Exposé: The Russian Imperial House Versus the Social Media Influencer Pretending to be a Romanoff

Exposé: 

The Russian Imperial House Versus the Social Media Influencer Pretending to be a Romanoff

by Seth B. Leonard

The Imperial House of Russia is currently engaged in a legal battle in Italy to prevent a social media influencer from using the Romanoff surname for commercial gain, among other concerns. Grand Duke George of Russia, the heir to the Headship of the Imperial House, is the plaintiff; Mr. Alberto Maccan (also known as "Carlo Alberto Maccan Romanoff"), a social media influencer, is the defendant. 

The Italian Social Media Influencer

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H.I.H. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia, Heir to the Head of the Imperial House. Photograph courtesy of the Chancellery of the Grand Duke.

Alberto Maccan was born on 17 December 1993 at Portobuffolè, Italy. He descends from an Italian industrialist family. Alberto Maccan is the son of Stefano Giovanni Maccan, a Managing Director of Friul Intagli Industries S.P.A., and is the grandson of Inaco Maccan, President of Friul Intagli Industries S.P.A. Friul Intagli Industries S.P.A. is an Italian multinational company founded in 1968 by Inaco Maccan. According to Bloomberg, "Friul Intagli Industries S.P.A. manufactures wooden products. The Company provides furniture sink, room furniture, desks, tables, and other furniture products. Friul Intagli Industries serves customers internationally." Headquartered in Pordenone, Friul Intagli Industries had an annual revenue of $656.72 million (USD) and employed 1,537 individuals in 2018 per Dun & Bradstreet.

Raised in Italy, Alberto Maccan moved to London, where he reportedly studied architecture at the Architectural Association School of Architecture and then business at Regents University.

Maccan's Usurpation of the Surname of the Russian Imperial Family and Its Relatives

Mr. Maccan has pursued a career path as a social media influencer. Alberto's Instagram page has 178,000 followers, and his public Facebook page has nearly 5,600 likes. In the past several years, Alberto Maccan became using the name "Carlo Alberto Maccan Romanoff." He gives his surname as "Maccan Romanoff" on his social media profiles as well as on his personal website. There, Mr. Maccan's heavily-falsified biography reads as follows:

Carlo Alberto Maccan Romanoff 

Influencer -Traveller -Socialite and Television personality 

Born and raised in Venice, Italy [Author's note: Mr. Maccan was not born in Venice; he was born at Portobuffolè.], at the age of 18 Carlo Alberto decided to move to London where he graduated, first in Architecture at the Architectural Association and Cass University a then, at the age of 23, he completed a masters degree in International Business and Finance at Regent University. 

With a passion for traveling, luxury and fashion, Carlo Alberto has proven to be able to represent the ideal of many high fashion brands as well as hotels and travel networks. 

Carlo Alberto's Instagram profile boasts 200,000 followers - he has become a travel and fashion influencer in his own right; attracting the attention of fashion icons, fashion houses and luxury hotels around the globe. He made his TV debut in an Italian documentary, and is set to star in a new Italian TV show about influencers. His Style and look has been noticed by many different international brands such as Tony Ward Couture, Dolce and Gabbana, G. Inglese, La Perla and many more. Carlo Alberto has been Brand Ambassador of La Perla, Dior Beauty, Ralph Lauren fragrances, G inglese and many more. Carlo Alberto is often invited to fashion shows in London, Milan, Paris and New York as well as important social events like Amfar, Ferrari, Vogue, GQ just to mention a few, where he was also featured as one of the strongest looks for the Milan Fashion Week 2017 and 2018.

The False Maccan Claim to Imperial Romanov Descent 

Screenshot from "La Tormentata Succession al Trono di Russia" post on L'Associazione legittimista Trono e Altare.

