The 90th Birthday of Count Bertram zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, First Cousin of Swedish King

Count Bertram at an exhibition of his art, 1997. Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Born on 12 July 1932 at Golßen, Count Bertram Friedrich zu Castell-Rüdenhausen was the first child of Count Friedrich zu Castell-Rüdenhausen (1906-1940) and Princess Karoline-Mathilde "Calma" of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1912-1983), who wed in 1931. Bertram was joined by two younger siblings: Count Conradin (1933-2011; married Marta Lönegren) and Countess Viktoria (b.1935; married Sir John Miles Huntington-Whiteley, 4th Baronet). In 1938, Bertram's parents divorced; that same year, his mother Princess Calma married Captain Max Schnirring, a union that gave Bertram three younger half-siblings. In 1939, his father married Countess Elizabeth zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, a union that gave Bertram a younger half-brother.

The Royal Bridges organisation provides an insightful look into Bertram's education and career:

"After sporadically attending school, he was educated as a wood-carver, building fitter, and grain merchant. For four years, Castell served as a Federal Border Guard (Bundesgrenzschutzbeamter), followed by work as a salesman for beauty care and hygiene products, as an ice cream vendor and a bookseller. In 1963, Castell moved to Vienna, Austria, where he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts (Akademie der bildenden Künste) to study painting in Herbert Boeckl’s master class. Since 1965 he has been working as a freelance artist, graphic designer, art director, creative director, and occasionally as a bartender and decorator."

On 10 October 1964 at Vienna, Count Bertram zu Castell-Rüdenhausen married Countess Felizitas von Auersperg (b.1944). The couple have two sons: Count Dominik (b.1965) and Count Michael (b.1967). 

Count Bertram is a first cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, as their mothers were sisters.

Our best wishes to Count Bertram on his birthday!

The 50th Birthday of the Duke de Chartres

Today, Prince Charles-Louis d'Orléans, Duke de Chartres, celebrates his fiftieth birthday.

Jacques and Gersende with their three children, 1979.

Born on 11 July 1972 at Neuilly-sur-Seine, Prince Charles-Louis Henri Foulques Benoït Elzéar Jean Marie d'Orléans was the second child and first son of Prince Jacques d'Orléans, Duke d'Orléans, and Princess Gersende (née de Sabran-Pontevès), who wed in 1969. Charles-Louis has two siblings: Princess Diane (b.1970; married Vicomte Alexis de Noailles) and Prince Foulques, Duc d'Aumale, Comte d'Eu (b.1974).

Charles-Louis and Illéana, 1997.

In 1997, Prince Charles-Louis d'Orléans married Ileana Manos (b.1970).  The Duke and Duchess de Chartres have five children: Prince Philippe (b.1998), Princess Louise (b.1999), Princess Hélène (b.2001), Prince Constantin (b.2003), and Princess Isabelle (b.2005). The Duke de Chartres is a Private Wealth Advisor at Goldman Sachs. He is also a talented artist. 

The Duke and Duchess de Chartres with the Duke d'Orléans during the "Princes et Princesses d'Orléans - Une Famille d'Artistes" exhibition in Paris, 2020. Photo (c) Getty Images / Luc Castel.

Many happy returns to the Duke de Chartres on his birthday!

The 70th Birthday of Archduchess Alexandra of Austria

On 10 July 1952 at Beloeil, Archduchess Alexandra Maria Anna Philippa Othonia of Austria was born as the second child and first daughter of Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria (1918-2007) and Archduchess Yolande (b.1923; née Princess de Ligne), who wed in 1950. Archduchess Alexandra had an older brother and two younger siblings: Archduke Rudolph (b.1950; married Baroness Marie Hélène de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck), Archduke Carl Christian (b.1954; married Princess Marie Astrid of Luxembourg), and Archduchess Constanza (b.1957; married Fürst Franz Josef von Auersperg-Trautson). 

The Riesle/Habsburg family.

Archduchess Alexandra of Austria and Héctor Guillermo Riesle Contreras (b.1943), the son of Oscar Riesle and his wife Ventura Contreras, were married in civil and religious ceremonies in September 1984 in Belgium. Héctor Riesle Contreras, the husband of the archduchess, was the former Chilean ambassador to Belgium and the Holy See. In April 1974, Héctor Riesle presented his credentials to Pope Paul VI: 

Hector Riesle, a thirty-one year-old former professor of legal history and philosophy, presented his credentials to Pope Paul as the first ambassador nominated by the Chilean junta. In his brief address, Riesle noted that Chile "having recently suffered the greatest crisis in its history, now looks to the future with renewed hope." After mentioning that the Government of Chile is determined to achieve national unity on the basis of solidarity of free men, the new ambassador stated that his government was well aware that this will be impossible without a moral renewal comprising "freedom, responsibility, respect, understanding and brotherhood, cemented in the natural and inviolable rights of the human person." Riesle closed his remarks with a special greeting to the Pope from the government junta. Seizing on Riesle's description of the recent crisis, in his reply, Pope Paul recalled his interest in and preoccupation for Chile, "We have not ceased and will not cease to follow with the same lively and paternal solicitude the problems and the difficulties still existing."

