A Reference Guide to the Royal Families:
What Every Reporter (or Royal Fan) Needs to Know
by Daniel A. Willis
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2012 Daniel A. Willis
Smashwords Edition, License Notes:
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents
Introduction
So you have been assigned to cover the latest royal wedding. That’s easy enough: remark on the lovely flowers, oooh and aaah over the wedding dress, make fun of the more outlandish hats. Piece of cake, right?
Then you get there, and you see all of these very important looking people walking into the church. You have your royal expert on hand to point out the Prince of this and Duchess of that, and here you are, not even knowing where Liechtenstein is or why it has a Prince and not a King.
Don’t want to feel stupid about royal families any more? This book is a basic guide to help reporters, and other royal watchers, identify European royalty of all stripes and give cursory information about who they are and why anyone cares.
This book will not make you an expert on Royalty. You still need your royal expert on hand to help with the finer points, but this guide can keep you from looking totally clueless.
First basic thing you need to know is that there is royalty outside of England! In fact, there are ten hereditary monarchies remaining in Europe. There are also a few dozen others spread around the globe, but this book is only focused on Europe. Of these ten monarchies, seven are kingdoms, two are principalities and one is a grand duchy.
What is the difference? Essentially, it comes down to what title the Head of State, or Sovereign, has. A Kingdom is ruled by a King or Queen, a Principality by a Prince or Princess, and a Grand Duchy by a Grand Duke or Grand Duchess. In the past, Europe also had Duchies (rules by Dukes) and Empires (ruled by Emperors). Germany had myriad other odd titles as well, but they all have been out of power for a century or more.
The second basic concept is there are titles and then there are “styles”. A title is how a royal person is legally called in their country’s laws. “Prince of the United Kingdom” is a title. Styles are what a particular royal should be called when talking about them specifically. “Prince Harry of Wales” is a style (his official title is Prince of the United Kingdom). Throughout this book, there will be examples where a person is titled one thing but called by a slightly different style, either out of convenience or tradition.
Thirdly, there is a difference between royalty and nobility. The quick and dirty way to explain the difference is that royalty reigns over a country, nobility does not. While there are nobles with the titles Duke, or even Prince, they are not Sovereign Dukes or Sovereign Princes. The man who rules Monaco is the (Sovereign) Prince of Monaco. However, there is also a Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who rules over nothing, except his own household (and then only when his wife lets him). This book will talk about royalty, not nobility, except in cases when a noble person marries into a royal family, or a royal person is given an additional noble title.
Fourthly, the Royal Family is different than the family of the monarch. Each country has strict rules about who is considered a member of the Royal Family. However, the old saying “you can’t pick your relatives” being true, there are going to be family members of the sovereign who are not members of the Royal Family. The differences will be made clear in each chapter.
Lastly, of the high-arching issues anyway, is the terminology. Sovereign and Reigning have very subtle differences, but we won’t be going into that level of detail (that’s what your royal expert is for). For our purposes, the words are pretty much interchangeable. Also interchangeable are the terms Monarch, Sovereign, or Head of State.
Another set of terms that tend to be misunderstood is Queen Mother versus Dowager Queen. To be styled as a Queen Mother, a lady had to have been Queen first (by right of being married to the late King) and be the mother of the current Sovereign. In Britain, the late Queen Mother who died in 2002 was the widow of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II so was entitled to the style Queen Mother. Assuming Prince Charles becomes King, his widow will be entitled to be styled The Queen while he lives. But after his death, she would not be the Queen Mother, because she is not the mother of the next King (presumedly the current Duke of Cambridge).
The term Dowager refers to the widow of a previous title holder, regardless of her relationship to the that person. If the married Duke of Somwhere dies and is succeeded by his bother, his widow is still the Dowager Duchess of Somewhere, and will remain so until her own death or she remarries. If there are widows of multiple Dukes of Somewhere still living at the same time, the widow of the first one to die retains the Dowager moniker, the rest being styled Firstname, Duchess of Somewhere.
Another term to know is “predicate,” sometimes called a “qualification” in other texts. These are the phrases like “His Royal Highness” or “Her Majesty” that precede a title. Due to their length, we usually see them abbreviated. Below is a list of the abbreviations of predicates you will find in this book, from highest rank to the lowest:
H.M. = His or Her Majesty
H.I.H.= His or Her Imperial Highness
H.I. & R.H. = His or Her Imperial and Royal Highness
H.R.H. = His or Her Royal Highness
H.H. = His or Her Highness
H.G.D.H. = His or Her Grand Ducal Highness
H.S.H. = His or Her Serene Highness
Each monarchy has its own rules governing the use of titles, and its own succession laws. These will be discussed in further detail in each chapter.
This book is divided by country. Each chapter will correspond to a current reigning monarchy, with the final chapter being a very quick overview of the former reigning royal families with highlights of what a reporter should know if one shows up at an event he or she is covering.
