The Wedding of Prince Heinrich of Croÿ and Joana de Sotto-Mayor

Princess Joana and Prince Heinrich of Croÿ.
Photograph (c) Jornal de Mafra.

The couple during the religious ceremony at the Palácio de Mafra.
Photograph (c) Jornal de Mafra.

On Saturday, 19 June 2021, Prince Heinrich of Croÿ and Maria Joana de Spínola Moreira de Sotto-Mayor were married at Basilica at the Palace of Mafra in Portugal. The groom is the son of Duke Rudolf of Croÿ and the late Duchess Alexandra of Croÿ (née Miloradovich). The bride is the daughter of José Alberto da Fonseca de Sotto-Mayor and Dalila Alexandra de Spínola Moreira.

Front row (left to right): Prince Marc-Emanuel and Princess Delia of Croy, Guy delle Piane and Princess Xenia of Croÿ, Hereditary Prince Carl Philipp of Croÿ, and the Duke of Croÿ.
Second row (left to right): Princess Beatrix and Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, Princess Anastasia of Croÿ, and Prince Alexander of Croÿ.
Photograph (c) Jornal de Mafra.

The Prince of Beira and the Duchess and Duke of Braganza.
Photograph (c) Journal de Mafra.

Aside from the families of the happy couple, the following were among the guests: Prince Luitpold and Princess Beatrix of Bavaria, the Duke and Duchess of Braganza and their eldest son Afonso, Prince Gundakar and Princess Marie of Liechtenstein (née Orléans), Fürst Heinrich XIV Reuß, and Fürst Alexander of Schaumburg-Lippe and his son Hereditary Prince Donatus of Schaumburg-Lippe. 

The engagement photo of Prince Heinrich and Princess Joana.

Prince Heinrich and Princess Joana of Croÿ got engaged on 10 September 2019, while they were on holiday in Norway. Joana's engagement ring was a beautiful creation consisting of a vibrant ruby in the centre surrounded by diamonds on all sides.

Our congratulations to Prince Heinrich and Princess Joana!

The 85th Birthday of Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst zu Ysenburg und Büdingen

The Fürst zu Ysenburg u.Büdingen, 1999.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

 Today Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst zu Ysenburg und Büdingen celebrates his eighty-fifth birthday!

 

Fürst Otto-Friedrich zu Ysenburg und Büdingen and Princess Felizitas Reuß on their wedding day, 1935. 

 

Fürst Otto Friedrich zu Ysenburg und Büdingen with his wife Fürstin Felizitas, 1971.

Photo (c) United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo.

Born on 20 June 1936 at Frankfurt, Prince Wolfgang-Ernst Ferdinand Heinrich Franz Karl Georg Wilhelm zu Ysenburg und Büdingen was the eldest child and first son of Fürst Otto Friedrich zu Ysenburg und Büdingen (1904-1990) and Princess Felizitas Reuss (1914-1989), who wed in 1935. Wolfgang-Ernst was joined by four younger siblings: Princess Alexandra (1937-2015; married Prince Welf Heinrich of Hannover), Prince Ferdinand (1940-1989; married Princess Elisabeth of Schleswig-Holstein), Prince Christian (1943-2003; married Baroness Monika von Plessen), and Prince Johann (b.1949; married Countess Hemma-Christiane von Goëß).

Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst and Fürstin Leonille zu Isenburg und Büdingen.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst and Fürstin Leonille zu Ysenburg und Büdingen with their three children: Hereditary Prince Casimir-Alexander, Prince Maximilian, and Princess Felizitas.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst and Fürstin Leonille zu Isenburg und Büdingen.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

In January 1967, Wolfgang-Ernst zu Ysenburg und Büdingen married Princess Leonille zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b.Hamburg 6 Jul 1941). Leonille was the only daughter of Prince Casimir-Johannes zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1917-2010) and his first wife Ingrid Alsen (1915-1966), who wed in 1939 and divorced in 1949. Wolfgang-Ernst and Leonille have three children: Hereditary Prince Casimir-Alexander (b.1967), Prince Maximilian (b.1969), and Princess Felizitas (b.1980).  In 2003, Prince Maximilian zu Ysenburg und Büdingen married Sophie De Bois (b.1970), the daughter of Francis De Bois (1926-2014) and Diane de Woot de Trixhe de Jannée (b.1943; later married Jacques Boël); the couple have two children: Princess Madeleine (b.2004) and Prince Tassilo-Alexander (b.2006). In 2010, Hereditary Prince Casimir-Alexander zu Ysenburg und Büdingen married Countess Alexandra von Bernstorff (b.1977), the daughter of Count Nikolas von Bernstorff (b.1940) and his former wife Barbara Kückens (b.1944); Casimir-Alexander and Alexandra have one son, Prince Tristan Alexander (b.2014). In 2014, Princess Felizitas zu Ysenburg und Büdingen married Michael Max Senfft von Pilsach.

Archduke Rudolph of Austria and Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst zu Ysenburg und Büdingen.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Count Hans Veit zu Törring-Jettenbach and Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst zu Ysenburg und Büdingen.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Fürstin Leonille, Princess Felizitas, and Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst zu Ysenburg und Büdingen attending the 2006 wedding of Hereditary Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Photo (c) Seeger-Presse/Albert Nieboer.

