7 Cardinal Virtues

[grandduchessella]

To correlate with alixaannencova's very interesting thread on sins, perhaps one of the 7 cardinal virtues. I'm sure it won't be nearly as much fun as the other but might be worth a whirl  :

Chastity
Temperance
Charity
Diligence
Forgiveness
Kindness
Humility

Chastity--Princess Beatrice, at least longer than many of her contemporaries. The recent bio on Princess Beatrice wrote in detail about the length Queen Victoria went to keep anything for corrupting her chaste daughter. There was to not be talk of romance, marriage and, especially, childbearing around her delicate daughter. I can also think of several princesses/archduchesses who took early vows as nuns.

Charity--Princess Mary Adelaide and Grand Duchess Elizabeth come to mind here. Mary Adelaide achieved great popularity due to her various charitable endeavors. Grand Duchess Elizabeth devoted her post-widowed life to serving the poor of Moscow. The Schleswig-Holstein princesses--Helena, Helena Victoria (Thora), Marie Louise all devoted themselves to charities throughout their lives. Marie Louise was still attending functions of her various charities until shortly before her death.

Diligence--Queen Mary comes to mind here. Certainly few royals of any era devoted themselves more towards the carrying out of their duties. Also George V who was signing documents almost up until the moment he died. He also handed out medals while laying in his field hospital bed.

Forgiveness--Again, Grand Duchess Elizabeth--granting forgiveness to the assassin of her husband.

Kindness--Queen Alexandra was renowned for the kindness she showed to almost all those who crossed her path.

Humility--Princess Helen of Romania (and Greece) suffered a good deal at her husband's hands but led a decent and retiring life (when she could've really made a press play and capitalized on the sympathy she got from many) and devoted herself to her son

[alixaannencova]

Diligence - Elizabeth II (She appears very diligent in putting her duties as monarch above and beyond anything else! I imagine she will go down in history as such too! Mignon too, I think she did very well as a widowed mother in particular! Franz Joseph of Austria was also an absolute slave to his duties too wasn't he? I think he deserves the nod too!

Charity - Queen Alexandra (I remember reading how she dished out the lolly so generously that it caused alarm bells to go off on occassion. I believe she kept a stash of readies available in her private apartments and was known to dip in to it for worthy causes and begging letters, that no doubt tore at her heartstrings!

Humility - Queen Louise of Sweden (So down to earth and thoroughly natural! I love the idea of a card in the handbag with her name on it! By the way does she have a thread of her own?

I am still thinking of more for both threads! Can anyone think of candidates for temperance, except for Ella, Princess Andrew and co?

 

[Laura_]

Queen Marie: charity, kindness, forgiveness.

[alixaannencova]

Abstinence/Humility/Charity - Maud of Noway (She was so self disciplined in maintaining her figure for all those decades! Surely she must have had to abstain from self indulgences many times! Beneath that rather delicate and gentle exterior, I suspect there was a certain degree of steel. Her championing of the plight of unmarried mothers reveals a remarkably far sighted degree of Charity too. Maud also seemed to put Karl and Norway first in so many ways, never seeking praise for herself or her own efforts, her quiet dutiful stance echoes Humility.

Charity - Christian X of Denmark (An undeniable example of Charity in its Courage form! He really was such a brave man! I think his actions during the war quite wonderful!
   

 

[emeraldeyes1969]

Abstinence/Humility/Charity - Maud of Noway (She was so self disciplined in maintaining her figure for all those decades! Surely she must have had to abstain from self indulgences many times!

Or would that be mere vanity? 

As regards chastity, I'm not sure that list is going to have many names on it!    Certainly no Princes of Wales are going to qualify.

I can also think of several princesses/archduchesses who took early vows as nuns.

No doubt because they were so chaste that they had not an inkling of what they were going to be missing out on.

[Grace]

Perhaps it wasn't self-discipline or vanity?  Perhaps Maud was simply blessed with a slender figure, as her sisters and brothers seemed to be also. 

[Prince_Lieven]

As regards chastity, I'm not sure that list is going to have many names on it!    Certainly no Princes of Wales are going to qualify.

Well, George V was pretty chaste both as Prince of Wales and King.

Perhaps Maud was simply blessed with a slender figure, as her sisters and brothers seemed to be also.

People like that are so irritating, aren't they Grace?? 

[grandduchessella]

Maud worked very hard all throughout her life to maintain her figure--I think she would fall under the diligence label for that.

I don't think George V was very chaste if he produced 6 children!  He also wasn't chaste before his marriage, while he was no big playboy either.

[Janet_W.]

I would agree that George V could not be considered chaste during his years with the navy. But once he married he apparently did remain faithful, and--to quote a rather handy online resource--Wikipedia states that "some do consider sexually active married couples to be chaste if they have relations only with each other."   

[Prince_Lieven]

But once he married he apparently did remain faithful, and--to quote a rather handy online resource--Wikipedia states that "some do consider sexually active married couples to be chaste if they have relations only with each other."   

That's what I was thinking of, it's not a word I use in every day conversation, sorry for the mix up of meaning!