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Thursday, April 27, 2023

THE ROYAL COUPLE OF SERBIA WILL ATTEND THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III

 


Belgrade, 27 April 2023 – TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine gladly accepted the invitation from Crown Prince’s dear cousin and friend, HM King Charles III, to attend the coronation of Their Majesties the King and the Queen Consort, that will be held in London on 6 May.


The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms and Queen Consort Camilla will be a once-in-a-generation event – the first in almost 70 years. The Coronation ceremony will take place in Westminster Abbey and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.


Almost all Royal Families of Europe and the world, including the Royal couple of Serbia, have confirmed their attendance at the historical ceremony. It will be unique compared to previous coronations of the United Kingdom monarchs since this will be the first in history where other Crowned Heads of State and Royals will attend.



“Crown Princess Katherine and I are honoured and very happy that we will attend this historical event, the coronation of my dear cousin, HM King Charles III. Events like this are of great importance for constitutional parliamentary monarchies and their people. It honours a centuries-old tradition and represents a statehood and cultural moment of great significance for the country and its citizens.




The ceremony of Coronation represents the Monarch’s pledge in front of God that he will perform his important duty of serving the people. King Charles is already with great devotion carrying out these responsibilities of the highest significance. I am certain that this important event will be an inspiration for him to continue with the same energy and determination, which he inherited from his late mother and my beloved godmother, HM Queen Elizabeth II”, stated HRH Crown Prince Alexander.


 


King settles status of new duchess of York

Marlene A Eilers Koenig
April 27, 1923

In response to requests from the British newspapers, Lord Stamfordham, King George V's private secretary, today issued a statement regarding the status of his new daughter-in-law, the Duchess of York.

"In accordance with the settled general rule that the wife takes the status of her husband, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on her marriage as become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York, with the status as a Princess."

This announcement "has set at rest a question which has caused considerable discussion the last few days," according to the New York Times.

It was evident that Lady Elizabeth was a duchess following her marriage to His Royal Highness the Duke of York, but "there was no clear precedent as her accession to the rank of Princess and the title of Her Royal Highness."

 It was noted that if the Prince of Wales does not marry, the Duchess would become the mother of the heir presumptive to the throne, "and that she would receive the full status of a wife of Royal Prince, but there was some doubt as to whether she had already attained it or whether it would be conferred on her by special grant."

The king's declaration has made it clear that the new wife of the Duke of York is a royal highness and a princess due to her marriage, and no special conferment of a title and rank is required.

George's ruling "establishes a precedent which undoubtedly will be applied" if his other sons marry outside "the royal circle." "Changes made during the war in regard to other members of the royal family [has] opened the way for descent from the royal rank and for the gradual merging of the children of royal blood into the ranks of commoners.

The new Duchess of York has become the fourth lady in the land behind Queen Mary, Queen Mother Alexandra, and Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Duke of York weds "Simple Scots Maid"

both images from Marlene A Eilers Koenig collection

April 26, 1923


The ceremony for today's royal wedding "was magnificent, but it was performed with absolute simplicity."   Prince Albert, Duke of York, second son of King George V, "took as his bride" Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, reports the New York Times.

The Archbishop of York's address to the bride and bridegroom as "man and maid" helped develop "the deep personal feelings it awakened in those who were nearest to them."  The King and Queen "followed with the closest attention every word of the pair as they plighted their troth."  Lady Elizabeth seemed "almost overwhelmed by all that her marriage to a royal prince meant to her."

The young Lady Elizabeth seemed frightened and nervous as she left her father's house and approached the royal coach, "with its gilded trappings."  She paused, "half frightened," as she heard the "great shout of greeting" from the crowd.  She seemed like "a very nervous girl who bowed shyly as she passed through the crowds that lined the way to the Abbey."

It was a vastly different scene on the way back from the Abbey.  The new Duchess of York was a "very happy bride, smiling her thanks for the cheers" and "turning every minute to speak to her husband at her side."

The new bride "was merely a commoner" when she entered the Abbey and emerged as a Royal Duchess, and at the wedding breakfast "haled by the King as a Princess."   But it was as 'Lady Betty' that "she won the hearts of the English people."

