Peter's renouncement not done properly: Crown Prince Alexander

Prince Peter, Crown Princess Katherine, Crown Prince Alexander, Prince Philip and Prince Alexander

Regarding the most current events in the Royal Family of Serbia’s line of succession, and the withdrawal of HRH Prince Peter from the position of Hereditary Prince, HRH Crown Prince Alexander, as the Head of the Royal Family, issued the following statement:

“Concerning the withdrawal of my oldest son Prince Peter from the line of succession, I wish him all the best for the future, good health, and happiness. I appreciate his honesty regarding the tough decision he made.

This issue was brought to me quickly, while I am abroad, due to previous obligations. Unfortunately, such a crucial and important procedure was not followed properly, in accordance with the tradition and rules of the Royal Family, and the Family Rulebook, which was written in the time of the Kingdom, and which all members of the Royal Family need to follow. This occurrence and procedure did not take place at the Royal Palace, in Serbia, with my presence and authority as the Head of the Royal Family, with the blessing of our Holy Church and with Crown Council participation in the process, but in a foreign country, without a good reason for performing such important matter away from our homeland.

The Royal Family of Serbia will continue to serve the people with dedication, honesty, and loyalty, which is the obligation and duty for us”, stated HRH Crown Prince Alexander.

Sienna Mapelli Mozzi baptized

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 Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi was baptized today at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace.   The Sun was the first to report the story.   She is the first child of HRH Princess Beatrice of York and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

Sienna was born on September 18, 2021, at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital.

The ceremony was private and it is unlikely that photographs will be released to the press.  It is understood that the guest list included Beatrice's parents,  the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, and Edo's mother, Nicola Williams-Ellis.

The infant's great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II did not attend the baptism as she had several engagements at Windsor Castle.   The Queen did not attend the baptisms of two other great-grandchildren,  HRH Prince Louis of Cambridge and Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

It is also expected that Sienna Elizabeth wore the family christening gown.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2021/09/princess-beatrice-has-daughter.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2021/10/sienna-elizabeth-mapelli-mozzi.html

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/18419193/prince-andrew-christening-doy-plate-bentley/

Another Arco engagement: Countess Maximiliana and Byron Houdayer

 Just six weeks after the wedding of her sister, Countess Margherita von und zu Arco Zinneberg to Charles Green,  Countess  Maximiliana von und zu Arco-Zinneberg has announced her engagement to financier Byron Houdayer.   They began dating in 2015. 

  Maximiliana and her fiance live in London where she was an associate with Tristan Capital Partners until earlier this month.    She has a bachelor's degree in Urban Affairs from Columbia University in New York and a Master of Science in Real Estate from Cass Business School.    Byron is a partner with Atlas Square Partners LLP.

Byron Andre  David Houdayer was born in February 1986 and is the son of Jean-Pierre Houdayer and Riwa Orinber. He is  French and German.

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Countess Maximiliana Aimée Maria von und zu Arco-Zinneberg was born in Greenwich, Connecticut on November  1, 1990.  She is the fourth of six daughters of the late Count Riprand von und zu Arco-Zinneberg and Archduchess Maria Beatrice of Austria.

https://sundaypaper.desmondanddempsey.com/blog/2019/12/13/butter-forever-together

https://www.floravesterberg.com/editorial-blog/a-review-of-tracey-emin-at-white-cube-london 

Thank you to my awesome source.

Prince Peter of Serbia renounces rights in favor of younger brother, Prince Philip

 

HRH Prince Peter of Serbia   @HRH Crown Prince Alexander

Hereditary Prince Peter of Serbia, the eldest son of Crown Prince Alexander, and his first wife, Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans-Braganza, announced earlier today that he has made an official renunciation of his birth rights to his brother, Prince Philip, who is second in line.  

Princess Maria da Gloria, Prince Peter,  the Hereditary Princess Danica and Hereditary Prince Philip

He said:  "I continue my life in Seville, as I have done so far. I express my gratitude to my parents for their love, care and effort. I express my love and loyalty to the brothers, and loyalty and support to the new Prince-Heir of Serbia and Yugoslavia. Seville." 

@HRH Crown Prince Alexander

Peter signed the declaration of abdication in Seville in the presence of witnesses, including his mother, Princess Maria da Gloria, and husband, the Duke of Segorbe, and Orthodox Church officials,

No members of the Crown Prince's Crown Council attended the ceremony.  Serbia media identified  Nikola Stanovic as the Crown Prince's Chief of Staff.  He is not Crown Prince Alexander's chief of staff.

 Ljubodrag Grujic, who served as the Crown Prince's Herald, and was present for the ceremony,  is no longer in that official position.

The new Hereditary Prince Philip and Hereditary Princess Danica were also present.

Prince Peter renounced for himself and for his descendants.   He told his father, Crown Prince Alexander, that his decision was "unwavering."   He said he believes that it is important for the heir to live with his family in Serbia.

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 Crown Prince Philip and Crown Princess Danica live in Belgrade with their young son, Prince Stefan.

