More photos from the Prince Philip and Princess Danica's wedding
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Royal wedding in Serbia
The bride, wearing a gown designed by Roksanda Illinic, was escorted into the Cathedral by her father, noted Serbian artist Cile Markinovic. Prince Philip was accompanied by his mother, Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans-Braganza, Duchess of Segorbe.
Princess Danica did not wear a tiara for the religious wedding. There will be a gala dinner tonight at the White Palace.
Crown Prince Alexander accompanied Queen Sofia of Spain. Crown Princess Victoria was also a guest at the wedding, joining Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg.
This was the first royal wedding in Belgrade since 1923 when Prince Paul married Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark.
Philip and Danica's pre-wedding dinner
Earlier tonight at the Royal Palace in Belgrade, Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine hosted a dinner for more than 400 guests. A drinks reception preceded the dinner, which started at 8:30 p.m.
Guests included the Duchess of Segorbe (Prince Philip's mother), Princess Adelaide d'Orleans, Princess Anne, Dowager Duchess of Calabria (Philip's godmother), Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg, the Margrave and Margravine of Baden, Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria (Countess Riprand of Arco-Zinneburg, Sir Desmond de Silva and his daughter, Victoria, and Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia. Sir Desmond's former wife, Princess Katarina, who is Crown Prince Alexander's first cousin, had a previous engagement and will not be able to attend the wedding festivities.
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| all three photos: @Royal Family of Serbia |
Tables were set up in five rooms in the palace. The menu featured cold trout, veal fillet, and a chocolate dessert. At the drinks reception, the guests were entertained by children in national costume. All the guests went through the receiving line, where they met with Prince Philip and Miss Marinkovic.
More than 800 guests are expected for Saturday's wedding.
The couple lives in London but hopes to settle in Belgrade. In a recent interview Prince Philip said: "we like going to musicals and to the theater. We like to live in nature and we try to live a healthy lifestyle. In Belgrade, our life is mainly about spending time with family and friends, endless lunches and chatting."
Danica is looking forward to her new role as a princess. "Like any new phase, a marriage brings new roles and new responsibilities. I welcome everything with joy, respect, and excitement. I'm ready to pay attention to the obligations that are the in the future to my new life."
The photos used in this article are from an earlier event. I hope to include photos as soon as I get them.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Royal Wedding in Serbia
I wish I were in Belgrade right now. I should be, but it was a financial no go ... which meant that I will miss out on the wedding of Prince Philip of Serbia and Danica Marinkovic, which takes place on Saturday at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael the Archangel.
The first thing I would have done (after checking in) was head straight to Ice Box at Knez Mihailova 52, an awesome ice cream shop. I would have taken my ice cream and walked over to Kalemegdan, the fortress, that offers a magnificent view of the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers.
I am so happy for Philip and Danica as they being their new lives together. They are expected to divide their time between London and Paris and Serbia. Prince Philip works in finance in London. Danica studied painting and Slavic studies in Paris and has a master's degree in graphic design in England.
It was the love of art that brought the young couple together. It was at the wedding of Philip's cousin, Prince George, in July, that they went public as a couple. Their engagement was announced a few weeks later.
The wedding will be celebrated over three days. The first event will be a gala dinner at the Royal Palace tonight at 8:30 p.m.
The bride will be wearing a gown designed by Serbian-born Roksanda Illncic. The gown will be "reminiscent" of Danica's "sensibility and character."
http://www.royalfamily.org/royal-family/hrh-prince-philip/
http://www.royalfamily.org/future-princess-danica-promoting-serbia/
The first thing I would have done (after checking in) was head straight to Ice Box at Knez Mihailova 52, an awesome ice cream shop. I would have taken my ice cream and walked over to Kalemegdan, the fortress, that offers a magnificent view of the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers.
It was the love of art that brought the young couple together. It was at the wedding of Philip's cousin, Prince George, in July, that they went public as a couple. Their engagement was announced a few weeks later.
The wedding will be celebrated over three days. The first event will be a gala dinner at the Royal Palace tonight at 8:30 p.m.
