Monday, December 27, 2021

Princess Maryam Begum of Afghanistan (1936-2021)

Princess Maryam with an Afghan nurse, 1960s.

Over the weekend, it was announced that Princess Maryam Begum of Afghanistan had passed away on 25 December. She was eighty-five years-old. Born on 2 November 1936, Princess Maryam was the fourth child and second daughter of King Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan (1914-2007) and Queen Humaira Begum (1918-2002), who wed in 1931. The princess was educated at the Malali School in Kabul. In 1960, Princess Maryam married Professor Muhammad Aziz Khan Naim (1935-1978). The couple had one son, Nadir Khan Naim (b.1965). The princess is survived by her son and her death is mourned by the Afghan royal family.

May Princess Maryam Rest in Peace. 

Sources:

https://www.khabaronline.ir/news/1586406/دختر-آخرین-پادشاه-افغانستان-درگذشت-عکس

https://www.royalark.net/Afghanistan/telai2.htm

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

The Duke of Kent to Release Memoirs in 2022

This is certain to be exciting news for royal watchers and historians!

In July 2022, the memoirs of the Duke of Kent will be published by Hodder & Stoughton, Ltd. Entitled A Royal Life, the tome was compiled based on conversations between the duke and royal historian Hugo Vickers. The book will be slightly over 300 pages. Following is an overview of the memoirs from its publisher:

The Duke of Kent has been at the center of Royal life since he was born. On his father's side he is a first cousin of The Queen, the grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, the nephew of King George VI - and on his mother's side he is a cousin of Prince Philip and descends from Greek, Danish and Russian Kings, Queens and Emperors. The Duke has been involved in all key royal events through his life - after the early death of his father he walked in the procession behind the King's coffin in 1952 and he paid homage to his cousin, the new Queen, at the Coronation in 1953. He was riding with her when the blanks were fired at the Trooping of the Colour in 1981 - and he was the only member of the Royal Family to stand alongside the Queen to celebrate her official birthday in June 2021. He is now 85 years old. A Royal Life, which includes never before seen photographs from the Duke's own collection, is based on a set of conversations between Prince Edward and Royal historian Hugo Vickers. The conversations focus on the most important moments and themes of The Queen's life and seventy-year reign. They offer a unique and unprecedented set of insights into life as a working royal and behind the scenes of the world's most celebrated family.

The Duke of Kent to Release Memoirs in 2022

This is certain to be exciting news for royal watchers and historians!

In July 2022, the memoirs of the Duke of Kent will be published by Hodder & Stoughton, Ltd. Entitled A Royal Life, the tome was compiled based on conversations between the duke and royal historian Hugo Vickers. The book will be slightly over 300 pages. Following is an overview of the memoirs from its publisher:

The Duke of Kent has been at the center of Royal life since he was born. On his father's side he is a first cousin of The Queen, the grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, the nephew of King George VI - and on his mother's side he is a cousin of Prince Philip and descends from Greek, Danish and Russian Kings, Queens and Emperors. The Duke has been involved in all key royal events through his life - after the early death of his father he walked in the procession behind the King's coffin in 1952 and he paid homage to his cousin, the new Queen, at the Coronation in 1953. He was riding with her when the blanks were fired at the Trooping of the Colour in 1981 - and he was the only member of the Royal Family to stand alongside the Queen to celebrate her official birthday in June 2021. He is now 85 years old. A Royal Life, which includes never before seen photographs from the Duke's own collection, is based on a set of conversations between Prince Edward and Royal historian Hugo Vickers. The conversations focus on the most important moments and themes of The Queen's life and seventy-year reign. They offer a unique and unprecedented set of insights into life as a working royal and behind the scenes of the world's most celebrated family.

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Marie-Thérèse de Damas (1920-2021), Aunt of the Margrave of Meissen

The birth registration of Maria Teresa Afif, 1920.

According to Le Figaro, Madame Marie-Thérèse de Damas died in France on 13 December 2021; she was 101 years-old. Marie-Thérèse was the widow of René de Damas, who she married in 1948. The couple had five children: Carmen, Etienne, Chantal, Anne, and Elisabeth. Marie-Thérèse was born Maria Teresa Afif on 11 November 1920 at Puebla, Mexico, as the daughter of Alejandro (Alexander) Afif and his wife Maria (née Attye). Her parents had emigrated to Mexico from Lebanon and Syria. Contemporary genealogies give her birth year as 1926; however, having researched the databases of Puebla, Mexico, it appears that several years were subtracted from not only Maria Teresa's age, but that of her siblings as well. Marie-Thérèse was the sister-in-law of Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern and Princess Maria Anna of Saxony. The nephew of the deceased is Prince Alexander of Saxony, Margrave of Meißen.