In March 2012, the website of an organisation called l'Associazione legittimista Trono e Altare (The Legitimist Throne and Altar Organisation) created a blog post entitled "LA TORMENTATA SUCCESSIONE AL TRONO DI RUSSIA" ("The Tormented Succession to the Throne of Russia). Within this post about the Russian Imperial House, incorrect information was given pertaining to the Nikolaevich branch of the imperial family, which descends from Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (1831-1891) and his wife Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna (1838-1900; née Duchess of Oldenburg). The webpage falsely included the following persons as descendants of the Imperial House of Russia and members of the Romanov family: "Prince Inaco Maccanovič Romanov (born in 1950) of the Marchesi Maccan in Italy, son of the Prince Primo Maccanovič Romanov; Prince Stefano Giovanni Maccanovič Romanov (born in 1971; son of Inaco); Prince Alberto Maccan(ovič Romanov) (born in 1993; son of Stefano Giovanni); and Prince Alexander Maccanovič Romanov (born in 1977; son of Inaco)." To be clear, there is no branch of the Romanov family, whether dynastic or morganatic, who bears or ever has borne the surname Maccanovič Romanov. Furthermore, there were never any descendants of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich and Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna of Russia who married into a family by the name of "Maccanovič" or "Maccan." Finally, the Maccan family does not belong to the Italian nobility; this can be easily verified by checking the Elenco Ufficiale della Nobilità Italiana, the Libro d'Oro della Nobilità Italiana, and the Annuario della Nobilità Italiana. The claims of Mr. Maccan to descend from the Romanoff family are totally false as are his claims to descend from an Italian noble family. The Italian police are currently investigating all of the aforementioned incorrect information shown on the website of l'Associazione legittimista Trono e Altare, as it a felony to disclose and disseminate false information to the public.

The Response of the Imperial House of Russia

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As is well known, the Imperial House of Russia consists of only two persons: Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia and His Imperial Highness Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia. Born in 1953, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna is the Head of the Imperial House of Russia. The grand duchess was the only child of the late Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia (1917-1992; Head of the Imperial House from 1938-1992) and his wife Grand Duchess Leonida Georgievna (1914-2010; née Princess Bagration-Moukhransky). Born in 1981, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich is the only child of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia and her former husband Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich (b.1943; né Prince of Prussia).

Statement from the Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia (9 June 2020)

Statement from the Chancellery of the Head of the Russian Imperial House (9 June 2020)

On 9 June 2020 in Moscow, the Director of the Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia, Dr. Alexander N. Zakatov, issued a statement to clarify the activities of Mr. Maccan and the inappropriate usage of the Romanov surname. The statement reads as follows:

In response to the large number of inquiries from Russian citizens and foreign friends of Russia regarding the activities and statements by the Italian designer [Author's note: Mr. Maccan is not a designer; he is a social media influencer.] Carlo Alberto Maccan claiming the right to use the surname Romanov and the historical titles of the Russian Imperial House of Romanov, the Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia wishes to make it known that: 

1) Mr. Carlo Alberto Maccan, who calls himself “Maccan-Romanoff,” and who uses the title “His Imperial Highness Prince Carlo Alberto Maccanovic Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp,” is in fact not a descendant of the Romanov family. No female members of the Imperial House of Romanov ever married anyone from the Maccan or “Maccanovich” family. Nor did any Romanov descendants—legitimate or illegitimate—ever marry into the Maccan (or “Maccanovich”) family. Therefore, Mr. Carlo Albert Maccan does not have the right to use the surname Romanov under Russian imperial law nor the historical titles associated with it, and, moreover, his use of the name and titles infringes the rights of the actual members of this historical Russian family—both the members of the Imperial House of Russia and their relatives who descend from morganatic marriages. 2) The improper use of the surname Romanov (Romanoff) and related titles violates the norms of Russian imperial law and is misleading. 3) At the present time, the Imperial House of Russia consists of only two persons: the Head of the Imperial House of Russia, Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, and her son and heir, His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke George of Russia. These sole members of the Imperial House use the surname and titles by right of inheritance, in accordance with the dynastic house law of Emperor Paul I, issued on 5/18 April 1797. Their dynastic status and titles have been recognized by the government of the Russian Federation and other countries, and by the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious denominations. They have also been repeatedly confirmed in academic publications written by prominent scholars in the fields of history and genealogy. 4) The Chancellery of the Head of the Imperial House of Russia, which is a registered non-profit organization in the Russian Federation and which represents the Imperial House of Russia in its relations with government agencies, the Orthodox Church and other religious groups, and with public and civil organizations, has the duty to inform the public of any people who use the name and titles of the Imperial House without right, including Mr. Maccan, and to defend always and vigorously the honour, dignity, and good name of the Russian Imperial House of Romanov.