Members of the Royal Family began to arrive at the Abbey at 11:00 a.m. and were taken to their places within the sacrarium.  Two of the senior Princesses "stopped to have a quiet chat with the bridesmaids," who included the Hon. Elizabeth Elphinstone, the Hon. Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Lady May Cambridge, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Mary Thynne, Lady Katherine Hamilton, Miss Betty Cator (whose father is the High Sheriff of Norfolk), and the Hon, Diamond Harding.

The young bridesmaids gathered at the great west door of the nave, dressed in white chiffon frocks with silver leaf embroideries "around the waist and on the sleeves, green silk net sashes, knotted on the left side of the skirt, wreaths of myrtle leaves tipped with pale gold and with bunches of white York roses."

The congregation stood up as the royal procession moved slowly up the nave as the organist played Elgar's Imperial March.  First came the court officials, gentlemen ushers, Controller and Treasurer of the King's Household, followed by "minor royals" and two couples, who were also recently married at the Abbey, Captain and the Lady Patricia Ramsay and Viscount Lascelles and Princess Mary.

Wearing his midshipman's uniform, Prince George walked between his grandmother, Queen Mother Alexandra, and her sister, Marie, Dowager Empress of Russia.  Both walked feebly and "it was noted with what care Prince George assisted his grandmother" up the sanctuary stairs."

Due to the strict etiquette, Princess Mary and Lady Patricia (nee Princess Patricia of Connaught) sat in the front row), but their husbands sat behind them. 

The bridegroom, the Duke of York, and his two supporters, the Prince of Wales and Prince Henry.  They traveled from Buckingham Palace "in a royal coach with an escort of Life Guards," The Duke was dressed in the light blue uniform of the Royal Air Force.  He currently holds the rank of Group Captain.

Lady Elizabeth was the last to arrive.   Crowds along the route were able to "catch a glimpse of a slim, pale girl, all in white."  They cheered enthusiastically as the carriage rolled by.  The young bride appeared timid and bowed to the crowd.  She was "grateful" for their cheers, but also, she was extremely nervous.

She had a "real ordeal before her."  Lady Elizabeth had to walk up the aisle of the abbey "under the eyes of hundreds of curious people to a spot of golden light" where her future husband awaited her.   Much to her embarrassment, Lady Elizabeth arrived two minutes too early and had to wait outside until the Duke of York's procession reached the sacrarium.  

The Dean of Westminster met the young couple at the altar, to begin the service as the "pomp and circumstance seemed to fade away."  The King and Queen had become proud parents as they watched their second son marry.

The sun did not come out until Lady Elizabeth entered the Abbey.  After the vows were made and the duke placed the ring on his bride's finger, the couple were pronounced man and wife.  The Dean of Westminster gave his blessing, and the Archbishop of York began his address

The Archbishop of Canterbury performed the final blessing.  As the National Anthem was played, the newlyweds and their families proceeded behind the Altar to the Chapel of Edward the Confessor to sign the register.

The newlyweds emerged from the Abbey as the Duke and Duchess of York.  They returned to Buckingham Palace for a wedding breakfast and an appearance on the balcony, where Queen Alexandra, King George V, Queen Mary, and other members of the Royal family joined them.  There were also great cheers for the Prince of Wales, who remains unmarried.


The Members of the Royal Family who were present for the wedding:  King George V and Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, accompanied by Princess Victoria and the Empress Marie of Russia, the Prince of Wales, Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles, and Viscount Lascelles, Prince Henry, Prince George, the Princess Royal, and Princess Maud, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, Princess Christian, accompanied by Princesses Helena Victoria and Marie Louise, the Duke of Connaught, Captain the Hon, Alexander Ramsay, and Lady Patricia Ramsay, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and the Earl of Athlone, the Marquess and Marchioness of Cambridge, the Marquess and Marchioness of Carisbrooke, Lady Louise Mountbatten,  and the Grand Duchess Xenia of Russia.

Prince and Princess Arthur of Connaught and Princess Beatrice did not attend the wedding.  Princess Beatrice, the youngest of Queen Victoria's surviving children, was in France taking a three-week cure.

Apart from the Dowager Empress of Russia and her daughter, Grand Duchess Xenia, who lives in England, no foreign royals were invited to the wedding.

