck
1923 Duke of Cumberland funeral: no one
1933 Duchess of Cumberland funeral: Sir Eric Phipps, British Ambassador in Vienna
1987 Prince Ernst August funeral: Prince Edward
Hesse and By Rhine
1878 Princess Alice funeral: The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Prince Leopold & Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
1884 Princess Victoria wedding: Queen Victoria, Prince & Princess of Wales
1892 Grand Duke Ludwig IV funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
1894 Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig IV wedding to Victoria Melita of Edinburgh. Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught
Italy
1930 Crown Prince Umberto wedding: the Duke of York
Liechtenstein
1967 Prince Hans Adam wedding: Duke of Edinburgh declined due to a previously scheduled polo match
1989 Princess Gina funeral: Prince Edward
1989 Prince Franz Josef funeral: Princess of Wales
Luxembourg
1981 Hereditary Grand Duke Henri wedding: The Duke of Edinburgh
1982 Princess Marie Astrid's wedding: Prince Andrew, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
1985 Grand Duchess Charlotte funeral: Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
2005 Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte's funeral Prince Andrew, Duke of York
2012 Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume's wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex
Monaco
1956 Prince Rainier wedding: none
1982 Princess Grace Funeral: The Princess of Wales
2005 Prince Rainier funeral: Duke of York
2011 Prince Albert wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent also attended but did not represent the Queen.
Netherlands
1890 Willem III Funeral: Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, representing Victoria
1934 Queen Emma funeral: no official representation, although Lady May Abel Smith attended.
1934 Prince Hendrik Funeral: British Ambassador
1937 Princess Juliana wedding: Duke of Kent and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
1948: Queen Juliana's installation: Princess Margaret, accompanied by the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.
1962 Queen Juliana and Prince Bernard's Silver wedding: Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh (visit was described as semi-private). Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra of Kent also attended.
1962 Princess Wilhelmina funeral: Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
1966 Crown Princess Beatrix's wedding: Princess Alexandra (a witness). Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent also attended
1980: Queen Beatrix installation: the Prince of Wales
2002 Crown Prince Willem-Alexander wedding: Prince of Wales and the Earl and Countess of Wessex
2002 Prince Claus funeral: the Prince of Wales
2004 Princess Juliana funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
2004 Prince Bernhard funeral: Duke of Edinburgh
2013 King Willem-Alexander's installation: the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall.
Norway
1929 Crown Prince Olav wedding: Duke (best man) and Duchess of York
1938 Queen Maud Funeral: Duke of Kent
1953 Princess Ragnhild wedding: Princess Margaret
1954 Crown Princess Martha funeral: the Duke of Gloucester
1957 King Haakon VII funeral: The Duke of Gloucester
1961 Princess Astrid: Princess Margaret
1968 Crown Prince Harald wedding: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (but did not attend due to Princess Marina's funeral)
1991 King Olav funeral: The Prince of Wales
2001 Crown Prince Haakon wedding: The Prince of Wales, The Earl and Countess of Wessex
Portugal
1908 King Carlos & Crown Prince Luiz funeral: Prince Arthur of Connaught
1913 King Manoel wedding: the Prince of Wales
Romania
1921 Prince Carol and Princess Helen wedding: None
1921 Princess Elisabeth and King George of the Hellenes wedding: None
1922: Coronation of Ferdinand and Marie: the Duke of York
1927 King Ferdinand: None although the Duke of York represented the King at the Memorial Service at the Greek Cathedral of St. Sophia in London, which was held on the same day as the funeral.
