Christmas-Christening at Bad Brleburg

On 26.12. the second Christmas Day little Konstantin Johannsmann, the son of Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and her husband Alexander Johannsmann was christened in the Chapelof Berleburg Castle. At the ceremony which was officiated by Berelburgs Pastor Claduia Latzel-Binder he received the names Konstantin Guzstav Heinirhc Richard. The godparents are Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Prince Gustav tzu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Ann-Kathrin Johannsmann. 

As the ceremony was privat there was no press present. 

http://www.siegener-zeitung.de/a/419050/KronprinzessinMaryistPatininBadBerleburg

† Countess Celia of Bismarck

Countess Celia of Bismarck, née Demaurex died on 17.12.2010 after short Ilnness at Genf at skincancer. From 1995 - 2004 she was married to Count Carl-Eduard of Bismarck the great-grandoson of the Iron Cancellor Otto von Bismarck.

http://www.bild.de/BILD/unterhaltung/royals/2010/12/19/celia-von-bismarck/tod-einer-himmlischen-krebs.html

A new Princess in the House Hohenlohe-Langenburg

Fürst Philipp and Fürstin Saskia zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg became the proud parents of a daughter last Tuesday. The little girl who was born at 4h11 at the Caritas Hosptial at bad Mergentheim weightes at birth  3780 gramm and is 53 cm tall.The couple has already 2 sons, Hereditary Prince Max Leopold  (5 years old) and Prince Gustrav who turn 4 in January. The little girl named Marita in honor of Fürst Philipp's great-aunt Princess Marita. The christening will probably take place next spring.
http://www.swp.de/crailsheim/lokales/land/art5509,737145

† Princess Irmingard of Bavaria

Princess  Irmingard of Bavaria passed away on Saturday 23.10.2010 at Leutstetten. The Princess was born on 29.05.1923 at Berchtsgaden as oldest daughter and second child of the last bavarian Crown Prince Rupprecht and his second wife Antonia, née Princess of Luxemburg. After her the couple got four more daughters. She spend her childhood in Berchtesgaden, Hohehenschwangau Castle and the Leuchtenberg Palais in Munich which where the homes of her parents. In 1940 she and her Family had to flly because of the National Sozialists. The princess lived the next 5 years near Florence. In 1944 first her mother and her sisters where arrested by the Gestapo and the Princess 2 months later.  There the Princess fell ill of Typhus. Only in February 1945 she was reunited with her Family when she was able to be transported to the KZ Flössenbürg. In 1950 Princess Irmingard married her first cousin Princess Ludwig of Bavria in a ceremony which took place at Nymphenburg Castle on 20.07.1950. They had one son prince Luitpold who runs one Bavaria's most successfull breweries Kaltenberg.

The Princess and her husband lived together at Leutstetten Castle outside of Munich. There Prince Ludwig passed away in October 2008 at the age of 95 and his widow followed him in death almost exactly 2 years later. The funeral will take place in private and a official Requiem is planned for 04. November at the Theatiner Church in Munich.

http://www.ovb-online.de/nachrichten/stars/irmingard-prinzessin-bayern-gestorben-zr-977627.html

Another Wedding in the House of Oldenburg

Only six Weeks after the Wedding of Duchess Tatiana of Oldenburg another Wedding took place id the Grand Ducal Family. Her cousin duchess Beatrix, older daughter of Duke Huno and his wife Fenita, married Sven von Storch. The civil marriage took place on the Castle of Eutin on 22. October. On the next day 23. October the oecumenuic religious Ceremony took palce at the Castle church of Eutin. Among the guest wher duke Friedrich August and Duchess Donata of Oldenburg
http://www.shz.de/nachrichten/lokales/ostholsteiner-anzeiger/artikeldetails/article/111/die-herzogin-heisst-jetzt-von-storch.html
http://www.ln-online.de/artikel/2871916

