Is Princess Elisabeth of Belgium is dating Prince Georg of Liechtenstein? Or not?

 

A photo, purportedly of  Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, heir to the Belgian throne, and Prince Georg of Liechtenstein, in Greece,  has gone viral on social media.  The original photo was uploaded to an Instagram story on an account possibly linked to Prince Georg.

Instagram stories last for 24 hours before disappearing into the void.  This screenshot was sent to me by someone who saw it in a Reddit group about royals.  The account has the name Georg_Liechtenstein, tagging ElisabethvSG.  This account has been deactivated or deleted.  

Princess Elisabeth, 23, resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she is enrolled in a two-year master's program in public policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Prince Georg, 26, is the second son of Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein.

When questioned about the photo, the Belgian royal palace's spokesman said: "We are aware but are not commenting. We don't even know if it's a real photo or AI."

The spokesman added that "this is a private matter."

Respected Belgian royal reporter Wim Dehandschutter spoke to Hello magazine: 

"Royal families are close in general, and Belgians and Liechtensteiners know each other well; there are branches. Their parents are colleagues, friends, in some way family. Elisabeth and Georg are believed to have known each other since childhood."

Prince Georg studied at the University of St Gallen and the ESCP Business School.  He currently lives and works in New York City.  He is a Growth Manager in Strategic Initiatives/Private Equity with Guidewheel, which is "on a mission to empower all the world’s factories to reach sustainable peak performance." 

The prince is third in line to the Liechtenstein throne after his father, Hereditary Prince Alois, and his older brother, Prince Johann Wenzel.  

  Embed from Getty Images 

Hereditary Prince Alois' private secretary released a statement to the media: "This photograph does not show HSH Prince Georg of Liechtenstein; it is a fake created with the help of artificial intelligence ."

The Royal. Monarchies' Instagram account posted the photo, which caught the attention of royal fans and the press, especially the European press, which soon picked up on it.

The person behind the account wrote: "I've had similar photos for a long time, and if I'm posting it now, it's because I've seen it in many places. 

We know that both currently live in the US and have known each other since childhood. They share family and vacations. 

Their parents are friends and they grew up together."

 For at least a year, Prince Georg was in a relationship with Princess Nives von der Leyen.  She confirmed the relationship when she posted photos on TikTok of herself and Georg together.   Their relationship ended some time ago, but she and her older sister, Cecilia, attended the wedding of Georg's sister, Princess Marie Caroline.

If we let our imaginations run wild, and the story turns out to be true, a marriage between Princess Elisabeth and Prince Georg would be the first between two members of reigning royal houses since 1982, when Georg's great-uncle, Prince Nikolaus, married Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg.

The Liechtenstein princely family is zealously private.  The Liechtensteiner Vaterland, the country's only daily newspaper, publishes no private information about the Princely family.

It seems curious to me that the Belgian palace was unsure if the photo was real or not.  The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein's spokesman believes the image was generated by AI. 

Queen Mathilde was in New York City, where she addressed the UN General Assembly during its commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality.

Before going to the UN, the queen visited her daughter in Boston.

all three photos @Max Bueno

Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein was also at the UN today.  He met with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This evening, a friend of mine sent me a report he ran on the photo.  He used Decopy AI, a program that can identify whether the image is human-generated or AI-generated.

The Duchess of Brabant's younger brother, Prince Emmanuel, may have had the last word with a post on his Instagram account.   This translates to "Respect privacy. Show empathy. It’s not that complicated!"

If you like this article, I would love a vanilla latte. Thanks

A new Princely engagement: Oettingen-Wallerstein-Waldburg-Zeil

Prince Philipp- and Countess Marie-Thérèse at Princess Isabella of Croy's wedding in August

 

It's official.  HSH Prince Philipp of Oettingen-Wallerstein and H Ill H Countess Marie-Thérèse of Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchberg are engaged to be married.

Prince Philipp-Carl Anton Eugen Markwart Notger Maria is the elder of two sons of HSH Prince  Krafft Ernst Markwart Carl Friedrich Notger Maria and his first wife, Helen Lins.   He was born in Munich on November 9, 1983.

The prince is a nephew of HSH Moritz Eugen, 8th Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Wallerstein.