Each chapter (or country, if you like) will begin with the who, what, where, and when of the current monarch, followed by a discussion of their county’s monarchy in a nutshell. This will be a very high overview of how the monarchy got to the point it is at today. Again, rely on your royal expert to fill in the details, that is what we get paid to do.
Next, there will be sections explaining the titles used by the family, and the laws of succession currently in force. One thing to keep in mind, the laws governing each of these have been in flux in most countries for the past decade or so, so be prepared for potential changes.
Once you have read enough to know the basics about the family, you will get a rundown of each of the active members of the Royal Family, with a picture to help you identify them. This is followed by a section of less detailed descriptions of the other family members you will need to know about to ably report on the event you are covering.
The final chapter, the one that covers the former royal families, is written to give you the most basic information of who is who among these families and what the likelihood is you may see them at your event.
Before I send you on you merry way, you need to know how to address royal people, as you may have the need to talk directly to them and “Hey, King!” just won’t fly. There are just a few basic rules.
When referring to a member of the royal family in the 3rd person, it should be Her Majesty, His Royal Highness, etc. When reporting about the royal family, it is acceptable to use terms like “Prince Charles” or “Princess Kate,” but be aware these terms are not technically correct. In longer discussions, such as newspaper or magazine articles, the correct title should be used early in the article and the more recognizable names may be used thereafter.
When meeting a member of any royal family in a social situation, you should not speak to them until they have spoken to you. In your first instance of addressing them, they should be called Your Royal Highness, Your Majesty, etc. and thereafter Sir or Ma’am. Ma’am should be said to rhyme with jam, not with bum (a common error made in movies). In a formal interview, it is acceptable for the interviewer to initiate the conversation.
Unless you are a subject of the royal you are meeting, you have no obligation to bow or curtsey to them. However, there is also nothing preventing you from doing so, except your own inability. In modern times, a gentleman’s bow is made only with the head, not at the waist. A lady’s curtsey has not changed since the middle ages and is something a lady has learned to do or she has not. If you have not been taught to curtsey properly, do not attempt it, you may hurt yourself or whomever you land on.
Finally, every January, a new edition of this book will be released, updated to be as current as possible. The goal will be to have it available in hard copy form as well as ebook form. If you find any information in here too complicated to understand, feel free to email me so I can try to explain it better in the next edition. And if you are covering a royal event and are in need of a royal expert to help you, I am always available for that too.
Daniel Willis
Denver, Colorado, USA
daniel@dan-willis.com
Belgium
Current Sovereign: His Majesty King Albert II of the Belgians
Quick Life Facts:
Born: 6 Jun 1934, Stuyvenberg Castle, Brussels
Full names: Albert Felix Humbert Theodor Christian Eugène Marie
Father: H.M. Leopold III, King of the Belgians
Mother: H.R.H. Princess Astrid of Sweden and Norway
Married: 2 Jul 1959, Brussels
Wife: Donna Paolo Ruffo di Calabria
Ascended the Throne: 31 Jul 1993
Took Oath of Office: 9 Aug 1993
Children:
H.R.H. The Duke of Brabant (b.1960)
H.I. & R.H. Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (b.1962)
H.R.H. Prince Laurent of Belgium (b.1963)
History of titles:
6 Jun 1934 - 31 Jul 1993: H.R.H. The Prince Liège
31 Jul 1993 - present: H.M. The King
The Belgian monarchy in a nutshell:
For centuries, Belgium was one of several provinces within the territory generally known as the Netherlands under the rule of, first Burgundy, then of the Habsburgs. Following the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the Netherlands were made into an independent Kingdom under the House of Orange. In 1830, the Catholic portion successfully broke away to form the Belgian nation. In 1831, the Throne of the new country was offered to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the maternal uncle of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Leopold was sworn in as King Leopold I.
Belgium has always been a divided country between two language groups. The northern half speak Flemish, a dialect of Dutch, and the south half speak Walloon, a dialect of French. The monarchy serves as a unifying force for these two halves. The capitol, Brussels, lies in the middle of the country and is officially bi-lingual. All signs, documents, etc. are produced in both languages.
King Leopold III, father of the current King, abdicated the Throne in 1951 and was succeeded by his eldest son, King Baudouin. While very popular with the people, Baudouin and his Queen, Fabiola, did not have any children, so the Throne passed to his brother upon his sudden death in 1993.
The Royal Family’s Name
The house name of the royal family continues to be the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. However, the royal family discontinued use of the Saxon titles during World War I. Technically, the Royal Family does not have a surname. If a need were to arise, a name would have to be created.
Titles within the Royal Family
Members of the Royal Family are titled His or Her Royal Highness Prince or Princess of Belgium. Various titles of nobility are available for the King to assign family members as he sees fit. The title Duke of Brabant is reserved for the heir-apparent, but is not an automatic title, it must be created in each instance. In 1991, the succession laws were changed to allow female succession and to allow the first child to succeed regardless of gender. Princess Astrid then became 2nd in line to the Throne behind her elder (then unmarried) brother. The title Prince/Princess of Belgium was extended to her children in addition to the string of titles they possessed from their father, Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este.
