Friday, April 30, 2010

Carl Friedrich's funeral

HSH Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg was buried this evening in the family crypt in Kloster Engelberg, Grossheubach. The burial was proceeded by a funeral service at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Kleinheubach.
More than 500 people attended the funeral. The guests included members of German and European nobility as well as German political and business figures. Mourners included the Princess of Thurn und Taxis, the Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, Duke Friedrich of Württemberg, the Prince and Princess of Hohenlohe-Bartenstein, the Dowager Princess of Hannover, the Prince of Hohenlohe-Oehringen, The Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Archduke Karl of Austria, Prince Georg Wilhelm of Prussia, the Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, the Prince and Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the Prince and Princess of Leiningen.
Family members who attended included Princess Marie Cecile of Prussia and her daughter, Duchess Rixa of Oldenburg, Prince and Princess Michael of Prussia
The funeral -- a Requium Mass -- was celebrated by Bishop Friedhelm Hoffmann and four other priests. The church was too small to seat all of the mourners, so many of the guests were able to watch the funeral on a television placed in the courtyard.
The prince's coffin was covered with flowers and the flag of Bavaria. The flags outside the family's home, Schloss Löwenstein, have been lowered to half staff during the mourning period.
A reception was held in the Marble Hall and the Pompeian Room at the castle, which is the family's ancestral home.
On Wednesday at requiem mass was sung at St. Stephen's Church in Laudenbach. The Prince and his family lived at Schloss Laudenbach. Yesterday, a requiem mass was held for the public, where the Musikverein in Laudenbach played.
The family's wish was to limit the media coverage of the funeral
Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich was 43 years old when he died on April 24 in a racing accident. He leaves behind a wife, Stephanie, four children, along with his parents, and his two brothers and sister.

http://www.main-netz.de/nachrichten/regionalenachrichten/franken-rhein-main/art12105,1187637

Royal houses unite in marriage





April 30, 1938

The former ruling houses of Hohenzollern and Romanov will be united in marriage on Monday when Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia and Grand Duchess Kira of Russia marry in three ceremonies, according to the Chicago Tribune. The civil ceremony will take place in Berlin, which will be followed by a Russian Orthodox service in Potsdam, "with all the available Romanoff and Hohenzollern jewelry on display." A Lutheran service will be "held in the former kaiser's little chapel" at Doorn.

Prince Louis Ferdinand is Lutheran and Grand Duchess Kira, the younger daughter of Grand Duke Kirill, is Russian Orthodox.

A reception at Cecilienhof, the home of the Crown Prince Wilhelm and Crown Princess Cecilie, in Potsdam, was held tonight in honor of the bride and groom. Among the 202 guests at the reception were: Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, who is the sister of the Crown Princess; Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid of Denmark; the former Czar of Bulgaria, Ferdinand; Prince August Wilhelm, the fourth son of the former Kaiser Wilhelm; Grand Duke Kirill of Russia and his son, Grand Duke Wladimir; Grand Duke Dimitri and Princess Vera of Russia; Archduke Anton of Austria and his wife, Princess Ileana of Roumania, who is the bride's first cousin.

Prince August Wilhelm "represented the Nazi government," together with the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe.

Hugh Wilson, United States Ambassador, was a personal guest of the family, and he brought with him a "personal letter of congratulations" from President Roosevelt.

Prince Louis Ferdinand, 30, is second in line to the former throne as his older brother, Wilhelm, renounced his rights in 1933, when he married Dorothea von Salviati. Louis Ferdinand spent some time working at the Ford Motor plant in Detroit. He is not interested in politics and works for Lufthansa. He is also an officer in the German Air Force.

After Louis Ferdinand became involved with Hollywood star Lily Damita, his family was eager for him to return home and marry a woman of equal rank. Grand Duchess Kira, 29, was born in Paris. Her mother, Grand Duchess Victoria Melita, and Kaiser Wilhelm II are first cousins and grandchildren of Queen Victoria. She is "witty and beautiful, though not wealthy." Her maternal aunt is Queen Marie of Roumania.

The honeymoon will be around the world trip, a present from Wilhelm II. Their home will be a small house with a garden in Grunewald, a suburb of Berlin.

royal guests at Victoria's wedding

Swedish newspapers today published a list of royals alleged to be invited to Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden's wedding festivities, including a concert that will be held the night before the wedding.
The journalist have not done their homework because their lists include Prince Hamzah and Princess Noor of Jordan and Prince Kyril and Princess Rosario of Bulgaria. Hamzah and Noor were divorced in September 2009, and Kyril and Rosario have been separated for more than a year.

The list also includes the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, Princes William and Harry of Wales and the Earl and Countess of Wessex. The British rarely send large contingents to other royal weddings, so such a turnout is unlikely.
Although William and Harry are closest in age to Crown Princess Victoria, they are unlikely to attend. The Prince of Wales will probably go as he is the heir apparent. The Earl and Countess of Wessex have attended other royal weddings (and are friends with Prince Joachim of Denmark). It would be a real surprise if William and or Harry attended the wedding as they have had very limited contact with other European royals.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

An American honeymoon for Louis Ferdinand and Kira

April 29, 1938


Grand Duchess Kira of Russia is leaving Paris today to travel to Doorn in the Netherlands for her marriage on Wednesday to Kaiser Wilhelm II's grandson, Prince Louis Ferdinand. She told a French newspaper that she and the Prince expect to spend their honeymoon in the United States. She said that both she and her fiance "had fond memories of the United States. Prince Louis Ferdinand worked for a time at the Ford Motor plant in Detroit, Michigan.

When will Juliana marry

April 29, 1936

Crown Princess Juliana will celebrate her 27th birthday tomorrow, and "Dutch citizens will hoist flags" to commemorate the event.
The real question, according to the AP, is the question that is asked from "one end of Holland to the other." When is Juliana going to marry? Juliana needs only to marry "to put the final touch on a huge popularity with her people."

Carol asks for reconiliatiion

April 29, 1930

One of Roumania's major newspapers, the Cuventul, reports today that former Crown Prince Carol wants to be reconciled with his former wife, Princess Helen. They were divorced two years ago ago. According to the report, which was published in the New York Times, Prince Carol "took advantage of the Easter holidays" to meet acquaint his desire for a reconciliation. His tutor,Nicholas Jorga, visited Helen at Easter "to further the reconciliation."
But so far, the "negotiations have had no effect," as the question of a reconciliation "must be debated by the royal family." Professor Jorga has gone to Paris to inform Prince Carol of "the result of his talk with the Princess."

Victor Napoleon suffers stroke


April 29, 1926

Prince Victor Napoleon, who is the Bonapartist pretender to the French throne, is in serious condition in Brussels after suffering a stroke last night. The New York Times reports that there are "fears for his life."
Prince Victor, 64, was born at Meudon, near Paris, in 1862. He is a descendant of Jerome Bonaparte, King of Westphalia, a younger brother of the "great Emperor." In 1910 he married Princess Clementine, the youngest daughter of King Leopold II. They have a son, Prince Louis, aged 12.

if Prince Victor should die, "as did Duke Philippe of Orleans recently," the "two future hopes of the former reigning families of France," will be represented by young boys. Eighteen-year-old Prince Henri is the heir of the present head of the royal house, the Duke of Guise.

Carol leaves Zizi at the school house


April 29, 1926


Former Crown Prince Carol of Roumania kept his "former morganatic wife," Zizi Lambrino, "waiting at the schoolhouse this afternoon, according to the Chicago Tribune. The prince failed to appear at the boarding school to give his son Mircea "the proper identification for the morning roll call."

Zizi Lambrino, "now a buxom, bourgeois mamma, without makeup or the usual princess feature," waited patiently for several hours, while her 6-year-old son "gazed mournfully at the gloomy looking schoolhouse and fervently hoped his father would not arrive," so he could continue to have his lessons at home.

The school's principal reiterated that Mircea must "have a last name," and he could not enter the school as "Master Hohenzollern" unless this name was authorized by Mircea's father.

Zizi wants her son to be officially recognized as Mircea Hohenzollern so he can be accepted as a member of Carol's family.

Prince Carol did not appear. A French hussar was "dispatched to ferret out the love nest" where Carol and Magda Lupescu are in hiding, and "give the former crown prince a summons to appear in court on May 11 to show just cause why he does not consent to give his son his real family name."

Zizi burst into tears when she realized that Carol was not going to come. She told a reporter: "He is running around all over town drinking and speeding in his automobile with that woman," she sobbed. Zizi wiped her eyes, and "dabbed at a mouth untinged with lip rouge."

"I guess papa isn't coming -- let's go," Mircea said, taking his mother's hand.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Is Archduke Albrecht about to marry a commoner

April 28, 1930

There is "much excitement" in Austrian monarchist circles because of reports in today's Stunde, a Viennese newspaper, that Archduke Albrecht, "pretender and candidate," for the Hungarian throne, is going to marry a "Hungarian society woman."
If this story proves true, it would "mean an end to the hopes and ambitions" of Archduchess Isabella has "cherished" for her son's succession to "the throne of the Habsburgs."
The lady in questions is 33-year-old Frau Kallay, the daughter of a former civil servant, who is in the process of divorcing her husband.
Further inquiries made by reporters "elicited the statement" that the Archduke admires the lady, but "the rest of the story was without foundation."

