November 3, 2011
Discuss – Greece: to reign or not to reign?
Would the country of Greece today fare better with a monarch? Should Greece allow King Constantine and his family a place in the government or at least a symbolic role? How would it change the nation for the better? For the worse?
Discuss it here.
[N.B. Crown Prince Pavlos speaks about Greece’s economic woes.
June 10, 2011
Ninety Years of Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh
Image via Wikipedia
An elderly gentleman is looking at you with a curious eye. What you’re saying seems to interest him, but he suddenly blurts out, “We don’t come here for our health. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves”.
There it is – Prince Philip’s opinion, whether you’re ready or not. You always know where you stand with the Queen’s husband.
Today marks the dazzling Duke’s 90th birthday, and he has shown no sign of slowing down, physically or verbally. This post looks back on the monarchy’s most powerful personality and Britain’s longest-serving consort.
A Son Is Born
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark began life on the small Greek island of Corfu. He was born June 10, 1921 to Prince Andrew of Greece and his wife, Princess Alice of Battenberg. The young prince was the final addition to their family of four children.
Greece was politically unstable throughout the 1920s, and Philip’s uncle, King Constantine I of Greece, was forced to abdicate the throne in 1922. Prince Andrew, the king’s younger brother, was sentenced to death by revolutionaries.
King George V of Great Britain sent Royal Navy ship HMS Calypso to evacuate the Greek Royal Family. He felt immense guilt over the deaths of the Romanovs – his Russian cousin Tsar Nicholas II and his family – after he had denied them asylum in England during the Russian revolution. The king was determined not to make the same mistake. The ship arrived in time to get Prince and Princess Andrew and their children to safety. Baby Philip was carried aboard the vessel in an orange crate.
They lived in exile in France, where Philip’s childhood was darkened by the departure of Prince Andrew to a mistress and Princess Alice to a nervous breakdown. Philip’s sisters, all several years older than he, married and went off to live their own lives. With the breakup of his immediate family, Philip traveled Europe, bouncing from family member to family member. The prince had only battered suitcases, an old suit, his naval uniform, and his father’s shaving kit.
There was no time to dwell upon the negative, however. In his characteristically Philip way, he pushed himself to strive for excellence. He seemed to excel in everything he did, whether it be sport or naval life. His maternal uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, liked what he saw and took the young prince under his wing.
The ambitious Mountbatten, First Sea Lord in the Royal Navy and Viceroy of India, was also intensely interested in his nephew’s marital prospects. When Philip spoke of courting Britain’s Princess Elizabeth, whom he’d first met when King George and Queen Elizabeth toured Dartmouth Naval College, Mountbatten was thrilled.
Becoming English
King George VI was initially hesitant about the blond young foreigner. The king was protective of his two daughters, especially Princess Elizabeth, his heir. His Majesty had already lined up several eligible bachelors – all titled gentlemen, and most importantly, all English. The coarse young Greek prince in his threadbare suit was not in the least a gentleman in the eyes of the king. But Elizabeth, charmed by the thought of a romance with the Viking-esque prince, liked Philip immensely.
There were harumphs all around, except for Queen Mary. She liked Philip immediately. The prince’s bawdy jokes and lighthearted banter endeared him to the elderly queen, who saw Philip for what he was – straightforward, insightful, and clever.
When asked what sort of a son-in-law someone like Philip would make, Queen Mary sharply replied, “Useful”.
The impressively regal queen had once been a princess of Teck, the German principality which her paternal family governed. The Tecks were considered to be minor royals and financially poor relations. When Mary had been proposed as a match for King Edward VII’s heir, Albert Victor (Eddy), she was mocked and teased by Eddy’s sisters. Queen Victoria, however, was extremely impressed by the sensible Mary and deemed her a proper consort. Victoria knew that she would steer the feckless prince away from a life of debauchery.
Eddy died before the marriage could take place, but that didn’t deter the queen. She decided that Mary should become engaged to her other grandson, George. Victoria was entirely confident of Mary’s ability to be an excellent consort, and history has proven her absolutely correct.
Queen Mary, too, was proven correct in her sharp assessment of consorts.
Marriage To England’s Heir
Letters flew back and forth between Elizabeth and Philip during his tenure in the Royal Navy. After World War II came to an end, they quietly got engaged. King George VI eventually relented and gave his consent, but declared that they should delay matters until Elizabeth turned 21 the following year. During the waiting period, Philip had to convert to the Anglican Church of England and relinquish his title as a Prince of Greece and Denmark. The prince relinquished it all and became Philip Mountbatten, the Anglicized version of his Battenberg family name.
On November 20, 1947, Philip and Elizabeth married at Westminster Abbey. Prior to the wedding day, the king conferred upon Philip the titles of The Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich as well as the style of His Royal Highness. When the couple took their vows, Elizabeth officially became known as HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh.
The royal couple enjoyed their time together, spending their honeymoon at Broadlands, Lord Mountbatten’s estate. When Philip was posted on duty in the Royal Navy, Elizabeth would often accompany him. Soon, however, Elizabeth was filling in for her father on official duties more often. The king’s cancer was rapidly spreading, and on top of this he was also suffering from ateriosclerosis.