Alexander N. Zakatov

Director of the Chancellery

Dr. Alexander Nikolaevich Zakatov has served as the Director of the Chancellery of the Head of the Russian Imperial House since 2003. 

The Reaction of the Russian Nobility Assembly

Statement from the Russian Nobility Assembly (10 June 2020)

On 10 June 2020, the Russian Nobility Assembly, which is based in Moscow, released a statement on the "Clarification regarding claims by false pretenders of the Russian Imperial House of Romanoff." The communiqué reads as follows:

To Whom it may concern, 

The Council of The Russian Nobility Assembly, on behalf of its members, would like to clarify that the only current members of The Russian Imperial Family of Romanoff are T.I.Hs The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia and The Grand Duke George of Russia. 

With displeasure, it is being noted that a certain “Mr Alberto” is pretending to be part of the Romanoff Imperial Family and this baseless and unproven allegation is being publicised on Social media, printed media and radio/tv broadcasts. Such fraudulent claims by “Mr Alberto” are without doubt, made to gain public respect and popularity but can create confusion and is undoubtedly disrespectful to the real members of the Imperial Family and to the outstanding history of the Romanoff dynasty moreover, it damages the good standing reputation of our Assembly. 

Without prejudice, these false claims made by the above mentioned individual and the media houses that are promoting them are being considered fraudulent in nature and possibly a criminal offence and/or in breach of copyright law since the Romanoff dynasty is a “tradename” which traditionally and legally belongs to the real family members of the said Imperial family. 

The Russian Nobility Assembly is legally registered and has worldwide over 18,000 members, who recognise only T.I.Hs The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia and The Grand Duke George of Russia as the sole members of the Imperial Family of Romanoff. This recognition is internationally acknowledged and endorsed by several governmental institutions and Royal Houses. T.I.Hs effect official trips to foreign countries as well as take part to Government events and public ceremonies in virtue of the fact that they represent the history of Russia and the world.  

Whilst hoping that the proper authorities will intervene in this matter and “Mr Alberto” will desist from these false allegations, please do not hesitate from contacting the undersigned should you require further clarifications. 

Oleg V. Scherbachev

Marshal of the Russian Nobility Assembly 

Alexander Yu. Korolev-Pereleshin

First Vice-Marshal of the Russian Nobility Assembly

Executive Secretary of the Council of The Russia's United Nobility

The Russian Nobility Assembly is a corporate public organisation bringing together individuals belonging to the Russian Nobility and registered with the Russian Ministry of Justice. The objective of the Assembly is to contribute to the restoration of Russia as a great power, to the formation of social consciousness based on traditional spiritual values, to the promotion of civic principles and high morality. The Assembly unites more than seventy regional branches and offices, including fifty provincial Assemblies on the territory of the present-day Russian Federation, plus regional Nobility Assemblies established in the areas that historically belonged to the Russian Empire and other foreign countries. Oleg V. Sherbachev is the Marshal of the Assembly since 2014.

The Repudiation of Maccan's Claims by the Russian Genealogical Federation

On 13 January 2020, Dr. Stanislav Vladimirovich Dumin, the President of the Russian Genealogical Federation, issued a statement on the situation concerning Mr. Maccan and his improper and potentially illegal use of the Romanoff surname and coat of arms.

The manufactured coat of arms improperly used by Mr. Alberto Maccan.

The full text of the statement from the Russian Genealogical Federation appears below:

Concerning the Claims of Carlo Alberto Maccan to the Surname Romanoff and Related Historical Titles 

In response to the claims by the Italian designer [Author's note: Mr. Maccan is not a designer, but a social media influencer.] Carlo Alberto Maccan, who has been using the surname "Maccan-Romanoff" and the title "His Imperial Highness Prince Carlo Alberto Maccanovic Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp," and who has claimed to be a descendant of the Romanov dynasty (the Imperial House of Russia), I wish to make the following known: 

Carlo Alberto Maccan has frequently stated publicly that he descends from the House of Romanoff through the female line, and that his director ancestor, Maccan (or Maccanovich) had married a Romanoff grand duchess. He has repeated his claims on the Internet and in interviews on television, some of which have been posted online. Carlo Alberto Maccan links himself to the family tree of the Romanoffs through a daughter of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich (the son of Emperor Nicholas I) who supposedly married his ancestor, Maccan. This grand duchess never existed. 

