Tuesday, March 31, 2020

The Newest QVD: A Little Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Has Arrived!

Note: Many thanks to our dear friend Hein Bruins, of Hein's Royal Genealogy Page, who kindly informed us of the birth of this newest descendant of Queen Victoria! Daniel Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha and his wife Eileen Chen have welcomed a daughter, whom they have named Chloe. Chloe Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha was born within the past few days. The newborn's parents, Daniel and Eileen, married on 4 July 2017 at Bern, Switzerland. Chloe joins an older brother: Chadwick Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b.16 May 2018).
Daniel is a son of the late Prince Adrian of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1955-2011) and Adrian's first wife Lea Rinderknecht (b.1960). Adrian and Lea married in 1984 and had two sons: Simon (b.1985) and Daniel (b.1988). As the marriage was considered morganatic, neither Simon or Daniel (or Daniel's offspring) are considered to be Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasts. According to royal genealogist Daniel Willis, Chloe is 350th in the line of succession to the British throne. In addition to being a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Chloe of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is also a descendant of Victoria's half-sister Feodora. 
The newest Coburg was born prematurely on March 24. Given the present worldwide health crisis, the baby remains under care and isolated.
Baby Chloe's great-uncle is Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the Head of the Ducal House. 
We send our congratulations to the couple on this happy occasion!
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Chloe's Ancestry from Queen Victoria & her half-sister Princess Feodora
Princess Feodora zu Leiningen (1807-1872) - Princess Adelheid zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg - Princess Karoline Mathilde of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg - Princess Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg - Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - Prince Adrian of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - Daniel Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha - Chloe Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b.2020) Queen Victoria (1819-1901) - Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany - Prince Charles Edward / Carl Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - Prince Adrian of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - Daniel Prinz von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha - Chloe Prinzessin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha (b.2020)

Monday, March 30, 2020

The Newest Royal Centenarian: 100 Years of Princess Felicitas zu Salm-Horstmar, Princess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

Princess Felicitas zu Salm-Horstmar and Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach on their wedding day.
Photograph (c) Eurohistory Photo Collections.


On 31 March 1920, HSH Princess Felicitas Sophie Katharine Margarethe Hermine Irene zu Salm-Horstmar was born at Potsdam. Today, the princess celebrates her 100th birthday. Felicitas is the oldest living member of the European Gotha.

The paternal grandmother of Felicitas: Fürstin Emilie zu Salm-Horstmar (1841-1892).
The mother of Felicitas: Princess Sabine von Schoenaich-Carolath (1893-1965).
© Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels / photo: J. Geleyns / Ro scan


The princess was the third daughter of Prince Emich zu Salm-Horstmar (1883-1959) and Princess Sabine von Schoenaich-Carolath (1893-1965). Emich and Sabine married in 1914; the couple had three children: Princess Sieglinde (1915-2006; who married Franz Bussmann), Princess Rosmarie (1918-2005; who married Conrad Kirchmeyer), and Princess Felicitas. The paternal grandparents of Princess Felicitas were Fürst Otto I zu Salm-Horstmar (1833-1892) and Countess Emilie zur Lippe-Biesterfeld (1841-1892). The maternal grandparents of Felicitas zu Salm-Horstmar were Fürst Karl zu Carolath-Beuthen (1845-1912) and his second wife Countess Katharina von Reichenbach-Goschütz (1861-1941).

Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach with his son Bernhard.
Grand Duchess Feodora of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach with her son Bernhard.
Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.


Princess Felicitas married Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1917-1986) on 12 March 1943 at Heinrichau. Bernhard was the third child and second son of Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1876-1923) and his second wife Princess Feodore of Saxe-Meiningen (1890-1972). Felicitas and Bernhard had three children: Princess Katharina (b.1944), Prince Alexander (1945-1945), and Prince Wilhelm Ernst (b.1946). Felicitas and Bernhard divorced in 1956 after thirteen years of marriage.

Princess Katharina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach marries Prince Emanuel of Hohenzollern.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger.
Princess Katharina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach with her daughter Eugenia and granddaughter Angelina.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger.


In May 1968, Princess Katharina of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, the only daughter of Felicitas, married Prince Emanuel of Hohenzollern (1929-1999). Emanuel was the son of Prince Franz Joseph of Hohenzollern (1891-1964) and Princess Maria Alix of Saxony (1901-1990). Katharina and Emanuel had two children, Princess Eugenia (b.1969) and Prince Carl Alexander (b.1970), before divorcing in 1985.