The bride will be wearing a gown designed by Serbian-born Roksanda Illncic. The gown will be "reminiscent" of Danica's "sensibility and character."
http://www.royalfamily.org/royal-family/hrh-prince-philip/
http://www.royalfamily.org/future-princess-danica-promoting-serbia/
A thank you from the Liechtensteins
The Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein for their 50th wedding anniversary.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
An interview with Prince Philip of Serbia and his fiancee, Danica
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| @Don Weerasirie |
Exclusive interview: Young royals look forward to their historic wedding day
September 26, 2017
Britić is delighted to publish an exclusive interview with HRH Prince Filip (Philip) Karađorđević son of Crown Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević and Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans Bragança and Princess-to-be Danica, daughter of a renowned Serbian artist Cile Marinkovic, as they make their preparations for the first Serbian royal wedding in the country since 1922.
We are a strong nation, there is not much that can take us away from our dreams.
Cultured and accomplished, Prince Filip and Danica are not only Serbian royals but Serbian royals raised in the Diaspora. Their experience is one that many readers might identify with. As Prince Filip explains, adding our Serbian heritage to an education and early life in the West makes for a “culturally rich” mix. In what could almost be a rallying cry he goes on to say, “As long as we are working hard, with our strength we can succeed anywhere we want”.
HRH Prince Filip, 35, was born in Fairfax, Virginia, USA and is second in line to the throne. He met his fiancée Danica Marinković at a dinner at the Royal Palace. Their engagement was announced in July this year and the nuptials will be at one of Belgrade’s loveliest landmarks, the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel (Saborna crkva) in Belgrade on Saturday, 7 October 2017.
They describe their cosmopolitan upbringing as being “very dynamic”. Prince Filip recalls:
I have lived in London and Danica used to live in Paris. We would occasionally return to Belgrade, to see our family and friends, building wonderful memories.
The couple reminisced on their romance following that fateful dinner at the palace. As they talked realised they were drawn together by much that they share in common.
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| HRH Prince Filip and Danica at Suite 212 of Claridges in London, the birthplace of his father Crown Prince Aleksandar. Churchill temporarily ceded the suite as the territory of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The royal couple expressed particular emotions at visiting this landmark of our recent royal history@Don Weerasirie |
The royals are certainly well-appointed for international duties speaking English, French and Spanish as well as Serbian
What language do you speak to one another in private moments?
“I spent much of my childhood and life in Paris and, as we love French culture and the language, we often speak French, its very romantic”, says Dana.
Prince Filip adds, “I spent a lot of my childhood in Spain, so sometimes we speak in Spanish, it’s a beautiful language. But we usually speak to each other in English and Serbian, to honour to the country we live in and the country we are from.”
The young couple are in the throes of preparing for the wedding with a formidable team at their side. Huge media attention is expected to set the wedding apart as exceptionally high profile event and the couple are are happy to share their special day with beloved friends and family, and the whole nation who, they say, deserve to be a part of the first Serbian Royal Wedding since 1922.
[this will be the first royal wedding in Belgrade since 1922. Three royal weddings have taken place at Topola in the last two decades, the most recent was in July.]
Looking beyond the wedding, the couple plan to preserve the centuries-old traditions of the Karadjordjević family. Besides her new duties, Danica will continue to work in the arts which is her passion and profession. Prince Filip currently works for a renowned global asset management firm in London and for the time being their life in the city will continue. Both are clear about their wishes looking ahead – a return to Serbia.
: How do you let your hair down in London and Belgrade?
“It is great to be a young couple in a dynamic metropolis like London. We particularly love going to musicals and the theatre, the choice in London is great. Also, we appreciate exploring nature, and having a healthy lifestyle. When in Belgrade, as a leading city in terms of having a good time, we enjoy the company of our close family and friends, and having long lasting lunches and dinners, talking and laughing, just making ourselves feel at home.”
Danica, have you felt at all daunted by the responsibilities associated with being a princess?
“Like every new period in life, marriage brings new roles and responsibilities that naturally come with the union to the person you love. I welcome every new moment in my life with joy, respect, and excitement. Therefore I am ready to respond with great attention to all the duties that my title will bring in the future.”
Did you ever read fairy tales and imagine you would marry a prince?