Prince Christopher loves America

 



April 28, 1928

Prince Christopher of Greece, the youngest brother of late King Constantine, is showing "an increased predilection for the United States, reports the Chicago Daily Tribune. Unlike his older brothers, he "has never had any penchant for the hurly-burly of political life." Before his marriage to the very wealthy Mrs. William Leeds, Christopher had never visited America, but now, "since her early death --after a love idyll of a few short years -- " he is now finding himself spending more time in New York and Palm Beach.

After a "long courtship," Christopher married Nancy Leeds in February 1920 in Vevey, Switzerland. Nancy converted to the Greek Orthodox faith and was created HRH Princess Anastasia of Greece in her own right. The marriage was not morganatic.

The marriage ceremony was "wonderfully picturesque," as the new princess wore a long chinchilla train and a diamond tiara, in the form of a crown, "which few royal houses could match."

When Princess Anastasia died in 1923 in London, she could only leave her personal property and jewels to her husband and her sister, Mrs. Green. The bulk of her fortune was left to her son, William Leeds. This inheritance was defined by her late husband's will.

During Anastasia's final illness, Christopher, who has a strong appreciation for music, "played and sang constantly to relieve her pain and raise her spirits."
Although he continues to maintain a home in Rome, he is often in the United States, "where gossip, that tireless matchmaker, hastens to couple his name with that of Mrs. Fair Vanderbilt," the former wife of Willie K. Vanderbilt.

Karl's mother-in-law ordered to leave Austria

April 28, 1918

Emperor Karl of Austria's mother-in-law, the Duchess of Parma, "has been ordered to leave Austria within twenty-four hours." The mother of Empress Zita will not be allowed to enter the country until "the termination of the war, according to a dispatch from Geneva to the New York Times.
The Duchess is one of "various persons blamed by the semi-official Austrian communications for the famous letter" sent by Karl to his brother-in-law, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma, who is serving in the Belgian Army.
In this letter, Karl "expressed a desire to restore Belgium and Serbia," and he also would "support France's just claim to Alsace-Lorraine."
One of the explanations offered by the Austrian government after the contents were made public "was that the Duchess of Parma had written the letter and that the Emperor had merely added a postscript over his signature."
The Duchess's "family connections" are much closer to the Allies "than with the Central Powers."

Ena expects a visit from the stork

April 28, 1908

In an exclusive dispatch, the Los Angeles Times writes that "the stork is again near the royal Spanish household." Queen Victoria Eugenia is due to give birth in May. This will be the second child for the former Princess Ena of Battenberg, who married King Alfonso XIII in May 1906.
The royal court is expected to go to La Granja, where the queen "will remain" until after the birth of the child. In the fall, the queen is expected to go to Cowes to visit her mother, Princess Henry of Battenberg.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

An Imperial visit to Wiesbaden


Nicholas II and Alexndra pay an official visit to Wiesbaden to meet Kaiser Wilhelm II and Empress Augusta Viktoria on November 3, 1903. Other guests were Alix's sister, Irene, who was married to the Kaiser's brother, Henry, and Alix's brother, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig IV of Hesse and by the Rhine.

Carl Friedrich to be buried on Friday

Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg will be buried on Friday in the family mausoleum at Kloster Engelberg in Grossheubach, following funeral at the Roman Catholic church in Kleinheubach.  On Thursday, a requiem service will be held at the prince's home, Schloss Laudenbach, where family employees and the local community can pay their last respects. 
More than 500 people are expected to attend the funeral on Friday.  This number includes family and friends, and members of Europe's noble families, as the late Prince, who was known as Leo, was related to the Prussians, the Oldenburgs, the Habsburgs, the Oettingen-Oettingens, among others. 
The prince was killed while driving his race car in a race in Nürbering. His Aston Martin collided with two other cars, and crashed into a guard rail.   His car burst into flame, and the 43-year-old prince, described as an experience driver, was unable to be extricated from the car in time.  He died from smoke inhalation.

Albania delights in new Queen

 



April 27, 1938

King Zog of Albania and Countess Geraldine Apponyi were married this morning in a civil ceremony in Tirana, "amid great popular rejoicing."

Thanksgiving services were held in all of Albania's churches and mosques, and a "divine blessing was invoked for the royal couple," reported the New York Times.

The ceremony took place in the main hall of the royal palace.  There will be no religious services as the King is a Moslem and his 22-year-old bride is Roman Catholic.

The King's witnesses were Count Galeazzo Ciani, the Italian Foreign Minister, and Prince Abid, the son of Abdul Hamid, former Sultan of Turkey.  The bride's witnesses were Baron Frederick Vilany, Hungary's Minister to Italy and Albania, and her uncle, Count Charles Apponyi, her uncle and guardian.

Countess Geraldine "wore a white satin gown," and was escorted by four offices of the Royal Guard, and Prince Tati, the king's young nephew, who is the heir presumptive to the throne, "carried her train."

The white satin gown  was "embroidered with diamante, pearls and silver threads in flower designs, with an embroidered court train."  A "veil of white tulle trailed from a high diadem of orange blossoms."

Zog's wedding gifts to his new Queen included a diamond tiara and the promise to build a Catholic chapel in the palace. Geraldine will also be allowed to choose her ladies in waiting from her Hungarian friends.

The Hungarian government gave the couple four white horses, and a new Mercedes was the gift from Chancellor Adolf Hitler.

A reception followed the ceremony, and after receiving "felicitations from foreign guests," the Queen took her husband's arm, and "together they appeared before the cheering mass outside the palace."

In the afternoon, King Zog and Queen Geraldine departed for their honeymoon at Durazzo.

The new Queen of Albania is half-American. Her mother is the former Gladys Steuart Girault, who now lives in Paris.

Counter revolution breaks out in Petrograd

April 27, 1918

The following dispatch from Copenhagen to the Exchange Telegraph Company was published by the New York Times.  It is being reported that a counter-revolution has broken out in Petrograd, formerly St. Petersburg.  There are reports from Finland "that there is serious rioting in the capital," and one rumor remains persistent that Grand Duke Alexis Nikolaievich (son of the former Emperor Nicholas II), has been proclaimed Emperor, and that "Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch is the real leader in Russian affairs."
The Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, "says definite reports have been received from Abo, Finland," that Grand Duke Alexis has been been proclaimed as Emperor, and Grand Duke Michael is the Regent.

News of the "revolutionary outbreak" in Petrograd has not reached the Russia Embassy in Washington, D.C., according to Embassy officials.  The "latest information" does not indicate "that any such movement was contemplated."

Other news reports coming out of Paris state that the Germans "have liberated certain party leaders and Grand Dukes."  There are negotiations between political parties and the Germans "with a view to a monarchical restoration."
The Germans appear to be taking control of Petrograd.  "A monarchy will be proclaimed with the Czarevitch Alexis on the throne, and a Regency Council, composed of three members, one of who will be the Grand Duke Michael, while the other two will be elected by a Constituent Assembly or a plebiscite.
Alexis was born in August 1904.  He has always been "in poor health, " and was "the victim of a mysterious accident in 1912." After the former Imperial Family was sent to Tobolsk, Siberia, the former Tsarina Alexandra "petitioned the Soviet Government to send her son of a sanitarium in Southern Russia."  The Soviets are still "considering the petition."

Monday, April 26, 2010

Death of Prince Johannes Heinrich of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Prince Johannes-Heinrich of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a scion of the Catholic branch of the Saxe-Coburg family, died on April 14 in Innsbruck.  He was 79 years old.  He was the son of Prince Rainer of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his first wife, Johanna Karolyi de Karolyi-Patty.  This marriage ended in divorce, and Rainer was killed in action in Budapest in January 1945.

Johannes Heinrich was born at Innsbruck on March 28, 1931.  He was married twice, and both marriages ended in divorce.  His first marriage to Baroness Marie-Gabrielle von Fürstenberg  took place on October 24, 1957, and was dissolved in 1968.  Later that year, Johannes married Princess Mathilde of Saxony at Kloster Andechs.  This marriage ended in 1993.

The Prince is survived by his daughter, Princess Felicitas, by his first marriage, and her husband, Serge Trotzy and six grandchildren, and by his longtime partner, Rosemarie Steinhauser.  His son, Prince Johannes, who was born in 1969, was killed in a climbing accident in 1987.  The young prince had been named as heir to his maternal uncle, the Margrave of Meissen.

"death at worst possible time"

The death of Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg came "at the worst possible time," according to Henning Brömser, a manager at the Hallgarten winery estate in Lower Franconia.
The Hallgarten winery is one of two estates owned by the late Prince.  Speaking to a reporter with the Main Spitze, Brömser said that plans were underway to add a wine cellar and a wine store at Schloss Kleinheubach.  At this point, however, Brömser does not know what will happen, but he believes that the rest of the team are "well situated" to continue the work.
The Löwenstein family had run the Hallgarten estate since 1875, but it was Carl Friedrich who established the winery.  In 2008, he sold 3700 square meters of land for financial reasons, and maintained only 20 hectares of vineyard.  He managed half of the land, and leased the other half to other wineries.
At this time, it is not known who will replace Carl Friedrich.  He has two brothers, Hubertus, and Dominik, and a sister, Christina.