Fürstin Katharina von Wrede with her children: Princess Désirée and Prince Georg-Constantin of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger.
Prince Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and his children: Prince Georg-Constantin and Princess Désirée.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger.


In May 1973, Prince Wilhelm Ernst of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, the only surviving son of Felicitas, married Eva Katalin [Katharina] Kovarcz de Kovarczfalva (b.1945). Eva was the daughter of Dezsö Kovarcz de Kovarczfalva and Eva-Maria Fiala-Vogelsang. Wilhelm Ernst and Eva had two children, Princess Désirée (b.1974) and Prince Georg-Constantin (1977-2018), before divorcing in 1985. Eva married Fürst Karl von Wrede (b.1942) in 1991.

Princess Désirée of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Count Florian von und zu Hoensbroech on their wedding day.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger.


From her four grandchildren, Princess Felicitas zu Salm-Horstmar has seven great-grandchildren. In 1991, her granddaughter Princess Eugenia of Hohenzollern married Alexander Sautter: the couple have two daughters. In 2000, her granddaughter Princess Désirée of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach married Count Florian von und zu Hoensbroech (b.1969): the couple have five sons.

The ill-fated heir: Prince Georg-Constantin of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger.


In August 2015, the ninety-five year-old Princess Felicitas zu Salm-Horstmar attended the marriage of her grandson Prince Georg-Constantin of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach to Olivia Page (b.1979). Given that the Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach dynasty was short of male dynasts, Georg-Constantin would have eventually become the Head of the Grand Ducal House after his cousin Michael Benedikt and his father Wilhelm Ernst. Sadly, the prince died as the result of an equestrian accident in 2018.



Princess Felicitas is a first cousin once removed of Fürst Philipp Otto zu Salm-Horstmar, the head of the family.

We wish the Princess many happy returns of the day!

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Royal Family of Romania Gives Messages Of Support To The Romanian People

Recently, Princess Margarita of Romania and her nephew Nicholas took to social media to offer their support to the people of their country during this difficult time.
Margarita, who is often styled as Her Majesty The Custodian of the Crown, delivered her message on the occasion of her birthday, 26 March. This year the princess turned seventy-one. Margarita is the eldest daughter of the late King Michael and Queen Anne of Romania. In her video, Margarita expressed thanks for the congratulations and well wishes on the occasion of her birthday, while also addressing the concerns around the current pandemic. Margarita is the founder of the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation.
[English subtitles are available for the statement delivered by Prince Nicholas above.]
On 26 March, Nicholas of Romania wished his aunt Margarita a happy birthday on all of his social media platforms. Two days later, on 28 March, Nicholas issued a video statement wherein he thanked the Romanian authorities, nongovernmental organisations, private companies, and, especially, the medical professionals who are working to safe people affected with COVID-19 in the nation. Adhering to the advice offered by most medical experts on infectious diseases, Nicholas and his wife Alina-Maria have been self-isolating at home for the past several weeks. Nicholas is the founder of the Prince Nicholas Association.
The people of Romania can be certain that the members of their royal family stand with them in this current public health crisis, which has left no nation untouched.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Archduke Sigismund, Titular Grand Duke of Tuscany, Gives Statement To Tuscans Urging Solidarity In Uncertain Times

 

On Friday, 27 March, Archduke Sigismund of Austria, Titular Grand Duke of Tuscany, issued a statement offering good wishes and strength to the Tuscan people during the ongoing public health crisis due to coronavirus. Sigismund (b.1966) is the Head of the Grand Ducal House of Tuscany. He is son of Archduke Leopold Franz (b.1942), who renounced his rights as Head of House to his eldest son in 1993, and Laetitia de Belzunce-d'Arenberg (b.1941).