Ladies who marry into the family share their husband’s title but retain their own given name. The exception is that the wife of the Duke of Brabant is not styled the Duchess of Brabant, but as Princess Mathilde.
Succession
Until 1991, the succession was limited to the male descendants of King Leopold I. Since 1991, the succession goes to the first-born regardless of gender. So an elder sister can succeed over a younger brother. Also, there is a marriage requirement. Any marriage within the family must have the consent of the Sovereign and be countersigned by a minister of state.
The Line of Succession:
1. H.R.H. The Duke of Brabant
2. H.R.H. Princess Elisabeth of Belgium
3. H.R.H. Prince Gabriel of Belgium
4. H.R.H. Prince Emanuel of Belgium
5. H.R.H. Princess Eléonore of Belgium
6. H.R.H. Princess Astrid of Belgium
7. H.I. & R.H. Prince Amadeo of Belgium
8. H.I. & R.H. Princess Maria Laura of Belgium
9. H.I. & R.H. Prince Joachim of Belgium
10. H.I. & R.H. Princess Luisa of Belgium
11. H.R.H Prince Laurent of Belgium
12. H.R.H. Princess Louise of Belgium
13. H.R.H. Prince Nicolas of Belgium
14. H.R.H. Prince Aymeric of Belgium
Members of the Royal Family
H.M. The Queen
Wife of the King
Born: 11 Sep 1937 Forte dei Marmi, Italy
Full names: Paola
Father: Prince Don Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, Duke of Guadia Lombarda
Mother: Countess Luisa Grazelli di Rossana e di Sebastiano
History of titles:
11 Sep 1937 - 2 Jul 1959: Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria
2 Jul 1959 - 31 Jul 1993: H.R.H. The Princess Liège
31 Jul 1993 - present: H.M. The Queen of the Belgians
H.M. Queen Fabiola of the Belgians
Sister-in-law of the King; widow of King Baudouin
Born: 11 Jun 1928 Madrid
Full names: Fabiola
Father: Don Gonzalo de Mora y Fernández, Marques de Casa Riera
Mother: Doña Blanca de Aragón y Carrillo de Albornoz
Married: 15 Dec 1960 Brussels
Husband: H.M. King Baudouin of the Belgians
No children
History of titles:
11 Jun 1928 - 15 Dec 1960: Doña Fabiola de Mora y de Aragón
15 Dec 1960 - 31 Jul 1993: H.M. The Queen of the Belgians
31 Jul 1993 - present: H.M. Queen Fabiola of Belgium
H.R.H. Prince Philippe, The Duke of Brabant
Son and heir-apparent of the King
Born: 15 Apr 1960 Belvédère Castle, near Laeken
Full names: Philipp Leopold Louis Marie
Father: H.M. The King of the Belgians
Mother: Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria
Married: 4 Dec 1999 Brussels
Wife: Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz
Children:
H.R.H. Princess Elisabeth of Belgium (b.2001)
H.R.H. Prince Gabriel of Belgium (b.2003)
H.R.H. Prince Emmanuel of Belgium (b.2005)
H.R.H. Princess Eléonore of Belgium (b.2008)
History of titles:
15 Apr 1960 - 31 Jul 1993: H.R.H. Prince Philippe of Belgium
31 Jul 1993 - present: H.R.H. Prince Philippe, The Duke of Brabant
H.R.H. Princess Mathilde of Belgium
Daughter-in-law of the King
Born: 20 Jan 1973 Uccle, Belgium
Full names: Mathilde Marie Christiane Ghislaine
Father: Count Patrick d’Udekum d’Acoz
Mother: Countess Anna Maria Komorowska
History of titles:
20 Jan 1973 - 4 Dec 1999: Jonkvrouw Mathilde d’Udekum d’Acoz
4 Dec 1999 - present: H.R.H. Princess Mathilde of Belgium
Although married to the Duke of Brabant she does share this title. At the time of her marriage she was created H.R.H. Princess Mathilde of Belgium. Prior to her marriage, she carried the style Jonkvrouw which indicated she was from a noble family but did not have another title of her own.
H.R.H. Princess Elisabeth of Belgium
Granddaughter of the King
Born: 25 Oct 2001 Brussels
Full names: Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène
Father: H.R.H. The Duke of Brabant
Mother: Mathilde d’Udekeum d’Acoz
H.R.H. Princess Astrid of Belgium
Daughter of the King
Born: 5 Jun 1962 Belvédère Castle, near Laeken
Full names: Astrid Josephine-Charlotte Fabrizia Elizabeth Paola Marie
Father: H.M. The King of the Belgians
Mother: Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria
Married: 22 Sep 1984 Brussels
Husband: H.I. & R.H. Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este
Children:
Prince Amadeo of Belgium (b.1986)