These claims have been depicted in the so-called "unified arms of the Maccan-Romanoff family," which displays a dimidiated shield with the Imperial double-headed eagle on the left side - usurping for his own use the heraldic heritage of the Russian Imperial dynasty. A different coat of arms that has been used by Carlo Alberto Maccan, and which was prepared by a Russian heraldic artist, also usurps Romanoff heraldic symbols. This second coat of arms replaces the double-headed eagle with the impaled familial coat of arms of the Romanoff family - a black border with lion heads around the Romanov red griffin. 

The genealogy of the Romanoffs has been thoroughly studied, and its full membership, including newly born infants, were up until 1917 annually published in many official reference books and directories of the Russian Empire and in European genealogical registers, such as, for example, the Almanach de Gotha. Romanoff genealogical data have been reproduced in many modern Russian and foreign genealogical reference books. One can therefore affirm with absolute certainty that no female member of the House of Romanoff ever married someone from the Maccan family. Nor, furthermore, did even any illegitimate offspring of the Romanoffs ever marry into the Maccan family. The descriptive inventories and archival collections of the Department of Heraldry of the Governing Senate definitely establish that no noble family by the name of Maccanov (Makkanov), Maccanovich (Makkanovich) or Macanovich (Makanovich) ever existed in the Russian Empire before 1917. 

Therefore, Mr. Carlo Alberto Maccan is using a historical surname and titles to which he has not the slighted right, and is thereby violating the rights of the genuine members of this historical Russian family: both members of the Russian Imperial House itself, and Romanoff relatives who descend from non-dynastic marriages. 

Stanislav V. Dumin

President of the Russian Genealogical Federation,

Academician and General Secretary of the International Genealogical Academy (Académie Internationale de Généalogie), and

Corresponding Member of the Italian Institute of Heraldry and Genealogy (socio corripondente dell'Instituto Araldico Genealogico Italiano)

Dr. Stanislav Vladimirovich Dumin is a Russian historian, genealogist, and social activist. He is the President of the Russian Genealogical Federation. The Russian Genealogical Federation is a governmental institution that reports directly to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

The Heir to the Imperial House of Russia Seeks to Uphold His Family's Heritage

H.I.H. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia

After studying at Oxford, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia began his career at the European Parliament, where he went on to work in the Cabinet of the Vice President of the European Commission, Loyola de Palacio. The grand duke then worked in Euroatom in Luxembourg before he joined the Russian company Norilsk Nickel, where he was appointed Director for Norilsk Nickel Europe Ltd. before becoming C.E.O.  of N.N. Metal Trade Overseas. After departing this position, Grand Duke George of Russia founded his own lobby and communications company, Romanoff and Partners, in Brussels. Its aim is to develop and strengthen ties between the European Union and Russia. In 2013, on the 400th anniversary of the accession of the House of Romanov, Grand Duke George established the Russian Imperial Foundation, which is a charitable organisation dedicated to medical research, ecological problems, and fundraising to solve emergency issues.

The Legal Issues at Stake in this Case

Screenshot from Mr. Maccan's Instagram exhibiting a paid promotion he received from Polo Ralph Lauren. 

Screenshot from Mr. Maccan's Instagram exhibiting a paid promotion he received from Palazzina Grassi.

Mr. Maccan has utilised the Romanoff surname in his capacity as a model for several well-known international brands, such as Polo Ralph Lauren. A paid partnership on Instagram occurs when an influencer or brand advocate shares a post or story on the platform and tags in a business account as a Business Partner. This sort of activity, such as employed by Mr. Maccan, can result in increased attention to his social media accounts by followers of brands with whom he has partnered. By using the Romanoff surname, Mr. Maccan has purposefully misled his nearly 180 thousand followers as well as other individuals into believing that he is a member of the Russian imperial family engaged in certain corporate activities. This is deliberate misrepresentation on his part, as he has no connection with the Russian Imperial House or the extended Romanoff family whatsoever.

Screenshot from Mr. Maccan's Instagram account showing his attendance at a Russian debutantes' ball in London under the guise of being a Romanoff.

Mr. Maccan appears on Enjoy! hosted by Peter Gomez, during which time Mr. Maccan spoke about his "royal" lifestyle.

