Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 143

Maria Anna of Bavaria – An Archduchess in the shadows

Maria Anna of Bavaria was born on 8 December 1574 in Munich as the daughter of William V, Duke of Bavaria and Renata of Lorraine. She was their fourth child, but she would be the first surviving daughter of her parents. Six more siblings would follow, of whom four survived to adulthood. Her elder brother Maximilian was her father’s successor as Duke, and he later also became Elector of Bavaria.

Maria Anna’s mother Renata was known to be “a most learned woman among Duchesses”, and she set an example for her daughters. On top of traditional female handwork, Maria Anna and her sister Magdalene learned French and Latin. Magdalene was known to have also learned Italian, Spanish and history, so it is possible that Maria Anna had similar knowledge. Both sisters were later noted for playing important roles in defining Catholic court culture as well as being important figures in the diplomatic arena.1

On 23 April 1600, Maria Anna married her first cousin Ferdinand, Archduke of Inner Austria at Graz Cathedral. Over the years, she gave birth to seven children, of whom four would survive to adulthood, including her husband’s successor, Ferdinand. Maria Anna was known to be very pious, and she attended mass several times a day.

Maria Anna was ill for quite some time with something described as a “fever.” She died on 8 March 1616 at the age of 41 – and just two years after the birth of her last child – at Graz. Her husband would become Holy Roman Emperor just three years later, and he remarried to Eleonora Gonzaga in 1622. Maria Anna was buried in the Graz Mausoleum.

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Statue of Diana, Princess of Wales unveiled

Prince William and Prince Harry have unveiled a statue of their mother, Diana Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace on what would have been her 60th Birthday.

The unveiling took place at a small family event attended by Diana’s siblings: The Earl Spencer, The Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and The Lady Jane Fellowes, in addition to the Statue Committee, the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, garden designer Pip Morrison and Chair of Historic Royal Palaces, Rupert Gavin.

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The figure of Diana, Princess of Wales is surrounded by three children who represent the universality and generational impact of The Princess’ work. The portrait and style of dress was based on the final period of her life as she gained confidence in her role as an ambassador for humanitarian causes and aims to convey her character and compassion.

Beneath the statue is a plinth engraved with her name and the date of the unveiling. In front of the statue is a paving stone engraved with an extract after the poem The Measure of A Man which featured in the programme for the 2007 memorial service for The Princess:

“These are the units to measure the worth

Of this woman as a woman regardless of birth.

Not what was her station?

But had she a heart?

How did she play her God-given part?”

Prince William and Prince Harry said, “Today, on what would have been our Mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better. Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy. Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive.”

The sculptor, Ian Rank-Broadley said, “Diana, Princess of Wales was an icon who touched the lives of people right around the world, so it has been a privilege to work alongside Prince William and Prince Harry on this statue which commemorates her life. We wanted to capture her warmth and humanity while showcasing the impact she had across generations.  I hope that people will enjoy visiting the statue and the Sunken Garden, and taking a moment to remember The Princess.”

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Looking back at Diana, Princess of Wales’s last birthday

This year would’ve marked Diana, Princess of Wales’s 60th birthday, but unfortunately, it was not to be. Diana was tragically killed in a car accident in Paris just two months after her 36th birthday.

Her brother, who was with her the night of her last birthday, later spoke of that night at her funeral. He said, “The last time I saw Diana was on July 1, her birthday in London, when typically she was not taking time to celebrate her special day with friends but was guest of honour at a special charity fundraising evening. She sparkled, of course.”

Earlier that day, she had received around 90 bouquets of flowers and had spent some time writing thank-you cards for them. She was cheered by a phone call from Prince Harry, who had gathered his classmates around the phone to sing Happy Birthday to her.

Diana and her brother attended the fundraising gala in London’s Tate Gallery sponsored by Chanel, where she was the guest of honour. She wore an emerald and diamond necklace and black-beaded lace evening made by Jacques Azagury, who had given it to her as a surprise earlier that day. The designer later told Hello Magazine, “Diana loved it. I believe she had another dress to wear but ended up wearing mine.”