The couple have three children: Felipe Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1986; married Pilar García-Huidobro Echeverría), Sofia Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1987; married Rodrigo Risopatrón Montero), and Constanza Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1989; married Sebastián Prieto Donoso). 

To learn more about the charitable activities of Archduchess Alexandra within the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, please read this article: Faces of the Fund: Interview with Alexandra de Habsburgo-Lorena de Riesle

Our best wishes to Archduchess Alexandra on her birthday!

Other sources:

Habsburg Descendant Engaged to Great-Nephew of Dowager Countess of Paris

https://www.pliniocorreadeoliveira.info/UK_740421_resisting.htm

“Change Direction”: Influencing the National Church through the Vatican during the Pinochet Dictatorship in Chile

Happy Birthday of Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia!

Princess Barbara.

(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

Today, Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia celebrates her eightieth birthday! Earlier this week, the princess marked this special occasion in Vienna with her son Prince Dushan and her daughter-in-law Princess Valerie. 

From the left: Prince Albrecht, Princess Karoline, Princess Barbara, and Prince Eugen of Liechtenstein. (These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

From the left: Prince Albrecht, Prince Eugen, their cousin Prince Monica (in first communion dress),
their grandmother Princess Marie (Marizza), and Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

Princess Marie Eleonore, Prince Albrecht, Princess Karoline holding Princess Barbara,
and Prince Eugen of Liechtenstein.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

Born on 9 July 1942 at Mährisch-Sternberg, Princess Barbara Eleonora Marie of Liechtenstein was the fourth child and second daughter of Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein (1910-1975) and Princess Karoline (1912-1996; née Countess von Ledebur-Wicheln), who wed in 1936. Princess Barbara joined three older siblings: Princess Marie Eleonore (1937-2002), Prince Eugen (b.1939; married Countess Maria Theresia von Goëß), and Prince Albrecht (1940-2017; married 1st Tamara Nyman; married 2nd Mylena Tullio).

Princess Barbara, early 1970s. (These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

The princess attended schools in Paris, Rome, and Vienna. In the early 1970s, Princess Barbara was a special consultant for Eve of Roma. In an interview with the Associated Press at the time while on a visit to the United States, the princess reflected: "My life had to be different. My parents were strict and always reminded me that people would look more at me than at other people. It is true. In the United States, I am asked incredible questions, such as how it feels to be a princess. I always answer that I am so used to it that I don't think about it." Princess Barbara gave some sage advise to women regarding the application of their makeup: "This is what I am going to tell girls: You cannot smear makeup on your face and expect to look pretty. One must experiment, sitting before a mirror with the cosmetics and makeup remover. They should put on faces until they get the look that flatters them. Makeup should never glare. It should be subtle. Girls may not know this if they make up their faces only for special occasions. Foundation creams, lipstick, eye shadows may be used to improve shortcomings of features as well as to enhance good features. And this should be the aim in grooming. For example, hair styles can do a lot toward giving the face a good frame. My head is sort of flat in the back, so I wear this hairdo slightly teased on top and at the back to give my head a more rounded look."

Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein at their civil wedding
in Paris, November 1973. To Princess Barbara's left are her uncle Prince Emanuel, her brother Prince Eugen and their father Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein Jr., who is holding a walking stick.
(These images are not to be used or reproduced without permission!)

On 2 November 1973 at Paris, Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein married Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia (1924-2016), the eldest son of Prince Regent Paul of Yugoslavia and Princess Olga (née Princess of Greece). Prince Alexander was previously married to Princess Maria Pia of Savoy, daughter of King Umberto II of Italy and Queen Marie-José (née Princess of Belgium), from 1955 until 1967. Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia celebrated their religious marriage on 28 October 1995 at the Church of St George in Oplenac.

Alexander, Barbara, and Dushan in Paris, 1985.

Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara welcomed the arrival of their only child, Prince Dushan Paul of Yugoslavia, on 25 September 1977 at St.Gallen. The family resided in Paris. Prince Dusan pursued his studies at McGill University in Montreal, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations. He decided thereafter to spend a year in Belgrade where he studied the language and travelled all around Serbia to reconnect with his heritage and roots. Prince Dusan’s first internship was at UNESCO, and then he worked within L’Oréal’s Travel-Retail division and Eurosport in marketing and communications. Following he joined an entrepreneurial project in the air cargo sector, where he worked on creating a cargo hub in South America.

Through Barbara's lenses: Fürst Franz Joseph II of Liechtenstein and Prince Alexander.

Through Barbara's lenses: the Countess of Barcelona, Prince Alexander, Prince Michael, and Infanta Beatriz, Princess Torlonia.

Through Barbara's lenses: Catherine Oxenburg, Prince Dimitri, Princess Olga, Prince Michael, Prince Dushan, and Prince Alexander.

Through Barbara's lenses: Prince Michael, Prince Dushan, and Prince Alexander.

Princess Barbara is a passionate photographer. Having traveled all over the world, her snaps of various places and people have filled many albums. The princess also captured unique snapshots of many of her relatives and members of the Gotha.

Prince Alexander, Princess Barbara, and Prince Michael of Kent.

Princess Margaret, Prince Alexander, and Princess Barbara in London.

Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia and Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma; Prince Alexander is behind them.

Prince Alexander and Princess Barbara remained close to their many family and friends. 

Princess Barbara bids farewell to her beloved husband. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia.

After forty-two years of marriage, Princess Barbara was widowed when Prince Alexander, aged 91, died on 12 May 2016 in Paris. He was buried on 20 May 2016 at the Church of St George yard in Oplenac. The prince's funeral was officiated by Their Graces Bishop Jovan of Sumadija and Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand. Among those in attendance were Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, (the then) Hereditary Prince Peter (the godson of the late prince), Princess Linda and her son Prince Michael, Princess Barbara, Prince Michel, Prince Serge with his wife Princess Eleonora, Prince Dusan, Prince Eugen and Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, Prince Johannes of Liechtenstein, Princess Marie of Liechtenstein (by marriage Countess v.u.z. Trauttmansdorf-Weinsberg), Princess Sophie of Liechtesntein (by marriage Countess Hoyos), Count Hans-Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Hereditary Count Ignaz zu Toerring-Jettenbach, and Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, President of Republic of Serbia. A funeral mass was held on 20 June 2016 at the Cathédrale Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky in Paris.

Prince Dushan and Princess Valerie after their civil wedding, 2018. Photo courtesy of Prince Dushan and (c) Terry Tsiolis.

Princess Valerie, Prince Dushan, and Princess Barbara, 2019. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia.

The newlyweds and family: Princess Danica and Prince Philip, Princess Valerie and Prince Dushan, Princess Barbara, Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine. Photo (c) Royal House of Serbia.

On 3 July 2018, Prince Dushan of Yugoslavia civilly married Valerie Anne De Muzio in New York City. Princess Valerie works in marketing and advertising in the Big Apple. The couple had first met in NYC in 2015. Prince Dushan and Princess Valerie of Yugoslavia celebrated their religious wedding on 25 May 2019 at the Church of St George in Oplenac. Prince Dushan's best man was his friend Mr. Alexander Sehnaoui, and Princess Valerie's was her dear friend Mr. Terry Tsiolis. A formal dinner reception was held at the White Palace, Beli Dvor, in Belgrade, that evening. Among the guests were Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine, Prince Philip and Princess Danica, Princess Barbara, Prince Michel, Archduchess Helen of Austria, Hereditary Count Ignaz zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Hereditary Countess Robinia zu Toerring-Jettenbach, Prince Tassilo von Metternich, Prince Alexander of Liechtenstein, Prince Rudolf and Princess Tilsin of Liechtenstein, Prince Eugen and Princess Maria Theresia of Liechtenstein, Prince Johannes and Princess Kinga of Liechtenstein, Princess Anna of Liechtenstein and Count Alexander Kottulinsky, Princess Marie of Liechtenstein and Count Ferdinand of Trauttsmansdorff-Weinsberg, and Prince Maximilian della Torre e Tasso and his sister Princess Costanza.

Princess Barbara and her mother Princess Karoline.

Princess Barbara between her two brothers.

Princess Barbara with her darling son Prince Dushan and much-loved husband Prince Alexander.

Some years ago, Princess Barbara moved back to Liechtenstein, where she resides today.

We wish this lovely Princess all the best on her birthday!

