20th Wedding Anniversary for Kitin Muñoz and Princess Kalina of Bulgaria

The newlyweds. Photo (c) Alain BENAINOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.

Today, Princess Kalina of Bulgaria and Antonio José "Kitin" Muñoz y Valcárcel celebrate twenty years of marriage!

The princess and her parents. Photo (c) Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images.

On 25 October 2002, a reception was hosted by King Simeon II and Queen Margarita at the Samokov Hotel in Borovets for guests. Among the family and friends at the dinner were Infanta Cristina of Spain along with her husband Iñaki Urdangarin as well as Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark.

Photo (c) Alain BENAINOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.

Princess Kalina of Bulgaria and Kitín Muñoz were married at Tsarska Bistritsa in the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria on 26 October 2002. Among the attendees at the first royal wedding in Bulgaria were Archduke Georg and Archduchess Eilika of Austria, the Duke and Duchess of Braganza, Princess Marie Louise of Bulgaria with her daughter Alexandra Chrobok, Simoneta Gómez-Acebo and José Miguel Fernández Sastrón, Princess Béatrice d'Orléans with her daughter Princess Adélaïde, Princess Chantal d'Orléans and François Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue, Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy with her daughter Elizabeth Zellinger de Balkany, Princess Maria Theresa and Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis, and Lord Frederick Windsor. 

Our best wishes to the couple on their anniversary!

The Golden Wedding Anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

Prince Richard, Birgitte, and Prince William.

On the afternoon of 8 July 1972, Prince Richard of Gloucester and Birgitte van Deurs were married at the thirteenth century St Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northants. The Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend Launcelot Fleming, conducted the wedding. The couple's ceremony reflected their desire to keep this an intimate family celebration. The groom's mother, the Duchess of Gloucester, supervised the floral decorations. Birgitte's wedding gown was designed by Norman Hartnell, who had created the wedding dress for the bride's mother-in-law in 1935. The groom's older brother, Prince William, was his best man; there were no bridesmaids or pages. The wedding of the future Duke and Duchess of Gloucester was attended by Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester; Prince William of Gloucester; Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; the Prince of Wales; Princess Margaret; Prince Michael of Kent; Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone; and the Earl and Countess of Dalkeith. Due to his health, the groom's father the Duke of Gloucester was unable to attend the church wedding, but he visited with guests afterwards at the reception at Barnwell Manor, the Gloucester family home. 

The Golden Couple: Birgitte and Richard. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were photographed at Kensington Palace. The Duchess is wearing a brooch with the intertwined letters B&R. Photo (c) AP.

The Ruby Wedding Anniversary of Archduke Carl Christian and Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria

The newlyweds.

Today, Archduke Carl Christian and Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria celebrate forty years of marriage!

Princess Marie-Astrid and Archduke Carl Christian.

The engagement of Archduke Carl Christian of Austria and Princess Marie Astrid of Luxembourg was announced on 9 November 1981 by the Grand Ducal Court. Born on 26 August 1954 at Beloeil, Archduke Carl Christian of Austria was the third child and second son of Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria (1918-2007) and his wife Archduchess Yolande (b.1923; née Princess de Ligne). The archduke studied political science and worked as a banker in Brussels. Born on 17 February 1954 at Schloß Betzdorf, Princess Marie Astrid of Luxembourg was the first child of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg (1921-2019) and his wife Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte (1927-2005; née Princess of Belgium). The princess had trained as a nurse. Carl Christian and Marie Astrid were second cousins; their shared great-grandparents were Duke Roberto I of Parma and his second wife Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal.

A view of the wedding in Notre Dame.

Left to right: Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg, Hereditary Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Hereditary Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Queen Fabiola and King Baudouin of Belgium, and Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg.

Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, Empress Zita of Austria, and Princess Philippine de Ligne.

Left to right: Prince Guillaume, Prince Jean, Princess Margaretha, Hereditary Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Hereditary Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg.

Princess Benedikte of Denmark and her husband Fürst Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

Infanta Elena of Spain and Prince Andrew of the United Kingdom.

On 6 February 1982, Archduke Carl Christian of Austria and Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg were religiously married at Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Luxembourg City. The couple were joined in holy matrimony by Apostolic Nuncio Eugenio Cardinale, Bishop Jean Hengen of Luxembourg, and Bishop Bruno Wechner of Feldkirch. Among the guests were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Andrew of Great Britain, Fürst Franz Joseph and Fürstin Georgina of Liechtenstein, Prince Louis and Princess Alix Napoléon, Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja of Norway, Queen Sofía of Spain, and Prince Bertil and Princess Lilian of Sweden.

Archduke Carl Christian and Archduchess Marie Astrid with their children, 1998.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Archduke Carl Christian and Archduchess Marie Astrid have five children: Archduchess Marie Christine (b.1983; married Count Rodolphe de Limburg-Stirum), Archduke Imre (b.1985; married Kathleen Walker), Archduke Christophe (b.1988; married Adelaide Drapé-Frisch), Archduke Alexander (b.1990), and Archduchess Gabriella (b.1994; married Prince Henri of Bourbon-Parma). Carl Christian and Marie Astrid have twelve grandchildren.

The archducal couple at the wedding of their son Christoph in 2012.
Photo (c) Getty Images / AFP.

Our congratulations to Archduke Carl Christian and Archduchess Marie Astrid on their Ruby Anniversary!