Prince Peter was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 5, 1980, where his father, then in exile, worked as an insurance executive.  The family moved to northern Virginia in late 1981 and settled into a new home in Fairfax County.

Hereditary Prince Philip and Prince Alexander, are fraternal twins.  They were born in Falls Church, Virginia, on January 15, 1982.   Philip's godparents are Queen Sofia of Spain, King Constantine II of the Hellenes, and Princess Anne, Duchess of Calabria.  

In 1984, the Crown Prince and Princess and their three children moved to London.   Unfortunately, the couple faced marital problems and their marriage ended in divorce in 1985. . Princess Maria da Gloria moved to Seville Spain where she married  Don Ignacio de  Medina y Fernández de Córdoba,  Duke of Segorbe.   The couple has two daughters, Sol and Luna. 

Crown Prince Alexander also remarried in 1985.  His second wife is Katherine Batis, now Crown Princess Katherine.  They moved to Belgrade in July 2001 and reside in the Royal Palace in Dedinje.  

Prince Peter studied art at the Camberwell College of Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design.  He currently works as a graphic designer in Seville.

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Prince Philip was educated in London and Canterbury.  He earned a BA in Hispanic Studies from University College in London and worked for a London financial firm before moving to Belgrade.  

He married Danica Marinković on October 7, 2017, at the Cathedral of St Michael the Archangel in Belgrade.  Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Hereditary Prince Peter were the witnesses.

Prince Mihailo of Serbia released a statement after the announcement of Prince Peter's renunciation.

"I fully support the decision of my cousin, Peter, to transfer his duties, rights, and obligations to Filip.

I deeply believe that Filip will make an extraordinary contribution to our country, our people, and our society by living in Serbia and with his advocacy.

Over the past years, I have had the opportunity to believe in Filip's sincere intentions and true concern for the progress of our people, in Serbia and beyond.

Ljubica and I will continue, so far, to provide our support to Filip and Danica so that we can work together for the general good and progress."

Prince Mihailo is the youngest son of the late Prince Tomislav of Serbia, the second of three sons of King Alexander and Queen Marie.  He and Crown Prince Alexander are first cousins as the Crown Prince is the only child of King Peter II, the eldest son of King Alexander.

https://www.index.hr/magazin/clanak/abdikacija-u-srbiji-petar-karadjordjevic-42-odrekao-se-prijestolja-koje-ne-postoji/2359979.aspx?index_ref=naslovnica_magazin_najnovije_d

Prince Peter is a double descendant of Queen Victoria on his father's side

Victoria - Victoria - Sophie - Alexander - Alexandra -Peter -Alexander -Peter

Victoria - Alfred - Marie - Marie - Peter -Alexander - Peter 

York News: Princess Beatrice is in Sweden for World Dyslexia Day & Princess Eugenie announces a Podcast

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Princess Beatrice was a part of a panel in Stockholm today for World Dyslexia Day.  The event took place in the Bernadotte Library in the Royal Palace, where she was joined by Queen Silvia and Prince Carl Philip and his wife, Princess Sofia of Sweden. 

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The Princess, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 7, is the patron of Made by Dyslexia and the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre.  She was accompanied by her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

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Prince Carl Philip also suffers from dyslexia.

https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/20220427138898/princess-beatrice-joint-engagement-edoardo-mapelli-mozzi-sweden-dyslexia/

https://www.tatler.com/article/princess-beatrice-narrates-childrens-book-about-dyslexia

@ The Anti-Slavery Collective

Princess Beatrice's younger sister, Princess Eugenie announced today she was co-hosting a Podcast, Floodlight, for her charity, the Anti-Slavery Collective.

The organization was co-founded by Princess Eugenie and Julia de Boinville.   The two women are best friends.

https://theantislaverycollective.org/our-podcast/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/04/27/princess-eugenie-launches-modern-slavery-podcast-weeks-prince/

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/royal-family/princess-eugenie-charity-podcast-floodlight-b2066775.html

Finally - Gustav can marry Carina

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 After more than 19 years together,  Gustav,  the Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg will marry his longtime partner, Carina Axelsson.  The couple has been together for more than 19 years.

The Danish Royal Palace has confirmed to Billed-Bladet that the couple will wed on June 4. 

It will be a small and "intimate ceremony" at Schloss Berleburg, according to the magazine.

https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelige/danmark/kaempe-nyhed-fra-kongehuset-nu-kan-prins-gustav-endelig-gifte-sig-med-sin-carina

It was the will of Prince Gustav's grandfather,  Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1907-1944) wrote a will that left the estate to his eldest male grandson (the yet to be born eldest son of his heir, Richard.)  This decision was done primarily for tax purposes.  

Gustav Albrecht also included another clause that the heir's wife had to be Aryan, noble, and Protestant.   

He served in the German Army during the second world war and disappeared during a mission in Orsha, in Belarus, in June 1944.  Richard, then only 9 years old., succeeded as head of the family.  He did not inherit Schloss Berleburg as it remained in trust for his male heir.    Richard, however, never used the title Fürst (Prince) of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

It is presumed that Gustav Albrecht died during the mission, but his body was never found.   