“Fairy tales are part of our childhood, and it is a great way to build the imagination in the young ones. Moreover, I had the chance to grew up in an artistic family as my father Cile Marinković is a painter. When I was child I spent a lot my time in his art studio where my curiosity and creativity flourished.”
He used to create an atmosphere where we would make some art together, he would create a beautiful little universe for us, filled with love and joy, endless imagination, and he would paint me in every possible character from my all favourite fairy tales that I loved. These moments were really very important for me, and now they became reality.
Artist Cile Marinković donated works for the Lifeline Humanitarian Organisation’s charity auction earlier in the year in aid of children with disabilities.
Being proud of Serbia
The royal lovebirds say they are proud of Serbia and feel an acute sense of duty to contribute fully to the people of Serbia. However, neither do they neglect the heritage of the onetime Kingdom of Yugoslavia, whose first monarch was the Prince’s great grandfather King Aleksandar I:
It is important to know that the former Yugoslavia was a great country, Belgrade was the capital of six states. Belgrade is considered to be one of the most important cities Eastern Europe, drawing the boundaries of East and West, the Orient and the Occident.
The Prince reflects on the importance of the British Royal Family to the UK in its global outreach, an institution to which he is 103rd in line for succession. He expands on the distinctiveness of each of the European dynasties, a fact which makes our own heritage all the more relevant:
“The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was one of the most important of its time, and the heritage we carry is crucial to the development of our nation. All the changes that we have witnessed over the years made Serbia what it is today. Serbia is lucky to have a Royal background that gives it a historical context of great importance, an aspect that many other countries would love to have. Over the past 20 years that value, importance and respect is slowly coming back. That is the pathway that we will follow.”
The Prince also backs initiatives like the Kingdom of Serbia Association (Udružanje Kraljevina Srbije) which has been actively promoting the restoration of the monarchy in Serbia since its inception in 2008. He sees a collective and inspirational role as we “all work together for the progression and prosperity of our beautiful country. Serbia is open to different nationalities, cultures, religions. The nation has many great minds, minds that when are united can achieve many great things, just as we did in the past and will do again in the future.”
My thanks to Britic, the British Serb magazine and the Palace in Belgrade, for allowing me to reprint the article and photos.
http://www.ebritic.com/?p=626792
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Catalan - King Felipe VI does not mince words
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| @Casa de SM el Rey |
King Felipe VI of Spain spoke tonight on Spanish TV about the independence referendum in Catalan.
He did not mince words.
This is an exact transcript (Google translate) as Casa Real has not put an English translation on their site. If an official English translation is published, I will replace this one with it.
Good Evening,
We are living in very serious moments for our democratic life. And in these circumstances, I want to speak directly to all the Spaniards. We have all witnessed the events that have taken place in Catalonia, with the final claim of the Generalitat that the independence of Catalonia be proclaimed.
For some time now, certain authorities in Catalonia, in a repeated, conscious and deliberate way, have been violating the Constitution and its Statute of Autonomy, which is the Law that recognizes, protects and protects its historical institutions and self-government.
Through their decisions they systematically violated the legally and legitimately approved rules, showing an inadmissible disloyalty to the powers of the State. A State that, precisely, these authorities represent in Catalonia.
They have broken the democratic principles of every rule of law and have undermined harmony and coexistence in Catalan society itself, unfortunately coming to divide it. Today Catalan society is fractured and confronted. These authorities have disparaged the affections and feelings of solidarity which have united and united the Spaniards; and with their irresponsible behavior can even jeopardize the economic and social stability of Catalonia and of all Spain.
Message from His Majesty the King His Majesty the King during his speech Message from His Majesty the King Message from His Majesty the King
In short, all this has meant the culmination of an unacceptable attempt to appropriation of the historical institutions of Catalonia. These authorities, in a clear and emphatic manner, have been totally outside the law and democracy. They have tried to break the unity of Spain and national sovereignty, which is the right of all Spaniards to decide democratically their life together.
For all this and in view of this extremely serious situation, which requires the firm commitment of all with the general interests, it is the responsibility of the legitimate powers of the State to ensure the constitutional order and the normal functioning of the institutions, the rule of law and the self-government of Catalonia, based on the Constitution and its Statute of Autonomy.
