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
7 comments:
kind of sad that the monarchs in Denmark, Sweden AND Norway all attended Queen Fabiola's funeral, yet NOBODY from the British royal family bothered! it's not like it was (in an alternate world) a Belgian former First Lady or something - this is someone who, before her title comes into play, is family. granted, only by marriage, but she was married to their cousin. kind of sad that the monarchs of three foreign nations made the time, and other countries sent other royals as representatives, yet not so much as Prince Edward or one of the Dukes (even the Queen's cousins would've done!) were sent.
do you know if this is something that the Queen would typically say "nobody is going to x event" or if others could choose to go as family members rather than in an official capacity if the Queen doesn't send someone on behalf of Britain?
When you say that it's not the sovereign's decision, but made on the advice of the foreign office…do you mean the decision to send a royal representative, or does the foreign office determine which member of the family would be best suited? If the former, is the specific of who left to the sovereign?
The invitation is not sent sovereign to sovereign, but through diplomatic channels - one assumes there is contact between sovereign and her government, and their advice on the matter. The Sovereign cannot overrule a decision, that could cause a constitutional crisis. I am sure the queen was upset by this decision, but she could not change it.
Thanks for the response, Marlene, that's very helpful. Follow up question: is it possible for members of the British royal family to attend in a private capacity? For instance, Prince and Princess Michael didn't attend some Monaco functions officially, but privately. Would that have been possible in this case, or would that be going against ministerial advice?
It would have been unlikely for a British royal to attend the funeral if they were not official.
I think this was a mistake by whomever authorized the non-attendance of a member of the British royal family.It was a matter of respect to the memory the late queen, to her family,and to the Belgian people.
It was a political and more importantly a social blunder.The foreign office or the committee made a very unwise decision,making the British look uncaring and crass.
The fact that these things go through diplomatic channels first was show perfectly when Spain's Queen Sofia did not attend Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Sovereign's Lunch. She had accepted the invitation but was then ordered to turn it down by the Foreign Ministry as retaliation for a planned visit by the Earl & Countess of Wessex to Gibraltar.
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