In 1968, Prince Richard married Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the second of three daughters of King Frederik IX of Denmark and Princess Ingrid of Sweden.    Shortly after the birth of his only son, Gustav, on January 12, 1969,  Prince Richard and his family began the process to have his father declared dead.  The approval was made on November 29, 1969.

Prince Richard died on March 13, 2017, and Gustav succeeded as the 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

Carina Axelsson, 53, was born in California to a Swedish father and a Mexican mother.  She was raised Roman Catholic.  

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2008/07/princess-in-all-but-name.html

http://www.carinaaxelsson.com/

Prince Gustav filed suit to overturn the racist clause in his father's will, but the German courts have not issued a final ruling.

Another court case, which was filed in 2017, after his father's death, was settled in his favor in 2020.   Prince Ludwig-Ferdinand of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, the younger brother of the late Prince Gustav Albrecht,  claimed that he was the heir to Schloss Berleburg and other family properties.   After Gustav won the first round, his great-uncle appealed the case,  but in 2020,  the court held the original decision in Gustav's favor.

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The Danish Royal Family has treated Miss Axelsson as a member of the family for many years.

ANZAC Day

 

all photos are the copyright of Ken Stone

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were present today for the annual ANZAC Day Commemorations, which honor Australians and New Zealanders who died in service to their countries.

The Duke laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in London and the Duchess joined him for a commemorative service at Westminster Abbey.

The Duke and Duchess leaving Westminster Abbey

Thank you to Ken Stone for allowing me to use his photos from ANZAC day.   The copyright belongs to Ken Stone.

Ella takes her vows

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 April 22, 1908 

 Grand Duchess Elisabeth of Russia, the widow of Grand Duke Serge, and a sister of Empress Alexandra, "took the veil of a nun to-day," according to the New York Times. She will "devote herself to the hospital of the Woman's Refuge," which was founded after her husband's assassination on February 17, 1905. He was killed by an anarchist who threw a bomb at the Grand Duke's carriage as he was leaving his Moscow palace.

The ceremony "of taking the orders was impressive in its simplicity." No distinction was made between the Grand Duchess and other women of noble birth and peasants. All told, eighteen women took their vows of Sisters of Mercy in the Russian Orthodox Church. 

The ceremony was held in the institution, and Elisabeth is expected to become the order's Mother Superior. Elisabeth's sister, Princess Henry of Prussia, was among those who attended the service. Last week, the Grand Duchess "paid a farewell visit" to her sister, Alexandra, and her brother-in-law, Emperor Nicholas II, and other family members in St.Petersburg.

 

Of course, Elizabeth knew Philip

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 Recently, I read a comment on a royal forum that shook my head in disbelief: Elizabeth barely knew Philip when they were children.   This is not true.

The future Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark have known each other for nearly their entire lives.  

The Duchess of York gave birth to a daughter on April 21, 1926.  That same day, the Crown Princess of Sweden, the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, and Princess Andrew of Greece visited King George V and Queen Mary at Windsor Castle and stayed for lunch.  I have no doubt that the king and queen and their guests toasted the health of the newborn princess.  It seemed unlikely that the king and queen or their guests would have considered that Princess Andrew's young son, Philip, would marry the princess born on the day his mother and grandmother had lunch with the baby's paternal grandparents.

Two years later, Princess Andrew's son, Prince Philip, then seven years old, was sent to London to attend Cheam School.  He lived with his maternal grandmother, Victoria, the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, and his maternal uncle, George, the 2nd Marquess of Milford of Haven.  Uncle George was named Philip's guardian, but Philip spent more time with Sir Harold and Lady Zia at their country home.

Lady Zia's younger sister, Nada, was married to George Milford Haven, ne Prince George of Battenberg.  They were the daughters of Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia whose morganatic marriage to Countess Sophie von Merenberg, sent him into exile and saved his life.  The Grand Duke and his wife were mainstays of London society and lived for many years at Kenwood House in Hampstead Heath.   The Russian Revolution led to the loss of Michael's massive income from his own estates and he and Sophie were forced to downsize.  King George V was one of several family members who helped financially.

The Grand Duke Adolphe of Luxembourg, who was Sophie's uncle, created her as Countess Torby after her marriage.  Their three children, Michael, Anastasia (Zia), and Nadejda (Nada) were also styled as Count and Countesses Torby.

The young Countesses Zia and Nada needed to marry well.  Zia certainly did that when on July 20, 1917, she married Major General Harold Wernher, son of the German-born financier, Sir Julius Wernher, Bt whose fortune was made in the South African diamond mines.  Two months after the wedding, King George V accorded Zia the style and precedence of a daughter of an earl.  This was done by Royal Warrant.   Harold succeeded his brother, Derrick, in 1948 as the third Baronet.

The Milford Havens had two children, Lady Tatiana (1917-1988), who was mentally disabled, and David, then styled Earl of Medina (1919-1970)

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The 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven was a career officer in the Royal Navy.  In 1916, he received the KVCO, and in 1932 received the GCVO (Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.  He was also an accomplished mathematician.   Queen Elizabeth II once said of her cousin that "he was one of the most intelligent and brilliant of people."    

