Wedding of Queen Victoria of The United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha were married at the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace in London, England on February 10, 1840.

Queen Victoria’s Family

Queen Victoria with her mother; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 6, 1817, a great tragedy struck the British Royal Family. Twenty-one-year-old Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only child of George, Prince of Wales, the future King George IV, died after delivering a stillborn son. At the time of her death, Charlotte, who was second in line to the throne, was the only legitimate grandchild of King George III, despite the fact that thirteen of his fifteen children were still alive. Her death left no legitimate heir in the second generation and prompted the aging sons of George III to begin a frantic search for brides to provide for the succession.

George III’s eldest son (Charlotte’s father) and his second son Frederick, Duke of York, were in loveless marriages, and their wives, both in their late forties, were not expected to produce heirs. William, Duke of Clarence, age 53, married 26-year-old Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen. 50-year-old Edward, Duke of Kent, married 32-year-old widow Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saafeld. Victoria was the sister of Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Princess Charlotte’s widower, and the future Leopold I, King of the Belgians. Twenty-one-year-old Augusta of Hesse-Kassel married 44-year-old Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge. It was then the scramble to produce an heir began.

Within a short time, the three new duchesses, along with Frederica, wife of Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, became pregnant. Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a son on March 26, 1819, and Adelaide, Duchess of Clarence had a daughter the following day. Victoria, Duchess of Kent produced a daughter on May 24, 1819, and three days later Frederica, Duchess of Cumberland had a boy. Adelaide’s daughter would have been the heir but she died in infancy. The child of the next royal duke in seniority stood to inherit the throne. This was Alexandrina Victoria, daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent and Victoria. The baby was fifth in line to the throne after her uncles George, Frederick, and William, and her father Edward.

The baby’s father, Edward, Duke of Kent died on January 23, 1820, eight months after her birth. Six days later, King George III’s death brought his eldest son to the throne as King George IV. Frederick, Duke of York, died in 1827, bringing the young princess a step closer to the throne. George IV died in 1830 and his brother William IV succeeded him. During William IV’s reign, little Drina, as she was called, was the heiress presumptive. There was always the possibility that King William IV and Queen Adelaide would still produce an heir, but it was not to be. William died on June 20, 1837, and left the throne to his 18-year-old niece, who is known to history as Queen Victoria.

Sources:
“Brewer’s British Royalty” by David Williamson
“Her Little Majesty” by Carolly Erickson
“Royal Weddings” by Dulcie M. Ashdown

Prince Albert’s Family

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Franz Albrecht August Karl Emanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, better known by his anglicized name Albert, was born at Rosenau Castle near Coburg, in the Duchy of  Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in the German state of Bavaria, on August 26, 1819. Albert was the second son of the reigning Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In 1825, the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became extinct and the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty were rearranged. Albert’s father then became the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Albert became a Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Albert’s parents had marital problems shortly after his birth. Ernst was a notorious womanizer and Louise also sought affection elsewhere. The couple separated in 1824 and divorced in 1826. After Louise’s early death from cancer in 1831, Ernest married his niece, Marie of Württemberg. Albert grew up at Rosenau Castle with Ernst, his older brother. The two brothers were complete opposites. Ernst grew up to be a womanizer like his father. Albert was serious-minded with a great love for the arts and sciences.

The Coburg family had strong ties to the British Royal Family. Albert and Ernst’s uncle Leopold had married Princess Charlotte of Wales, who died tragically in childbirth. Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, their aunt, married George III’s son, Edward, Duke of Kent, and was the mother of Princess Victoria. Augusta Reuss of Erbesdorf, the Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, grandmother of Victoria and Albert, suggested the possibility of marriage between them in a letter to her daughter Victoria, Duchess of Kent, in 1821, when the children were but two years old. Later, the idea was taken up by their uncle Leopold, who became the first King of the Belgians in 1831.

First cousins Victoria and Albert met for the first time in 1836 when Albert and Ernst visited England. Seventeen-year-old Victoria seemed instantly infatuated with Albert. She wrote to her uncle Leopold, “How delighted I am with him, and how much I like him in every way. He possesses every quality that could be desired to make me perfectly happy.”

In October 1839, Albert and Ernst again visited England, staying at Windsor Castle with Victoria, who was now Queen. On October 15, 1839, the 20-year-old monarch summoned her cousin Albert and proposed to him. Albert accepted, but wrote to his stepmother, “My future position will have its dark sides, and the sky will not always be blue and unclouded.”

Sources:
“Brewer’s British Royalty” by David Williamson
“Her Little Majesty” by Carolly Erickson
“Uncrowned King” by Stanley Weintraub
“Royal Weddings” by Dulcie M. Ashdown

The Wedding 

The wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Victoria proposed to her cousin Albert on October 15, 1839. He accepted, and the couple was married in the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace on February 10, 1840, at 1 pm. Traditionally, royal weddings took place at night, but this wedding was held during the day so the Queen’s subjects could see the couple as they traveled down The Mall from Buckingham Palace the short distance to St. James’ Palace.

WEDDING GUESTS

The Bride’s Family

  • The Dowager Duchess of Kent (Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld), the bride’s mother
  • Prince Carl, 3rd Prince of Leiningen and the Princess of Leiningen, the bride’s half-brother and his wife
  • Ernst Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Leiningen, the bride’s half-nephew
  • The Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (Princess Feodora of Leiningen) and Ernst I, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the bride’s half-sister and her husband
  • Carl Ludwig, Hereditary Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the bride’s half-nephew
  • Queen Adelaide, widow of the bride’s paternal uncle King William IV
  • Princess Augusta Sophia, the bride’s paternal aunt
  • King Ernst August and Queen Frederica of Hanover, the bride’s paternal uncle and aunt
  • George, Crown Prince of Hanover, the bride’s first cousin
  • Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex and Cecilia Underwood, 1st Duchess of Inverness, the bride’s paternal uncle and aunt
  • Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge and Duchess of Cambridge (Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel), the bride’s paternal uncle and aunt
  • Prince George of Cambridge, the bride’s first cousin
  • Princess Augusta of Cambridge, the bride’s first cousin
  • Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, the bride’s first cousin
  • Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, the bride’s paternal aunt
  • Princess Sophia, the bride’s paternal aunt

The Groom’s Family

(Note: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins.  Victoria’s mother and Albert’s father were siblings and so they share Saxe-Coburg-Gotha first cousins, aunts, and uncles)

  • Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his second wife Marie of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the groom’s father and stepmother, and the bride’s maternal uncle and aunt
  • Ernst, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the groom’s brother, and the bride’s first cousin
  • Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia (Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld), the groom’s paternal aunt, and the bride’s maternal aunt
  • Prince Ferdinand and Princess Maria Antonia of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, the groom’s paternal uncle and aunt, and the bride’s maternal uncle and aunt
  • King Consort Ferdinand (Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry) and Queen Maria II of Portugal, the groom and bride’s first cousin and his wife
  • Prince August and Princess Clémentine of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry (Princess Clémentine of Orléans), the groom and bride’s first cousin and his wife
  • Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, the groom and bride’s first cousin
  • Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, the groom and bride’s first cousin
  • King Leopold I (Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld) and Queen Louise-Marie of the Belgians (Princess Louise-Marie of Orléans), the groom’s paternal uncle and aunt, and the bride’s maternal uncle and aunt
  • Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant, the groom and bride’s first cousin
  • Prince Philippe of Belgium, the groom and bride’s cousin
  • The Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (Princess Karoline Amalie of Hesse-Kassel), the groom’s maternal step-grandmother

Wedding Attire

Victoria’s Wedding Dress; Credit – Wikipedia

Bridesmaid’s Dress; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Albert wore the uniform of a British field marshal, over which hung the collar of the Order of the Garter, an honor that had recently been bestowed on him by Victoria. Victoria’s wedding dress was of rich white satin, trimmed with orange flower blossoms. On her head, she wore a wreath of the same flowers, over which was a veil of Honiton lace. She wore her Turkish diamond necklace and earrings and Albert’s wedding present of a sapphire brooch.

While Queen Victoria may have popularized the white wedding dress, she was not the first royal bride to wear one. Documentation from the 1406 wedding of Philippa of England, daughter of King Henry IV of England, and Eric of Pomerania, King of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway indicates that Philippa wore a tunic and cloak in white silk bordered with gray squirrel and ermine, making her the first documented princess to wear a white wedding dress. In 1558, when Mary, Queen of Scots married the first of her three husbands, the future (and short-reigned) François II, King of France, she also wore white defying the tradition that white was the color of mourning for Queens of France.

Bridesmaids

The twelve bridesmaids, all daughters of peers of the realm, were simply dressed in tulle and white roses. Each bridesmaid received a gold brooch in the shape of an eagle covered in turquoise, rubies, and pearls with a diamond beak, designed by Victoria herself.

  • Lady Mary Howard, daughter of Henry Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk
  • Lady Caroline Gordon-Lennox, daughter of Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond
  • Lady Adelaide Paget, daughter of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
  • Lady Eleanora Paget, granddaughter of Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
  • Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle
  • Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope, daughter of Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl Stanhope
  • Lady Sarah Villiers, daughter of George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey
  • Lady Elizabeth Sackville-West, daughter of George Sackville-West, 5th Earl de la Warr
  • Lady Ida Hay, daughter of William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll
  • Lady Frances Cowper, daughter of Peter Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper
  • Lady Mary Grimston, daughter of James Grimston, 1st Earl of Verulam
  • Lady Jane Pleydell-Bouverie, daughter of William Pleydell-Bouverie, 3rd Earl of Radnor

The simple ceremony took place at the altar and was performed by William Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward Venables-Vernon, Archbishop of York, and Charles James Blomfield, Bishop of London. There had been no rehearsal and the chapel was really too small for the large wedding party. The bridesmaids stepped on each other’s dresses and kicked each other’s heels. At times it appeared Albert was not quite sure what he should be doing, and he seemed rather awkward and embarrassed.

After the Wedding

The Wedding Cake; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Following the ceremony, the couple returned to Buckingham Palace for a wedding breakfast. Hundreds of wedding cakes were distributed, mainly to members of the royal family. The main wedding cake was more than nine feet in diameter, but only sixteen inches high. This remarkable piece of Victoriana consisted of Britannia gazing at the royal couple while they pledged their vows at the top of the cake. At their feet were two turtledoves and a dog. The letters “V & A” were visible as well as Cupid writing the date of the wedding on his tablet.

After the wedding breakfast, the couple changed into their traveling outfits. Prince Albert wore a dark suit, while Victoria was attired in a white satin cloak trimmed with swansdown, and a textured white velvet bonnet with plumes of feathers and a deep fall of Brussels point lace. They set off for Windsor Castle, where they spent their two-day honeymoon.

Sources:
“Victoria & Albert: A Family Life at Osborne House” by The Duchess of York
“Prince Albert: A Biography” by Robert Rhodes James
“Queen Victoria” by Cecil Woodham-Smith
Wikipedia: Wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

The Honeymoon

View from Coopers Hill, with Runnemede and Windsor Castle, engraved by E. Radclyffe after a picture by Thomas Allom, published 1842; Credit -Wikipedia

Newlyweds Victoria and Albert set off in a coach for Windsor Castle for a short honeymoon. There were so many well-wishers along the route that their arrival at Windsor was delayed. Victoria had a “sick headache” and had to lie down on a sofa. Despite this, she described her wedding night as “bliss beyond belief” and confided to her diary, “we did not sleep much.”

Anna Russell, The Duchess of Bedford, one of Victoria’s Ladies of the Bedchamber, observed that Albert seemed to be “not a bit” in love with Victoria and gave the impression of “not being happy.” He spent the afternoon lying down recovering from the previous day’s and night’s activities. After a very short stay at Windsor Castle, the couple returned to London where Victoria resumed her duties.

Sources:
“Brewer’s British Royalty” by David Williamson
“Her Little Majesty” by Carolly Erickson
“Uncrowned King” by Stanley Weintraub

Children of Victoria and Albert

Carte-de-visite photomontage, circa 1861 by John Mayall; Credit- Wikipedia

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had nine children.

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Victoria’s Children and Grandchildren

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Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Consort

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

NPG x24138; Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha by Vernon Heath, printed and published by Samuel E. Poulton

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha by Vernon Heath, published by Samuel E. Poulton, albumen carte-de-visite, 1861 NPG x24138 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The husband of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Prince Franz Albrecht August Karl Emanuel of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, better known by his anglicized name Albert, was born at Rosenau Castle near Coburg, in the Duchy of  Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, now in the German state of Bavaria, on August 26, 1819. Albert was the second of the two sons of the reigning Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. In 1825, the House of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg became extinct and the Saxon Duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin Dynasty were rearranged. Albert’s father then became the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Albert became a Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Albert was christened with the German names Franz Albrecht August Karl Emanuel but was called Albrecht, Albert in English. His godparents were:

Albert had one brother who was fourteen months older:

Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, with her children, Albert and Ernst; Credit – Wikipedia

Since Albert and Ernst were close in age, they were also close companions during their childhood. However, their childhood was marred by their parents’ disastrous marriage, separation, and divorce. Albert’s mother and father, who were seventeen years apart in age, were very different and drifted apart soon after Albert’s birth. Albert’s father was a notorious womanizer and as a result, his young wife Louise sought consolation with Baron Alexander von Hanstein, the Duke’s equerry. Louise was exiled from court in 1824 and divorced in March 1826. Seven months later, Louise secretly married von Hanstein. She died in 1831 at the age of 30 from cancer of the uterus. After Louise’s exile from court in 1824, she probably never saw her sons again. In 1831, the Duke married again to Duchess Marie of Württemberg, his niece, the daughter of his sister Antoinette. The Duke and Marie had no children, but Marie had a good relationship with her stepsons, also her first cousins, and maintained a correspondence with Albert throughout their lives.

Albert was first educated at home by a caring tutor, Johann Christoph Florschütz, who had a lifelong correspondence with Albert. Albert then studied with private tutors in Brussels, Belgium, where his paternal uncle was King Leopold I of the Belgians. He then studied at the University of Bonn, which many German princes attended. While at the University of Bonn, Albert studied law, political economy, philosophy, and art history. In his free time, he played music and excelled in gymnastics, fencing, and riding.

The Coburg family had strong ties to the British royal family. Albert’s uncle Leopold (the previously mentioned King of the Belgians) had married Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only child of King George IV, who had died in childbirth. His aunt Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld had married King George III’s son, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and was the mother of the future Queen Victoria. Plans for a possible marriage between first cousins Victoria and Albert had first been mentioned by their grandmother the Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg in letters to her daughter the Duchess of Kent in 1821. The idea was later taken up by their uncle Leopold.

In 1836, the cousins met for the first time when Ernst and Albert were taken by their father on a visit to England. Seventeen-year-old Victoria seemed instantly infatuated with Albert. She wrote to her uncle Leopold, “How delighted I am with him, and how much I like him in every way. He possesses every quality that could be desired to make me perfectly happy.” In October of 1839, Albert and Ernst again visited England, staying at Windsor Castle with Victoria, who was now Queen. On October 15, 1839, the 20-year-old monarch summoned her cousin Albert and proposed to him. Albert accepted, but wrote to his stepmother Marie, “My future position will have its dark sides, and the sky will not always be blue and unclouded.” The couple was married in the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace on February 10, 1840, at 1 p.m. Traditionally, royal weddings took place at night, but this wedding was held during the day so the Queen’s subjects could see the couple as they traveled down The Mall from Buckingham Palace.

