Wednesday, July 27, 2022

The Golden Wedding of Princess Chantal d'Orléans and François-Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue

 
Princess Chantal on her wedding day with her parents, the Count and Countess of Paris.
 

In 1971, Princess Chantal d'Orléans (b.1946), the youngest daughter of the Count and Countess of Paris, became engaged to François-Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue (b.1943), a member of a noble family originally from Bologna, Italy. The Sambucy de Sorgues established themselves in Rouergue in the XIV century. The family also had contact with the Orléans as François-Xavier's great-uncle, Father Gaston de Sambucy de Sorgue, was the priest who officiated over the burial ceremony, in the Royal Chapel at St Louis de Dreux, for the Duchess d'Orléans, King Louis-Philippe's mother. François-Xavier and Chantal were married at the Royal Chapel at Dreux on 28 July 1972. She wore a splendid wedding gown designed by renowned couturier Balmain, as well as a diadem by Mellerio, a gift from her in-laws. 

 
Chantal and François-Xavier with Alexandre and Kildine in 1999.
 
The couple have three children: Axel (b.1976), Alexandre (b.1978), and Kildine (b.1979).

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Duke Eugen Eberhard of Württemberg (1930-2022)

Duke Alexander, Duchess Sophie, and Duke Eugen attend the wedding of Duchess Fleur, 2003.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse / Sandra Zellner.

Ivaylo Schalafoff, the Executive Director of the King Boris and Queen Giovanna Royal Heritage Fund, has announced that Duke Eugen of Württemberg died this afternoon (26 July), aged ninety-one. Eugen was a first cousin of the late Duke Carl of Württemberg, the Head of the Royal House, as well as first cousin of King Simeon II of Bulgaria.

Eugen's mother Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria, 1916.
The engagement of Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg and Nadejda of Bulgaria is announced in January 1924.
Newlyweds: Duke Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg and Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria.


On 2 November 1930, Duke Eugen Eberhard Albrecht Maria Joseph Ivan Rilsky Robert Ulrich Philipp Odo Carl Hubert of Württemberg was born at Karlsruhe. Eugen was the third child and second son of Duke Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg (1895-1954) and Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria (1899-1958), who married in 1924. Eugen joined two older siblings, and was followed by two younger siblings: Duke Ferdinand (1927-2020), Duchess Margarethe (1928-2017; married to François Luce de Chevigny), Duke Alexander (b.1933), and Duchess Sophie (b.1937; married and divorced Antonio Manuel Rôxo de Ramos-Bandeira). The family became known as the "Black Württembergs" as the children of Albrecht Eugen and Nadejda all had dark hair, which put them in contrast with their first cousins, the children of Albrecht Eugen's brother Philipp.

Duke Albrecht of Württemberg and Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria
Image (c) ALAMY


Eugen's paternal grandparents were Duke Albrecht of Württemberg (1865-1939) and Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria (1870-1902). The duke's maternal grandparents were King Ferdinand of Bulgaria (1861-1948) and Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma (1870-1899). 


Duke Alexander, Duchess Sophie, and Duke Eugen in Coburg, 2001.
Duke Eugen and his brother Duke Alexander at the wedding of Prince Karl Emich zu Leiningen, 2008.
 
Duke Eugen worked as a banker and he lived in Frankfurt. 
 
Duchess Sophie, Antonio Manuel Rôxo de Ramos-Bandeira, Duke Ferdinand, Duchess Margarethe, Princess Eudoxia of Bulgaria, Duchess Alexandra and Duke Eugen Eberhard, 1969. 
On 31 August 1962 at Mondsee, Duke Eugen of Württemberg civilly married Archduchess Alexandra of Austria (b.1935), a daughter of Archduke Anton of Austria and Princess Ileana of Romania. The couple's religious wedding followed on 3 September 1962. Eugen and Alexandra did not have children, and the pair's union was dissolved by divorce on 6 April 1972 at Frankfurt. The Holy See annulled their marriage on 7 November 1973.
 

 
May the Duke Rest In Peace.

Monday, July 25, 2022

Duke Eugen Eberhard of Württemberg (1930-2022)

Duke Alexander, Duchess Sophie, and Duke Eugen attend the wedding of Duchess Fleur, 2003.
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse / Sandra Zellner.

Ivaylo Schalafoff, the Executive Director of the King Boris and Queen Giovanna Royal Heritage Fund, has announced that Duke Eugen of Württemberg died this afternoon (26 July), aged ninety-one. Eugen was a first cousin of the late Duke Carl of Württemberg, the Head of the Royal House, as well as first cousin of King Simeon II of Bulgaria.

Eugen's mother Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria, 1916.
The engagement of Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg and Nadejda of Bulgaria is announced in January 1924.
Newlyweds: Duke Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg and Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria.


