All About Royal Families

When the Danish author and poet Hans Christian Andersen wrote about Charles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: "I quite love the young duke, he is the first of all princes that I really find attractive" I wanted to know more about this Duke. Youth Charles Alexander August Johann was born on 24 June 1818 in Weimar. He was the second but eldest surviving son of Karl Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia.  His mother engaged as tutor for Karl the Swiss scholar Frédéric Soret who became a close acquaintance to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Reign On 8 July 1853 his father died, and Charles Alexander became Grand Duke; but he stopped his constitutional accession until Goethe's birthday, on 28 August 1853. Charles Alexander renovated Wartburg Castle, and left his traces in many places in Eisenach.  He was the protector of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt, retained the tradition of Weimar's classical period, and gave

During the state visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands to Belgium, a sense of anticipation filled the air as the two royal couples embarked on a journey to strengthen the bonds between their respective nations.  The visit marked an important milestone in the bilateral relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Belgium, further solidifying the long-standing friendship between the two neighboring countries. Besides this, both King Willem-Alexander and King Philippe are celebrating this year their tenth anniversary on the throne.  I really looked forward to see lovely pictures from the royals and they didn't let me down.  Picture: Bjorn Hoex State Visit Willem-Alexander/Máxima to Belgium DAY 1 As King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima arrived at the Royal Palace in Brussels, they were warmly welcomed by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.  Pictures made by Bjorn Hoex Then they paid homage to the fallen soldiers of both cou

When Belgium became independent in 1830 from the United Kingdom of The Netherlands - after a revolution - a international compromise was made.  own picture from the Revolution painting Taking at the Fine Arts Museum in Brussels Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, widower of Princess Charlotte of Wales and uncle of Queen Victoria, became the first King of Belgium in 1831. Then, The Netherlands were still struggling with the independence of the Southern Part of their country. In 1894 King Willem III of The Netherlands and Queen Emma visited  Brussels. However During the rule of King Leopold II of Belgium, Queen Wilhelmina refused to visit her neighbors.  In March 1911 she visited Belgium. Enough attention was paid to the arrival of the Dutch Queen.  A driving tour through a short part of Brussels took place. There was a lot of interest on the side. Especially on the market where Queen Wilhelmina and the Belgian King Albert got off at the town hall. Thousands of flags hung on the fa

The House of Orléans is a noble dynasty with a rich history that dates back several centuries. The House of Orléans takes its name from the city of Orléans, located in north-central France. History The House of Orléans is the name used by various branches of the French royal family, all descended from the legitimate male line of the dynasty's founder, Hugo Capet.  The last branch to bear the ducal title descended from Henry of Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme (Henry IV of France), who became king (nominally) in 1589, and is sometimes known as the House of Bourbon-Orléans.  The eldest of these branches consisted of Gaston of Orléans, the younger son of Henry IV, and the four daughters of his two marriages.  The youngest and last House of Orléans descended from Philip of Orléans, the younger brother of Louis XIV (who, as such, was known at court simply as Monsieur).  From 1709 until the French Revolution, the Orléans dukes were next in the order of succession to the French throne after membe

Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland (Madeleine Thérèse Amelie Josephine) was born 10 June 1982 at at Drottningholm Palace and is a member of the Swedish royal family from the House of Bernadotte . Baptism She was christened at The Royal Palace Church on 31 August 1982, her godparents being her father's maternal cousin the * Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, * her maternal uncle Walther L. Sommerlath, * her father's paternal cousin Princess Benedikte of Denmark, and * her paternal aunt Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson. Title   Madeleine was given the honorary title of Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland. Education From 1985 to 1989, Madeleine began her education at Västerled Parish Pre-School.  In the autumn of 1989, she entered Smedslättsskolan in Bromma, attending at the junior level. For the intermediate level, she proceeded to Carlssons School in Stockholm, and then went on to Enskilda Gymnasiet in Stockholm, which she attended a

Prince Albert was born on 6 June 1934 in Stuyvenberg Castle, Brussels, as the second son and youngest child of King Leopold III and his first wife, Princess Astrid of Sweden.  He was second in line to the throne at birth, and was given the title Prince of Liège.  Family Through his mother, Queen Astrid, King Albert II of Belgium is a descendant of Princess Ingeborg of Denmark (grandmother), Frederick VIII of Denmark and King Christian IX of Denmark (the father-in-law of Europe).  A Tragedy Queen Astrid died in a car accident on 29 August 1935, in which King Leopold was lightly injured but survived, when Prince Albert was one year old.  The King remarried to Mary Lilian Baels (later became Princess of Réthy) in 1941. The couple produced three children: Prince Alexandre, Princess Marie-Christine and Princess Marie-Esméralda (who is also Albert's goddaughter).  Albert and his siblings had a close relationship with their stepmother and they called her "Mother" World War II D