The grand ducal statement reads as follows:
Dear all, 
In this moment of hard trial, both physical and moral, I wish to make all of you, the Tuscan People, as well as all other Italians, feel the sense of my caring and vigilant attention, as well as my intension solidarity.  
The health authorities do well to warn us against this dangerous and invisible enemy; measures that tend towards the so-called "social distancing" are necessary, but, inevitably, they generate in each of us a sense of tiredness and frustration. 
For this reason, and also in order to live better this strong Lenten time, I invite you to "not lose sight of each other"; if this is physically impossible nowadays, we can still cheer up the day of some old Friend (or brother) of ours by calling him and making him feel our affectionate closeness. 
[May] this Lenten time, so strange and so different from any other time experienced so far, be for all of us a moment of deep reflection and awakening of our consciousness. Prayer then becomes fundamental to create a virtuous circle of good souls who are committed to soliciting and encouraging the healing of the sick, as well as to accelerate the transit to the Lord of those who have not made it. 
Our thoughts go to the inhabitants of the whole world, since this devious and terrible enemy does not seem to spare any country at all.  
For my part, I am close to you with much affection and participation in your anxieties, worries and fears, with the promise to return to you as soon as possible in your beautiful country. In the meantime, I wish you all the best for the approaching Holy Easter, first, and hopefully last, of this kind. 
[signed] 
Sigismondo d'Asburgo-Lorena
Sigismund's ancestor: Grand Duke Ferdinando IV of Tuscany

Archduke Sigismund is the great-great grandson of Grand Duke Ferdinand IV of Tuscany, who was the last member of the dynasty to rule. Ferdinand IV (1835-1908) reigned for less than a year, between June 1859 and March 1860, when the grand duke lost his country due to Italian unification under the Savoys of Sardinia.

Grand Duchess Maria of Russia Addresses Her Fellow Countrymen

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia
Photograph (c) Russian Imperial House
 
Today Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, Head of the Imperial House of Russia, issued a public statement to the Russian people about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A Statement from the Head of the Imperial House of Russia H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia on the Coronavirus Pandemic

To my fellow Countrymen:

The entire world, including our country Russia, is enduring an enormous challenge. An illness is spreading across the globe and a cure for it has yet to be discovered.

In some countries, the virus has already claimed thousands of lives. But even in those countries where the situation is less desperate, there remains the possibility of a rapid explosion in the number of cases. The real danger lies in the fact that carriers of the virus often exhibit no symptoms, but can still transmit the disease, unknowingly, to many other people they encounter.

Just a few short months ago, we celebrated the New Year 2020, wishing each other happiness and making plans for the future. Probably no one expected that our lives would be suddenly and starkly changed, and that all of our plans, cares and problems would recede into the background, replaced by the global task facing each and every one of us: to prevent getting infected with the virus ourselves, and not to become a source of suffering and death for others.

In these circumstances, I consider it my duty to turn to you with a request and appeal.

Without despair or panic, and holding firm our faith in Divine protection, hope and optimism, we must be responsible as never before.

We must comply strictly and completely with the instructions of state authorities, doctors and other public health professionals.

We must be grateful to all the various medical professionals, pharmacists, law enforcement agencies, the military, firefighters and other emergency services, clergy, volunteers, store and shop employees and transport workers—everyone who is now working at considerable risk to their lives in order to meet the needs of the public and to strengthen our spirit. We must help them in any way we can and express our deep appreciation for their heroism and self-sacrifice. And we must in no way commit the sin of grumbling or otherwise obstructing the implementation of necessary measures being enacted to prevent the spread of this pandemic.

We can protect ourselves and others from danger by observing the simplest rules: do not leave your homes unless absolutely necessary, wash your hands and disinfect all surfaces, do not touch your face, keep the recommended distance, and limit contacts with others as much as possible.

In observing these small and temporary limitations on our freedom, we may save ourselves and possibly hundreds or even thousands of others.

There surely is no single explanation for why the Lord periodically allows such disasters to occur. But it is very clear that this is a serious life test for each of us. Think what answer we will give to our conscience if, due to our own carelessness, the lives of our parents and relatives, friends, or even strangers we happen upon, are cut short by an illness they contracted from us.

At such times, the words of our Saviour take on special meaning: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48). The young and strong should, fully adhering to sanitary guidelines, step in to help the elderly and the weak who are in need of care and attention. The wealthy and those in positions of power must assume even more social responsibilities and prove by their actions that their privileges and positions serve the interests of society at this trying moment.

The people of Russia have endured many trials and tribulations and have each time saved their country through unity. Let us be united now, even if conditions force us to minimize direct contact with each other.