He is a graudate of the University of St. Andrews with two master's degrees in Management and Art History.  The prince is a "freelance consultant for start-ups in the forestry, CO2 certification, and renewable energy industry."

Countess Marie-Thérèse Walburga Gabrielle Diane Georgina Franziska is the eldest of five daughters of HSH Maria Erich Wunibald Aloysius Georg, Prince of Waldburg zu Zeil und Traucheberg, and HRH Duchess Mathilde Marie-Antoinette Rosa Isabelle of Württemberg. She was born in Memmingen on October 4, 1989.

The countess studied graphic design at the Design Factory International in Hamburg and has worked for the Sieveking Agency for more than seven years.

Mafalda & Philipp marry

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September 23, 1925

It was a "ceremony of medieval overtones, gorgeous in the splendour of its setting," but "simple in the brief plainness of the ritual," according to the New York Times' coverage of the marriage between Princess Mafalda of Italy, 22, and Prince Philipp of Hesse.

The couple was married in the chapel at the castle of Racconigi.

The small chapel was dimly lit "by ancient artistic chandeliers, decorated with white flowers and green festoons." In front of the altar, which was "lit by hundreds of candles," Mafalda and Philipp knelt, side by side, "on the cushions of crimson silk edged with gold."

Members of the Italian royal family were on the right side of the altar, kneeling at a prie-dieu "prepared for their use." On the left side, "a brilliant group of royal princes representing European reigning houses."

Princess Mafalda, the second daughter of King Victor Emanuel and Queen Elena, was "attired all in white. She wore a "richly embroidered silk dress," which had a long train carried by "two pretty golden-hair little girls and two small boys, who were "dressed as medieval pages." Her veil was of "ancient hand-made lace, festooned with sprigs of orange blossoms.. Mafalda's fair hair -- she is the only light-skinned sibling --"was fastened in large coils at the back of her head."

The Princess's two younger sisters, Giovanna and Maria, were the bridesmaids. Giovanna wore a rose-colored dres,s and Maria was dressed in white.

The only jewelry that she wore was a strand of 300 pearls, a gift from her brother, the Crown Prince.

Prince Philipp, "broad-shouldered, fair, of athletic build," wore the uniform of a Lieutenant of Prussian Dragoons.

The blessing was performed by the Court Chaplain, who raised his hands over the couple.

Mafalda "looked radiantly happy," and her "apparent feelings were repeated in the expression" of Philipp's face.

The religious wedding was preceded by a civil ceremony conducted by Premier Mussolini in the castle's large hall. The Premier is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and was acting as the Crown Notary.

The Princess is "an accomplished linguist" and speaks most of the "European languages fluently." She adores Puccini, "whose airs she loves to render on the piano, violin, and harp." Mafalda is also a "keen sportswoman, and enjoys horseback, tennis, yachting and driving a car. She also enjoys riding a bicycle. Her new husband is of "medium height and very fair and stalwart," and is considered "a typical open-air man." His friends describe him as "full of fun." He is an accomplished architect "with an enviable record of beautiful buildings erected in his home city and elsewhere."

The couple left for their honeymoon by motor car. They expect to reach Friedrichshof "in easy stages," and after stopping there for a few days, they will return to Rome to live in a small villa on the grounds of the King's country residence. The villa was designed by Prince Philipp.

Mafalda, "who is a keen lover and student of the fine arts," met Prince Philipp, now 29,  at an exhibit of paintings in Rome. They met several more times at the Quirinal Palace, "where the fond friendship founded on similar interests soon budded into love."

At first, there was some opposition to the marriage because the Princess is Roman Catholic and Prince Philipp is a Lutheran. They were worried that the Vatican might not give its consent. But when the Vatican received a written declaration from Philipp "that he would renounce all claims to the throne and would make no effort to convert his wife," the dispensation for the mixed marriage was granted.

Prince Philipp is a nephew of the former Kaiser Wilhelm II. Members of nine royal families were present for the wedding: Italy, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Roumania, Yugoslavia, Belgium, Austria, and Montenegro. Crown Prince Umberto of Italy and Crown Prince Carol of Roumania served as witnesses for the civil ceremony, and the two witnesses for the religious service were the bride's brother-in-law, Count Calvi di Bergolo, and Prince Christopher of Greece.

