King Charles III celebrate his 77th birthday today.
Copyright Millie Pilks/Sandringham estate
Friday, November 14, 2025
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Pastor Johanetta Prinzessin Reuss (1957-2025)
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HSH Princess Anna Elisabeth Johanetta was born in Vienna, Austria, on June 19, 1957. She was the second of four children of the late HSH Heinrich IV, Prince Reuss (1919-2012) and HSH Princess Marie Louise of Salm-Horstmar (1918-2015).
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| The 2016 wedding of Prince Maximilian of Sayn Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Franziska Balzer.(both photos) @Marianne van Dam |
She grew up at Schloss Ernstbrunn in Lower Austria. The princess studied theology in Vienna, Göttingen, and Munich, and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor in 1985. She served congregations in Lutzmannsburg, Burgenland, Vienna-Liesing, and Saxony before her retirement in 2011.
The princess was installed as the pastor in the Lutzmannsburg parish, becoming Austria's first female pastor.
In 2003, she was installed as the first female prison chaplain at Stein prison. At the time of her installation, Pastor Reuss said: "Prison is a place to which we are especially called with the Gospel, where work is certainly not easy, but where every act of compassion falls on fertile ground."
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| @Marianne van Dam |
The late Pastor is survived by her brother, Heinrich XIV Reuss, and two sisters, Princess Caroline, Baroness von Hohenbühel gen. Hueffer zu Rasen and Princess Esperance, Countess Kinsky v Wchinitz u. Tettau and their families.
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
HSH Albecht, Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen u Oettingen-Spielberg (1951-2025)
November 12, 2025
HSH The 11th Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Spielberg on November 11 at the age of 74. He was born Prince Albrecht Ernst Otto Joseph Maria Notger of Oettingen-Oettingen-Oettingen-Spielberg in Munich on February 7, 1951, the third child of HSH Alois Philipp Joseph Maria Notger, 10th Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Spielberg, and Countess Elisabeth zu Lynar.
In 1975, he succeeded his father as Prince (Fürst) of Oettingen-Oettingen u. Oettingen-Spielberg
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| Both photos @RoyalTravelEvents |
On June 26, 1980, in Bartenstein, he married Angela Jank. The couple were the parents of four children: HSH Hereditary Prince Franz-Albrecht Alois Christian Maria Notger (1982), HSH Princess Theresa Elisabeth Märta Alexandra Maria Notgera (1984), HSH Princess Antonia Carolina Johanna Edda Maria Notgera (1987), and HSH Princess Nora Amelie Claudia Christiana Maria Notgera (1990).
Princess Theresa is the wife of Christian Oetker, a scion of the German baking powder family. They have at least one child, Lilian Anna Oetker (2015).
Princess Nora is married to Lord Max Percy, the youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. They are the parents of two daughters, Romy Jane Percy (2019) and a second daughter, born in 2022.
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| @RoyalTravelEvents |
Prince Franz-Albrecht succeeds his father as the 12th Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen u. Oettingen-Spielberg. He married Baroness Cleopatra von Adelsheim von Ernst on July 9, 2016. They have three children: HSH Princess Matilda Galilea Elena Angela Teresa Maria Notgera (2017), HSH Hereditary Prince Louis-Albrecht Ferdinand Joseph Emil Notger Maria (2019), and HSH Princess Milana Olympia (2023). They have been residing in Spain for several years.
The new Prince and his family are friends with the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, as the British princes were guests for hunting parties at Schloss Oettingen. In 2011, the Prince and Princess of Oettingen-Oettingen (Albrecht and Angela) and the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Oettingen-Oettingen were guests at the Prince of Wales' wedding to Catherine Middleton.
Prince Franz Albrecht, Princess Cleopatra, Princess Nora, and Lord Max Percy attended Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding.
The family's home is Schloss Oettingen.
https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-wedding-of-hereditary-prince-of.html
https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/03/lord-max-percy-to-marry-princess-nora.html
https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-wedding-of-princess-theresia-of.html
What a lovely AirBnB in France
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| @AirBnB |
Royal Musings posts will resume shortly as I finish an article for Royalty Digest Quarterly. I was researching another topic when this popped into my search results.
