The Most Recent QVD Engagement: Benjamin Sewell, Descendant of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, Is Affianced To Alice Hobden

 

[NOTE: A massive thank you to Michael Rhodes of Peerage News for posting this news originally.]

 

On Friday, 24 January 2020, the engagement was announced between Benjamin Leopold Sewell (b.1990) a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Alice S. Hobden.

 

Benjamin Sewell is the son of Charles Percy Sewell (b.1958) and his wife Alice Louise Huntington-Whiteley (b.1961). Alice Hobden is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hobden.

The following is the descent of Benjamin Sewell (b.1990) from his ancestress Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901):

 

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

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (1819 - 1901); 

married in 1840 to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819 - 1861)

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Prince Leopold, 1st Duke of Albany, with Princess Helen of Waldeck and Pyrmont

Prince Leopold, 1st Duke of Albany (1853 - 1884); 

married in 1882 to Princess Helen of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1861 - 1922)

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Carl Eduard of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha with Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg  

Prince Charles Edward, 2nd Duke of Albany, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1884 - 1954); 

married in 1905 to Princess Viktoria Adelheid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1885 - 1970)

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Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha with Count Friedrich-Wolfgang zu Castell-Rudenhausen

Princess Caroline Mathilde of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1912 - 1983); 

married in 1931 (divorced in 1938) Count Friedrich-Wolfgang zu Castell-Rudenhausen (1906 - 1940)

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Countess Viktoria Adelheid zu Castell-Rudenhausen (b.1935); 

married in 1960 to Sir John Miles Huntington-Whiteley, 4th Baronet (1929 - 2019)

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Alice Louise Huntington-Whiteley (b.1961); 

married in 1985 to Charles Percy Sewell (b.1958)

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Benjamin Sewell (b.1990); 

engaged in 2020 to Alice Hobden 

 

Thank you again to Michael Rhodes of the Peerage News for this information.

Source: Sewell/Hobden engagement

Duke Carl of Württemberg, Citing Poor Health, Appoints His Son To Run The Family's Business Affairs

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Duke Carl of Württemberg, Head of the Royal House, has withdrawn from the management of his dynasty's business affairs. The duke, who is eighty-three years-old, made the announcement at a New Year's reception held at Schloß Altshausen. As of this year, Carl stated that his youngest son Michael will take over the administration of the family's financial interests.

Duke Michael and Duchess Julia of Württemberg in 2011. Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger

"My health is no longer in a stable enough condition for me to devote myself to all the entrepreneurial aspects of the Hofkammer." Therefore, from now on, Duke Michael of Württemberg will be the head of the Hofkammer, which is the private administration of the House of Württemberg. Michael will work together with the Hofkammer's president Henrik Lingenhölin. Duke Michael (b.1965) has been married since 2006 to Duchess Julia (b.1965; née Storz).

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Duke Carl will remain as the Head of the Royal House of Württemberg. His successor will be his grandson, Duke Wilhelm, who is twenty-five. Wilhelm is the eldest son of Duke Friedrich of Württemberg, who died in a car accident in 2018. Friedrich was the eldest child of Duke Carl of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Diane (née Princess d'Orléans). Duke Wilhelm is completing his studies in the United Kingdom.

The Hofkammer of the Royal House of Württemberg, based in Friedrichshafen, manages the properties of the royal family: its forestry and wine-producing businesses, other agricultural holdings, and its financial assets.

OTD in 1939: Prince Louis of Bourbon-Parma Marries Princess Maria of Savoy

On This Day In History: 

The Marriage of Prince Louis of Bourbon-Parma 

& Princess Maria of Savoy

On 23 January 1939, Prince Louis (Luigi) of Bourbon-Parma and Princess Maria of Savoy were married at the Pauline Chapel at Quirinale Palace in Rome. The royal Court Chaplain Monsignore Giuseppe Beccaria celebrated the nuptial mass. After their marriage, Loius and Maria went to the Vatican where they were blessed by Pope Pius XII. School children throughout the Kingdom of Italy were given the date of Princess Maria's wedding off from their studies as a holiday.

Prince Louis of Bourbon-Parma

Born on 4 December 1899 at Schwarzau, Prince Louis was the tenth son and twenty-second child of Duke Roberto I of Parma (1848 - 1907). Louis' mother was Roberto's second wife Infanta Maria Antónia of Portugal (1862 - 1959), whom the duke had married in 1884. Empress Zita of Austria-Hungary was among twenty-three Louis' siblings.

Princess Maria of Savoy

Fifteen years her groom's junior, Princess Maria was born at Rome on 26 December 1914 as the fourth daughter and fifth (and youngest) child of King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy (1869 - 1947) and his wife Queen Elena (1873 - 1952; née Princess of Montenegro). Maria's older siblings included King Umberto II of Italy and Queen Giovanna of Bulgaria.

The happy newlyweds!

After their wedding, Louis and Maria of Bourbon-Parma set off for a honeymoon that began in Belgium and ended in Mozambique, where Louis' family had a plantation. The couple settled at Cannes when they returned to Europe. Their life together was just beginning, and World War II brought many trials to the couple and their immediate family. More on that later...