Let us try to turn this unfortunate situation into something good. Popular wisdom tells us: “There is always a silver lining” and “There is always some blessing in misfortune.” We can hope that the current misfortune might weaken the political and economic competition between nations and unite them to work together to save lives, without regard for religious, national and social differences, because the virus does not make such distinctions, but affects everyone. We can ourselves remember our traditional values and rely on them to bolster our resolve. We can appreciate anew our relationships with those near us or far away and the connections that bind all humanity. We can love and care for our spouses, parents and children, whom we can sometimes take for granted in a world filled with cares and bustle. We can do acts of mercy. We can put the needs of others above our own dreams and aspirations. We can learn from our history the necessary lessons for our future.

I was preparing to visit my homeland in May for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Victory in World War II. The serious situation in Spain has confined me to Madrid, however, where, as you know, the rate of infection is extremely high and strict quarantine measures have been introduced by the government. As a result, I will not be able to travel outside of Spain in the immediate future. But the one person closest to me, my hope and support, my son and heir, Grand Duke George of Russia, is now in Moscow. It is difficult and sad for me to be apart from him, but I thank God that he—and through him, the Imperial House—can help our homeland in this difficult period, not only from abroad, but also directly inside Russia.

I extend my deepest, most sincere condolences to all who have lost relatives and friends in this pandemic. I pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have become ill, and for the preservation of the health of all.

May Almighty God help us and hasten the hour when the coronavirus pandemic shall end, through the strength of our Faith and Reason.

H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia

Madrid, 16/29 March 2020
 

Friday, March 27, 2020

Get Well Soon, Sir: The Condition of Prince Antônio of Orleans and Bragança is Improving!

Prince Dom Antônio of Orleans and Bragança Photograph (c) Casa Imperial do Brasil
Almost two weeks ago, it was announced that Prince Dom Antônio, second in line to the headship of the Imperial House of Brazil, had contracted the novel coronavirus. Today his family has informed the public that Prince Antônio of Orleans and Bragança's condition is no longer considered serious. The prince, who is still hospitalised, is awaiting a transfer from the ICU to another hospital unit. Dom Antônio has been progressively improving since the beginning of this week. The prince is considered as part of the Covid-19 at-risk group, not only because he is over sixty-years old, but also due to the fact that he has a pre-existing history of pulmonary complications. Antônio was the only member of the Brazilian Imperial Family to be hospitalised due to the coronavirus. Also diagnosed with COVID-19, Antônio's brothers, Prince Francisco and Prince Alberto, as well as his sister-in-law, Princess Maritza, were able to be treated at home. Late on the evening of Friday, 27 March, the Secretariet of the Imperial House released the following statement:
ANNOUNCEMENT: THE STATE OF HEALTH OF PRINCE DOM ANTÔNIO 
São Paulo, 27 March 2020 
Prince Don Antonio of Orleans and Bragança is still in treatment for the NOVEL coronavirus (Covid-19), assisted by his wife and son, Princess Dona Christine and Prince Dom Rafael. 
His Highness remains in Rio de Janeiro, where he is awaiting a transfer from the intensive care unit (ICU) to another room. 
We thank you for all your prayers to God, our Lord, and to the Blessed Virgin, for the full restoration of his health. 
The other members of the Imperial Family who have contracted the disease have been recovering at home, without the need for hospitalisation. 
More information will be released in due course.
Source: Coronavírus: estado de saúde do Príncipe Dom Antonio já não é mais grave

All Are Equal In The Eyes Of The Law: Princess Marie Of Romania Arrested In New Mexico In 2009

Screenshot from MUGSHOTS.COM / Photos shown are (c) MUGSHOTS.COM
On 12 January 2009, HRH Princess Marie of Romania was booked in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, on the charge of "failure to appear." In the typical terse terms of a police report, it was noted that Marie was 5'8" and 162 lbs with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Although divorced from her husband since 2003, she was booked under the name "Marie Mystkowski." The princess was released the same day on a $200.00 bond.

Marie had moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2004 in order to began what she described as her "wapeni," which is a Native American word meaning "renewal." The princess and her husband Kazimierz Mystkowski, a Polish-born investment technology specialist, had divorced in 2003 after a long separation. During their brief marriage, which took place in 1995 and was attended by the bride's parents King Michael and Queen Anne, the couple lived in New York.