If you liked this article, you could buy me a cup of coffee

The marriage of Prince Alexander of Serbia and Dr. Vesna Jelic

@Helena Quintana

@Helena Quintana

@Helena Quintana

Belgrade, 22 September 2025 – The Royal Family of Serbia is happy to announce that HRH Prince Alexander, the youngest son of HRH Crown Prince Alexander, and his fiancée, Dr. Vesna (maiden name Jelić), got married and began their joint life path. The Crown Prince, as the Head of the Royal family, is very happy to welcome his daughter-in-law into the Karadjordjevic Royal Family, and to grant her the title, which is hereby publicly announced, of Her Royal Highness Princess Dr Vesna of Serbia.

“The entire Royal family of Serbia is thrilled with happiness that my son and daughter-in-law got married and started one of the most important life chapters, the one where “we” becomes more important than “I”, in which we all understand that everything in life is much better and easier when we share it with our life companions. Every joy is bigger, and every hardship easier once it is shared.

@Igor Ursic

@Igor Ursic

We wish them all much happiness, prosperity, respect, mutual understanding, and, above all, love! The Karadjordjevic's lineage is alive, growing, and flourishing. There is no greater joy for me than witnessing this and being able to share it with Vesna and Alexander, as well as our entire family. Let their marriage be happy, filled with joy, and blessed by God!” said HRH Crown Prince Alexander.  

The solemn church service of joining Prince Alexander and Princess Vesna into the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony occurred on Saturday, 20 September, in Villamanrique de la Condesa near Seville in Spain, and was performed by His Grace vicar Bishop Peter of Toplica, who was the envoy of His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, and Father Dusan Erdelj, Archpriest Stavrophorus from the parish of Saint Peter and Paul in Andalusia. The location was carefully selected, as the groom is deeply emotionally attached to it. His parents, HRH Crown Prince Alexander, and HIRH Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans and Bragança, the Duchess of Segorbe, were married here, and it is also a place where his brother, HRH Hereditary Prince Philip, and he were baptized. 

@Helena Quintana

@Helena Quintana

@Igor Ursic

The best men (“kumovi” in Serbian) at the church wedding were, by the blessing of His Grace Bishop Justin of Western Europe, the newlyweds’ brothers, HRH Hereditary Prince Philip and Mr. Aleksandar Jelić. As the Princely Couple did not wish to make a big celebration, considering that it would not be appropriate in light of the current complex situation in Serbia, their wish was to crown their love in the presence of the closest friends and family, while the marriage will be appropriately marked in Serbia on another occasion.

The civil wedding ceremony took place in the Royal Palace in Belgrade two weeks earlier, on 6 September 2025, in the presence of the closest family and witnesses. This date was very symbolic and specially selected, as on 6 September 1923, the groom’s grandfather, HM King Peter II, was born. For every person who has the Royal family of Serbia and the Serbian tradition in the heart, the fact that on the very day when the last King of our country was born, whose sad destiny and hard life shaped by the whirlwinds of the restless world and great powers are well known, his grandson’s wedding occurred, is a strong and significant symbol of the victory of justice and foundation for the future. The witnesses at the civil wedding were Dr. Džihan Abazović, a world-renowned expert in medicine, and Mr. Uroš Parezanović, Head of Public Relations and protocol of the Royal Family of Serbia.

In addition to already mentioned groom’s parents and the best men, the wedding in Spain was attended by: members of the Royal Family of Serbia HRH Crown Princess Katherine, HRH Prince Peter, HRH Princess Danica, HRH Prince Stefan, and HRH Princess Marija, the bride’s parents Mr. Marko and Dr. Slavica Jelić, with her brother’s wife and daughter, Dr. Kirstin and Miss Sophie Jelić, His Grace don Ignacio de Medina, the Duke of Segorbe, husband of HIRH Princess Maria da Gloria, as well as Doña Sol María de la Blanca de Medina y Orléans-Braganza, Countess of Ampurias, and Doña Ana Luna de Medina y Orleans-Braganza, Countess of Ricla, Prince Alexander’s sisters, with their families and other dear guests. The civil wedding in Belgrade was attended by HRH Prince Mihailo, the groom’s uncle, the son of HRH Prince Tomislav, the second son of HM King Alexander I and HM Queen Maria. 