Wedding in the House of Ysenburg

The Wedding of Prince Ludwig zu Ysenburg and Büdingen and Chantal Toelle took place on 02.10.2010 at the Chapel of Glücksburg Castle. The groom is the younger son of the late Prince Ferdinand-Heinrich zu Ysenburg and Büdingen in Wächtersbach and his wiffe Elisabeth, née Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. The 35 yeatrs old bride comes from Hamburg but she works for a Bank at Frankfurt where the couple now lives. The oecumenical Wedding took place only 3 months after the Wedding of Ludwigs older brother Johann-Georg who married on 05.06. Dr. Stefanie Bittner. The reason that the Couple choose the chapel of Glücksburg Castleis that the grooms mother since the death of her husband lives and works at Glücksburg where she was born.

http://www.shz.de/nachrichten/lokales/flensburger-tageblatt/artikeldetails/browse/1/article/218/prinzenhochzeit-im-wasserschloss.html

religious Wedding of the Hereditary Prince zu Fürstenberg

The religious Wedding of Herediatrys Prince Christian zu Fürstenberg and Jeanette Griesel took place on Saturday 25.09.2010 at the San _Saklavatore Church at Lauro opposide of the Engelsburg at Rome. The couple had alread married in civil Ceremony on 16.09.

The Ceremony was officiated by the former Priest of Donaueschingen Hans-Peter Fischer. The guestes included the entire Families of the bridal Couple and also Fürst Albert of thurn and Taxis, Polf and Maryam Sachs, prince and Prince Erich Lobkowicz, Prince Albrecht of Hohenzollern and the Prince and Princess Ruffo di Calabria.

http://www.suedkurier.de/region/schwarzwald-baar-heuberg/donaueschingen/Fuerstliche-Traumhochzeit-am-Tiber-Ufer;art372512,4498361

http://www.suedkurier.de/storage/pic/region/schwarzwald-baar-heuberg/donaueschingen/2010/fuerstenberghochzeit160910/4949018_1_6A3FJ4C0.jpg

funeral of Fürst Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern

On Thursday 23.09.2010 the Requiem for the late Fürst Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern took place at the Hedinger Church at Sigmaringen. After the Service the coffin of the Fürst was brought in the cloister of the Church where he was later buried. The Service started at 11h00 CEST at lasted for about 2 hours. The first guests arrvied at the Church at around 10h00 CESt. Only the siblings and children of the late Fürst and their Families arrvied out of the public at the back of the Church. The Service was broadcasted outside on a big screen where the had build up benches for the population of Sigmaringen to folloew the Serive. After the Service all people could go inside the Church to play their last Respect to the Fürst.

Among the noble Guest who whre present where:

Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia,

Duke Carl, Duke Friedrich and Duke Ferdinand of Württemberg

Margrave Max, Margravine Valerie, Hereditary Prince Bernhard, Hereditary Princess Stephanie, Prince Leopold and Prince Michael of Baden

Landgrave Moritz of Hesse

Fürst Alexander zu Schaumbrug-Lippe

Archduke Joseph, Archduchess Maria and Archduke Michael of Austria

Duke Max and Duchess Elizabeth in Bavaria, Prince Leopold, Princess Ursula, Prince Manuel, Prince Adalbert and Princess Sandra of Bavaria

Prince Constantin of Liechtenstein

Prince Michael and Princess Dagmar of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

Fürt Kraft and Hereditary Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Oehringen

Hereditary Count Karl-Eugen and Hereditary Coutness Andrea of Neipperg

Hereditary Count Erich and Hereditary Countess Mathilde of Waldburg zu Zeil and Trauchburg