NPG D11227; The Bridal Morn (Queen Victoria; Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) by Samuel William Reynolds Jr, after Frederick William Lock

The Bridal Morn (Queen Victoria; Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) by Samuel William Reynolds Jr, after Frederick William Lock, mezzotint, published 1844 NPG D11227 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Shortly after his marriage, Albert wrote to a friend, “I am only the husband and not the master in my house.” Albert was expected to be ready at a moment’s notice to go to his new wife to read aloud, play the piano, be petted, or blot her signature. Victoria was delighted to parade Albert before her court and, as she confided to her diary, to have him put her stockings on her feet. During Victoria’s early pregnancies, Albert showed a talent for diplomatic dealings with her ministers and an ability to understand complex government documents. Soon Albert was dealing with more and more of Victoria’s governmental duties and they worked with their desks side-by-side. As Albert’s influence over Victoria grew, she began to defer to him on every issue.

Victoria was quite temperamental and had a strong sexuality which Albert apparently met, as evidenced by the birth of nine children. Albert was somewhat prudish and his high moral standards would never allow extramarital affairs. He found marriage to Victoria a full-time job which exhausted him physically and mentally. Victoria rewarded Albert by creating him Prince Consort in 1857.

All of Victoria and Albert’s nine children grew to adulthood. However, their youngest son, Leopold, was afflicted with the genetic blood clotting disease hemophilia and two of their daughters, Alice and Beatrice, were hemophilia carriers.

Albert and Victoria had nine children:

Victoria and Albert’s children and grandchildren married into other European royal families giving Victoria the unofficial title of “Grandmother of Europe.” Their grandchildren sat upon the thrones of Germany/Prussia, Greece, Norway, Romania, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom as monarchs or consorts. Through these marriages, Victoria and Albert’s daughters and granddaughters transmitted the genetic disease hemophilia to other royal families. Victoria and Albert’s descendants currently sit upon the thrones of Denmark, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Victoria and Albert and their nine children in 1857; Credit – Wikipedia

Victoria and Albert, whose primary residences were Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, felt they needed residences of their very own. Albert’s architectural talents are evident in the seaside Italian-style palace Osborne House on the Isle of Wight and in Balmoral, a castle in the Scottish highlands. Osborne and Balmoral became their favorite homes. Following Victoria’s death, Osborne was given to the state and served as a Royal Navy training college from 1903-1921. Today it is open to the public as a home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Balmoral Castle remains the private property of the monarch and is used by the British Royal Family for their summer holidays.

Balmoral Castle; Credit – By Stuart Yeates from Oxford, UK – Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=728182

Besides helping Victoria privately with her paperwork, Prince Albert took on several public roles. He became President of the Society for the Extinction of Slavery. Slavery had already been abolished throughout the British Empire but was still legal in many places including the United States and the French colonies. After being appointed Chancellor of Cambridge University, Albert had the curriculum modified to include modern history and the natural sciences in addition to the traditional mathematics and classics.

Albert’s interest in applying science and art to the manufacturing industry led to the Great Exhibition of 1851.  Prince Albert and Sir Henry Cole, a civil servant and an inventor, organized the exhibition. In the wake of the Industrial Revolution, the exhibition allowed countries to show their modern and technological achievements. Queen Victoria opened the exhibition in a specially designed glass building known as the Crystal Palace on May 1, 1851. It was a huge success and a surplus of £180,000 was used to purchase land in South Kensington, London on which was established educational and cultural institutions, including what would later be the Victoria and Albert Museum.

NPG D16397; The Great Industrial Exhibition of 1851. Plate 2. The Foreign Nave by Joseph Nash

The Great Industrial Exhibition of 1851. Plate 2. The Foreign Nave by Joseph Nash, hand-coloured lithograph, published 1851, NPG D16397 © National Portrait Gallery, London

After years of mismanagement by the previous Hanover monarchs, Albert managed to modernize the royal finances and investments, and under his watch, the revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall, the hereditary property of the Prince of Wales, steadily increased. Today’s British royal family can thank Prince Albert for their financial situation.

On March 16, 1861, Queen Victoria’s mother died. Because of Victoria’s grief, Albert took over many of her duties although he was chronically suffering from stomach problems. In the fall, Victoria and Albert learned that their 20-year-old eldest son Bertie (the future King Edward VII) was having an affair with an Irish actress. Devastated by this news, Albert traveled to Cambridge to discuss the matter with his son. On November 25, 1861, the two walked together in the pouring rain while Albert explained how horrified he and the Queen felt about the situation. Victoria later blamed her son for Albert’s final illness – “That boy…I never can, or ever shall look at him without a shudder.”

When Albert returned to Windsor Castle, he complained of shoulder, leg, back, and stomach pain and could not eat or sleep. He was examined by doctors who assured Victoria that Albert would be better in two or three days. Even while Albert was feeling ill, he was still working. When the Trent Affair, the forcible removal of Confederate diplomats from a British ship by Union forces during the American Civil War, threatened war between the United States and the United Kingdom, Albert intervened on November 30, 1861, to soften the British diplomatic response. His action probably prevented war between the United States and the United Kingdom.

However, Albert’s condition continued to worsen. Victoria continued to hope for a recovery, but finally, on December 11, the doctors told her the dismal prognosis. At 10:50 PM on December 14, 1861, Albert died in the presence of his wife and five of their nine children.

Sir William Jenner, one of Prince Albert’s doctors, diagnosed his final illness as typhoid fever, but Albert’s modern biographers have argued that the diagnosis is incorrect. Albert had been complaining of stomach pains for two years and this may indicate that he died of some chronic disease, perhaps complications from Crohn’s disease, kidney failure, or cancer.

L0021975 The last moments of HRH the Prince Consort.

The last moments of HRH the Prince Consort, Credit: Wellcome Library, London

Left a widow with nine children at the age of 42, the Queen’s grief was immense. She withdrew from public life and wore black for the 40 years that she survived Albert. The Blue Room in Windsor Castle where Albert had died was kept as it had been when he was alive, complete with hot water brought in the morning, and linen and towels changed daily.  Queen Victoria’s family called December 14 “Mausoleum Day”. They were expected to attend the annual memorial service in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore where Albert was buried. After her death on January 22, 1901, at the age of 81, Victoria was interred alongside her beloved Albert in the Royal Mausoleum.

Sarcophagus of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore, Credit – www.findagrave.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

House of Hanover and Queen Victoria Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wedding of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Henri de Laborde de Monpezat

by Emily McMahon  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Princess Margrethe of Denmark (the future Queen Margrethe II of Denmark) and Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat were married on June 10, 1967, at Holmens Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark. Each video below is between four and seven minutes.

Margrethe’s Early Life

Margrethe (right) with her sister Benedikte, c. 1946. Credit: nordic-aputsiaq.blogspot.com

Margrethe Alexandrine Thorhildur Ingrid was born at Copenhagen’s Amalienborg Palace on April 16, 1940, the eldest of three daughters of King Frederik IX of Denmark and his Swedish wife, Ingrid. Named for her deceased maternal grandmother, Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden, Margrethe was also the name of the first queen regnant of Denmark and engineer of the long-running Kalmar Union. Young Margrethe also carried the names of her paternal grandmother, mother, and, uniquely, an Icelandic name. As she was born just a week after the German invasion of Denmark during World War II, Margrethe was known from birth as “the ray of sunshine in occupied Denmark.”

After it became clear that Ingrid and Frederik would not have a son, preparations were made to enable Margrethe to rule Denmark after her father. The 1953 Danish Act of Succession allowed daughters to succeed to the throne in the absence of direct male heirs. Although Margrethe was released from school the day the act was passed to celebrate, Ingrid was required to phone her daughter’s teacher to request permission.

Margrethe attended the North Foreland Lodge (a girls’ boarding school) in Hampshire, England, for a year. Her parents purposely selected a school that catered to the middle class so Margrethe would spend time with ordinary girls. Margarethe had a varied experience in higher education, studying at Girton College at Cambridge University, Aarhus University, the Sorbonne, the London School of Economics, and the University of Copenhagen. Margrethe later said on several occasions that she particularly enjoyed the anonymity that came with studying outside of Denmark.

A gifted linguist, Margrethe became fluent in Danish, Swedish, French, German, and English. On a visit to the Faroe Islands, Margrethe was even able to converse in decent Faroese. She also enjoyed cooking – which she often did herself as a student – but lamented that she had little time to devote to it. Margrethe also enjoyed visual art, and her paintings, drawings, and costumes would later be used and displayed in various exhibitions and productions after she became queen.

Although she studied a variety of subjects, Margrethe was always drawn to archeology. She developed a love of the discipline from a young age, possibly because her maternal grandfather Gustav VI of Sweden taking her along on expeditions in Italy when she was a child. Before she became queen, Margrethe had assisted on expeditions in Thailand, Egypt, and Sudan.

Margrethe also served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Corps in her young adulthood, where she became an able markswoman. She also took lessons in jiu-jitsu and judo and excelled at the high jump, swimming, and tennis. Shortly after her 18th birthday in 1958, Margrethe began serving as regent during her father’s occasional absences from Denmark. She attended her first opening of the Danish Parliament in October 1958.

For more information about Margrethe see:

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Margrethe II

Henri’s Early Life

Margrethe, Henrik, Mary, and Frederik in front of Henrik’s childhood home in Hanoi, Vietnam

Henri was born on June 11, 1934, in Talence, France. His parents, Count André de Laborde de Monpezat and Renee Doursenot, were members of the French nobility. Renee had previously been civilly married to another man before her marriage to Andre; her first marriage allowed Renee to marry Andre religiously in 1934, but the couple did not marry civilly until 1948. Henri had six siblings, including a sister who died in childhood.

Henri began his education at home with a private tutor and continuinued his education at a Jesuit school in Bordeaux, France. Henri spent several years of his childhood in Vietnam, then under French control, where his father ran a newspaper. He attended a French school in Hanoi, where he took interest in Vietnamese and Chinese languages.

Henri’s love for Southeast Asia continued into his adolescence and adulthood, as he continued his education at schools in Saigon and Hong Kong. Henri studied political science at the Sorbonne, as his wife did years later. He also studied at Paris University, earning a master’s degree in French literature. Henri was awarded a diploma in Oriental languages from Ecole Nationale de Langues Oriental before serving in the French military in Algeria.

After his time in the military, Henri entered the French foreign services. In 1963, he began working at the French embassy in London. At the time he met Margrethe, Henri was working as the third secretary in the Department of Oriental Affairs at the embassy.

Henri’s developed a wide variety of interests ranging from flying planes to collecting Chinese porcelain to sailing. Like his future wife, Henri was multi-lingual from early on. In addition to French, Danish, and English, Henri speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese.

For more information about Henrik see:

Unofficial Royalty: Prince Henrik of Denmark

“He came, he saw, you conquered.”

Henri and Margrethe, c. 1966. Photo credit: bimg.dk

When asked once by a journalist as a young woman when she would find her husband, the amused Margrethe replied, “Wouldn’t it be fairer to ask when will he be finding me?” Margrethe had no way of knowing that her husband would indeed find her rather than the other way around. Before her engagement, Margrethe also confirmed during an interview with the press that the Danish constitution would not have to be amended if she were to marry a commoner.

While studying at the London School of Economics in 1965, Margrethe was invited to a dinner at the French embassy. As an employee of the embassy at the time, Henri was expected to attend but was ambivalent about meeting the Danish princess by whom he was to be seated. Henri later said that to his surprise he found Margrethe interesting from their first meeting, but was a bit intimidated by her and said little during the dinner as a result. Margrethe said she had no real impression of Henri from their first meeting.

Margrethe and Henri were both guests at a wedding shortly after the first dinner. The two chatted at the wedding reception and on the plane ride back to London, as they were seated together once again. Upon their return to London, Margrethe and Henri gradually began seeing more and more – and growing mutually fonder – of one another.

The couple kept a low profile for more than a year, made easier by Margrethe’s anonymity in Britain. The couple was so private that upon the news that an engagement announcement was imminent, most Danes had no idea their princess had been exclusively dating anyone. Frederik was later to say to his daughter of her courtship with Henri, “He came, he saw, and you conquered.”

The Engagement

Henri and Margrethe on the balcony of Amalienborg Palace when their engagement was announced. Photo credit: dr.dk

Margrethe received from Henri a Van Cleef and Arpels engagement ring featuring two large square-cut diamonds set at a diagonal. Set on a yellow gold band, the diamonds were said to be six karats each.

On October 4, 1966,  the Danish Parliament gave their approval of the marriage. It was noted that even the Socialist members consented to the marriage with the message that this did not indicate their approval of the monarchy in general. Upon approval of the marriage by Parliament, Danish Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag wished the couple luck and a happy marriage on behalf of the public.

The following morning, King Frederik VIII formally asked the State Council for approval of the marriage of the heir to the throne. The approval was granted as expected. Henri and Margrethe took a group photo with Frederik and members of the State Council following the decision.

In celebration of parliamentary and state council approval of their marriage, Margrethe and Henri appeared on the balcony at Amalienborg with both sets of parents. A crowd of 5,000 happy Danes had gathered to cheer for the couple. Margrethe told that crowd that she and Henri “shall never forget this day,” while Henri expressed his appreciation in Danish with the words, “Thank you a thousand times.”

After the balcony appearance, Frederik drove his daughter and her fiancé around Copenhagen in an open car to wave at the spectators. The trip ended at Fredensborg Palace, where lunch and a press conference were held. During the press conference, Henri repeated his thanks to the Danish people, remarking that he planned to become one “hundred percent Dane” following his marriage. A banquet for the families and government officials was held that same evening, along with a private orchestra performance. King Frederik VIII, an able conductor, conducted the performance which was later broadcast on Danish radio.

Wedding Preparations

Margrethe and Henri during their engagement. Photo credit: newroyaldaydiscussion.blogspot.com

When the engagement was initially announced, it was speculated the wedding would take place on May 24, the wedding anniversary of Margrethe’s parents. The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place on May 25, 1967, but was later postponed to June 10, 1967, due to Margrethe’s sister Anne Marie’s pregnancy. Anne Marie gave birth to Crown Prince Pavlos on May 20. The religious ceremony was scheduled to take place at Holmens Kirke in Copenhagen, which was at one time a naval blacksmith’s workshop. Margrethe was also baptized at Holmens Kirke.

Erik Jenson, Bishop of Aalborg, would conduct the religious service. Bishop Jenson also formally received Henri into the Danish Folk (Lutheran) Church. Following the wedding, Henri would now be known by the Danish version of his name (Henrik) and convert from Roman Catholicism to the Danish Folk Church.