@Helena Quintana

@Milos Banjalic

@Helena Quintana

@Milos Banjalic

TRH Prince Alexander and Princess Dr Vesna most sincerely thank everybody who sent their congratulations and share their happiness and joy!

 

@Igor Ursic

@Helena Quintana

@Helena Quintana

@Igor Ursic

@Helena Quintana

@Helena Quintana

@Helena Quintana

@Igor Ursic

The marriage of Prince Welf-Heinrich of Hanover and Princess Alexandra of Ysenburg und Büdingen

 

Marlene A. Eilers Koenig collection

Princess Alexandra of Ysenburg und Büdingen and Prince Welf-Heinrich of Hanover were united in marriage today in a Lutheran ceremony at the Marienkirche in Büdingen.  The couple's civil wedding took place yesterday in Büdingen.

The 22-year-old Princess is the only daughter of Otto-Friedrich, Prince of Ysenburg und Büdingen, and Princess Felizitas Reuss. Prince Welf-Heinrich, 37, is the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg.  The Duchess was born Princess Vikoria Luise of Prussia, the only surviving child of the late Kaiser Wilhelm II.

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 The couple's civil ceremony took place yesterday in Büdingen.

Five hundred guests, including the groom's sister, Queen Frederika of the Hellenes and her husband, King Paul, and their children, Prince and Princess Ernst August of Hanover, the Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg,  Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, the Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein, and Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg

Princess Alexandra wore an "apple-sized diamond crown lent by Queen Elizabeth II.  According to the Hannoversche Allgemeine, she had 12 bridesmaids, all of whom were princesses.  The paper did not include the names of the 12 princesses.

[For more about the bridal crown, click here

. https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2015/12/hanover-brides-and-bridal-crown.html ]

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

After the honeymoon, Prince and Princess Welf-Heinrich will settle in Frankfurt am Main, where the prince works in the import-export business.

Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katharine celebrate 40 years together

Belgrade, 21 September 2025 - On this day exactly 40 years ago, 21 September 1985, TRH Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine were married in the Serbian Orthodox Church in London. The best man at the wedding was HM King Constantine II of the Hellenes, and the witness was the Crown Prince’s uncle, HRH Prince Tomislav.

“Every anniversary is an occasion when we recollect the precious moments we spent together, when the memories come flooding back, like a wild river. Today, as we celebrate forty years of marriage, a journey of love that has been one of the greatest blessings of our lives, our hearts are filled with gratitude and warmth for all the precious times we have shared.

From the moment we joined our lives together, we have always tried to be each other’s strength and dearest companions. Through life’s joys and challenges, we have always stood side by side, supporting one another with faith, love, and respect. Together, we have built a life devoted not only to each other but also to serving our people and our beloved homeland.

On this special anniversary, we thank God for the gift of our union, for the happiness we have shared, and for the precious years given to us together, being grateful for all that we have built together. May the Lord continue to bless us with health, happiness, and many more years to come.

On this happy occasion, we also wish to thank all our dear friends and the people of Serbia for their warm wishes and their friendship throughout the years. Your support means more to us than words can express.”

 

Prince Alexander of Serbia marries Vesna Jelic

Luna de Medina/Instagram

 Prince Alexander of Serbia, 43, and Vesna Jelic, 40, were married on September 20 at the Santa María Magdalena Church in Villamanrique de la Condesa, near Seville.

Prince Alexander is the third and youngest son of Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia and his first wife, Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans-Braganza.   He and his twin brother, Hereditary Prince Philip, were born on January 15, 1982, in Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia.   In April 2022, Alexander's eldest brother, Prince Peter, renounced his right of succession.

He graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA in Communication Studies. Then he attended American University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree.

The new Princess Vesna is a dentist with her own practice in Munich, where she was born in 1985. She studied dentistry at the University of Nis in Serbia. Her mother was also a dentist.  

https://zahnarztpraxis-jelic.de/

The guests included Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katharine, Princess Maria da Gloria and the Duke of Segorbe,  Prince Peter and Hereditary Prince Philip, Luna Medina y Orléans-Braganza, and others.