On 2 November 1930, Duke Eugen Eberhard Albrecht Maria Joseph Ivan Rilsky Robert Ulrich Philipp Odo Carl Hubert of Württemberg was born at Karlsruhe. Eugen was the third child and second son of Duke Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg (1895-1954) and Princess Nadejda of Bulgaria (1899-1958), who married in 1924. Eugen joined two older siblings, and was followed by two younger siblings: Duke Ferdinand (1927-2020), Duchess Margarethe (1928-2017; married to François Luce de Chevigny), Duke Alexander (b.1933), and Duchess Sophie (b.1937; married and divorced Antonio Manuel Rôxo de Ramos-Bandeira). The family became known as the "Black Württembergs" as the children of Albrecht Eugen and Nadejda all had dark hair, which put them in contrast with their first cousins, the children of Albrecht Eugen's brother Philipp.

Duke Albrecht of Württemberg and Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria
Image (c) ALAMY


Eugen's paternal grandparents were Duke Albrecht of Württemberg (1865-1939) and Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria (1870-1902). The duke's maternal grandparents were King Ferdinand of Bulgaria (1861-1948) and Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma (1870-1899). 


Duke Alexander, Duchess Sophie, and Duke Eugen in Coburg, 2001.
Duke Eugen and his brother Duke Alexander at the wedding of Prince Karl Emich zu Leiningen, 2008.
 
Duke Eugen worked as a banker and he lived in Frankfurt. 
 
Duchess Sophie, Antonio Manuel Rôxo de Ramos-Bandeira, Duke Ferdinand, Duchess Margarethe, Princess Eudoxia of Bulgaria, Duchess Alexandra and Duke Eugen Eberhard, 1969. 
On 31 August 1962 at Mondsee, Duke Eugen of Württemberg civilly married Archduchess Alexandra of Austria (b.1935), a daughter of Archduke Anton of Austria and Princess Ileana of Romania. The couple's religious wedding followed on 3 September 1962. Eugen and Alexandra did not have children, and the pair's union was dissolved by divorce on 6 April 1972 at Frankfurt. The Holy See annulled their marriage on 7 November 1973.
 
May the Duke Rest In Peace.

Saturday, July 23, 2022

Princess Maria da Gloria, Duchess of Segorbe, Gives Insightful Interview to Serbian Press

Last week, Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans-Bragança, Duchess of Segorbe and former Crown Princess of Yugoslavia, gave an interview to the Serbian paper Kurir. The princess was wrapping up her fourth visit to Serbia: the first was in 2005 for the sixtieth birthday of her ex-husband Crown Prince Alexander, the second was in 2017 for the wedding of her son and daughter-in-law Hereditary Prince Philip and Hereditary Princess Danica, and the third was in 2018 for the baptism of her grandson Prince Stefan of Serbia. 

Maria da Gloria's fourth visit to Serbia was rather unexpected. The princess had been in Venice with her husband, the Duke of Segorbe. During dinner, Maria learned that her son had been admitted to hospital. She immediately caught the first available flight to Belgrade...and, like any caring mom, she showed up unannounced. As Princess Danica was with her husband, Princess Maria da Gloria went ahead and picked up her grandson Prince Stefan from his kindergarten, where he made sure she was introduced to his teachers and classmates. Maria da Gloria then went to the hospital to check on the condition of her son. Fortunately, he was alright. The Duchess of Segorbe remarked: "I came on the first flight as soon as I heard that my son Filip was in the hospital. Thank God it was nothing serious, everything is fine now. I told my ex-husband, the heir to the throne Crown Prince Aleksandar of Serbia, that I was here, that I wanted to go to the court [Royal Palace], but no - he didn't invite me, nor Filip, nor Danica. The attempt to be like a family, for Stefan to be with his grandfather, who practically does not know him, failed. All this hurts me a lot, because family is the most important thing. You can be Karađorđević or whatever, carry important titles, but family is family."

The Duchess of Segorbe commented on the renunciation of her eldest son Prince Peter: "Peter left his rights to the Serbian throne to Filip, and that is an act of patriotism. He himself said that he is not ready to take on that duty. His abdication is perfectly fine with me. First of all, because of Peter's happiness, and then - here, in Serbia, Filip has married a beautiful Serbian woman, who understands all of that. See, Dana even looks like me, like she is my daughter! And my son Alexander also supported this, and he and Peter told me: 'Mom, whatever Filip needs, we will fight for him.'" The princess then added: "The relationship with Crown Prince Alexander is a difficult story." When asked if Crown Princess Katherine was a factor in the schism within the Serbian royal family, Princess Maria da Gloria noted: "You should ask Crown Prince Alexander, not me. He almost never sees his grandson, and Stefan has been in Spain many times, for Christmas and so on... It's very sad. The attempt to be like a family, for Stefan to be with his grandfather, has not worked."