On Margrethe’s insistence, there would be no special ceremonies at the church marking a royal wedding. The ceremony would last approximately 20 minutes and consist of the same rites and practices as any other Danish wedding. When asked if Henri would say his vows in French, Bishop Jensen replied that as this would be a Danish wedding, all vows would be said in Danish.

Arrangements for twelve days of receptions, galas, tours of Copenhagen, and theater performances were made for guests. The wedding was paid for entirely by the royal family and private donations. Preparations were made to televise the wedding – a somewhat new phenomenon – in Denmark, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, and Norway.

Although Margrethe’s and Henri’s pairing attracted little controversy in Denmark, the European anti-royalist Provos threatened to throw ketchup at the royal coach during the processional and release mice in the church. The group had also been responsible for numerous demonstrations, fights, and had thrown smoke bombs during the wedding of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands in 1966. Additional police officers from around Denmark were brought to the capital to assist with security.

Festivities in Copenhagen and the Bornholm Deer

In the weeks of early wedding planning, the residents of the Danish island of Bornholm contacted Frederik with a unique proposal to feed the guests at the upcoming wedding. At the time, the island had a considerable overpopulation of deer. In hopes of reducing the herd, the islanders proposed that the wedding menu include venison and invited Frederik (an avid hunter) and his entourage to the island. Frederik took up the Bornholm residents’ offer and in a few days’ time was able to kill enough deer to feed several hundred guests.

Henri arrived in Copenhagen at the end of May in preparation for the wedding celebrations. Like her mother had done before her marriage to Frederik, Margrethe drove to the airport and picked up her fiancé on her own. The couple and the Danish royal family attended a banquet that evening with various diplomats attending the wedding. During the first few days after Henri’s arrival, Margrethe and Henri attended numerous sporting events, concerts, and a special reception was held to thank those who helped with the wedding arrangement, planning, and decoration. Henri also quietly converted from Roman Catholicism to the Danish Lutheran Evangelical Church during this time.

The wedding coincided with Copenhagen’s 800th-anniversary celebrations, making the decorations all the more festive. The streets of Copenhagen were decorated with flowers and Danish and French flags. Crowds followed Margrethe and Henri at nearly every stop and event celebrating the coming wedding.

Henri, Margrethe, and the King and Queen attended a reception at the Copenhagen City Hall the day before the wedding. Copenhagen Mayor Urban Hansen and other city officials toasted the couple and wished them a happy marriage before presenting Henri and Margrethe with a set of china.

Before boarding the Danish royal yacht (the Dannebrog) for a tour of the Copenhagen harbor, Henri addressed a crowd of several thousand Danes who had gathered to watch the event. Speaking in Danish, Henri gave his appreciation to the Danish public for their kind reception and well-wishes. The speech was broadcast in Denmark by radio and television. The Dannebrog was flanked by not only several Danish Royal Navy ships but a few Swedish and Norwegian vessels as well. Several Royal Danish Air Force planes flew over as the couple cruised the harbor, their trails spelling out Henri’s and Margrethe’s initials.

King Frederik and Queen Ingrid held events in celebration of the couple nearly every night in the week preceding the wedding. The Copenhagen Royal Theater also gave a special performance to entertain visiting royal guests, in which Frederik and Ingrid lent their theater box to their daughter and her fiance. Additional events included a ball at the French Embassy and a dinner and dance at Fredensborg for the couple and their close friends.

Margrethe’s sister Benedikte and her fiancé, Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, greeted most of the royal guests at the airport. Many of the royal guests stayed at Fredensborg Palace (the summer residence of the royal family), or at Storekro, north of the city.

The Wedding Ceremony

 

The wedding was held in the late afternoon of June 10, 1967, with the majority of wedding guests leaving Amalienborg between 3:30 and 4:30. The wedding procession started at Amalienborg Palace and stretched all the way to Holmens Kirke. Two thousand police officers were assigned to watch the streets along the procession out of concern for anti-royalist protests. Crowds lined the streets of the entire parade route as royal hussars led Margrethe and Frederik, who were traveling in a state coach. Father and daughter waved to the crowd as they passed.

Upon arrival at Holmens Kirke, Margrethe was helped out and her train and veil straightened by her bridesmaids. Margrethe and her father entered to the song “Sicut Cervus,” a sixteenth-century hymn of Psalm 42. Henri smiled as Frederik led his eldest daughter down the aisle of Holmens Kirke, which had been decorated with white and purple bouquets of flowers.

When she reached the altar, Margrethe leaned in as Henri planted a kiss on her cheek. The ceremony was brief for a royal wedding, but typical for such services in the Danish Lutheran Evangelical Church. Along with the couple’s exchange of vows and a sermon, the congregation sang two hymns. Margrethe admired the ring after Henri placed it on her finger, then turned around to give a smile to her parents.

As the wedding ceremony ended, the new couple turned to bow and curtsey to the King and Queen as the bridesmaids again straightened Margrethe’s train and dress. Margrethe and Henri exited the church to “Toccata from Symphony No. 5” amid a 21-gun cannon salute, crowds of spectators throwing confetti and rice, and the bells of Holmens Kirke ringing around them. A 252-gun salute was fired at the close of the service, accompanied by a group of jets forming the letters “M” and “H” in the sky over Copenhagen. Margrethe gave Henri a daisy from her bouquet as the couple climbed into the coach to head to Amalienborg.

The Wedding Attire

Margrethe (and her long train!) with Henri on their wedding day. Photo credit: orderofsplendor.blogspot.com

Margrethe’s dress was designed by Danish dressmaker Jørgen Bender, who was well-known in the Danish royal court. The close-fitting, long-sleeved white silk gown featured a square neckline and deep pleats at the hips, creating a flared skirt. On the front of the dress was a piece of heirloom lace that had originally belonged to Margrethe’s grandmother, Margaret of Connaught, the former Crown Princess of Sweden. The 20-foot silk train of the dress fell from Margrethe’s shoulders and featured squared corners similar to the collar.

On the bodice of her dress, Margrethe also wore another favorite from her mother’s family – the diamond daisy brooch. A nod to Queen Ingrid’s mother (the British Princess Margaret of Connaught, also known as Daisy), this brooch had also been worn by Ingrid on her own wedding day in 1935, a wedding gift from her father. The bridesmaids wore circlets of daisies in their hair, and daisies were the prominent flowers in Margrethe’s bouquet, along with stephanotis.

For her tiara, Margrethe chose the tiara worn by her mother on her wedding day, the Khedive of Egypt Tiara. The Cartier-designed tiara was given to Margrethe’s grandmother Margaret in 1905 as a wedding gift from the Khedive of Egypt. It features numerous diamond laurel leaf swirls anchored at seven peaks with larger diamonds. The Khedive tiara has subsequently been worn by all of Queen Ingrid’s married female descendants on their special days. Attached to the tiara was the veil of point de Venise lace that had also been handed down from Margaret to Ingrid to Margrethe.

Henri wore a classic bridegroom’s attire featuring a black morning coat with cutaways, matching trousers, and a white straight-end bowtie. He also wore the light blue sash and star of the Order of the Elephant, the highest order in Denmark. Henri received the order on the day of the wedding.

After the Ceremony

Henri and Margrethe, dancing their first waltz at the reception. Photo credit: orderofsplendor.blogspot.com

Margrethe and Henri rode in the carriage through Copenhagen, accompanied by 44 mounted hussars. The new couple waved to the crowds flanking the streets along the route, just as the bride and her father had done during the processional. During the recessional, a hussar accompanying the couple was thrown to the ground after his horse bolted, but he was not seriously injured.

The couple appeared on a balcony at Amalienborg Palace with their parents to wave to the crowd of 25,000 below. Frederik thanked the spectators for their enthusiasm and gave his congratulations to the new couple. As Margrethe began to address the spectators, she was overcome with emotion and left the balcony in tears.

A garden reception was held for 400 guests in a pavilion in the courtyard of nearby Fredensborg Palace. The candlelight reception featured a five-course dinner – including the Bornholm venison – catered by the Kesby family of the Richmond Hotel. At the reception, Henri gave a speech to the bride and her family in Danish, again indicating his love for his new wife and adopted country as well as his intention to serve Denmark to the best of his ability. This marked the first public occasion that Henri gave a lengthy speech in his new language.

The bride and groom began the wedding ball by performing their first dance as a married couple, a waltz. After several hours of dancing and talking among their guests, Henri and Margrethe changed to more comfortable going-away attire. The couple said goodbye to their families in the early hours of June 11, boarding the Dannebrog to begin their honeymoon.

The couple honeymooned on the Mexican island of Cozumel, spending part of their time in a villa owned by former Mexican president Adolfo Lopez Mateos. Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands had stayed at the villa during their honeymoon the previous year.

Wedding Guests and Attendants

Margrethe and Henri with their wedding party and royal guests. Photo credit: orderofsplendor.blogspot.com

The wedding was attended by 900 guests, many whom were royal and prestigious, including three kings, two queens, fourteen princesses, and thirteen princes from around Europe.

One of the most notable absences was King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie (Margrethe’s youngest sister) of Greece. 1967 was the year of a coup d’etat in Greece, leaving the family more or less in captivity and unable to travel to Denmark. It was initially believed that Anne-Marie would be allowed to attend alone while the Danish government advised Constantine not to attend, but in the end, neither made it to the celebrations. Ingrid, upset that her youngest daughter and her family would not be present, put up numerous pictures of the couple and their children around the palace during the reception.

The couple had four young teenage girls serve as bridesmaids. The bridesmaids were Kristin Dahl, Countess Desiree of Rosenborg (daughter of Count Flemming), Anne Oxholm Tillisch, and Carina Oxholm Tillisch. Each of the bridesmaids wore short-sleeved blue dresses with circlets of daisies in their hair.

Notable guests included:

  • King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark
  • King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden
  • King Olav of Norway
  • Princess Sibylla of Sweden
  • Crown Prince Harald of Norway
  • Count and Countess Carl Johan Bernadotte
  • Prince Bertil of Sweden
  • Count Sigvard and Countess Marianne Bernadotte
  • Princess Margaretha of Denmark
  • Prince Knud and Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark
  • Princess Elisabeth of Denmark
  • Prince Ingolf of Denmark
  • Count Christian and Countess Alexandra of Rosenborg
  • Prince Viggo of Denmark
  • Prince George and Princess Anne of Denmark
  • Prince Rene and Princess Margrethe of Bourbon-Parma
  • Prince Gorm of Denmark
  • Count Fleming and Countess Ruth of Rosenborg
  • Crown Prince Carl Gustav of Sweden
  • Princess Christina of Sweden
  • Princess Brigitta of Sweden and Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern
  • Princess Margaretha of Sweden and John Ambler
  • Princess Desiree of Sweden and Baron Niclas Silfverschiold
  • King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium
  • Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands
  • Crown Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands
  • Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg
  • Prince Louis Ferdinand and Princess Kira of Prussia
  • Duke Christian and Duchess Barbara of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
  • Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (the British royal representative)
  • President Urho Kekkonen of Finland
  • President Ásgeir Ásgeirsson of Iceland
  • Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Princess Benedikte of Denmark
  • Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia of the Asturias
  • Princess Tatiana Radziwill and Jean Fruchaud
  • Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar (cousin of Queen Ingrid)
  • Francoise Bardin (sister of Henri)
  • Countess Catherine de Laborde de Monpezat
  • Countess Maurille de Laborde de Monpezat
  • Count Etienne de Laborde de Monpezat
  • Count Jean-Baptiste de Laborde de Monpezat

Children

Embed from Getty Images 
Margrethe and Henrik with their two sons

Margrethe and Henrik had two sons:

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Wedding of King Abdullah II of Jordan and Rania al-Yassin

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Abdullah II of Jordan, then Prince Abdullah of Jordan, and Rania al-Yassin were married on June 10, 1993, at the Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan.

Photo Credit – The Royal Hashemite Court

King Abdullah II of Jordan’s Background

Abdullah with his father King Hussein I of Jordan; Credit – The Royal Hashemite Court

King Abdullah II of Jordan was born January 30, 1962, in Amman, Jordan, the eldest son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his second wife, British-born Antoinette Gardiner, known as Princess Muna. Abdullah has eleven siblings from his father’s four marriages. At the time of his birth, Abdullah was Crown Prince and heir-apparent to the Jordanian throne. However, in 1965, due to the political unrest in the region, King Hussein instead named his brother Prince Hassan as Crown Prince. The succession laws in Jordan follow agnatic primogeniture but King Hussein had the constitution changed to allow the reigning King to override the usual line of succession and appoint someone else in the royal family as his heir.

Abdullah began his education at the Islamic Educational College in Amman, Jordan before attending St Edmund’s School in Hindhead, Surrey, England and the Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts in the United States. He then enrolled in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in 1981. He served in the British Army in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars Regiment as a reconnaissance troop leader. He returned to Jordan in 1985 and began serving in the Jordanian Armed Forces. By 1993, he had become Commander of the Jordanian Special Forces, and by 1998, had risen to the rank of Major General.

On February 7, 1999, Abdullah became King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan upon the death of his father King Hussein. Just two weeks earlier, King Hussein had stripped his brother Prince Hassan of the title of Crown Prince and named Abdullah as his successor.

Unofficial Royalty: King Abdullah II of Jordan

Rania al-Yassin’s Background

Rania receiving her degree from the American University in Cairo in 1991; Photo Credit – Huffington Post

Rania al-Yassin was born on August 31, 1970, in Kuwait, to Faisal Sedki Al-Yassin and his wife Ilham. Following her primary and secondary education at the New English School in Jabriya, Kuwait, Rania attended The American University in Cairo, Egypt, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She then attended The School of Business Studies in Geneva Switzerland, earning a post-graduate diploma in Business Management. She worked for a while at Citibank, before taking a job with Apple, Inc. in Jordan.

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Rania of Jordan

The Engagement

Photo Credit – The Royal Hashemite Court

In January 1993, a friend of Rania took her to a dinner party hosted by Prince Abdullah’s sister. “The minute Rania walked in, I knew it right there and then,” said Abdullah in a 2005 interview with People magazine. “It was love at first sight.” A whirlwind courtship began. Abdullah took Rania on motorbike rides across the desert, waterskiing on the Red Sea, and flying in helicopters. After a courtship of just two months, King Hussein reportedly drove his son to the home of Rania’s parents so Abdullah could propose. With King Hussein and her family looking on, Rania accepted.

The Wedding

Zahran Palace; Photo Credit – The Royal Hashemite Court

Abdullah and Rania were married on June 10, 1993, at the Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan. Zahran Palace, built in 1957, has become the headquarters for official events involving the Jordanian Royal Family. The wedding day was a national holiday. At the time, Prince Abdullah was not Jordan’s crown prince. That title was held by King Hussein’s brother Prince Hassan. Still, as the oldest son of King Hussein’s twelve children, Abdullah’s marriage was a grand state occasion and a glittering affair with royalty flying in from around the world to attend.

Rania chose British designer Bruce Oldfield to make her two wedding gowns. During the traditional Muslim ceremony, Rania wore a modest, short-sleeve gown with exaggerated lapels and a large belt. Inspired by Syrian formal dresses at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Oldfield added gold detailing to the gown’s trim, matching hair ornament and gloves. The skirt was voluminous and ended in a train at the back. A long veil covered her face during the Muslim ceremony. Her hairdo was so tall that she had difficulty getting in and out of the car.

