Monthly Archives: August 2013

Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark

by Emily McMahon  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

source: Wikipedia

Born August 10, 1888, in Pavlovsk, near St. Petersburg, Russia, Prince Christopher was the fifth son of the five sons and the eighth of the eight children of King George I of the Hellenes and the former Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. Christopher was the only one of George’s and Olga’s children born outside of Greece. His birth was a surprise, as his eldest sibling was 20 years old at the time of Christopher’s birth.

Christopher had seven older siblings:

Christopher had an excellent education, and became fluent in English, Italian, Danish, Greek, French, and Russian. He entered the Hellenic Army at age 18, fighting in the 1912-13 Balkan Wars.

Christopher was noted to have an excellent sense of humor and a talent for mimicry, earning him great affection within his family. He was also a talented musician, studying piano for many years. He was also offered the thrones of Lithuania, Albania, and Portugal, all of which he refused. Christopher believed a throne should be accepted only when the prospective ruler was seriously dedicated to the idea of leading a country. Christopher did not believe himself to be sufficiently up to the challenge.

Christopher had a romance with his distant cousin, Alexandra of Fife (later the Duchess of Fife in her own right) in about 1910. The couple may have become unofficially engaged, although their parents did not approve of the union. Whatever the case, the two broke off their relationship. Alexandra later married another cousin, Arthur of Connaught, in 1913.

Christopher with his first wife Princess Anastasia, the former Nancy Leeds. source: Wikipedia

On January 1, 1920, Christopher married Nancy Stewart Worthington Leeds, an American widow of a Cleveland tin manufacturer in Vevey, Switzerland. The two had become engaged in 1914, but the wedding was delayed due to the outbreak of World War I. However, it was Nancy’s fortune that supported the Greek royal family during their war exile. The bride, who was a divorcee as well as a widow, was fifteen years older than her prince. During her marriage to Christopher, Nancy was known as Princess Anastasia after she joined the Greek Orthodox Church.

Obscure to the American press prior to his marriage, Christopher was immediately the focus of significant media attention following the wedding. William Leeds, Nancy’s son from her first marriage, later married Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia, the daughter of Christopher’s sister Maria. Sadly, Anastasia was diagnosed with cancer not long after the wedding and died in London in 1923.

Francoise of Orleans, Christopher’s second wife. source: Wikimedia

Six years later, Christopher made a more acceptable dynastic marriage to French Princess Francoise of Orleans. Francoise was previously linked to Tsar Boris of Bulgaria, who later married Giovanna of Italy. Christopher and Francoise were married at Palermo on February 11, 1929. The couple may have met and begun their courtship in 1927 at the wedding of her sister Anne to the Duke of Apulia. The union was unique in that the bride kept her Catholic faith upon the marriage, whereas Christopher remained Greek Orthodox.

Christopher and Francoise had one son:

Christopher died on January 21, 1940, in Athens, Greece, at the age of 51, after suffering several weeks with a lung abscess. His wife Francoise was by his side and their son Michael had just celebrated his first birthday. A memorial service was held in New York City for the prince at Holy Trinity Cathedral, commemorating his following among Greek Americans. Funeral services were held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, led by Christopher’s nephew King George II. Flags were flown at half-mast and shops in Athens were closed on the day of the funeral in Christopher’s honor. Christopher was buried with full military honors in the Royal Cemetery at Tatoi Palace near Athens.