On several occasions, Mr. Maccan has attended events where he has presented himself as a Romanoff. One such instance of this was his presence at the Third Russian Debutante Ball at London in November 2015. Mr. Maccan has made numerous appearances in the print media and on television where he has paraded himself as the only Romanoff currently living. An example of this was when Italian TV host Peter Gomez allowed Mr. Maccan to come on Gomez's show, Enjoy!, so that Mr. Maccan could speak about his "imperial" title and his "jet-set" lifestyle. Mr. Maccan also made an appearance on Romanian television channel Antena 1, where he presented his false claims. The behaviour of Alberto Maccan has been harmful to the reputation of the members of the Imperial House of Russia and the morganatic members of the extended Romanoff family, in that it seeks to tarnish the character of their ancestors as well as to belittle the current activities of the Imperial House.

H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, Head of the Imperial House, and H.I.H. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich, the Heir. Photograph courtesy of the Chancellery of the Imperial House. 

Mr. Maccan's decision to adopt the Romanoff surname, and to, in certain instances, imply that he bears a Russian imperial and/or noble title based on a non-existent descent from the Russian Imperial family, could cause harm to the charitable endeavours of actual members of the Romanoff family, whether these be dynastic members of the Imperial House or family members who descend from morganatic marriages. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and Grand Duke George Mikhailovich are the sole members of the Russian Imperial House. In their positions, the grand duchess and grand duke carry out official duties and engagements within Russia in addition to supporting charitable organisations and endeavours both in Russia and abroad. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna is recognised as the Head of the Russian Imperial House by the Russian government and by the Russian Orthodox Church. The legal complaint against Alberto Maccan has been lodged with the prosecutor's office at Treviso, where Mr. Maccan is domiciled. "Several times in the past, lawyers for the Russian imperial family have asked Mr. Maccan to remove the surname Romanoff from the websites he uses to promote himself," explains lawyer Alessandro Verga Ruffoni, who represents Grand Duke George Mikhailovich in this matter. _________________________________________________________________________________ Note: I wish to thank the Chancellery of H.I.H. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia for their kind assistance during my research for this article. 

The 10th Wedding Anniversary of Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana of Greece

Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana on their wedding day.

Today Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana of Greece celebrate ten years of marriage! Nikolaos is the third child and second son of King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes.

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On 25 August 2010, Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark married Tatiana Ellinka Blatnik (b.28 August 1980) at the monastery of Ayios Nikolaos in the old harbour of Spetses in Greece. Tatiana is the daughter of Marie Blanche Bierlein (b.1954), daughter of Ernst Bierlein (1920-2009) and Countess Ellinka von Einsiedel (b.1922), and of the late Ladislav Vladimir Blatnik. Through her maternal grandmother, Princess Tatiana of Greece is a descendant of Elector Wilhelm II of Hesse (1777-1847).

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Friends and relations flocked to Spetses to share in the celebration of the union of Nikolaos and Tatiana. Among the guests were members of the British, Bulgarian, Danish, Dutch, Greek, Iranian, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish royal families. 

Nowadays, Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana make their home in Greece. The prince is a talented photographer, and the princess engages in numerous charitable activities. A down-to-earth and popular couple, they are often seen attending royal events around Europe. For more information on Prince Nikolaos, please visit his website: https://www.princenikolaos.com For further news and articles about Europe's Gotha families, join Eurohistory! https://eurohistoryjournal.blogspot.com/p/subscribe-to-eurohistory.html

Prince Paul-Louis de Nassau Joins Luxembourg Army

Prince Paul-Louis de Nassau signs on as an officer in the Luxembourg Army. Photo (c) EMA 

In the presence of his family, HRH Prince Paul-Louis de Nassau was sworn in by Mr. Bausch, Minister of Defense, as an officer of the Luxembourg army. The prince recently completed his training at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst. Paul-Louis was joined at this event by his father Prince Guillaume, his brother Prince Léopold, and his cousin Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume.

Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg with Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume at his graduation from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Photo (c) CGD 

Born in 1998, Prince Paul-Louis de Nassau is the eldest child of Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and Princess Sibilla (née Weiller). One of his godparents is his elder cousin, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg, who also attended Sandhurst. Indeed, the grandfather of Paul-Louis and Guillaume, the late Grand Duke Jean, graduated from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1943. Other Sandhurst graduates include Paul-Louis’ uncle Grand Duke Henri and his cousin Prince Sébastian.