Crown Prince Alexander's office will have a press release and photographs on Monday.

A countly engagement - Count Mauritz Douglas and Countess Emma of Solms-Laubach

 

The family celebrates Count Mauritz and Countess Emma's engagement. (Archduchess Walburga's Facebook page)

Archduchess Walburga of Austria, Countess Douglas, has announced the engagement of her only child, Count Mauritz Douglas, to Countess Emma of Solms-Laubach.

"This weekend we celebrated Mauritz and Emma's engagement. I waited 66 years, but now I get my dream daughter!"

Walburga, a daughter of the late Archduke Otto of Austria, head of the Imperial House, is married to Swedish  Count Archibald Douglas.    Count Archibald is a descendant of Robert Douglas (1611-1662), a Scottish-born cavalry officer who served in the Thirty Years' War, rising to the field in the Swedish-Polish wars.   He settled in Sweden and served Queen Christina and King Carl X Gustaf.

In 1651, Queen Christina created Robert Douglas a baron.  Three years later, she elevated him to the rank of Count.  He had six sons and one daughter, but only one, Gustaf, had surviving issue.  The Countly line descends from Gustaf.

Count Mauritz Otto Wenzel Douglas was born on March 31, 1994, in Stockholm.  He and his family at Ekensolm Castle in Sweden.

In 2018, Count Mauritz earned a BA in International Relations from the University of Exeter. After graduation, he moved to London to study at Le Cordon Bleu, where he received a diploma in Culinary Management.  After working as a chef for a year,  Mauritz was accepted into the MBA program at Les Roches Global Hospitality School in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.  He recceived his MBA in Global Hospitality Management in 2021.

Now 31, the count is an Operations Specialist with Eksensholm Gård.  He was raised at Eksensholm Castle in Malmköping, Sweden.

H Ill H Countess Emma Margaretha of Solms-Laubach was born in Giessen on July 7, 1992.  She is the eldest of four children of H Ill H Karl Georg, Count of Solms-Laubach, and his first wife, Julia Willers.  The Count and Countess' marriage was dissolved by divorce in 2011.  The following year, he married Celina von Lüttitz.

Emma studied Fashion Design at ESMOD in Berlin, where she received a BA in 2016.  Four years later, she received a Master's in Marketing and Communication from SRH Berlin School of Design and Communication.   Her family seat is Schloss Laubach in Laubach, Hesse, in Germany/

Two paternal aunts, Christina and Marie are married to a Coburg lawyer, Killian von Pezold and Prince Stefan zur Lippe. Christina’s daughter, Helene, is married to the Hereditary Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg.  Another aunt, Countess Marie of Solms-Laubach .

Emma's paternal grandmother,  HSH Princess Madeleine of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, is the second child of the late Gustav Albrecht, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein, and Marguerite Fouché d'Otrante. 

 Princess Madeleine's younger sister, Princess Tatiana, was married to HRH Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse.   Their mother was the daughter of Charles Louis Fouché d'Otrante, 6th Duc d'Otrante, and Countess Madeleine Douglas, whose father, Count Ludvig, was a maternal grandson of Ludwig I, Duke of Baden, and his mistress,  Katharina Werner, Countess of Gondelsheim and Langenstein.

Count Mauritz is also a descendant of Count Ludvig and his wife, Countess Anna Ehrensvärd.

The newly engaged couple are third cousins once removed.

Ludvig - Madeleine - Margareta - Madeleine - Karl - Emma

Ludvig - Archibald  - Archibald - Archibald - Mauritz

Count Archibald's first cousin, Countess Elisabeth, is the wife of Duke Max in Bavaria and the mother of Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein.  Elisabeth's sister, Rosita, was the third wife of the late John, 11th Duke of Marlborough.

Ludvig - Archibald  - Carl - Elisabeth - Sophie - Joseph Wenzel 

HSH Gustav, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, and HRH Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse, are among Emma's second cousins.  Emma and Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein are fourth cousins.

Princess Arthur of Connaught - Ascot 1930

 

I loved Downton Abbey: A Grand Finale -- and I cried as well.   I was also thrilled to see one of my favorite princesses, HRH Princess Arthur of Connaught, played by Lisa Dillon, as a character in the movie.  She appears in two scenes, the latter is at Royal Ascot.