1938 Queen Marie Funeral: Duke of Kent
1948 King Michael Wedding in Athens: None
Russia
1866 Tsarevitch Alexander to Dagmar of Denmark: Prince of Wales (brother-in-law of bride)
1884 Grand Duke Serge wedding to Elisabeth of Hesse: Duchess of Edinburgh
1894 Alexander III funeral: The Prince of Wales
1894 Nicholas II & Alix of Hesse: The Prince of Wales (with the Princess)
1928 Empress Marie funeral: Duke of York
Spain
1902 King Alfonso XIII Proclamation: Duke of Connaught
1906 King Alfonso XIII wedding: the Prince and Princess of Wales
1962 Juan Carlos and Sophia of Greece wedding: Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, Princess Alexandra (bridesmaid) and Prince Michael of Kent, and Lord Mountbatten
1969 Queen Victoria Eugenia funeral: the Duke of Kent (for the Queen)and Lord Mountbatten (for the Queen Mother)
1975 King Juan Carlos I Accession ceremonies: Duke of Edinburgh
1993 Count of Barcelona funeral: Prince of Wales
1995 Infanta Elena wedding: Prince of Wales
1997 Infanta Cristina wedding: Prince Edward
2000 Countess of Barcelona funeral: Prince of Wales
2004 Wedding of the Prince of Asturias: Prince of Wales
Sweden
1907 King Oscar II Funeral: none
1920 Crown Princess Margaret funeral: the Earl of Onslow (most members of the Royal, including the king and Queen and Prince Albert and Princess Mary, attended a memorial service at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace on the same day.)
1932 Hereditary Prince Gustaf Adolf wedding: the earl of Athlone
1950 King Gustav V Funeral: Duke of Gloucester
1965 Queen Louise Funeral: Princess Royal, representing the Queen and Lady Pamela Hicks, representing Lord Mountbatten. The Duke of Edinburgh, who was Louise's nephew, was on an official trip and did not return for her funeral
1973 King Gustaf VI Adolf funeral: The Duke of Edinburgh. He was joined by Lord Mountbatten and the Princess of Hesse. Lord Windlesham represented Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.
1976 King Carl XVI Gustaf wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
2010 Crown Princess Victoria wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex
2013 Princess Madeleine wedding: the Earl and Countess of Wessex
Yugoslavia
1922 King Alexander and Princess Marie of Roumania wedding: The Duke and Duchess of York
1934 King Alexander funeral the Duke of Kent
1944 King Peter II wedding: King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Duke of Gloucester, and Duchess of Kent
1956: Prince Andrej & Princess Christina of Hesse: the Duke of Edinburgh (represented by the Margrave of Baden)
1957 Prince Tomislav & Princess Margarita of Baden: Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra and the Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma
1972 Crown Prince Alexander wedding: Princess Anne
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Ludwig denies email account
Hereditary Count Ludwig zu Waldburg has denied a recently created LudwigEbgraf twitter account, which has been released details and photographs about the alleged marriage with Indonesian celebrity Jessica Iskandar. The denial was made by the German aristocrat's Indonesian lawyer.
Private photos, including one purporting to be a wedding photo, appears to have been created by someone close to Miss Iskandar. (I suspect the account holder is very close to Iskandar, and was created with the full blessing of the celebrity.)
Jessica has a devoted fan base, many of whom are gullible and believe that the twitter account is Ludwig's personal account. Others are smart enough to realize that the name is incorrect, and writes English in the style of a young Indonesian.
Seems more like a publicity stunt to garner sympathy for Iskandar.
http://tabloidbintang.com/articles/berita/gosip/15849-akun-twitter-palsu-ludwig-dibuat-pihak-jessica-iskandar
http://www.wowkeren.com/berita/tampil/00062698.html
Private photos, including one purporting to be a wedding photo, appears to have been created by someone close to Miss Iskandar. (I suspect the account holder is very close to Iskandar, and was created with the full blessing of the celebrity.)
Jessica has a devoted fan base, many of whom are gullible and believe that the twitter account is Ludwig's personal account. Others are smart enough to realize that the name is incorrect, and writes English in the style of a young Indonesian.
Seems more like a publicity stunt to garner sympathy for Iskandar.
http://tabloidbintang.com/articles/berita/gosip/15849-akun-twitter-palsu-ludwig-dibuat-pihak-jessica-iskandar
http://www.wowkeren.com/berita/tampil/00062698.html
Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella of Monaco
http://www.nicematin.com/monaco/les-jumeaux-princiers-de-monaco-sont-nes.2020255.html
Albert II's message in French and then in English http://www.monacochannel.mc/Chaines/Palais-Princier-de-Monaco/Videos/Message-de-S.A.S.-le-Prince-Albert-II
Official announcement -- the twins are ...
announcement very imminent ... but it is safe to say the Princess of Monaco has given birth to a Hereditary Prince and a Princess.