Grave of Prince Christopher and Princess Françoise. photo: By Catlemur – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65380068

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Caroline of Brunswick, wife of King George IV of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer

Caroline of Brunswick, Photo Credit – Wikipedia

August 7, 1821 – Death of Caroline of Brunswick, estranged wife of King George IV of the United Kingdom, at Brandenburg House in Hammersmith, London, England; buried at the Cathedral of St. Blasius in Brunswick, Germany

The marriage of Princess Caroline of Brunswick and the future King George IV, then Prince of Wales, was not one made in heaven.  The two did not meet until three days before their wedding.  The princess had just arrived in London and was staying in apartments at St. James’ Palace prior to her marriage and it was there on April 5, 1795 that Caroline and George first met.  The Prince of Wales came into the apartments to greet Caroline.  There was no one else there except James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury, who had escorted Caroline to London from her native Brunswick, and he described the meeting in his diary:

“She very properly, in consequence of my saying to her it was the right mode of proceeding, attempted to kneel to him.  He raised her (gracefully enough), and embraced her, said barely one word, turned round, retired to a distant part of the apartment, and calling me over to him said, ‘Harris, I am not well; pray get me a glass of brandy.'”

Lord Malmesbury suggested a glass of water.  “Upon which he, out of humour, said, with an oath, ‘No, I will go directly to the Queen,’ and away he went.  The Princess, left during this short moment alone, was in a state of astonishment; and, on my joining her, said [in French], ‘ My God! Is that the Prince? I find him very fat, and not as handsome as his portrait.'”

And so started one of the most disastrous royal marriages.

Caroline Amalie Elisabeth was born on May 17, 1768 in Brunswick, Germany.  Her parents were Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Princess Augusta, elder sister of King George III of the United Kingdom.  Caroline was not well-educated although she could understand French and English.  In 1794, Caroline became engaged to her first cousin George, the Prince of Wales.  Despite being first cousins, the two had never met.  George, who was in debt, had been promised a raise in his allowance if he married an acceptable princess. In 1785, George had married Maria Fitzherbert, but the marriage was invalid because it was against the Royal Marriages Act of 1772.

James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury, who escorted Caroline to England had doubts about her appropriateness when he first met her in Brunswick.  He thought Caroline spoke her mind too readily, acted indiscreetly, and often neglected to wash, or change her dirty clothes.  He went on to say that she had “some natural but no acquired morality, and no strong innate notions of its value and necessity.”  On April 8, 1795, three days after their ill-fated first meeting, Caroline and George married at the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace in London.  On the day of his wedding, George told his brother William, Duke of Clarence to tell Mrs. Fitzherbert she was the only woman he would ever love.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (Lord Melbourne) said about George as he walked down the aisle, “…the Prince was like a man doing  a thing in desperation, it was like Macheath [character from The Beggar’s Opera] going to execution; and he was quite drunk.”  Lord Malmesbury agreed in his diary that George literally had to be supported by the Duke of Bedford and the Duke of Roxburghe.  On the other hand, Caroline appeared joyful and chattered with George’s brother William, Duke of Clarence as she waited at the altar.  The wedding night was a disaster.  Caroline confided to Lady Charlotte Campbell, “Judge what it was to have a drunken husband on one’s wedding day, and one who passed the greatest part of his bridal night under the grate, where he fell and where I left him.”  Evidently George and Caroline performed their marital duty at least once because nine months later, on January 7, 1796, their only child Charlotte was born.  A little more than a year after the marriage, George and Caroline were living separately.
Other Foods- Well, foods like eggs, watermelon, orange juice, apple, bananas, dry fruits, honey, ginger and onion should also include your diet, as they all improve blood supply and oxygen generic viagra price carrying capacity of the blood to rejuvenate reproductive organs. You are advised to make some lifestyle changes along with intake of levitra sale balanced diet. One reason for impotence may be an erection that does not allow vaginal penetration due to prescription canada de cialis decreased firmness of the penis. Why Finpecia? Finpecia is a recognized medicine for hair loss in men is the hormone dihydrotestosterone or viagra generika DHT.

George did not allow Caroline to have any part in their daughter Charlotte’s upbringing and ordered that Caroline’s visits to Charlotte had to be supervised by a governess.  However, some sympathetic staff did allow Caroline to be alone with Charlotte.  Princess Charlotte married Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, the uncle of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.  Unfortunately, Charlotte died at age 21 of childbirth complications along with her baby.

