Crown Prince George of Greece to marry a beauty

February 5, 1920

Crown Prince George of Greece is to marry Princess Elisabeth of Romania, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Princess Elisabeth is the eldest daughter of the "beautiful Queen Marie" and King Ferdinand.  She is the second of six children.  Princess Elisabeth is 26 years old, and is said to be "noted throughout Europe for her good looks."   She has been made "more serious by the sufferings of her family and of the Romanian people during the great war."

Crown Prince George is the eldest son of King Constantine and Queen Sophie.

A son for Prince and Princess Andrej

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February 4, 1960

Princess Andrej of Yugoslavia gave birth to a son today at King's College Hospital in London.  The former Princess Christina of Hesse married Prince Andrej, youngest brother of the exiled King Peter II, in August 1956.

She is the daughter of the Duke of Edinburgh's sister, Sophie, Princess Georg Wilhelm of Hanover, by her first husband, Prince Christoph of Hesse.

This is the couple's second child.  They have a daughter, Maria Tatiana, who was born in July 1957.

Auwi breaks a leg

February 5, 1915

Prince August Wilhelm, the fourth son of Kaiser Wilhelm II, is recovering "from a double splintered fracture of the lower part of the thigh," reports the Lokal Anzeiger, and dispatched from Amsterdam via London by the Associated Press.

The prince also broke several bones in his foot.  The seriousness of his injury was "disclosed only yesterday" after seeing the results of the X-rays.

He is "recovering slowly," but is allowed to take "short trips in a specially-built motor car."  He suffered the injury in a "motoring accident" last November while "making a military tour.

Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice

Marlene A. Eilers Koenig collection

Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, and the Earl of Athlone in South Africa in the 1920s, when Lord Athlone was the Governor General.

Can't get out of it now!

Marlene A. Eilers Koenig Collection

This photograph was taken by a late friend of mine on July 29, 1981.  The carriages are arriving at Buckingham Palace.  The Prince of Wales can be seen looking out the second window from the left.

Leopoldine, Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

Marlene A. Eilers Koenig collection

Princess Leopoldine Wilhelmine Amalie Pauline Maximiliane of Baden (February 22, 1837-December 23, 1903) was the fourth and youngest daughter of Prince Wilhelm of Baden and Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg.  She married on September 24, 1862 to  Prince Hermann zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1832-1913), the second son of Ernst I, 4th Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and his wife, Princess Feodora of Leiningen, older half-sister of Queen Victoria.  He succeeded his father in 1860 after his elder brother, Carl, ceded his rights to him.

Leopoldine and Hermann had three children: Ernst II (1863-1950) who married Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Elise (1864-1929) who married Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss Younger Line; and Feodore (1866-1932), the wife of Emich, 5th Prince of Leiningen.

Look what the mailman brought today

It is never too late to receive a lovely Christmas card.

Will the Spanish monarchy survive?

A rather thoughtful and interesting article from Foreign Policy Journal about the future of the  Spanish monarchy: 


http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/02/the-twilight-of-the-spanish-monarchy-king-felipe-vi/

New photos to my collection

Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and Earl of Athlone attend a rehearsal at Westminster Abbey for the 1937 Coronation
 

1932: the marriage in Coburg of Princess Sybilla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Hereditary Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden (parents of King Carl XVI Gustaf)
 

1956: the marriage of Princess Christina of Hesse and Prince Andrej of Yugoslavia

Happily to add these photographs to my collection.

The Torlonias are here

View image | gettyimages.com

 

January 29, 1935


Don Alessandro Torlonia, Prince of Civitella-Cesi, and his bride, Infanta Beatriz of Spain arrived today in New York City.  They from onboard the Cunard White Star liner Aquitania to "spend their honeymoon in this country," reports the New York Times.

Infanta Beatriz is the elder daughter of the exiled King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain.  She has "royal blood" on both sides of her family.  She shares the "dark hair and complexion" from her father, and the "Guelph nose resembling that of Queen Victoria," who was her great-grandmother.

While the newlyweds are in New York City they will reside at 400 East 57th Street.  They plan on visiting Don Alessandro's mother, Princess Torlonia, who arrives tomorrow on the Italian liner, Rex.  She will entertain them at her home, 375 Fifth Avenue.

The couple was married in Rome on January 14.  During their voyage, they had "all of their meals in their suite and did not mingle with the other passengers."

Don Alessandro has been suffering from a "slight attack of tonsillitis and his bride suffered a little from seasickness."

Infanta Beatriz was "very nervous" at the meeting with the press after the Aquitania arrived and went through Quarantine.  She said she and her husband had been "so hounded" by photographers before they sailed for the United States.

This is the Infanta's first visit to the United States.  She "enjoyed the view of the Statue of Liberty" and the tall buildings.

She is "tall and slim and has a kindly charm of manner in speaking."  She is about 5 inches shorter than her husband who is "6 feet inches tall, with dark curly hair, broad shoulders and pleasant, democratic bearing."

The couple plan to say in New York City for about two weeks before heading to Florida.

"We must be back in Europe in March for the wedding of my brother-in-law, Don Jaime, and will probably sail on the Olympic from New York on March 6," said Don Alessandro.

"I wanted my wife to see America, because, you see, I have a lot of American in me. If I can get away from New York in time we will probably visit Niagara Falls, where all honeymooners go; Washington and Palm Beach. It all depends upon what plans my mother has made."

Infanta Beatriz was dressed in a "brown ensemble and a mink coat that reached her ankles." Her shoes and hose "matched her costume.  Her black beret had a fringe of white wool.  She "wore a pearl necklace and rings of diamonds and rubies, which were covered by her gloves."