Queen Victoria meets with Bismarck

Embed from Getty Images 

 April 26, 1888

Queen Victoria today visited the mausoleum in Berlin, where she  "spent some time in prayer at the tomb" of Emperor Wilhelm, according to the New York Times.  Victoria, who was accompanied by the German Empress and her daughters,  placed a wreath upon the late Emperor's coffin.  After a luncheon at the palace, the Queen and the Empress left at 3. p.m. by carriage and were driven to the drill ground and "inspected the Life Infantry Guards.  Princesses Viktoria and Margarete "accompanied them on horseback."

Later this afternoon, the Queen, accompanied by the Empress, bid farewell to the Dowager Empress Auguste and to the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Baden.  The Grand Duchess is the sister of the German Emperor.

It is also being reported that Queen Victoria had a "friendly conversation with Prince Bismarck last evening," and it is understood that the "interview will have satisfactory remarks. The Emperor, who was also at the meeting, returned to the Queen his father's Order of the Bath and the Order of the Garter.  At a reception, which had followed a banquet, Queen Victoria "freely conversed in the purest German," and devoted "particular attention to Prince Bismarck, who shook hands heartily with Her Majesty before retiring."

Crown Prince introduced the Queen to the Burgomeister and members of the Charlottenburg Municipal Council, and Victoria, "expressed her cordial thanks for the kindly welcome" that she had received during her visit.  At every public appearance, crowds gathered to cheer the British monarch, who is the mother of the German Empress.

Children to join Don Juan in Lisbon

April 26, 1946

Former Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain and one of her grandsons left Geneva today by plane to join her third son, Don Juan, who is the pretender to the Spanish throne, is Lisbon, Portugal.
The Associated Press reports that Don Juan's three other children, and four members of his household in Lausanne, will leave "by special plane" tomorrow for Lisbon.
According to royalist circles in Geneva, Don Juan, who has lived in Lausanne for the last five years, has decided to maintain his official residence in Portugal's capital. 

Japanese mystified by Duke's visit to Tokyo



Embed from Getty Images 

April 26, 1940

The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, president of the German Red Cross, arrived from San Francisco last night, and "is bustling around Tokyo today leaving cards at the residences of the imperial princes and members of Cabinet."   According to the New York Times,  "there is a certain atmosphere of mystery" regarding this visit, the "second he has made since February."

The official reason given for the Duke's visit is to "present Chancellor Hitler's congratulations on the 2,600 anniversary" of the Japanese empire, but the Japanese public is wondering why Prince Carl Eduard did not present the greetings in February.  

The official reason given is that the Duke only received the instructions during his visit to the United States.  When he was in Tokyo in February it "was freely rumored that his mission was to present the German Army's felicitations to the Japanese army."

But the duke did not make any public announcements during the February visit, and there remains much speculation on why he chose to make a second visit to Japan.   Many are wondering if the first visit was "merely exploratory" or was there "resentment over the manner in which the Soviet-German pact was negotiated? 

Whatever the explanation offered, the visit apparently "became necessary."  The Japanese celebrations are considered a "purely national event," and no invitations were extended to foreign envoys.  No celebrations are being "held during the Duke's stay."

The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha will have an audience with Emperor Hirohito on Tuesday, which will be followed by a luncheon at the palace, which will also include "high palace officials," and the German ambassador, Eugen Ott.
Some believe that these two appearances are gestures "intended to mollify Japanese resentment at the twist German policy gave to the anti-Comintern axis last year.  The Duke's meeting with the emperor and the luncheon "doubtless will be accepted by Berlin as evidence that Japanese anger is abating.

But Japan could hardly have refused to receive a prince "whose government caused him to make two journeys for the purpose of presenting congratulations."
Carl Eduard is not a "political personality and the absence of an official suite precludes the idea that he has come to submit political proposals," but it is hoped that he will be able to improve relations between Germany and Japan.

Guard saves little Prince

April 26, 1930

One of King Alexander of Yugoslavia's "gigantic guardsmen" recently received an "indefinite leave of absence" and a reward of $1,000 for having "quite inadvertently saved the life of 2-year-old Prince Tomislav," who is the second son of the king, reports the New York Times.
Prince Tomislav was playing in his mother, Queen Marie's apartments on the second floor of the palace, when "suddenly he fell from a window."  A sentry, who was passing "at the moment," received the "full weight of the child on his shoulders."  Little Tomislav clutched the guard around the neck, and "slid to the ground unhurt."  The "burly guardsman" was, however, "knocked unconscious and crumpled to the ground."

Engagement rumors continue for Infanta Beatriz

April 26, 1930

The Duke of Spoleto, the younger son of the Duke and Duchess of Aosta, arrived today in Madrid, sparking further rumors of a forthcoming engagement announcement with Infanta Beatriz, King Alfonso XIII's elder daughter.
The Duke spent the day with Beatriz's older brother, the Prince of Asturias at the Palace.  According to the New York Times, the Duke, who is also known as Prince Aimone, "has remained in Spain longer than he expected and was constantly in the company" of Infanta Beatriz.  The two appeared to be enjoying each other's company.  He stayed with the Spanish royal family in Seville, where they are expected to remain for several more days.
The Palace has refused to comment on the engagement rumors.  The Duke of Spoleto will leave for Paris tonight.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Tragic death of Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg

Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg was killed yesterday during the third round of the German Endurance Championship in auto racing at Nürburgring.  He was 43 years old.
Carl Friedrich, who raced using the name Leo Löwenstein, was driving a GT4 Aston Martin, when he collided with two other cars in the 22nd round of the race.  His car hit the guard rail, and burst into flame.   Although medics and others were able to get to the car immediately, the Prince was unable to free himself, and he died as the result of smoke inhalation.

The funeral will take place on  at  2:30 p.m. on Friday April 30 at the Roman Catholic church at Grossheubach.
HSH Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich Georg Eduardo Paolo Nickolos Franz Alois Ignatius Hieronymous Maria of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg was born September 30, 1966 at Frankfurt-am-Main.  He was the eldest child and heir apparent to  HSH Aloys-Konstantin, 9th Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, and HRH Princess Anastasia of Prussia.  
Carl Friedrich married on August 8, 1998 to Baroness Stephane von und zu Brencken.   He became head of the family's estates and business, which includes two  wine estates, in October 2002. 
Carl Friedrich is survived by his wife, Stephanie, their four children, Princess Augustina, 9; Prince Nicodemus, 8; Prince Laurentius,4, and Princess Kiliana, who will turn two on May 23, his parents, and his brothers, Prince Hubertus and Prince Hubertus, and his sister, Princess Christina-Maria and her family.
Prince Nicodemus is now the heir apparent, and will be styled as HSH The Hereditary Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenburg.

More than 600 guests attended Carl Friedrich's wedding.  The reception was held at Stephanie's family home, Schloss Erpernburg, near Paderborn.  The guests included many of Carl Friedrich's relatives, including his cousins, Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, Prince and Princess Michael of Prussia,  Duchess Rixa of Oldenburg and Archduke Michael of Austria and his wife, Christiana, who is Aloys-Konstantin's sister.
Pieter van Vollenhoven and Prince Maurits and Princess Marilene of Orange-Nassau were also at the wedding.
The 9th Prince of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg comes from a large and devout Roman Catholic family.  He has six sisters, all of whom married in royal and aristocratic families: Maria is married to Archduke Joseph of Austria; Josephine is the wife of Prince Alexander of Liechtenstein; Monika's husband is Don Jaime Méndez de Vigo; Christiana is married to Archduke Michael of Austria; Elisabeth-Alexandra is married Don Jose Maria Trenor y Suarez; and Lioba is married to the Prince of Oettingen-Oettingen und Oettingen Wallerstein.
Monika's daughter, Pilar, is the wife of Duke Paul of Oldenburg,  whose mother, Princess Marie Cecile of Prussia, who is the Princess of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenburg's first cousin.

The Hereditary Prince and Princess of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg lived in Oslo, Norway until 2002, where Carl worked as a management expert, and Stephanie, continued in her career as a physician.   Princess Anastasia's younger sister, Princess Marie Christine of Prussia, died in 1966 from the injuries suffered in a car accident.

http://www.loewenstein.de/sites/start_DE.asp?SID=cms250420101926282907831&Art=02

The princely family has a diversified family business, as the second son, Prince Hubertus is in charge of Löwenstein Palace, which can be rented for major events or weddings.

Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia

A nice profile in the NewYork Times on Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, eldest son of Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and Princess Maria Pia of Italy.  A jewelery designer, Prince Dimitri lives in New York City. He has a twin brother, Michel.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/nyregion/25royals-ready.html?hp

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Madeleine ends engagement

The Palace in Stockholm, in an official statement, announced that Princess Madeleine and Jonas Bergström, have ended their engagement. Princess Madeleine and Jonas have decided to that the best thing to do is to "go their separate ways."  They ask the media to show respect for this decision, and they need peace and quiet during this time.
This was a joint decision, but one can assume that the recent stories about Jonas' alleged affairs led to Madeleine (and her parents) to break off the engagement.  According to several news reports in Sweden,  Madeleine and Jonas had not appeared together since January, and he no longer shared their Stockholm apartment.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gDm8cSxZsjtwKyZo8iBjxab03WkwD9F9D3182

The 27-year-old princess left Sweden before the official announcement was made. She she boarded a plane this afternoon for a flight to New York City. 
Madeleine, who is third in line to the Swedish throne, was involved with Jonas Bergström for eight years. He proposed to her in Capri, and the announcement of their engagement came last August several months after Madeleine's older sister, Crown Princess Victoria, became engaged to Daniel Westling.  Their marriage will take place on June 19 in Stockholm.

Princess Madeleine may spend some time working with the World Childhood Foundation's US office, which is located in New York City. The charity was founded by her mother, Queen Silvia.

http://www.childhood-usa.org/

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7107457.ece

Friday, April 23, 2010

Has Jonas been unfaithful?

Tora Uppstrom Berg, a 21-year-old Norwegian handball player, is claiming that she had an affair last year with Jonas Bergström, who is engaged to marry Princess Madeleine of Sweden.
"I had an affair with Madde's fiance last year. We were intimate," Berg told the Norwegian gossip magazine, Se Og Hor. 

http://www.thelocal.se/26206/20100421/

The Palace in Stockholm has not commented on this report or other items appear in the Swedish press concerning Madeleine's relationship, although there are rumors that Bergström is no longer sharing an apartment with the princess.

Adorable - Princess Elizabeth at four

Here is a link to new film footage (from 80 years ago) of an adorable four-year-old Princess Elizabeth of York. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8639051.stm

Princess Augusta

April 23, 1830

The King "passed a good night," and is continuing to improve. He was visited by Sir Henry Halford this morning, who returned again to the Palace this evening.  The King's brother, the Duke of Clarence arrived at the Palace at "half-past 12 o'clock" today from his residence in Bushy Park.  He stayed with His Majesty "for some hours."
Princess Augusta "entertained the Duke of Sussex and a select part to dinner" tonight at her residence in the King's Palace, St. James's, according to the Court Circular.
This evening, the Duke of Glocester "honoured the performance" of M. Potler in the French Plays, at the Haymarket Theatre, "with his presence.

[Glocester was the spelling used in 1830, instead of Gloucester.]

Princess Marguerite weds






April 23, 1896

Princess Marguerite of Orleans, daughter of the Duke of Chartres, was married today in a religious ceremony to Marie Armand Patrice de Mac Mahon, 2nd Duke of Magenta,  son of the late Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, 1st Duke of Magenta.  former President of France.

The groom is known by his 3rd Christian name, Patrice.  He is a descendant of an Irish noble family that supported King James II during the Glorious Revolution in 1688.  James II, a Roman Catholic, fled to France with his second wife, Maria Beatrice of Modena, and their infant son.  After Parliament established the Protestant succession with King William II and Queen Mary (James II's elder daughter by his first wife, members of the Mac Mahon settled in France, where they received citizenship in 1749.

King Louis XV of France recognized the family's nobility with the issuance of a Letters Patent.

The present Duke's father was appointed as a Marshal of France by Emperor Napoleon III who also created him as Duke of Magenta in 1859.

The Roman Catholic wedding was celebrated in the chapel of the family's chateau at Chantilly.  The couple's civil marriage took place yesterday, according to the Chicago Daily Tribune.

More than 300 people were invited to the wedding, and were received by the Duke d'Aumale, reported the Times' Paris correspondent.  The guests included the Duke and Duchess of Chartres, the Prince de Joinville, the Princess of Coburg, the Count and Countess d'Eu, the Duke and Duchess of Alencon, the Duke de Penthievere, Prince Henri of Orleans, and Princess Waldemar of Denmark.  All the members of the Orleans family were able to attend the wedding, which was officiated by the Abbé de Beauvoir.  He delivered an address, where he "dwelt on the valour and patriotism of the Orleans princes." 

He also spoke, "of the bridegroom as following in the glorious footsteps of his father."

The newlyweds will be spending their honeymoon in Tunis and Algeria.

Archduke Leopold indicted; fails to appear

April 23, 1930

A New York grand jury today indicted Archduke Leopold of Austria on three counts of grand larceny. The indictments were also  handed to Charles L. Townsend, said to be a former colonel in the British Service Service in Egypt, and Townsend's wife, Gervez Baronti Townsend.  The two men and Mrs. Townsend have been charged in the unauthorized sale of the $400,000 Napoleon diamond necklace, owned by Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria.
The Townsends appeared in court with their lawyer, but the Archduke failed to appear, although his lawyer had promised the Assistant District Attorney that his client would appear in court.  The archduke failed to appear today, and the Chief Assistant District Attorney Ferdinand  Pecora announced that a bench warrant for the Archduke's arrest would be issued, the New York Times reported.

Members of the Imperial family buried in Peking

April 23, 1920

The Associated Press reports today on the burial of seven bodies, "four of them said to be members of the Russian Imperial Family."  The bodies arrived yesterday in Peking from Harbin, and were buried in the Russian cemetery, which is located outside the city wall.
The burial was "surrounded with the greatest secrecy," even the Russian Legation received "scant information of the circumstances."
The bodies are believed to be those of Grand Duke Serge Mikhailovich, Prince Ioann, husband of Princess Helen, daughter of King Peter of Serbia; Prince Igor, Ioann's brother; Grand Duchess Elizabeth, sister of the late Empress, and "three servants who shared the fate of these members of the royal family."
It has been alleged that they were killed by the Bolsheviks, and their "bodies thrown into a coal mine near Perm."

Princess Torlonia's father blackballed by Hunt Club

April 23, 1910

Charles A. Moore, the millionaire father, of the Princess Torlonia, has discovered that it is not easy to to move up in Roman Society.  Although Mr. Moore's daughter now moves "into the most exalted circles" in Rome, and "at Court is a noted figure, he has been blackballed by one of Rome's most prestigious clubs, the Hunt Club.
Moore wanted to join a club, according to the New York Times, and,  he "aspired to the most aristocratic and exclusive, the so-called Hunt Club."  It seemed nearly obvious to all that Mr. Moore and "his millions would have been welcome with open arms."  He was known to club members as he stayed there as a guest. 
But when the Club's urn was opened, Princess Torlonia's father was "found to have been rejected."  It appears that the rejection was due to Moore's son-in-law, Don Marino, who, when he was a bachelor, "led a powerful clique in the Hunt Club."  He and his friends wanted to keep the club select, and "blackballed right and left every candidate who they disliked."   The Club's members turned the table on Marino by blackballing his very rich father-in-law.

An American princess who loves music

April 23, 1910

Princess Karl of Isenburg-Birstein is the subject of a feature by the New York Times.
One of the leaders and lovers of the Parisian musical clique is the "beautiful American Princess Charles of Isenburg-Birstein."
She attends nearly every musical "event of importance in Europe, whether it be a concert in Paris or in Prague "with equal ease."  She makes these journeys "in her motor car, piloted by the Prince, her husband."  She attended the Chopin Festival in Warsaw, and returned to Paris in time to be present at the Abbé Perosi's first appearance in this city.
The Princess was "entirely educated in Paris at the Convent of the Sacré Coeur, now closed." She speaks French as "fluently and gracefully as any Parisienne."  The Princess is "tall and elegant and has a magnificent complexion."
The Prince and Princess spent a great part of each year visiting their royal relatives.  Prince Karl is the third son of the late Prince of Isenburg-Birstein and Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany.  They live in one wing of the family's caste on the Rhine.  The princess is "an excellent shot and a keen horsewoman." When she is in  Paris, she is seen every morning in the Bois riding.
The former Bertha Lewis was born in New Orleans on March 16, 1872.  She married Prince Karl on August 24, 1895 in London.  The couple do not have any children.

Grand Duke puts cousin under guardianship

April 23, 1908

Grand Duke Friedrich Franz of Mecklenburg-Schwerin has had to take drastic measures regarding his cousin, Duke Heinrich-Borwin. The New York Times reports that today the Grand Duke has place Heinrich-Borwin "under a wardship in consequence of his squandering the family fortune."
Heinrich-Borwin, who recently left the army, will receive "only a small allowance."
The Duke's parents, Duke Paul Friedrich, and his wife, the former Princess Marie zu Windisch-Graetz, have been under a similar guardianship since 1906.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Spoleto expected to marry Spanish infanta

April 22, 1930

Court officials in Rome are "expecting within a short time an announcement" of the engagement of the Duke of Spoleo, son of the Duke of Aosta, a cousin of Victor Emmanuel, and Infanta Beatriz, the elder daughter of King Alfonso XIII. according to a Chicago Tribune report.
The Duke of Spoleto is the grandson of Prince Amadeo, who reigned as King of Spain for several years from 1870 to 1873, "during the Carlist uprising."
This engagement is expected to be "the sequel to the visit" of the duke and his mother, the Duchess of Aosta, to Spain, during the Easter holidays. They were guests of King Alfonso XIII and his family in Madrid and Seville.
The arrangements were made by the Duchess of Aosta, who arrived in Spain several days before her son.
There are reports that this marriage "may soothe some of the ruffled feelings in Spain over the marriage last winter" of Crown Prince Umberto and Princess Marie-José of Belgium.
According to "court gossip," King Alfonso had hoped that the Italian Crown Prince "might be a match for one of his daughters," but his plan did not come to fruition. It has been suggested that Alfonso did not attend the Italian royal wedding because of the snub to his daughters.

