Crowned in a Far Country: Portraits of Eight Royal Brides

by Princess Michael of Kent

Though of eminent birth and status in their own right, the women of Crowned in a Far Country all left the countries of their birth to marry heirs to great thrones. They all shared an inbred sense of duty and a genuine desire to see it performed. None fought against what she saw as her destiny but only sought to fulfill it. Some were passionate, others less so. Some were good wives; some were caring mothers. They were all catalysts, the pivots of their worlds for a time.

More than just a window into the politics and power brokering of royal marriage, Crowned in a Far Country charts the transformations of privileged princesses into women of power and historical importance.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Royalty, Biography Memoir

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 1986

About the author

Princess Michael of Kent (Marie Christine; née Baroness Marie Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, 15 January 1945), is a German-Born member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V.

Princess Michael is an author, and has published several books on the royal families of Europe. She also undertakes lecture tours, and supports her husband in his public work. The Kents do not officially carry out royal duties, although they have on occasion represented Queen Elizabeth II at functions abroad.

Princess Michael of Kent was born on 15 January 1945, in Karlovy Vary (formerly Carlsbad), in then-German-populated Sudetenland, in what is now the Czech Republic, near the family estates of her Austrian maternal grandmother, Princess Hedwig Windisch-Graetz, prior to the defeat and the end of Nazi Germany and of World War II in Europe, and the following expulsion of the German population later that year. Princess Michael is the only daughter of Baron Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz (of German descent) and his Austro-Hungarian wife, Countess Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walpurga Bernadette Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár, a daughter of Count Friedrich Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár, an Austro-Hungarian diplomat, who served as Ambassador at St. Petersburg at the outbreak of World War I. The Princess's father also had a daughter named Margarita, born on 18 January 1924, from his first marriage to Margherita, Countess von Seherr-Thoß.

Through her mother, the Princess is a descendant of Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henry II of France, and Catherine de' Medici, Queen of France (his wife), and also of painter Peter Paul Rubens. After her parents' divorce, her father, a Nazi party member who had held the rank of Sturmbannführer or “Assault (or Storm) Unit Leader” in the SS during the Second World War[4], moved to Maforga, Mozambique. Marie Christine, her mother, and her brother, Baron Friedrich (Fred) von Reibnitz (now living in Canberra), moved to Australia, where her mother ran a beauty salon. Friedrich became an Australian Government official. He has a daughter, Princess Michael's niece Maya Scott, born 1978 in Canberra to a fellow civil servant, Mary Scott. Maya Scott is a photographer and artist based in Western Australia.

Reviews

[BAM IS BACK!]

This is fascinating! Catherine the Great is most likely known by all to be a grand acquisitive art collector. At some point in the 1770s she purchased Sir Robert Walpole’s collection. He is known for being considered England’s first prime minister. With that money he bred a greyhound to hare-course, which was his favorite habit. Now here’s the interesting thing: “EVERY PUREBRED GREYHOUND IN THE WORLD TODAY IS DESCENDED FROM HER”! From the 1770s I found that incredible.

Well, so far I am actually learning a few things. Marie Antoinette-nothing new, which is unfortunate because her story gets neglected most of the time so that she’s only known for being beheaded; however, the information regarding dining and all of the dishes served, their inventions in various kitchens, the true meaning of “let them eat cake”, that was actually new to me, never read that story expressed that way. Catherine the Great-sooo much more needs to be known. It’s almost comical how her section barely scratched the surface. She was so dynamic and perhaps hypersexual.

ROYALTY READ PROJECT

[Annette]

Not a great writing style - jumped around a bit and not sure if all her facts are accurate. She basically wrote a not-quite-gossipy enough book on the eight royal brides...but seemed to be trying for it. Was more of a what-they-liked to wear and what were their favorite jewels. Some interesting behind-the-scenes details, again, not sure if it is accurate. Actually it made me feel sorry for most of these women.

[MURIELLE ⚽️U Boyo]

This author is the biggest racist from the Royal Family. She bought two Black Sheep and named them venus and Serena Williams. She wears blackmoor brooch which fetishize images of slavery.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.harp...