If you liked this article, perhaps you can buy me a latte



100 years ago today: the wedding of the Duke of York & Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon








April 26, 1923.  The Duke of York, second son of King George V and Queen Mary, wed the Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Viola Arrivabene and Charlie Siem are married

 

@Giberto Arrivabene




Viola Arrivabene-Valenti-Gonzaga, the eldest daughter of Count Giberto Arrivabene-Valenti-Gonzaga and HRH Princess Bianca of Savoy-Aosta, and British violinist Charlie Siem were married yesterday in a civil ceremony in Venice.

The newlyweds celebrated their marriage with a reception hosted by the bride's parents in their apartment in the Palazzo Papadopoli.   Most of the Palazzo is leased by the count to the Aman hotel chain.   Count Giberto is a noted glassware designer.

https://www.giberto.it/giberto-arrivabene/

Siem, 37, has been described as "one of today’s foremost young violinists." He is scheduled to perform on May 4 at the Villa Pignatelli in Naples.   

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2023/03/a-qvd-marriage-viola-arrivabene-to.html

The couple may have chosen to marry in a civil ceremony as Siem is Jewish.   From a 2014 profile of Siem in the Jewish Telegraph:    "Charlie was born in London to a Norwegian father and a British Jewish mother.  He said: "My mum is very secular.  we didn't grow up with much religious tradition, but we had Shabbat and celebrated Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur."



The Duke of Westminster is engaged




@grosvenor2023


One of the most eligible young men in the United Kingdom is off the market.  The 7th Duke of Westminster, one of the richest men in the United Kingdom, is engaged to marry his girlfriend of two years, Oliva Henson.  The proposal took place at the duke's home, Eaton Hall in Cheshire.

Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor was born on January 29, 1991, in London. He is the third of four children and the only son of the late Gerald, the 6th Duke of Westminster, and his wife, Natalia Phillips.  He has three sisters, Lady Tamara Custem, Lady Edwina Snow, and Lady Viola Roberts.

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He received a BS in Countryside Management from Newcastle University
 

Hugh succeeded his father in 2016.


Miss Henson is a senior account manager with Belazu Ingredient Company, a B-Corp-certified food company.

Olivia Grace Henson was born on September 1, 1992, in London. She is the eldest child of Rupert Cornelius Brooke Henson and Caroline Belinda Frisby.  She has two younger siblings: Jasper and Emilia Henson.   The Duke and his future duchess are seventh cousins as both are descendants of Frederick, the 5th Earl of Carlisle (1848-1925) and Lady Margaret Leveson Gower (1753-1824)


The duke is a godson of King Charles III and is the godfather of Prince George of Wales.   His royal connection comes through his mother, Natalia, Duchess of Westminster, who was born Natalia Phillips, the youngest child of Georgina Wernher and Harold Phillips.

Hugh is a descendant of Nicholas I of Russia and the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.

Nicholas I - Grand Duke Michael - Grand Duke Michael - Anastasia Torby (Lady Zia) - Georgina Wernher - Natalia Phillips - Hugh, 7th Duke of Westminster 

Alexander Pushkin - Natalia (who married morganatically Prince Nikolaus of Nassau) - Sophie von Merenberg - Anastasia Torby - Georgina - Natalia - Hugh


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https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/12/of-course-elizabeth-knew-philip.html





https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/04/death-of-lady-kennard.html

and a highly recommended book, Grand Dukes and Diamonds.

Saturday, April 22, 2023

The Civil wedding of Princess Alexandra and Nicolas Bagary

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HRH Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg and Nicolas Bagory were married today in a civil ceremony at Luxembourg-Ville's town hall.  The 32-year-old princess is the only daughter and fourth of five children of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.

The Princess studied psychology and social sciences at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, where she was also a member of the school's tennis team.  She turned to Europe to complete her education, earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy in Paris "with a focus on ethics and anthropology."  In 2017, she received a master's degree in Interfaith Studies from Trinity College's Irish School of Ecumenics,

At Trinity College, which is in Dublin, the Princess specialized in conflict resolution. 

Princess Alexandra and Mr. Bagory's religious wedding will take next Saturday, April 29, at St Trophyme Church in Bormes-les-Mimosas, in the Cote d'Azur.   The church is not far from the Grand Ducal family's summer home at Cabasson.

The Roman Catholic service will not be televised or streamed as "Princess Alexandra and Mr. Bagory wish to keep their Religious Wedding as private as possible."