He died in 1937 of bone cancer.

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Sir Harald and Lady Zia were the parents of three children: Alex (1918-1942), Georgina (1919-2011), and Myra (1925)

Lord Milford-Haven's younger brother, Lord Louis Mountbatten, and his wife the Hon. Edwina Ashley were the parents of two daughters, Patricia (1924-2017) and Pamela (1929).

The cousins were part of a childhood social circle that included Prince Philip,  a first cousin to Lady Tatiana, Lord Medina, and Patricia and Pamela Mountbatten.

This social circle included Princess Elizabeth (1926) and Princess Margaret Rose (1930-2002) of York.

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Alex Wernher was a mentor and an older brother to Prince Philip.

The future Queen was very fond of Lady Zia as both shared a great love for racing.

The parents all moved in the same social and court circles.  At Ascot, for example, in 1924,  the Duke and Duchess of  York were in the Royal Box, along with Prince and Princess Arthur of Connaught, Lord Carnegie and Lady Maud Carnegie, Princess Andrew of Greece with her two eldest daughters,  Princess Margarita, and Theodora, the Marchioness of Cambridge, Lady Helena Gibbs, the Marquess and Marchioness of Worcester, Lady Zia  Wernher and her father, Grand Duke Michael of Russia and King Manoel and Queen Augusta Victoria of Portugal.

Gina Wernher was a lifelong friend of the Queen and Prince Philip.  She married twice, first to Harold "Bunny" Phillips, Lady Louis Mountbatten's discarded lover, and after his death, she wed Sir George Kennard, Bt.   Lady Kennard was one of Prince Andrew's godparents.   Two of her daughters, Sasha and Natalia, married the Dukes of Abercorn and Westminster, respectively.  Tally Westminster is the godmother of Prince William and her son, Hugh, the current duke, is Prince George's godfather.

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret were guests at the wedding in November 1946 when Myra married David Butter at St. Margaret's, Westminster.  Their son, Charles, has been a close friend of Prince Andrew's since childhood.

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In 1933, Prince Philip's family -- he was raised by a committee made up of family members, including his grandmother, Victoria, and his uncle, George, Marquess of Milford -- decided to send him to the Salem School, which was owned by the Margrave of Baden, who was married to Philip's sister, Theodora.  The decision to send Philip to Salem was due to economic reasons. No worries about school fees when your uncle owns the school.   But after only two terms at Salem, Philip returned to the United Kingdom.  He was sent to Gordonstoun in Scotland, which was run by Kurt Hahn, the former headmaster at Salem, who had fled Germany as he was Jewish.

Yes, Philip would continue to visit his family in Germany.  In September 1937,  he joined his grandmother, Victoria, at Schloss Wolfsgarten, near Darmstadt, where he spent time with his sister, Cecilie, her husband, Georg Donatus "Don", the Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, and their three young children, Ludwig, Alexander, and Johanna.

Victoria had spent most of the summer at Wolfsgarten caring for her younger brother, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig, who was looking forward to traveling to London in mid-October for the wedding of his younger son, Prince Ludwig, to Margaret Geddes, the daughter of a British diplomat and former Ambassador to the United States.   The wedding was slated for mid-October, but following Ernie's death on October 9th, the wedding date was moved to November 20, 1937.

Back at school in Scotland, Philip received a letter from his grandmother, writing from Kensington Palace, telling him he was expected to attend the wedding that Saturday.

Early afternoon on November 16, 1937, Don, Cecilie, Ludwig, Alexander, Eleonore, the Dowager Grand Duchess, and several others, boarded a plane bound for Brussels, then London.   Due to heavy fog, the pilot was advised to land at Ostend.   The experienced pilot, who often flew planes for the King of the Belgians, should have gone straight to London.  As he approached Ostend, also engulfed in fog, he could see only one of the flares, as the other two failed, as he tried to approach the airport.   One of the wings of the plane clipped a chimney.  The plane crashed to the ground and burst into flame.  It took hours before it was safe enough to approach the wreckage. Everyone on board had been killed instantly.   There would be one more victim: the body of a newborn infant.   Cecilie was due to give birth shortly before Christmas.

Gordonstoun's headmaster broke the news to 16-year-old Prince Philip.   The wedding of Prince Ludwig and Margaret Geddes took place privately on November 17th.  The newlyweds spent their honeymoon identifying the remains, preparing for a funeral, and adopting their niece, Johanna Marina, who died in 1939 from meningitis.

Prince Andrew came to London to accompany his son to the funeral in Darmstadt.  It was the first time Alice and Andrew had seen each other in several years.

Thus, Philip and Elizabeth met as children at parties and other events at Lynden Manor and Luton Hoo.  It is no coincidence that for many years the Queen and Prince Philip spent their wedding anniversary at Luton Hoo.

They began corresponding in 1939 after Princess Elizabeth, with Margaret, accompanied their parents on an official visit to Dartmouth, where Prince Philip, a student, was asked to give the young princesses a tour.