During Elizabeth and Philip’s official royal tour, King George VI died. The painful news bulletin came through to Philip while they were in Africa, and he was now given the task of informing Elizabeth. When Martin Charteris, then Assistant Private Secretary, went to see her, she was composed. Philip had been the rock she needed to keep going, and Charteris noted that the new Queen was ‘very composed, an absolute master of her fate”. A new chapter had begun for the royal couple.
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Elizabeth by Sarah Bradford
Official Website of the British Monarchy
August 28, 2010
The new Princess Tatiana – her true age?
Every published report on Tatiana Blatnik says she was born in 1980 and that she’s 29 years old. That means she was born the same year I was, and is even a few months younger (I turned 30 in April).
When I first saw photos of her, I thought she was around Nikolaos’ age. He is 41, and I estimated Tatiana at about 38. Don’t get me wrong, I think she is beautiful and statuesque, but she doesn’t look 29.
Any thoughts?
(Ed. – This was not intended to be rude in any way, I was simply curious to see what other people thought. If I have caused offense, I apologize.)
August 26, 2010
Wedding Wear Recap
A royal wedding means gown commentary, and the recent Greek royal nuptials are no exception.
It was a formal wedding but with a relaxed, happy twist that was perfect for their Mediterranean surroundings. Below, the great and the good (along with a few questionable choices thereafter):
The bride, Tatiana – Her wedding dress was an ivory Angel Sanchez gown with lace overlay. It was paired with a matching lace bolero jacket and full-length veil, topped off with a stunning tiara borrowed from her new mother-in-law. This tiara was also worn by Tatiana’s sister-in-law, Princess Marie-Chantal.
Marie of Denmark – a sand-colored gown and a stylish fan finishing the look. Bravo!
Princess Victoria of Sweden – her brilliant warm tangerine gown with empire waist fits and flows elegantly. Perfect!
Princess Letizia – a warm blue gown that wraps in the style of a Greek goddess, with a matching Hellenic column bracelet.
Nikolaos’ cousin, Infanta Cristina, looked splendid but serious in a black and gray floral gown with matching wrap.
The “Oh No!” Brigade:
Princess Madeleine of Sweden – an aqua gown the color of the Mediterranean Sea; a top the style of…a lettuce leaf?
Princess Mary and Princess Maxima – the the light and airy colors flatter Maxima, but the skirt of the gown is too fussy. The color and pattern of Mary’s gown, though it’s an elegant cut, falls flat.
The groom’s brother and sister, Prince Philippos and Princess Theodora – the stylish Philippos looked handsome in his suit. Funny enough, the men’s suits seem too heavy in comparison with the women’s gowns in such sunny, warm weather.
J’adore Theodora’s gown, except for the top. It cuts much too tightly across her bosom, and the bejeweled strap seems out of place.
Nikolaos’ other Spanish cousin, Enfanta Elena, looked much better without her candy pink jacket. The dress is still too dated though, looking like something out of the 1980s. Princess Rosario of Bulgaria kept things much more simple.
Where it all started: 
Dueling Tiaras: Fabulous Fringe
We’ve got some fabulous fringe tiaras this week. Beautiful and pointy, there is a certain strength in these unique tiaras. Some of the more famous fringes are seen here.
So, who wore it best?
Queen Elizabeth II (Britain)
The British version of the fringe tiara was made from diamonds taken from a necklace given to Queen Mary as a wedding gift. The tiara was then passed to her daughter-in-law Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mum). Elizabeth wore this tiara much to the chagrin of Sir Henry “Chips” Channon, the famous diarist. He referred to it as an “ugly spiked tiara”, but despite his misgivings, it has been a mainstay in the royal collection. It has graced the head of Queen Elizabeth II for her wedding as well as other royal occasions throughout her life. It was also lent to the Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, for her wedding to Captain Mark Phillips.
Crown Princess Victoria (Sweden)
The Swedish fringe tiara once belonged to another Victoria – Princess Victoria of Baden, who received it as a wedding gift from her parents upon her marriage to Crown Prince Gustaf of Sweden (Gustav V).
Crown Princess Pavlos (Greece)
© Corbis
Not much is currently known about the fringe tiara of Crown Princess Pavlos, Marie-Chantal. It is said to have been purchased for the Princess by her father, Robert Miller.
Princess Michael of Kent (Britain)
Seen here with gracious permission from the office of HRH Princess Michael
This was a wedding gift to Princess Michael’s mother-in-law, Princess Marina of Kent, from the City of London in 1934. This fringe can be mounted with round diamonds for a uniquely beautiful look.
Princess Caroline (Monaco)
[See the photos here]
Created by the iconic Cartier, this tiara was a gift from Prince Louis II of Monaco to his daughter, Princess Charlotte. There is evidence that Charlotte wore this tiara as a headpiece, low on the forehead as was the style of the 1920s. Her granddaughter, Princess Caroline, is not usually seen wearing the tiara as a headpiece; rather, she often wears it as a necklace.