Messages

181

Iberian Royal Families / Re: The children of Alfonso XIII of Spain

« on: July 25, 2005, 12:26:52 PM »

I know that before the fall of the Spanish monarchy, she and her sister were supposed to marry their cousins Alvaro and Alonso, the sons of Baby Bee, but that never happened.

182

The Stuarts of Scotland / Re: Stuart portraiture

« on: July 25, 2005, 12:12:54 PM »

Does anyone have a portrait of Mary Beatrice of Modena, the second wife of King James II?

183

Iberian Royal Families / Re: Spanish Habsburg Queens

« on: July 20, 2005, 08:34:05 PM »

Cymburgis of Masovia, Piast princess through whom the condition was brought into the Habsburg family. As the mother of Emperor Frederick III she became the ancestor of all later Habsburgs, as only his line of the family survived.
The famous Habsburg lip was a particular physical characteristic of most members of the family for many generations until the 18th century.  It can even be recognized in some of her distant descendants today, yet not quite as strongly.

Although Cymburga of Masovia is said to have introduced into the family the characteristic jaw, she was also said to be a great beauty. Her husband, duke Ernest I of Austria, was passionately in love with her.
It is also said that Cymburga was so strong that she could hammer a nail into a board with her bare hands.

184

Iberian Royal Families / Re: Spanish Habsburg Queens

« on: July 20, 2005, 12:00:31 PM »

I wonder why the family also married their uncles and nieces that sounds near to incest no wonder some of them had something wrong with them

Wasn't Marghareta of Austria also the aunt of her husband Philip III?

Margarita of Austria was not Philip's aunt, but his cousin. Their respective grandparents, Emperor Ferdinand I and Emperor Charles V were brothers.

Maybe you're confusing King Philip III's wife with another Margarita of Austria, who was indeed Philip III's aunt. She was the youngest sister of the King's mother, Anne of Austria, and was a nun in Madrid.

Why did the family members marry among them? It wasn't for pleasure or love, but for political reasons. They wanted to keep their inheritance from rival dynasties (Bourbons, etc), so they began to intermarry more and more frequently among themselves. It's ironic that eventually this inbreeding brought the extinction of the male line of the Habsburgs and their inheritance passed to the Bourbons, which was what the Habsburgs feared and wanted to avoid!

185

Iberian Royal Families / Re: Alfonso de Orleans, Infante of Spain and Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

« on: June 23, 2005, 10:40:29 AM »

In an interview from 1999, Infanta Beatriz, the eldest daughter of Alfonso XIII, shared several childhood memories. She also remembered her aunts, Infanta Eulalia as very charming and funny, and Beatrice of Edinburgh, as deeply religious.

186

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: The Curse of Hesse

« on: June 19, 2005, 12:26:07 PM »

And don't forget the death of the haemophiliac prince Friedrich (1873), and the murders of grand duchess Ella, empress Alexandra and her family (1918). Four of Princess Alice's seven children died in tragic circumstances and of her fifteen grandchildren, ten died tragically too! So yes, I would say there was a curse. At least for Princess Alice's descendants.  

187

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: Elizabeth (daughter of Ernie)

« on: June 14, 2005, 09:07:35 PM »

I am sorry for the misunderstanding.
Well, I just wanted to express my astonishment about the question, how the Duchess might have reacted when being informed about her own grandchild's death, with some cutting irony.
Sorry for confusing you!
In Germany one says: strange questions demand strange answers.  

Well, of course the Duchess must have felt very bad. That's not what I asked. I was asking about something more specific, i.e. quotes by her or members or her family.

188

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Princess Elizaveta of Romania, spouse of King George II of Greece

« on: June 13, 2005, 09:32:48 PM »

Yes, although nasty and selfish, I think she had a beautiful face. I guess that's why King George II of Greece fell in love with her.

189

The Hesse-Darmstadts (Hesse and by Rhine) / Re: Elizabeth (daughter of Ernie)

« on: June 13, 2005, 09:27:53 PM »

Does anyone know what was Marie, Duchess of Edinburgh's reaction to her little granddaughter's death?

190

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Princess Elizaveta of Romania, spouse of King George II of Greece

« on: June 12, 2005, 11:03:09 AM »

was she the owner of the Elizabeth palace?

Thanks Tampabay!

Yes, I read that the Elisabeta Palace was built for her in 1936. It was a gift from her brother, King Carol II, if I'm not mistaken. Anyway soon after she left Bucharest and went to live to the castle of Banloc near Timisoara.

191

The Greek Royal Family / Re: King Constantine I & Queen Sophie (nee Prussia)

« on: June 08, 2005, 11:53:15 AM »

Does anyone have information about Queen Sophie's relationship with Queen Victoria? Was Sophie a favorite granddaughter to the Queen or just another one?

192

The Greek Royal Family / Re: King Georg II & Queen Elisabeth

« on: June 08, 2005, 11:49:46 AM »

I read somewhere that Elisabeta was an acomplished musician and painter. Does anyone know more about this?