Fürst Albrt of Thurn and Taxis

Fürstin Heinrich and Fürstin Paula zu Fürstenberg

Prince Andreas and Princess Luise zu Hohenlohe-Langenbrug

Count Hans-Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach

Fürst Mariano Hugo zu Windisch-Graetz

Fürst Johann Friedrich zu Castell-Rüdenhausen and at last one of his brothers

Count Gustav zu Solms-Laubach

Count Alexander of Schönburg-Glauchau

Fürst Philipp zu Stolberg-Wernigerode

Prince Maximilian zu Ysenburg and Büdingen

Count Hans Veit zu Toerring-Jettenbach

Fürst Andreas and Fürstin Alexandra zu Leiningen

Prince Karl-Emich and Prince Isabelle zu Leiningen

Duke Borwin zu Mecklenburg

http://www.suedkurier.de/region/linzgau-zollern-alb/sigmaringen/-bdquo-Wegen-der-Menschen-tat-er-es-ldquo-;art372574,4494384
http://www.suedkurier.de/region/linzgau-zollern-alb/sigmaringen/Friedrich-Wilhelm-beerdigt;art372574,4494631
http://www.schwaebische.de/lokales/sigmaringen/sigmaringen_artikel,-Sechs-Foerster-tragen-den-Fuersten-zur-letzten-Ruhestaette-_arid,4163644.html
Gallery of my Pics

Noble Wedding at Alsfeld

On Saturday 18.09.2010 the ltttle hessian town Alsfeld in saw a noble Wedding the first time  since 50 years when Freiin Iris of Dörnberg married Prince Hubertus zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg at the Walpurgis Church there. The couple had already married in a civil Ceremony the day before in the Townhall of Alsfeld. On the Wedding day first Guests at the Church arrived short after 10 a clock, the groom and his Family arrived around 10 min. before the Service startet at 11h00 CEST. One of the last was the bride who arrived together with her father, Freiherr Jürgen of Dörnberg in an old Cadillac.They waited for a few mintues before the Church whre the old historc Veil of the bride was arranged and only they the last guests arrvied at Church including the grooms aunts, Archduchess maria of Austira with her husband Archduek Joseph, Fürstin Lioba zu Oettingen-Wallerstein and Lady Nicholas Windsor with her parents. After they where inside also the bride and her father entered the Church. The oecumenical Service (the bride is protestant, the groom catholic) was conducted by the brides cousin Pfarrer Dr. Burkhard von Dörnbeg and Deklan Stefan Reuffurth a good friend of the groom. The Service lasted for about one hour then the birdal Couple came out of the Church followed by their parents and other guests. After they had said Goodbye to the Pfarrer and the Dekan the entered the Cadeillac (from whom the had put back the roof so that it became an Cabriolet) together with the flower children.  Then they drove away to the Burg Herzberg the ancestral home of the brides Family where an Reception took place.
Among the guests who attended the Wedding where Archduke Joseph and Archduchess Maria of Austria, Archduke Michael and Archduchess Christiane of Austria, Fürstin Lioba zu Oettingen-Oettingen and Oettingen-Wallerstein,  Lady Nicholas Windsor with her son Leopold and Albert,  Fürst Ludwig zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg, Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia, Prince Friedrich Franz and Princess Susan of Prussia, the Fürst and Fürstin zu Ysenburg and Büdingen and many more.

Picture-Gallery

civil Wedding of the Hereditary Prince zu Fürstenberg

The civil Weddin of Hereditary Prince Christian zu Fürstenberg and Jeannette Griesel took place today at noon in the Park of Donaueschingen Castle. The marriage was conducted by the mayor of Donauschingen Thorsten Frei. The religious Wedding will take place on 25.09. in Rome.

Present at the Ceremony where Fürstin Heinrich, Fürstin Maximiliane, Fürstin Paula, Count Hubertus of Hardenberg and Atnoinette Bagusat, née Princess zu Fürtenberg. The witnesses where the grooms brother, Prince Antonius and a good friend of the bride. After the ceremony there was a dinner at Donaueschingen Castle. 

Later the new married Couple drove in the historc "Kaiserwagen" at the top of the Reitturnir-Festzug

http://www.suedkurier.de/region/schwarzwald-baar-heuberg/donaueschingen/Fuerstenberg-Prinz-gab-im-Schlossgarten-sein-Ja-Wort;art372512,4482738

Pcs from the civil Wedding
Pics from the Carriage Tour

† Fürst Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern

Fürst Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern died in the in the morning of 16.09.2010 at the age of 86 at Umkirch. He had already since a few years health-problems.