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As she arrived, she was showered with birthday gifts from waiting fans, which she smilingly accepted. Earlier that day, her hairstylist had asked her if she planned to drink some champagne to celebrate her birthday, to which Diana had replied, “I never drink alcohol. There’s been too much of it in my family. I am spending the evening of my birthday in a room full of people I don’t know and don’t even like. The only person there that I know will be my brother. What a way to enjoy my birthday!”1

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New design for the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace revealed ahead of statue unveiling

Ahead of the unveiling of the new statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, today at Kensington Palace, the new design for the Sunken Garden, where the statue will stand, has been revealed.

The layout and planting scheme has been designed by Pip Morrison and was created by the Gardens and Estates team at Historic Royal Palaces, led by Deputy Head of Gardens and Estates, Graham Dillamore. The planting design features several of Diana’s favourite flowers, like forget-me-nots and various spring and summer blooms in pastel shades.

Click to view slideshow.

The work on the new design began in October 2019, and since then, five gardeners – led by Graham Dillamore – have spent a total of 1000 hours working on planting.

Pip Morrison, who designed the new layout of the garden, said, “This has been a very special project to work on, as the Sunken Garden was a favourite place of Diana, Princess of Wales.  We have worked carefully to ensure that the new layout and planting scheme compliments the statue, providing a calming place for people who visit Kensington Palace to remember The Princess.”

Graham Dillamore, Deputy Head of Gardens and Estates at Historic Royal Palaces, said, “While she was in residence at Kensington Palace, Diana, Princess of Wales regularly admired the changing floral displays in the Sunken Garden and would always stop to talk with me and the other gardeners who cared for it.

“Over three decades later, I’m honoured to have been part of the team preparing the garden for the installation of this statue. We’ve incorporated a number of the Princess’s favourite flowers into the design, and I hope that visitors to the palace and gardens will enjoy its peaceful setting, and take a moment to reflect on the life and legacy of the Princess.”

The garden and statue of Diana, Princess of Wales will be free to view during the opening hours of Kensington Palace.

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Book review: Tea with Hitler: The Secret History of the Royal Family and the Third Reich by Dean Palmer

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The story of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s (suspected) involvement with the Nazis has been told time and time again. True, they went on a ‘state visit’ to Germany in 1937, which probably wasn’t the brightest idea, but there is little hard evidence for actual treason. Nevertheless, the rumours have continued to haunt them, and it is no surprise that they ended up on the cover of this book with the catchy title, “Tea with Hitler: The Secret History of the Royal Family and the Third Reich.”

Most of “Tea with Hitler” focuses on the former German royals and their roles before, during and after the Second World War. When the British do come into play, it’s mostly about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and the events later unearthed in the Marburg files. Whether or not you believe all that was said there, there does not appear to be any new information here, nor anything that is/was a secret. Also, I counted ten mistakes in the first part of the book alone.

Time for something positive? Sure. I liked the way the book was sort of set up in diary-form to allow for jumping between times, countries and events. I think this book will speak to those who are not that familiar with the subjects and will hopefully inspire them to read even more about it.

Tea with Hitler: The Secret History of the Royal Family and the Third Reich by Dean Palmer is available now in the UK and the US.

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Anna of Tyrol – The working Empress

Anna of Tyrol was born on 4 October 1585 as the third and last daughter of Ferdinand II, Archduke of Further Austria, and Count of Tyrol, and his second wife and niece, Anna Caterina Gonzaga (also known as Anna Juliana Gonzaga). From her father’s first (morganatic) marriage to Philippine Welser, she had two half-brothers who could not inherit their father’s titles. Anna’s eldest full sister died in infancy, while her second sister Maria became a nun.

Anna and Maria grew up dividing their time between Ambras Castle, the Hofburg and Ruhelust Castle. Ferdinand and Anna Caterina were quite musical, and while Anna may not have had such a musical education, she certainly knew how to play the clavichord, and she composed songs. The sisters were raised in the Catholic faith by their mother and were educated to a very high standard. Due to their sickly nature, Anna Caterina also made sure to feed the children a special diet from a cookbook she had made personally.

Anna was just nine years old when her father died on 24 January 1595, while her mother was just 29 years old. Anna Caterina reportedly received proposals from both Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor and his brother Matthias but turned them both down to follow the religious life. Although Anna was the younger daughter, she was considered to be “more marriageable”, and most of the attention was focused on her. This was probably due to Maria’s health problems and a speech impediment. The first offer of marriage came from the widowed King of Poland, Sigismund III, but now the Holy Roman Emperor also became interested in Anna instead of her mother. However, he continued to stall his decision, and so the actual groom would be his brother Matthias.