May Marie-Thérèse Rest in Peace.

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Paul Lambrino, Wanted for Crimes in Romania, Possibly Spotted In Paris

Late in November 2021, Paul Lambrino (aka Prince Paul of Hohenzollern / Prince Paul of Romania) appears to have been photographed in the French capital. Monsieur Lambrino was seemingly shown attending a dinner for the Club des Leaders in Paris. As reported by Romania-Insider in December 2020, "Paul-Philippe al Romaniei, also known as Prince Paul of Romania, the grandson of King Carol II of Romania, has become a wanted person as the Police are trying to get him to jail, where he has to serve a 40-month sentence in a corruption case. Romania’s High Court (ICCJ) on December 17 announced the final sentences in the 'Royal Farm' corruption case, including a final 40-month sentence for Prince Paul." Paul Lambrino is the subject of an arrest warrant by the Romanian government for the crimes of which he was found guilty. Hopefully, he will be found and brought to justice.

The "Wanted Person" notice of Paul al Romaniei.

Sources:

Romanian prince becomes wanted person to serve jail sentence in corruption case
Prince Paul of Romania is now a wanted fugitive

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

The 80th Birthday of the Fürst zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg

Today, Fürst Alois-Konstantin zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg celebrates his eightieth birthday!

Fürst Alois, Hereditary Prince Karl and Hereditary Princess Carolina, and Fürstin Josephine, 1935.

Born on 16 December 1941 at Würzburg, Prince Alois-Konstantin Karl Eduard Joseph Johann Konrad Antonius Gerhard Georg Benediktus Pius Eusebius Maria zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg was the fifth child and first son of Hereditary Prince Karl zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (1904-1990) and his wife Carolina dei Conti Rignon (1904-1975), who married in 1935. Alois-Konstantin's father succeeded his grandfather Alois as Fürst zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg in 1952 upon Alois's death. Aloys-Konstantin has six sisters: Princess Maria (b.1935; married Archduke Joseph of Austria), Princess Josephine (b.1937; married Prince Alexander of Liechtenstein), Princess Monika (b.1939; married Don Jaime Mendez de Vigo y del Arco), Princess Christiane (b.1940; married Archduke Michael of Austria), Princess Elisabeth (b.1944; married José Maria Trénor y Suarez de Lezo, Marchese de Cerdanyola), and Princess Lioba (b.1946; married Fürst Moritz Eugen zu Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen-Wallerstein).

In 1965, Hereditary Prince Alois-Konstantin married Princess Anastasia of Prussia (b.1944), the eldest and only surviving daughter of Prince Hubertus of Prussia and his wife Princess Madgalene (née Reuß). Alois-Konstantin and Anastasia have four children: Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich (1966-2010; married Baroness Stephanie von Brenken), Prince Hubertus (b.1968; married Baroness Iris von Dörnberg), Princess Christina (b.1974; m. Guido von Rohr), and Prince Dominik (b.1983; married Countess Olga zu Castell-Rüdenhausen). Fürst Alois-Konstantin and Fürstin Anastasia have nine grandchildren.

Alois-Konstantin and Anastasia.

Our best wishes to the Fürst on his birthday! 

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Countess Marianne "Bunny" Esterházy (1938-2021)

Countess Marianne Esterhazy in 1998.

Announcements in The Times and The Telegraph have noted that Countess Marianne "Bunny" Esterházy died on 27 November 2021 at the age of eighty-two. 

 
The death announcement in The Telegraph.
The countess was a private person, with many fascinating connections, and she will surely be deeply missed by her surviving son, her grandchildren, her family, and her friends.

 

Bunny's mother Etti.
Photo (c) Getty Images / Central Press.

Born on 12 December 1938 at Budapest, Countess Mária Anna "Bunny" Berta Felicie Johanna Ghislaine Theodora Huberta Georgina Helene Genoveva Esterházy was the first and only child of Count Mária Tamás "Tommy" Pál Esterházy (1901-1964) and Countess Maria "Etti" von Wurmbrand-Stuppach (1914-2003), who married in 1938 and divorced in 1944. Bunny's mother Etti was married six times. Etti's memoirs, Horses and Husbands, are a fascinating read; they were published after her death with the great assistance of royal and noble biographer Hugo Vickers. 