Two week honeymoon for royal duke

April 22, 1928

Prince Filiberto of Savoia-Genoa, Duke of Pistoia, marries Princess Lydia of Arenberg on April 30, they will have less than two weeks for a honeymoon, according to the Associated Press. The Duke, who is a cousin of King Victor Emmanuel, is also a soldier - Lieutenant Colonel Filiberto -- and is a student at the Army War College at Turin. All students gets a mere two weeks furlough, and a "member of the royal family is no exception."
The nuptial festivities begin on the 28th, "when the Duke goes off duty," and the "actual honeymooning time will be reduced accordingly."
The wedding is expected to be attended "by most of the available crowned heads of Europe."

Duke of Anhalt dead at 61


April 22, 1918

Duke Friedrich II of Anhalt died today at Schloss Ballenstedt. He was 61 years old, according to the New York Times. His duchy "embraced an area a little larger than 900 square miles." At Dessau, the country's capital, "he maintained a court theatre which became celebrated throughout Europe for "operatic performances." The Duke of Anhalt played an active role in the management of the opera, including experimenting with "new lighting effects until he became an expert producer or impresario."
He was devoted to music, and was rarely ever seen in military uniform.

A son for Princess Margaret

April 22, 1906

The Hereditary Princess of Sweden gave birth to a son today in Stockholm. The princess is the former Princess Margaret of Connaught, eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. This is the first child for the princess and her husband, Hereditary Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Not enough food for Otto

April 21, 1936

Major Josef Jirouschek, who once served in Austria's imperial army, spoke today at a meeting of Legitimists in Vienna. He told the audience that Archduke Otto, the heir to the former throne, was living in poverty and did not have enough to eat.
"On a visit to the royal family, I learned that meat is rarely seen on the table," the major said, referring to his recent trip to Otto's home in Belgium.
"I attended a mass in the castle chapel and noticed a hole as a big as a 2-shilling coin the shoe of one archduchess."

Princess Elizabeth turns 10

Embed from Getty Images 


 April 21, 1936

Princess Elizabeth, second in line to the British throne, turned 10 years old today. She celebrated her birthday at her parents' home, Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. Queen Mary also "participated in the celebration."

In "honor of the occasion," the princess and her younger sister, Princess Margaret Rose, "were allowed to have breakfast with their parents and the Queen," according to the New York Times. The princess also went for a ride on her favorite pony, Peggy, and with her father, the Duke of York, "rode in a streamlined electric motor car," which was a present from, her parents. She also tried out a new bicycle, a present from her grandmother, Queen Mary.

It took about twenty minutes for Princess Elizabeth to find the gift from her uncle, King Edward VIII, which turned out to be a "gold-mounted riding crop, bearing her crest and initials." The King also telephoned his congratulations from London.

This afternoon, Princess Elizabeth was hostess at a birthday party. She didn't have to spend the day at her studies, "to which she ordinarily devotes more than six hours daily." She was also permitted to "stay up later than usual for games that her mother had arranged."

Princess Helen celebrates birthday with no greetings from Carol

April 21, 1928

Princess Helen of Roumania celebrated her 32nd birthday today "by opening another clinic for sick mothers and their babies."
She received "scores of birthday greetings from royal personages all over the world," according to an AP dispatch, but "no remembrance from the errant Carol, who still lives leisurely in France with Mme. Lupescu on the half a million dollars left to him by the late King Ferdinand."
Princess Helen, the mother of Carol's son, the young King Michael, devotes a great deal of her time to charity work. She "regards Carol as a closed chapter in her life," and she has said that if he "ever puts foot in Roumania," she will leave the country.

Prince of Wales enjoying time in Biarritz

The Prince of Wales appears to be enjoying his vacation in Biarritz, France, where tonight, he was entertained by Princess Frederica of Hanover. Among other guests at the dinner were Infanta Beatriz of Spain, elder daughter of King Alfonso XIII of, and Princess Beatrice, the mother of Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain. Princess Beatrice also is the Prince of Wales' great aunt.
Infanta Beatriz' presence at the reception has started a rumor that she may marry the Prince of Wales, although she is only 17 years old.

Duke of Orleans is house hunting

April 21, 1900

The Duke and Duchess of Orleans arrived today in Flume to "look at a chateau on the Gulf of Quarnero," according to the New York Times.
The Duke of Orleans is looking for a new home because he "has been virtually forced out of England" because of his "letter of congratulations to the French artists Willette."
The artist "produced a number of cartoons insulting Queen Victoria in the most disgusting manner," and the Duke of Orleans wrote to him, "complimenting him upon his work." This has led to the duke being "made to resign" from all of his London clubs. He was also given to understand "that he would in future not be received in English society."
It is believed that the duke has received permission from Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, as Flume in is the Austro-Hungarian empire. Flume is about 40 miles southeast of Trieste.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

A son for Don Jaime of Spain

April 20, 1936

Doña Emanuela, who is the daughter-in-law of King Alfonso XIII of Spain, gave birth to a son today in Rome. The infant, the second grandchild of the former Spanish king, will be named Alfonso, reports the AP.
His father is Don Jaime, the second son of King Alfonso and Queen Ena. In 1933, Jaime, who is a deaf-mute, renounced his rights - and the rights of his descendants to the Spanish throne. Last year, he married Emanuela de Dampierre, whose greandmother is the former Josephine Curtis of Boston. The marriage is non-dynastic.
King Alfonso was informed of the birth in Vienna, where he had gone to attend a royal wedding. He is now en route to Rome.

Grand Duchess Marie receives delegation

April 20 1908

In anticipation of her wedding to Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna, daughter of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, has received deputations from local government officials, from the artisan guilds, and from public institutions. She has received numerous congratulations on "her approaching marriage," which will take place on May 3 at Tsarkoe Selo, according to the Associated Press.
The young Grand Duchess has also received "various tokens and other gifts testifying to the great popularity of the young Princess in Moscow," where she has lived for most of her life. She is noted for her work with the poor in Moscow.
Prince Wilhelm will arrive in Moscow on April 30, and he will stay at the palace of Grand Duchess Serge, who has acted as Marie's foster mother. The Palace is now being redecorated, and will be reopened for the wedding festivities for the first time since the assassination of Grand Duke Serge.
King Gustav V and Prince and Princess Carl of Sweden will arrive in May 1, and they will be the guests of Nicholas II at Tsarkoe Selo.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Hitler to seize Habsburg riches

Embed from Getty Images 


 April 19, 1938

The Nazi regime in Austria "has been empowered through a warrant for the arrest of Archduke Otto," who is the claimant to the Austrian throne, to "lay its hands on the greater share" of the former Imperial family's properties in Austria, according to the Chicago Tribune news service.

The former Austrian governments of the late Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, who was assassinated, and Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg returned to the Habsburgs the properties that were seized by Austria's postwar Socialist government."
The Austrian estates are said to be worth $10,000,000. The family also owns "costly art treasures."

Archduke Otto has been branded a traitor by the National Socialist government. "Since the traitor Otto fled to Paris, where he whined for help for the poor oppressed Austrian people against Hitler, a warrant now has been issued against him," said one high government official. "This scion of the house of Habsburg, which already in the world war made a habit of high treason, is registered in the criminal records of state authorities. The scene closes on the 'dynasty of rulers' with this son of the traitor Emperor Karl and his wife, Zita."

Louise's peace offering fails to placate her sisters

April 19, 1910

Princess Louise of Belgium has finally received her mother's jewels. Queen Marie Henriette's jewels has been held by Louise's creditors. Her debts have been "settled out of the estate" of her late father, King Leopold II.
Louise has offered her mother's "famous diadem" to her sisters, Stephanie and Clementine, if they would "resume friendly relations." Both have refused, unless she ends her relationship with Count Geza Mattachich, according to the New York Times.

