A QVD engagement: Fraser- Gillespie

 

Alexander William Malise Fraser was born July 5, 1990, at the Portland Hospital in London.  He is the third child and only son of Captain Mark Nicolson and his wife, the Hon Katharine Fraser, Mistress of Saltoun.   Katharine is the heiress presumptive to her mother,  Flora, the 21st Lady Saltoun and Chief of Clan Fraser.

Chloe Gillespie is the daughter of John Davies Gillespie and Andrea Varrell Borden.  She will celebrate her 28th birthday in August.

Her parents were married on July 18, 1989, in North Stonington, CT.  The New York Times' wedding announcement noted "The bride, who will keep her name, is a freelance creative arts agent in Annapolis, MD."   Their marriage was dissolved by divorce in 2019.

John Davies Gillespie was a director of White Mountains  Insurance,  "a Bermuda-domiciled financial services holding company traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Bermuda Stock Exchange under the symbol "WTM".  He retired in 2015.   Gillespie has an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.   He is the Founder and Managing Member of Prospector Partners, LLC. 

https://prospectorpartners.com/team/

Chloe's paternal grandfather, George J. Gillespie III was a noted lawyer and a member of the Washington Post Board. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/george-gillespie-lawyer-who-helped-the-washington-post-co-go-public-dies-at-87/2017/09/17/6740be4a-9b52-11e7-87fc-c3f7ee4035c9_story.html

Chloe is the Associate Director (Food & Beverage) at Jennifer Bett Communications in New York City.    She received her BA in Communication and Media Studies from Elon University in North Carolina.  Her major was Strategic Communications with a minor in Wellness and Health Education and Professional Writing.   In 2019, she spent a semester at the Accademia Europea di Firenze where she studied Intermediate Italian, the history of the Mafia and Mindfulness."

In 2022,  Chloe was interviewed by Elon's Alumni magazine.  She was asked JBC's focus "on social impact and health & wellness.  Chloe responded: "As an agency, we’re always looking to be innovators and to be leading the industry. Our Social Impact team works across clients that aren’t as focused in consumer products, but amplifying thought leaders in their respective fields. We also have a growing affiliate division which is becoming an increasingly important factor in earned media placements. Having our own team focusing on this part of the media relations process allows us to have a better understanding of the industry and serve our clients’ needs in a more comprehensive way."

Alexander Fraser is second in line to the Saltoun Lordship.   He earned a Bachelor of Science from Newcastle University in 2013.   He attended a Business Bridge Program at the Tuck of Business at Dartmouth before he was accepted into Columbia University where he received a Master's degree in Real Estate Development and Finance.    Since 2021, Alexander has worked in Acquisitions at Pradera, a retail real estate management investment firm.

The family residence is Cairnbulg Castle in Aberdeenshire.

http://www.fraserchief.co.uk/index.html

Alexander is a descendant of Queen Victoria.

Victoria - Arthur (Duke of Connaught) - Patricia - Alexander Ramsay of Mar - Katharine -  Alexander

Summer reading anyone? Books for sale

 All the books for sale are good reads -- great for planes, trains, cruise ships, by the pool, watching TV, reading in bed!

Paperbacks are $10 each.  Hardcovers are $15.00.   The cost includes media mail postage.  U.S. resident only.  The link for payment is at the bottom.  Please don't forget to include the book titles(s) you want and your name and address.  Many thanks. 

    Paperbacks

                                                                        Hardcovers

                                                    

Charles' Family Order Makes Its Debut

 

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 King Charles III has given his Family Order to Queen Camilla.  She was spotted wearing it tonight at the State Banquet for the Emperor and Empress of Japan.   

The Queen wore the Order with Queen Elizabeth II's Family Order.    It is not a surprise that  Camilla is the first to receive Charles' Family Order, which is given solely to distaff members of the Royal Family.  

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 Neither the Duchess of Edinburgh nor the Duchess of Gloucester have received the King's Family Order.  The next opportunity will be in December when the King hosts the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace.

It is only a matter of time before the other royal women - the Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal, Princess Alexandra, and the Duchesses of Edinburgh and Gloucester are given the Order.

The portrait is by Elizabeth Meek and painted in oil on polymin.  It is based on a 2023 photograph by Hugo Burnand.  The Order is mounted in a diamond-set white and yellow gold frame.

