Showing posts with label Golden Wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Golden Wedding. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

The Golden Wedding of Infanta Margarita of Spain and Dr. Carlos Zurita!

Today, Infanta Margarita of Spain, Duchess of Soria and Hernani, and Dr. Carlos Zurita y Delgado celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary!

Margarita and Carlos.

Born on 6 March 1939 at Rome, Infanta Margarita of Spain was the third child and second daughter of Infante Juan of Spain and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, who wed in 1935. Margarita was baptized in Rome on 11 March 1939; her godparents were her paternal uncle Infante Jaime of Spain, Duke of Segovia, and her maternal aunt, Princess Esperanza of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Margarita was born with an impediment that severely affected her vision. In her memoirs, Margarita's mother the Countess of Barcelona wrote: "One day when the baby was about two months, her nanny told me: 'I have something to report to you. I am worried for the girl cannot see her hands when she moves them.' I went to her crib and moved my hands in front of her eyes and realized that she did not notice any movement. We had a specialist come and see, but his diagnosis was that nothing could be done. We never gave up and continued bringing Margarita to other specialists. Finally, and when we had settled in Portugal, a leading eye specialist told us that there was nothing that could be done. She can see light and shadows and rarely something more." In the 1940s, the Count and Countess of Barcelona moved to Switzerland, where they resided with Queen Victoria Eugenia in Lausanne. It was there that Infanta Margarita began her education; she attended an institute for the visually impaired. In her memoirs, the Countess of Barcelona recounts that regardless of Margarita's vision problems, that the infanta was raised as if she had no physical impediments. María de las Mercedes noted that her daughter Margarita was unstoppable and daring: "Margarita would follow the children and get into all sorts of trouble. She even once managed to climb on the roof of the Château d'Eu." The Countess of Barcelona noted that Margarita had a deep affection for children. When, in 1954, the infanta was not invited to attend the Agamemnon cruise, Margarita was consoled because her brother Alfonso had not been invited either, due to his young age, and so she was able to spend more time with him. While at school in Lausanne, Margarita memorized the route to her school, so she walked alone as she knew she did not need an attendant. Infanta Margarita possesses an extraordinary memory, which certainly led to her easily becoming a polyglot: she is fluent in Spanish, French, English, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian. When Prince Axel and Princess Margaretha of Denmark visited the Barcelona couple at Estorial, Infanta Margarita met the couple at the airport and accompanied them to the Villa Giralda. Margaretha remarked to Margarita's mother: "How can she possibly manage it? She spoke Swedish with me and Danish with Axel. She made no mistakes, and even I make them when speaking Danish." Like her older sister Pilar, Margarita studied nursing. The infanta is a great fan of music, irregardless of the genre!

Born on 9 October 1943 at Málaga, Carlos Zurita y Delgado was the son of Dr. Carlos Zurita González-Vidalte and Carmen Delgado Fernández de Santaella. Carlos studied medicine at the University of Seville. He went on to receive his doctorate from the Spanish College in Bologna, Italy. Carlos Zurita became a specialist in the respiratory and circulatory systems. 

On 12 October 1972 at Estorial, Infanta Margarita of Spain and Dr. Carlos Zurita were married at the Church of Saint Anthony. The Spanish royal family was in full force: the Count and Countess of Barcelona, Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sofía with three children, as well as Infanta Pilar and her husband Luis Gómez y Acebo. Among the other guests were Infanta Cristina, Countess Marone; Princess Alicia, Duchess of Calabria; Princess Dolores of Bourbon-Two Sicilies; Queen Mother Giovanna of Bulgaria and her brother-in-law King Umberto II of Italy.
The witnesses for the bride were Prince Ataúlfo (who represented his father Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera), the Duke of Badajoz, Prince Adan Czarstoryski, and Prince Marino Torlonia. The witnesses for the groom were his father Dr. Carlos Zurita González-Vidalte and his brothers Emilio, Juan Carlos and Javier, as well as his maternal uncle José Juan Delgado Fernández de Santaella.
 Our best wishes to the couple on their anniversary!

Saturday, July 30, 2022

The Sapphire Wedding of Count Karl Eugen von Neipperg and Archduchess Andrea of Austria

Today, Count Karl Eugen von Neipperg and Archduchess Andrea of Austria celebrate forty-five years of marriage!

The Villa Austria, home of Archduke Otto and Archduchess Regina.

On 30 July 1977 at Pöcking, Archduchess Andrea of Austria religiously married Count Karl Eugen von Neipperg. Their civil wedding took place on 9 July. The couple met in 1976 at a ball in Munich. 

