Royal Genealogical News in Facts 2000 (Part I)
Royal Genealogical 
in Facts 2000 (Part I)
Created January 2nd 2000. Last updated January 30th 2001!
I. ROYAL FORECAST:
THE FOLLOWING WEDDINGS ARE ANNOUNCED:
- Prince Pedro of Bourbon-Sicily, Duke of Noto (*1968; MTD) and Sofia Landaluce y Melgarejo in March 2001
- Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (*1969) and Elvire Paste de Rochefort (*1968) in Paris on May 12th 2001
- Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands (*1969) and Laurentien Brinkhorst in 2001
- Duke Paul Wladimir of Oldenburg (*1969) and Pilar Mendez de Vigo y Loewenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg in 2001
- Princess Ariana of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and David Boardman in summer 2001
- Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway (*1973) and Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby (*1973) on August 25th 2001
- Prince Henri of Arenberg (*1961; MTD) and Dainee Marie Therese de Spoelberch
THE FOLLOWING BABYS ARE EXPECTED:
- 3rd child of Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Sicily (*1962) and her husband Dr. Andreas Baumbach
- 1st child of Prince Hubertus of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (*1966) and his wife Ute Koenig in December or January
OTHER INFORMATIONS:
- Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg abdicated on October 7th! Because of the accident and bad health of Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg the other celebrations are postponed to spring 2001!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. ROYAL GENEALOGICAL NEWS IN FACTS 2000:
JANUARY 2ND
Dona Maria de las Mercedes de Borbon y Orleans, Countess of Barcelona, the mother of King Juan Carlos I. of Spain died on the island of Lanzarote/Spain. She was 89 years old.
JANUARY 3RD
Timothy Knatchbull (*1964) and his wife Isabella Norman (*1971) got their first child. It's a daughter called Amber Diana Patricia Knatchbull. She was born in Washington/USA.
JANUARY 4TH
Funeral of Countess Maria de las Mercedes in Madrid/Spain. She was buried in El Escorial.
JANUARY 17TH
Good news from the royal house of Spain: Maria Fernandez y Gomez-Acebo was born! She is the 3rd child and first daughter of Jose Miguel Fernadez-Sastron and Dona Simoneta Gomez-Acebo y de Borbon (herself the only daughter of Duchess Maria del Pilar of Badajoz). Little Maria has two older brothers: Luis Juan (*1991) and Pablo (*1995). She was named after her great-grandmother Maria de las Mercedes, the late Countess of Barcelona.
JANUARY 18TH
Archduchess GLORIA Maria Bodgana Paloma Regina Fiona Gabriela of Austria (*15.10.1999) was baptized in Salzburg/Austria. Her godparents are Fürstin Gloria von Thurn und Taxis and Hereditary Prince Heinrich of Sayn-Wittgenstein.
JANUARY 22ND
Prince WILHELM BENJAMIN Hans Karl Maximilian Paul zur Lippe (*12.10.1999) was baptized in Detmold/Germany. His godparents are:
- Benjamin Count Hochberg (his maternal cousin)
- Count Karl zu Solms-Laubach (his maternal uncle)
- Prince Maximilian von Bentheim-Tecklenburg
- Paul Josten
- Patricia Countess Blücher
- Benita Röver
(Thanks to Stefan C. who found all these informations in an article in the German Local Newspaper "Lippische Landes-Zeitung"!)
JANUARY 26TH
Today the "Times" announced the engagement of Prince Wilhelm zu Wied (*1970) and Clara Elizabeth Makepeace-Massingham.
JANUARY 29TH
Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein (*1969) married American fashion designer Angela Brown (*1958) in New York.
FEBRUARY 7TH
Archduke Alexander of Habsburg-Tuscany and his wife Countess Gabriele von Waldstein got their second child. It's a daughter called Tara.
FEBRUARY 12TH or 13TH
The Bulgarian twins (born November 20th 1999) were baptized in Madrid/Spain. Prince Umberto's godparents are his paternal grandmother Queen Margarita of Bulgaria and Ramon Ros Bigeriego. His twinsister Sofia has her maternal grandmother Maria Gortazar Ybarra and Crown Prince Felipe of Spain as godparents.
