Brides for Heirs Apparent

It is said that a factor behind Prince Charles 1st marriage was the
dearth of foreign princesses. In retrospect it seems he might have
looked a little harder. I was pointed out that the vast majority of
European royal houses have been deposed. However, the heirs and
heiresses are still extant, and this got me to thinking whether there
are any girls from "overthrown" royal houses that would nevertheless
make suitable brides for a British crown prince. (This is not an
untopical matter just now.)

Candide...

One must not make the assumption that just because a young girl/lady is
of royal or imperial stock, things would not have gone any better for PC
in a choice of a spouse. While many a royal girl might have jumped for
the chance to hold the last really big job as far as queen consorts go;
that is not to say an equal amount would not be interested, especially
if it meant keeping quiet in the background as PC kept up with CPB.

thomasrex...

If by CPB you are referring to HRH's wife: she was not around for the
first five years of the 1st marriage...there was no 'keeping up' to do.

Have said it before and it bears repeating, there simply are not many
royal/imperial houses producing girls who run around saying "I must
always remember my husband is also my sovereign". That is to say girls

thomasrex...

So you don't think that The Duke of Edinburgh (or the late Princes
Bernhard and Klaus, or the present Prince Consort of Denmark) doesn't
always remember spouse is also his Sovereign? Odd how so many
women don't see the other part of the royal marriage equation...wonder
why this is? (I.e. it's always the man's fault..for everything)

however IIRC there were rumours that Prince Phillip did have

thomasrex...

Gossip and none of our business...."tackle"indeed
. the narrowness of

thomasrex...

So? The late Diana, Princess of Wales, had as much of a chance as any
of her predecessors to make her r=F4le as consort to the future King of
Great Britain into her own...even more IMO, and botched it.
Ultimately she, and no-one else, bore the responsibility for the events
in her own life.

thomasrex...

Do you mean "wear and tear"??

brought up to suffer quietly as "boys will be boys".

Graham Truesdale...

I don't think Queen Mary ever had to suffer in that way - any more than
Victoria, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon or Her Present Majesty. (And I can't
imagine any of those four doing so quietly). Queen Alexandra of course
did suffer quietly.

As the situation with Lady Diana Spencer bore out, just because a lady
(royal or otherwise) is suitable on paper, does not mean she would be
cut out for the job as consort to PC.

Even if one were to cast about for a foreign bride for PC, she would
have to satisfy certain prerequisites such as not being a member of the
RC church. This lets out the Catholic countries of France and Spain,
unless the girl converted. Germany, the perennial favourite of
royal/imperial courts for Protestant brides might stir up too many
memories/bad feelings. Greece is not on the cards as they are cousins,
and close cousin marriages just aren't done anymore, even among royals.

Anne...

So true - but isn't love, and respect, and wanting to the best for each
other, neither wanting to outshine the other, more likely to result in a
successful partnership and a happy marriage?

Candide...

To quote "Love In A Cold Climate", "Love"? "Whomever invented love ought
to have been shot".

Nicholas and Alexandra "loved" each other to distraction, and look what
that got them. Now take George V and his consort Queen Mary. One is
quite sure as their marriage progressed both possessed a deep fondness,
perhaps even "love" for each other,but that is not how the marriage
started. Both however had a deep sense of duty to God, their subjects,
and their position, which meant they put what was best for the country
ahead of their own personal feelings.

Royal love matches that worked well? George VI and Queen Elizabeth,
though again we are talking of something entirely different than dewy
eyed/playing patty hands each night type of love.

The problem with love and the rush of hormones/passion it unleashes is
that it can lead to an unfortunate choice in spouse. In these days of
quick and rather easy divorce such things may carry much weight as
previously, but in some circles mistakes on that scale must be lived
with as best possible.

julian126...

Isn't not entering into a marriage with wilful deceit, and not
wondering aloud "whatever love is..." more likely to mean there are two
people who are interested in the first place in making it work for all
this idealism and not just the baby-making dynastic objectives?

Graham Truesdale...

If you mean the relationship through Philip's position as [former] Prince
of Greece, you have to go back to Queen Alexandra's brother George I
of the Hellenes, who was assassinated the year before Franz Ferdinand.
King Constantine I and Prince Andrew were brothers, King Paul and
Prince Philip were first cousins (despite Paul being 20 years older),
and King Constantine II and Prince Charles are 2nd cousins. Not sure
which potential bride you have in mind - Constantine's sister Queen
Sofia of Spain is 10 years older than Charles, and his daughter Alexia
is 17 years younger.

Lisa Davidson...

I've always thought that Margarita of Romania would have made a
wonderful wife for Charles and a fantastic Princess of Wales.

julian126...

Why is that? Gordon Brown was purportedly the love of her life...after
that she settled for an ex-communist actor of dubious repute.