Prince Abdullah wore his formal military dress uniform adorned with numerous medals and a ceremonial sword.

Wedding Attire; Photo Credit – http://www.arabiaweddings.com

Queen Rania had five young girls as attendants. They wore dresses with puffed sleeves in a peachy gold color and carried small bouquets of white and yellow flowers tied with yellow bows. Each girl wore a white hairband with flowers fastened at each end. Several young boys, dressed in sailor suits, served as the pages.

Photo Credit – http://www.arabiaweddings.com

The Muslim wedding ceremony is known as a nikah. On the wedding day, the bride and groom are seated in different rooms accompanied by close friends and family. A nikha namah (marriage contract) is presented containing the conditions of the marriage and the agreed mahr (mandatory gift promised to the bride by the groom). An imam (Muslim worship leader) or any male knowledgeable in Islam is qualified to perform this ceremony, which involves proposing the wedding match to both parties and announcing their acceptance. Abdullah and Rania’s marriage was performed by King Hussein.

After the marriage, the newlyweds toured the streets of Amman in an open convertible decorated with flowers and bows as they waved at cheering crowds.

For the evening reception, the couple changed into less formal attire. Rania wore a less modest, floor-length white sleeveless gown designed by Bruce Oldfield. It featured slender shoulder straps, a V-neck, and a slight plunge in the back. Abdullah wore a short white dinner jacket and dark pants.

Rania and Abdullah at the reception; Photo Credit – http://www.arabiaweddings.com

The wedding cake, which the newlyweds cut with a sword, was multi-tiered with each tier in the shape of a rectangular room decorated with crowns and lace.

Photo Credit – https://www.essensedesigns.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • “Flashback: The Royal Wedding Of Queen Rania & King Abdullah II Of Jordan”. Manhattan Madness! The-Manhattan.Net’s Blog. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “King Abdullah II Of Jordan”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “MEMORABLE ROMANCE: King Abdullah II & Queen Rania Of Jordan – Good Times”. Good Times. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “Queen Rania Of Jordan”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • Singh, Gary. “Muslim Wedding Ceremony | Islamic Wedding | Nikah | Guide For Groom”. Entouraaj. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “Wedding Wednesday: Rania’s Gown”. Orderofsplendor.blogspot.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “Zahran Palace”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “رانيا العبد الله”. Ar.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.

Wedding of Emperor Naruhito of Japan and Masako Owada

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Emperor Naruhito of Japan and Masako Owada were married on June 9, 1993, at the Kashiko-dokoro, the Shinto shrine of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan.

Photo Credit – Imperial Household Agency

Emperor Naruhito’s Background

 Naruhito, in the middle, with his family

The eldest son of Emperor Akihito of Japan and Michiko Shōda, Emperor Naruhito of Japan was born on February 23, 1960, at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Born during the reign of his grandfather Emperor Hirohito, Naruhito was second in line to the throne. He has a younger brother, Prince Akishino (born 1965), and a younger sister, Mrs. Sayako Kuroda, the former Princess Nori (born 1969).

Naruhito was educated at the Gakushūin (or Peers School) in Tokyo from the age of four and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Gakushūin University in 1982. He then studied at Merton College at Oxford University in the United Kingdom before returning to Gakushūin University where he earned his Master’s Degree in history in 1988.

In January 1989, Naruhito’s grandfather died and his father became Emperor of Japan. Naruhito was invested as Crown Prince of Japan on February 23, 1991. Upon the abdication of his father, Naruhito became Emperor of Japan on May 1, 2019.

Masako Owada’s Background

 Masako in 1968

Masako Owada was born in Tokyo on December 9, 1963, the eldest daughter of Hisashi Owada and Yumiko Egashira. Her father, a former Japanese diplomat, served as Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations and as a member of the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands. Masako has two younger twin sisters, Setsuko and Reiko, born in 1966.

Due to her father’s diplomatic posts, Masako began her schooling first in Moscow, and then in New York City, before the family returned to Japan in 1971. She attended Futaba Gakuen, a private Roman Catholic girls’ school in Tokyo. In 1979, the family returned to the United States, settling in Belmont, Massachusetts while her father was a visiting professor at Harvard University. She graduated from Belmont High School in 1981 and enrolled at Radcliffe College, part of Harvard University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in economics in 1985, after which she returned to Japan and attended the University of Tokyo, studying law for several months while preparing to sit for the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs entrance exam. After two years working for the Foreign Ministry, she enrolled at Balliol College, Oxford University, pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Relations. Besides speaking Japanese, Masako is fluent in English, German, and French.

The Engagement

On the day of the engagement ceremony

Naruhito first met Masako Owada, then a student at the University of Tokyo, in November 1986, at a tea for Infanta Elena of Spain while she was visiting Japan. Naruhito was immediately captivated by Masako and arranged for them to meet several times over the next few weeks. Despite the Imperial Household Agency’s disapproval of Masako, and Masako attending Balliol College, Oxford for the next two years, Naruhito remained interested in Masako.

Naruhito proposed to Masako twice, but she refused to marry him because it would force her to give up her career in diplomacy and severely restrict her independence and freedom. Finally, on December 9, 1992, Masako’s 29th birthday, she accepted Naruhito’s third proposal. Naruhito had argued that serving as Crown Princess of Japan would be another form of diplomacy. The Imperial Household Council formally announced the engagement on January 19, 1993, and the engagement ceremony (Nosai-no-Gi) was held at Masako’s parents’ home on April 12, 1993.

Engagement ceremony (Nosai-no-Gi) at Masako’s parents’ home; Credit – Imperial Household Agency

On the morning of April 12, 1993, an imperial van arrived at Masako’s family home carrying traditional, plainly wrapped gifts: two enormous fish (tai or red sea bream), six bottles of sake, and five bolts of silk. The fish were laid out head to head, at a slight angle to each other, forming the lucky symbol of the number eight, which is supposed to bring prosperity to the couple. Two simple but elegant unpainted wood boxes carried the other presents, the six bottles of sake, and the five bolts of silk which would be made into evening gowns for the future princess.

Hiroo Kanno, Grand Master of the Crown Prince’s Household, presented the gifts along with the formal request of marriage. “Today, Crown Prince Naruhito presents imperial betrothal gifts to confirm his pledge of marriage with the consent of the Emperor and Empress,” said Hiroo Kanno. Masako Owada responded, according to the tradition, “I accept humbly.”

Masako, wearing a yellow outfit, then visited the Imperial Palace in Tokyo with her parents. Her father Hisashi Owada, who at the time was Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, wore a morning coat and her mother wore a traditional kimono.

The Wedding Attire

On the morning of the wedding, Masako’s body was purified in an ancient ritual. Next, court ladies dressed her in the formal bridal attire, the juni-hitoe, which literally means twelve-layered garment. The 30-pound silk kimono with a white silk brocade train took three hours to put on and cost more than $300,000. Masako’s hair was arranged in classic style with long, artificial strands added down her back.

Naruhito wore a flowing robe of bright orange representing the rising sun which by tradition only a crown prince can wear. The bride and groom’s costumes date back to the Heian Era (794-1185).

The Wedding Ceremony

The Three Palace Sanctuaries at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo; Credit – Imperial Household Agency

Emperor Naruhito of Japan, then the Crown Prince, and Masako Owada were married on June 9, 1993, at the Kashiko-dokoro, the Shinto shrine of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess and mythological ancestress of the Imperial Family, part of the Three Palace Sanctuaries on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan.  800 guests were invited, including Imperial Family members, the bride’s relatives, government officials, lawmakers, judges, and industrial leaders. Very few friends of the bride and groom were invited and no foreigners were invited. The groom’s parents, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, were not among the 800 guests. They stayed in their imperial sitting room a few hundred yards from the shrine and waited until midafternoon when the newlyweds visited them to inform them of the morning marriage. Guests did not actually attend the wedding ceremony. They stood in the Imperial Garden for the 10 AM wedding and only saw the bride and groom, accompanied by Shinto ritualists, chamberlains, and ladies-in-waiting, as they slowly walked down a long wooden porch.

The wedding ceremony took fifteen minutes and was not only out of the sight of the guests but also out of the sight of the millions of television viewers. In the inner sanctuary of the shrine and in the presence of only the palace’s chief Shinto ritualist, a chamberlain bearing the centuries-old sword representing the crown prince, a court lady, and an unwed priestess symbolizing purity, Naruhito and Masako were married in the Kekkon-no-gi ceremony before an altar enshrining the Sun Goddess, the guardian of the Imperial Family.

Although the palace’s chief ritualist, an important figure in the Shinto religion, was present inside the shrine, the prince was the only person who did any speaking. Naruhito read from a 1,200-year-old text, addressing the Sun Goddess: “This is the occasion of my wedding, and we have come before you at the House of Wisdom…We pray for your protection in the future.” Then the chief ritualist waved a sacred dogwood sprig and the couple sipped sake from thimble-sized cups and bowed to each other. After the ceremony Naruhito and Masako went to the Kōrei-den, the Ancestral Spirits Sanctuary, another of the Three Palace Sanctuaries, where the departed spirits of the Imperial Family are enshrined one year after their death, to report the wedding to Naruhito’s imperial ancestors. The couple emerged from the shrine for another solemn procession down the wooden porch as husband and wife.

In the afternoon, Masako, in a formal white gown and diamond tiara, and Naruhito, also in formal Western attire, met with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in a ceremony known as Choken-no-Gi (First Audience Ceremony). In the ancient ceremony, Naruhito, Masako, the Emperor, and the Empress were given chopsticks but no food and pantomimed the act of eating together.

Large crowds lined the 2.6-mile route to the couple’s home in the Tōgū Palace in central Tokyo. There, at 6:00 PM, Naruhito and Masako shared their first meal as a married couple. Three hours later the couple participated in another ritual, the Kyutyu-Shukuen-no-Gi (Celebratory Banquet) in which rice cakes are offered along with prayers for the birth of a healthy boy. The Kyutyu-Shukuen-no-Gi (Celebratory Banquet) occurred for three nights. Each night, the couple received pounded rice cakes known as mochi. They ate some of the rice cakes and then buried the rest in the Imperial Garden, while the priests chanted prayers for the new Crown Princess to have children.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • “Crown Prince Naruhito Married Commoner Masako Owada Wednesday In…”. UPI. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “Crown Prince Naruhito Of Japan”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “Crown Princess Masako Of Japan”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • DAVID E. SANGER. “Royal Wedding In Japan Merges The Old And New”. Nytimes.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • JAMES STERNGOLD. “With Fishes, Sake And Silk, Japan’s Prince Plights His Troth”. Nytimes.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “Masako, Crown Princess Of Japan”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • “Naruhito, Crown Prince Of Japan”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.
  • Reid, T.R., and T.R. Reid. “MARRIAGE, JAPANESE STYLE”. Washington Post. N.p., 2017. Web. 15 May 2017.

King James II of England

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King James II of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on October 14, 1633, at St. James’ Palace in London, England, King James II of England, was the third, but the second surviving son of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France, daughter of King Henri IV of France. He was designated Duke of York from birth, the traditional title of the monarch’s second son, but was not formally created until 1643.

James had seven siblings:

James and his siblings in 1637: Left to right: Mary, James, Charles, Elizabeth, and Anne; Credit – Wikipedia

James was educated with his elder brother Charles by William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle and Brian Duppa, Bishop of Winchester, and then later by John Earle, Bishop of Salisbury.

During the English Civil War, James remained in Oxford, the royalist stronghold, while his father fought against the forces of the Parliamentarians and the Puritans. When the city of Oxford surrendered in 1646, Parliament placed James under house arrest in St. James’ Palace. In 1648, he managed to escape and fled to The Hague in the Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands, where his sister Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange lived. On January 30, 1649, James’ father King Charles I was executed.

Eventually, James sought refuge in France where his mother and sister Henriette were already living in exile, and where his young first cousin King Louis XIV sat upon the throne of France. James served in the French army under Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne. In 1656, when his brother Charles allied with Spain, an enemy of France, James was forced to leave the French army. He then joined the Spanish army and served under Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé.

While James was still in exile in The Hague, he fell in love with Lady Anne Hyde, one of his sister’s ladies-in-waiting and the daughter of one of his brother’s strongest supporters, Edward Hyde, later 1st Earl of Clarendon.  James and Anne made a pledge to each other in what might have been a marriage ceremony on November 24, 1659. Anne became pregnant in 1660, the same year the monarchy was restored in England and James’ brother became King Charles II. When Anne became visibly pregnant, King Charles II was consulted resulting in James and Anne being officially married at Worcester House in London on September 3, 1660, just seven weeks before the birth of their first child.

James and Anne Hyde in the 1660s, by Sir Peter Lely; Credit – Wikipedia

James and Anne had eight children, but only two survived childhood, and both were Queen Regnants:

  • Charles, Duke of Cambridge (1660 – 1661): Conceived before his parents’ official marriage, Charles was styled Duke of Cambridge but never formally created Duke of Cambridge. He died at the age of six months from smallpox and was buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
  • Queen Mary II of England (1662 – 1694), married her first cousin William III, Prince of Orange in 1677, ascended to the throne in 1689 as co-ruler with her husband after the deposition of her father, no surviving children
  • James, Duke of Cambridge (1663 – 1667): James was created Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Cambridge and Baron of Dauntsey by his uncle King Charles II.  He was also named a Knight of the Garter but was never officially installed. Both James and his younger brother Charles, Duke of Kendal became ill with what was likely smallpox or the bubonic plague.  Little Charles died first and three-year-old James died three weeks later and was buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
  • Queen Anne of Great Britain (1665 – 1714), married Prince George of Denmark, no surviving children
  • Charles, Duke of Kendal (1666 – 1667): Charles was styled Duke of Kendal but was never official created Duke of Kendal because of his early death. He died at the age of ten months and was buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
  • Edgar, Duke of Cambridge (1667 – 1671): Edgar was created was Duke and Earl of Cambridge and Baron of Dauntsey by his uncle King Charles II. Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts was named after him. Edgar died at the age of three and was buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
  • Henrietta (born and died 1669): Named after her paternal grandmother Henrietta Maria of France, Henrietta was born at the Palace of Whitehall in London, England. She died at St. James’ Palace in London, England when she was ten months old and was buried at Westminster Abbey.
  • Catherine (born and died 1671): Catherine was born at the Palace of Whitehall in London, England. Her mother died seven weeks after her birth from breast cancer. Catherine did not survive her mother for very long. She died at the age of ten months at St. James’ Palace in London, England, and was buried at Westminster Abbey.