Since Caroline was living in a household separate from her husband, she entertained whomever she pleased and there were rumors of affairs.  In 1802, Caroline adopted a three month old boy named William Austin and raised him in her home.  There were accusations that the boy was Caroline’s illegitimate son and a special commission was established called the Delicate Investigation to look into the matter.  The commission found that there was no evidence that the allegations were true.

After George became Prince Regent in 1811 upon the worsening of King George III’s illness, Caroline’s visits to Charlotte were cut off and she was further socially isolated.  Caroline was very unhappy with her situation and treatment and after Napoleon’s defeat in 1814, when she would be able to travel, she  negotiated a deal with the Foreign Secretary to leave the United Kingdom in exchange for an annual allowance of £35,000.  Caroline spent several years traveling through Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Tunisia, Malta, Greece, and Palestine.  She established a household in Milan, Italy and hired Bartolomeo Pergami and his sister as servants.  Pergami rose to become the head of Caroline’s household and rumors swirled that they were having an affair.

King George III died on January 29, 1820 and Caroline’s husband became king and she became, at least in name, queen.  Caroline decided to return to the United Kingdom to assert her rights as queen.  As she was traveling back to London, she received a proposition from her husband offering her £50,000 per year if she would continue to live abroad which she refused.  Caroline arrived back in London on June 5, 1820 where she was greeted by a stage-managed enthusiastic greeting.  King George IV wished to divorce Caroline and on July 5, 1820 the Pains and Penalties Bill was introduced into Parliament which would dissolve the marriage of George and  Caroline and deprive her of the title Queen of the United Kingdom.  During the reading of the bill, witnesses were called and there was effectively a public trial of Caroline.  The bill passed the House of Lords, but never made it to the House of Commons as there was little chance it would pass there.  Caroline joked with her friends that she had committed adultery only once, with the king, the husband of Mrs. Fitzherbert.

The Trial of Queen Caroline (she can be seen in the middle of the painting sitting in a chair), Photo Credit – Wikipedia

King George IV’s coronation was to take place on July 19, 1821, but no plans had made for Caroline’s participation.  Nevertheless, on the day of the coronation Caroline went to Westminster Abbey and demanded entrance, but was barred at every door.  When she demanded entrance to Westminster Hall where processions were being formed, the door was slammed in her face.  Finally, she left to the sound of jeering crowds.

On the evening of the coronation day, Caroline went to the Drury Lane Theatre and felt unwell.  She had suffered on and off from bowel problems and took a large amount of milk of magnesia and some laudanum.  When she did not feel better in two days, she sent for her doctor who diagnosed “acute inflammation of the bowels,” bled her, and gave her a large amount of calomel and castor oil.  Over the next three weeks, her condition worsened and it became apparent that she would die.  Caroline died on August 7, 1821 after a long night of pain.   The cause of her death is unknown.  Possibly there was a bowel obstruction or cancer, and there were rumors that Caroline had been poisoned.

Caroline had requested to be buried in her native Brunswick in a tomb bearing the inscription “Here lies Caroline, the Injured Queen of England.”  On August 14, 1821, her casket was to leave London and start its journey back to Brunswick.  It was decided that the funeral procession would avoid central London, but the crowd accompanying the procession blocked the planned route and forced the procession to go through London.  On August 25, 1821, Caroline’s casket was placed in the vault at the Cathedral of St. Blasius.  The reigning duke, Caroline’s nephew, ordered that a hundred young girls holding flowers and candles line the aisles as Caroline’s casket was brought into the cathedral.  In the vault, a prayer was said as the young girls encircled the casket and then extinguished the flames of their candles.