[Lynn]

Written by Princess Michael of Kent, wife to the cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, it takes you into the lives of eight royal brides who wed and rule in a foreign country. The brides are: Catherine the Great (Russia), Marie Antoinette (France), Vicky (Prussia), Maria Carolina (Naples and the Two Sicilies), Eugenie (france), Alexandra (England), Marie Feodorovna (Russia) and Leopoldina (Brazil). While was intriguing learning about politics behind the marriages and the influence each had in their new country, the information did not seem equal between each. I would have liked more information on the sisters Alexandra and Marie Feodorovna. It was sad to read about Vicky's struggles in Prussia-never really being accepted, losing her husband so soon after he became king and seeing their dreams for Prussia and Germany disappear.

I wish it didn't feel as if the author just took this on as a hobby and put more historical importance into the writing.

[Elaine Cougler]

Look inside the front cover of this book and you'll find the family tree linking all eight of the royal brides this book is about. And read the book to learn many behind the scenes facts about each princess who was shipped off to another country to marry and become part of that new country.
I particularly liked the links between family members that HRH Princess Michael of Kent discusses and the balanced views she gives of people to whom she is related either by blood or by marriage. From Catherine the Great to Alexandra, Queen of Great Britain, HRH shows the great and the not so great characteristics of the princesses. A pleasant read, added to because my copy was lent to me by a personal friend of HRH and signed by the author herself.

[Wealhtheow]

Short chapters on eight royal women. The chapters are short and badly organized; the information within them is suspect. Moreover, there is no connecting thread or thesis behind the eight chosen ladies. It seems to be a random assortment. This would have been a much better book if the author had a point to make or was a better historian.

[Vanessa]

I thought this would be an interesting history lesson and great stories of each of the eight Queen's lives. It was decent but had too much detail on clothing. The author did warn that this book was more about clothing, interior design, and each person's day to day life instead of politics. I did learn more about the eight Queens than I had known before.

I found this book in a used bookstore and bought it for $2. I found out after reading this article in "The Awl" on January 9, 2013 that the book has several proven issues of plagiarism.

"Or on a less utopian note, perhaps it was decided that extra precautions should be taken in order to avoid a repeat of the plagiarism charges that previously marred the Princess’s success as (what we’ll kindly term) a historian. Her first book, Crowned In a Far Country: Eight Royal Brides, published in the 1980s by Weidenfeld and Nicolson — Lord Weidenfeld and MC are pals — turned out to contain passages lifted almost verbatim from other works, and at least one author was awarded an out-of-court settlement. Liberal borrowing notwithstanding, it must be said that MC’s distinct voice shines through."

[Brian]

This was a decent look at the lives of eight women who were destined to rule in a country they were not born in. For the most part, these women all lived in the same century. It's a light and enjoyable read. If you're looking for a book about politics, keep searching. This is about the personal lives of the profiled women. I particularly enjoyed reading about Empress Leopoldina of Brazil, who is not someone English readers get much material on. The joint chapter on British Queen Alexandra and her sister Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia was very good reading.

Profiled in this book are Catherine the Great, Marie Antoinette of France, Maria Carolina of Naples, Leopoldina of Brazil, Eugenie of France, Vicky of Prussia, Alexandra of Britain, and Marie Feodorovna of Russia. Recommended reading for those who want a more personal overview of their lives.

[Ghost of the Library]

Charming collection of tidbits on 8 women who in their own right deserve - and some already have - an exclusive biography, this is hardly news flash for anyone who's read about them before, but it can make for an interesting starting point.
I would give this only a 3.5 because the writing doesn't always flow, and can make reading a bit stilted sometimes, but I'm leaving it at four for effort, and for thinking that if she chooses anyone of these ladies as the single topic of a next book it may be a very good read.
Happy Readings !

[Chloe]

A fascinating and relevant study of 8 lesser-known European royals.

It is a short read full of important details, yet not boring at all. The chapters build upon one another well so that while they make fine references to dip in and out of, the book is best enjoyed as a whole to fully appreciate the links between each royal.

A great look at the social, political, and cultural impacts of nineteenth century royals and how they shaped history.