The Family of James, Duke of York. The Duke (later King James II and VII) and Duchess of York (previously Anne Hyde) were painted by Peter Lely in between 1668 and 1670. Their two daughters, Mary (left) and Anne (right), later Queen Mary II and Queen Anne, were added by Benedetto Gennari in or after 1680. Windsor Castle is in the background; Credit – Wikipedia

After the Restoration, James was appointed Lord High Admiral and commanded the Royal Navy during the Second (1665-1667) and the Third Anglo-Dutch Wars (1672-1674). In 1664, after the British had conquered the Dutch territory New Netherlands in North America, the city of New Amsterdam was renamed the city of New York in honor of James, Duke of York. 150 miles upstream on the Hudson River, the former Dutch Fort Orange was renamed Albany (now the capital of New York State) after Charles’ second title, Duke of Albany.

Anne and James had been exposed to Roman Catholicism while they were abroad, and Anne converted secretly in 1670. She was instrumental in James’ conversion to Roman Catholicism shortly afterward, although he continued to attend Church of England services until 1676. On March 3, 1671, Anne died of breast cancer at the age of 34, about six weeks after the birth of her last child (who lived only 10 months), and was buried in the vault of Mary, Queen of Scots in the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey.

After James’ conversion to Roman Catholicism, his Protestant opponents in Parliament passed the Test Act requiring all civilian and military government employees to take an oath, which was incompatible with the teachings of the Catholic Church. They also had to receive Holy Communion according to the rites of the Church of England. James refused to take the oath and to receive Holy Communion according to the rites of the Church of England and resigned his post as Lord High Admiral. King Charles II insisted that James’ surviving daughters Mary and Anne be raised in the Church of England. Despite all this, King Charles II allowed his brother James to make a second marriage with the fifteen-year-old Catholic Mary Beatrice of Modena on September 20, 1673. Many British people distrusted the new Duchess of York and looked upon her as an agent of the Pope.

Mary Beatrice had several miscarriages and stillbirths and had seven live births, but only two of these children survived childhood.

  • Catherine Laura (1675 – 1676): Born at St. James’ Palace in London, England, Catherine Laura was named after Catherine of Braganza, the wife of her uncle King Charles II of England, and her maternal grandmother Laura Martinozzi, Duchess of Modena.  Catherine Laura’s Catholic mother had her baptized in a Catholic rite but her uncle Charles II carried her to the Chapel Royal and had her christened in a Church of England rite. Catherine Laura died at the age of nine months and was buried at Westminster Abbey.
  • Isabel (1676 – 1681): Isabella was born at St. James’ Palace. She was the first of her parents’ children to survive infancy but died at the age of four. She was buried at Westminster Abbey.
  • Charles, Duke of Cambridge (born and died 1677): Charles was born at St. James’ Palace and was styled Duke of Cambridge but was never formally created Duke of Cambridge. He died 35 days after his birth and was buried at Westminster Abbey.
  • Elizabeth (born and died 1678)
  • Charlotte Maria (born and died 1682): Charlotte Maria was born at St. James’ Palace in London, England. She died of convulsions at the age of two months and was buried at Westminster Abbey.
  • James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales “the Old Pretender” (1688 – 1766), married Mary Sobieski, had issue
  • Louisa Maria Teresa (1692 – 1712), died of smallpox

James Francis Edward and Louisa Maria Teresa; Credit – Wikipedia

Although James’ brother King Charles II is well known for his illegitimate children, James also had his share of children born from the wrong side of the sheets.

by Arabella Churchill

by Catherine Sedley

In 1677, James, Duke of York attempted to appease Protestants by allowing his daughter Mary to marry the Protestant William III, Prince of Orange, the son of his sister Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange. Despite this concession, the fear of a future Catholic monarch remained and was exacerbated by the failure of the marriage of King Charles II to produce any children. Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury and others undertook attempts to exclude the Catholic James from the line of succession. Some even suggested that the eldest illegitimate son of King Charles II, James Scott, Duke of Monmouth should be the heir to the throne.

King Charles II died in 1685 after converting to Catholicism on his deathbed. Having no legitimate children, Charles was succeeded by his brother James, who reigned in England and Ireland as King James II, and in Scotland as King James VII. James and Mary Beatrice were crowned on April 23, 1685, following the Church of England rite but omitting Holy Communion. The previous day, they had been privately crowned and anointed in a Catholic rite in their private chapel at the Palace of Whitehall.

James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth; Credit – Wikipedia

On June 11, 1685, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, the eldest of the illegitimate children of King Charles II, claimed the throne as the Protestant champion. Monmouth’s forces were defeated by his uncle’s forces at the Battle of Sedgemoor.  The Duke of Monmouth was beheaded for treason on July 15, 1685.

King James II was now set on a course of restoring Catholicism to England. He issued a Declaration of Indulgence removing restrictions imposed on those who did not conform to the Church of England. England might have tolerated King James II knowing that his heirs were the Protestant daughters of his first wife Anne Hyde, Mary and Anne. However, on June 10, 1688, Queen Mary Beatrice, who had no surviving children, gave birth to a son James Francis Edward. Immediately, false rumors swirled that the infant had been smuggled into the queen’s chambers in a warming pan.

Mary Beatrice and her son James Francis Stuart; Credit – Wikipedia

On November 5, 1688, William III, Prince of Orange, the nephew and son-in-law of King James II, landed in England vowing to safeguard the Protestant interest. He marched to London, gathering many supporters. James panicked and sent his wife and infant son to France. He tried to flee to France about a month later but was captured. William III, Prince of Orange had no desire to make his uncle a martyr, so he allowed him to escape. James was received in France by his cousin King Louis XIV, who offered him a palace and a pension.

Back in England, Parliament refused to depose James but declared that having fled to France, James had effectively abdicated the throne and that the throne had become vacant. James’s elder daughter Mary was declared Queen Mary II and she was to rule jointly with her husband and first cousin William, who would be King William III. At that time, William, the only child of King James II’s elder sister Mary, was third in the line of succession after his wife and first cousin Mary and her sister Anne. This overthrow of King James II is known as the Glorious Revolution.

James, his wife, and his son settled at the Palace of St. Germain-en-Laye near Paris, France where a court in exile was established. James was determined to regain the throne and landed in Ireland with a French force in 1689. He was defeated by his nephew King William III at the Battle of the Boyne on July 1, 1690, and was forced to withdraw once again to France.

Battle of the Boyne between James II and William III by Jan van Huchtenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

James spent the rest of his life in France, planning invasions that never happened. In 1692, Mary Beatrice gave birth to a daughter Louisa Maria Teresa. His little daughter gave him great comfort as did letters from his daughter Anne who could never quite reconcile her betrayal of her father.

Louisa Maria Teresa; Credit – Wikipedia

James died from a stroke on September 16, 1701, at St. Germain. His remains were buried at the Chapel of Saint Edmund in the Church of the English Benedictines in the Rue St. Jacques in Paris, France, and his viscera were buried at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In October 1793, the Chapel of Saint Edmund and all the English Benedictines buildings were destroyed by a mob along with the remains of King James II. His viscera were rediscovered and reburied in 1824 at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In 1855, Queen Victoria paid for a memorial to James at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Memorial to James II at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye; Credit – findagrave.com

Plaque on the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye;  Credit – findagrave.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

House of Stuart Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O’Neill

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Princess Madeleine of Sweden married Christopher O’Neill on June 8, 2013, in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden.

Princess Madeleine’s Family

Photo credit: Kate Gabor/The Royal Court

Photo: Kate Gabor/Swedish Royal Court

HRH Princess Madeleine Thérèse Amelie Josephine was born on June 10, 1982, at the Drottningholm Palace. Madeleine is the youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia (neé Silvia Sommerlath). King Carl XVI Gustaf is the son of the late Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and the late Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Queen Silvia was born Silvia Sommerlath, of German and Brazilian descent, and is a descendant of King Afonso III of Portugal. She met the then Crown Prince while working at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. They married in 1976, marking the first time a Swedish sovereign had married a ‘commoner’.  Princess Madeleine has two older siblings – Crown Princess Victoria (born 1977) and Prince Carl Philip (born 1979).

For more information about Madeleine see:

 

Mr. Christopher O’Neill’s Family

Mr. Christopher Paul O’Neill was born on June 27, 1974, in London, England. He is the son of the late Paul O’Neill and Eva Maria Walter. He has two half-sisters through his mother – Tatjana and Natascha; and three half-sisters through his father – Stephanie, Annalisa, and Karen. He holds dual citizenship from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Mr. O’Neill grew up mostly in London and Switzerland, later attending Boston University and Columbia Business School in the US.  At the time of the engagement, he was a partner at the investment firm Noster Capital in New York.

For more information about Chris see:

 

The Engagement

Photo credit: Ewa-Marie Rundquist/The Royal Court

Photo credit: Ewa-Marie Rundquist, Swedish Royal Court

Following a broken engagement in 2010, Princess Madeleine moved to New York to work for the World Childhood Foundation, a charitable organization founded by her mother, Queen Silvia. It was here that she met Mr. O’Neill and the two quickly became a couple. Their engagement was announced by the Swedish Royal Court in October 2012.

Protocol dictates that members of the Royal Family must be Swedish citizens, and may not be involved in positions of responsibility in business. Mr. O’Neill continued working and did not apply for Swedish citizenship. He requested that he not be granted any royal status or title. Princess Madeleine did not take on Mr. O’Neill’s name and remained HRH Princess Madeleine.

In April 2013, it was announced that the wedding would take place on June 8, 2013, in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace, Stockholm, followed by a dinner at Drottningholm Palace, the Royal Family’s home.

Pre-Wedding Dinner

Photo credit: Brigitte Grenfeldt/The Royal Court

Photo credit: Brigitte Grenfeldt, Swedish Royal Court

The evening before the wedding, The King and Queen hosted a private dinner at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm for family and invited guests. The photo above was taken of the Royal Family with Mr. O’Neill’s mother and two oldest half-sisters, Tatjana d’Abo and Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun.

Wedding Guests

Unlike the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria, Madeleine and Christopher’s wedding was not a State event. Therefore it was on a smaller scale, focusing on friends and family and not as much on government officials and foreign dignitaries. However, many foreign royals, members of the Swedish government, and the Diplomatic Corps attended the wedding. Below is a list of the families and foreign royals in attendance.

  • HM The King
  • HM The Queen
  • HRH The Crown Princess Victoria
  • HRH Prince Daniel
  • HRH Princess Estelle
  • HRH Prince Carl Philip

The King’s Family

  • Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler
  • Baroness Sybilla von Dincklage
  • Mr Edward Ambler and Mrs Helen Ambler
  • Mr James Ambler and Mrs Ursula Ambler
  • HRH Princess Birgitta
  • Mrs Désirée von Bohlen und Halbach and Mr Eckbert von Bohlen und Halbach
  • Princess Desiree, Baroness Silfverschiöld and Baron Nicklas Silfverschiöld
  • Baron Carl Silfverschiöld
  • Baroness Christina Louise DeGeer and Baron Hans DeGeer
  • Baroness Helene Silfverschiöld and Mr Fredrik Diterle
  • Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson and Mr Tord Magnuson
  • Mr Gustaf Magnuson and Miss Vicky Andren
  • Mr Tord Magnuson and Mrs Emma Magnuson
  • Mr Victor Magnuson and Miss Frida Bergstrom
  • Countess Marianne Bernadotte af Wisborg
  • Countess Gunnila Bernadotte af Wisborg

The Queen’s Family

  • Mr Ralf Sommerlath and Mrs Charlotte Sommerlath
  • Mrs Carmita Sommerlath Baudinet and Mr Pierre Baudinet
  • Mr Thomas Sommerlath and Ms Bettina Aussems
  • Mr Tim Sommerlath and Miss Kristina Junghans
  • Miss Guilia Sommerlath
  • Mr Walther Sommerlath and Mrs Ingrid Sommerlath
  • Mr Patrick Sommerlath and Mrs Maline Sommerlath
  • Master Leopold Lunden Sommerlath
  • Miss Chloe Sommerlath
  • Miss Anaïs Sommerlath
  • Miss Helena Sommerlath
  • Miss Vivien Sommerlath

Christopher O’Neill’s Family

  • Mrs Eva Maria O’Neill
  • Ms Annalisa O’Neill
  • Mrs Karen O’Neill
  • Ms Stefanie O’Neill
  • Mrs Tatjana d’Abo and Mr Henry d’Abo
  • Miss Anoushka d’Abo
  • Miss Celina d’Abo
  • Master Jasper d’Abo
  • Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun and Count Ernst Abensperg und Traun
  • Countess Milana Abensperg und Traun
  • Count Moritz Abensperg und Traun
  • Countess Chiara Abensperg und Traun
  • Count Louis Cajetan Abensperg und Traun
  • Mr Richard d’Abo
  • Miss Maria Seferian
  • HE Ambassador Rolf Nikel and Mrs Olivia Nikel
  • Countess Felicia Abensperg und Traun
  • Master Oliver MacNeely
  • Mr Christopher Ramsay
  • Miss Lucy Ramsay

Royal Guests

  • Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Marie of Denmark
  • Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark
  • Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece
  • Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana of Greece
  • Princess Theodora of Greece
  • Prince Philippos of Greece
  • Princess Takamado of Japan
  • Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg
  • Princess Charlene of Monaco
  • Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
  • Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Mr Ari Behn
  • The Earl and Countess of Wessex
  • Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  • Hereditary Prince Hubertus and Hereditary Princess Kelly of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  • Prince Manuel and Princess Anna of Bavaria
  • Prince Leopold and Princess Ursula of Bavaria

The Wedding Attendants

Photo credit: Ewa-Marie Rundquist/Royal Court

Photo credit: Ewa-Marie Rundquist, Swedish Royal Court

  • Lillie von Horn
  • Anaïs Sommerlath (daughter of Princess Madeleine’s maternal cousin Patrick Sommerlath)
  • Chloe Sommerlath (daughter of Princess Madeleine’s maternal cousin Patrick Sommerlath)
  • Chiara Abensperg und Traun (daughter of Mr. O’Neill’s sister Natascha)
  • Louis Abensperg und Traun (son of Mr. O’Neill’s sister Natascha)
  • Jasper D’Abo (son of Mr. O’Neill’s sister Tatjana)

The Wedding Attire

Photo credit: Ewa-Marie Rundquist/The Royal Court . Copyright Kungahuset.se

Photo credit: Ewa-Marie Rundquist, Swedish Royal Court

Princess Madeleine chose the Italian designer Valentino for her dress. It was made of silk organza and ivory-colored Chantilly lace, with a wide skirt ending in a four-meter train. Her veil was also silk organza, edged with tulle and small lace orange blossoms. Breaking with tradition, Princess Madeleine chose to wear the Modern Fringe Tiara instead of the Cameo Tiara worn by her sister and mother.

Mr. O’Neill wore a black tailcoat, with the Order of the Polar Star. Two days before the wedding, the King had created Mr. O’Neill a Knight Commander of the Order of the Polar Star. This order is only given to members of the Swedish Royal Family and foreign citizens.

Photo credit: The Royal Court. Copyright Kungahuset.se

Photo credit: Swedish Royal Court

The bride’s bouquet was a mixture of white roses with lilies of the valley and myrtle. The myrtle comes from a myrtle bush brought to Sweden by Princess Margaret of Connaught after her marriage to the future King Gustaf VI Adolf in 1905. Since the 1930s, royal brides have traditionally worn or carried a sprig of this myrtle at their weddings.