Although Princess Alexandra attends official events such as Luxembourg National Day, she is expected to have her own career.  She and her 34-year-old husband will live in Paris, France where Mr. Bagory is a magazine publishing director.    Alexandra's older brother, Prince Felix, and his wife,  Claire, live in Provence where they have taken over the running of the Château les Crostes vineyard, owned by Claire's parents.


https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2022/11/princess-alexandra-of-luxembourg-to.html


Princess Alexandra is seventh in line to the Grand Ducal throne.

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Friday, April 21, 2023

Queen Elizabeth II: a new photo

@HRH The Princess of Wales

 

Today would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 97th birthday.  The Palace released this photo taken by the Princess of Wales last summer at Balmoral.   The Queen is surrounded by her two youngest grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Front row (L-R); Mia Tindall holding her brother, Lucas, Queen Elizabeth II, Savannah Phillips

Middle row: Lena Tindall, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Isla Phillips, and Prince Louis

Back row:  Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and the Earl of Wessex


Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Lady Pamela Hicks: no invitation to Coronation

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Lady Pamela, a first cousin of the late Prince Philip and a childhood friend of the late Queen Elizabeth, will not be attending her second Coronation. Her daughter,  India Hicks, a goddaughter of King Charles III,  posted earlier today on her Instagram about a phone call she received from one of the King's Private Secretaries.   The King sent "his great love and apologies," as he was "offending many family and friends" after cutting the guest to about 1,000 people.  More than 8000 attended Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953.

India Hicks noted that her mother was not offended by the focus on meritocracy and not aristocracy. “How very, very sensible, Lady Pamela said. "I am going to follow with great interest the events of this new reign.”

This would have been the second, not third coronation, for Lady Pamela, the younger daughter of the late Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who celebrates her 94th birthday today.

Although India Hicks wrote that her mother "must be one of the few remaining people with such a memory intact, about to live through a third coronation."     Lady Pamela attended Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation.  Her parents and older sister, Patricia, were guests at the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth,  but Lady Pamela, at eight years old, she was too young to attend.  This is corroborated by her own words in her memoir,  Daughter of the Empire.

 "Being so young, on the actual day of the coronation, I was left behind at Buckingham Palace, while my mother and sisters went to Westminster Abbey.  I didn't mind -- it was such fun to watch the procession and I felt a stab of pride as I caught sight of my father riding just behind the King and Queen's splendid gold coach amid the dancing flags and cheering crowds."

Lady Pamela was one of the Queen's bridesmaids in 1947. She also served as her Lady-in-Waiting during the trip to Kenya in February 1952 when Elizabeth became queen.   



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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11990793/Lady-Pamela-Hicks-not-invited-King-Charless-coronation.html



Tuesday, April 18, 2023

A baby for Gustav and Carina

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 The Prince and Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg are expecting a baby early this summer, perhaps in May or early June.

 A spokesman for the prince and princess confirms that: "the couple is being assisted by a surrogate mother. Princess Carina and Prince Gustav are very happy and grateful for this opportunity and thank everyone involved who has helped to find a legally legal path to follow. For the sake of the child, please refrain from further questions. Further information will be published in due course."

Gustav, the 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, is the eldest child and only son of Richard, the 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, and Princess Benedikte of Denmark.    The 54-year-old prince married his long companion, American-born Carina Axelsson, also 54, were married in a civil ceremony on June 3, 2022, at Schloss Berleburg.  Their religious ceremony took place the next day in the castle's chapel with only 80 guests.

The couple dated for 19 years but were prevented from marrying due to a clause in the will of Gustav's grandfather, Gustav Albrecht, the 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg who was serving as an officer in the German army in June 1944 when he was declared missing.  He was officially declared dead on November 29, 1969. 

This clause prevented the late Prince's son and grandson from marrying someone who was not noble, Aryan or Protestant.   But Gustav was not going to give up Carina, who was raised Roman Catholic by her Swedish-born father and Mexican-born mother.   

Had he married Carina before the death of his father in 2017, Gustav, then the Hereditary Prince, would have faced lawsuits from other male members of the family.  