He was borin on 03.02.1924 as oldest son and 4th child of Fürst Friedrich of Hohenzollern and his wife Margarethe, née Princess of Saxony. After his studies in Freiburg and Genf he took over the adiminstration of the Family posessions.
In 1951 he married Princess Margarita zu Leiningen wo died in 1996. They had 3 sons together and the oldest Karl Friedrisch succeeds now als new Fürst.
http://www.schwaebische.de/lokales/sigmaringen/sigmaringen_artikel,-Friedrich-Wilhelm-Fuerst-von-Hohenzollern-ist-tot-_arid,4159670.html

Ducal Wedding at Eutin

On Saturday 11.09.2010 the citiy of Eutin saw a noble Wedding. Duchess Tatiana of Oldenburg married her french finacee, Comte Axel de Chavagnac at the Castlechurch. The bride is the younger daughter of Duke Johann and Duchess Ilka of Oldenburg and a great-granddaughter of the Oldenbrugs last ereigning Grand Duke Friedrich August. She was previously engaged in 2001 to prince Jean of France, duke of Vendôme but the engemengemnt wasd broken some time before the planned Wedding.  Her engagement to Comte Axel de Chavagnac was announced in Janaury 2010. 

The oecumenical Wedding took place at the Castlechurch of Wutin. As the bridal Couple had wished for a private Wedding the Area of the Castle was closed to the Public and only invited guests where led in. The SErvioce was lead by the former Propst of Eutin Dr. Horst Dreyer and Kaplan Oliver Maik who took over the catholic part of the Serice (the religion of the groom).

Among the guests where the brides sister Ardchduchess Eilika and her husband Archduke Georg of Austria wither her 3 children, Zsofia, Ildiko and Karl-Konstantin, who ehere flower-children, Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, Duke Friedrich August and Duchess Donata of Oldenburg, Count Konstantin of Schönborn and many more,

Article with photo: http://www.ln-online.de/artikel/2849512

Rosersbergs Slott

During nmy recent Stay in Stockholm i also made an Visit to Rosersberg Castle.By coincidenece it was the 21.08.2010 the day Jean Baptiste Bernadotte who used this Palace as Summer Residence was elected as swedish Crown Prince 200 years ago.

The Palace was statret to build in 1634 for the Lord High Treasurer Gabriel Bengtsson Oxenstierna, It got his name after the mother of it'Äs founder who came from the Tre Roser Family. In the second half of the 17th Century the Palace was modernized in the Barocque Style. In 1747 the Palace was bought by Baron Erland Broman who again mordernized it. After his death 10 years later it was bought by the swedish State who oput it at the disposal of Prine Karl, Duke of Södrmanland, the youngest brother of King Gustaf III. Prince Karl succeeded as King Karl XIII. after his nephew King Gustaf IV. Aolf had to abdicate in 1809. Later it was used by his adopted son King Carl XIV. Johan and his wife Queen Désirée who spend their summer there. They where the last members of the Royal family who used the Palace. It was later used by the swedish Infantry and until 1961 was a school of musketry. Now the Palace is open to the Public from June till August every year.

Another generation for the Island Mainau

Count Christian Bernadotte af Wisborg and his wife Christine, née Stoltmann have become parents of a son. Little Count Benedikt Maximilianw as born on 10.08.2010.
Count Christian is the younger son of the late Count Lennart Bernadotte af Wisborg and his second wife Sonja, née Haunz. Last year his engagment to Christine Stoltmann was announced. The couple married in a civil ceremony on 22.05.. The relgious cermeony who was planned for August was postponed to a later date.
http://www.focus.de/panorama/boulevard/leute-nachwuchs-auf-der-blumeninsel-mainau_aid_540299.html

second son for the Hereditary Princely Couple of Bentheim-Tecklenburg

Hereditary Princess Marissa zu Bentheim-Tekclenburg gave birth to her second son yesterday at the Evangelic Hospital Lippstadt. The little Prince whose full name is Carl-Emil Maximilian Moritz-Casimir Arnold weighted 3395 gramms and is 53 cm tall. He is the fourth child of the couple after Moritz (* 2003) Louise (* 2005) and Amalia (* 2007). http://www.die-glocke.de/gl/cgi/news/shownews.php?id=22294