Princess Maria da Gloria of Orleans-Bragança recalled when she met her first husband, Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia: "Oh, my goodness, it was beautiful. I met Alexander at a dinner at my aunt and uncle's house, the Count and Countess of Paris, in Estoril. He came with the King of Italy, Umberto II, whom we called Uncle Beppo. It was a time of exile, there were many kings and princes were around. Alexander and I became very good friends from the start, and as he was in the British Army, I went to Ireland, where he was stationed, to see him. Then we got engaged and I went back to Brazil to tell my parents. My mother was a strong Catholic, and the first thing she asked me was not what his religion was, but: 'Is he taller than you?'"

The Duchess of Sergorbe noted how proud she was of all of her children. "All my children help each other, they would do anything to save each other. They are brothers and sisters. Basically we are a very happy family. Thank God for that."

A thank you to Lucas Szkopinski for finding the full interview in English! In order to read everything that Princess Maria da Gloria, Duchess of Segorbe, had to say, please visit this link: 

EXCLUSIVE! Princess Maria da Gloria: 'I flew in to see Philip, who was in hospital! Alexander wouldn't see us at court'

Friday, July 22, 2022

The Marquise de Ganay (1925-2022)

Philippine de Ganay in Venice, 2006.
Photo (c) Getty Images / Bertrand Rindoff Petroff.
 

Earlier this month, Philippine, Marquise de Ganay, died at the age of ninety-seven.

 
Born on 4 September 1925 at Paris, Philippine Louise Charlotte Marie de Noailles was the second child and first daughter of Henry de Noailles, Duc de Mouchy, Prince-Duc de Poix (1890-1947) and Marie de La Rochefoucauld (1901-1983), who wed in 1920. Philippine had an older brother and a younger sister: Philippe, Duc de Mouchy (1922-2011; married 1st Diane de Castellane; married 2nd Joan Dillon Douglas, widow of Prince Charles of Luxembourg) and Sabine de Noailles (1931-2010; married Nicolas Wyrubov)
 
Jean-Louis and Philippine in front of the Château de Courances.
Photo (c) Courances.
 
On 17 July 1946 at Paris, Philippine married Jean-Louis, Marquis de Ganay (1922-2013). The couple had four daughters: Anne-Marie de Ganay (b.1947; married Jean Claude Meyer), Martine de Ganay (1948-1984; married James Filmer-Wilson), Lauraine de Ganay (b.1951; married Serge de Ganay), and Valentine de Ganay (b.1962; married Markus Hansen). Along with her husband, Philippine was heavily involved in the restoration of the Château de Courances; her particular focus was on the castle's Japanese garden. Jean-Louis and Philippine de Ganay, along with their family, were one of the subjects of Robert Lacy's book Aristocrats.
 
The Marquise de Ganay and Duke Philipp of Württemberg, 2010.
Photo (c) Getty Images / Bertrand Rindoff Petroff.
 
May the Marquise Rest in Peace.

Thursday, July 21, 2022

Princess Sofia of Bulgaria Graduates from Swiss University

Princess Sofia with her parents, Prince Konstantin and Princess Maria, with her brother Prince Umberto at the release of her grandfather King Simeon's autobiography, 2016.
Photo (c) Shutterstock.


Princess Sofia of Bulgaria recently graduated with a bachelors from EHL Hospitality Business School at Lausanne, Switzerland. The name of the princess appeared on her diploma as Sofia Sajonia Coburgo Gotha Garcia de la Rasilla. Born on 20 November 1999, Princess Sofia of Bulgaria was born with her twin brother Prince Umberto in Madrid. Sofia and Umberto are the only children of Prince Konstantin-Assen of Bulgaria, Prince of Vidin, and his wife Princess Maria (née Garcia de la Rasilla y Gortazar), who married in 1994.

 

Our congratulations to Princess Sofia on her graduation!

Exclusive: Hereditary Prince of Hohenzollern Weds American Partner

We can report that Hereditary Prince Alexander of Hohenzollern married Michelle V. Keith, a US citizen and his girlfriend, last year. Alexander is the only son of Fürst Karl Friedrich of Hohenzollern and his first wife Countess Alexandra Schenk von Stauffenberg.

In November 2021, Alexander and Michelle celebrated their religious marriage in a small Roman Catholic church in Sigmaringen. We have not yet learned when the couple’s civil wedding occurred. After his religious wedding, Alexander informed his father Fürst Karl Friedrich of his marriage. It is quite likely that the new Erbprinz will be the Fürst’s next eligible brother.

Alexander and Michelle von Hohenzollern reside in Sigmaringen.

Our best wishes to the couple on their union!

Featured Post

The Plantagenet Family Tree: The Intriguing History of England's Plantagenet Dynasty Kings

The Plantagenet Family Tree: A Royal History The Plantagenet family was one of the most powerful royal dynasties in European history, rul...

Popular Posts