Countess Bunny Esterhazy in 1956.
In her memoirs, Bunny's mother recalls with a touching dose of self-reflection: "We had one daughter... Of course, I did not look after Bunny myself when she was little. We had lovely English nurses. One of them had been nurse to the Queen and Princess Margaret and she loved dogs. So there were always dogs in the nursery. We were not very happy about that, but she assured us that in England babies and dogs were always together. It was so funny. I know that I was neither a good nor attentive mother. Both Tommy and I adored Bunny, but we either left her with the nannies or despatched her to stay with friends." Despite the divorce of Bunny's parents, it is clear from her mother's memoirs (which are really a must have!) that they both fiercely loved their daughter, in their own way. In April 1956, Bunny's mother Etti and her stepfather Arpad Plesch hosted a ball for the young countess at Claridges in London. The then seventeen year-old Bunny had been presented to society the previous month. In 1957 and 1958, it was reported that Bunny Esterhazy was a good friend of the Aga Khan, who was only a few years older than her. 

Dominic Elliot and Bunny Esterhazy upon their engagement.

On 4 May 1962 at London, Countess Bunny Esterházy married London 4 May 1969 the Honourable George Esmond Dominic Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound (1931-2018), the youngest son of the 5th Earl of Minto. The wedding of the Countess and the son of the Earl of Minto was attended by The Queen as well as her sister The Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon in addition to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Dominic Elliot had been a youthful beau of Princess Margaret. The reception following the wedding was held at Lord Astor's Carlton House Terrace alongside the Mall. 

Dominic Elliot and Bunny Esterhazy on their wedding day.

The Elliots went on to have two children: sons Alexander (1963-1985) and Esmond (b.1965). Dominic and Bunny divorced in 1972, having separated some years before. In 1970, Bunny Esterhazy was romantically linked to the Earl of Carnarvon, a connection which her mother Etti strongly denied when asked for comment. In 1974, Bunny Esterhazy and Keith Mason, 4th Baron Blackford, were reported to be in a relationship; however, this did not result in a marriage.

Countess Bunny Esterhazy with the then Marchioness of Tavistock (later Duchess of Bedford), 1980.
Photo (c) ANL/Shutterstock.

May the Countess Rest in Peace.

Monday, December 13, 2021

The Baptism of the Heir to House Murat

Photo (c) Cyrille Boulay.

On Sunday, 12 December, Prince Joachim Murat was baptised at the Cathédrale Saint-Louis des Invalides in Paris. Prince Joachim Georges Laurent Napoléon Murat was born on 3 August as the first child of Prince Joachim Murat and his wife Princess Yasmine (née Briki). Among the godparents of the little prince were Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia and Princess Noal Zaher of Egypt (née Afghanistan). Numerous royal relations and friends were also present at this happy occasion: Prince Charles Bonaparte (father of the Prince Napoléon), Prince Mohammed Ali of Egypt, and Princess Victoria Romanovna Romanoff (wife of Grand Duke George). 

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Bertil and Lilian of Sweden Reflect on Their Lives in Candid 1985 Interview

Prince Bertil of Sweden and Lilian Davies Craig after the announcement of their engagement, Oct. 1976. Photo (c) Getty Images / Keystone.

In December 1985, Prince Bertil and Princess Lilian of Sweden, Duke and Duchess of Halland, paid a visit to the United States. During that time, the royal couple were guests of the Swedish-American Council of Greater Boston and the Swedish Council of America. While resting at their rooms at the Westin Hotel, both the prince and princess gave separate interviews, while expressing nearly identical sentiments, about their love for one another and their life together. Bertil and Lilian had married nine years before in 1976, after beginning a relationship in 1943.

Princess Lilian of Sweden.

Princess Lilian:

In a loving relationship a sense of humour is important. You have to laugh at the pressures in your life. Especially, you have to laugh at yourself. 

Companionship is one of the things that has made our relationship. We have always enjoyed doing the same things. We take long walks together. I love my husband's loyalty towards his duties, his job. Besides, he's a very good chef.

We wed late. Too late to have children. We had to wait such a long time to get married. I regret not having children. But now the queen's children are like my grandchildren. I makes up. Well, not quite.

We were not allowed to be seen in public for many years. I missed being with my husband. Sometimes I felt it wasn't nice. But it was nice that we were together, anyway. That made it less of a strain. We were always very much in love. We enjoyed every moment we were together.

My wedding day was the happiest day of my life. I was as nervous as a kitten. I had butterflies in my tummy. When we exchanged vows, I was afraid I wouldn't even remember my husband's name. I wore a wonderful pale blue gown.

Before our wedding, my husband asked: 'What will you wear on your head? We are of a certain age, so you cannot wear a tiara.' It was supposed to be a secret, the way I looked, so I just replied: 'A hat.' And he pressed on: 'But what kind of a hat?'