On 4 December 1611, Anna married her first cousin Matthias, who was by then already King of Hungary and Bohemia, in the Augustinian Church in Vienna. They were 28 years apart in age. The following year, Matthias was elected Holy Roman Emperor and succeeded his childless brother Rudolf II. Unfortunately, the union between Anna and Matthias was destined to remain childless as well. Anna did act as a foster mother to a converted Turkish girl for a short while. On 15 June 1612, Anna was crowned as Holy Roman Empress in Frankfurt.

Anna was known to have had a good influence on Matthias, and they were known as the “Arbeitspaar” (working couple). For her devotion to the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Paul V awarded her with a Golden Rose.

Anna is perhaps best known for having co-founded the Capuchin Church and crypt. Construction began just a month before Anna tragically passed away. She died on 14 December 1618 at the age of 33. Her husband followed her to the grave just three months later. Without any heirs, Matthias was succeeded by his cousin Ferdinand. The crypt was completed in 1633, and the remains of Matthias and Anna were moved there.

Photo by Moniek Bloks

 

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Queen, Mother, and Stateswoman: Mariana of Austria and the Government of Spain by Silvia Z. Mitchell Book Review

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Mariana of Austria was born on 24 December 1634 as the daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Anna of Spain. At the age of 11, Mariana was betrothed to Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias, but he died just three months later at the age of 16. King Philip IV of Spain was now left without a male heir, and he was conveniently widowed too. He decided to marry Mariana, who was also his niece, himself. Their age difference was 30 years.

Of their five children, only two would live to adulthood. Her eldest daughter Margaret Theresa would go on to marry her own uncle, Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. Her only surviving son, Charles, was born on 6 November 1661. He was born physically and mentally disabled, most likely due to the many years of inbreeding.

Queen, Mother, and Stateswoman: Mariana of Austria and the Government of Spain dives into the life of Queen Mariana, who devoted her life to her son. Charles was just three years old when his father died, and Mariana was appointed as regent. A power struggle saw her briefly ousted as regent, but she made a brilliant return to court. In addition to her tasks as a regent, she also had to manage the succession. Her only daughter had died in 1673, leaving just one surviving daughter. This daughter, Maria Antonia of Austria, died young as well, leaving behind a young son, Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria. Meanwhile, Charles had married twice as well, but neither marriage had produced any children and talks concerning the succession became very bitter.

Mariana did not live to see how it would all play out. She died in 1696, just four years before her son. I really enjoyed reading more about Mariana and her relationship with Charles especially. I always like the inclusion of letters, which made Charles more human to me and not the caricature that has come down to us from the 17th century. Mariana herself came across as an amazingly strong woman who was born and raised for the task ahead and did it brilliantly. How much more could she have done if she had had more (healthy) children? We can only guess.

Queen, Mother, and Stateswoman: Mariana of Austria and the Government of Spain by Silvia Z. Mitchell is available now in the UK and the US.

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The Year of the Duchess of Windsor – The early years of the Duke of Windsor

The future King Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor was born on 23 June 1894 as the eldest son of King George V and Queen Mary, who were then known as the Duke and Duchess of York. At the time of his birth, his great-grandmother Queen Victoria was on the throne.

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Queen Victoria wrote to her eldest daughter Empress Frederick, “You rejoice as I do, indeed, and as the whole nation does, to the most wonderful degree, at the birth of dear Georgie’s boy.[…] As it is, however, it is true that it has never happened in this country that there should be three direct heirs as well as the sovereign alive.”1 He received the names Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David and would be known throughout his life as David. Just 18 months later, he was joined in the nursery by his brother Albert, known as Bertie, the future King George VI. This was followed by Princess Mary, later Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, Henry, later Duke of Gloucester, George, later Duke of Kent and lastly Prince John, who would die in childhood.