BULLETIN The twins have arrived
Princess Charlene of Monaco gave birth nearly 2 hours ago at the Princess Grace Hospital
Prince Albert has returned to the palace and an official announcement is imminent.
Sexes will be announced.
Prince Albert has returned to the palace and an official announcement is imminent.
Sexes will be announced.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
A Russian bride for the Prince of Wales
December 9, 1934
Russian monarchist circles in Paris are "bubbling with excitement over the rumors" that Grand Duchess Kira, younger daughter of Grand Duke Kirill and Grand Duchess Victoria of Russia, has become "extremely chummy with the Prince of Wales," reports the Chicago Tribune.
According to the Russians who attended the recent wedding of Princess Marina of Greece to the Duke of Kent, the Prince of Wales "showed such mark attentiveness" to Grand Duchess Kira, who was one of Marina's bridesmaids.
Kira, 25, and the Duchess of Kent are first cousins. She was "received with "exceptional cordiality" by King George V and Queen Mary at an "intimate family tea."
It is also understood that Grand Duke Kirill and Grand Duchess Victoria have invited the heir to the British throne to their "modest villa," at St. Briac in Brittany. It is not known if the Prince of Wales has accepted the invitation.
Sources close to Grand Duke Kirill "declare flatly" that the announcement of Kira's engagement to the "incorrigible bachelor" Prince of Wales "may be expected any day."
Others are more skeptical. The marriage would have to be a "real love match" as Kira's parents are about "the poorest crownless crown heads in Europe."
The family also has no real "political importance." Former King Alfonso XIII of Spain did not consider Kira as "promising enough" for his eldest son, the Prince of Asturias, who later renounced his rights to marry a Cuban commoner.
Grand Duchess Kira was said to be "madly in love" with a Bourbon prince. She previously "turned down" an offer of marriage from King Boris of Bulgaria, who married Princess Giovanna of Italy in 1930.
She is described as "essentially a home girl, of the old-fashioned model." But it is unlikely that she will become engaged to the Prince of Wales. The family is closely related as Grand Duchess Victoria and King George V are first cousins.
Russian monarchist circles in Paris are "bubbling with excitement over the rumors" that Grand Duchess Kira, younger daughter of Grand Duke Kirill and Grand Duchess Victoria of Russia, has become "extremely chummy with the Prince of Wales," reports the Chicago Tribune.
According to the Russians who attended the recent wedding of Princess Marina of Greece to the Duke of Kent, the Prince of Wales "showed such mark attentiveness" to Grand Duchess Kira, who was one of Marina's bridesmaids.
Kira, 25, and the Duchess of Kent are first cousins. She was "received with "exceptional cordiality" by King George V and Queen Mary at an "intimate family tea."
It is also understood that Grand Duke Kirill and Grand Duchess Victoria have invited the heir to the British throne to their "modest villa," at St. Briac in Brittany. It is not known if the Prince of Wales has accepted the invitation.
Sources close to Grand Duke Kirill "declare flatly" that the announcement of Kira's engagement to the "incorrigible bachelor" Prince of Wales "may be expected any day."
Others are more skeptical. The marriage would have to be a "real love match" as Kira's parents are about "the poorest crownless crown heads in Europe."
The family also has no real "political importance." Former King Alfonso XIII of Spain did not consider Kira as "promising enough" for his eldest son, the Prince of Asturias, who later renounced his rights to marry a Cuban commoner.
Grand Duchess Kira was said to be "madly in love" with a Bourbon prince. She previously "turned down" an offer of marriage from King Boris of Bulgaria, who married Princess Giovanna of Italy in 1930.
She is described as "essentially a home girl, of the old-fashioned model." But it is unlikely that she will become engaged to the Prince of Wales. The family is closely related as Grand Duchess Victoria and King George V are first cousins.