Baron Saafeld loses leg in tram accident

April 19, 1908

The Marquise de Fontoney's latest dispatch is about a tragic accident that happened recently in Munich. Young Baron Georg von Saafeld, who is 14 years old, was run over by a tramcar in Munich as he was attempting to board "on the front platform while it was in motion." One of his legs was amputated due to the injury.
Baron von Saafeld can "boast an illustrious ancestry" on his father's side, as his father is Prince Ernst of Saxe-Meiningen, the second son of the reigning Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. His elder brother, the Crown Prince of Saxe-Meiningen, is married to Princess Charlotte of Prusssia, Kaiser Wilhelm's eldest sister.
Prince Ernst's mother was Princess Feodore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a niece of Queen Victoria. Princess Feodora's mother (and namesake) was Queen Victoria's older half-sister, Princess Feodore of Leiningen.
Prince Ernst of Saxe-Meiningen's marriage to Katharina Jensen, the daughter of a Jewish journalist, Dr. William Jensen, is morganatic. At the time of her marriage, Katharina was created Baroness von Saafeld. This title is also used by her children.
Although Ernst retains his own dynastic rights -- his elder brother's marriage is childless --he cannot pass those rights to his sons.
Prince Ernst and his wife and their six children, Georg Wilhelm, Elisabeth Helene, Ernst Friedrich, Ralph Erich, Sven Hans and Heinrich, live in Munich, where the family lives an "extremely happy life."


[Baron Georg Wilhelm was killed in action in La Bassée france on April 29, 1916), so one wonders about the accuracy of the the article. If young Baron Georg Wilhelm lost his leg in 1910, how could he have been a soldier?]

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Gala dinner for Princess Ira

HSH PRINCESS IRA VON FÜRSTENBERG GALA DINNER DANCE BIRTHDAY AT THE WHITE PALACE


Belgrade, 18 April 2010 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine hosted last night a very special gala dinner birthday party for Her Serene Highness Princess Ira von Fürstenberg at the White Palace. On Friday night Their Royal Highnesses hosted a dinner at the Royal Palace.

Princess Ira von Fürstenberg’s birthday was attended by many prominent guests from all over the world which included Their Serene Highnesses Serene Prince Sebastian, Princess Virginia and Prince Hurbertus, Princess Elisabetta von Fürstenberg, His Highness Prince Amyn Aga Khan, His Serene Highness Prince Pierre D’Arenberg, Her Highness Princess Beatrice Hohenlohe, Her Serene Highness Princess Gunilla of Bismarck, Prince Carlo Giovanelli, Princess Laure de Baeauvau Craon, Princess Marina Pignatelli, Baroness Januaria Piromallo, Count and Countess Schoenburg, Count Carl Anton Goess Saurau, Countess Marcella del Majno, Count Marco Camerana, Count Rudy Brescia, Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg de Borbon, Baroness Estelle Mentzingen, Baroness Helen de Ludinghausen, Lord and Lady Powell, Senator Mario D’Urso, His Excellency Mr. Clemens Koja, Ambassador Austria and Mrs Koja, His Excellency Mr. Armando Varricchio Italian Ambassador and Mrs Varricchio; Her Excellency Mrs. Mary Bruce Warlick, Ambassador of the United States; His Excellency Mr. Nils Krister Bringeus, Ambassador of Sweden; Her Excellency Mrs Mercedes Felicitas Ruiz Zapata, Ambassador of Mexico; His Excellency Mr. Igor Jovovic, Ambassador of Montenegro and Mrs Jovovic.

In the afternoon Their Royal Highness hosted a luncheon cruise on the Danube and Sava Rivers.

His Royal Highness Prince Philip was unable to come due to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland, but luckily the children of Crown Princess Katherine, Mr David Andrews and Mrs Alison Andrews made it to Belgrade from Athens, which was not affected. Their Royal Highnesses were very sad that many guests were unable to come from the United States and Europe to Belgrade. Their Royal Highnesses were very impressed with the travel creativeness of guests in their endeavour to get back home after the festivities by car.

Princess Ira von Fürstenberg is the daughter of Prince Tassilo von Fürstenberg and Clara Agnelli, the sister of the late Mr. Gianni Agnelli the Chairman of Fiat.

Friday, April 16, 2010

An Easter proposal


On Easter Sunday, Hereditary Prince Christian zu Füstenberg popped the question to Jeanette Catherine Griessel. The 27-year-old from Duisberg said yes.
Miss Griessel, the daughter of a businessman, has a MBA and is now completing work on her doctorate.
The couple have not set a date, although Hereditary Prince Christian said that the wedding might take place in September or sometime in 2011. He proposed to his longtime girlfriend in what can be described as a "romantic moment."

Hereditary Prince Christian is the elder son of the Prince and Princess of Fürstenberg, and will one day own the family properties and businesses, which include Donaueschingen.
The Prince was asked where the wedding will take place. He said there are several options, including a ceremony at Donaueschingen.

http://www.schwarzwaelder-bote.de/wm?catId=79102&artId=14821256

Thank you to the Rights and Permissions department at the Schwarwaelder-Bote for allowing me to use the photo. The official credit for the photo is:
Steffen Maier, Schwarzwaelder Bote.

Alexander and Katherine host party for Princess Ira

This is an official release from the office of Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia

HSH PRINCESS IRA VON FÜRSTENBERG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT THE ROYAL PALACE


Belgrade, 16 April 2010 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine hosted a dinner birthday party for Her Serene Highness Princess Ira von Fürstenberg this evening at the Royal Palace. The main birthday party will take place tomorrow evening at the White Palace.

Princess Ira von Fürstenberg is the daughter of Prince Tassilo von Fürstenberg and Clara Agnelli, the sister of the late Mr. Gianni Agnelli the Chairman of Fiat.

Princess Ira von Fürstenberg’s birthday is being attended by members of Royal Houses from all over the world as well as many celebrities from the movie and fashion design industries. The guests were delighted by the beauty of the two Royal Palaces and Belgrade in general, which most of them have visited for the first time.

Surprisingly many guests were able to come, but due to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland and the effect the ashes on air travel several guests were sadly unable to make it.

Regrets

That plume of ash over Europe has led to further regrets for the gala dinner in honor of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. The King and Queen of Spain were unable to fly out of Madrid to Copenhagen. Madrid's airport is open. Copenhagen is one of dozens of northern European airports still closed. Members of the Belgian Royal family were also unable to get a flight to Copenhagen, although Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, accompanied by Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima, took the train to Copenhagen. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her fiance, Daniel Westling were already in Copenhagen before the airports closed.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden arrived during the intermission last night at the Royal Theater. Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway arrived in time yesterday, but her husband, Crown Prince Haakon was stuck in London, but he managed to get to Copenhagen today. The King and Queen of Norway also made it in time for tonight's gala dinner.
Crown Prince and Crown Princess Pavlos and Prince Nikolaos of Greece also had to send their regrets as they were not able to fly out of London. Archduke Carl Christian of Austria and his wife, Marie Astrid, were also expected to attend, but remain stuck in Brussels.
The Prince of Monaco was in London yesterday for the opening of the Princess Grace exhibit at the V & A museum. His girlfriend, Charlene Wittstock, accompanied him to the opening, but it is not known if he had also been invited to the Danish celebrations. (If he had, Miss Wittstock would not have accompanied him as she is neither his fiancee or wife.)
The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg arrived in time for last night's celebration.
News accounts also say that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, also sent his regrets, but this has not been corroborated by official sources in the UK or Denmark. It seems unlikely that Philip, who will celebrate his 89th birthday in June, would be the one member of the British royal family to attend the party.
The Prince of Wales has formed a close friendship with his cousin, Daisy, who has stayed at Highgrove, and he would have been a logical choice to go. He would have gone alone as the Duchess of Cornwall is recovering from a broken leg.

Here is a link to a lovely video of the four Crown Princely couples walking together. For a few seconds, I thought they would be escorted by Crown Princess Mary's dog Ziggy.

http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/article/29949678/?forside

Although the President of Iceland was unable to attend, his wife, Dorrit Moussaief, is in Copenhagen, looking stunning as ever. I bet she's getting an earful of comments about the volcano.

Marguerite's title upheld by the French

April 16, 1928 

 There are reports "from abroad" that Marguerite Watson, the wife of Prince Charles-Philippe, Duke de Nemours, "is not a Duchess because she failed to conform with official regulations" following her marriage in England on Saturday. These reports, according to the Associated Press, have "caused great amusement in official circles and among the nobility."

 Count Fleury, an authority on French titles, said: "The people setting that rumor afloat seem not to have heard of the French Revolution. The Third Republic never abolished titles, but the only interest it takes in them is to levy a fat tax when nobles want their titles verified." 

"The American girl who married the Duc de Nemours is as much a Duchess as he is a Duke," said another member of the French nobility. "Nobody can change that since the de Nemours title is well enough established. It is curious that while so many spurious titles are going around unchallenged, a real one should be questioned when one happens upon it." 

The marriage is legal, whatever the Duke's parents may think, "since the consent of parents is not absolutely necessary if the son demands consent, which is understood to have been the case with the de Nemours." The Duke de Guise, who is the head of the family, is expected to have the last word regarding the marriage. Those who know him expect him to say, "Bless you, my children."

Alfonso plays joke on Spoleto who is courting his daughter

April 16, 1930

Spaniards "tittered today at the prank" played by King Alfonso XIII, upon the Duke of Spoleto, a nephew of the Italian King. According to the Associated Press, rumor has it that the young duke will soon become engaged to Alfonso's older daughter, Infanta Beatriz.
The king led the Duke of Spoleto to a "trick bench" in the palace gardens at Alcazar, where the royal family is spending Holy Week. When the duke sat down on the bench, his weight released "a spring which controlled a concealed foundation." he was "drenched with water from a spray," while Alfonso, Infanta Beatriz and the duke's mother, the Duchess of Aosta, "all laughed merrily."
Friends believe that that the prank indicated the extend which Prince Aimone "has won the esteem and affection of the Spanish monarch." It is lends "additional credence to persistent reports" of a forthcoming engagement between Beatriz and the Duke of Spoleto.