Princess Marie of Romania Is M.I.A.: King Michael's Youngest Daughter Reportedly Steps Back From Royal Role

Princess Marie of Romania in Bucharest on 21 March 2019. Photo (c) CRISTIAN NISTOR / AGERPRES

Princess Marie of Romania appears to be taking a step back from her role as a public representative of the royal house. Marie is the youngest of the five daughters of the late King Michael and Queen Anne of Romania. Formerly a very active member of the royal family, Marie has not carried out a public engagement in three months, which is *rather* unusual for a Romanian royal living in the country. Currently, nothing has been announced by the Royal Household as to why Mia, as the princess is known en famille, has ceased to carry out duties on behalf of Casa Regala. It is possible that the Custodian of the Crown, Mia's godmother, has decided that the princess should no longer have a public profile. If this is the case, then there are shades of botched and unfortunate removals of other members of the Romanian royal family in recent history.

Princess Marie, Princess Sophie, Prince Radu, and Custodian of the Crown Margarita await the return of the remains of Queen Mother Helen at Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport. (18 October 2019) (c) SILVIU MATEI / AGERPRES FOTO

Princess Marie pays tribute to Queen Mother Helen at Curtea de Arges; her nephew Prince Nicholas stands behind her. 

(18 October 2019)

(c) SILVIU MATEI / AGERPRES FOTO

Princess Marie attends the religious service for the reburial of Queen Mother Helen at Curtea de Arges. (19 October 2019) (c) SILVIU MATEI / AGERPRES FOTO 

Princess Marie attends the religious service for the reburial of Queen Mother Helen at Curtea de Arges. (19 October 2019) (c) SILVIU MATEI / AGERPRES FOTO

The last public event that Princess Marie attended were commemorations held on 25 October to mark the anniversary of the birth of her father, King Michael. Before that, the princess had attended the reburial of her grandmother Queen Mother Helen of Romania. The reburial of the Queen Mother took place between 18-19 October 2019. The reburial of Queen Mother Helen was attended by Custodian of the Crown Margarita, Prince Radu, Princess Sophie, Princess Marie, Prince Nicholas, and Princess Alina-Maria. Mia has not been since in public since then. Marie missed the thirtieth anniversary celebrations of the return of the Royal Family in January 2020. She was also absent from the Christmas celebrations at Săvârșin, which Mia has always attended since she moved to Romania several years ago.

Prince Nicholas, Crown Princess Margarita, Prince Radu, and Princess Marie on the balcony of Elisabeta Palace. (10 May 2015) (c) SILVIU MATEI / AGERPRES FOTO

Marie of Romania attends a concert in memory of 100 years since the death of Queen Elisabeth of Romania. (20 February 2016) (c) SORIN LUPSA / AGERPRES FOTO

The princess takes part in the funeral of her father King Michael (Mihai) of Romania. (16 December 2017) (c) GRIGORE POPESCU / AGERPRES FOTO

The Garden Party at Elisabeta Palace. Left to right: Alexander Nixon, Princess Helen, Custodian of the Crown Margarita, Prince Radu, and Princess Marie. (10 May 2018) (c) SILVIU MATEI / AGERPRES FOTO

In 2015, Princess Marie moved from the United States, where she had lived for some decades, to live in Romania full-time. This transition was done at the request of her sister Margarita, who desired that Marie became an active member of the royal family in the country. Over the past four years since then, Princess Marie has carried out a large number of engagements on behalf of the royal house.

Princess Marie with former Romanian President Emil Constantinescu at a function in Bucharest. (2 October 2018) Photo (c) CRISTIAN NISTOR / AGERPRES

One wonders if this will be a permanent farewell to yet another high profile member of the Romanian Royal House. Only time will tell...

97th Birthday of Tsar Nicholas II's Last Surviving Grand-Nephew: The Artist Andrew Andreevich Romanov

Andrew Andreevich Romanov

Today, Andrew Andreevich Romanov celebrates his ninety-seventh birthday. Andrew is the longest-living male descendant of the Romanovs in the history of the family. He is the last surviving great-nephew of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II.

Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia

Born on 21 January 1923 at London, Andrew was the youngest of the three children of Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia (1897 - 1981) and his first wife Donna Elisabetta "Elsa" Sasso-Ruffo (1886 - killed in London during the Blitz in 1940). Andrew followed two older siblings: Xenia Andreevna Romanov (1919 - 2000) and Michael Andreevich Romanov (1920 - 2008). Since their parents' marriage was morganatic, none of the children of Prince Andrei Alexandrovich bear any styles or titles.

Andrew's paternal grandmother: Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia

Andrew's paternal grandfather: Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia.

Andrew grew up near his grandmother Grand Duchess Xenia (1875 - 1960), who lived in a grace and favour cottage at Windsor. He did not have as much contact with his grandfather, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, as Xenia and Alexander lived separately in exile. Andrew Andreevich received his education at the Imperial Service College. He joined the British Navy in 1942, and served until the end of World War II.

Andrew and Kathleen Romanov after their civil wedding in 1961.

The obituary of Kathleen Romanoff (1967). This appeared in The San Francisco Examiner on 10 December 1967.