Coffin of Caroline of Brunswick, Photo Credit – http://www.findagrave.com

Wikipedia: Caroline of Brunswick

Recommended biography: The Unruly Queen: The Life of Queen Caroline by Flora Fraser

Check out other royal dates posted daily on our forum.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother

by Scott Mehl and Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother painted by Richard Stone in 1986; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 4, 1900, The Honorable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born, the youngest daughter and ninth child of the ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis (later the 14th and 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne) and Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. The exact place of her birth is unknown. She was alleged to have been born in her parents’ home in London, but her birth was registered at Hitchin, Hertfordshire, near her family’s English country house, St Paul’s Walden Bury, which was also given as her birthplace in the census the following year.  The infant Elizabeth was christened on September 23, 1900, at All Saints Church in St Paul’s Walden, the local village. Because the christening records are incomplete, only two godparents are known: Lady Maud Bowes-Lyon (her father’s unmarried sister) and Mrs. Arthur James (the former Venetia Cavendish-Bentinck, her mother’s second cousin). When Elizabeth was four years old, her father became Earl Strathmore and Kinghorne, and her courtesy title was elevated to Lady Elizabeth.

 Elizabeth circa 1902

The Bowes-Lyon family is an old Scottish family. King Robert II of Scotland, the first of the House of Stewart, granted Sir John Lyon the Thaneage of Glamis in 1372 as a reward for service. In 1376, Sir John married Joanna, a daughter of Robert II of Scotland. Their grandson Patrick was created Lord Glamis in 1445. The 9th Lord Glamis, also a Patrick, was created Earl of Kinghorne in 1606. His grandson, the 3rd Earl, obtained a charter in 1677 stating that he and his heirs “should in all future ages be styled Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Viscounts Lyon, Barons Glamis, Tannadyce, Sidlaw, and Strathdichtie.” The 9th Earl married a Durham heiress, Mary Eleanor Bowes, and, as a condition of the marriage settlement, assumed the surname Bowes. Their sons, the 10th and 11th Earls, and their great-grandson, the 12th Earl, adopted the surname Lyon-Bowes, but the 13th Earl reversed the order to the current Bowes-Lyon.

Elizabeth had nine siblings who were the aunts and uncles of Queen Elizabeth II:

 Elizabeth standing next to her mother with her family

Elizabeth spent much of her childhood at St Paul’s Walden Bury, her family’s English country home, and at Glamis Castle, her father’s ancestral home in Scotland. She was educated at home by a governess and developed a fondness for field sports, ponies, and dogs.  Her brother David, who was two years younger, was especially close to his sister.

 Elizabeth with her younger brother David in 1909

In 1914, on Elizabeth’s 14th birthday, the United Kingdom declared war on Germany.  All four of her eldest surviving brothers saw action in World War I. The three elder surviving brothers were already in the British Army: Patrick, John, and Fergus were all in the Black Watch. The next brother Michael had just completed his first year at Magdalen College, Oxford, but he volunteered for the Scots Guard at once.   Glamis Castle was turned into a convalescent home for wounded soldiers which the teenage Elizabeth helped to run.

Fergus was sent to the Western Front in 1915, where the British Army and the French Army were attacking the German lines in Champagne and Artois in France to relieve pressure on their Russian allies. On September 27, 1915, during the Battle of Loos, Fergus was ordered to remove a group of Germans who had infiltrated a trench by the Hohenzollern Redoubt, a defensive strongpoint of the German 6th Army, which the Black Watch had captured on September 26. Fergus and his men had been fighting continuously for the previous two days and nights. They had been relieved at 4 AM on September 27 and were preparing their breakfast when the new orders were received. Fergus led his men forward, but a German bomb exploded at his feet. His right leg was blown off and he suffered chest wounds. At the same time, bullets hit him in the chest and shoulder. Fergus was removed from the battlefield and died a few hours later at the age of 26.

At the time of Fergus’ death, his brother John was also serving with the Black Watch. His younger brother Michael was at home recovering from wounds and his eldest brother Patrick had recently left the Black Watch after being wounded. His mother was severely affected by the loss of her son, and after his death became an invalid, withdrawn from public life until the marriage of Elizabeth to the future King George VI in 1923.