During those early years, David’s father doted on him, boasting proudly of how many teeth he already had. This changed when David, and his siblings, reached an age when they were expected to behave themselves, and as a man of his time, he could be a frightening father and a harsh disciplinarian. Of his mother, David later wrote, “We used to have the most lovely time with her alone – always laughing and joking. […] She was a different human being away from him.”2 His early education consisted of reading, writing, history, French and German. Religious instruction was given by Canon Dalton but made little impression on David. He learned to crochet from his mother.

David holds his younger brother (public domain)

In 1901, Queen Victoria died, and David’s grandfather succeeded as King Edward VII. His father was made Prince of Wales in November of 1901, and David was now second in line to the throne. The following year, a tutor by the name of Henry Hansell was employed for David and Albert. David later wrote, “He never taught us anything at all. I am completely self-educated.”3

In 1907, David entered the Naval College, and although he was bullied by the other cadets, he was eventually accepted and given the nickname “Sardines.” He was never an excellent student, but he did the work and managed to improve. In 1909, he moved on to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, where he considered joining the choir. The following year, David’s grandfather passed away, and his father succeeded as King George V. David was now first in the line of succession, and he was created Prince of Wales on 23 June 1910 – his 16th birthday. He began reading newspapers, and Dartmouth introduced a course in Civics, which he enjoyed. He served as a midshipman aboard a battleship for three months before entering Magdalen College, Oxford. He left Oxford after eight terms and had loved escaping Oxford for trips to Germany, where he spent time with relatives.

However, any trips to Germany also brought about rumours of possible matches, such as with the Emperor’s daughter Victoria Louise. He particularly liked Caroline Mathilda of Schleswig-Holstein, but after he consulted his mother, the consensus was that he was too young to contemplate marriage. The First World War brought an end to any thought of a German match. By 1914, public functions became increasingly more common for David, and he found most “mighty poor fun…”4 Nevertheless, he always did the job well and left a good impression.

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In June 1914, David joined the Grenadier Guards, and although he was not allowed to serve on the frontlines, he still saw plenty of action. These experiences would leave him with an intense desire to prevent a war from ever happening again. When the war was over in 1918, he wrote, “I feel it can’t be more than a marvellous dream, and I still feel in a sort of trance. But I suppose I shall soon wake up to the fact that it all really is true.”5

With his safe return from the war effort, attention now turned to finding the heir to the throne a suitable wife. In 1916, David – with the encouragement of his equerries – had lost his virginity to a French prostitute named Paulette. He later recalled she was “a heavenly little woman.”6 Not much later, he met Marguerite Alibert, to whom he wrote several letters. He asked her to burn them, but she never did, and those letters later caused some embarrassment. From then on, several women entered his life, and they were mostly married women.

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His first great love was Marion Coke, Viscountess Coke and wife of the heir of the Earl of Leicester. She was also 12 years older than him. Then came Lady Sybil “Portia” Cadogan, Rosemary Leveson-Gower and more. In February 1918, he met Freda Dudley Ward, who was also married but lived a separate life from her husband, William Dudley Ward. From early 1919 until four years later, she was the main woman in his life. She was a good influence on him, though, and he smoked and drank less due to her. She also offered him something else he craved – a family life. He loved her two daughters and even saw them when their mother was away. Although he remained devoted to her throughout the 1920s, her devotion became less over time. Meanwhile, David’s duties continued, and he represented his father on many occasions, and he undertook 16 tours of the Empire between 1919 and 1935.

By 1930, the main woman in his life was Thelma Furness, Viscountess Furness. However, on 10 January 1931, he met the woman for whom he would change the course of his life – Wallis Simpson.

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The Year of the Duchess of Windsor – Villa Windsor and the Mill

In 1952 and 1953, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor bought a home, but they also leased a home. They purchased the Moulin de la Tuilerie, known as The Mill, where they would spend their weekends and summers, and they leased 4 route du Champ d’Entraînement, now known as Villa Windsor, as well. It had become clear that their dreams of ever returning to England would not come true, and now they needed to make a home somewhere.