In 1941, Sir Henry Channon, known as Chips, was in Athens, where he met a member of the Greek royal family at a cocktail party, where the conversation turned to Prince Philip. "He is extraordinarily handsome, and I recalled my afternoon's conversation with Princess Nicholas. He is to be our Prince Consort, and that is why he is serving in our Navy."

Princess Nicholas -- Grand Duchess Helen of Russia -- was the mother of the Duchess of Kent.

Another connection between Philip and the Queen was in November 1934 when Philip's first cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, married Elizabeth's uncle, Prince George, the Duke of Kent.  Philip attended the wedding and Princess Elizabeth was one of the bridesmaids.  (Marina's older sister, Olga, was married to Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, one of the regents for the young King Peter II, whose father, King Alexander I, had been assassinated in late October.  In England, Paul moved in the same social circles as the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, and he was thought to be one of her suitors.]

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So, yes, Philip and Elizabeth knew each other from childhood, but their romantic relationship did not develop until the mid-1940s.  Their childhood friends (who were also cousins) -- Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Lady Pamela Hicks, Lady Kennard, and Lady Butter remained (and remain for Lady Pamela and Lady Butter) close friends of the Queen and Philip.   Alex Wernher was killed in the Second World War.   David, the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven served as Philip's best man, soon he blotted his copybook and fell out of favor with his first cousin.  He died in 1970, suffering a heart attack at Liverpool Street Station.

The focus tends to be on George VI and Elizabeth and their daughters and their family.  Many do not realize that there was a wider circle of friends and family.  Philip's grandmother, Victoria, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, had a grace and favor apartment at Kensington Palace, given to her by George V after the death of her husband in 1921 until she died in 1950.

One of the best sources for the Wernher family is the book, Grand Dukes and Diamonds.

http://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2011/05/grand-dukes-and-diamonds.html

http://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2012/01/prince-philip-by-philip-eade.html

Tim Heald and Philip Eade's biographies of Prince Philip provide more information about his early life.  

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2020/05/alex-wernher-close-friend-of-duke-of.html

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/05/georgina-lady-kennard.html


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Happy Birthday Your Majesty

 

The Windsor Horse Show has released this photo in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's 96th birthday.

Taken last month in the grounds of Windsor Castle, The Queen is pictured with two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale. 

The Prince of Hohenzollern turns 70

 

@Schloss Sigmaringen

HH Karl Friedrich  Prince of Hohenzollern celebrates his 70th birthday with family and friends.   

"There will be a reception for the company, business partners, and the city. In the evening, we will have dinner with family and close friends.  The time is not right for a big party,", the prince said in a recent interview with  Schwaebische Zeitung.

Karl Friedrich Emich Meinrad Benedikt Fidelis Maria Michael Gerold Prince of Hohenzollern was born in Sigmaringen on April 20, 1952, the eldest of three sons of HH Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hohenzollern (1924-2010) and HSH Princess Margarita zu Leiningen (1932-1996).  He has two younger brothers,  Prince Albrecht (1954) and Prince Ferdinand (1960).

The prince has been married twice.  His first marriage to Countess Alexandra Schenk von Stauffenberg took place at Beuron on June 15, 1985.  They had four children:  Hereditary Prince Alexander (1987), Princess Philippa (1988), Princess Flaminia (1991), and Princess Antonia (1995).

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-marriage-of-princess-flaminia-of.html

The Prince and Princess of Hohenzollern were divorced on February 21, 2010.  Five months later, on July 17,  Karl Friedrich married Katharina de Zomer. 

He is also a noted jazz musician, the leader of the band,  Royal Groovin, where he sings and plays the saxophone.

https://www.royal-groovin.de/

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https://www.schwaebische.de/landkreis/landkreis-sigmaringen/sigmaringen_artikel,-der-fuerst-spricht-ueber-seine-nachfolge-_arid,11496640.html

The interview which was conducted by Michael Heschler and Marieke Keiper focused on Prince Karl Friedrich's life and the future of the family businesses.  The Prince of Hohenzollern is one of the largest employers in Sigmaringen.  His two most important companies are Zollern, a metal company, and the Hohenzollern forestry company.   The Hohenzollern forest with an area of 15,000 hectares, is the "largest part of the princely family assets."

The forestry business is the fourth largest in Germany, after the Prince of Thurn un Taxis, the Prince of Fürstenberg, and Graf Hatzfeld.

"Size is not important to us at all," Prince Karl Friedrich told the reporter, stating that he is more interested in "profitability and sustainability.

Tourism is also important to Prince Karl Friedrich.  Burg Hohenzollern in Hechingen is owned jointly by the Prince and Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.

Prince Karl Friedrich understands the importance of tourism.  He has a 50/50 share in the new Karls Hotel in Sigmargingen, which was built on property provided by the prince.   

The family brewery and a museum will soon move into the former royal stables on Karlsplatz in Sigmaringen.   Schloss Sigmaringen, the Josefskapelle, the Hedingen church (where members of the Hohenzollern and Saxony royal families are interred) and the stables are all considered historical properties.

The prince is also a shareholder in several companies including Cosi, which makes X-rays.