After relocating to New Mexico, Marie, known en famille as Mia, was the defendant in several lawsuits, one of which resulted in her arrest.

In July 2005, the princess was sued by her landlord, a Donald Yates. During this court case, her name was given as "Mia Mystkowski." In October 2005, the court ruled in the landlord's favour, and ordered Marie to pay him $1,732.00. The case was administratively closed by the New Mexico judicial system in October 2019.

In May 2008, GE Money Bank filed suit against the princess, under the name Marie Mystkowski, for "debt and money due." Several months later, a writ of garnishment was issued by the court, forcing Marie to repay what she owed.

The next legal dispute in which the princess became entangled involved her HOA, the Sierra Madre Homeowners Association. On 5 December 2008, the homeowner's association filed a general civil complaint against "Marie de Roumanie"; this was followed the next day by a civil summons being issued to the princess. As she apparently ignored the summons, Marie was arrested - likely by turning herself in - and released in January 2009. Due to a lack of prosecution on the HOA's behalf, the case against Marie was administratively closed in October 2015.

The final legal saga that Princess Marie of Romania weathered was a foreclosure action brought against her by BAC Home Loans Servicing. The princess had borrowed money to purchase a piece of land and subsequently became delinquent in her payments. In this lawsuit, which was filed in July 2009, Marie was joined as a co-defendant by the Sierra Madre Homeowners Association (the HOA that had sued her the year before), the GE Money Bank (a questionable financial institution that had also sued Marie the year before), the Taxation and Revenue Department of the State of New Mexico, and, oddly, "the Unknown Spouse of Marie Mystkowski" (who was dropped from the suit when it became known that Marie was divorced). In 2010, the courts ordered that the land (4557 Camino San Juan, Santa Fe, New Mexico) which Marie had purchased be foreclosed upon and sold at public auction.

After these quandaries, the princess moved from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Marie resided there until 2015, when she was called to Romania to take up duties on behalf of the royal family, which is now headed by her godmother and eldest sister, Margarita. In late 2019, the princess is believed to have made the decision to withdraw from her role, and she has not appeared in a public capacity since that time.

Princess Marie of Romania is currently sixth in line to the succession of the headship of the royal house, per the continuously amended 2007 Fundamental Rules. The princess still serves on the Management Board of the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation (Fundatia Regala Margareta a Romaniei).

Sources:
MUGSHOTS.COM - Marie Mystkowski
DONALD N YATES, Plaintiff(s) v. MIA MYSTKOWSKI, Defendant(s)
GE MONEY BANK V MYSTKOWSKI
TIERRA MADRE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff(s) v. MIA DE ROUMANIE, Defendant(s)
BAC HOME LOANS V MARIE MYSTKOW
Familia Regala - ASR Principesa Maria
Fundatia Regala Margareta a Romaniei - Our Team
 

Thursday, March 26, 2020

CATS: Royals & Their Feline Friends

COVID-19 Claims First Royal Victim: Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma

Prince Sixte Henri of Bourbon-Parma has announced that today, Thursday, 26 March 2020, his sister Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma passed away in Paris from the coronavirus. The princess was eighty-six years-old. Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma was born on 28 July 1933 as the daughter of Prince Xavier of Bourbon-Parma and his wife Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset. Marie-Thérèse never married and had no children.
Source: S.A.R. Don Sixto Enrique de Borbón

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

COVID-19 & The Royals: Archduke Karl Of Austria Has Recovered!

Archduke Karl of Austria
Archduke Karl, the Head of the Imperial House of Austria, has announced that he has recovered from the coronavirus. He was diagnosed earlier in March after testing positive for COVID-19. At that time, he began the required quarantine regimen. Recently, Karl tested negative and is now in the clear, health-wise. Karl of Austria released the following statement:
I have just received a notification that the quarantine has been lifted after a negative corona test. After being infected with the Covid-19 virus, I am officially healthy again after almost three weeks. 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who sent me wishes for recovery through various channels. Even if this removes the domestic quarantine for me, it is not a return to normal life for me either. My location makes it necessary to stay at home. This is the best way to curb the spread of the virus. 
In all organizations in Austria in which I hold a management function, the events have been canceled for the next two months. Including the VI. Otto von Habsburg symposium, which should have been devoted to the topic of "freedom." 
Now we have to take responsibility in freedom, take care of ourselves and thus our fellow human beings, and stay at home.
Karl's son Archduke Ferdinand is currently serving in the Austrian military. Part of Ferdinand's role is in maintaining the nation's food supply chain.
We hope that all of our readers stay safe and healthy during this time!