The Lost Children of Queen Fabiola and King Baudouin of Belgium

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In April 2008, during a segment of the VTM programme Het Nieuws, Queen Fabiola of Belgium was recorded speaking for the first time about the five miscarriages that she experienced. From 1960 until his death in 1993, Fabiola was the wife and queen consort of King Baudouin of the Belgians. She stated that her losses did not make her bitter: "I lost five children, but I've learned to live with it. On the contrary, you learn from the experience. I had problems with each pregnancy, but in the end I kept thinking that life is beautiful."

 

King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgian at the Vatican, June 1961.

Newspaper headline from 9 June 1961.

Newspaper headline from 26 June 1961.

On 8 June 1961, King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola visited Pope John XXIII. It was reported by the international press that the couple had informed the Holy Father that the queen was with child. The Vatican itself would not officially confirm or deny the story. However, while giving an interview to Belgian reporters in Rome, Pope John XXIII let the secret slip: "The Queen was very kind because she told us that she is expecting a baby." The king and queen returned to Belgium, and two weeks the queen did not appear in public. On Sunday, 25 June, the grand marshal of the court issued a communiqué: "Contrary to what one had been permitted to hope, a happy event should not be expected at the Royal Palace at Laeken in the near future. The Queen's state of health gives no reason for worry. Her Majesty will have completely recovered within a few days." This was the first child that the queen and her husband lost.

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Queen Fabiola learned of her second pregnancy in February 1962. A physician in Lausanne was consulted; the reply of Swiss gynaecologist Professor Rochat must have been devastating to the queen: "Owing to a physiological defect you have only a ten percent chance of carrying a baby to full term, and barely a five percent chance of surviving the birth." In May 1962, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands celebrated their silver wedding anniversary, and Baudouin and Fabiola were among the guests. Amsterdam newspaper Vrije Volk wrote that the Belgian queen was expecting. A palace spokesperson in Brussels, when asked about the veracity of the report, stated: "I would say no. It is true that the queen is avoiding strenuous engagements." In June, the pregnancy ended in miscarriage.

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In September 1963, Queen Fabiola suffered her third miscarriage. The queen and her husband King Baudouin had been on holiday at Zarauz, Spain, since August. Either three or four months pregnant, Fabiola lost the baby that she was carrying on Saturday, 14 September 1963. The queen was reported to be "depressed," though in "good health," and was looked after by doctors at the resort on the Bay of Biscay where the royal couple were vacationing. The miscarriage occurred one day after Baudouin returned from a fishing trip off of the southern coast of Spain. Noting that the king would return to Belgium on 20 September, a royal communiqué from Brussels elaborated: "Queen Fabiola will postpone her return by a few days. The hopes which recent information as to her health condition had provoked are unfortunately not founded anymore." A royal birth had been expected in February 1964.

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In March 1966, Fabiola and Baudouin discovered that they were expecting a child. The couple visited Pope Paul VI to receive his blessing over their fourth pregnancy. On Friday, 8 July 1966, the royal court announced that the queen was with child. The birth was expected in the winter of that year. In view of the queen's medical history, "appropriate reservations" were cautioned to be made about the outcome. King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola wished to share their hopes with the Belgian people. Acting on the advice of doctors, all of the queen's public engagements were cancelled. Sadly, on Sunday, 10 July 1966, Queen Fabiola was admitted to hospital in Brussels, where she underwent emergency surgery. Two days after the court announced that Fabiola was with child, it was confirmed that the queen had suffered a miscarriage as a result of an extra-uterine pregnancy. The baby had died in her womb. Fabiola was thirty-eight years-old.

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Newspaper headline from 26 February 1968.

In early 1968, Baudouin and Fabiola discovered that the queen was expecting a child for the fifth time. The queen underwent an operation in Brussels on Sunday, 25 February. According to her doctors, the aim of this medical intervention was "eliminating an obstacle to a new pregnancy." In satisfactory condition, Fabiola was expected to remain at the clinic where she underwent the procedure for two weeks to recover. Alas, the true scenario behind the surgery was to guarantee the queen's health after another much longed for baby had died in the uterus. After this final tragedy, King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola resigned themselves to the fate of never becoming parents.