Andrea and Karl Eugen.

Born at Schwaigern on 20 October 1951, Count Maria Karl Eugen Johannes Nepomuk Erwin Michael von Neipperg was the eldest child of Count Josef Hubert von Neipperg (1918-2020) and his first wife Countess Maria von Ledebur-Wicheln (1920-1984). Karl Eugen studied at the Economic Institute of Nürtingen. He received his degree as an agricultural engineer. Following his formal education, the count worked on his family's property holdings (agricultural lands and forests). 

Archduchess Andrea kisses the hand of her grandmother Empress Zita.

Born at Würzburg on 30 May 1953, Archduchess Andrea Maria of Austria was the eldest child of Archduke Otto of Austria, Crown Prince of Hungary (1912-2011) and Archduchess Regina (1925-2010; née Princess of Saxe-Meiningen), who wed in 1951. Andrea received her early education at the primary school in Pöcking. The archduchess enrolled at the University of Innsbruck, where she perfected her knowledge of English and Spanish. 

The Austrian (with the exception of Archduke Georg) and Neipperg siblings.
Empress Zita with four of her sons. Archduke Otto sits next to her. Behind them are Archduke Carl Ludwig, Archduke Robert, and Archduke Rudolph.
(left to right) Princess Klara-Maria of Saxe-Meiningen, Archduchess Regina, Archduchess Andrea, Count Karl Eugen, Empress Zita, and Count Degenfeld.
Andrea and Karl Eugen dance the night away.

On 29 July at the Golfhotel Kaiserin Elisabeth in Feldafing, an intimate dinner was hosted by Archduke Otto and Archduchess Regina for their daughter and her betrothed as well as one hundred guests. Dancing followed the dinner. 

The religious wedding of Andrea and Karl Eugen.
On her wedding day, Archduchess Andrea wore a white satin dress, created by a Pöcking designer, with a headdress of flowers. On her gown, the archduchess had pinned the Order of the Starry Cross, of which she is a member. Bishop Bruno Wechner of Feldkirk officiated over the religious wedding, assisted by Father Mathias Defregger. After the benediction, the Bishop Wechner read a telegraph addressed to the newlyweds from Pope Paul VI. The witnesses for Archduchess Andrea were Archduke Lorenz of Austria and Count Degenfeld; for Count Karl Eugen, the witnesses were Count Reinhard von Neipperg and Fürst Nicholas Leopold zu Salm-Salm. 
Archduke Otto of Austria and Countess Marie von Neipperg followed by Archduchess Regina of Austria and Count Josef Hubert von Neipperg.
Duchess Charlotte of Mecklenburg and Fürst Franz Joseph II of Liechtenstein followed by Countess Franziska von Waldburg-Wolfegg-Waldsee and Archduke Rudolph of Austria.
Prince Ernst August of Hannover and Fürstin Georgina of Liechtenstein followed by Countess Elisabeth Hunyady and Archduke Ferdinand of Austria. 

Two hundred guests attended the Austrian imperial wedding. Among the attendees were Fürst Franz Joseph and Fürstin Georgina of Liechtenstein, Prince Ernst August of Hannover, Duchess Charlotte of Mecklenburg, and the Margrave of Meissen.

Our best wishes to Karl Eugen and Andrea on their anniversary!

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

The Golden Wedding of Princess Chantal d'Orléans and François-Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue

 
Princess Chantal on her wedding day with her parents, the Count and Countess of Paris.
 

In 1971, Princess Chantal d'Orléans (b.1946), the youngest daughter of the Count and Countess of Paris, became engaged to François-Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue (b.1943), a member of a noble family originally from Bologna, Italy. The Sambucy de Sorgues established themselves in Rouergue in the XIV century. The family also had contact with the Orléans as François-Xavier's great-uncle, Father Gaston de Sambucy de Sorgue, was the priest who officiated over the burial ceremony, in the Royal Chapel at St Louis de Dreux, for the Duchess d'Orléans, King Louis-Philippe's mother. François-Xavier and Chantal were married at the Royal Chapel at Dreux on 28 July 1972. She wore a splendid wedding gown designed by renowned couturier Balmain, as well as a diadem by Mellerio, a gift from her in-laws. 

 
Chantal and François-Xavier with Alexandre and Kildine in 1999.
 
The couple have three children: Axel (b.1976), Alexandre (b.1978), and Kildine (b.1979).

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