When I got home, I wanted to know if Princess Arthur -- Duchess of Fife in her own right -- attended Royal Ascot in 1930.   She did.

On the first day of Royal Ascot, the 39-year-old Princess wore a "frock of red and white printed crepe de Chine with two rows of pleated frills on the skirt, which was fastened with a red belt. Her large red hat was trimmed with velvet flowers."

The Princess and her husband were in the Royal Box with the King and Queen, Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood, and the Earl of Harewood, Prince George, and the Duke of Connaught.  The Times did not report what she wore on the second day of Royal Ascot. 

For the third day of Royal Ascot,  the Princess's outfit was described as a "buttercup yellow crepe de Chine frock, with a large black straw hat."   

Prince and Princess Arthur were also present for the fourth and final day at Royal Ascot.  They spent time in the Royal Box, and were also spotted "walking in the Royal Paddock.    Alexandra's outfit was described as a "cobalt-blue tailor-made romaine dress under a coat of the same material with a small sable collar, and a large hemp straw hat trimmed with blue flowers."

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/01/princess-arthur-has-surgery.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2010/11/princess-arthur-of-connaught.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-marriage-of-prince-arthur-of.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-princess-talks-about-mental-health.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2019/02/hrh-princess-arthur-of-connaught-1897.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2013/10/100-years-ago-today-wedding-of-prince.html 

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2013/10/connaught-fife-wedding-tomorrow.html

In  2022, I was interviewed about Princess Arthur.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1680599/princess-arthur-of-connaught-royal-family-mental-health-spt

More photos from Vigil for the Deceased and Rite of Reception for the Duchess of Kent

 

James Ogilvy and Lady Gabriella Kingston

Lady Gabriella Kingston assisting her father, Prince Michael of Kent

James Ogilvy, Princess Alexandra, Marina Ogilvy in the back) The Duke of Kent, Lord Frederick Windsor, and the Countess of St. Andrews  @Ken Stone (all photos)

Eloise, Columbus and Estella Taylor,  Tim Taylor, the Earl of St. Andrews (partially hidden), Lady Helen Taylor, and the Countess of St. Andrews

Lord Downpatrick, Cassius Taylor), Lady Amelia and Lady Marina Windsor, Albert, Leopold, & Louis Windsor with their father,  Lord Nicholas Windsor

Thank you to Ken Stone for allowing me to use a few of his photos. He always gets the good spots!! Ken is, of course, the copyright holder.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit to begin pulmonary rehab

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 "Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit will undergo a month of pulmonary rehabilitation in Norway from the beginning of October.

The Crown Princess will therefore not carry out official assignments in October. Still, some exceptions are planned, such as the dinner for the representatives of the Storting at the Royal Palace on October 23.

The Crown Princess is scheduled to resume her official work in November."

Crown Princess Mette-Marit was diagnosed in 2018 with pulmonary fibrosis.

At the time of her diagnosis, the wife of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, said, "Although such a diagnosis will at times put limitations on my life, I am glad that the disease was discovered so early. My goal is still to work and participate in official programs as much as possible." In a separate admission, I am exhausted faster than before, so today I have to take more care of myself than I did before."

After this new announcement was made the princess spoke to the press: “I should have done it a while ago, now is the time. I need a little more help than before to deal with everyday life. It's about getting to know others who have the same lung disease and getting better control over how I'm going to handle life with being chronically ill.”

Some things do not change!

 

William was 7 years old when this issue of People Magazine was published on June 26, 1989.  This was not his first People cover, which was on August 16, 1982.

August 16, 1982

The July 5, 1982, issue featured Diana with the news of a son.  

Prince George of Wales is now 12, five years older than his father, the Prince of Wales, when he was profiled as the future king.  At age seven, George was third in line to the throne.  At the same age, William was second in line.

George's birth was featured on two People magazine covers, a Special Collectors' issue on August 5, 2013, and the weekly magazine on August 12.

All of the images were scanned from original articles in my clip files.

A royal separation

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 This morning I received a message from the Daily Mail's gossip columnist, Richard Eden, which made me smile.

