Three Brazilian Princes Test Positive For COVID-19

This evening, 18 March, Prince Bertrand of Orleans and Bragança addressed Brazilian monarchists with some unfortunate news. Three of his younger brothers have tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus): Prince Antônio, Prince Francisco, and Prince Alberto.

Prince Antônio is sixty-nine years-old. Prince Francisco will turn sixty-five next month. Prince Alberto is sixty-two years-old. The brothers are receiving medical treatment. Prince Antônio is in hospital, as his case is a bit more serious. Together with their families, the three siblings live in the State of Rio de Janeiro, which is currently under quarantine due to the global pandemic.

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The Brazilian princes would be the second, third, and fourth (known) cases of royals contracting COVID-19. Archduke Karl of Austria, the first royal case, tested positive for the virus last week.

Royal Gatherings in London 2020 Postponed Due to World Pandemic

Dear All,

In a whirlwind of fast-moving events, yesterday the UK government announced the adoption of new policies set to address and restrict social gatherings.

This is big news…not the type we want to hear. But, it is the reality of what the world is going through during these troubling and dangerous times.

Taken everything that has been laid in front of us, we have no other option than announcing the postponement of our yearly Royal Gathering in London. Please read what I am saying carefully…postponement!

Coronavirus is here. In San Francisco we have been told to stay in place…self-quarantine. My school district is now officially closed for the next month. However, Covid-19 is not going to be here forever. This we will overcome by listening to the recommendations of health and government authorities, and taking the necessary precautions!

Those of you who have prebooked, I will personally contact. We will find a later date for our yearly gathering once the madness has subsided. I know how much so many of us look forward too spending a weekend listening to engaging lectures about royalty, on top of how much we truly enjoy seeing each other.

My decision to take this course was reinforced by news published yesterday:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8117911/Boris-Johnson-grilled-experts-warn-lack-coronavirus-testing.html

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-eu-to-close-borders-to-non-essential-travel-36kg65nbg

As the waters calm down in the next few months, I will suggest several dates that might suit us better later in the year...

Hoping for calmer, healthier times!

Regards, Arturo

A Daughter for the Hereditary Prince and Princess zu Leiningen

 

Hereditary Prince Ferdinand and Hereditary Princess Viktoria Luise zu Leiningen welcomed their first child, a daughter, on 28 February. The newborn Princess is named Alexandra Viktoria Luise Ehrengard, after her mother and her paternal and maternal grandmothers. Ferdinand zu Leiningen and Viktoria Luise von Preußen married in 2017.

 

Princess Alexandra zu Leiningen is the second grandchild of Fürst Andreas and Fürstin Alexandra zu Leiningen.

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The Ancestry of Alexandra zu Leiningen

1. Princess Alexandra Viktoria Luise Ehrengard zu Leiningen (b.28 February 2020)

Parents

2. Hereditary Prince Ferdinand zu Leiningen (b.1982)
m.2017
3. Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia (b.1982)

Grandparents
4. Fürst Andreas zu Leiningen (b.1955)
m.1981
5. Princess Alexandra of Hannover (b.1959)
6. Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (1939 - 2015)
m.1976 (div 2004)
7. Ehrengard von Reden (b.1943)

Great-Grandparents

8. Fürst Emich zu Leiningen (1926 - 1991)
m.1950
9. Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg (1928 - 2016)
10. Prince Ernst August of Hannover (1914 - 1987)
m.1950
11. Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1925 - 1980)
12. Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1907 - 1994)
m.1938
13. Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia (1909 - 1967)
14. Gunter von Reden (1913 - 1945)
m.1940
15. Ehrengard von Hülsen (1913 - 1987)

The Fürst and Fürstin zu Leiningen Welcome Their First Grandchild

Prince Hermann and Princess Isabelle zu Leiningen have welcomed the arrival of their first child.