Today I also want to transmit several messages to all Spaniards, particularly the Catalans.
To the citizens of Catalonia - to all - I want to reiterate that for decades we have lived in a democratic State that offers the constitutional ways so that anyone can defend their ideas in accordance with the law. Because, as we all know, without that respect there is no democratic coexistence possible in peace and freedom, neither in Catalonia, nor in the rest of Spain, nor anywhere in the world. In constitutional and democratic Spain, they know well that they have a space of concord and encounter with all their fellow citizens.
I know very well that in Catalonia there is also much concern and great concern with the conduct of the autonomous authorities. To those who feel this, I tell them that they are not alone, nor will they be; who have all the support and solidarity of the rest of the Spaniards, and the absolute guarantee of our Rule of Law in the defense of their freedom and their rights.
And to all the Spaniards, who live these events with uneasiness and sadness, I send them a message of tranquility, confidence and hope.
These are difficult times, but we will overcome them. These are very complex moments, but we will move forward. Because we believe in our country and we are proud of who we are. Because our democratic principles are strong, they are solid. And they are because they are based on the desire of millions and millions of Spaniards to live together in peace and freedom. Thus we have been building the Spain of the last decades. And so we must follow that path, with serenity and determination. In that way, in that Spain better than all we wish, will be also Catalonia.
I will finish these words, addressed to the whole Spanish people, to underline once again the Crown's firm commitment to the Constitution and to democracy, my dedication to understanding and concord between Spaniards, and my commitment as King to unity and the permanence of Spain.
Okay - when will the engagement announcement be made
My crystal ball broke some years, and it cannot be fixed .. so no predictions from me, just a few facts and an assumption or two.
Miss Markle will need to apply for a fiancee visa (for settlement in the UK). The Visa has certain requirements but Prince Harry, as sponsor, and Miss Markle, will be able to tick off all the boxes with no real issues.
From what I understand, Miss Markle will complete work on the second half of Suits Season 7 toward the end of the year. The USA Network has not made announcement about a Season 8. It is expected, however, that this will be Miss Markle's last season on the program.
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on November 20th. It is expected that they will take part in a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, and will be joined by family and friends. It is unlikely that Miss Markle will attend this event unless she and Prince Harry have had their official announcement. I do not expect this as her presence will detract from the real stars of the day -- the anniversary couple!
In another post, I discussed the religious situation. She is not Jewish. She went to Roman Catholic High School, but is not Roman Catholic. Her father is said to Episcopalian. Miss Markle may or may not have been baptized, but what about that first wedding?
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/08/meghan-markles-religion-or-no-religion.html
The Hollywood Reporter was the first to publish that the Suits actress Meghan Markle married Trevor Engleson on September 10, 2011 at the Jamaica Inn at Ocho Rios, Jamaica. They had dated for six years before he popped the question in 2010. One hundred and two guests attended the "barefoot wedding."
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hitched-hatched-hired-240470
Last November, a gossip website, Radaronline, posted the couple's divorce papers. I printed a copy for reference and wondered if anyone else would notice at least one discrepancy?
Look at the date of the marriage: August 16, 2011.
http://radaronline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Meghan-Markle-Divorce-Docs.pdf
What does this mean? I think it means that Miss Markle and Mr. Engelson had a civil wedding, perhaps in Los Angeles, before having a destination "wedding" at the Jamaican resort. The divorce papers do not include the place of the marriage.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were married by a justice of the peace in California before they flew to France for their glamour wedding Chateau Mirval, which was not a legal ceremony, according to French or US law.
Miss Markle sought three things: the dissolution of the marriage, no spousal support and the restoration of Mrs. Engleson's name to Rachel Meghan Markle.
The final judgment was made on March 7, 2014.
Until there is clarification about Miss Markle's first marriage, I will assume that she and her first husband were married in a civil ceremony on August 16, 2011, and then had a big, barefoot, on the beach, "wedding" in Jamaica, a wedding that was not the legal ceremony.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Harry meets Meghan's mom
Prince Harry joined Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, is a private box for the Invictus Games' closing ceremonies. There is no doubt now that the couple's official engagement announcement will be made by the end of the year, and the wedding will take place in summer of 2018.