The bridesmaids wore simple white silk dresses with pale green taffeta sashes. They wore tiaras made of pearls and paper flowers and carried bouquets of lilies of the valley. The pageboys wore woolen green trousers, and white jackets detailed in green silk taffeta and silver braid.

The Ceremony

 

The wedding took place on June 8, 2013, in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. The chapel was adorned with floral arrangements of delphiniums, pink and white peonies, white lilacs, foxgloves, and lilies of the valley with beech leaves and cow parsley. To the left of the altar stood Prince Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotta’s crown, dating back to 1778. The same crown stood near the baptismal font when Princess Madeleine was christened. It sits on a cushion from the wedding of King Gustav IV Adolf and Frederica of Baden in 1797.

The ceremony was conducted by Bishop Lars-Göran Lönnermark, Royal Court Chief Chaplain, assisted by Reverend Michael Bjerkhagen, Vicar of the Royal Court, in both Swedish and English. Once the Queen was seated (as the last guest to arrive), the Groom processed into the chapel with his Best Man, Mr. Cedric Notz.

King Carl XVI Gustaf then walked his daughter down the aisle, as Mr. O’Neill fought back tears. He met them and escorted his soon-to-be wife to the altar. During the ceremony, the Crown Princess gave a reading in Swedish, while Mr. O’Neill’s sister gave one in English. Two soloists performed, again alternating between the two languages. Finally, they were pronounced husband and wife and processed from the chapel.

 

Following the ceremony, the newly married greeted the cheering crowds outside the Chapel. They then departed by carriage, driving through the streets of Stockholm en route to Riddarholmen. From Riddarholmen, the couple and their guests boarded three boats to travel to Drottningholm Palace for the wedding banquet.

Photo credit: Zimbio

Photo credit: Zimbio

The Wedding Banquet

Photo credit: Jonas Ekströmer/Scanpix

Photo credit: Swedish Royal Court,  Jonas Ekströmer/Scanpix

The wedding banquet was held at Drottningholm Palace at 8 pm. It was a private event and not televised like the wedding banquet of Crown Princess Victoria in 2010. Once the guests and the bride and groom arrived, a group photo was taken on the steps of the palace before proceeding inside for the banquet.  The guests enjoyed the following menu:

Swedish delicacies
Kalix vendace roe in a cone, with lemon and piquant crème fraîche,
Skagen emulsion with crisp rye bread, mustard herring in a carrot coating,
pickled herring terrine, egg from Gotland with Drott caviar foam
and miniature Västerbotten cheese pie

Butter-baked salmon trout with boiled white asparagus, fried green asparagus,
marinated purple asparagus, and tomato and shallot compote
with browned butter, horseradish, chive oil and salmon roe

Roast fillet of veal from Holmberg Farm
with Västervik mustard coating and Astrakan cider sauce,
carrot variation and roasted mini cauliflower from Nobis Farms

Pavlova with Italian meringue, wild strawberry sorbet
and strawberry ice cream, white chocolate and fresh wild strawberries

Wine
Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs Brut 2008

Swedish schnapps and beer
or
Trimbach Riesling Vieilles Vignes 2009 Alsace

Pommery Grand Cru Millésime 2005 Champagne

Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru 2010 La Chapelle Dom. Lafouge
Sattlerhof Beerenauslese 2010 Südsteiermark

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Wedding of Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Photo: Zimbio

In October 2012, Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy were married in Luxembourg. The civil ceremony was held on October 19, 2012, at the Luxembourg City Hall, with the religious ceremony held on October 20, 2012, at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City.

Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Embed from Getty Images 
Prince Guillaume (top left) with his parents and siblings, 1992

Prince Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie was born on November 11, 1981, at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City (named in honor of his great-grandmother), the eldest of five children of the then-Hereditary Grand Duke Henri and the former Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista-Falla. After his primary education in Luxembourg City, he completed his secondary education at the Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Switzerland. He then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom and was commissioned as an officer in the Luxembourg Army in 2002. He later earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Angers in France. He became The Hereditary Grand Duke upon his father’s accession in 2000.

For more information about Guillaume see:

Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy

Stéphanie with her parents.

Countess Stéphanie Marie Claudine Christine de Lannoy was born in Ronse, Belgium, on February 18, 1984, the youngest of eight children of Philippe, Count de Lannoy and Alix della Faille de Leverghem. The Counts of Lannoy are members of the Belgian nobility and trace their roots back to the 13th century. Raised at Anvaing Castle in the Belgian province of Hainaut, Stéphanie received her primary education at a Dutch-speaking school in Ronse. She then attended the Collège Sainte-Odile in France and the Institut de la Vierge Fidèle in Brussels, graduating in 2002. After a year in Moscow studying the Russian language and literature, she received her degree in philology from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. Stéphanie received a Master’s degree in Berlin and later worked for an investment company in Belgium. Stéphanie is fluent in English, French, and German, and has a knowledge of Dutch, Luxembourgish, and Russian.

Sadly, Stéphanie’s mother passed away suddenly following a stroke at the end of August 2012.

For more information about Stéphanie see:

Unofficial Royalty: Princess Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

The Engagement

Guillaume and Stéphanie with the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, Grand Duke Jean, Count Philippe and Countess Alix de Lannoy. source: Grand Ducal Court, Photo: Jean-Claude Ernst/Luxpress

On April 26, 2012, Guillaume and Stéphanie’s engagement was announced by the Marshal of the Grand Ducal Court. The couple was introduced by mutual friends in 2004. Five years later, they met again and soon began dating, although they managed to keep it very quiet. In November 2011, Guillaume mentioned publicly that he was in a relationship, and months of speculation began. Guillaume proposed about three weeks before the engagement was announced.

The two are distantly related, through several lines of mutual descent from Charles Marie Raymond, Duke of Arenberg (1721-1778). The official engagement ceremony took place on April 27, 2012, at Berg Castle, attended by members of both families, the government, the church, and the armed forces. Later that afternoon, there was a reception and the couple met with the media.

Pre-Wedding Festivities

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Guillaume and Stéphanie attending the reception at the Grand Théâtre

 On the morning of October 19, 2012, Guillaume and Stéphanie attended a reception for young people at the Grand Théâtre, held in their honor by the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg attended by members of the Government, representatives of several youth organizations, people who shared a birthday with either Guillaume or Stéphanie, and couples also marrying on October 20, 2012. Guillaume and Stéphanie individually greeted the guests before proceeding into the hall. There, the Family Minister made a brief speech, followed by Guillaume, who thanked everyone for their good wishes and expressed his happiness. Following the speeches, Guillaume and Stéphanie spent time at each table, chatting with the guests, and receiving some small gifts.

The Civil Ceremony

source: Grand Ducal Court, photo: Christian Aschman

Shortly before 3:30 on Friday, October 19, 2012, Guillaume and Stéphanie, along with members of their families, left the Grand Ducal Palace and walked the short distance to the Luxembourg City Hall for the civil ceremony. This was a break from tradition, as previous civil ceremonies for members of the Grand Ducal family had been held in the palace. The brief ceremony was conducted by the Mayor of Luxembourg City Xavier Bettel and was attended by the couple’s immediate families and members of the Government. The bride wore an ivory Chanel suit while the groom wore a dark suit and striped tie.

While walking to the Luxembourg City Hall, the couple stopped often to greet the crowds who had gathered, leading to the ceremony being delayed a few minutes. Upon arrival at the City Hall, the Mayor,  the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, and other officials greeted the couple and Stéphanie was presented with a bouquet.  After the civil ceremony, a brief reception was held, and then the couple and their families emerged to walk back to the palace. While the families went ahead, Guillaume and Stéphanie spent nearly an hour greeting the people outside.

The Gala Dinner

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Later that evening at the Grand Ducal Palace, a gala dinner was held for senior foreign royals and members of the Government. Two smaller dinners were held at the Chambre des Députées and the Cercle Cité (the City Palace) for the other wedding guests.

The menu consisted of:

Cannelloni de bar sauvage et tartare de langoustines et de
vinaigrette aux huîtres et caviar osciètre
(Cannelloni of wild sea bass and lobster tartare with an oyster
vinaigrette and caviar osciètre)

*****

Poitrine de pigeonneau farcie d’une escalope de foie gras en papillote de chou vert
de cuisse confite aux jus mousseline de céleri rave at marrons glacés
(Chicken breast stuffed with foie gras escalope in papillote of green cabbage and thigh confit with celery and candied chestnuts)

*****

Sphère de chocolat noir grand cru façon poire Belle-Hélène arrosée de sauce chocolat chaud
(sphere of dark chocolate with pears poached in sugar with vanilla ice cream sprinkled with hot chocolate sauce)

Wedding Guests

source: Daily Mail

In addition to the large extended families of both the bride and groom, guests at the wedding included many members of current and former royal and noble families, members of the government, military, and clergy. Below is a partial guest list.

The Groom’s Immediate Family
Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa
Grand Duke Jean
Prince Félix of Luxembourg and Miss Claire Lademacher
Prince Louis and Princess Tessy of Luxembourg
Prince Gabriel and Prince Noah of Nassau
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg
Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg

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Archduchess Marie Astrid and Archduke Carl Christian of Austria

The Groom’s Extended Family
Archduchess Marie Astrid and Archduke Carl Christian of Austria
Archduchess Marie Christine and Count Rodolphe of Limburg-Stirum
Archduke Imre and Archduchess Kathleen of Austria
Archduke Christoph of Austria and Adélaïde Drapé-Frisch
Archduke Alexander of Austria
Archduchess Gabriella of Austria
Prince Jean of Luxembourg and Countess Diane of Nassau
Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Nassau
Prince Constantin of Nassau
Prince Wenceslas of Nassau
Prince Carl-Johan of Nassau
Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein
Prince Leopold of Liechtenstein
Princess Maria-Anunciata of Liechtenstein
Princess Marie-Astrid of Liechtenstein
Prince Josef-Emanuel of Liechtenstein
Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg
Prince Paul Louis of Nassau
Prince Léopold of Nassau
Princess Charlotte of Nassau
Prince Jean of Nassau
Prince Robert of Luxembourg and Princess Julie of Nassau
Princess Anna of Hohenberg and Count Andreas of Bardeau
Princess Sophie of Hohenberg and Jean-Louis de Potesta
Countess Charlotte Henckel von Donnersmarck and Count Christoph Johannes von Meran
Princess Lydia, Hereditary Countess of Holstein-Ledreborg
Countess Veronica Holstein til Ledreborg
Countess Silvia Holstein til Ledreborg and John Munro
Princess Charlotte of Nassau and Marc-Victor Cunningham
Princess Alix of Luxembourg, Dowager Princess of Ligne
Michel and Eleanora, The Prince and Princess of Ligne
Princess Alix of Ligne
Prince Wauthier and Princess Régine of Ligne
Princess Elisabeth-Eleonore of Ligne and Baron Baudouin Gillès de Pelichy
Princess Anne of Ligne and Charles de Fabribeckers de Cortils et Grâce
Princess Christine and Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza
Countess Sophie de Nicolay
Prince Antoine-Lamoral and Princess Minthia de Ligne
Princess Yolande of Ligne and Hugo Townshend
Hélène Vestur
Luis and Nicole Mestre
Maike Mestre
Luis Mestre
Antonio Mestre
Catalina Esteve
Natalie Esteve
Katarina Esteve
Victoria Esteve

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The Bride’s Family
Philippe, Count de Lannoy
Count Jehan de Lannoy
Countess Caroline de Lannoy
Countess Louise de Lannoy
Count Christian and Countess Luisa de Lannoy
Countess Nathalie de Lannoy and John Hamilton
Antonia Hamilton
Madeleine Hamilton
Countess Gaëlle de Lannoy
Count Amaury de Lannoy
Count Olivier and Countess Alice de Lannoy
Countess Isabelle de Lannoy and Jean-Charles de le Court
Isaure de le Court
Lancelot de le Court
Countess Chantal de Lannoy
Count Bruno and Countess Christine de Limburg Stirum
Countess Isabelle de Lannoy
Count Claude and Countess Claudine de Lannoy
Ladislas and Anne della Faille de Leverghem
Dominique and Lydia de Schaetzen
Dominique and Claude della Faille de Leverghem
Arnaud and Marie-Pascale della Faille de Leverghem

Royal and Noble Guests
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi
Archduchess Maria Beatrice of Austria-Este, Countess of Arco-Zinneberg
Countess Anna of Arco-Zinneberg
Countess Olympia of Arco-Zinneberg
Princess Dainé d’Arenberg
Archduke Martin and Archduchess Katharina of Austria-Este
Archduchess Isabella of Austria-Este and Count Andrea Czarnocki-Lucheschi
Archduke István and Archduchess Paola of Austria
Archduchess Yolande of Austria
Archduke Rudolf and Archduchess Marie-Hélène of Austria
Archduchess Priscilla of Austria
Archduchess Anna Gabriele of Austria
Archduke Karl-Peter and Archduchess Alexandra of Austria
Archduke Simeon and Archduchess Maria of Austria
Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria and Prince Peter Galitzine
Archduchess Catharina-Maria of Austria and Count Massimiliano Secco-d’Aragona
Archduke Michael and Archduchess Christiana of Austria
The Margrave and Margravine of Baden
The Hereditary Prince and Hereditary Princess of Baden
Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria and Princess Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria
Prince Ludwig of Bavaria
The King and Queen of the Belgians
Queen Fabiola of Belgium
The Duke and Duchess of Brabant
Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz of Belgium
Prince Amedeo of Belgium
Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium
The Duke and Duchess of Bragança
Tsar Simeon and Tsaritsa Margarita of Bulgaria
Princess Miriam of Bulgaria, Princess of Turnovo
Prince Kyril of Bulgaria, Prince of Preslav
Duchess Gabriele of Croÿ
Duke Rudolf and Duchess Alexandra of Croÿ
The Queen of Denmark and The Prince Consort
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark
Count Axel and Countess Jutta of Rosenborg
King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece
The Princess of Hanover
The Crown Prince of Japan
Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath of Jordan
Prince Rashid and Princess Zeina of Jordan
The Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein
Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein
Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein
Princess Nora of Liechtenstein
Princess Maria Francisca, Princess of Lobkowicz
Prince Charles-Henri of Lobkowicz
The Prince and Princess of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Baroness Blanche (née Princess of Mérode) and Baron Philipp von und zu Bodman
Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco
Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon
The Queen of the Netherlands
The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands
The King and Queen of Norway
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Mr. Ari Behn
Sheikha Al-Mayassa of Qatar
Sheikh Hamad of Qatar
The Duke and Duchess of Parma
Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia
Crown Princess Margareta and Prince Radu of Romania
Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
The Prince and Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn
Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia
The Prince and Princess of Asturias (Spain)
The Prince and Princess zu Stolberg-Stolberg
Princess Louise zu Stolberg-Stolberg
The Queen of Sweden
The Crown Princess and Prince Daniel of Sweden
Prince Carl Philip of Sweden
The Earl and Countess of Wessex (United Kingdom)
The Duke and Duchess of Vendôme
The Prince and Princess of Venice
The Prince and Princess of Windisch-Graetz
The Hereditary Countess of Waldburg zu Zeil und Trauchburg

The Wedding Attendants

source: Grand Ducal Court, photo: Nicolas Bouvy

Maids of Honour
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg – Guillaume’s sister
Antonia Hamilton – Stéphanie’s niece

Bridesmaids and Pageboys
Madeleine Hamilton – Stéphanie’s niece
Countess Caroline de Lannoy – Stéphanie’s niece
Countess Louise de Lannoy – Stéphanie’s niece
Isaure de le Court – Stéphanie’s niece
Prince Gabriel of Nassau – Guillaume’s nephew
Lancelot de la Court – Stéphanie’s nephew

The Wedding Attire

source: Daily Mail

Stéphanie’s dress, designed by Elie Saab, was made of ivory lace, embroidered with silver thread leaves, three-quarter length sleeves, and a 4-½ meter train. It consisted of 50 meters of Chantilly lace, 40 meters of Calais lace, 30 meters of silk organza, and 70 meters of tulle and silk crepe. The dress took 10 seamstresses 700 hours to create, with another 15 people working 3200 hours to do the embroidering and beading work. The veil was made of ivory silk tulle embroidered with silver thread leaves and contained 15 meters of silk tulle.