King and Queen to attend Trematon's funeral

April 16, 1928

It was announced earlier today that King George V and Queen Mary will attend the funeral of Viscount Trematon, the queen's nephew, on Friday at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The service will be "simple and private," and will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor. The young Viscount will be buried at Frogmore under the Albert Memorial Chapel, where his grandparents lie. His body will arrive tomorrow night from France aboard a British destroyer.
Lord Trematon's parents, the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, will not be able to attend the service as they are in South Africa. Lord Athlone, who is Queen Mary's brother, is the Governor General of South Africa.

Two princesses expected to come out ...

April 16, 1910


Two young princesses are expected to come out and make their debuts in society, according to an exclusive report in the Chicago Daily Tribune. Princess Victoria Luise of Prussia's coming out in society "is being delayed as long as possible" because her parents, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria want to keep their "baby" to "themselves as long as possible.
The public, however, has taken more notice of the Princess who is often seen taking walks and riding in the park with her father or mother," instead of her governess.

The empress "has taken to riding again in order to accompany her daughter." Auguste Viktoria gave up riding sometime ago because of a bad knee. She was an accomplished horsewoman, but she is "not fond of the exercise, whereas the Princes likes a good gallop."

Embed from Getty Images 


 Another Princess who is about to be launched into society is Princess Maud, granddaughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The princess celebrated her seventeenth birthday this week. It is expected that the princess, whose mother is Princess Louise, the Princess Royal, will be presented at court his season. The "presentation of a royal princess is always an event of much interest." Unlike other debutantes, royal princesses are not "formally presented."

The princess will enter the throne room and will sit with other members of the royal family during the official presentations. A dance will be given in Maud's honor before the presentation.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Icelandic ash puts crimp in Royal Gala

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark's 70th birthday celebrations have turned from gala into dis'ashter due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in southeast Iceland in full eruption, and the spewing ash cloud has moved toward the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and western Europe. Air travel has largely ceased in Europe due to the closures of airports, including Heathrow and other British airports, Kastrup in Copenhagen, and elsewhere. Flights from the US to Europe have also been canceled.
Margrethe was born on April 16, 1940. Celebrations for her 70th birthday began yesterday with a gala dinner for members of the Royal Family and Danish politicians and government officials. Many of the guests, including members of other European royal families, for tonight's gala performance at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen will not be able to make it in time. The Swedish and Dutch royal families are to travel by overnight train to Copenhagen. Queen Sonja and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are heading to Copenhagen by car, while Crown Prince Haakon remains in London, unable to catch a flight to Copenhagen.
The foreign royals who did manage to get to Copenhagen in time to attend the gala event include the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, King Constantine II and Queen Anne Marie of the Hellenes and their elder daughter, Princess Alexia, Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, and Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway.
Crown Prince Frederik appeared to be truly chuffed by having two Crown Princesses to escort into the theater, as he held the arms of his wife and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
According to Danish television, the king and queen of Sweden arrived at the theatre during the intermission.
Members of the Queen's family were also present, including her two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim and their wives, Princess Benedikte and her husband, Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, and their children. Hereditary Prince Gustav was accompanied by his longtime companion, the American-born Carina Axelsson.
Gustav's younger sister, Princess Nathalie, who is expecting a child in July, and her fiance, Alexander Johannsman, were also expected to attend tonight's event.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain are on the list of guests for tomorrow night's black tie gala, but it now appears unlikely that they will be able to fly to Copenhagen tomorrow.
It is not yet known if members of the Belgian or British royal families will attend tomorrow night's event. The Prince of Wales does not have any engagements scheduled for tomorrow, so it is possible that he was planning to attend Friday's events. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also have no engagements tomorrow. The Duchess is Danish-born, so it would not be a surprise to see this royal couple representing Queen Elizabeth II at Margrethe's birthday celebration.
Travel to Copenhagen tomorrow will depend solely on the reopening of the airports.

British and Dutch investors lost millions in the IceSave banking scandal. They have been demanding that the Icelanders send Cash, but as there is no C in the Icelandic alphabet, Iceland has sent Ash.

It's a boy for Paola and Albert

April 15, 1960

Belgians are celebrating today the birth of a son, to Princess Paola, the wife of Prince Albert of the Belgians. The new prince is second in line to the throne, after his father, who is King Baudouin's younger brother.
The infant prince will be named Philippe Leopold Louis Marie. Philippe was the name of King Albert of the Belgian's father, the Count of Flanders, and Leopold is the name of the baby's grandfather, King Leopold III, who abdicated in 1951.
The Italian-born Princess Paola gave birth to her first child at Schloss Belvedere. She married Prince Albert in Brussels on July 2, 1959.
Prince Philippe weighed 7 pounds and birth and "had blue eyes and blond hair," according to the New York Times.

Elizabeth to have a baby in July

April 15, 1950

The Sunday Pictorial has become the first London newspaper to "come out with a flat statement that rumors" about Princess Elizabeth is expecting her second child are true, according to the Associated Press.
The Princess is in Malta visiting her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Her lady-in-waiting lady Alice Egerton offered a "no comment" on the pregnancy reports. The princess flew to Malta on March 28. Her husband is on active duty with the Royal Navy's Mediterranean fleet.
Buckingham Palace "had declined repeatedly to confirm or deny" Princess Elizabeth's pregnancy.
The couple's only child, Prince Charles, is 17 months old.

Duchess of York cancels all engagements




April 15, 1930

The "expectation of another heir in the royal family is intimated in an official statement today" from the office of the Duke of York.

The Duchess of York, 29, has canceled all of her forthcoming engagements and will not be undertaking "further functions during the Summer," reports the New York Times.

The former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon married the Duke of York, the second son of George V, in April 1923. Their only child, Princess Elizabeth, will celebrate her fourth birthday on April 21.

The little Princess is third in line to the throne after her uncle, the Prince of Wales, and her father.

King George V and Queen Mary have two other grandchildren, George, Viscount Lascelles, 7, and six-year-old Gerald Lascelles, the two sons of Princess Mary.

Viscount Trematon is dead at the age of 20

April 15, 1928

Viscount Trematon, the son and heir of the Earl of Athlone, Governor-General of South Africa, died at the Lyons Hospital in France, this morning. He was 20 years old.

Lord Trematon, a nephew of Queen Mary, was injured on April 1 in an automobile accident near Lyons. One of his driving companions was killed instantly, and another "escaped unhurt.
"
The body of Lord Trematon will be sent to England tomorrow. The accident took place on a "narrow road near Lyons," when Lord Trematon's car, in "passing another car, ran into a ditch and struck a tree," the New York Times reports. At first, medical reports stated that the young Viscount was seriously ill, "but not mortally injured."

Lord Athlone is the younger brother of Queen Mary. Six years ago, when Lord Athlone and his wife, Princess Alice, attended Queen Wilhelmina's New Year's reception, there were rumors that their son, Rupert, "might later become the husband of Princess Juliana," then age 11 and four years his junior. It should be noted, however, that Princess Alice and Queen Wilhelmina are first cousins, who are also close friends.

The Times reports that Lord Trematon died at 3 a.m., this morning. He had passed the "night quietly, but continually lost strength owing to the difficulty he experienced in taking nourishment. At 9 p.m., last night, hospital officials announced, "that it was unlikely that he would live through the night."

Princess Alice is the daughter of the late Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, and Princess Helen of Waldeck und Pyrmont, whose sister, Emma, is the mother of Queen Wilhelmina. In 1904, Alice married Prince Alexander of Teck, one of three sons of the late Duke of Teck and Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge. Rupert and his older sister, Mary, were born in Britain but bore the title Prince and Princess of Teck with the rank of Serene Highness. Alice was styled as HRH Princess Alexander of Teck.

On July 14, 1917, the members of the British Royal Family who were styled by German titles, renounced those titles and were given British peerages. Alexander's older brother, Adolphus, the Duke of Teck, created the  Marquess of Cambridge, and Alexander was created for the Earl of Athlone. His wife, a British princess in her own right, adopted the style of HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone. Princess May and Prince Rupert became known as Lady May Cambridge and Viscount Trematon, respectively.

Lord Trematon's funeral will be held at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and it will be "of a private nature." He will be buried at Frogmore, where his grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Albany, and the Duke and Duchess of Teck are buried. His uncle, the Marquess of Cambridge is also buried at Frogmore.

There will be no court mourning, according to the Lord Chamberlain.

The King and Queen have sent the following telegram to the Lord Mayor of London's expression of sympathy: "The Queen joins with me in sincerely thanking you, my Lord Mayor, and the citizens of London for your kind message of sympathy in the loss we have sustained by the sad death of our nephew. George R.I."