Serbian Princely Couple Visited by the Duchess of Segorbe

Hereditary Prince Philip, Princess Maria da Gloria, Prince Stefan, and Hereditary Princess Danica.

The family at the Temple of Saint Sava.

Earlier this week, Hereditary Prince Philip and Hereditary Princess Danica of Serbia, along with their son Prince Stefan, welcomed the visit of Princess Maria da Gloria, Duchess of Segorbe. Prince Philip noted: "In recent days, we have been enjoying spending time with my mother, Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans and Braganza, who visited us in Belgrade. Stefan especially enjoys the company of his grandmother, who these days takes him and welcomes him from kindergarten. I am happy that my mother is with us in Serbia. This is also her home. We proudly showed my mother the Saint Sava Temple. She is impressed with the imposing mosaics, and we are fascinated by her knowledge of Serbian history and her respect for Serbian saints. We also enjoyed a walk in Karađorđević Park."

Princess Maria da Gloria and her son Prince Philip viewing icons at St Sava.

Hereditary Princess Danica, Hereditary Prince Philip, and Princess Maria da Gloria.

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.

Princess Melekper Toussoun Publishes Biography of King Farouk of Egypt

Book cover (c) Princess Melekper Tousson / Nomad Publishing.

In October 2022, EFFENDINA: The Story of the Young King Farouk of Egypt, 1920 - 1943 will be published by Nomad Publishing. The book was written by a relative of the king, Princess Melekper Toussoun. The following is a summary of the book from its publisher:

The remarkable story of the young King Farouk, a ruler widely maligned and deeply misunderstood. King Farouk came to the throne in 1936, at the tender age of 16. The young monarch’s rule was to the be the last in a dynasty that had run this ancient land since 1805 - a relatively short time span beneath the long shadow of Giza’s pyramids. Melekper Toussoun’s account is a history told from the inside, as someone who was part of that final dynasty. In a country whose history is fascinatingly complex and tumultuous, theirs was a family at centre stage, buffeted by joys and tragedies as intense as any that had gone before. They held the helm until the monarchy was toppled in a coup d'état in 1952 – a coup d’état that would probably not have taken place had the young king not suffered an accident that affected the neuronal pathways in his brain. Toussoun’s evocative and highly personal narrative is a window into a secret garden. At its core is the story of the young monarch, and the account pivots on one central event that was to change everything - Farouk’s car accident on a country road in 1943.

• Revolutionary insight into the medical condition that changed the very personality of the young king
• A rebuttal of the racist and colonially motivated British propaganda of the 'veiled protectorate' over Egypt.

The Table of Contents of Effendina are below:

PREFACE: Incorporating November 1943 -"Maktoub" 

SECTION ONE – BACKGROUND

• CHAPTER I A Short History of Modern Egypt 
• CHAPTER II A Lifetime Has Gone by 
• CHAPTER III Her Youth and Marriage 
• CHAPTER IV Back to Cairo  
• CHAPTER V My Mother's Origins – Chirines and the Crimea 
• CHAPTER VI Government, Society and Customs in the Crimea- the end of the Tatars 

SECTION TWO - KING FAROUK’S LIFE 

• CHAPTER VII Farouk's Lonely Childhood 
• CHAPTER VIII Beginnings 1936 
• CHAPTER IX Colonialism : The Story of a Ballad 
• CHAPTER X "He Reigns but does Nothing Rule" 
• CHAPTER XI Events Leading up to Abdin 
• CHAPTER XII The Abdin Incident 

SECTION THREE - THE UNDERLYING CAUSE - A FRONTAL LOBE SYNDROME 

• CHAPTER XIII Frontal Lobe Syndrome 
• CHAPTER XIV "Why Farouk was no longer Farouk" 
• CHAPTER XV The Accident and why, "Farouk could not help himself because he was no longer himself" 

AFTERWORD

King Fuad II of Egypt, Princess Melekper Toussoun, and her half-brother Prince João Henrique

About the Author: Melekper Toussoun spent her early childhood in Cairo and at the age of 14 moved to spend a year with her aunt, Emine Toussoun, in Washington DC. She went on to join her mother, step-father and younger brother in Rio de Janeiro. There she completed her schooling, moving to live in Paris at 21, where she became a French citizen and has resided ever since. After a period working in the hotel business she became a trilingual interpreter (French-English-Portuguese) at the agency for the "Programme d’invitation des personnalités d’avenir" at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

You can purchase EFFENDINA: The Story of the Young King Farouk of Egypt, 1920 - 1943 from the publisher at this link: https://nomad-publishing.com/effendina---king-farouk-of-egypt.html