In 1916, Elizabeth had been introduced to the second son of King George V, Prince Albert, known as Bertie, at a tea party.  The two had actually first met in 1905 at a children’s party, but neither recalled that meeting. Bertie, who was created Duke of York in June 1920, and Elizabeth had their first significant meeting on July 8, 1920, at the Royal Air Force Ball at the Ritz in London. Bertie had come to the ball with his equerry The Honorable James Stuart (the future 1st Viscount Stuart of Findhorn), the youngest son of the 17th Earl of Moray. Elizabeth and James were old friends from Scotland and shared a dance. Bertie questioned James about his dance partner and asked to be introduced. Although the meeting did not make much of an impression on Elizabeth, Bertie fell in love that evening and started courting Elizabeth.

 Elizabeth circa 1920

Bertie first proposed to Elizabeth in 1921 but was rejected because Elizabeth feared the changes in her life being a member of the Royal Family would require. Elizabeth served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of Bertie’s sister Mary, Princess Royal in February 1922. The following month, Bertie again proposed to her and was turned down once more. On January 2, 1923, after taking Elizabeth to dinner at Claridge’s and the theater, Bertie proposed a third time. After talking to friends and relatives and expressing her feelings in her diary, Elizabeth decided on January 14, 1923, to accept Bertie’s proposal although she still has misgivings. The wedding of The Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was held on April 26, 1923, at Westminster Abbey, London. As Elizabeth was proceeding down the aisle, she passed the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, whose remains had been brought from France and buried in the Abbey floor three years earlier. Elizabeth laid her bouquet of white roses on it. No doubt she was thinking of her brother Fergus and all the other British soldiers who died in World War I.

Prince Albert, Duke of York (future George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon at their wedding; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The couple had two daughters:

 The Duke and Duchess of York with their daughters in 1933

The Duke and Duchess of York took up residence at 145 Piccadilly in London and threw themselves into royal duty.  They made a successful visit to Northern Ireland in July 1924 and toured East Africa from December 1924 to April 1925.  Bertie had a stammer, which affected his ability to deliver speeches, and starting in October 1925, Elizabeth assisted him with the therapy devised by Lionel Logue, portrayed in the 2010 film The King’s Speech.  In 1927, a year after their first child was born, Bertie and Elizabeth took a long tour by sea on behalf of King George V via the Atlantic Ocean to Jamaica, the Panama Canal, and the Pacific Ocean to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Elizabeth, in her own words, was “very miserable at leaving the baby”.

Elizabeth in Sydney, Australia in 1927; Credit – Wikipedia

By 1930, the couple’s two daughters had been born. The family enjoyed a rather quiet life, aside from the Duke and Duchess’ royal duties. However, things were soon to change for the York family. On January 20, 1936, King George V passed away at Sandringham. Bertie’s elder brother became King Edward VIII and Bertie became heir-presumptive to the throne. The new king was unmarried and involved with Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American. This relationship would soon bring about unheard-of events in the British monarchy. Failing to reach an agreement with the Government allowing to marry Mrs. Simpson, King Edward VIII abdicated on December 11, 1936, giving his famous “without the woman I love” speech on the radio. Upon Parliament’s passing of the Abdication Act, Bertie became the new King of the United Kingdom, taking the regnal name George VI, in honor of his father, and to stress the continuity of the British monarchy.  Bertie and Elizabeth’s coronation took place on May 12, 1937, at Westminster Abbey.

 Coronation Day 1937

Bertie and Elizabeth worked to restore the standing of the monarchy after the abdication and presented a united front along with their two daughters. They would face World War II without fleeing their country as many other monarchs did. Instead, they continued to be seen and toured war-damaged areas. While their daughters were safely in residence at Windsor Castle, Bertie and Elizabeth would continue working daily at Buckingham Palace. When it was suggested that the royal family leave the country for their safety during The Blitz, Elizabeth said, “The children will not leave unless I do. I shall not leave unless their father does, and the king will not leave the country in any manner whatever.” During The Blitz, Buckingham Palace and its grounds were bombed on sixteen separate occasions, nine of which were direct hits. Elizabeth felt solidarity with other Londoners who had been bombed, particularly the East End when she said, “I’m glad we have been bombed.  I feel I can look the East End in the face.”