Rupert Alexander George Augustus Cambridge was sent to Eton, where he was a "wet bob," although he never took part in sports. He was "very popular with his schoolfellows, and developed into a young man of fine physique." Lord Trematon left Eton in 1925, and "went up" to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he "made many friends. He had an "inquiring turn of mind and was keenly interested in wireless and engineering."

Lord Trematon enjoyed riding and was often seen in Windsor Great Park on "his favourite pony." He grew up in the Henry III Tower, Windsor Castle, where his parent lived before Lord Athlone's appointment as Governor-General of South Africa in 1924. Last year, he went out to South Africa to visit his parents, and he was an "excellent shot," he was able to enjoy the "big game shooting." On his 19th birthday, he "shot a lion, and buffalo and rhinoceros also fell to his gun."
The "news of his death will be a great shock to all who knew him."

Lord Trematon is survived by his parents, the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, and an older sister, Lady May Helen Emma Cambridge.

Belgian rulers off to Copenhagen

April 15, 1928

King Albert and Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians, accompanied by their younger son, Prince Charles, and their daughter, Princess Marie José, departed today for Copenhagen, according to the AP. The Belgian royal couple will be making a state visit to Denmark. They will travel directly to Copenhagen, "without stopping in Germany."

Duke of York as the king of Poland?

April 15, 1926

One of today's dispatches from the Associated Press is based on a report in the Daily Mail. The London paper's Warsaw correspondent says "the idea of giving Poland a king is gaining ground" and if the "monarchist hope, if the nation adopts their view, the persuade the Duke of York to accept the throne."
Political circles in London view "such aspirations on the part of Polish monarchists" are not likely to be fulfilled. Albanian monarchists sought to induce Prince Arthur of Connaught to accept their throne, but he declined, which allowed for Prince Wilhelm of Wied to become Albania's sovereign in 1914.
One can safely assume that "British royal personages prefer the comparative surety" of the United Kingdom "to the uneasy crown of a central European state."

Prince Henri de Ligne to wed

April 15, 1910

The Marquise de Fontenoy's latest dispatch tells readers about the forthcoming marriage of Prince Henri de Ligne, secretary of the Belgian Legation in Washington,D.C. He has returned to Europe to complete arrangements for his marriage. 'which took place Thursday last in Paris."
The new Princess Henri de Ligne is Princess Charlotte de la Tremoille, the eldest of four daughters of the Prince de Tarente et de Talmond, who is himself the only son and heir of the 10th Duke de la Tremoille de Thouars.
The present duke is 72 years old. His father served as a page at the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and was an adult at the time of their execution. Two brothers of the late duke -- uncles of the present duke -- were sent to the guillotined during the days of Terror.
Prince Henri is expected to bring his bride to Washington, where she will become a "notable addition" to the diplomatic corps.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

New cafe at family schloss

"Now visitors can come," said a very delighted Hereditary Prince Carl-Eugen of Oettingen-Wallerstein, after the opening of a new cafe at his family's schloss. Since mid-March, visitors to Schloss Baldern have been able to visit a modern cafe which was converted from an old garage.
Now tourists will be able to have place to rest after touring the castle.
http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/Home/Lokales/Noerdlingen/Lokalnachrichten/Artikel,-Cafe-nach-Umbau-eroeffnet-_arid,2110552_regid,14_puid,2_pageid,4504.html

Maria Cristina in mourning for niece

April 15, 1898

Queen Maria Cristina of Spain, the regent for her son, Alfonso XIII, has a lot on her plate, especially in connection with the United States and Cuba. She "has just been placed in mourning" by the death of her favorite niece, Archduchess Nathalie, one of nine children of Archduke Friedrich and Archduchess Isabella.
The young Archduchess "was a tall and well-developed girl, very pretty and graceful. with winning ways and a universal favorite," according to the Marquise de Fontenoy. Nathalie was "particularly bright and the constant companion" of her father, Archduke Friedrich. She often accompanied him on his walks at Pressburg and at Vienna.
The young archduchess's body was "entombed in the vaults" of the Capucine Church, but her heart was cut out and placed in another church, following "the medieval practice still in vogue" at the Austrian court.
Archduchess Nathalie Maria Theresia was the fourth daughter of Archduke Frederick and Archduchess Isabella. She was born at Pressburg on January 12, 1884. She died at Pressburg on March 23 at the age of 14.

Prince marries his American girl



April 14, 1928

Disregarding the wishes of his family, Prince Charles-Phillipe, the Duke of Nemours, arranged to meet his American girlfriend, Marguerite Watson, of Washington, D.C., at the Henrietta Street registrar's office in London, where they were married today in a civil ceremony. The "quiet ceremony" was attended only by the American vice-consul and the Earl of Carrick's son-in-law, Toby Charlton, according to the Chicago Tribune's news service.

 Claude Marcel, a friend of the Prince's, was also a witness.

The Duke's family had tried to stop the marriage "by forestalling the Catholic dispensation," but Prince Charles-Philippe decided to go ahead and marry in a civil ceremony.

The 29-year-old bride, who is the daughter of the late Garrett Fitzgerald Watson, arrived at noon with her fiance, wearing a "navy blue frock, long navy coat trimmed in fox fur and a cloche hat to match."

The new Duchess de Nemours is still recovering from an appendectomy, "which was at first given as the reason for the postponed marriage." The New York Times reports that the bride "still looked thin and pale" as the result of her operation.
 
The bride's mother, Mrs. Garrett Fitzgerald Watson, who is in New York, received a cable yesterday announcing the marriage of her daughter. The bride has "distinguished ancestry on both sides of her family." Her maternal grandmother, Baroness Marie von Kettler, was the daughter of Baron von Kettler, who "fought in the Russian campaign with Napoleon the First." Her great grandmother, on her mother's side, was Countess von Schwerin, a "member of an ancient noble house." On her father's side, the new princess descends from "historical families of Carrington, Cabell, and Lyons, who settled in Virginia during Colonial days."

For several weeks, the bride has been visiting her husband's sister, Princess Marie Louise, who lives in London.
 
After the ceremony, the bride got in alone into a "rattletrap London taxicab," while the prince and his friends "followed into another.

The Duke of Nemours, 23,  is the youngest child and only son of Prince Emmanuel of Orleans and Princess Henriette of Belgium.

4 Prussian princess in "Symphony fete"

April 14, 1928

Four princesses of the former ruling family of Germany gave a memorial symphony concert in Gotha "in honor of the fallen heroes of the world war. Princess Agathe, the widow of the late Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, a cousin of the former kaiser, played the viola. Her eldest daughter, Princess Marie Therese, 17, played the flute; her second daughter, Princess Luise, 16, played the cello; and her third daughter, Princess Marianne, 14, played the violin.
According to the Associated Press dispatch, the four princesses played in an orchestra "made up of members of the Gotha theater orchestra and volunteers." Princess Marie Therese earned special attention by playing the solo flute part in Bach's Cantata No. 161.

Vera Arkwright to marry Frederick Bate

April 14, 1916

Miss Vera Arkwright's engagement to Frederick Bate of Chicago was recently announced. Bate is serving at the front in France as a "member of an ambulance corps,"according to the Marquise de Fontenoy.
The forthcoming marriage "serves to recall the prolonged visit to the United States" by her mother, Mrs. George William Augustus FitzGeorge, who "used to flourish in New York and Chicago as 'Lady FitzGeorge.'" She made "plenty of capital of the royal blood in the veins" of her husband, George, the eldest son of the late Duke of Cambridge and his morganatic wife, Louise Fairbrother.
Mrs. Fitzgeorge was "wont to speak only of her two daughters, Iris and Daphne FitzGeorge," who remained in England and were being raised by their uncle, Admiral Sir Adolphus FitzGeorge. Mrs. FitzGeorge expressed "the wish" that her two daughters would marry Americans. They "disappointed her in this respect," as Iris is married to Robert Sheklelton-Balfour, son of the late Robert Balfour of Stirling. They live on a large estate in Scotland. Not long Daphne was reported to be engaged to the widowered Earl of Cottenham. The Fitzgeorges also have a son, George.
Mrs. FitzGeorge was born in 1854 at Rosa Frederica Baring, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Henry Baring of Norman Court, Hants. She married Colonel George FitzGeorge on November 25, 1885 in Paris. It was not known at the time of the marriage that FitzGeorge was Rosa's second husband. Her first husband was Capt. Frank. W. Arkwright of the Coldstream Guards. Their marriage ended in divorce after the birth of Vera, who was raised by her father and his family.
This will be Frederick Bate's second marriage. His first marriage to a Miss Plows, daughter of a wealthy Chicago candy manufacturer, ended was dissolved by divorce due to Bate's desertion. The first Mrs. Bate is now married to Hugh Mackie Gordon, an architect.
Rosa FitzGeorge "has never been in friendly terms" with the families of her two husbands. Her marriage to Col FitzGeorge, who died in 1907, "gave great offense" to his father, the Duke of Cambridge, who was Queen Victoria's first cousin.
King Edward VII bestowed knighthoods on the Duke's two younger sons, Adolphus and Augustus, but not on George. This omission was largely due to his marriage to Rosa Baring and to the his constant financial problems.