Query : von Oberndorff

Greetings,
Has anyone got a definitive source for the
following marriage,
Maharaja Narendra Singh of Sarila married (as his first wife), 17th

susuhanan...

susuhanan...

May 1955 in Dhera Dun (div.1958), Countess Rita von Oberndorff, born
29 October 1930 in 's-Gravenhage, and had issue, one daughter. Has it
appeared in any reputable published sources?
TIA
Cheers,
Henry

susuhanan...

The details are quite genuine.

Despite the "von" the Oberndorff's are part of the Dutch nobility and
can be found in the Dutch annual publication equiavalent to Burke's.
The exact title of which escapes me right now, but I did look her up
about two or three years ago and it is all "kocher".

susuhanan...

Oops, sorry. I hit the wrong key!

The details I noted were as follows:
m=2E at Dehra Dun, 17th May 1955 (div. 16th October 1958), Rita Marie
Louise Jacqueline Charlotte Fortunata (b. at the Hague, Netherlands,
29th October 1930; m. second, at Hendaye, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, France,
6th October 1975, Michel Jean Joseph Lab=E8guerie, and d. Toulouse,
France, 28th July 1980), mayor of Cambo-les-Bains 1980-1989, eldest
daughter of Count Charles Alphonse Aurelius Maria Fortunatus Antoine
von Oberndorff, of the Hague, Netherlands, and Paris, France, by his
wife, Countess Jacqueline von Oberndorff, daughter of Comte Paul Marie
Joseph de Sauvan d'Aramon, and his wife, Rita Henrietta, n=E9e Bennet
Bell.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Maharaja's Nestl=E9
connection had something to do with the marriage.

Cheers,
Christopher Buyers

Henry Soszynski...

Thanks Christopher. The reason for the query is that he seems to have
deleted all references to this marriage in the email he sent me. In it
he also corrects his fathers title to HH Raja and not Maharaja as I
have him, and which was originally confirmed by a different member of
this family. The Mayo College website also give the present ruler the
style of HH Raja. According to my meagre records, Sarila was not a
salute state, so unless Mahipal Singh was awarded a personal gun
salute with the style of HH, and made herditary, then he should only
be a Raja (or Maharaja). All quite confusing.

susuhanan...

This wouldn't be the first time that someone had scrubbed out one of
their marriages. I suppose, sometimes the divorces are quite
acrimonioius and the events far too painful.

As for the title, you are absolutely correct. Sarila wasn't a salute
state, so he isn't entitled to the style of "Highness". It wasn't even
one of those nine-gun states that were allowed to assume the style of
Highness in 1948.

Furthermore, his father received the hereditary title of Maharaja,
although I do not have the exact date. There is an outside chance that
this title wasn't granted territorially, e.g. "Maharaja Mahipal Singh,
Raja of Sarila". I cannot answer conclusively until I dig through the
records on the Bandelkhand states.

Incidentally, when Mrs Gandhi dropped her axe in 1971, Mahipal Singh
had reigned for 73 years, 3 months and seventeen days. Must be some
kind of record.

susuhanan...

Henry,

I had a look at your website on Narendra Singh. If the contents are
drawn from his own communications, then he seems to have deleted
references not only to this marriage, but also to his first wife. He
married firstly in 1945 (div. 1953) Rohini Devi, daughter of Yuvraj
Sahib Fateh Singhji of Ali Rajpur.

There is also another princess known as Princess Juni of Sarila,
possibly married to or connected to one of the Shumshere Jung Ranas of
Nepal. She seems to live in Switzerland. Alas, I do not know quite
where she fits in but suspect that she may be a daughter of Narendras
by either the first or second wife.

Are the Bidal d'Asfeld's connected to the Argentine diplomat in France?

Christopher Buyers

Henry Soszynski...

Hi Christopher,
It looks like the Rajas marital record
is getting quite crowded. So far we have...
1st marriage 1945-1953, issue 1 dau??
2nd marriage 1955-1958, issue 1 dau
??? marriage c1961, issue 1 dau (alleged)
3rd marriage 1979, issue 1 son.
I've posted a new query on the Bidal d'Asfelds as Sita didn't provide
the name of her husband.

susuhanan...

Thanks Henry,

Poor fellow, looks like he has a lot to hide!

Does he realise that unless the marriage details for the earlier wives
are given, his children are going to appear as if they are
illegitimate?

Henry Soszynski...

Maybe he doesn't want his earlier children to appear, Sita was very
keen to be listed, as was the mother of the (alleged) daughter.

I wonder if "Princess Juni of Sarila" is actually the same as your wife
married c 1961? Some reports of social events in Switzerland and India
call her "Rani Juni of Sarila".

Henry Soszynski...

No, the mother seems to be of Polish extraction, and apparently
married to an American.

Christopher Buyers

Henry Soszynski...

She also appears as Rani Juni of Sarila as an author on the Ranas of
Nepal, the title of the book is "The Ranas of Nepal" :)
Description is as follows.....
This unique book with its captivating narrative and breathtaking
images, both old and new, captures the spirit of an important era in
the history of the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal. Spanning three
centuries from the 19th to the 21st, The Ranas of Nepal chronicles the
story of the Ranas inextricable link with the history of Nepal; it
follows the role that the clan played in theatre of sun-continental
politics and records their enduring imprint right up to the present
day. the violent beginnings of the regime in the mid-19th century saw
Jung Bahadur Rana climb to the pinnacle of power and lay the
foundation of the Rana oligarchy. At the turn of the century. Maharaja
Chandra Shumshere`s uninterrupted 29-year period of rule was one of
consolidation and stability when Nepal remained an island of peace and
sovereignty even as the world and the subcontinent witnessed times of
war and political turmoil.
Priced at 3500Rs (approx 61euro)

(a photo of the Rani is included, she actually looks fairly young, so
perhaps is unlikely to be by the first wife, a photo of Archduke
Christian and his wife also included, and Carla Romanoff as well)
Cheers,
Henry
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Cheers,
Henry Soszynski
An interesting link on the Bidal d'Asfeld family (though incomplete)
.....
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Cheers,
Henry
.
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