This is an Airbnb in Trembley-les-Villages, France. The village is about an hour from Paris. I am not going to publish the name of the owner of the cottage, but will provide these facts:
He is a descendant of Queen Victoria.
He also has Romanov descent.
One of his great-great-grandfathers was forced into exile after defeat in the First World War.
He was baptized in the Lutheran faith.
He converted to Catholicism as an adult and is a devout conservative Catholic.
His wife has Spanish, German, and Italian ancestry, and her mother's sister-in-law is a first cousin of his mother.
One of his paternal first cousins is an über right-wing political leader.
The cottage is lovely and near where the host and his family live.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1537699592761057727?source_impression_id=p3_1762980602_P33hAhFijdix6_5D
Friday, November 7, 2025
Copenhagen - Roskilde - Amalienborg - Tivoli
I wasn't going to let jet lag get the best of me on my first full day in Copenhagen, so I made sure to get a good night's sleep. A dear Danish friend recommended that I go to Roskilde first to see the Domkirche, which includes the graves of the Danish sovereigns, and then head back to Copenhagen to visit Amalienborg.
Copenhagen's central train station was only a few metro stops from my hotel. I did not need to buy a ticket as the Copenhagen Card includes all public transit in the greater Copenhagen area. I wanted to grab breakfast to take on the train. I spotted McDonald's, Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, and 7-11 (there are so many 7-11s in Copenhagen - very popular apparently), but I wanted a Danish coffee shop. I spotted Lagkagehuset, a bakery, and headed there, where I bought a large chocolate bun and a vanilla latte. I stopped in 7-11 for a banana.
It was about a 20-minute ride to Roskilde, followed by a nice walk down a pedestrian path to the cathedral. I got to the cathedral a few minutes before it opened.
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| In other words, do not touch this. |
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| Queen Margrethe I (1353-1412) She is buried behind the High Altar |
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| King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine's graves are plain |
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| The bells caught everyone's attention |
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| This is where Queen Margrethe II will be interred in St. Birgitta's Chapel The coffin will be unveiled when she dies. |
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| This is a replica of Margrethe II's casket |
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| King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid are buried outside the Cathedral. |
Nearly all of Danish royal history is in this Lutheran Cathedral. I stopped at a cafe for a cappuccino before heading back to the station for the train to Copenhagen, the next stop on my journey: Amalienborg.
The Amalienborg Palace complex comprises four palaces: Christian VII's Palace, Christian VIII's Palace, Frederik VIII's Palace, and Christian IX's Palace.
The Christian VII's Palace is the King's representative palace.. Christian VIII's palace is the residence of Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark (who currently reside in Washington, D.C.). Queen Anne Marie of the Hellenes also has an apartment in this palace, which also houses the Royal House of Glücksburg museum and the King's Library.
King Frederik X and Queen Mary spend winters at the King Frederik VIII's Palace.
Queen Margrethe II spends the winter at Christian IX's Palace.
After returning to the Central Station, I took the metro to Marmorkirken, where I encountered the Royal Guards returning from the Changing of the Guard.