FEBRUARY 14TH
It was officially denied by the Princely Palace of Monaco that Princess Caroline of Hannover is pregnant. There were rumours in the press about a possibly pregnancy during the past days. After the French magazine "Le Parisien" wrote on Sunday that Caroline is expecting her 5th child for sure the Palace reacted on Monday. (My source was German teletext!)
FEBRUARY 19TH
Infant Diniz of Portugal was baptized in Oporto/Portugal. His godparents are his maternal uncle Sebastiao de Heredia and Princess Anna Cecilia of Bourbon-Sicily.
FEBRUARY 26TH
Former Queen Giovanna of Bulgaria (born 1907 as Princess of Italy) died in Estoril/Portugal. She was the widow of King Boris III. and mother of former King Simeon III..
MARCH 2ND
Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium officially denied that she is pregnant! The day before the press reported that she will get her first child in September!
MARCH 7TH
Today was announced by the Spanish Royal Palace that Infantin Elena (*1963) is pregnant! The Duke and the Duchess of Lugo are expecting their 2nd child in September! Little Froilan (*17.07.1998) will get a brother or a sister!
Prince Aly Muhammad Khan was born in Paris today. He is the first child (together) of Prince Karim Aga Khan and his 2nd wife the Begum Inaara (born 1963 as Gabriele Thyssen, divorced Princess of Leiningen). The little boy is the 4th child of his father and the second child of his mother! His parents married in May 1998.
MARCH 11TH
Today was announced that Bernhard van Vollenhoven, Prince of Orange-Nassau (*25.12.1969) will marry his longtime girlfriend Annette Sekreve (*18.04.1972) this summer. The civil marriage will be on July 6th, the religious ceremony on July 8th. The engagement of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands second son took place in Apeldoorn today.
Prince Otto of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (*1965) and his wife Carla (born 1974 as Carla Blickhauser) got their 2nd child. It's a daughter called Elena. Their first child Max was born in January 1999.
MARCH 21ST
It was officially announced by the Royal Palace that King Abdallah and Queen Rania of Jordania are expecting their 3rd child at the end of September!
March 28TH
Queenmother Ingrid of Denmark celebrated her 90th birthday in private with her family. Despite her grandson Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (who is still in Greenland!), Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece with her two children and Carlos Morales Quintana all children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were present!
APRIL 6TH
Today was announced in the "Times" that Prince Maximilian zu Bentheim-Tecklenburg (*1969) will marry Miss Marissa Fortescue (*20.10.1973).
APRIL 7TH
Baptism of Maria Fernandez y Gomez-Acebo (*17.01.2000) in Madrid/Spain. Her godparents are his paternal aunt Olga Fernandez y Sastron and the cousin of Maria's mother Simoneta, Crown Prince Felipe of Spain. Among the guests were nearly all members of the Spanish Royal Family (despite King Juan Carlos and his son-in-law Inaki Urdangarin) and two Bulgarian Princes with their Spanish wives. Maria's full name is Maria de las Mercedes (named after her maternal great-grandmother the late Countess of Barcelona).
APRIL 14TH
Princess Marie of Liechtenstein celebrated her 60th birthday. It was a private event with her closer family.
APRIL 16TH
Queen Margarethe II. of Denmark celebrated her 60th birthday with a big party. Among the guests were
- her younger son Prince Joachim of Denmark with his family
- her mother Ingrid
- her sister Princess Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg with her 3 children, her son-in-law and her grandson
- her sister Queen Anne-Marie of Greece with her children Alexia, Nicolaos, Theodora, Philippos and her son-in-law Carlos
- the King and Queen of Sweden with their 3 children
- the King and Queen of Norway with their 2 children
- the King and Queen of Spain
- Queen Beatrix I. of the Netherlands
- Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg.
- Duke Philipp of Edinburgh
Margarethe's older son Crown Prince Frederik couldn't attend because he is still in Greenland!
MAY 2ND
Twins again for the Grand Ducal House of Luxembourg! Prince Leopold and Princess Charlotte of Nassau are the second and third child of Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (*1963) and his wife Sibilla (born in 1968 as Sibilla Weiller). They do have an older brother called Paul-Louis (*04.03.1998).