In 1949, Andrew moved to the United States. He studied criminology and sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1951, Andrew married Elena Konstantinovna Dourneva (1927 - 1992); the couple had one son, Alexis Andreevich Romanov (b.1953). Andrew and Elena divorced in 1959. Andrew remarried in 1961 to San Francisco native Kathleen Norris Roberts (1935 - 1967). Andrew and Kathleen had two sons, Peter (b.1961) and Andrew (b.1963), before Kathleen died of pneumonia at the age of thirty-two. Finally and thirdly, Andrew married artist Inez Storer (b.1933; née Bachelin) in 1987. Andrew and Inez reside in the idyllic town of Inverness, California.

Andrew Romanov and his wife Inez Storer in 2015. Photograph (c) Todd Pickering

Like his wife Inez, Andrew Romanov is an artist, and his works have been displayed in numerous exhibitions. He must have inherited the artistic streak that his grandmother, Xenia, and his grand-aunt, Olga, also possessed. A book entitled The Boy Who Would Be Tsar appeared in 2007 and documented Andrew's life. We wish him many happy returns of the day!

Romanian Royal Birth: Maria-Alexandra of Romania Has Arrived!

Prince Nicholas of Romania and his wife Alina-Maria have welcomed the arrival of their first child. Maria-Alexandra of Romania was born at the Polizu Hospital in Bucharest at 8:05pm on Saturday, 7 November 2020. Mother and daughter “are both well and healthy.” Among others, the couple have received congratulatory messages from Prince Jean d'Orléans, Count of Paris and Head of the French Royal House, and Crown Prince Leka of the Albanians. 

On 1 June, Nicholas of Romania announced that his wife Alina-Maria was expecting their first child in November. The proud parents-to-be chose a very apt day to announce the pregnancy - 1 June is Ziua Copilului (Children's Day) in Romania.

Nicholas of Romania (b.1985) and Alina-Maria Binder (b.1988) were civilly married on 6 October 2017 in the United Kingdom and religiously married on 30 September 2018 at Sinaia. 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. The couple lives in Bucharest.

Maria-Alexandra of Romania (b.2020) is a great-granddaughter of King Michael of Romania (1921-2017) and Queen Anne (1923-2016; born Princess of Bourbon-Parma). Maria-Alexandra is a double descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. The newborn is 108th in the line of succession to the British throne. Our Congratulations to Nicolae and Alina-Maria on this extremely happy news! God Bless Maria-Alexandra!

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The Fifty-Fifth Birthday of HRH The Countess of Wessex: The Queen's Devoted Daughter-In-Law

The Countess of Wessex in 2018.

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Today, HRH The Countess of Wessex celebrates her fifty-fifth birthday.

Sophie's parents: Christopher and Mary Rhys-Jones

The Countess of Wessex with her father Christopher at the memorial service for her mother Mary (2005).

Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones was born on 20 January 1965 at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, United Kingdom. Sophie is the only daughter of Christopher Rhys-Jones (b.1931) and his late wife Mary (1933 - 2005; née O'Sullivan). Sophie's middle name was in honour of her paternal aunt Helen, who died in a horse riding accident in 1960. Sophie joined an older brother, David, who was born in 1963.

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Sophie Rhys-Jones grew up in a seventeenth century farmhouse in Brenchley, Kent. She was a pupil at Dulwich Preparatory School, and then went on to Kent College, where she was friends with Sarah Sienesi, with later became her lady-in-waiting. Sophie then trained as a secretary at West Kent College.

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After finishing her education, Sophie began a career in public relations. She worked for four years at Capital Radio, a regional radio station based in London. In 1996, Sophie Rhys-Jones founded her own PR agency, RJH Public Relations. During her time at Capital Radio, in 1987, Sophie met Prince Edward (b.1964), the youngest child of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Over the years, the two crossed paths over and over. A relationship eventually developed, and a romance blossomed. The couple's engagement was announced in January 1999.

On 19 June 1999, Prince Edward of the United Kingdom and Sophie Rhys-Jones were married at St. George's Chapel at Windsor. On the occasion of the marriage, The Queen bestowed upon her son the title of Earl of Wessex (a peerage in the United Kingdom) with the subsidiary title Viscount Severn (a peerage in the United Kingdom). Twenty years later, in 2019, the Queen granted her son the title of Earl of Forfar in the peerage of Scotland. Therefore, Sophie is normally styled and titled as HRH The Countess of Wessex; however, when in Scotland, she is styled and titled as HRH The Countess of Forfar. Notably, the Earl of Wessex is the only one of the Sovereign's children whose marriage has stood the test of time.

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The Earl and Countess of Wessex have two children: Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (b.8 November 2003) and James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn (b.17 December 2007). James is the youngest of the eight grandchildren of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. The Countess of Wessex suffered an ectopic pregnancy in December 2001.

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The Countess of Wessex is the Patron of over seventy charities and organisations. She is a hardworking, dedicated, and discreet member of the British Royal Family. The Earl and Countess of Wessex often represent The Queen at royal events on the Continent.

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We wish Her Royal Highness many happy returns of the day!