I suspected the marriage was over as far back as 2019, as Lady Nicholas did not accompany her husband and son to Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding.  She also did not attend any of the events for Queen Elizabeth's death and funeral.  I noted this at the time on social media.

The couple and their three sons, Albert, Leopold, and Louis, resided in Italy.    During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Paola wrote two articles for the Catholic Herald.  

The first article, Rome Diary: How our Family is living through lockdown was published on March 19, 2020.   Although Paola referred to our children and "we have my elderly mother staying, who got stuck here after coming for a carnevale party to raise funds for the old people's home," she never mentioned her husband.

Her second article, 'This too shall pass', Italians know how to confront a pandemic,  appeared in the paper on April 23, 2020.  The article focused on Italy's response to the pandemic, rather than offering a personal reflection. 

The byline was Paola Frankopan, not Paola Windsor.  The two articles are no longer available on the Catholic Herald's website.  This is why I keep clip files. I printed out the articles after publication, and they are in my Lord Nicholas Windsor clipping file.

Lord Nicholas Windsor, 55, is the youngest of the three children of the Duke and late Duchess of Kent. He converted to Roman Catholicism in 2001, seven years after his mother joined the Catholic church.  '

Nicholas and Paola were married in two ceremonies: a civil ceremony on October 19, 2006, in London, followed by a Roman Catholic wedding on November 19, 2006, at the Church of St. Stephen of the Abyssinians in Vatican City. They have three sons: Albert, who will celebrate his 18th birthday on September 22, Leopold, 16, and eleven-year-old Louis. 

The most recent event the couple attended together was The Queen's Birthday Party at Royal Albert Hall on April 19, 2018. Two months later,  Lord Nicholas appeared on Buckingham Palace's balcony after the Trooping the Colour.  He stood next to his cousin, James Ogilvy, and his wife, Julia.   Paola was not present.

However, on June 15, 2018, Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor and Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor attended a service of Thanksgiving for the life of Stephen Hawking, CH.

  Embed from Getty Images

Here is the article I wrote in May after Lady Nicholas was spotted at a Rome gala sans husband.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2025/05/lady-nicholas-windsor-spotted-at-rome.html

He has a story today confirming the separation beteween Lord Nicholas Windsor and his wife, the former Paola Frankopan.

A friend told the newspaper: "It's very sad, but the couple have been separated for some time. "They no longer attend family events together. Both are very conservative and dislike divorce, so apparently they will never actually get divorced."

You are very welcome, Richard.

Coffees are awesome

Duchess of Kent's funeral - the departure

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Following the Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral, the Duchess of Kent was taken to her final resting place in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore.

The Duchess of Kent's funeral at Westminster Cathedral

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 A Requiem Mass was held today at Westminster Cathedral for the Duchess of Kent. Most members of the Royal Family were present for the ceremony.  Queen Camilla had to send her regrets as she is suffering from sinusitis.

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The Duke of Kent was supported by his children, his daughter-in-law and son-in-law, and grandchildren: the Earl and Countess of St Andrews, Lady Helen and Tim Taylor, Lord Nicholas Windsor, Lord Downpatrick, Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor, Lady Amelia Windsor, Columbus, Cassius, Estella and Eloise Taylor, and Albert, Leopold and Louis Windsor. 

The Members of Royal Family who were present: King Charles III, The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, the Duchess of Edinburgh (The Duke is in Papua New Guinea), the Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Earl and Countess of Ulster, Lady Rose and George Gilman, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor, Lady Gabriella Kingston, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy, James and Julia Ogilvy, Alexander Ogilvy, Timothy and Flora Vesterburg, Marina Ogilvy,  Christian Mowatt, Zenouska Mowatt, the Earl of Snowdon, Daniel and Lady Sarah Chatto with Samuel Chatto.

The Countess Mountbatten of Burma, India Hicks, one of the late Duchess's godchildren, and her husband, David Flint Wood, Philip and Wendy Knatchbull, Timothy and Isabella Knatchbull, and the Earl and Countess of Rosslyn, were also in the congregation.

Lady Marina-Charlotte’s fiancé, Nico Macaulay, also attended the funeral, but arrived and left separately.

The Duchess of Kent will be interred in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore.