The Royal Burial Ground at Haga

The Royal Burial Ground at Haga lies on a small island in the Haga Park in Solna, just outside of Stockholm. It was created in the early 1920's and the first member who was buried there was Crown Princess Margaretha whio had died in 1920. Since then several members of the swedish Royal Family have been buried there. Next Saturday (16-01.2013) Princess Lilian, the widow of Prince Bertil who has died yesterday will be buried there. The Burial Ground is open to the Public in May on Sunday and from June-August on Thurday. When i was in Stockholm in August 2010 i visited it also. Since then one more Grave has added. In May 2012 Count Carl Johan Bernadotte af Wisborg, the youngest son of King Gustaf VI. Adolf died and a new Grave was added for him between the Grave of his parents and his brother Prince Bertil.

In a row there are the graves of this Family members

Grave of King Gustaf VI. Aolf (1882-1973), Crown princess Margareta, née Princess
of Great Britain (1882-1920) and Queen Louise, née Lady Mountbatten (1889-1965)

Grave of Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland (1912-1997)

Grave of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland (1861-1951) and his wife Princess Ingeborg, Duchess
of Västergötland, née Princess of Denmark (1878-1958)

Their son Prince Carl Bernadotte (1911-2003) was also buried in this grave in 2003

Grave of Count Sigvard Bernadotte af Wisborg (1907-2004) 
The gravestone has already the inscription of his third wife and
widow Countess Marianne Bernadotte af Wisborg

A bit to the side on a little hill there is the grave of the parents of the present King

Grave of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten (1906-1947) and Princess Sibylla,
Duchess of Västerbotten, née Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1908-1972)

Behind it there is a big stone cross

Grand Ducal Wedding in Luxemburg - religious Wedding

Early in the morning of the Wedding Day i meet with Ken from the UK who stayed in the same Hotel the i did and then we went to the Cathedral together where  we arrived short before 8h00. There we also meet Eric from Belgium. As it turned out there where already quiet a lot of people there so we could not stand in the first row but luckily i had brought something to stand on with me so i had still a good sight. Already quiet early the buses with the first guest arrived. One of the first who came where guests from the german houses among the Margrave and Margravine of Baden with their son Bernhard and daughter-in-law Stephanie, Prince Georg Friedroch of Prussia who arrived woth his siter-in-law Katharina and her husband Archduke Martin of Austria-Este. And also the Duke and Duchess in Bavaria and lot more. Later the Military came and stood in a row near the church entrance. Unfortunately it turned out that direct before us the Military band was standing . Around 10h00 the membes of the luxemburgian Goverment and other officials arrived by fot. The a bus come with all the other european heirs who attended the Wedding. They all had to walk over a street before coming to the red carpet. After them the most important guests arrived. As they arrived in single cars and where droven direct to the start of the red carpet it was now more difficult to see them and make pictures of them. As the last arrived Grand Duke Henri together with Mrs Lydia de Schaetzen, a sister of the late Comtesse Alix de Lannoy. Then the groom with his beaming mother Grand Duchess Maria Teresa came. Next where the bridesmaids Princess Alexandra of Luxemburg and Antonia Hamilton a niece of the bride. After them a car came with the flower children. And then finally car with bride and her oldest brother Comte Jean de Lannoy arrived. After coming out out the car the walked up the red carpet to the entrance of the Cathedral where the where greeted by the Archbishop of Luxemburg. And now the long waiting startet. At first we had gthought about goin to he Palace to see the balcony appearance of the bridal couple after the Wedding ceremony but as we didn't know how many people where already there we decided to stay at the Church. After the very long Service which lasted for almost 2 hgours the bridal couple finally come out and went down the red carpet to their waiting car which brought them back to the palce. Afterwards Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa left followed by the foreign royal guests. After the most imprtant guests had left the other guests walked to the Palce and where not driven with cars. We then also left and meet again with Hein from the Netherlands. We also went to the Palace to see what was going on there and could see that some guests already left the Palace agin. We then decied to seek for a place where we could drink and eat something. In the evening we had another look at the back of the Palace to see what was going on there.

My Pics

Grand Ducal Wedding in Luxembourg - civil Wedding

On Friday i went to the Place Guillaume II. where the Town Hall is located and arrived there at short before14h00. There i meet again with Netty and Ken from the UK and also with Henriette and Josée from the Netherlands. Luckily i got a place in the first row. Later small school children with their teachers got places before us but they where no problem for us. Before the arrival of the Grand Ducal Family images from the Life of the bridal Couple where shown on the big screen which was errected there. Short before 15h390 they Grand Ducal family with the bridal couple and the brides siblings left the Grand Ducal Palace and walked the short distance. The bridal couple greeted the small children and talke with the people. Then they went in the Town Hall where the where married in a civil ceremony which lasted for about 30 min. After they went out they bridal couple again took theirtime and looked at the paintings the school children had brought with them. Unfortunately for us the children before us had nothing specielllike the children opposide so they went to them instead. They really took their time with it.

Later in the afternoon we meet at the Chocolate House opposide the Grand Ducal Palace where we meet Katrin who lives in Luxembrug. Together we waited for the guests to arrive for the gala Dinner in the evening. We could see several of them arriving among them the entire belgian royal family, Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima, the norwegian Royal Family and much more. As it was to dark i could not make good pictures. Later i had dinner together with Netty, Hein and Ulrike both had arrived later that day at the Place d'Armes. Suddenly we noticed several nobles guests coming out of the Cercle a building at the Place d'Armes among them lots of german nobles.

more of my pics

Grand Ducal Wedding in Luxemburg - preparations.

As many other Royal Watchers i travelled last week to the Grach Duchy of Luxemburg to witness the Wedding hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Comtesse Stéphanie de Lannoy. After some hours of travekl with the train i arrived there on Thursday afternoon. I first went into the City to have a look on the Church and the Town Hall where the civil Wedding was to take place the next day.

Decoration at the Place d'Armes

some Shopwindows where decorated with  a picture
of the bridal Couple and the lucemburgian flag

preparations at the Cathedral

peparations at the back entrance of the Grand Ducal Palace

In the evening i meet with Netty from the Netherlands who had arrived that evening and we went to have dinner together. In the next morning i went to the national Museum of History and Art and visited there the  exhibtion about the Silver Treasur of the Grand Ducal Family. Afterwars i came across the Palace and i came just in time to see the bridal Couple leaving for the Reception in the Grand Theater which was to take place this morning.

the Cathedral on Friday morning

The bridal Couple leaving to the Reception at the Grand Theater.