Carina and Gustav began living together at Schloss Berleburg as she was treated as a member of the family.   It was after Prince Richard's death that his first cousin Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg claimed he was the rightful heir to the Berleburg estate.  He cited Gustav's relationship with Carina as his reason.   In May 2019, a local court on Bad Berleburg ruled in Gustav's favor.   Prince Ludwig appealed the decision, but the final decision was made in the summer of 2020 when the court ruled again in Gustav's favor.  He was declared the heir to Schloss Berleburg and the estates. 

 Gustav Albrecht's clause in the will was overturned, allowing Gustav to finally pop the question. 




Monday, April 17, 2023

Coronation Quiche

 

@Royal family website


"Coronation Quiche Recipe

A deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of Spinach, Broad Beans and fresh Tarragon. Eat hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes - perfect for a Coronation Big Lunch!

x1 20cm Flan Tin

Serves 6

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 125g plain flour 
  • Pinch of salt
  • 25g cold butter, diced 
  • 25g lard  Most people do not use lard in the US but other options are shortening, butter, vegetable/canola/olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • Or 1 x 250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry   Make your pie crust recipe or buy the pre-made pie crusts in the frozen food section

 

Filling

  • 125ml milk  
  • 175ml double cream 
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, 
  • Salt and pepper
  • 100g grated cheddar cheese  
  • 180g cooked spinach, lightly chopped   
  • 60g cooked broad beans or soya beans   Broad Beans are known as Fava beans in the US (although I have never heard of fava beans)

  

Method

  1. To make the pastry…

    1. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl; add the fats and rub the mixture together using your finger tips until you get a sandy, breadcrumb like texture.
    2. Add the milk a little at a time and bring the ingredients together into a dough.
    3. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes
  2. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm thick.
  3. Line the tin with the pastry, taking care not to have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 minutes in the fridge.
  4. Preheat the oven to 190°C.   (375F)
  5. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, add baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes, before removing the greaseproof paper and baking beans.
  6. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C.   (320F)
  7. Beat together the milk, cream, eggs, herbs and seasoning.
  8. Scatter 1/2 of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, top with the chopped spinach and beans and herbs, then pour over the liquid mixture.
  9. If required gently give the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed but be careful not to damage the pastry case.
  10. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until set and lightly golden.
I am not going to attempt to the grams to cups or ounces.  I have measuring cups (liquid) that have Imperial and Metric measurements.

I hope a US publication will offer a real US measurement recipe

 

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Wednesday, April 12, 2023

The RSVP cards are coming in

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Since the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, foreign sovereigns have not been invited to the Coronation.  They would be represented by the heir to the throne or another member of their family.  

King Charles decided to dispense with this tradition and invite his fellow sovereigns.  Here is the list so far of the foreign royals who have confirmed their attendance:



Belgium:  The King and Queen 

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Denmark:  The Crown Prince and Crown Princess (Queen Margrethe II is recovering from back surgery.) 

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Greece:  Queen Anne Marie, Crown Prince Pavlos, and Crown Princess Marie Chantal

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Japan:  The Crown Prince and Crown Princess

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 Luxembourg:  The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

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 Monaco:    The Prince and Princess 

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The Netherlands:  The King and Queen.   (Princess Beatrix & the Princess of Orange will attend the reception at Buckingham Palace on May 5.) 

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Norway:  The Crown Prince and Crown Princess 

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Romania:   Margareta, Custodian of the Crown and Prince Radu

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Serbia:  Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine 

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Spain:  The King and Queen

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Sweden:  The King and the Crown Princess

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The Greek and Serbian royals are family members of former ruling families and would not have been bound by the no sovereign rule.

This is how I think the guest list would have looked if Charles continued the tradition:

Belgium: The Duchess of Brabant

Denmark:  the Crown Prince and Crown Princess

Japan:  The Crown Prince and Crown Princess

Luxembourg:   The Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess

Liechtenstein:  the Hereditary Prince and Hereditary Princess

Monaco:  the Princess of Hanover

Netherlands: the Princess of Orange

Norway:  the Crown Prince and Crown Princess

Spain:  Infanta Elena of Spain.   (The Princess of Asturias is still a minor)

Sweden:  Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel


Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Not enough Crowns to go around

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April 1, 1963


European royal families are a bit agitated as their palaces are "overstocked with unmarried princesses," and there are not enough princes to go around.