COVID-19 Claims First Royal Victim: Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma

Prince Sixte Henri of Bourbon-Parma has announced that today, Thursday, 26 March 2020, his sister Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma passed away in Paris from the coronavirus. The princess was eighty-six years-old. Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma was born on 28 July 1933 as the daughter of Prince Xavier of Bourbon-Parma and his wife Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset. Marie-Thérèse never married and had no children.
Source: S.A.R. Don Sixto Enrique de Borbón

In Memory of a Red Princess: The Passing of Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma (1933-2020)

Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma
(28 July 1933 - 26 March 2020)

 

Prince Xavier and Princess Madeleine of Bourbon-Parma with their six children.


HRH Princess Marie-Thérèse Cécile Zita Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma was born in Paris on 28 July 1933 as the third child and second daughter of Prince Xavier of Bourbon-Parma (1889-1977) and Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset (1898-1984). Xavier and Madeleine married in 1927 and had six children: Princess Françoise (b.1928; married Prince Eduard von Lobkowicz), Prince Carlos Hugo (1930-2010; married Princess Irene of The Netherlands), Princess Marie-Thérèse, Princess Cécile (b.1935), Princess Marie-des-Neiges (b.1937), and Prince Sixte-Henri (b.1940). Empress Zita of Austria was one of the aunts of Marie-Thérèse; Prince Felix of Luxembourg, husband of Grand Duchess Charlotte, was her uncle; Queen Anne of Romania was among her first cousins.


Displaying early her independent spirit, Marie-Thérèse quickly became a polyglot, speaking fluent French, English, German, and Spanish. The princess studied philosophy at Oxford University. She then went on to study political science at the Sorbonne in Paris. Marie-Thérèse became a specialist in the legal and political systems in Islamic nations.

Marie-Thérèse


Between 1958-1959, it was frequently rumoured that Princess Marie-Thérèse was on the verge of becoming engaged to King Baudouin of the Belgians. Together with his sister Marie-des-Neiges, the princess had attended a ball at hosted by the Belgian monarch in April 1958. Marie-Thérèse was described at the time as "a Spanish-type beauty. She has lovely wide dark eyes and a magnificent figure. She is intellectual but not a bluestocking." Alas, a royal romance had not flourished: Baudouin went on to marry Spanish aristocrat doña Fabiola Mora y Aragón, and Marie-Thérèse was never to marry.

Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma
Photograph circa 1964


In 1964, the princess attended the wedding of her brother Carlos Hugo to the Dutch princess Irene, daughter of Queen Juliana. Irene's conversion to Roman Catholicism and decision to marry a prince as politically active as Carlos Hugo was understandably met with apprehension in the Netherlands. Displaying a strong loyalty to her brother, Marie-Thérèse supported both Carlos Hugo and Irene as they embarked on married life.

Maria Teresa


Two decades after the death of Infante Alfonso Carlos, Duke of San Jaime, Marie-Thérèse's father Xavier assumed the mantle of Carlist claimant to the throne of Spain in the 1950s. Xavier continued to advocate the conservative policies disseminated by the Carlist party. However, as Xavier's health failed, his son Carlos Hugo attempted to turn the tide of the Carlist party towards more liberal and socialist ideals. In this quest, he was supported by his three youngest sisters: Marie-Thérèse, Cécile, and Marie-des-Neiges. Owing to their political views, the royal trio became known by the moniker "the red princesses." In an interview given to El Cuaderno in June 2019, Marie-Thérèse recalled the political evolution that her brother, her sisters, and she set out to effectuate: "We wanted to link the past with modernity, and it seemed to Carlos [Hugo] and all those who accompanied us that what would best translate this historical aspiration today, what our ancestors had wanted, was the concept of self-management. We proposed self-management in three areas: the political, the territorial, and the economic." Marie-Thérèse was not present at the Montejurra massacre in May 1976, when far-right and disaffected members of the Carlist movement opened fire upon a large Carlist gathering. Her brother Carlos Hugo, her sister-in-law Irene, and her sister Marie-des-Neiges were at Montejurra. Marie-Thérèse recalled that her older brother Carlos Hugo had specifically asked her to stay away from this event. The political views of Marie-Thérèse and her brother and two sisters alienated them from her parents and her sister Françoise and brother Sixte-Henri. In May 1981, the princess became a Spanish citizen, and she resided in the country for many years. Eventually, she relocated to France.