Princess Royal in hospital

 

Surprising Finds in Storage Lockers

 People rent storage lockers for many reasons, including downsizing and moving.  A storage unit can be a good option for furniture, books, Christmas decorations, clothes, or royal postcard collections.

Millions of people pay monthly rent for storage units.  They sign contracts with the storage unit companies. These contracts include clauses about what happens if you stop paying rent on your units.  After a certain amount of time -- with no payment -- the storage company becomes the owner of your possessions and will arrange for the contents of the units to be auctioned.   It takes between 30 and 90 days before "default and auction."

Here is an example of an online storage auction:  https://www.storagetreasures.com/auctions   Most items up for auction are clothes and furniture.  On rare occasions, storage units can be treasure troves.  

The publisher of Eurohistory.com moved to Central America and put into storage in the Richmond, California, area, the stock of his firm's publications (books and the Eurohistory Journal), many photographs, including signed Romanov photos, a major royal postcard collection.  

Eurohistory ceased publication in 2021.  

At some point, Eurohistory's owner inadvertently stopped paying the monthly rental fees.  The grace period is usually 30 days before the storage company can put the items up for auction.  However, "no storage facility wants to auction off your belongings because storage auctions are not profitable."

Only after the storage company's owner has exhausted all attempts to contact an owner will the company begin auction proceedings.   Some people will buy the contents of storage units and sell the stuff on eBay.

One eBay seller, Vintagestuff2768, won the contents of the Eurohistory's storage units.  Since late last year, this seller has been offering Eurohistory books, magazines, photographs, and postcards for sale.  

https://www.ebay.com/str/vintagestuff2768

If you are interested in  Eurohistory publications or photographs, click on the above link  The seller specializes in storage lockers auctions so there are other items as well.  

Lady Sarah Chatto named President of The Royal Ballet School

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 "The Royal Ballet School is delighted to announce that The Lady Sarah Chatto has taken on the role of President of The Royal Ballet School.

Having previously served as Vice-President since 2004, Lady Chatto has now taken on the distinguished position, succeeding His Majesty King Charles III, who has become the Patron of The Royal Ballet School.

Lady Chatto’s mother, Princess Margaret, was a lifelong lover of ballet and devoted supporter of The Royal Ballet School and associated companies – The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet.  Princess Margaret served as President of the School from 1956, alongside the Late Queen Elizabeth II as Patron, until her passing in 2002.

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 During her tenure as President, Princess Margaret often visited the School to support numerous events and attended performances by the School and Company. Notably, in 1951, Princess Margaret officially opened the School’s former site in Barons Court; she named the Anna Pavlova Studio at White Lodge in 1957 and the Margot Fonteyn Theatre in 1990.  Continuing her mother’s legacy, Lady Chatto has been a cherished supporter and advocate of The Royal Ballet School.

 Lady Chatto is also an accomplished artist, Patron of the Frederick Ashton Foundation and Vice President of The Royal Drawing School.

The Royal Ballet School is privileged to have Lady Chatto as its President, and we look forward to her continued service."

A small quibble:  I am astonished by the use of Lady Chatto, which needs to be corrected.  Lady Sarah is the daughter of an earl.  She is never styled as Lady Chatto.

Grand Duke Henri's major announcement

© Maison du Grand-Duc

The plans for Grand Duke Henri's eventual abdication have been in the works for some time, but his announcement on Luxembourg's National Day caught most of Luxembourg's citizens off guard.  In his address, Henri, 69, said: "I would like to inform you that I have decided to appoint Prince Guillaume as Lieutenant-Representative in October. It is with all my love and confidence that I wish him the best of luck."

The Hereditary Grand Duke's new position is the first step toward succeeding his father as Grand Duke.   The date of Henri's abdication has not been announced.

Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden told the local press: "This is the beginning of the next chapter for our monarchy.  He said the news was a shock to the public, but Henri's decision had been "mulled behind closed doors for a while."

He added: "We have been talking about it for some time, and I think that on the national holiday, it was the right moment because the grand duke is the symbol of our nation."

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 On March 4, 1998, Hereditary Grand Duke Henri was appointed Lieutenant Representative.  He succeeded his father, Grand Duke Jean, on October 7, 2000, as Grand Duke following Jean's abdication.

@Photothèque de la Ville de Luxembourg

Jean (1921-2019) was appointed Lieutenant Representative on April 28, 1961.  His mother, Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896-1985) abdicated on November 12, 1964, with Jean succeeding as Grand Duke.