Before debarking from the ship, they posed for photographers and were met at Pier 54 by a "large delegation of Spanish loyalists" who presented Infanta Beatriz with a "bouquet of yellow roses, bound with red ribbon," symbolizing Spain's colors.  The welcoming party included the Countess of Colloredo-Mannsfeld, the Marquis de Belmonte, Donna Mena Belmonte, and the Princess of Bourbon.

Infanta Beatriz's mother, Victoria Eugenia, is the daughter of  Princess Beatrice, the youngest child of Queen Victoria, and the late Prince Henry of Battenberg.  She now lives in London. If you liked this article

It's a girl for Princess Nathalie

Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg gave birth to a daughter, Louisa,  yesterday at the Helios Klinik in Bad Berleburg, Germany.  She is married to fellow equestrian Alexander Johannesmans.

This is the second child for the couple.  Their son, Konstantin, is four years old.

Baby Louisa was born on January 28th at 10:10 p.m.   She weighed 7.5lbs and is 20.9 inches tall. 

Princess Nathalie is the youngest child of Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.   She and her new daughter have already returned to their home at Schloss Berleburg.

Mother and daughter are doing well.

http://kongehuset.dk/Menu/nyheder/hh-prinsesse-nathalie-har-fodt

http://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelige/danmark/prinsesse-nathalies-datter-skal-hedde-Louisa

http://www.ridehesten.com/dk/Heste-nyheder/SeNyhed/?ID=37108

Archduke Albrecht wants his father's art collection

View image | gettyimages.com

January 28, 1935

Archduke Albrecht, the former Hungarian pretender, is now in Vienna, reports the New York Times.  He is planning to negotiate with the Austrian government for the "restitution" of his father, Field Marshal Archduke Friedrich's property, confiscated after Austria's collapse and defeat in the world war. 

The negotiations are making "slow progress, as the Austrian Minister of Finance is refusing to pay "any indemnity for picture galleries and other objects of art which form the greater part of such property."

Archduke Albrecht is trying to reach an agreement concerning the "Albertina collection, one of the world's most famous groups of etchings and drawings.  This collection was his father's personal property.

Albrecht would like to transfer the collection of his home in Hungary, but the Austrian government has refused to allow this transfer.  The government has also "declined any indemnity."

The archduke is now seeking a "lump sum," and if he is not successful, he is threatning to take his case to the World Court at the Hague.

Franz Josef meets with heir

January 28, 1915

Rumors of an abdication by the Austrian emperor have been revived after the heir to the throne, Archduke Karl, had a "long interview" with Franz Josef after his return from his trip to German Military headquarters.

The New York Times reports that a dispatch to the Temps, a Parisian newspaper, from Basle, Switzerland, is connected to the rumor that the Austrian emperor will abdicate in favor of Archduke Karl, as a result of the Archduke's visit to Germany.

Pope pushing royal marriage

January 28, 1905

Pope Pius is said to be the "prime mover in the negotiations for a matrimonial alliance" between the young King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Duchess Marie Antoinette of Mecklenburg, according to a dispatch from the New York Tribune.

Duchess Marie Antoinette's parents, Duke and Duchess Paul of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  have lived very quietly in Venice for some years, settling there after their marriage, where they lived "quietly" with the Duchess Paul's widowed sister, the Countess Moncenigo.   Duchess Marie Antoinette was born in Venice.

Duchess Paul was born Princess Marie of Windisch-Graetz.  The couple has three children, who have been raised in the Roman Catholic faith.  Duke Paul converted to Roman Catholicism several years after the marriage.

Before he was elected Pope,  Pius served as the "patriarch and archbishop of Venice," and knew the family well.  He had "naturally felt drawn" toward Duke Paul and his family, as Paul had not only sacrificed his military career, which had shown "promise of great brilliancy," but also his succession rights to the Grand Ducal throne of Mecklenburg-Schwerin "for the sake of Catholic Church."

As Cardinal Sarto,  Pius acted as the family's spiritual adviser and was a "constant guest" at their home.  He knew Grand Duke Paul's children from infancy.  Duchess Marie Antoinette is said to be a "particular favorite," and he is "exceedingly anxious" to see her become Queen of Spain.

The reigning houses of Russia, Austria, and Prussia are all said to be "in favor of the match," so it is expected to be a "fait accompli."

The only drawback is that Duchess Marie Antoinette's family is not well off, and she will not bring "to her husband a dowry."

Ileana to marry German count

Count Alexander von Hochberg @NPG

January 27, 1930

The engagement of Princess Ileana of Roumania and Count Alexander von Hochberg, was confirmed today in Romanian court circles.

Count Alexander is one of three sons Prince Hans Heinrich of Pless and his former wife, the former Mary Cornwallis-West, who is better known as Princess Daisy of Pless.

An official announcement will be made next weekend when the "formal betrothal" takes place in the presence of members of the Pless princely family.

Princess Ileana is 21-years-old, and her London-born fiancé is 25.  Two days ago, Queen Marie discussed the state obligations of the marriage with Premier Maniu.  The Dowager queen said she found "her daughter's suitor an extremely sympathetic person."  She was especially pleased because of his English blood, and his mother's family is very wealthy.

She told the premier that from her standpoint "the engagement was satisfactory," and she hoped the young couple would settle in Romania.  Premier Maniu assured Queen Marie that "the government was entirely in agreement" in supporting the marriage.

There have been numerous suitors for Princess Ileana's hand, most notably King Boris III of Bulgaria.  But that match "fell through" due the "dislike of the Bulgarians for Romania. Another "unsuccessful suitor" was Ileana's first cousin, Hereditary Prince Gottfried of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. 

Count Alexander's mother, Maria Theresa Cornwallis-West, married the Prince of Pless in London on December 9, 1891.   The marriage ended in divorce in 1922.

http://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2015/01/books-by-and-about-princely-family-of.html