I thought he was being too curious. He wouldn't be put off. So I told him I was wearing feathers in my hair. Well, I'll never forget the astonished look on his face. 'Feathers?' he said and went silent. Actually, I wore a hat covered with feathers that were dyed to match my wedding gown. He told me then that I was a beautiful bride.

My husband is an ordinary man. He doesn't behave like a prince. When I have company, he helps me in the kitchen. We get dressed up for the job, like the Nobel Prize (award ceremonies), but as soon as we get home, we get into our favourite clothes: sweaters and trousers.

I'm a feminist. The first feminist decision I made was to live with the man I love. I chose to be with the prince. It was a long wait (marriage). But good things are worth waiting for, and my husband is a good man. Now I feel the challenge of our life is to do our job, to help the king and queen as much as we can.

Prince Bertil of Sweden in 1964.
Photo by Bergne Porträttstudio AB.

Prince Bertil:

I have always done my best to be a good prince. I have always had an agreeable life. I'm a prince, but I still like to do ordinary things, live an ordinary life. I am a very ordinary person. 

We have a house on the outskirts of Stockholm. We have a house in the south of France. We live simply. My office is in the palace. There, I have a suite, a great room for great receptions. But it's just part of the job.

I love the married life. I love my wife. She's very sweet. Love is the most important aspect of anyone's life. We've been together from the very first. The big regret I have is that I married late. We would have liked to have children.

All those years not being married wasn't easy. But we were very lucky. The Swedish press was very understanding, touch wood! It's really remarkable. I think they (the press) liked me. If they had wanted to be ruthless, they could have written badly about us and perhaps ruined our life. I asked them not to write about us at all, and they didn't. 

My wedding day was the happiest moment of my life. The first priority of our lives is that we always loved one another. We were comrades. We were friends. We helped each other. And all that loyalty still continues.

I was never bitter about not being able to marry. It was difficult for my father to give us permission to marry. I understand that. I had promised my father that I'd stay with him, to help him with his work. He was a wonderful man. I could talk to him about anything. Nothing every embarrassed him. 

I performed my duties, and I waited. No, we waited 33 years. That's a long time. But we were happy together, so it was not as bad as it may seem. We had a pleasant life. What was difficult was that she was not allowed to appear at my side in public. That hurt me. But what could I do? Somehow, we got used to it. Somehow. But she had courage. Now that the Swedish people know her, they love her. Even my father was kind to us. I know he liked her.

I'm 73 years old now. I still drive a car, but I don't race. I raced cars in 1936. I liked knowing how the engine stood up under pressure. I liked knowing how I stood up under pressure. I've always thought the sportsman was a happy man. I loved sports - any kind of sports. A sportsman is competitive. I like competition, especially on the Olympic level. The rivals are at war with each other. Yet the overriding spirit is unity. I do love unity.

I came to the United States first in 1938 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first landing of Swedes in Wilmington, Del. We came by ship. My father fell ill. Kidney trouble. He got very sick. He said to me: 'You have to take over.'

I had never made a speech in my life. I was rather shaken at the prospect, very nervous. I was put in front of first-class professional speakers, like President Roosevelt. It was a big challenge. It was something I had to do. So I did it.

No one threw rotten eggs at me. I believe that was my real beginning, my baptism.

Prince Bertil and Princess Lilian in 1995. Photo (c) Getty Images / James Andanson.

Prince Bertil died in 1997 at the age of eighty-four. Princess Lilian passed away in 2013 at the age of ninety-seven. The couple had been together for fifty-four years and married for twenty-one. They are buried together at the Royal Cemetery in Solna. 

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

A Religious Marriage in the Imperial House of Brazil

Princess Patrícia and Prince Pedro Carlos.

On 9 October 2021, Prince Pedro Carlos of Orleans-Braganza and his wife Princess Patrícia (née Alvim Rodrigues) celebrated their religious marriage at Petrópolis. The couple were civilly married on 1 September 2018. Prince Pedro Carlos (b.1945) is the son of Prince Pedro Gastão of Orleans-Braganza and his wife Princess Esperanza of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Princess Patrícia is the daughter of José Jorge Rodrigues and Maria Norma Alvim Rodrigues. This is the third marriage for the prince. In 1975, Pedro Carlos married Rony Kuhn de Souza (1938-1979), who sadly died following the birth of the couple’s only child, Prince Pedro Thiago (b.1979). In 1981, Pedro Carlos married Patrícia Alexandra Brascombe (1962-2009); the couple had one son, Prince Filipe (b.1982).