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The king and queen were strengthened in their sorrows by their strong Roman Catholic faith. Baudouin and Fabiola poured affection and guidance into the lives of their nephews and nieces. The royal couple became resolved to act as parental figures for all of the children of Belgium.

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Early reaction from buyers to Eurohistory's The Grand Ducal House of Hesse!

Every time we choose a topic to develop in one of our books, we take a huge risk. Surely, some of our books have been instant hits, others, with more esoteric topics, have taken longer to sell as we introduce these lesser-known royal personages to our avid and knowledgeable readership.

When we first mail out copies, we await with great anticipation the initial reports from those who have pre-ordered the book or bought it immediately after it becomes available on AMAZON. We are aware that some reports may be not frat, some will be amazing. In some instances, initial reaction is simply humbling and amazing!

Well, the first reports are in for The Grand Ducal House of Hesse – and we are simply delighted with them!

"Wow guys...what a treasure...I have all your books and this one really is top three, right up there with Beeche's The Coburgs." – MT, Seattle, WA

"I cannot believe how quickly I got the book. I have not been able to put it down. Where and how do you manage to get the photos?" – CB, Santa Clarita, CA

"well, thanks for disrupting my work today! I ripped the box open, grabbed a coffee and started flipping through the book. By know Ilana and Art must be the world's experts on the Hessians." MS, Irvine, CA

"This must have taken like a long time to put together, well worth the wait, those family trees are so detailed! My one criticism is that I wish it had been even longer book. I lost count of the photos, like 400+. But I still wish you had included more, more, more...hey, maybe a second volume just Hesse-Darmstadt photos? Just saying..." – BZ, Eugene, OR

You can purchase the book on AMAZON:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1944207082?ref=myi_title_dp Or by direct order at:

Eurohistory & Kensington House Books

6300 Kensington Avenue

East Richmond Heights, CA 94805

USA

Email: eurohistory@comcast.net or aebeeche@mac.com

Phone: 510.236.1730

Broken Royal Engagements of Yore: Max of Baden and Beatrix of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

"Royal Cousins End Engagement."
The Gazette of Montreal, Quebec (9 Sep. 1961).

Max of Baden and Beatrix of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

On 7 September 1961, Fürst Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg announced that his sister, Princess Beatrix, and her fiancé, Prince Max of Baden, had broken off their engagement by mutual consent. The cause for the end of the couple was given as personal reasons. It was noted that the prince and princess were the nephew and niece of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

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First cousins through their mutual descent from Prince Andreas of Greece and his wife Princess Alice of Battenberg, Max of Baden was twenty-eight at the time while Beatrix zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg was twenty-five. Beatrix was the daughter of Andreas and Alice's eldest daughter Princess Margarita and her husband Fürst Gottfried zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Max was the son of the couple's next daughter Princess Theodora and her husband Margrave Berthold of Baden.

 

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Prince Maximilian "Max" Andreas Friedrich Gustav Ernst August Bernhard of Badenwas born at Salem on 3 July 1933. He was the second child and eldest son of Margrave Berthold of Baden and Margravine Theodora (née Greece), who married in 1931. In September 1966, Max of Baden married Archduchess Valerie of Austria-Tuscany (b.1941), the daughter of Archduke Hubert Salvator  of Austria-Tuscany and Princess Rosemary zu Salm-Salm. Margrave Max and Margravine Valerie of Baden have four children: Princess Marie Louise (b.1969), Hereditary Prince Bernhard (b.1970), Prince Leopold (b.1971), and Prince Michael (b.1976).

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Princess Beatrix Alice Marie Melita Margarete zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg was born at Schwäbisch-Hall on 10 July 1936. She was the second child and only daughter of Fürst Gottfried zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg and Fürstin Margarita (née Greece), who married in 1931. Beatrix never married. For many years, she functioned as a secretary and companion to Princess Margaret "Peg" of Hesse at Wolfsgarten. Aged sixty-one, Princess Beatrix died on 15 November 1997 at Schwäbisch-Hall.