 Bertie and Elizabeth inspecting bomb damage in London’s East End in 1941

After the war, their elder daughter Princess Elizabeth married Lt Philip Mountbatten (formerly Prince Philippos of Greece), and two of the four children of Princess Elizabeth were born, Charles in 1948 and Anne in 1950. On February 6, 1952, Bertie passed away at just 56 years old and their 25-year-old elder daughter became Queen Elizabeth II. Elizabeth, not liking the title Queen Dowager, and not wanting to be confused with her daughter, took on the title of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Devastated by the loss of her husband, The Queen Mother shied away from public duties for some time, until Winston Churchill convinced her that she was just as needed as always. She began to take on royal duties and appearances again. For the next 50 years, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother would be one of the most beloved members of the Royal Family and was particularly close to her eldest grandchild Charles.

 Princess Margaret, The Queen Mother, and Queen Elizabeth II on The Queen Mother’s 100th birthday

On March 30, 2002, less than a month after the death of her younger daughter Princess Margaret, The Queen Mother passed away at Royal Lodge, her home in Windsor Great Park. Her daughter Queen Elizabeth II and two of her grandchildren, the children of Princess Margaret, David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon and his sister Lady Sarah Chatto, were with her. At the time, she was the longest-lived member of the British Royal Family at age 101.  For The Queen Mother’s lying-in-state at Westminster Hall, her four grandsons, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, and Viscount Linley (now 2nd Earl of Snowdon) stood guard, repeating what the four sons of King George V did at his lying-in-state in 1936.

 Queen Mother’s Funeral Procession

 

After a funeral at Westminster Abbey, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother was buried in the George VI Chapel at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, beside her husband and the ashes of her daughter Margaret, and where her son-in-law Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh and daughter Queen Elizabeth II were later buried.

King George VI Memorial Chapel; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook page

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

United Kingdom Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • “King George VI Of The United Kingdom”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
  • Longford, Elizabeth. The Queen. 1st ed. New York: Knopf, 1983. Print.
  • “March 30, 2002 – Death Of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
  • “Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother”. En.wikipedia.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
  • Shawcross, William. Queen Elizabeth. 1st ed. London: Pan Books, 2010. Print.
  • “Wedding Of George VI And Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.
  • Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Prince Louis of Luxembourg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

Embed from Getty Images 

Prince Louis Xavier Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg, Prince of Nassau, Prince of Bourbon-Parma, was born August 3, 1986, at the Maternité Grand Duchess Charlotte Hospital in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. He is the third of the five children and third of the four sons of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista. Louis was christened on September 14, 1986. His godparents were:

Prince Louis as an infant, with his parents and elder brothers. photo: Cour grand-ducale

Prince Louis as an infant, with his parents and elder brothers.
photo: © Cour grand-ducale

Louis has four siblings:

Louis grew up at Fischbach Castle, his family’s home until his father’s accession in 2000 when they moved to Berg Castle. He began his primary education at the local school in Lorentzweiler followed by the American School of Luxembourg. He then completed his secondary education at Collège Beau Soleil in Switzerland, graduating in 2005. While studying in Switzerland, the Prince developed his interest in humanitarian work and through his school, participated in several missions, including one to India where he taught English to children in poor neighborhoods. Along with Luxembourgish, he is fluent in English, French, German, and Spanish. He also took an internship with the International Red Cross in Geneva.