He was asked what Sigmaringen means to him.

The prince responded:  "It's my hometown and I think it is worth living here.  At my age, I'm always somewhere else.  We live at Schloss Umkirch near Freiburg from time to time, " adding "I want and need to take care of our property and our businesses.  I can only do that when I'm here."

Prince Karl Friedrich was also asked about being the Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and what this title means to him.

"This is my heritage and mission.  As the eldest descendant of our family, the title is traditionally a part of the name.  I can't imagine it would be any different.  There are many princes, but only one Prince."

Karl Friedrich spent 25 years as the Hereditary Prince, until he succeeded his father, Friedrich Wilhelm, following his death in 2010     he spoke about his relationship with his father, noting that they worked together at times, "sometimes less intensively."  He did acknowledge that he made "many decisions independently."  

His relationship with his father was not "always an easy time."

The late Prince made most of his decision alone without consulting others.  Karl Friedrich sees this differently.  "Today a boss talks to his employees about many things, today communication is more pronounced."

But  Prince Friedrich Wilhelm preferred to "think things through" before making a decision.  The young Karl Friedrich  found his father's decision-making process "difficult for me to subordinate myself."

"My father did not like arguments.  There were arguments but they were always brief.  My father never held grudges, things were done for him and never discussed again.  That was a great strength."

The prince attended the University of Fribourg in Switzerland where he studied business administration.

Karl Friedrich began to take over more responsibility soon after his father's 70th birthday.  "An eye disease made it difficult for him to read, and he had to give up his pilot's license and driver's license.  I discussed things with him, but as dementia set in, I took on more and more responsibility.  This went on for several years so that I didn't go unprepared overnight  from authorized representative to owner."

The prince also talked about his businesses and future plans for Schloss Sigmaringen and other properties before the reporters ask him about his only son Hereditary Prince Alexander.  He was asked if he planned to involve his son in the family business or if he is already working for the firm.

Karl Friedrich answered: "At the moment this is open.  He must first decide what he wants to do in the future." 

The New York City-born Hereditary Prince Alexander celebrated his 35th birthday on March 16.  He has a BS in International Business from Schiller International University (the Global American University) and a Master's degree in International Business from Hult International Business School, which is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  

There are rumors that Prince Alexander has married his longtime girlfriend, American-born Michelle Vincentia Keith.  She recently changed her name on her social media accounts, including Facebook and Instagram.

If Alexander decides he does not want to succeed or renounces his right of succession, Prince Karl Friedrich said that another option would be to establish a foundation, with the assumption that the Prince's nephew, HSH Prince Aloys of Hohenzollern, 23, the eldest of three children of Prince Ferdinand, an architect, and his wife, Countess Ilona Kálnoky de Köröspatak, would eventually succeed as Prince of Hohenzollern.

At this time, however,  neither Prince Alexander nor his father has made a decision about the future of the succession.

HH The Prince of Hohenzollern is a descendant of Queen Victoria.

Victoria - Alfred - Victoria Melita - Maria - Margarita - Karl Friedrich

https://en.hohenzollern-schloss.de/

Easter Sunday at Windsor

 

@Ken Stone

On Easter Sunday at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge were joined by the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Lord Severn,  Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips with his two daughters, Savannah and Isla, Zara and Mike Tindall and their daughter, Mia, Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto with their sons, Arthur, and Samuel, and Sarah's niece,and nephew Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones & Viscount Linley.

Due to mobility issues,  Queen Elizabeth II remained in her apartment at Windsor Castle.  

These photos were taken by a good friend, Ken Stone.  The copyright for these photos belongs to Ken Stone and may not be reproduced without his permission.

Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones is the daughter of the Earl of Snowdon and his former wife, Serena.   The dress Lady Margarita wore on Easter Sunday was the same dress her mother wore to the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.

all photos @Ken Stone

My thanks to Ken for allowing me to use his photos.

Princely engagement: zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg & Helene von Pezold

 

@ Cologne Intelligence

HSH Hereditary Prince Louis of  Löwenstein--Wertheim-Freudenberg is engaged to marry Helene von Pezold.   He proposed on April 17th.

Prince Louis is the youngest of three children of HSH Ludwig Udo Peter Alfred Prince of  Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg (1951) and his second wife H IllH Countess Elisabeth von Waldburg zu Wolfegg-und Waldsee (1962).  His full name is Louis Hubertus Alfred-Ernst Sebastian Carl Roman and he was born in Wertheim on June 30, 1994.   

[Genealogical sources use Ludwig as his first name, but he is known as Louis.]

Louis has two older sisters, Princess Sophie, who is married to Count Constantin Fugger von Babenhausen, and Princess Amelie.

Helene is the third of four daughters of Kilian von Pezold (1964) and H Ill H Countess Christina of Solms-Laubach (1962).  She was born in 1995.   She grew up in Niederfüllbach, near Coburg where her father is a lawyer.   He is the founder of von Pezold & Leyde, where he specializes in Construction and architecture law.