Also born was Conte Carlo Amedeo Czarnocki-Lucheschi, the 2nd child of Conte Andrea and his wife Isabella (born in 1963 as Archduchess of Austria). His older brother Alvise was born in March 1999.
MAY 11TH
Today was announced by the Royal Palace that Infanta Cristina of Spain (*1965) and her husband Inaki Urdangarin (*1968) are expecting their second child probably in November! Juan, the first child of the Dukes of Palma de Mallorca was born on September 29th 1999! Cristina's sister Elena is expecting her second child in September!
MAY 13TH
Princess Tatjana of Liechtenstein (*1973) and her husband Philipp von Lattorff (*1968) had their first child! Their son is called Lukas Maria von Lattorff and was born in Wiesbaden/Germany.
MAY 20TH
Today was announced that Prince Philipp of Salm-Salm (*1963; MTD) will marry Hermine de Cassan-Floyrac.
JUNE 5TH
Countess Camilla of Rosenborg (*1972) and her husband Mikael Rosanes got their second child! It's a son named Ludwig Christian af Rosenborg!
JUNE 10TH
Princess Madeleine of Sweden celebrated her 18th birthday!
JUNE 17TH
Princess Blanche of France (*1962) got the title "Mademoiselle de Valois" from her father Henri, the present Count of Paris and Duke of France.
Prince Francesco of Bourbon-Sicily (*1960) married Countess Alexandra of Schönborn-Wiesentheid (*1967). She is divorced from Dom Pedro de Mello de Vasconcelos e Souza.
JUNE 21TH
Prince William of Wales turned 18! Their was a big royal party for William, his great-grandmother the Queenmum (who will become 100 in August), his uncle Duke Andrew of York (turned 40 in February) , his aunt Princess Anne (who will be 50 this year) and Princess Margaret (becoming 70 in August). William couldn't attend the party because he had an important exam the next day!
JUNE 25TH
The Luxembourg twins were baptized: Leopold Guillaume Marie Joseph and Charlotte Wilhelmina Maria da Gloria. Their godparents are: Elvire Paste de Rochefort and Archduke Martin of Austria-Este for Leopold and Dona Pilar Mendez de Vigo y Loewenstein and Philippe Jaczynski for Charlotte.
JULY 1ST
Prince Wilhelm zu Wied (*1970) married Clara Elizabeth Makepeace-Massingham in England.
JULY 6TH
Civil marriage of Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau (*1969) and Annette Sekreve (*1972) in Utrecht.
Civil marriage of Princess Desiree of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach (*1974) and Count Florian of Hoensbroech (*1969) .
JULY 8TH
Religious Wedding of Princess Desiree and Count Florian in Ellingen/Germany.
Religious wedding of Prince Bernhard jr. and Annette Sekreve in Utrecht/Netherlands. Annette can call herself now Princess of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven-Sekreve.
Among the guests were:
- parents, brothers and sister-in-law of Prince Bernhard jr.
- Queen Beatrix I. of the Netherlands with her husband and her two oldest sons
- Princess Irene of the Netherlands with her former husband and their 4 children
- Princess Christina of the Netherlands and her daughter Juliana
- Princess Christina of Sweden with her husband Tord Magnussen
- and Hein, Henri, Netty, Oscar, Johann and myself (outside the church!)
For pictures click here. If you click here and there you can see my personal pics!
JULY 10TH
Archduchess Catharina of Habsburg (*1972) and her husband Conte Massimiliano Secco d'Aragona got their first child! It's a son called Constantino!
JULY 11TH
Service of thanksgiving for the life of Queenmother Elizabeth of England at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. One of the celebrations to her 100th birthday! Among the guests: many members of the British royal family and several European royalties.
JULY 12TH
Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia (*1928) died in Oplenac/ Serbia today. He was the second son of King Alexander I. of Yugoslavia and is survived by his 4 children and his second wife Linda. His funeral will be in Oplenac on July 16th.