A lovely card from the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Hannover
A thank you from the newly married Hereditary Prince and Princess of Hannover.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Galitzine -Singh nuptials
Princess Maria Petrovna Galitzine married Houston chef Rishi Roop Singh in a civil ceremony at her parents home in Houston on September 24th.
The officiant was County Judge Jimmy Sylvia.
A reception at the Dunlavy restaurant followed the wedding.
Maria Galitzine, 29, is the fourth of six children of Prince Piotr Galitzine and Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria. Galitzine is the CEO and Chairman of TMK Ipsco, a subsidiary of the Russian steel pipe giant OAO TMK.
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/09/princess-maria-galitzine-to-marry-rishi.html
UPDATE: Maria and Rishi's religious wedding took place on April 22, 2018 at St. Jonah Orthodox Church in Houston, Texas.
The officiant was County Judge Jimmy Sylvia.
A reception at the Dunlavy restaurant followed the wedding.
Maria Galitzine, 29, is the fourth of six children of Prince Piotr Galitzine and Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria. Galitzine is the CEO and Chairman of TMK Ipsco, a subsidiary of the Russian steel pipe giant OAO TMK.
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2017/09/princess-maria-galitzine-to-marry-rishi.html
UPDATE: Maria and Rishi's religious wedding took place on April 22, 2018 at St. Jonah Orthodox Church in Houston, Texas.
Monday, September 25, 2017
We just might have another American princess!
They have gone public ... they are ... of course, HRH Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales and Miss Rachel Meghan Markle ... better known as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
At last night's opening ceremony for the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, Prince Harry sat with fellow dignitaries, while Miss Markle sat with one of her besties, Markus Anderson, a consultant for the Soho House Group, a private members’ club.
Anderson, a Canadian, is said to be the person who introduced the couple in 2016.
It was an AP reporter who spotted Miss Markle in the crowd. One of Harry's protection officers was not too far away from her.
Today, the couple went public. Seriously. Earlier today, Miss Markle, a co-star on Suits, a series on the USA channel, accompanied Prince Harry to the wheelchair tennis competition. The couple held hands!
Yes, Prince Harry has an American girlfriend ... will she become his princess? Perhaps. Possibly. My crystal ball broke years ago, and I have no plans to have it repaired.
There will be an official engagement announcement in the not-too-distant future. Not tomorrow. Miss Markle is at work on what will probably be the last season for Suits. The series' filming should wrap up sometime toward the end of the year.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary of November 20. I don't expect a grand gala event, but there will be a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's. The entire British royal family is expected to attend. Miss Markle's appearance as a fiancee would detract from the event.
Miss Markle is probably already making plans (visa, for starters) to move to London. I doubt an engagement will take place before she has moved to London to begin preparations for her new life as a member of the British Royal family.
She will be the second American woman to marry a British royal, but unlike Wallis Simpson, Miss Markle will have the style of Royal Highness.
If you liked this article, perhaps you could buy me a cup of coffee.
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2011/05/primer-catherine-is-princess.html
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2015/05/why-catherine-is-princess-redux-with.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/25/prince-harry-meghan-markle-make-first-public-appearance-together/
Friday, September 22, 2017
Prince Andrew of Russia weds Nadine McDougall
September 21, 1942
Prince Andrew of Russia, the eldest son of the late Grand Duke Alexander and Grand Duchess Xenia, was married today to Miss Nadine McDougall, daughter of Lt. Col Herbert McDougall of Provender, Faversham in Kent.
The wedding was a "blend of modern wartime England and the ancient regime of Czaristic Russia," according to the New York Times.
The couple was married in two religious ceremonies, the first was Anglican, which took place in the bride's home church at Norton, in Kent. This ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This was followed by a Russian Orthodox ceremony at Sheldwich, where a Russian choir "sang hymns in their native tongue. "
The bride was attended by three young pages. Viscount Throwley, the 2-year-old of the Earl and Countess of Sondes; Robert Mercer, the nephew of General Ritchie and Jeremy Pemberton, son of Colonel and Mrs. Douglas Pemberton.