Prince Leopold Konstantin Rainer Andreas zu Leiningen was born in 2019. Leopold was baptised at the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Amorbach on 5 January 2020. The prince's godparents are Princess Cecilia zu Leiningen, Count Konstantin von Schönborn, and Leopold Ferch. Princess Cecilia zu Leiningen (b.1988) is a first cousin of Leopold's father, Hermann; she is the only child of Hermann's uncle Prince Karl Emich zu Leiningen (b.1952) and his late first wife, Princess Margarita zu Hohenlohe-Oehringen (1960 - 1989). Count Konstantin von Schönborn (b.1968) is the son of Count Alexander von Schönborn (b.1941) and Countess Mechtild von Zeppelin-Aschhausen (b.1937). Leopold Ferch (b.1988) is the son of Christian Ferch (b.1959) and Baroness Alexandra von Holzhausen (b.1963), the daughter of Baron Hans von Holzhausen (b.1929) and Archduchess Maria Magdalenda of Austria-Tuscany (b.1939).

Fürst Andreas and Fürstin Alexandra zu Leiningen with their son Prince Hermann.
Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger

Leopold is the first grandchild of Fürst Andreas and Fürstin Alexandra zu Leiningen. The little prince's parents, Prince Hermann zu Leiningen (b.1987) and Isabelle Heubach (b.1989), married in 2017. Hereditary Prince Ferdinand zu Leiningen and his wife Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia were expecting the arrival of their first child in February 2020. Ferdinand and Viktoria Luise are the uncle and aunt of the newborn prince, who has perhaps by now been joined by a first cousin.

The paternal grandparents of the newest Prince zu Leiningen are Fürst Andreas zu Leiningen (b.1955) and Princess Alexandra of Hannover (b.1959). On his grandpapa Andreas' side, Leopold's paternal great-grandparents are Fürst Emich zu Leiningen (1926 - 1991) and Duchess Eilika of Oldenburg (1928 - 2016). On his grandmama Alexandra's side, Leopold's great-grandparents are Prince Ernst August of Hannover (1914 - 1987) and Princess Ortrud of Schleswig-Holstein (1925 - 1980). Leopold of Leiningen is a double descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom through his grandfather Andreas as well as through his grandmother Alexandra.

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Queen Victoria (b.1819) - Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh - Princess Victoria Melita - Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna of Russia - Fürst Emich zu Leiningen - Fürst Andreas zu Leiningen - Prince Hermann zu Leiningen - Prince Leopold (b.2019)

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Queen Victoria (b.1819) - Victoria, Princess Royal - Kaiser Wilhelm II - Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia - Prince Ernst August of Hannover - Princess Alexandra of Hannover - Prince Hermann zu Leiningen - Prince Leopold (b.2019)

Source:
Taufe des kleinen Prinzen Leopold Konstantin Rainer Andreas

Rest In Peace: The Creative and Charismatic Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg, Former Duchess of Seville

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Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg

(1947 - 2020)

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On the morning of Friday, 13 March, Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg passed away in Marbella, Spain. She was seventy-two years-old. Beatrice's death was announced by her daughter, Olivia, in the following message:

With great sorrow, I inform you that this morning my mother, Beatrice von Hardenberg zu Fürstemberg, died at the Quirón Hospital in Marbella due to cardiac arrest caused by the COPD disease that she suffered for years. Given the sanitary circumstances throughout the nation, her wake will be held in the strictest privacy. In these sad times for our family, we want to thank the hospital staff at all times, as well as the affection and dedication of all those who have taken care of my mother in recent times. We ask you to pray for her soul. 

Death notice of Doña Cristina de Borbón y Hardenberg. Appeared in ABC Madrid on 16 February 2020.

The countess died a month after her daughter Cristina, who passed away on 13 February in Madrid, aged just forty-four. 

Countess Beatrice Wilhelmine Paula von Hardenberg was born at Donaueschingen on 28 June 1947 as the third child and second daughter of Count Günther von Hardenberg (1918 - 1985) and Princess Maria Josepha zu Fürstenberg (1922 - 2008). Beatrice joined two older siblings: Count Huburtus (b.1944) and Countess Christa-Maria (b.1945). Her parent's fourth and final child, Count Günther, died the day after he was born in 1950. 

Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg weds the Duke of Seville in 1973 Photograph (c) Keystone Press / Alamy Foto

On 7 July 1973 at Baden-Baden, Beatrice married Don Francisco de Paula de Borbón y Escasany (b.1943), Duke of Seville. The Duke and Duchess of Seville had three children: Oliva (b.1974), Cristina (1975 - 2020), and Francisco (b.1979). After sixteen years of marriage, Beatrice and Francisco divorced in 1989. 

Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg and her mother Princess Maria Josepha zu Fürstenberg in 1998. Photograph (c) Presse-Foto-Seeger

With an eye for fashion and design, Beatrice quickly carved out a career of her own. She became a driving force behind the creation of Vogue España. According to press accounts, Beatrice was well-loved by her peers in society. Due to her unique sense of style, Beatrice was known as "the hippy princess" by contemporaries in the 1970s and 1980s. Like her daughter Cristina, she was a lover of nature and creatures of all kinds: Beatrice was particularly partial to frogs. 

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The former Duchess of Seville was extremely close to her three children. She enjoyed being able to spend as much time as possible with her grandchildren, the offspring of her daughter Olivia. Her family and their company seems to have been her greatest joy.

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May She Rest In Peace.

The Lost Princess of Brazil: Maria de Orleans e Bragança

Pedro Henrique and Maria Elisabeth

Among royal genealogy enthusiasts, Prince Pedro Henrique of Orleans-Bragança and Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria are well-known for the large family they produced. The couple married in 1937. Between the years 1938 and 1959, Pedro Henrique and Maria Elisabeth welcomed thirteen children, including one set of twins.

Death certificate of Princess Maria of Orleans-Bragança

However, it was only last year that the existence of the thirteenth child, a daughter, was discovered. On 28 September 1946, Princess Maria of Orleans-Bragança was born at Rio de Janeiro. Maria was her parents' sixth child and second daughter. Sadly, Maria died the day she was born, after living only ten hours. The princess was born prematurely as a result of placenta praevia, which resulted in her death. Maria was buried at the Cemitério São João Baptista in Rio. She was the second of her parents' offspring to be born in Brazil.

The Brazilian imperial couple with their first five children. Photograph (c) Casa Imperial do Brasil

The discovery of Maria's existence was made by Samuel Duarte Cavalcante Filho, which he then kindly shared with other genealogists. Dino Sobral then provided the information on a forum devoted to royal and noble genealogy. Thank you very much to both Samuel and Dino for bringing this to light.

Pedro Henrique and Maria Elisabeth with their twelve surviving children. Photograph (c) Casa Imperial do Brasil

As a recap, Prince Pedro Henrique and Princess Maria Elisabeth of Orleans-Bragança, who might have been the Emperor and Empress of Brazil, were the parents of thirteen children in total:

1. Prince Luíz Gastão (b.1938)
2. Prince Eudes (b.1939)
3. Prince Bertrand (b.1941)
4. Princess Isabel (1944 - 2017)
5. Prince Pedro (b.1945)
6. Princess Maria (1946 - 1946)
7. Prince Fernando (b.1948)
8. Prince Antônio (b.1950)
9. Princess Leonor (b.1953)
10. Prince Francisco (b.1955)
11. Prince Alberto (b.1957)
12. Princess Maria Tereza (b.1959)
13. Princess Maria Gabriela (b.1959)

Twenty-one years separate the birth of Prince Luíz, the current Head of the Imperial House, and his twin sisters, Princesses Tereza and Lelli.

Bulgarian Royals Remember Queen Giovanna Twenty Years After Her Passing

King Simeon, Queen Margarita, Alexandra Chrobok, Jorge de Magalhães, and their children.
Photograph (c) HM King Simeon II of the Bulgarians

Members of the Bulgarian royal family recently gathered in Assisi, Italy, to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the death of Queen Giovanna of Bulgaria.

Queen Giovanna of Bulgaria in 1937

Born a Princess of Savoy, Giovanna was a daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena of Italy. In 1930, Giovanna married King Boris III of Bulgaria, who died prematurely in 1943. The couple had two children: King Simeon II and Princess Marie Louise. Queen Giovanna of Bulgaria died in Portugal on 26 February 2000; she was ninety-two years-old.

Photograph (c) HM King Simeon II of the Bulgarians

On 26 February, King Simeon and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria were joined at Assisi by the king's niece Alexandra Chrobok, Alexandra's husband Jorge de Magalhães, and their three children.