Princess Stephanie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha marries

HH Princess Stephanie of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Mr. Jan Stahl were married earlier today in a civil ceremony at Schloss Friedenstein Gotha.

This is the first marriage for the 46-year-old Princess Stephanie and Mr. Stahl.

The ceremony, conducted by Gotha's mayor, Knut Kreuch, a family friend, took place in the castle's throne room.

His comments to the couple included numerous references to the history of the Ducal family.

Princess Stephanie, the eldest child and only daughter of TH Prince Andreas  and Princess Carin of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, wore a white silk suit from German fashion designer Gordon Sieverding, who is based in Michelau.  Her bouquet featured red, white and yellow roses.

Mr. Stahl wore a tail coat.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds got into a horse drawn carriage for a ride through the castle's sprawling park.   They joined close family and friends for a reception at the Hotel am Schlosspark for a post-wedding lunch.

This was the first royal wedding in Gotha since July 31, 1817, when sixteen-year-old Princess Luise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg-married Duke Ernst III of Saxe-Coburg-Saafeld.  In 1826,  Ernst became Duke Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.   The couple had two sons,  Duke Ernst II (1818-1893) and Prince Albert (1819-1861) who married his first cousin, Queen Victoria.  The marriage was not a happy one.  The couple were divorced on March 31, 1826.

Princess Stephanie is a descendant of Victoria and Albert through their eighth of nine children: Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.   Victoria-Leopold-Carl Eduard-Friedrich Josias -Andreas-Stephanie.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5922789/German-Princess-Stephanie-Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-marries-Jan-Stahl-quirky-ceremony.html

https://www.np-coburg.de/region/oberfranken/laenderspiegel/Stephanie-Prinzessin-von-Sachsen-Coburg-und-Gotha-hat-sich-getraut;art2388,6213234