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Stéphanie wore the Lannoy Tiara, a piece privately owned by the Lannoy family. The diamond tiara is set in platinum and contains 270 old-cut brilliants in a scrolling design, with several large brilliants and a large pear-shaped diamond at the top. Despite having the Grand Ducal collection at her disposal, Stéphanie chose to continue the tradition in her family of wearing this tiara for her wedding. She also wore her mother’s engagement ring along with her own, as she had done since her mother died.

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Stéphanie’s bouquet consisted of light yellow roses and white orchids and was created by Maison Lachaume Paris.

Prince Guillaume wore his Grand Ducal uniform with the sash and star of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau and the star of the Order of the Oak Crown.

The Religious Ceremony

source: Grand Ducal Court, photo: Vic Fischbach

The religious ceremony was held on October 20, 2012, at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.  The church was decorated with nearly 3,000 roses, 500 green plants, and other flowers.  Later, the cut flowers were offered to the public after the ceremony, and the potted plants were re-planted in parks and gardens within Luxembourg.  Archbishop of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Hollerich officiated, assisted by the Apostolic Nuncio in Luxembourg, the Archbishop Emeritus, and the Father Abbot of Clervaux.  Music was provided by three choirs from the Cathedral and two orchestras:

  • La Maîtrise de la Cathédrale
  • La Chapelle de la Maîtrise
  • Le Petit Ensemble
  • l’Orchestre de Chambre du Luxembourg
  • La Musique Militaire Grand-Ducale

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Just before 11:00 AM, once the other guests had arrived and were seated, Grand Duke Henri arrived, accompanying Stéphanie’s aunt, followed by the groom and his mother Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.  After greeting the crowds, they entered the Cathedral and the procession began.

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Finally, the bride arrived, in a blue Daimler from the Grand Ducal fleet.  Stéphanie was escorted and walked down the aisle by her eldest brother Count Jehan because their father was confined to a wheelchair. Upon reaching the altar, Stéphanie’s father was helped to his feet, kissed his daughter, and spoke with the couple. In a touching tribute, the service began with a moment of silence in memory of the bride’s mother Countess Alix de Lannoy who had passed away two months earlier. The statue of the Our Lady of Consolation in the cathedral was draped with a veil that had belonged to the late Countess.

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After the readings and homily, the marriage rites were performed.  Conducted in French, the couple exchanged their vows and then rings, before receiving a blessing from the Archbishop.

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Following the final blessing and the singing of the national anthem, Guillaume and Stéphanie and their witnesses signed the marriage register.  Once all had signed, it was held up for the guests to see and the Cathedral erupted in applause for the newly married couple.

Witnesses for Guillaume
Prince Félix of Luxembourg
Don Lawrence Doimi de Frankopan

Witnesses for Stéphanie
Baroness Blanche von und zu Bodman (née Princess Blanche of Mérode)
Princess Louise zu Stolberg-Stolberg

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After returning to the Grand Ducal Palace, the newly married couple appeared on the balcony to the cheers of the well-wishers gathered below. After several minutes and several kisses, they went back inside to attend a reception for family and royal guests.

Post-Wedding Celebrations and Honeymoon

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In the evening, following the reception, Guillaume and Stéphanie left the palace and attended a fireworks display in their honor. They then slipped away to Berg Castle to begin their honeymoon. Following a tradition in the family, Guillaume made all the plans for the honeymoon and it was all a surprise for Stéphanie. It also remains a mystery to the public! Both Guillaume and Stéphanie, while very aware of their public roles, are intensely private people. Just as they remained quiet about the proposal, they have remained quiet about the honeymoon. Even their residence is kept private, although, during a pre-wedding interview, they stated that they did not intend to live at Berg Castle but would be somewhere nearby.

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Trooping the Colour – United Kingdom

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Trooping the Colour in 2017; Credit – By Cple Pete Brown -http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/fotoweb/fwbin/download.dll/45153802.jpgMetadata source:

(Note: After Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023, we will update the photos.)

On a Saturday in June, the British Sovereign presides at Trooping The Colour, also known as The King’s or Queen’s Birthday Parade, at Horse Guards Parade, a large parade ground by St James’s Park in London, to mark the Sovereign’s official birthday. June 17, 2023 was King Charles III’s first Trooping of the Colour as Sovereign. His actual birthday is November 14. Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians participate in this great display of military precision, horsemanship, and fanfare.

Trooping the Colour was first performed during the reign of King Charles II (reigned 1660 – 1685). In 1748 it was decided that Trooping the Colour should mark the official birthday of the Sovereign, and in 1760, after the accession of King George III, it became an annual event. During the reign of King George III, an additional Trooping was often held to celebrate Queen Charlotte’s birthday as well. King Edward VII (reigned 1901- 1910) moved the Sovereign’s Birthday Parade to June to take advantage of the better weather. Since his reign, the Sovereign has personally attended and taken the Royal Salute nearly every year.

Regimental flags of the British Army were historically described as ‘Colours’ because they displayed the uniform Colours and insignia worn by the soldiers of different units.  Each regiment’s Colours provided a rallying point on the battlefield. This was important because, without modern communications, it was easy for soldiers to become disoriented and separated from their unit during battle. Military regiments would troop their Colours – parade their flag – through the regiment each day, to ensure that all members would recognize it. If soldiers became separated from their regiment during battle, they would be able to find their unit by finding their Colours.

source: Daily Mail

Participating in the event are the various companies of the Household Division and The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. The Household Division is comprised of:

  • The Household Cavalry
  • Life Guards
  • Blues and Royals
  • Foot Guards
  • Grenadier Guards
  • Coldstream Guards
  • Scots Guards
  • Irish Guards
  • Welsh Guards

Each year, one of the battalions of the Foot Guards is chosen to Troop its Colour before the Sovereign. This battalion is known as No. 1 Guard, and during the parade is known as ‘Escort For The Colour’. Once they have collected their Colour during the ceremony, they become the ‘Escort To The Colour’.

source: Wikipedia, photo: Corporal Paul Shaw/MOD, OGL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27612365

The event begins with the assembly of the Foot Guards on Horse Guards Parade. They form an extended L-shape, along the western and southern sides of the parade grounds. The colour is held by the Colour Party – comprised of an officer and two guardsmen of the No. 1 Guard – near the center of the parade ground. On the southern side, the Massed Bands assemble. The Massed Bands consist of the bands of the various Foot Guards, the Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry, and a Corps of Drums. Often, pipe bands of the Scots and Irish Guards are also included. The King’s Troop, The Household Cavalry and the mounted bands proceed into the parade grounds and assemble on either side of the Guards Memorial, located on the western side of the grounds.

 

At about the same time, the Royal Procession departs from Buckingham Palace and moves from Buckingham Palace and down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade. Members of the Royal Family, other than the Royal Colonels, arrive in carriages and proceed to Horse Guards Parade where they watch the events from a central first-floor window in the Duke of Wellington’s former office in Horse Guards Building.

Preceded by the Sovereign’s Escort, the Sovereign who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiments of Household Division, travels from Buckingham Palace down the Mall, on horseback, if physically able. If not physically able, the Sovereign travels in a carriage. Directly behind the Sovereign are the Royal Colonels, riding on horseback or in carriages if not physically able to ride. The Royal Colonels are followed by the non-royal Colonels of Regiments of the Coldstream Guards and the Life Guards) and other officers of the Household Division and the Royal Household.

The Royal Colonels currently are:

  • Colonel, Grenadier Guards – The Queen Consort
  • Colonel, Welsh Guards – The Prince of Wales
  • Colonel, Irish Guards – The Princess of Wales
  • Colonel, Blue and Royals – The Princess Royal
  • Colonel, Scots Guards – The Duke of Kent

The two non-royal Colonels currently are:

  • Colonel, Life Guards – Lieutenant General Sir Ed Smyth-Osbourne
  • Colonel, Coldstream Guards – Lieutenant General Sir James Bucknall

 

After crossing the Parade Ground, the Sovereign will proceed to the Saluting Base to start the ceremonies. The field officer gives the command: “Guards – Royal Salute – Present Arms!” and the national anthem is played by the Household Division’s Foot Guards Massed Bands while the Royal Standard is raised and flown from the Horse Guards flagpole.

The Sovereign then rides off from the saluting base (or is driven in a carriage if unable to ride) before and behind the long line of assembled guards, followed by the Royal Colonels, and reviews the Foot Guards, followed by the Household Cavalry and King’s Troop. Once the Sovereign has returned to the Saluting Base, the Massed Bands parade before him/her to various music. A lone drummer takes his place near the No. 1 Guard – the Escort For The Colour – and gives the Drummer’s Call. This is the signal for the Escort For The Colour to march to the center of the parade grounds to get the colour from the Colour Party.

Trooping the Colour, 2022

An ensign from the No. 1 Guard proceeds to the Colour Party to take possession of the Colour. Once he has taken the Colour, No. 1 Guard becomes Escort To The Colour. The No. 1 Guard then proceed to Troop The Colour through the rest of the Foot Guard companies. Led by No. 1 Guard, all of the Foot Guard units parade past the Sovereign, and around Horse Guards. Each time they pass the Sovereign, a salute is given. The No. 1 guard has a distinctive honor. When passing the Sovereign, their colour is lowered – known as the flourish – and is acknowledged by a bow of the head from the Sovereign. Following the Foot Guards, the Household Cavalry and King’s Troop also parade twice around the grounds and give their salutes to the Sovereign.

 

After a final salute from all seven regiments of the Household Division, The King’s Troop leaves Horse Guards for Green Park, where they will conduct a 41-gun salute upon the Sovereign’s arrival back at Buckingham Palace. At the same time, a 62-gun salute will take place at The Tower of London, conducted by the Honourable Artillery Company. The Sovereign returns to his/her horse or carriage and takes his/her place at the head of the Foot Guards. Led by the Massed Bands, the procession returns to The Mall and back to Buckingham Palace.

 

Upon arrival at the gates of the palace, the Sovereign takes another salute from the remaining Foot Guards and the mounted troops, and the gun salutes from Green Park and The Tower of London take place. The Sovereign then returns to the palace, where he/she is joined on the balcony by many of the Royal Family to watch a flypast of the Royal Air Force. This is the one balcony appearance each year which typically features most of the extended Royal Family.

The Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2016

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Wedding of King Leopold III of the Belgians and Princess Astrid of Sweden

by Emily McMahon  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Leopold III of the Belgians and Princess Astrid of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant (the future King Leopold III of the Belgians) and Princess Astrid of Sweden were married in a civil ceremony in the throne room of the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden on November 4, 1926, and in a religious ceremony on November 10, 1926, at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels, Belgium.

Leopold’s Early Life

Left to right Leopold, his brother Charles, his mother Queen Elisabeth, and his sister Marie José;Credit – Wikipedia 

Leopold was born in Brussels, Belgium on November 3, 1901, to the future Albert I, King of the Belgians and Elisabeth of Bavaria. Leopold had a younger brother Charles who later served as the Regent of Belgium. His younger sister Marie-Jose was briefly Queen of Italy after World War II. Leopold was educated in the United Kingdom at Eton College, in Belgium at Ecole Militare (the Belgian equivalent of Sandhurst), and later in the United States at St. Anthony Seminary in California.

The product of a happy marriage (particularly for a royal couple), Leopold had a contented, rather bohemian upbringing. Unlike his uncle and predecessor King Leopold II, Albert preferred a quieter, almost middle-class domestic life for his family. Albert and Elisabeth were well-educated and enthusiastic about developing a Belgian cultural scene. Elisabeth was particularly supportive of musicians. She was also an avid gardener and encouraged her son’s budding interest in botany. Albert was known to jump into haystacks with his children while on vacation in the Belgian countryside. Leopold was close to his father and shared with him a love of outdoor sports.

Following a short stay with his siblings in the United Kingdom, Leopold served as a private and later a sergeant in the 12th Belgian Regiment during World War I, particularly devastating to his home country. Leopold held the unique position of being the youngest known soldier to fight for Belgium during the war. He was fully enlisted by his father at the age of 13. The enlistment was not a ceremonial one. Leopold was treated as any other Belgian private during his service. The 12th Belgian Regiment was later named in honor of its most famous soldier.

Leopold thrived at sports during his school years. After he completed his education, Leopold maintained his physical regimen by swimming, riding, and, like his father, mountain climbing. He also enjoyed some of the typical pursuits of young royal men of the time,  fast cars, airplanes, and photography. Leopold also had a very keen interest in boxing, later following well-known American boxers such as Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney.

After the war, Leopold served as a lieutenant in the Belgian Grenadiers. He also traveled extensively throughout Europe and Africa as the capstone of an education interrupted by the war. Leopold reportedly said to a friend that if had he not been born an heir to a kingdom, he would have become a sea captain and traveled the world.

During his young adulthood, Leopold continued to cultivate his interest in nature, particularly in tropical vegetation and animals. In 1925, Leopold made a long trip to the Congo, where he took extensive notes and collected several specimens of the flora and fauna he encountered. Leopold remained fascinated with botany and zoology throughout his life, keeping hothouses and apiaries at his various homes.

For more information about Leopold see:

Astrid’s Early Life

Left to right: Astrid’s sister Margareta, her mother Princess Ingeborg, her sister Märtha and Astrid; Photo Credit – By Municipal Archives of Trondheim – Flickr: H. K. H. Prinsessan Ingeborg med Prinsessorna Margareta, Märta och Astrid (1910), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25766188

Astrid was born in Stockholm, Sweden on November 17, 1905, to Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Astrid was the grandchild of both King Frederik VIII of Denmark and King Oscar II of Sweden. Astrid’s uncle was King Gustav V of Sweden, her father’s older brother. She had two older sisters, Margaretha, who married into the Danish royal family, and Märtha, who married the future King Olav V of Norway. Astrid’s only brother Carl was born in 1911. Astrid spent most of her childhood at Arvfurstens Palace in central Stockholm and at the family’s summer residence in Fridhem.