The future Hereditary Princess received a BS in Economics in 2018 and a Masters in Business Informatics in 2020 at the Freie Universität Berlin.  She is currently working as a Business Analyst with Cologne Intelligence

Countess Christina is a first cousin of HSH Gustav, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, as her mother Princess Madeleine, and Gustav's late father, Prince Richard were siblings.

The couple has been dating for four years.

the new QVD - a son for Nicholas and Alina-Maria

 

Harry and Meghan visit Charles and the Queen

@ Marlene A Eilers Koenig

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in England on Wednesday for a "secret-face-to-face meeting" with Queen Elizabeth II. The report was exclusively broken by  The Sun's Royal correspondent, Matt Wilkinson.  They were still in Windsor earlier today as several people were arriving for the Maundy Thursday service, and spotted the duke and duchess.  

They will spend two nights at Frogmore Cottage before flying to The Hague on Friday.

The couple also met with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, during their first joint visit to the United Kingdom since stepping away as working royals in March 2020.

It is not known if the duke and duchess brought their two young children, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.

The meetings took place on Thursday.  

The Duke and Duchess will be in the Netherlands this weekend for the start of the Invictus Games. which will be held in The Hague.   

A spokesman for the couple has confirmed the visit stating that the Duke visited his grandmother.   The visit had been scheduled in her diary.

For full details, please click the link.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/18269633/harry-meghan-secretly-visit-queen-charles-meeting/?utm_campaign=native_share&utm_source=sharebar_native&utm_medium=sharebar_native

Paternity claim comes to trial

 A Malaga man may soon get the answer to the question of who was his biological father as a judge may request DNA samples from Tessa de Baviera y Mesia and Cristina de Bavaria,  the sister, and daughter of the late Don Fernando de Baviera y Mesía, according to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.

The identity of the man is being kept private.  He alleges that Don Fernando had an intimate relationship with his mother, who worked as a maid in his home.   When the maid became pregnant, Don Fernando is alleged to have demanded that the woman give the child up for adoption.  

Don Fernando was the grandson of HRH Prince Ferdinand Maria Ludwig Franz von Assisi Isabellus Adalbert Ildefons Martin Bonifaz Joseph Isidro of Bavaria (1884-1958) and HRH Infanta Maria Theresia Isabel Eugenia Patricinio Diega of Spain (1882-1912), who was the second of three children of King Alfonso XII of Spain.  Her younger brother, Alfonso XIII was born posthumously.

Infanta Maria Teresa and Prince Ferdinand were married in 1906.  Ferdinand renounced his rights to the Bavarian throne and was created an Infant of Spain.  Their children were given the rank of Infant of Spain.  Ferdinand was a first cousin of King Alfonso XIII as his mother, Infanta Maria de la Paz, was a daughter of Queen Isabella.   

The genealogical ties between the Bavarian and Spanish royal houses were strong.  Prince Ferdinand's paternal grandmother was Infanta Amalia of Spain, who married Prince Adalbert of Bavaria in 1856.  Prince Adalbert was the fourth son and ninth child of King Ludwig I.

Amalia's father, Infante Francesco de Paula (1794-1865)  was the fourteenth child of King Carlos IV of Spain.  Her brother, Francisco de Asis, married Queen Isabel II, a double first cousin.  Thus, Amalia was the Queen's double first cousin and sister-in-law.   King Alfonso XII was Queen Isabel's son.

the wedding of Infanta Maria Teresa and Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria

Don José Eugenio Alfonso Fernando Mariano Teresa Antonio Jesús Santiago Isidro Ramón Braulio y Todos los Santos de Baviera y Borbon (1909-1966) was Maria Teresa's second child.  In 1933, he married Maria de la Asunción (Marisol) Solange Mesia y de Lesseps, Countess of Odiel (1911- 2005).  As this marriage was unequal, the couple's four children were not entitled to the Spanish or Bavarian titles.

Don Jose Eugenio

* Doña Maria Cristina Paz Teresa Alfonsa Eugenia Rita y Todos los Santos de Baviera y Mesia (1935-2014)

* Don  Fernando Juan Luís José Maria Santiago y Todos los Santos de Baviera y Mesia (1937-1999)

* Doña Maria Teresa Luisa Fernanda y Todos los Santos de Baviera y Mesia (1941)

* 4h) Luís Alfonso Fernando Maria Santiago y Todos los Santos de Baviera y Mesia (1942-1966)

Don Fernando de Baviera y Mesia married Sofia Cecilia Fugaroles y Aris (1941-2005) in 1966.  They had one daughter,  Cristina de Baviera y Arquer  (1974) who is married to Mark Henri Ellegaard.  They live in England with their two sons, Max and Hugo.  

Although there were reports that Fernando and his wife divorced sometime in the 1970s, she was listed in the official death announcement.

For several years, the unidentified man has pursued different legal paths to prove his claim.   In 2017, he was rebuffed by members of Don Fernando's family when he demanded recognition. 

Embed from Getty Images 

 It is understood that plaintiff believes that Don Fernando's family, namely his older sister, Tessa de Baviera y Mesia, and his daughter, Cristina know that he is their relative, but neither is willing to acknowledge him.