The Red Princess and her beloved nieces and nephews.
Left to right: Tjalling ten Cate, Princess Margarita, Prince Carlos Hugo, Prince Jaime, Princess Maria Teresa, Princess Maria Carolina, and Albert Brenninkmeijer in 2014.
Photograph (c) Alamy


Unconventional and unique, Marie-Thérèse was a popular relative amongst her Gotha relations. The princess remained close to her nephews and nieces, the children of Carlos Hugo and Irene. In 2010 and 2013, respectively, she attended the weddings of her nephews, Princes Carlos and Jaime of Bourbon-Parma. In 2016, Marie-Thérèse participated in the festivities in Tirana surrounding the wedding of Crown Prince Leka of Albania and Elia Zaharia.

The Duke and Duchess of Parma with their aunt Princess Marie-Thérèse in 2016.
Photograph (c) Getty Images / Miguel Benitez


Princess Marie-Thérèse of Bourbon-Parma passed away at Paris on 26 March 2020 after suffering complications arising from being diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19). The princess was a professor of sociology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Marie-Thérèse is survived by her sisters Françoise, Cécile, and Marie-des-Neiges, as well as by her brother Sixte-Henri. The princess is also survived by her nephews and nieces as well as her great-nieces and great-nephews. Marie-Thérèse was a devout Roman Catholic.

 
 

Requiesce in pace.

Monday, March 23, 2020

Joachim and Marie of Denmark Return Home Due to Son Henrik’s Illness

On Monday, 23 March, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie, together with their children Prince Henrik and Princess Athena, returned to Denmark from France. Prince Henrik was examined at the Rigshospitalet for breathing problems caused by asthmatic bronchitis. The prince was also tested for coronavirus. Thankfully, the result was negative.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Death of the Mother of the Head of the House of Bagrationi-Mukransky

☨ 
Doña María de las Mercedes de Zornoza y Ponce de León
(1942 - 2020)
Doña María de las Mercedes de Zornoza y Ponce de León marries Prince George Bagration-Mukhransky Photograph (c) Corbis Images
On 17 March 2020, doña María de las Mercedes de Zornoza y Ponce de León passed away at Madrid. She was seventy-seven years-old. María was born at Madrid on 2 August 1942 as the daughter of don José de Zornoza and doña María de los Dolores Ponce de León y Puicercus (d.Madrid 28 February 2008).
In March 1968, Maria de las Mercedes de Zornoza y Ponce de León married Prince George (Jorge) Bagration-Mukhransky (1944 - 2008). George was the son of Prince Irakly Bagration-Mukhransky (1909 - 1977) and Nobile Maria Antonietta Pasquini dei Conti di Costafiorita (1911 - 1944). George's aunt Leonida married Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia; George's first cousin is Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, Head of the Imperial House of Romanov. George and María had three children: Princess Maria Antonieta (b.1969), Prince Irakly (b.1972), and Prince David (b.1976). The couple eventually divorced, and María never remarried. María remained a close friend of her former sister-in-law, Princess Mariam Bagration-Mukhransky, who never really forgave her brother for divorcing his first wife.
María is survived by her three children and two grandsons: Jaime Gaixas y Bagration and Prince Giorgi Bagration-Bagration (b.2011), who is the son of Prince David and Princess Anna Bagration-Gruzinsky (b.1976). The marriage of María's son David and the heiress of the Bagration-Gruzinsky branch of the Georgian royal families led to a brief rapprochement between the two leading lines of the Bagrationi royal house.
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Twins Expected In The Royal House Of Hannover!