Although never academic, Astrid had a warm, friendly personality, social ease, and considerable charm. She collected Swedish folk art and was an expert in the regional variations of needlework. Astrid also enjoyed the outdoors and sports – swimming, skiing, climbing, horseback riding, and golf – loves she later shared with her husband. As she was not a direct descendant of the Swedish king (Gustav V), Astrid and her sisters enjoyed more freedom and the benefits of a less formal schedule. The girls were occasionally seen shopping unaccompanied on the streets of Stockholm.

Like many princesses of the time, Astrid was encouraged to undertake works of public service in preparation for a life devoted to charitable causes. Astrid worked for a time at a Stockholm orphanage, caring for infants. She also completed a home economics course at a Swedish school dedicated to preparing women for domestic lives. During that time, Astrid developed a flair for cooking and would often try out new recipes on her family.

For more information about Astrid see:

The Engagement

Astrid and Leopold’s engagement photo; Credit – Wikipedia

Leopold came of age during World War I, a watershed and devastating time for much of Europe. Several Catholic princesses who may have been available before the war were now left destitute or on the side of Belgium’s former enemies. Many, such as the daughters of King Alfonso XIII of Spain, were simply too young for Leopold. Albert and Elisabeth realized that a suitable bride would likely need to come from an area less affected by the Great War.

Knowing her son’s love of travel, Elisabeth began organizing trips to various European countries to meet eligible princesses. There was some interest in the two eldest daughters of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and a Romanian princess (likely the future Maria of Yugoslavia or her sister Ileana), but despite trips to these areas, no engagement came about.

Astrid and Leopold first met during Leopold’s trip to Scandinavia in the fall of 1925. Leopold and Elisabeth traveled under the name “de Rethy” to avoid public speculation about the reason for the trip. During the first visit, Leopold and Astrid chatted in their common language (English) and developed an attachment to one another immediately.

Following this initial meeting, the residents of Fridhem began to notice a plainly dressed young man arrive for frequent visits. He traveled by third-class carriage and carried his own luggage. Some assumed that the man, dignified, but otherwise unassuming, was a new butler for Astrid’s father, as he entered Prince Carl’s home via the rear entrance. The young man was actually Leopold continuing to visit Astrid semi-incognito.

As the Great War had left a shortage of Protestant, non-German princesses eligible for marriage, Astrid and her sisters became unexpectedly popular potential brides for the royalty of the time. At the beginning of 1926, Astrid was repeatedly linked to Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) as his likely bride. As late as August 1926, Astrid was romantically tied to the future King Olav V of Norway, who later became her brother-in-law. Meanwhile, Leopold periodically visited Astrid privately in Sweden. The couple was exchanging letters while they were separated.

After the announcement of their engagement, the international press amusingly remarked on how Astrid’s culinary skills supposedly impressed Leopold. At a dinner during one of his visits to Sweden, Leopold was said to have been bowled over by an endive salad of Astrid’s own recipe and creation. At least one newspaper printed a handwritten copy of the recipe with an English translation for eager girls to win over their own princes.

The two met again publicly at the christening of Prince Michael of Bourbon-Parma in the middle of 1926. On September 21, 1926, shortly after the christening, Astrid and Leopold announced their engagement. Whereas royal marriages were often arranged purely for convenience or political gain, this engagement seemed different. Not long after the announcement Astrid and Leopold were seen periodically in Stockholm holding hands.

Albert and Elisabeth were delighted at their son’s choice of a bride. They found Astrid quite pretty, yet natural and unassuming. Elisabeth remarked of Astrid, “I might not, even had I tried, have succeeded in finding for my son an ideal bride, but Leopold has done more, he has found for me an ideal daughter-in-law!” An amused (and short-statured) Elisabeth also remarked that Astrid was tall enough to reach Leopold’s eyes. Albert declared this engagement, “a love match … a marriage of inclination,” decided entirely by Leopold and Astrid and not solely for political gain.

King Gustav V held a celebratory dinner in honor of his niece and her new fiancé the night of the announcement. Gustav toasted the couple among members of both families, the Belgian ministry, and the Swedish cabinet.

Wedding Preparations

At the time of the engagement, both countries had sizable socialist populations. The fathers of Astrid and Leopold were concerned about the impact of criticism about the wedding from socialists. Carl selected Stockholm’s socialist mayor Carl Lindenhagen to officiate the civil ceremony despite Lindenhagen’s previous record of calling for the dissolution of the monarchy.

Previous royal weddings in Belgium had been held with excessive formality, particularly with the official arrival of the bride. Albert was careful to note that Astrid’s arrival in Belgium would be marked by as little ceremony as possible. However, the Belgian public was keenly interested in their soon-to-be princess. Wax figures and photographs of Astrid began appearing in shops soon after the engagement was announced. News footage of Astrid was also included before feature films in theaters. Seats on balconies along wedding parade routes in Antwerp (where Astrid would arrive in Belgium) and Brussels sold for several hundred francs.

Unusual for a royal bride at the time, Astrid initially kept her Lutheran faith after marrying Leopold. A dispensation was sought (and granted) to Leopold by Pope Pius XI for marrying a non-Catholic. Astrid agreed that any children born of the marriage would be raised Catholic. Leopold urged Astrid to adopt the Catholic faith only if she felt an individual desire to do so. Astrid later converted three years after the marriage.

The Belgians and Swedes extended the good cheer surrounding the events to the prison inmates of both countries. Convicts had their sentences reduced or were released, based on their behavior during incarceration, their crimes, and the length of their sentences.

Leopold left Belgium for Sweden on October 30, 1926, in preparation for the civil wedding scheduled for November 4, 1926. He stayed at the home of his in-laws in order to spend as much time with Astrid as possible. In the days leading up to the wedding, he and his fiancée were seen periodically walking around Stockholm, arm in arm.

The remainder of the Belgian royal family arrived in Stockholm on November 3, 1926. A crowd gathered to welcome the family as Leopold met his parents and siblings outside the city. Crown Prince Olav of Norway, Prince Axel of Denmark, and Princess Margaretha of Denmark joined the spectators in street clothes and went unrecognized as royalty. Meanwhile, Astrid tried on her wedding dress and baked a chocolate cake for Leopold’s 25th birthday celebrations. Lean reindeer steaks, a Swedish delicacy, were served to the receptive Belgian guests. Following the dinner, the couple and several members of the entourage attended an opera performance.

The Civil Wedding in Sweden

The Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden where the civil wedding was held; Credit – Wikipedia

The civil ceremony was held in the throne room of the Swedish Royal Palace in Stockholm on November 4, 1926. King Gustav V of Sweden and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium led the procession of royal guests into the Throne Room, followed by King Haakon VII of Norway,  King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, and several minor princes and princesses. Astrid and Leopold followed, holding hands, to the strains of the Swedish processional, “The Peasant’s Wedding.”

The ceremony was officiated by Carl Lindhagen, the mayor of Stockholm and a socialist. The wedding marked the first time a couple had been married at the Swedish Royal Palace by anyone other than a member of the clergy. For his part, Mr. Lindhagen said he was happy to marry a couple who appeared to be so in love. The groom presented his bride with a simple gold band as a wedding ring. Astrid and Leopold were reported to have smiled throughout the ceremony. At the close of the service, the orchestra played the Belgian and Swedish national anthems.

The light snow that fell on the day of the wedding was seen as a sign of good luck, as per an old Swedish proverb that foretold of a happy marriage if snow fell on the bride’s myrtle crown. Hundreds of Swedish and Belgian flags decorated the streets of the capital city

A 21-gun salute announced the marriage to the Swedish public, followed by a dinner given by Gustav V to the guests. Despite an unseasonably cold evening, Astrid and Leopold left the palace by horse-drawn carriage through illuminated Stockholm.

As they had not yet been religiously married, Astrid and Leopold were allowed only four hours alone after the civil wedding. The couple then departed separately with their families – Astrid to Malmo and Leopold to Gothenburg.

The Religious Wedding in Belgium

St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral in Brussels, Belgium; Photo Credit – By I, Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4789498

The religious wedding was held on November 10, 1926, at 11:15 AM in the 13th-century St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral in Brussels, Belgium. The cathedral was reportedly full an hour before the scheduled ceremony with an estimated 9,000 guests. The weather was reported to be bright and mild for a November day. Leopold and Astrid set off from the royal palace just before 11:00 AM on a street lined with soldiers, ordinary citizens, and decorations. The remainder of the royal entourage followed, all in open carriages.

The streets of Brussels had not seen such large crowds since Armistice Day in 1918. So enthusiastic were the 200,000-300,000 spectators gathered to see the newly married couple that several injuries were reported due to trampling and crowding. As in Antwerp, Belgian and Swedish flags were displayed on the streets of Brussels. An estimated 15,000 soldiers joined the crowds, many World War I veterans who gathered specifically for the occasion.

Female guests were instructed not to wear black (the color of mourning) or white (as it was thought to be distracting), but instead wore mostly pastel dresses popular at the time. Most covered their heads in lace or, in the case of wealthier guests, donned tiaras.

The international press again took delight in reporting Astrid and Leopold’s affections for one another, declaring the marriage a true love match and lamenting the long distance that had separated the two during their courtship. The ceremony was also broadcast on the radio, a first for Belgian royal weddings.

The ceremony began at 11:30 AM, later than planned due to slow traffic. As the couple entered the church, a 21-gun salute sounded. The cheering was apparently so loud that the salute could barely be heard.

Bells were rung throughout the wedding both inside and outside of the church. The religious service, lasting about forty minutes, was officiated by Archbishop Van Roey, a cleric who had originally declined to participate due to the differences in religion between Leopold and Astrid. No Nuptial Mass was performed as Astrid was not a practicing Catholic. A choir of sixty men and 100 children sang songs of celebration during the processional and recessional. During the ceremony, Leopold gave Astrid a large diamond ring to compliment her plain gold wedding band presented at the civil wedding.

Upon leaving the church, the new couple waved at the crowds before passing under a tunnel of swords held up by Leopold’s former classmates at the Ecole Militaire. Following a carriage processional through Brussels, Leopold and Astrid appeared on the palace balcony again waving at the crowds.

A reception from 3:00 PM-5:00 PM followed the religious service with 3,000 guests, mostly other royals and members of the wedding party. Shortly after the reception, Leopold and Astrid left by car for an undisclosed honeymoon location.

The wedding celebrations had hardly ended before speculation began on another Belgian-Scandinavian union – Olav of Norway and Leopold’s sister Marie-Jose.

Wedding Attire

Astrid wore different dresses for her two wedding ceremonies, both of satin. The Swedish dress featured a scooped neckline with scalloped layers of lace-trimmed satin at the hem. At the Belgian wedding, Astrid wore a cream wrap dress with sprigs of lilies of the valley at her waist. The train was trimmed with embroidered flowers and seed pearls. The color was reported to be “very becoming” to the dark-haired Astrid. The skirt of her dress featured more Brussels lace, with a train carried by four pages dressed in white. Astrid carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley and orchids.

Astrid’s veil was made of Brussels, fitting for her future role as Queen of the Belgians, which had previously been worn by her mother and older sister Margaretha. During the Swedish ceremony, Astrid wore the crown of myrtle in her hair, typical for Swedish brides. While Astrid wore the same veil for both weddings, the wearing of the Swedish myrtle crown necessitated a slightly different style for the veil. Astrid and her bridesmaids wore their hair in short, shingled styles. The bridesmaids wore sleeveless apricot-colored dresses of crepe georgette with hems that fell just below the knees.

Leopold wore the khaki field uniform of the Belgian Grenadiers. He was photographed in this uniform in many official pictures. However, Leopold’s attire differed slightly by the orders worn at the Swedish and Belgian ceremonies. At the Swedish civil wedding, Leopold wore the Order of the Seraphim, the Order of Leopold, and the Order of Leopold II. In addition to the first three, Leopold included the Order of the Crown, the Order of the African Star, and the Royal Order of the Lion at the religious wedding in Belgium.

The Wedding Party

Astrid and Leopold chose a mix of royal attendants (all were also family members of the couple) and their non-royal friends. Aside from Astrid and Leopold, there were four future monarchs and consorts serving as bridesmaids or groomsmen.

Astrid’s bridesmaids were Marie-Jose of Belgium, Leopold’s sister and future queen of Italy; Martha of Sweden, sister of Astrid and future Crown Princess of Norway; Feodora of Denmark, daughter of Prince Harald of Denmark and a cousin of the bride; and Ingrid of Sweden, another cousin of the bride and future Queen of Denmark and mother of Queen Margrethe II. Four of Astrid’s non-royal friends also served as bridesmaids: Alfhild Ekelund, Anne Marie von Essen, Margareta Stähl, and Anna Adelswärd. The bridesmaids traveled with Astrid from Malmo to Antwerp.

Leopold’s supporters were Prince Charles of Belgium, the groom’s younger brother; Prince Carl of Sweden, brother of the bride; Crown Prince Olav of Norway, a cousin of the bride; Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden, a cousin of the bride; Count Folke Bernadotte, another of Astrid’s cousins; Count Claes Sparre, Baron Sigvard Beck-Friis, Baron Carl Strömfelt, all friends of Leopold.

Wedding Guests

Sweden hosted more than 1,200 at the civil wedding, while more than 3,000 attended the Belgian service. The guests at both events included the following royalty and dignitaries:

  • Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
  • King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium
  • Prince Carl and Princess Ingeborg of Sweden
  • Princess Carl, Duke of Ostergotland
  • Princess Märtha of Sweden
  • King Gustav V and Queen Victoria of Sweden
  • King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark
  • King Haakon VII and Queen Maud of Norway
  • Olav, Crown Prince of Norway
  • Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and Crown Princess Louise of Sweden
  • Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten
  • Prince Sigvard of Sweden, Duke of Uppland
  • Princess Ingrid of Sweden
  • Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma
  • Prince Knud and Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark
  • Prince Harald and Princess Helena of Denmark
  • Princess Thyra of Denmark
  • Prince Axel and Princess Margaretha of Denmark
  • Robert Woods Bliss, U.S. Envoy to Sweden, and his wife, Mildred Barnes Bliss
  • Prince Xavier of Bourbon-Parma
  • Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma
  • Prince Rene of Bourbon-Parma
  • Count Carl de Wisborg
  • Count Folke de Wisborg

The Honeymoon

Ciergnon Castle; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Leopold and Astrid began their honeymoon with a brief stay at Castle Ciergnon, a secluded royal property in a heavily wooded area in Namur, Belgium. Rumors had circulated that the couple was on their way to Switzerland and Cairo. These rumors may have been fabricated to allow the newlyweds some privacy.  Leopold and Astrid the traveled through France via Paris to the Riviera. Outside Paris, the two stopped and toured around Montmartre, a former artists’ colony. The couple was known to be staying at a hotel in Menton (near the Italian border) in mid-December under the names of Monsieur and Madame Losange. Unrecognized in southern France, the couple visited tourist sites as any other honeymooning couple. Locals noticed the two taking several long walks together along the countryside.

 

Leopold and Astrid had three children:

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