Messages

46

Iberian Royal Families / Re: Fernando VII of Spain and his family

« on: September 08, 2008, 10:09:42 AM »

I read that she turned lead black soon after death, a sign of poisoning. Also there seem to be enough people wanted to see the barren queen goes, as she spent more time with her rosary than in the marriage bed. Maria Cristina (who ultimately became the next queen)'s sister was thought to be a suspect...

Well, Queen Maria Cristina's sister Luisa Carlota was terrible; even Maria Cristina feared her. And it is likely that Luisa Carlota wanted to get rid of Maria Josepha, but we don't know for sure if she really had anything to do with her death. In any case, they were cousins: Maria Josepha was a granddaughter of Maria Amalia, while Luisa Carlota was a granddaughter of Maria Carolina.

47

Iberian Royal Families / Re: Fernando VII of Spain and his family

« on: September 06, 2008, 02:18:42 PM »

I read somewhere that she was suspected to have been poisoned because she was barren ?

Yes, but it was just a rumour. It has never been proven.

48

Iberian Royal Families / Re: Fernando VII of Spain and his family

« on: August 27, 2008, 12:46:15 PM »

I read that King Ferdinand VII of Spain was very pleased with Maria Josepha of Saxony's looks and used to write very sweet love letters to her.

49

French Royals / Re: Count and Countess de Chambord

« on: August 25, 2008, 12:26:07 PM »

She was ugly ?

According to what I've read, she was not very attractive.

50

Iberian Royal Families / Re: Duke Miguel of Braganza and his family

« on: August 18, 2008, 10:33:24 AM »

The authors of historical novels may allow themselves to everything. They mix fiction and reality and attribute to real personages some adventures totally invented.

Not only authors of historical novels but, unfortunately, some authors of historical books sometimes also do it. For instance, recently I had the opportunity to meet a royal author - I'm not going to tell the name - and pointed out some inaccurate things I found in a book this person wrote. The author (who is an historian, not a novelist) didn't seem to care and I was a bit surprised when I heard the reply: "Nevermind. I'm an author so I'm allowed to write whatever I want."

51

Italian Royal Families / Re: Duke Roberto I of Parma, and his family of 24 children

« on: August 11, 2008, 11:00:44 AM »

I remember reading that Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, was originally supposed to marry one of Alice's elder sisters (I don't remember which one though) but, when he met Alice, he liked her so much that he decided to marry her instead of her sister.

52

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Princess Ileana of Romania,her life and family

« on: July 31, 2008, 10:39:39 AM »

There are others who disagree ...

John Wimbles is an expert on the Edinburghs, he has written wonderful and well-researched articles on the family so I tend to believe him.

53

Balkan Royal Families / Re: Princess Ileana of Romania,her life and family

« on: July 30, 2008, 10:53:00 AM »

as for Elisabetha, she had few redeeming qualities. She was a nymphomaniac.

John Wimbles' article does not state that Elisabeta was a nymphomaniac. However, it states that, for all her faults, she loved Romania.

54

French Royals / Re: Queen Marie Antoinette

« on: July 04, 2008, 06:16:06 AM »

Thanks for the links, Mari. They're very interesting.

Marie Thérèse wrote to her aunt Marie Carolina that her mother often spoke of her loved her more than any of her sisters.

I remember reading that, after Marie Antoinette's death, Maria Carolina wrote that she considered her duty to take care of Marie Therese and raise her as one of her own daughters.

Yes...I wonder if the corresponmces have survived (especially of Maria Amalia, whom we knew so little). The letters between the sisters would have made a good book. 

There are several letters by Maria Carolina and Maria Amalia which haven't been published yet unfortunately. I still don't understand why there isn't a good biography of Maria Carolina, since she was one of the most fascinating personalities of her era.

55

The Hohenzollern / Re: Princess Alexandra of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

« on: July 04, 2008, 05:56:23 AM »

Sandra was more wealthy as she was never in exile (all three other sisters were exiled during part of their lives).

And here's where Sandra's greed comes into play: after the Russian Revolution, Marie Alexandrovna went bankrupt and Sandra refused to help her, leaving the task to her sisters.

56

The Hohenzollern / Re: Princess Alexandra of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

« on: June 27, 2008, 07:13:17 AM »

Around the time of the Duchess of Coburg's death, Alfonso and Beatrice were not well off and their correspondence with some relatives confirm this. They inherited the large estate at Sanlucar de Barrameda several years later, when they returned to Spain.

57

The Hohenzollern / Re: Princess Alexandra of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

« on: June 25, 2008, 02:58:03 AM »

Was Bee the poorest? Prior to the Spanish Revolution (and Marie died in 1920), I would've thought that she was well off since she was married to the eldest son of the Infanta Eulalia--who, along with her husband, was a prime beneficiary of several large wills.

Alfonso and Beatrice were well-off before their exile from Spain in 1916, when they had to move to Switzerland. There they lived with financial difficulties until 1923, when they were finally allowed to return to Spain.

58

The Hohenzollern / Re: Princess Alexandra of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

« on: June 24, 2008, 10:32:03 AM »

Indeed. Their marriage was a love match.

59

The Habsburgs / Re: Help with Photo Identification, Question or Caption

« on: June 19, 2008, 02:23:04 AM »

I am allmost sure that this is a portrait of Duchess Maria Josepha von Baden-Baden,born Princess of Bavaria...

This princess is known as Maria Anna Josepha, not Maria Josepha.

60

The Windsors / Re: Princess Charlotte, George IV's daughter

« on: June 14, 2008, 02:21:49 PM »

I'd like to know what her relationship was like with her grandmother, Queen Charlotte. Does anybody know?