Our congratulations to Prince Pedro Carlos and Princess Patrícia!

The 60th Birthday of the Prince Yourievsky

The Prince Yourievsky. Photograph (c) Michael Krasser Fotografie.

Today, HSH Prince Yourievsky celebrates his sixtieth birthday!

A photograph of Prince Alexander and Princess Ursula Yourievksy, the couple sitting in the centre of the picture, on their wedding day in 1957.
Born on 8 December 1961 at St. Gallen, Switzerland, Prince Hans-Georg "George" Yourievsky was the only child of Prince Alexander Yourievsky (1900-1988) and his wife Princess Ursula (1925-2001; née Beer de Grüneck), who wed in 1957. Prince George's paternal grandparents were Prince George Yourievsky (1872-1913), the son of Emperor Alexander II of Russia and his morganatic second wife Princess Catherine Dolgoruky, and Countess Alexandra von Zarnekau (1883-1957), the daughter of Duke Constantine Petrovich of Oldenburg and his morganatic wife Agrippina Constantinovna Japaridze. Prince George Yourievsky is a descendant several times over of Emperor Paul I of Russia, not only through his paternal grandfather, but also through his paternal grandmother.
Prince George and Princess Elinkonida Yourievsky. Photo (c) Michael Krasser Fotografie.
In 2003, Prince George Yourievsky married Katharina Verhagen (b.1964). The couple divorced in 2012. In 2013, the prince married Elikonida Silvia Trumpp (b.1968). Prince George and Princess Elikonida Yourievsky reside in Switzerland. The Prince Yourievsky is a second (half) cousin once removed of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, a second (half) cousin twice removed of Fürst Andreas zu Leiningen, and a second (half) cousin twice removed of Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.
Our best wishes to the Prince Yourievsky on his birthday!

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Princess Christine zu Schaumburg-Lippe (1936-2021)

Death notice from Augsburger Allgemeine.
Princess Christine zu Schaumburg-Lippe, Freifrau von Süsskind-Schwendi, died on 3 December 2021. She was eighty-five. 

Christine's father Prince Friedrich Christian.

Born on 16 October 1936 at Berlin, Princess Christine Marie-Luise Auguste Friederike zu Schaumburg-Lippe was the third child and second daughter of Prince Friedrich Christian zu Schaumburg-Lippe (1906-1983) and his first wife Princess Alexandra (1904-1961; née Countess zu Castell-Rüdenhausen), who wed in 1927. Christine had two older siblings: Princess Marie Elisabeth (1928-1945) and Prince Albrecht (b.1935).

The coat of arms of the Süsskind-Schwendi family.

In 1958, Princess Christine married Baron Albrecht von Süsskind-Schwendi (b.1937), the son of Baron Theodor von Süsskind-Schwendi (1902-1972) and Baroness Dorothee von Woellwarth-Lauterburg (1907-1963). Christine and Albrecht had two children: Baroness Gabriele (b.1959) and Baron Konstantin (b.1962). 

May the Princess Rest in Peace.

Sunday, December 5, 2021

Romanian Royal Birth Expected in 2022!

Nicolae al Romaniei and his wife Alina-Maria with their daughter Maria-Alexandra.
Photo (c) Felicia Simion.
Yesterday, 5 December, Nicholas of Romania announced that his wife Alina-Maria is expecting a baby in Spring 2022.
This will be the second child for the couple. Nicholas of Romania, a grandson of King Michael and Queen Anne of Romania and Alina-Maria Binder were civilly married on 6 October 2017 and religiously married on 30 September 2018. Nicholas is the son of Princess Helen of Romania and the late Dr. Robin Medforth-Mills. Alina is the daughter of Heinz Binder and Rodica Iancu. Nicholas and Alina welcomed their daughter, Maria-Alexandra, on 7 November 2020. The family live in Bucharest. Our best wishes to Nicholas and Alina on this joyous news!

Friday, December 3, 2021

Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands Tests Positive for Covid-19

Princess Beatrix in 2020.
 Photo © RVD - Jeroen van der Meyde.

Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, aged eighty-three, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The princess, who was Queen of the Netherlands from 1980-2013, has received both of her covid vaccines as well as her booster jab. The following statement was released by the Netherlands Government Information Service (RVD):

 

Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands has tested positive for the coronavirus. Princess Beatrix had herself tested after experiencing mild cold-like symptoms. The Princess is at home in isolation and is adhering to the quarantine rules for people who have tested positive. Persons who have been in close contact with Princess Beatrix have been informed.

