Remembering King Michael of Romania

all photos @Daniel Angelescu/Romanian Royal House

On November 30, a Romanian Orthodox and military ceremony took place at the  New Archbishop's and Royal Cathedral in Curtea de Argeș to honor the seventh anniversary of King Michael's death on December 5, 2017.  

Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Crown, HRH Prince Radu, HRH Princess Helen, HRH Princess Sophie, and HRH Princess Maria participated in the parade. Princess Helen's son, Nicholas, and his wife, Alina, and their two children, Mihai and Marie Alexandra were also present. 

Members of the Royal Council and Her Majesty's Household also attended the ceremony.

. In the New Archbishop's and Royal Cathedral, personalities from Romanian civil society came to commemorate the late King Michael, many of whom have been faithful to the sovereign and the Romanian Crown since the first moments of 1990.

Upon arrival at the cathedral, the Custodian of the Crown and Prince Radu were greeted by the soldiers of the 33rd "Posada" Mountain Hunter Battalion. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness bowed before the unit's Battle Flag and the Custodian of the Crown reviewed the military formation of 60 Mountaineers.  The Battalion was awarded the Medal of Loyalty to the Romanian Crown.

The religious ceremony was officiated by His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of Western and Southern Europe and His Eminence Varlaam Ploiesteanul, patriarchal vicar bishop, along with a council of priests from the Archdiocese of Argeș and Muscel.

Following the service, the Royal Family took part in the prayer for Eternal Remembrance at  King Michael's tomb,  Members of the Royal Family placed wreaths on the graves of King Michael, Queen Anne, Queen Mother Helen, King Carol II, and Prince Nicholas.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/12/king-michael-of-romania-has-died.html

Mail Call

 

@Royal Palace, Belgium  photo: Vlad Vanderkelen

@Maison du Grand Duc/ Sophie Margue

The Duke of Württemberg

@Maison du Grand Duc/Marion Dessard

90 years ago: The marriage of HRH The Duke of Kent and HRH Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark

Embed from Getty Images

 

November 29, 1934 - ninety years ago today,  HRH Prince George, Duke of Kent, and HRH Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark were married at Westminster Abbey.

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

@Royal Collection Trust/His Majesty King Charles III

This portrait "shows a full-length group portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Kent (center) on their wedding day, 29 November 1934, with the bridesmaids. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (1906-68) is wearing her wedding gown and veil, the Fringe Tiara (1919), and holding a bouquet of lilies. Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902-42) is dressed in military uniform with ropes, sash, and medals (including Royal Victorian Order, Order of the Thistle, Order of the Garter, and Order of St Michael and St George, among others). They are both facing forward holding hands. Princess Marina's eight bridesmaids flank her and Prince George, and were her first cousins Princesses Irene, Eugenie (far left) and Katherine of Greece and Denmark, her maternal first cousin Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia (second from left), Crown Princess Juliana of the Netherlands (far right), her husband's niece Princess Elizabeth of York (seated on the floor, right), her husband's cousins the Lady Iris Mountbatten and the Lady Mary Cambridge. The portrait is set in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace."

HRH Prince George Edward Alexander Edmund  (1902-1942) was the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary.  HRH Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906-1968) was the third and youngest daughter of HRH Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and HIH Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna of Russia.   

The couple spent their honeymoon at Himley Hall, near Birmingham.  Himley was the home of William, 3rd Earl Dudley, a close friend of the Royal Family, especially the then Prince of Wales (Edward VIII.)  Lord Dudley's first wife, Lady Rosemary Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, was the daughter of the 4th Duke of Sutherland.  

King George V and Queen Mary were friends with the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland.  Lady Rosemary and the Prince of Wales had known each other since childhood.  Their romance blossomed in 1917 in France, where Lady Rosemary was a nurse.  The Prince of Wales visited the hospital to meet her sister-in-law. Eileen, the Duchess of Sutherland.  A romance ensued between Lady Rosemary and the Prince of Wales.  He proposed to her, but his parents, although they liked Lady Rosemary, vetoed his plans.  Their disapproval had to do with two of Lady Rosemary's relatives, her half-aunt, Daisy, Countess of Warwick, a mistress of Edward VII, and her uncle, the thrice-married 5th Earl of Rosslyn, a "compulsive gambler."