Robert Musel, UPI's London correspondent, noted that there are 26 unmarried princesses and "only 16 princes."  If a royal matchmaker "succeeds in pairing all off -- as some are trying to do  -- there would still be 10 princesses from whom the choice would be kind heart rather than a coronet."

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This "arithmetic worrying" faces Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (four unmarried daughters), King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden (three unmarried granddaughters), King Frederik IX of Denmark (three unmarried daughters),  King Paul I of Greece (one unmarried daughter) and the heads of the former ruling houses of France, Italy, and Spain (six unmarried daughters.)

These once unattainable princesses might now fall in love with a commoner, who it is said, "never had it so good," until Britain's Princess Margaret married a man "named Jones."

But royalty prefers to "mate with royalty," and European royals are delighted with the news that Crown Prince Constantine of Greece is engaged to marry 16-year-old Princess Anne Marie of Denmark, the youngest of King Frederik IX's three daughters.

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 This leaves only three heirs to the throne:  Crown Prince Harald of Norway, Crown Prince Carl Gustav of Sweden, 17, and 14-year-old Prince Charles.

Although Harald would do well with one of the Swedish princesses,  he is "alarming royal matchmakers with his attention to a lovely commoner, Sonja Haraldsen.

Constantine's mother, Queen Frederika was determined to find royal spouses for her children.  In 1955, she organized royal singles cruise in the Mediterranean that may have led to her elder daughter, Princess Sophie's marriage last year to Prince Juan Carlos of Spain, who might or might not become the King of Spain.

The "barriers against marrying commoners are breaking down, as they must," which would prevent a "record crop of royal spinsters."  Royal parents are "anxiously scanning" a "slender list" of eligible princes.

Two of the most notable eligible princesses are Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and Princess Margrethe of Denmark, who are in line to become queens.   Princess Beatrix was recently asked about her future marriage. She sighed:  "I will have to find a husband among a small set."

The three Swedish princesses, Margaretha, 28, Desiree, 24, and Christina, 19. have "no known suitors" at this time.  Their sister, Princess Birgitta,  married Prince Johan Georg of Hohenzollern, two years ago.

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 In the late 1950s,  Princess Margaretha was about to become engaged to a Briton, Robin Douglas-Home, a nephew of the former Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home, the 14th Earl of Home.

Although he had aristocratic roots,  Robin was a jazz pianist in a London bar.   The Swedish palace did not offer a reason for the end of Margaretha's relationship with Robin, but  perhaps  King Gustav VI Adolf believed that "even for a democratic monarch there were limits."

 

If you liked this post, perhaps you can buy me a cup of coffee:




Prince Nicholas and morganatic wife to separate

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  April 11, 1933


Prince Nicholas of Romania and his morganatic wife, Ioana Dumitrescu-Doletti, have separated, according to "well-informed sources," reports the Associated Press.

The  prince will return shortly to Bucharest and "resume all his royal rights and prerogatives."  

One Bucharest newspaper, Adevural reports that the Dowager Queen Marie  was "instrumental in bringing about a reconciliation between Prince Nicholas and his brother, King Carol."

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Nicholas' marriage took place in Tohani, Romania, on  November 7, 1931, without the approval of King Carol, who was said to be "displeased" with his brother's actions.   He ordered all records of the marriage ceremony to be destroyed, and he demanded that the newlyweds meet him to discuss the situation.   Nicholas and Jana refused "to answer his summons."

Eventually, the two brothers met.  The king "tore up the marriage certificate" before his brother.  Nicholas, 29 informed the king that he had "photostatic copies" of the marriage license.

The prince and his 22-year-old wife do not have any children.



Sunday, April 9, 2023

King Charles and Queen Camilla attend Easter Service at Windsor




















All the above photos were taken by Katrina Warne


King Charles III and Queen Camilla were joined by other members of the Royal Family at St. George's Chapel for the Easter Service.

Two good friends, Katrina Warne, and Ken Stone took the photos.  They are the copyright holders,  

This photo and below were taken by Ken Stone





















The King and Queen were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, the Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence,  the Duke of York, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and their son, the Earl of Wessex, Princess Beatrice and Edo Mapelli Mozzi,  Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank,  Zara and Mike Tindall and their daughters, Mia and Lena, Peter Phillips,  and Lady Sarah and Daniel Chatto.