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In June 1952, they learned that the painter Etienne Drian had put his estate up for sale, and they went to visit the village of Gif-sur-Yvette to inspect the property that would be known as the Mill. The estate was 26 acres, divided in half by the river Merantaise and four stone buildings had been converted into lodgings. They soon fell in love with it and purchased it the following month for 80,000 US dollars. It would be the only property they owned outright during their marriage. The largest of the four buildings would be their main residence, and Wallis immediately set about fitting it with modern appliances. The gardens around the Mill were especially loved by the Duke. He later wrote that he could “garden as one should, in old clothes, with one’s hands, among familiar plants.”1

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On 22 June 19532, they signed the lease on Villa Windsor in the Bois de Boulogne, just 15 minutes by car from the centre of Paris. Villa Windsor had two acres of gardens with tall hedges and a railing – to ensure their privacy. It also came at an excellent price – the French government let them lease it for a token rent of 50 US dollars per year.

Wallis called on the help of interior designer Stephane Boudin. Author Valentine Lawford later wrote of the villa, “It is hard to believe that there can ever have been an interior more surpassingly clean – where crystal was more genuinely scintillating and porcelain more luminous, or where wood and leather, polished to the consistency of precious stone, could more truthfully be said to shine.”3

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They each had a suite of rooms on the second floor. This was separated by a boudoir that overlooked the garden, and that is where they met each morning, had tea in the afternoon and ate dinner on trays, if they were not entertaining. The Duke’s bedroom was a re-creation of the one he had at Fort Belvedere.

It was in this villa that both the Duke and Duchess would eventually pass away.

In her memoirs, Wallis wrote of rebuilding their lives, “Now of an afternoon as I sit on the terrace, watching David as he moved from plant to plant with his Alsatian gardener, checking the growth of each, I often think of how well he has succeeded in making a new life for both of us – not quite the kind of life we envisaged back at Wasserleonburg4, but still one that is good.”5

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A look at Princess Claire of Luxembourg

Born in Filderstadt, West Germany, to Hartmut and Gabriele Lademacher, the future Princess Claire was their second child after their son, Felix. Claire Margareta Lademacher was born on 21 March 1985 into a wealthy German family. Her father is the founder of LHS Telekommunikation and made his fortune by investing in the software industry.

Until Claire was 11, she lived in Usingen, Germany; the family then relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, USA, for three years. While in the United States, Claire studied at the Atlanta International School before transferring to the Frankfurt International School when the family moved back to Germany in 1999. She later attended Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Switzerland – where she met Prince Félix – before entering the American University of Paris in 2003. Claire graduated with a degree in international communications in 2007.

After graduation, Claire worked in Munich and New York City for Condé Nast Publications; she then moved on to IMG World in Berlin. She chose to pursue a master’s degree in bioethics at the University Regina Apostolorum in Rome, graduating in 2009. Not wanting to stop her education, Claire chose to seek a doctorate in organ donation bioethics from the same university. During the same time, she worked for the Chair of Bioethics and Human Rights at UNESCO. Her studies also led her to be a visiting scholar at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University in 2012. Claire’s dissertation focused on “the ethical aspects of consent to organ donation,” according to the Grand Ducal Court.

Claire speaks German, Italian, French and English.

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In December 2012, Claire’s engagement to Prince Félix of Luxembourg – the second child of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa – was announced. A photo session was held with both sets of families with the press. The couple married on 17 September 2013 in a civil ceremony in Claire’s native Germany; a religious wedding followed on 21 September at the Sainte Marie-Madeleine Basilica in France. Upon marriage, Claire became HRH Princess Claire of Luxembourg.

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The couple’s first child, Princess Amalia of Nassau, was born on 15 June 2014 in Luxembourg. At the time of her birth, she was a future Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, as her uncle, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and aunt, Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie, did not have children (they now have a son, Prince Charles). Claire and Félix’s second child, Prince Liam of Nassau, was born in Switzerland on 28 November 2016.

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The family has lived in France and Switzerland; however, they now reside in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Claire and Félix manage her family’s winery, Château Les Crostes, in France, and Claire helps run the winery’s official Instagram. Claire also co-founded the children’s clothing brand Young Empire.

Claire attends some royal functions in Luxembourg each year – namely the National Day celebrations, the closing of the Octave and the New Year Reception. She also is active with her patronage, the Luxembourg Transplant ASBL association and attends Luxembourg’s World Organ Donation Day.

The Princess is a hands-on mother who is very active in her children’s education. She is said to enjoy reading, yoga, travelling, photography, and badminton.

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