The Countess of Sondes is the bride's sister.
The bride wore a gown of "white satin, with a court train. She also wore a "Russian headdress in pearls, with a long white tulle veil."
The bride's father was unable to give his daughter away, as he is serving in Africa. His brother, Major Arthur McDougall, DSO, gave her away at the Anglican ceremony, while at the Russian service, Robert Hodgson, who was the British agent in Nationalist Spain during the civil war, "served in the same capacity as Major McDougall.
Prince Andrew's brother, Prince Dimitri, served as best man,.
The reception was held at Lee's Court, Sheldwich, the home of the Earl and Countess of Sondes. Prince Andrew's first wife, Elisabetta Ruffo-Sasso, was killed in an "air raid when a bomb hit Hampton Court."
Prince Andrew is a nephew of the late Emperor Nicholas II. His mother, Grand Duchess Xenia, is a first cousin of the late King George V, as their mothers were sisters.
[Princess Olga is the only daughter of Prince Andrew and his second wife. ]
Prince Andrew of Russia, the eldest son of the late Grand Duke Alexander and Grand Duchess Xenia, was married today to Miss Nadine McDougall, daughter of Lt. Col Herbert McDougall of Provender, Faversham in Kent.
The wedding was a "blend of modern wartime England and the ancient regime of Czaristic Russia," according to the New York Times.
The couple was married in two religious ceremonies, the first was Anglican, which took place in the bride's home church at Norton, in Kent. This ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This was followed by a Russian Orthodox ceremony at Sheldwich, where a Russian choir "sang hymns in their native tongue. "
The bride was attended by three young pages. Viscount Throwley, the 2-year-old of the Earl and Countess of Sondes; Robert Mercer, the nephew of General Ritchie and Jeremy Pemberton, son of Colonel and Mrs. Douglas Pemberton.
The Countess of Sondes is the bride's sister.
The bride wore a gown of "white satin, with a court train. She also wore a "Russian headdress in pearls, with a long white tulle veil."
The bride's father was unable to give his daughter away, as he is serving in Africa. His brother, Major Arthur McDougall, DSO, gave her away at the Anglican ceremony, while at the Russian service, Robert Hodgson, who was the British agent in Nationalist Spain during the civil war, "served in the same capacity as Major McDougall.
Prince Andrew's brother, Prince Dimitri, served as best man,.
The reception was held at Lee's Court, Sheldwich, the home of the Earl and Countess of Sondes. Prince Andrew's first wife, Elisabetta Ruffo-Sasso, was killed in an "air raid when a bomb hit Hampton Court."
Prince Andrew is a nephew of the late Emperor Nicholas II. His mother, Grand Duchess Xenia, is a first cousin of the late King George V, as their mothers were sisters.
[Princess Olga is the only daughter of Prince Andrew and his second wife. ]
Grand Duke of Baden not expected to live
September 21, 1907
Grand Duke Friedrich of Baden's condition is said to be "hopeless," reports the Washington Post.
A bulletin was issued at 4 p.m. and states: "No improvement has been noted in the grand duke's condition. The patient is weary and doses much. Inadequate activity of the heart is showing its effects on the physical condition."
The Grand Duke is 81 years old. He is the third son of late Grand Duke Leopold and his wife, Sophie, daughter of King Gustav IV of Sweden. Friedrich became heir presumptive to the throne following his father's death in 1852. His elder brother, Ludwig II, suffered from mental illness, and, Friedrich was named as regent. He held this position until 1856 when he was named Grand Duke. Ludwig died two years later.
The Grand Duke is married to Princess Luise of Prussia, daughter of King Wilhelm I of Germany and Princess Auguste of Saxe-Weimar. They have two surviving children, Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich, 50, and Victoria, the wife of Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden.
The Hereditary Grand Duke married in 1885 to Princess Hilda of Luxembourg. Their marriage is childless. The second in line is the Grand Duke's nephew, Prince Maximilian, who is married to Princess Marie Louise of Hanover. Prince Max is on his way to Mainau, where the Grand Duke lies dying.
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