[Liz]

A nice overview of eight young women (some still girls) who had to travel far from home and family to marry into royalty. Some fared better than others. It's hard to imagine today having to marry someone without ever having met him in order to forge an alliance with another country.

[Pen Million]

as someone already said in the goodreads review, nothing new and just a collection of royal family articles on Cosmo or other ladies juournals. bio on kathleen 2 or "ekaterina"　by Henri Troyait is the best.

[Jessica]

Light and enjoyable!

[Yvonne Crawford]

Wonderful book and interesting

[Rebecca]

Read this as a teenager

[Elizabeth]

This is another one of those books that arrived at the office and somehow ended up on my nightstand, vaulting past other, more difficult, reads. It's a lightweight jaunt through the lives of eight royal brides, some of which I found irritating--Marie Antoinette--and many I thought sounded long-suffering--such as Alexandra of Denmark, and Leopoldina, Empress of Brazil.

Like most non-fiction works, I learned a few things. I was mostly interested to read about the challenges of living in Brazil in the early 1800s and Prussia in the mid to late 1800s. Both places sounded, well, kind of miserable. All in all, I liked Maria Carolina, Queen of Naples, the best, mostly because I think Naples is one of the most fascinating contemporary cities I've ever visited and I'm sure that it must have been bewitching in the late 1700s: filled with Neapolitan horses, visitors such as Cassanova, Sarah Goudar, Emma Hart, the Hamiltons, and of course, Italian comic opera. I'd be interested in reading more about Naples during this era.

[Sara]

I quite enjoy reading Princess Michael's work. I find the writing quick and easy to read as well as interesting considering the women that she focuses on. Like I know she focused on women you hear a lot about but I also liked that she had Alexandra, Eugenie and Maria Caroline. However I did find her chronology a little hard to follow especially since she talked about the culture of the time and forgetting who she was talking about. I also don't think she should have had Alexandra and her sister in the last chapter especially considering how little she discussed the sister. It was like she was added as an after thought. I also looked up Princess Michael on Wikipedia and I wasn't overly impressed with what I found. With that said I will be reading her other books.

[Katie Diaz]

Very easy to read through. Went through it in one sitting. I'd read about most of these women before, and I didn't think it really did much to add to the written history of some of these women, particularly for Catherine the Great and Marie Antoinette, who are widely written about. It wasn't written with a lot of research behind it, and I think it sort of regurgitates the information that is already out there on these women for the most part.

So if it's your first book on royal brides, I would say this is a good start and you'll enjoy reading it. If you've read up on the royal courts of Europe before, I would tell you you could skip this one.

[Fran Johnson]

HRH Princess Michael of Kent has written an interesting book about eight royal women, some whom I was familiar with and some whom I had never heard of. Each one was interesting and she added many details about their lives and even the interiors of their castles. All of these women could be considered "pioneers" in their time. Many were the "brains" behind the throne. Most had unhappy lives that didn't end well but each contributed to the age they lived in. If you are interested in royalty and their contribution to the world you will enjoy this book.

[Mary]

Princess Michael is fond of saying she likes to write history that tells what people were really like... by which she may mean, what they are like in bed. This was fun and gossipy but after a while I tired of the breathless way she related facts. Some of the chapters seemed a bit slapdash, and yet the lives she's relating are interesting to deserve greater depth of attention. She improved a lot in her style by the time she wrote "The Serpent and The Moon"

[Jennifer]

This book has eight brief, interesting essays on eight European royal woman. The essays were informative, but tended to end abruptly. The author's personal biases towards each of the eight woman (which she disclosed in her foreward) were evident in each essay. Overall, a good introduction to several woman I knew little about.

[Lynne-marie]

Bon-bons on a long afternoon. ATrivially interesting, but then that's what I expected, so I can't complain.

[Dani]

I enjoyed the stories about the different princesses. Not very in depth but a nice overview. Not sure about all of the facts, but it did make me think about how much of their lives are not their own

[Michell Karnes]

Excellent!

[Kim Pettigrew]

Mostly focused on the fashion and home furnishings of the women rather than the history of them ruling.

[Diana]

Very good book.

[Elena]

Beautifully written, extremely engaging to read!