 

Many happy returns of the day to Fürst Wolfgang-Ernst!

Brazilian Royals Vaccinated Against Covid-19

Prince Rafael. Photograph (c) Pró Monarquia.

On Wednesday, 16 June, Prince Rafael of Orleans and Bragança received his first dose of the vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The prince got his jab in London, where he lives and works. His parents, Prince Antônio and Princess Christine, are scheduled to get their second dose of the vaccine in Brazil next month. Along with other family members, Dom Antônio survived a bout with Covid-19 last year. Rafael's uncles, Prince Luiz and Prince Bertrand, have been fully vaccinated since April. 

Princess Maria Cristina.

Princess Maria Cristina of Orleans and Bragança, the daughter of Prince João Henrique, has also received her first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in Brazil. The princess, who was born with Down's Syndrome, is the author of several books.

Romanov Weddings: Prince Vsevolod of Russia and Valli Knust in 1961

Prince Vsevolod of Russia and Valli Knust on their wedding day, 1961.

On 8 June 1961 at London, Prince Vsevolod Ivanovich of Russia (1914-1973) married Valli Elisabeth Knust (1930-2012). Vsevolod was the only son of Prince Ivan Konstantinovich of Russia (1886-1918) and Princess Elena Petrovna of Serbia (1884-1962). Valli was the daughter of Cyril Alexander Eugene Knust (1897-1935) and Dorothy Love (1893-1983), who married in 1929; she was named after her paternal aunt actress Valli Valli (1882-1927; née Knust). Prince Vsevolod had been married twice before. In 1939, he married Lady Mary Lygon (1910-1982); the couple divorced in 1956. In 1956, he married Countess Emilia Berchtold (1914-1993; née de Gosztonyi); the couple divorced in 1961. Prince Vsevolod of Russia had no children from any of his marriages. After the death of her first husband, Princess Valli Romanovsky-Knust married Patrick F. Spencer Moore in 1987.

Glimpses from Two Recent German Noble Weddings

The Croÿ newlyweds.

On 22 May 2021, Prince Marc of Croÿ and Countess Delia de Cossé-Brissac celebrated their religious marriage at the Chateau de Brissac. One of the priests who presided over the couple's ceremony was Father Paul Habsburg. Among the guests were the Dowager Duchess de Brissac, Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, the Duke and Duchess of Braganza, Prince Louis of Luxembourg and his fiancée Scarlett-Lauren Sirgue, Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg, and Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg. Prince Marc and Princess Delia of Croÿ were civilly married on 19 December 2020 at Dülmen. Prince Marc Emanuel of Croÿ (b.1992) is the son of Duke Rudolf of Croÿ (b.1955) and his late wife Alexandra Miloradovich (1960-2015). Délia de Cossé-Brissac (b.1998) is the daughter of Charles-André, Duc de Brissac (b.1962), and his wife Countess Larissa Széchényi de Sárvár-Felsövidek (b.1967).

The Hohenberg newlyweds.

On 12 June 2021, Fürst Karl von Hohenberg and Baroness Assunta von Loë were religiously married at Schweinheim. Fürst Karl von Hohenberg (b.1991) is the son of Duke Nikolaus von Hohenberg (b.1961) and his wife Countess Elisabeth von Westphalen zu Fürstenberg (b.1963). Baroness Assunta von Loë (b.1996) is the daughter of Baron Philipp von Loë (b.1961) and his wife Countess Marie-Therese Ségur-Cabanac (b.1962). Karl and Assunta announced their engagement in October 2020. 

Romanov Weddings: Nicholas Romanoff and Sveva della Gherardesca in 1952

On 21 January 1952, Nicholas Romanovich Romanoff (1922-2014) married Countess Sveva della Gherardesca (b.1930) at the Russian Cathedral in Cannes. Nicholas was the eldest son of Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia (1896-1978) and his wife Countess Prascovia Dmitrievna Cheremeteva (1901-1980), who wed in 1921. Sveva was the daughter of Count Walfredo della Gherardesca (1894-1953) and Countess Nicoletta di Piccolellis. Nicholas and Sveva had three daughters: Natalia (b.1952), Elizabeth (b.1956), and Tatiana (b.1961).

Romanov Weddings: Prince Andrei of Russia and Nadine McDougall in 1942

Prince Andrei of Russia and Nadine McDougall on their wedding day, 1942.

On 21 September 1942, Prince Andrei (Andrew) Alexandrovich of Russia (1897-1981) married Nadine Sylvia Ada McDougall (1908-2000) at Norton Church in Kent. The groom was the son of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia (1866-1933) and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia (1875-1960). The bride was the daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert McDougall (1879-1967) and Sylvia Borgström (1870-1962). This was the second marriage of Prince Andrei: in 1918, he married Donna Elisabetha Ruffo (1886-1940). Andrei Alexandrovich and Nadine had one daughter: Olga Andreevna Romanov (b.1950). The couple lived at Provender House, the property of Nadine's family.