The Grand Ducal monarchy's official website includes this explanation for the Lieutenant Representative position.

"The Grand Duke may be represented by a blood-related Prince or Princess, who will have the title of Lieutenant-Représentant of the Grand Duke and must reside in the Grand Duchy. The Lieutenant-Représentant will take an oath to observe the Constitution before being able to exercise their powers.

The Grand Duke delegates his powers to his Lieutenant and this acting capacity may be either temporary or permanent. The Grand Duke can restrict the extent of the mandate as he deems necessary. The powers of the Lieutenant-Représentant are therefore limited by this mandate. However, the measures they take by virtue of their mandate have the same effect as if they were issued by the Grand Duke himself."

Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume is married to Countess Stephanie de Lannoy.  They are the parents of two young sons, Prince Charles and Prince Francois.

Memorial service for Tom Kingston

 

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 A memorial service for the late Thomas Kingston was held today, June 22, at St. Mary's Abbots Church in Kensington.   Members of the Royal Family and close friends and family of Mr. Kingston attended the service.  The King and Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales were not present. 

According to several newspapers, Zara and Mike Tindall, Edo Mapelli Mozzi,  Sarah, Duchess of York, Lady Amelia Windsor, and Michael and Carole Middleton were among those who attended the services.

Thomas Kingston was the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor.   He died on February 25, 2024, from a "catastrophic head injury."

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 A spokesman for Lady Gabriella's family released a statement following the service: ""Lady Gabriella and the Kingston family have been deeply touched by the outpouring of love, kindness and support they have received over the past difficult months.

"They were grateful today for the chance to celebrate – and give thanks for – the life of a wonderful man, among so many of those who knew and loved him too."

Last week, Lady Gabriella attended Trooping the Colour and Ascot.

Countess Leonie von Waldburg-Zeil marries Count Caspar von Matuschka

 

@Stadt Hohenems

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands were among the guests at the wedding of Countess Leonie von Walburg-Zeil-Hohenems and Count Caspar von Matuschka.    The king is one of Leonie's godparents.

The couple was married in St Karl Borromäus church in Hohenems, Austria.   

Her father, Count Franz Clemens von Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems escorted the bride to the church.  They followed a "particularly cute procession of children who walked ahead in matching outfits in red and white."     The bridal children were members from both families"  Countesses Clarissa, Josephine, Louise and Philippa von Waldburg zu Zeil (daughters of the bride's uncle, Count Maximilian), Princes Leo, Antonius and Maximilian von der Leyen, Count Christoph Douglas,  Tatiana von Weiler, Mathilda von Bechtolsheim and Masha Gerson

The bride and groom's witnesses were Countess Sophie von Waldburg zu Zeil-Hohenems (the bride's sister), Helena von Grolman,  Count Constantin zu Königsegg-Aulendorff, Count Vincent von Matuschka Count Albrecht and Count Johannes von Bernstoff and Bendict Selkirk, a university friend of the groom. 

the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein

Countess Leonie's tiara was originally a necklace that was given by Emperor Franz Josef as a wedding gift to his granddaughter, Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska when she married Count Georg von Waldburg zu Zeil Hohenems in 1912.  Leonie is Elisabeth's great-granddaughter.

In 2021, Viennese jeweler A.E. Kochert converted the necklace into a tiara for Countess Tatjana when she married Philipp Eisl.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2021/10/a-wedding-in-hohenems.html

Other wedding guests included the Princess of Orange, the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein, and their daughter, Princess Marie Caroline,  Prince Maximilian and Princess Angela of Liechtenstein, the Duke of Württemberg, Duchess Marie of Württemberg, Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria and Daniel Terberger, The Princess of Waldburg zu Zeil, Princess Alexandra of Hohenzollern, the Prince and Princess of Quadt, Count Clemens and Countess Georgina of Waldburg zu Zeil, Count Josef and Countess Benedicta of Waldburg zu Zeil, the Prince and Princess of Waldburg-zu Wolfegg und Waldsee, the Princess of Löwenstein-Werththeim-Freudenberg and the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, the Prince and Princess of Reuss, the Prince and Princess of Bentheim-Tecklenburg, the Prince and Princess of Windisch-Graetz, the Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, Duchess Katharina of Oldenburg and Count Clemen Moy de Sons, Count Vincent von Matuschka and Countess Hemma von Khevenhueller Metsch, Archduke Georg of Austria, Count Stefan and Countess Sigweis of Neipperg, and Archduke Simeon and Archduchess Maria of Austria, who is the bride's godmother. 