The Legacy of Antoine XIV, 14th Duke of Gramont: An Aristocrat Gone Before His Time

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On 26 April 1951, Antoine de Gramont was born at Boulogne-sur-Seine as the only child of Henri de Gramont (1907-1995), eventual 13th Duke de Gramont, and Odile Sublet d'Heudincourt de Lénoncourt (1914- 1994), who had married in 1949.

Armand, Duc de Gramont

Élaine, Duchesse de Gramont

The young Antoine's paternal grandparents were Armand de Gramont (1879-1962), 12th Duke de Gramont, and Countess Elaine Greffulhe (1882-1958). His maternal grandparents were Gérard Sublet d'Heudicourt (1884-?), Marquis d'Heudicourt de Lenoncourt, and Thérèse Gautier-Vignal (1886-1941).

Death notice for Lydwine's father Alfred, Duc de La Roche-Guyon

During the 1970s, Antoine, then Duke de Guiche, became engaged to Lydwine de La Rochefoucauld (b.3 November 1953), daughter Alfred de La Rochefoucauld (1928-2013), Duke de La Roche-Guyon, and Lydie de Jacobé de Haut-de-Sigy (b.1932), who had married in 1952. On the evening of Friday, 5 September 1975, Antoine and Lydwine were at the beach on Mustang Island, Texas, with the couple they were visiting, Mr and Mrs Paul Davis. At 9:30pm, the group were standing next to their car when they were hit by a vehicle going between 50 and 60 miles per hour and commandeered by fifteen-year old Richard Oakes, who did not have a driver's license and had been drinking. Lydwine died at a local hospital at 10:15pm, both of Antoine's legs were broken and the Davises also sustained injuries. Lydwine had been in Texas as a foreign exchange student; the French consulate in Houston assisted her family with funeral arrangements. The following week, a lawsuit for $628,000 was filed in a Texas district court against Oakes and Mr and Mrs Roger Wear, who owned the vehicle, on behalf of Alfred and Lydie de La Rouchefoucauld (who sought $128,000 in damages), Antoine de Gramont ($200,000) and Mr and Mr Davis ($150,000 each). In November 1975, Richard Oakes pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of twenty-one year-old Lydwine. According to the school friend, Antoine remained immensely affected, both physically and psychologically, by the tragic passing of his fiancée.

Antoine and Catherine, Duke and Duchess de Gramont

On 20 September 2003 at Saint-Hélier, Jersey, Antoine de Gramont civilly married Catherine Françoise Elisabeth Forget (b.17 March 1956). The couple celebrated their religious union at Paris on 11 October 2003. Catherine is the daughter of Jacques Forget and Madeleine Coulon (1925-2011).

The Duchess de Gramont, 2011.

On 22 March 2008, the Duke and Duchess of Gramont welcomed the birth of their first child. Antoine de Gramont, Duke of Guiche, was born in the United States. The Duke of Guiche was christened at Saint Germain-l'Auxerrois on 6 September 2008. The godparents of little Antoine were Jacques de Crussol (b.1957), 17th Duc d'Uzès, and Countess Yolaine de La Rochefoucauld (b.1961; née Leclerc de Hauteclocque), the wife of Count Guy-Antoine de La Rochefoucauld (b.1958; now Duke de La Roche-Guyon), who was the brother of little Antoine's father's late fiancée Lydwine.

On the evening of Monday, 17 February 2014, Houston police were called to the Inwood Manor high-rise complex after neighbours heard loud arguing between the Duke and Duchess de Gramont. Catherine de Gramont told authorities that she had left the couple's twelfth-floor apartment during the argument, but heard a gunshot as she walked out the front door. She returned to the apartment and found that her husband was dead from the self-inflicted wound. The shooting/suicide occurred at about 9:00pm. The five year-old son of the couple was sleeping in the apartment while the episode took place. The Duke de Gramont was sixty-two years-old when he passed away.

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The funeral of Antoine, 14th Duke of Gramont, took place at the Église de la Madeleine at Paris on 6 March 2014. In addition to the duke's widow and young son, the funeral was attended by Prince Jean d'Orléans, then Duke of Vendôme.

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In 2018, the Duchess of Gramont was chosen as a godmother for Princess Jacinthe d'Orléans (b.9 October 2018). Princess Jacinthe is the youngest child of Prince Jean and Princess Philomena d'Orléans, the Count and Countess of Paris.