  He has written to several family members and has spoken to former staff who worked for Don Fernando when his mother was a maid.

The man is represented by Fernando Osuna, who specializes in paternity cases.  The first reports of this case were published in 2020 with speculation that the alleged father was Don Fernando.  But it was only recently that Osuna acknowledged that Don Fernando is the alleged father.

After the family denied the original DNA tests,  Osuna asked the dean of the Almudena Cathedral to identify where Don Fernando was buried so his remains could be exhumed for DNA testing.   Church officials could not identify where he was buried so the plaintiff (the unidentified man) withdrew his request.

Eight months later, the family provided a copy of Don Fernando's death certificate.  He had been cremated.

Osuna said: "by not being able to access the DNA of the remains of Fernando de Baviera because there are only ashes, we asked the judge to exhume the grandfather and an uncle of my client who are also buried in the Almudena." 

The judge declined the request, saying it was "burdensome and delicate."

The Court of the First Instance in Malaga will now have to rule on the plaintiff's request for DNA testing.  On May 11, there will be a trial to require Tessa and Cristina to undergo DNA testing to verify if they are related to the plaintiff.   There may also be another request to order an exhumation of the remains of Fernando's father, José Eugenio de Baviera y Borbon, or his uncle Luis Alfonso.

Osuna is determined to win the case.  He also spoke about an inherited physical characteristic that is shared by the plaintiff and the late Don Fernando. He said: "Between the alleged biological father and son there is an inherited physical characteristic, a very characteristic mole on the body."  

The plaintiff filed his original lawsuit in Malaga in 2017. His mother is deceased.  She lost her job after becoming pregnant.   After she gave birth,  the alleged father "convinced the woman to marry another man" and to give up the baby for adoption in Madrid.

Osuna described the plaintiff as a man in his fifties, is of average  income, and has worked and lived in Malaga for years."    He also said that are "witnesses to this secret relationship, as well as  letters that would prove it."

Embed from Getty Images   

Don Fernando was an amateur racing car driver who won several races before retiring in 1966 following the deaths of his brother, Don Luis Alfonso, and his father.  Don José Eugenio was only 57 when he died.   Don Luis Alfonso was killed in a racing accident.

The plaintiff seeks only the legal recognition that Don Fernando de Baviera y Mesia was his natural father.  

https://www.lavanguardia.com/gente/20220318/8135655/juzgado-determinara-vecino-malaga-hijo-principe-fernando-baviera-adn-hermana-tessa.html

 

A royal Marriage: Britain-Luxembourg

Embed from Getty Images 

 April 13, 1892

There appears to be a "prospect of a marriage" between Princess Victoria, second daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Hereditary Grand Duke Wilhelm, the only son of Grand Duke Adolphe of Luxembourg, reports the New York Times.  The report is based on an article in the London paper, The Truth.

Princess Victoria was born July 6, 1868.  Hereditary Grand Duke Wilhelm was born on April 22, 1852.   He serves as a Major General in the Austrian army and is heir to "enormous estates in Germany and Austria.  He is already in possession of a large fortune. 

Although the Grand Duke and the Hereditary Grand Duke are Lutheran, the majority of Luxembourg's citizens profess the Roman Catholic faith.   Luxembourgers have assumed that the Hereditary Grand Duke would marry a Roman Catholic princess and raise their children as Catholics.

But residents might also be pleased with their heir marrying a British princess whose father is the heir apparent.

Princess Victoria is with her family in Cap Martin, France,  Her older brother, Prince George, is said to be suffering from insomnia while her younger sister, Princess Maud is recovering from synovitis, which she had suffered from before she left England.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and three of their children are in France as they continue to mourn the loss of the Prince and Princess' elder son, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, who died in January at the age of 28.

 

Prince George to visit the US

Embed from Getty Images

 April 12, 1892

Prince George of Wales is expected to visit Canada in 1893, according to an announcement today in London.  The New York Times reports that the Prince will visit "Quebec and Montreal and other places of interest in the Dominion."   He is also expected to visit Chicago and the World's Fair, which will open on May 1, 1893. 

He will return to England after his trip to Chicago.

At present, Prince George, 27, is in the South of France with his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales where they are "seeking rest and solace after their bereavement" following the death of Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale.

The eldest son of the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Clarence and Avondale died on January 14 from influenza.  

Crown Princess of Greece seriously ill

Embed from Getty Images

April 12, 1922

The health of Crown Princess Elizabeth, the wife of Crown Prince George of the Hellenes, is "causing anxiety," according to a Central News Dispatch from Athens.  The princess has developed a high fever that has ranged between 102 and 104  She has also suffered several hemorrhages.

An earlier dispatch stated that the Crown Princess is suffering from typhoid fever.

Crown Prince George is the eldest son of King Constantine and Queen Sophie of the Hellenes.  He married Princess Elizabeth of Romania, the eldest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, in Bucharest on February 27, 1921.

Queen Sophie and Queen Marie are first cousins, both are granddaughters of Queen Victoria.   Marie's eldest son, Crown Prince Carol, is married to Sophie's eldest daughter, Princess Helen.