The couple announced their engagement in February 1923.  

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2023/02/a-countly-engagement-waldburg-zeil.html

The reception was held at the bride's family home, Schloss Hohenems.   

The Princess of Waldburg zu Zeil and one of her daughters

the Duke of Württemberg and his mother, Duchess Marie

The Prince and Princess of Bentheim-Tecklenburg

The Princess of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg

Duchess Katharina of Oldenburg and Count Clemens Moy de Sons

Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria and Daniel Terberger

the Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein and the Count of Koenigsegg-Aulendorf

The Princess of Orange and the King and Queen of the Netherlands.

Archduke Simeon and Archduchess Maria of Austria

Count Franz Clemens is reportedly at odds with other Waldburg zu Zeil family members as he wants to be included as a separate line in Gothaisches Genealogisches Handbuch.  He wants the title of Count Waldburg zu Zeil-Lustenau-Hohenems to be recognized by the editors of Gothaisches Genealogisches Handbuch, as he wants to pass his title to his eldest daughter, Countess Tatjana, who is married to Philipp Eisl. His request was denied.  He has been pushing his claim since 2011, according to a source.

His actions have caused dissonance among members of the Waldburg zu Zeil family, his brother, Count Stefan-Georg, and the present head of the house, Erich, Prince of Waldburg zu Zeil, who is married to Duchess Mathilde of Württemberg.

According to sources who were at the wedding,  the Prince of Waldburg zu Zeil declined to attend the wedding and the Prince of Waldburg zu Wolfegg-Waldsee skipped the reception although both wives were at the ceremony and reception. 

There is no historical basis for Franz Clemens' claims. He no longer considers his family as a branch of the Waldburg-Zeil princely family but as a separate former ruling house.

Franz Clemens' brother Count Stephan and his wife declined to attend the wedding, although their children were present.

He describes himself as a "Princely Count" which is incorrect.   The count's fabrication of his family history appears on the Palast Hohenems website.

https://www.palast-hohenems.at/home/f%C3%BChrungen-geschichte/waldburg-zeil/

Further research shows how Franz Clemens has tried on numerous times to change his Wikipedia entry.  He uses the name Clemens Waldburg when he has attempted to change his profile since 2011.

After the First World War, titles were abolished in Germany and Austria. The new German law allowed for the former titles to become surnames.  In Austria, this was not allowed, not even the use of von  In Austria, Franz Clemens has the surname Waldburg.

https://de.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems&action=history

In this 2014 interview with Der Standard, Count Franz Clemens continued the embellishment of his family history.  It is in this interview where he described himself as Princely Count.

https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000009815468/der-name-allein-haelt-so-ein-schloss-nicht-in-schuss

His grandfather, Count Georg, an impoverished nobleman, was employed as the tutor to Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska's brothers.

https://de.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems&action=history

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKD39EVuVaY

https://www.bunte.de/royals/royals-weltweit/oesterreichischer-adel/leonie-von-waldburg-zeil-hohenems-caspar-matuschka-feiern-traumhochzeit.html#:~:text=Unter%20strahlendem%20Sonnenschein%20und%20mit,den%20Bund%20der%20Ehe%20geschlossen.

https://www.gala.de/royals/skandinavier/graefin-leonie---graf-caspar-matuschka--die-schoensten-bilder-ihrer-hochzeit-24119302.html

https://www.palast-hohenems.at/

thank you to a dear friend who took all but one of the photos in this article.   

A new family photo

 

@HRH The Princess of Wales

This photo was taken last month by the Princess of Wales. Today is the Prince of Wales’s 42nd birthday.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s silver anniversary

Both photos @Chris Jelf

The photos were taken at Bagshot Park.

The Princess of Wales will be at Trooping

 

@Matt Porteous

The death of the Prince of Hohenlohe-0ehringen

 The late Prince is succeeded by his only son, Kraft as Prince of Hohenlohe-Oehringen.  The new Prince is married to Caroline von Wenden. They have four children, Hereditary Prince Christian-Kraft, Prince Carl Ferdinand, Prince Thassilo and Princess Philippa.

The Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster

 

All photos are the copyright of Ken Stone 

@Ken Stone

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@Ken Stone

@Ken Stone

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Thank you to Ken Stone for allowing me to use his photos. He is the copyright holder.