 

Earlier this week, Princess Beatrix carried out an official four-day visit to Curaçao.

Source: Prinses Beatrix positief getest op corona

 

Thursday, December 2, 2021

The 80th Birthday of Prince Eduard of Anhalt

Prince Eduard of Anhalt, 2020. Photo (c) Getty Images / Picture Alliance.

Today, Prince Eduard of Anhalt celebrates his eightieth birthday!

The baptism of Prince Eduard of Anhalt, who is held by his mother Duchess Edda. The prince's father Duke Joachim Ernst stands behind his wife and young son.
Photo (c) Bernd Mandel.

Born at Schloß Ballenstedt on 3 December 1941, Prince Eduard Julius Ernst August Erdmann of Anhalt was the fifth child and second son of Duke Joachim Ernst of Anhalt (1901-1947) and his second wife Editha Marwitz (1905-1986), who wed in 1929. Eduard had four older siblings: Princess Marie Antoinette (1930-1993), Princess Anna Luise (1933-2003), Prince Friedrich (1938-1963), and Princess Edda (b.1940). 

Prince Eduard and Corinne Krönlein, 1979. Photo (c) Getty Images.
Prince Eduard and Princess Corinna of Anhalt, possibly on the date of their civil wedding.
Prince Eduard and Princess Corinna of Anhalt on the day of their religious marriage, 1986.

On 31 July 1980 at Munich, Eduard of Anhalt civilly married Corinne "Corinna" Krönlein (b.1961). The couple celebrated their religious union in 1986. Eduard and Corinna have three daughters: Princess Juliana Katharina "Juschka" (b.1980), Princess Eilika (b.1985), and Princess Felizitas (b.1993). Eduard and Corinna divorced in 2014. 

Prince Eduard, Princess Teresa zu Fürstenburg, Princess Corinna, and Baron Georg Thyssen-Bornemisza de Kászon, 1987.
Photo (c) Getty Images / United Archives.
Princess Corinna, Princess Juschka, Princess Eilika, Prince Eduard, and Princess Felizitas of Anhalt, 2012. Photo (c) Getty Images / Adam Berry.
Prince Eduard of Anhalt is the Grand Master of the Ducal Order of Albrecht der Bär. The prince is also a board member of the Stiftung Evangelisches Anhalt and the Anhaltische Landschaft. Eduard's memoirs and recollections of his family, entitled That Cursed Century: A Dynasty on the Edge, will be publisher later this month by Langen - Mueller Verlag. 

Many happy returns of the day to Prince Eduard!

The 75th Birthday of Infante Miguel, Duke of Viseu

Infante Dom Miguel, Duque de Viseu.

Today, the Duke of Viseu celebrates his seventy-fifth birthday!

Duarte Nuño and Maria Francisca on their wedding day, 1942.
The Duke and Duchess of Braganza with their three sons, 1950s.
Photo (c) LIFE / Nina Leen.
The Duke and Duchess of Braganza with their children, 1950s.
Photo (c) LIFE / Nina Leen.

Born at Bern, Switzerland, on 3 December 1946, Infante Miguel Rafael Gabriel Xavier Teresa Maria Felix of Portugal, Duke of Viseu, was the second son of Infante Duarte Nuño of Portugal (1907-1976), Duke of Bragança, and his wife Princess Maria Francisca of Orleans-Bragança (1914-1968), who married in 1942. Miguel has two brothers: Dom Duarte Pio, Duke of Bragança (b.1945); and the late Dom Henrique, Duke of Coimbra (1949-2017).

Dom Miguel as a cadet at the Portuguese Military College.

In 1953, the Duke and Duchess of Bragança along with their three sons moved from Switzerland to Portugal. The Law of Exile banishing the descendants of King Miguel I from returning to their homeland had been rescinded by the Portuguese Parliament in 1950. The return of the Braganzas to Portugal was not covered by the country's media, which was under strict censorship by the Salazar government. Duarte Nuño and Maria Francisca first settled near Vila Nova de Gaia. Their two eldest sons, Duarte Pio and Miguel, were initially educated at home by private tutors, but the boys were eventually able to attend a public school in Oporto. In the late 1950s, the Braganzas were provided by the Fundação da Casa de Bragança with a home at the Palácio de São Marcos, which was located near Coimbra. Along with his older brother, Miguel attended the Military College in Lisbon. 


The Braganza brothers in the 1980s: Dom Henrique, Dom Miguel, and Dom Duarte Pio.
As a member of the Portuguese armed forces, Miguel saw active service in Mozambique during the Mozambican War of Independence. His brother Duarte was a pilot in Angola during that nation's struggle for independence. Dom Miguel graduated from the School of Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon.
 
Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria, and Infante Miguel, Duke of Viseu.
The Duke of Viseu is a notable patron of the arts and a painter himself. Dom Miguel is a founder and sponsor of the Luso-Brazilian Week of Aldravista Art, which is held interchangeably between Portugal and Brazil. He is also an active member of several orders of chivalry, notably the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
 
 

Our best wishes to the Duke of Viseu on his birthday!

For an insightful interview with Dom Miguel, Duke of Viseu, please visit this link: https://revistaescaparate.com/s-a-r-el-infante-don-miguel-de-braganca-duque-de-viseu/

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Make It An Imperial Christmas with a Romanov Book: Choose From 7 Titles!

The cover of A Life for the Tsar.
This book is the result of a long, organic evolution. Fascinated as the authors both are with the Romanov Dynasty and interested in pursuing unique and exciting aspects of its history, they stumbled upon the Coronation of Nicholas II as a potential subject quite by accident. The ceremony itself formed an integral part of Greg King’s 2005 work The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power, and Pageantry in the Reign of Nicholas II. In the research and writing process, Janet Ashton discovered a wealth of previously neglected materials on the subject that helped bring the event to dramatic life: so much material, in fact, that it was impossible to include more than a tantalising hint in a single chapter. The Coronation was beautiful, opulent, and almost surreal. Wispy clouds of incense drifted upwards through golden shafts of sunshine, while the “high, clear voices of the boys mingled with the deeper bass notes of the men” intoning sonorous hymns as Russia unknowingly celebrated the coronation of its last emperor. Flickering flames of a thousand votive candles shimmered over gowns of silver brocade, flashed across gilded icons, sparkled against diamonds, and glanced on medals. This intoxicating pageant of sounds and colors, scents and sensations left onlookers “dazed.” Nicholas II’s Coronation in Moscow’s Cathedral of the Assumption that May of 1896 was a carefully crafted piece of stagecraft, meant to transport the densely packed congregation to a realm of intense spiritual power fused to unyielding autocracy. The scene was not without irony: the imperial splendor and religious rituals of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated a monarch who scarcely carried a drop of Russian blood in his veins. The book contains over 220 beautiful images illustrating 248 glossy pages!

Purchase A Life for the Tsar from Amazon.

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The cover of Romanovs Adrift.
In 1913, the Romanovs celebrated three hundred years of sitting on the Russian Imperial throne. Great fanfare and hope accompanied the celebrations. A year later, Imperial Russia entered a "war to end all wars," with the hope of "being back home for Christmas." It was not to be. Instead, in February 1917, after years of administrative and military ineptitude and incompetence, the Russian people had enough of its government's inefficacy and corruption. The consequences, as it turned out, changed the world. Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown; members of the Imperial Family faced persecution, arrest, financial instability, uncertainty, and worse. This is the compelling story of how the Romanovs dealt with glory, war, revolution, persecution, imprisonment, and escape!

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The cover of The Grand Dukes.
Arturo E. Beéche, founder and publisher of The European Royal History Journal, thought of the idea for an anthology on Russia's Grand Duchesses in 2004. Consequently, a companion book on the Russian Grand Dukes became imperative. The Grand Dukes: Sons & Grandsons of Russia's Tsars Since Paul I examines the biographies of nearly forty men whose birth gave them the right to one of the world's most prestigious positions. All sons of Russian tsars are covered in Volume I. The sons of collateral grand ducal branches are covered in Volume II. The biography of each of the Grand Dukes of Russia brings to life a deeply gripping human saga. These men were born into what then was one of the world's most powerful ruling dynasties. They were not all saints; they were not all demons - they were men whose birth showered them with untold privilege. Some used their birthright for the common good; some did not. Yet, they all remain amazingly intriguing, complex, complicated and conflicted human beings. At birth they were showered with untold privilege, including a lump sum of money placed in trust for them. By the time these funds were made available to a Grand Duke, the interest alone made them amazingly wealthy. Added to this benefit, they derived salaries from their military appointments, investments, real estate and inheritance. Thus, the Grand Dukes were able to maintain a lifestyle only surpassed by today's oligarchs and yesteryear's robber barons. They were consummate spenders in paintings, art, architecture, jewels, all while acting as sponsors of talented writers, thinkers, poets, ballerinas, among many others. One was a playwright of considerable talent. Another played a role in working toward the liberation of the serfs. One was a leading admiral with a fondness for "fast women and slow ships." Another Grand Duke lived a tortured existence as a closeted homosexual, yet became the father of nine children. Told in a two-volume set, this is their story.