photo © Cour grand-ducale / Christian Aschman

Tessy, Louis, and their sons; photo © Cour grand-ducale / Christian Aschman

It was during a visit to troops in Yugoslavia in 2004 that Prince Louis met his future wife, Tessy Antony. She was a member of the Luxembourg Army, on a mission connected to the NATO force in Kosovo. The couple had a son, Gabriel, born in March 2006. They married later that year, on September 26, 2006, in Gilsdorf, a small village in northeast Luxembourg. At the time of the wedding, Prince Louis relinquished his rights of succession, as well as that of any descendants. He retained his royal style and title, but his wife simply took on the surname ‘de Nassau’. A second son – Noah – was born in September 2007.  In 2009, Tessy was created HRH Princess Tessy of Luxembourg, and their sons were made HRH Prince Gabriel and HRH Prince Noah of Nassau.

Prince Louis with his sons, 2017. © Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco

The family lived in the United States for two years, before moving to London where Louis and Tessy studied at Richmond American University. They both received their Bachelor’s degrees in May 2014, Tessy in International Relations, and Louis in Communications. The Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg announced on January 18, 2017, that Prince Louis and Princess Tessy of Luxembourg plan to divorce.  Their divorce was granted on February 17, 2017, in London where they lived, and finalized on April 4, 2019. Tessy was then known as Tessy Antony de Nassau.

Prince Louis received a master’s degree in psychosocial studies at Birkbeck University in London. He then attended the Catholic University of Paris, studying to be a mediator, and received the international certificate issued by The Center for Effective Dispute Resolution. In 2020, Louis set up his own mediation company, SIBE Mediation, with three partners in Paris, France, merging the expertise of mediators with that of psychosocial and legal professionals.

On April 6, 2021, the Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg announced the engagement of Prince Louis of Luxembourg and Scarlett-Lauren Sirgue. Scarlett-Lauren is the daughter of Pierre Sirgue, a French lawyer specializing in health law, and Scarlett Berrebi, a French lawyer specializing in family law. Scarlett-Lauren was a lawyer in her parents’ law firm, and Louis worked as a mediator in the same law firm. Less than a year later, on February 22, 2022, the couple announced that they were amicably ending their four-year relationship. Louis and Scarlett-Lauren issued an official statement that said: “We have decided not to pursue our romantic relationship while remaining deeply bound by friendship and tenderness. It is a decision we have made together upon serious reflection.”

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Dining With The Royals

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2013

The Dining Room, Clarence House

The Dining Room, Clarence House

How about a nice meal with some of your favorite royals? No need to bring out the good china… just a good cookbook! Through the years, many foods and dishes have been named for royalty, and some have become rather well-known and can be found on menus and grocery store shelves around the world. How many of us have nibbled on a Marie biscuit – many without even knowing that they were named for Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, later the Duchess of Edinburgh, and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha? Or perhaps you enjoyed a snifter of Napoleon Brandy, not realizing it was a nod to the vertically-challenged Emperor himself?

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of foods named after royalty, ranging from soups and sauces to entreés and desserts. Whether you’re planning a formal, multi-course dinner or just a snack, it’s easy enough to bring some royalty to your meal. Below are just a few examples…

If you want to start simple, it could just be a matter of changing out your bread for a roll. A Kaiser roll, that is! As with many of the foods and dishes named for royals, there is some disagreement as to the exact source of the name. In doing some research, I’ve found some sources attributing them to Emperor (Kaiser) Franz Joseph I of Austria (1848-1916); others to Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (1765-1790); and even some as far back as Holy Roman Emperor Frederik III (1452-1493)!

photo: AxSoris.com

Veal Oscar.  photo: AxSoris.com

One of my favorite dishes is Veal Oscar. Sauteed veal with crabmeat and asparagus, topped with béarnaise sauce. Little did I realize, it was named for King Oscar II of Sweden. Turns out, it was made specifically for the King, combining several of his favorites into one meal. And to add possibly a second royal connection, many believe that Béarnaise sauce was named as a nod to King Henri IV of France, a native of the Béarn region of France.