Lady Rosemary declined the Prince of Wales' proposal after learning the king and Queen's views. In 1919, she married William Ward, Viscount Ednam, eldest son of the Earl of Dudley.   She was killed in a plane crash in 1930.   Two years later, William succeeded as the 3rd Earl of Dudley.  He remained a close friend of the Prince of Wales.

The Duke and Duchess of Kent spent the first two weeks of their honeymoon at Himley Hall.

@Himley Hall

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https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/08/official-prince-george-to-marry-marina.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/08/prince-of-wales-to-be-best-man-at.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/09/prince-george-orders-engagement-ring.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/10/queen-mary-approves-design-for-marinas.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/prince-georges-wedding-to-cost-at-least.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/word-obey-in-george-marinas-ceremony.html 

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/duke-of-kent-and-marina-finalize.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/marina-welcomed-in-london.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/george-marina-wedding-scheduled-released.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/george-and-marina-cheered-at-theater.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/crowds-gathering-in-london-for-george.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/princess-marina-marries-duke-of-kent.html

https://www.himleyhallandpark.co.uk/your-visit

https://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-death-of-death-of-prince-george.html

Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse lit up for Christmas

 

From November 28. visitors to the Palace of Holyroodhouse will see the State Apartments decorated with magnificent Christmas displays.

A highlight this year is the wood- panelled Throne Room, which has been decorated with two 12-foot-high Christmas trees and a sparkling mantle garland. A glistening 15-foot-high Nordmann Fir tree and two decorated mantelpieces create a festive atmosphere in the storied Great Gallery, while in the Royal Dining Room visitors will see a spectacular table display.

                                    © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection

Trust. 

Staff hang decorations on the 15-foot-high Nordmann Fir tree in the Great Gallery. The room features portraits depicting real and legendary kings of Scotland.

© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust. 

                                    © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection

Trust. 

A member of staff makes final adjustments to one of two 12-foot-high Christmas trees in the Palace’s wood-panelled Throne Room. 

                              © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust

A member of staff at the Palace of Holyroodhouse hangs a decoration on one of two trees in

the Throne Room, overlooked by John Michael Wright’s magnificent portrait of Charles II, the

monarch who built the Palace as it is today.

                         © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection

Trust. 

Festive garlands adorn the Great Stair, where visitors enter the State Apartments.

                         © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection

Trust. 

         © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust. 

Staff make final adjustments to the table display in the Royal Dining Room. The table is laid with a silver service, sugared fruits and foliage.

                        © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust

                         © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust

How lovely.  I had the pleasure of visiting Holyrood House Palace in June.

HI & RH Prince Antonio of Orleans-Braganca: Wake and Funeral

HHI & RH Prince Antonio of Orleans-Braganca died on November 8.  His wake was held later that day and his funeral was held the next day.  The wake and the funeral took place at the Outeiro da Glória Church in Rio de Janeiro on  November 8th and 9th.  

 The Wake 

The Funeral Mass

One of the officiating priests was Prince Alessandro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, son of Prince Casimiro of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, and the late Princess Maria Cristina of Savoy-Aosta.

The funeral guests included Dom Antonio's widow,  H& & RH Princess Christine (nee de Ligne), and their three surviving children, TI & RH Prince Rafael, Prince Imperial, Princess Amelia (Mrs. Spearman) and Princess Maria Gabriela, and the late prince's sister, Eleonore, Princess de Ligne.   

Prince Antonio's siblings, Prince Francisco, Prince Fernando, Prince Alberto, Princess Maria Teresa (Mrs Johannes Hessel de Jong), several nephews and nieces, and some other relatives, were also present for the wake and funeral.

The Brazilian Navy also took part in the ceremonies.  The Navy has "maintained a strong relationship with the Imperial Family."

The prince was interred at the Mausoléu da Família Imperial no Cemitério da Irmandade de Nossa Senhora da Conceição.

The photos are courtesy (and copyright) of Pro Monarquia | Imperial House of Brazil.