This week, amidst some rather bleak news, there was an happy announcement from the Royal House of Hannover. Prince Christian and Princess Alessandra of Hannover are expecting twins in Summer 2020. The children will be the first offspring for the couple.
On 24 November 2017, Prince Christian of Hannover and Alessandra de Osma were married in a civil ceremony at London. On 16 March 2018, the pair celebrated their religious union at Lima, Peru. Prince Christian of Hannover (b.1987) is the second son of Prince Ernst August of Hannover (b.1954) and Chantal Hochuli (b.1955). Alessandra de Osma (b.1988) is the daughter of Felipe de Osma (b.1956) and Elizabeth Foy.
The twins will be the third and fourth grandchildren of Prince Ernst August of Hannover and Chantal Hochuli. They will join their first cousins, the children of their uncle Prince Ernst August ("Junior) and his wife Princess Ekaterina: Princess Elisabeth (b.2018) and Prince Welf August (b.2019). At the time of Ernst August Junior and Ekaterina's marriage, dynastic approval was withheld from recognising the union by Prince Ernst August Senior.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Coronavirus At The Botanical Garden: Brazilian Royals Possibly Infected At Family Engagement Party

As of now, there are four members of the Brazilian imperial family who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus: Prince Antônio, Prince Alberto, Princess Maritza, and Prince Francisco. On Tuesday, 17 March, it was reported that Prince Alberto of Orleans and Bragança and his wife Princess Maritza had tested positive for COVID-19. According to the Brazilian press, members of the Brazilian imperial family had attended an engagement party at the Jardim Botânico in Rio de Janeiro. This event was held to celebrate the eventual marriage of Alberto and Maritza's son Prince Pedro Alberto to Alessandra Haegler Fragoso Pires. Yesterday, Wednesday, 18 March, Prince Bertrand, who is considered Prince Imperial by Brazilian monarchists, released a video statement in which he announced that his brothers, the Princes Antônio, Alberto, and Francisco, had tested positive for COVID-19. Prince Antônio is next in line to the headship of the Brazilian imperial family, after his eldest brother, Prince Luiz, and his brother Prince Bertrand. Prince Alberto and Prince Francisco are not in the line of succession, as they contracted marriages which were not considered dynastic. Of the four family members, only Prince Antônio has been hospitalised. However, he is in good condition. Many members of the Orleans and Bragança family, including the four members who are ill, reside in Rio de Janeiro. Luiz, Head of the Imperial House, lives in São Paolo, together with his brother Bertrand. Prince Luiz is almost eighty-two years-old and in fragile health. Prince Bertrand is seventy-nine years-old and the next in line to the headship of the imperial house: he was hospitalised last year.  It is unlikely that Luiz and Bertrand were present at the engagement party in Rio de Janeiro where many of their closest relatives caught coronavirus. Source: https://vejario.abril.com.br/beira-mar/coronavirus-pandemia-atinge-socialites-e-a-familia-imperial/

Margarita of Romania Opens Peleș For People Needing A Place to Quarantine

Margarita, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, and the Royal Family continue to work with society and the authorities of the Romanian state to strengthen the national response to the threat posed by COVID-19.

Following the declaration of the state of emergency in Romania, the Crown Custodian and her sisters made the decision to make available to the National Committee on Special Emergency Situations, free of charge, a number of fifty-three individual accommodation spaces in hotel units and villas on the Royal Peleș Domain, for individuals who will have to quarantine.

The Crown Custodian’s Household has received approval of this decision from the National Committee on Special Emergency Situations.


 

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Belated News Of A Divorce In The Extended Romanian Royal Family

In August 2018, Angelica Kreuger filed for a dissolution of her marriage to Richard Knight, and a divorce was granted in November 2018. The couple married in 2009. Angelica and Richard have two daughters: Courtney (b.2007) and Diana (b.2011).
King Michael of Romania with three of his daughters: Helen, Irina, and Sophie.
Angelica is the only daughter of Princess Irina of Romania (b.1953) and her first husband John Kreuger (b.1945). Irina is the third daughter of King Michael of Romania (1921 - 2017) and Queen Anne (1923 - 2016; née Bourbon-Parma). Irina of Romania and John Kreuger were married in 1983 and divorced in 2003.
From 2007 until 2014, Angelica Kreuger was seventh-in-line to the Headship of the Royal House of Romania, according to the Fundamental Rules. Angelica's daughter Courtney was the first great-grandchild of Michael and Anne, the last King and Queen of Romania. As far as is known, Courtney Knight is the only great-grandchild of the King and Queen who was able to meet the Romanian royal couple; this took place during a private visit to Switzerland in 2009. Source: Oregon Judicial Department

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