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| The Royal Danish Life Guard was returning to the Rosenborg Barracks near Rosenborg Palace, a few minutes walk from my hotel https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/palaces-and-the-royal-yacht/changing-of-the-guard/# |
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| This is Christian VIII Palace. It is where the museum is located. The exhibit includes a selection of rooms that focus on each monarch in the Glücksburg dynasty -- from Christian IX to Margrethe II. Most of the displays were behind glass. |
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| This is Christian IX's Palace. Queen Margrethe II spends the winters here. |
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| Queen Louise |
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| King Christian IX |
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| Christian X and Alexandrine |
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| Queen Alexandrine's fringe tiara |
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| a throne no longer used |
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| The King's Library |
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| You can buy replicas of Faberge eggs ... disappointed to not find a good guidebook to the palace.and exhibition |
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| Frederik VIII's Palace - the winter residence of King Frederik X and Queen Mary |
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| Christian VII's Palace. you can see the Marmorkirken in the background |
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| Neither the King nor Queen Margrethe were in their residences as no standards were flying from the flag poles |
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| There is an arch to the right of Christian IX's Palace, where you will find the Yellow Palace |
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| King Frederik VI bought the palace in 1810 where visiting relatives could stay. In 1837, he gifted the home to his wife's nephew, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, who with his family moved into the mansion. In 1865, two years after succeeding to the Danish throne, Christian moved to Amalienborg. Queen Alexandra and Empress Marie Feodorovna (Princess Dagmar) were born in the Yellow Palace. The last royal resident of the Yellow Palace was Christian IX's youngest son, Prince Valdemar, who died there on July 14, 1939. The building is now the offices of the Lord Chamberlain |
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| The other side of the fountains that I saw the day before walking toward Nynhavn |
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| a lovely dog who wanted to be photographed |
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| newlyweds posing on the steps of the Marmorkirken - although they did not marry in the church |
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| Copenhagen's public transit system is amazing. Easy to get around. |
After visiting the Marmorkirken, I walked to the Metro and went two stops to Gammel Strand, which is not far from Christiansborg Palace. The Danish Parliament (Borgen) is housed in part of the Palace. The main part is where all the State and formal events take place.
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| Slotholmens Canal Walked across the bridge to see Christiansborg Palace |
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| Christianborg Palace This is the balcony where King Frederik X was proclaimed by the Prime Minister. |
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| Difficult to get a full photo because the Palace is so wide |
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| Time to return to the hotel, briefly, to drop off my shopping and put on a coat for the evening's event!!! |
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| Right by my hotel -- a rainbow |
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| Of course, I had to take photos of the Hans Christian Anderson statue by City Hall, located on Hans Christian Anderson Blvd, |
And then it was time to cross Hans Christian Anderson Boulevard and enter a magical palace: Tivoli Gardens to experience Halloween in Tivoli, which closed on November. Christmas in Tivoli opens on November 14.
I had a super time. Dinner in the Food Hall - as all the restaurants were full. The Food Hall is outside Tivoli, so you get your hand stamped when you leave. It takes several seconds to walk into the Food Hall, which is a bit overwhelming due to the number of choices. I found a seat at Hallernes Smørrebrød, which specializes in open-faced sandwiches. I chose a "Homemade chicken salad, bacon, and chervil" and an organic wheat beer. Both were excellent.
As the roller coaster turns you upside down (and your stomach inside out), removing one's glasses is required. This meant the ride was an entire blur. I giggled through the whole ride .. with a few wheees between the giggles!
I survived ... no regrets. Some of the ride lines were long, and I could not get into either of the Haunted Houses again due to long lines.
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| The water show with brilliant lighting was amazing. |
It was time for dessert, so I settled on churros with chocolate sauce and soft ice cream. Sinful, that is all I will say about this delectable dessert. So good. All gone.
Afterward, I wandered into one of the stores and bought a Tivoli Advent calendar.
This is the one I bought.
As I was about to leave Tivoli, I joked to one of the security guards, saying, "Once I step over this line, it is back to being an adult." I stepped over the line, and the security guard said, "You are still a child."
Made me smile.
I am sure Tivoli is as lovely during the day—and I wish I could return to Copenhagen to experience a Tivoli Christmas.
It was time to head back to the hotel, take a shower, and take Tylenol PM as a good night's sleep was needed. It is my way of ignoring jet lag.
Before getting the covers and turning off the light, I checked the Pacer app on my phone. I walked more than 23,000 steps.
I bought this book in the Amalienborg Palace shop:
It is not available on Amazon, but it is available on Amazon UK.
Rosenborg Palace, Bernstorff, Christiansborg Palace ... and there could be another delicious hot chocolate!!
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