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The cover of The Other Grand Dukes.
Included in this unique work, the Second Volume in a two-volume series, are 18 biographies of Russian grand dukes. These were the junior lines of the Russian Imperial Family at the time of the Revolution in 1917: Vladimirovichi, Pavlovichi, Konstantinovichi, Nikolaevichi and Mikhailovichi. The book is illustrated with exquisite and rare photographs of these intriguing men, their families and descendants. It also includes several family trees. The chapters were authored by some of today's most recognized authors and scholars on the Romanov Dynasty.

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The cover of Russia & Europe - Dynastic Ties.
This excellent book authored by Galina Korneva and Tatiana Cheboksarova includes nearly 600 photos, an overwhelming majority among them collected from the main archives of Russia and several European countries. The moment captured by these original photos is able, often times, to tell the reader far more about the unique world of royalty and aristocracy than countless pages of text. The authors also relied on important information obtained from Russian and foreign periodicals, memoirs and scientific literature. The English-language version of this book was expanded with contributions by Arturo Beéche, founder and publisher of Eurohistory / The European Royal History Journal. He is an expert on European Royalty, as well as author of more than a dozen books about the various royal families that have shaped the continent's history.

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The cover of A Poet Among the Romanovs.
Prince Vladimir Paley, first cousin of the last tsar, was a poet among the Romanovs. The rules of the Imperial Family prevented him from being considered a member of the dynasty due to the unequal marriage of his parents. This circumstance could have saved his life. Instead, when he was requested by the Bolsheviks to denounce his father, Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, young Prince Vladimir chose love, loyalty, honor, and affection. His only crime was being related to a dynasty of which he had not even been an official member. This is the compelling story of a young man, and a talented poet, who in different circumstances would have attained great heights.. Destiny, however, played a sad role in bringing a brutal and early death to a promising life.
Jorge F. Sáenz brings to life the previously unknown figure of Prince Vladimir Paley. In doing so, Mr. Sáenz adds to a long and distinguished list of historical studies he has written over the last thirty years. His books number well over a dozen, most of them focusing on various aspects of Costa Rica’s history and unique democratic traditions, that make the country a bastion of democracy in Latin America. His study of the life of Prince Vladimir Paley was first published as a biographical essay in Eurohistory — The European Royal History Journal. The success of this essay led to the story of Vladimir Paley becoming a full-on book. Mr. Sáenz is a career diplomat for Costa Rica, as well as a distinguished law professor at the University of Costa Rica. EUROHISTORY is pleased to announce the hardback publication of this rare and uniquely extraordinary work of royal biography! This book was first published in paperback nearly 20 years ago. The UPDATED and EXPANDED hardback edition contains more information than the original, as well as a new 24-page photo section different than the few images included in the original paperback edition!

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The cover of Death of a Romanov Prince.
“The coffin was lowered into the grave. Soon there was a burial mound above. It was quickly covered with wreaths, flowers and crowned with a plain wooden cross. Prince Oleg’s promising life was finished.” 
Death of a Romanov Prince follows the brief life-journey of Prince Oleg Konstantinovich, one of the lesser-known members of the powerful and privileged Russian Imperial family. He was a talented young man of intellectual and artistic genius. Oleg was the gifted son of the talented Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, who wrote under the pseudonym of KR. The Grand Duke was a friend of Tchaikovsky, who set his numerous poems to music, and who established literary circles for his troops, translated Hamlet into Russian, and wrote The King of the Jews, an original play that he and his sons performed. The reader will follow Prince Oleg Konstantinovich, his family, and Imperial cousins, as his life takes him via the luxuries of the family’s four magnificent palaces of Pavlovsk, in Tsarskoye Selo, the Marble Palace in St Petersburg, the Konstantine Palace at Strelna; and the Ostashevo Estate near Moscow; as well as numerous holidays in the Crimea. The young prince enjoyed the most liberal program in literary, scientific, and artistic education. He was the first Romanov to be enrolled in a civilian school and graduated from the Imperial Lyceum in St Petersburg, where in 1913 he won the Pushkin Medal for his academic achievements. At the age of 21, Prince Oleg Konstantinovich was on the crest of a brilliant career and personal greatness when World War I began. Then tragedy struck. 
Death of a Romanov Prince brings the reader into the battlefields of World War I’s Eastern Front. Bloody battles fought in northern Poland and Lithuania’s Masurian Lakes. It was while fighting there that Prince Oleg led his troops into heroic cavalry charges against the Germans.

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