 

photo: MyRecipes.com

Pizza Margherita.  photo: MyRecipes.com

Another favorite food of mine is pizza… any kind of pizza is good as far as I’m concerned. But I’m partial to Pizza Margherita. According to legend, in 1889 Queen Margherita of Italy was presented with three different kinds of pizza by a local pizza maker. She chose as her favorite the pie with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil – representing the colors of the Italian flag. It was quickly named Pizza Margherita in her honor. There has been research in the last few years which seems to debunk this legend, but who doesn’t love a good story? (and pizza!)

 

photo: BBC

Battenberg Cake.  photo: BBC

Moving on to a few desserts, let’s start with Battenberg Cake. It’s made by slicing long strips of cake (usually dyed yellow and pink) and stacking them in a checkerboard design, with a thin layer of jam between them. This is then all covered in marzipan. There are several stories as to the name of this tasty dessert. The cake was served at the wedding in 1884 of Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine to Prince Louis of Battenberg (later the Marquess and Marchioness of Milford-Haven, and grandparents of the Duke of Edinburgh). Many believe this is where the name originates. Others suggest the four squares of the cake were meant to represent the four Battenberg princes – Louis, Alexander, Henry, and Francis. There are many variations – I’ve seen them made with 25 squares, and often in colors or designs other than the traditional yellow and pink.

photo: C'est Doux

Charlotte Russe.  photo: C’est Doux

Do you prefer a custard? Charlotte Russe is just one of the hundreds of variations of Charlottes. The original would have been made with bread or cake, lined in a mold and then filled with a mix of fruit and custard. I grew up knowing it as Icebox Cake. Supposedly Charlotte Russe was created by a French chef, who had previously worked for King George IV of the United Kingdom, and currently worked for Tsar Alexander I. He named it for George IV’s daughter – Princess Charlotte of Wales – and also in reference to his current employer (‘russe’ being the French translation of ‘Russian’). It is made with Bavarian cream set in a mold lined with ladyfingers and often garnished with fresh fruit. A tasty alternative uses swiss rolls instead of ladyfingers and is referred to as a Charlotte Royale.

 

photo: Tastebook.com

Queen Mother’s Cake.  photo: Tastebook.com

Perhaps some chocolate is more to your liking? Then, Queen Mother’s Cake should be on your menu. In the 1950s, the famed pianist Jan Smeterlin, a close friend of The Queen Mother, had come across this recipe in Austria and made it for Her Majesty. She insisted on having the recipe and was known to serve this to guests at most of her homes. Made with just chocolate, sugar, eggs, almonds and salt, it’s a deliciously rich dessert, sure to satisfy even the sweetest of sweet-tooths!

Wilhelmina Peppermints

Wilhelmina Peppermints

And here is one of my favorites. In 1842, Willem Hendrik Fortuin started the Fortuin confectionery company in Dokkum, Netherlands. It quickly gained recognition when it developed what would become the DF peppermint – ‘the original English peppermint’. In 1892, to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, they developed a new peppermint candy. Imprinted with a portrait of Queen Wilhelmina, they named it the Wilhelmina Peppermint.

The first box of these new candies was presented to the Queen, who loved them. She later granted a royal warrant to the company, as Purveyor to the Queen. Fortuin retains that warrant to this day. Over the years, Fortuin has put out dozens of tins featuring photos of the royal family, usually in recognition of major events in the Dutch Royal Family. The most recent line of tins featured photos of the new King and Queen.

Growing up, my grandmother always had a tin of these which she would bring out when I would visit, and she would tell me stories about the Queen whose image was on the mints. I’d forgotten all about them until I began to write this article. Two days later, I received a package from a friend (and long-time member of Unofficial Royalty), who’d recently visited the Netherlands. In it was a Wilhelmina Pepermunts tin, much like the ones I remember from my childhood. Total coincidence, and an amazing surprise!

Who Knew?!

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.