Diamond Wedding in the House of Bentheim-Steinfurt

TSH Fürstin Christian and Fürtin Sylvia zu Bentheim and Steinfurt celebrated their Diamond Wedding on 07. August 2010. On this occasion the local Newspaper ruhnachrichten published a Serie of Articles of the Wedding 60 years ago.

Die Hochzeit der Königskinder
Es waren zwei Königskinder
Sie war auch ein Mädchen im gestreiften Pulli
Photos from the Wedding in 1950
Guestlist from the Wedding
Interview with the diamond Couple

Golden Wedding at Altshausen

On Saturday 24.07.2010 Duke Carl and Duchess celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary with an special Service in the Castle Church St. Michael at Altshausen. After the Service a reception for all people of Altshausen took place at the recently opend Gallery in the Alte Remise of the Castle.
Present where all 5 children of the Couple with their spouses and children. They only who was not present was Duchess Fleur who is expecting her third these days. There where all some other Guests present but they walked direct from the Castle to the Church and also back after the Service so they could not seen from the public. I could recognize Duke Max and Duchess Elizabeth in Bavaria and 2 sisters of Duke Carl (but not sure whioch ones).

The children and grandchildren leaving the Castle

in front: Duke Carl Theodor with his sister Duchess Anna
and Duchess Sophie-Dorothée


after them: Duchess Marie, Duke Friedrich
and Duke Wilhelm

Duchess Julia, Duke Michael, Hereditary Countess
Mathilde and Hereditary Count Erich

Duke Eberhard with Duchess Sophie

The last where the Jubilee Couple
Duke Carl and Duchess Diane


At the sideentrance they where greeted by the Priest
and had to wait a little bit until the Procession in the Church was formed

The Mass lasted for 1 1/2 hours. In the meatime it had started to rain again but luckily when the Mass had ended it was only a little bit rain.

After the Couple came the grandchildren.
Here Duke Carl Thedor and Duke Wihelm


followed by their sisters and cousins


Duke Friedrich and Duchess Marie followed by
Hereditary Count Erich and Hereditary Countess Mathilde


Hereditary Countess Mathilde and Hereditary Count Erich behind
them Duchess Julia, Duchess Marie Caroline and Duke Eberhard

The children and grandchildren went back into the Castle but Duke Carl and Duchess Diane went to the Gallery in the Alte Remise where a reception took place. Some of the local organisations made dances and music there.

Rosenau Castle

Rosenau Castle and Park was bought in 1805 by Duke Franz Friedrich Anton of Saxe-Coburg- Saalfeld. He gave it to his son and successor Duke Ernst I. who used it as Summer Residence. From 17806-1817 it was rebuild in the newgothic stye and the Parc was remodelled in the english style.

It was here that on 10.08.1819 prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the younger son of Duke Ernst I. was born. he later married his cousin Queen Victoria of Great Britain. It was later often visited by him and his wife and also after his death Queen Victoria sometimes stayed at the Castle. Duke Ernst II. the successor of Duke Ernst I. didn't use the Castle and let his nephew and successor Duke Alfred the use of it. Duke Alfred died in 1900 at the Cavallery House at the Rosenau. In 1920 the Estate was taken over by the Coburger Ladesstiftung but the daughters of Duke Alfred had use of it until 1938. After the second Wiorld War it was used as Residence for Seniores of Coburg. Only in 1972 it was bought by the State Bavaria who renovated it and since 1990 it is open for Visitors.

The Marble Hall

The Lions fountain

The Cavalliers House