AUGUST 1ST
Carlos Mendez de Vigo and his wife Katharina (born in 1969 als Princess of Hohenberg) had their 2nd child. It
's a son called FERNANDO JAVIER Maximilian Alfonso Maria Mendez de Vigo y Hohenberg who was born in New York today.
AUGUST 4TH
Happy birthday, Queen Mum! She really became 100 today! Big celebration with her family!
For pictures click here!
AUGUST 12TH
Prince Achileas Andreas of Greece was born in New York today. He is the 3rd child of Crown Prince Paul of Greece (*1967) and his wife Marie-Chantal Miller (*1968).
AUGUST 16TH
Today was announced by the private secretary of Princess Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg that her son Prince Gustav (*1968) will marry Elvire Paste de Rochefort (*13.03.1968; godmother of Prince Leopold of Nassau). The wedding shall take place in Paris in spring 2001.
AUGUST 28TH
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Wied (*1931) died in Canada today. He just got his 4th grandchild. His daughter Christina Elisabeth and her husband Freiherr Wolf-Eckart von Gemmingen-Hornberg had their 3rd child ( a son called Alexander)! The funeral of the late Prince will take place in Neuwied on September 5th.
SEPTEMBER 8TH
Sebastian Eric Henning, 2nd child of Baron Cornelius von Dincklage (*1971) and his wife Sybilla-Louisa Ambler (*1965) was born .
SEPTEMBER 9TH
Little Froilan got a sister today! Victoria Federica de Marichalar y de Borbon was born in Madrid. She is the second child of Infanta Elena of Spain (*1963) and her husband Don Jaime de Marichalar (*1963), the Dukes of Lugo and the first granddaughter of the present King of Spain!
SEPTEMBER 10TH
Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (*1963) was seriously injured in a car accident near Paris. His wife Sibilla was also in the car but her injuries are less worse!
SEPTEMBER 12TH
Victoria Federica de Marichalar y de Borbon was presented to the press for the first time!
Click here to see the photos!
SEPTEMBER 13TH (or 14th?)
Archduchess Isabel of Austria was born! She is the 3rd child of Archduke Simeon of Austria (*1958) and his wife Maria Paloma, born as Princess of Bourbon-Sicily (*1967) and was named after her maternal great-grandmother the Countess of Paris!
SEPTEMBER 14TH
Baroness Christina-Louise Silfverschiöld (*1966) and her husband Hans de Geer af Finspang got their first child. The name of their daughter is not known yet! The little baby girl is the first grandchild of Princess Desiree of Sweden!
The name became official in December: Baroness Estelle Louise Desiree de Geer af Finspang!
SEPTEMBER 21ST
The Spanish magazine "Hola" announced the godparents of Victoria Federica: her maternal uncle Crown Prince Felipe of Spain and her paternal aunt Ana de Marichalar!
SEPTEMBER 23RD
Prince Hubertus of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (*1966) married Ute Maria Koenig on the island of Mallorca. They will get their first child in four month time!
SEPTEMBER 26TH
Queen Rania of Jordania gave birth to her third child! The new little Princess is called Salma.
SEPTEMBER 28TH
Religious wedding of Princess Mafalda of Hessen (*1965) and Conte Ferdinando Brachetti Peretti (*1960), the father of her little son Cosmo (born in January 2000). The civil marriage took place earlier! Cosmo was also baptized! It's Mafalda's third marriage!
OCTOBER 7TH
Luxembourg has a new Grand Duke and a new Grand Duchess! Grand Duke Jean I. of Luxembourg (*1921) abdicated in favour of his eldest son Henri (*1955). The new Grand Duke was sworn in and there was also a religious ceremony but because of the bad accident of Henri's younger brother Guillaume the other celebrations are postponed to spring 2001!
Click here for the special photo page!
OCTOBER 11TH
Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbon was baptized today. Her godparents are her maternal uncle Crown Prince Felipe of Spain and her paternal aunt Ana de Marichalar. Among the guests: nearly the whole Spanish royal family, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Princess Irene of Greece and the Dukes of Calabria.
Special photo page!
OCTOBER 16TH
Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway presented his girlfriend Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby to the press for the first time!
OCTOBER 18TH
There were rumours about a soon engagement of Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway (*1973) and his girlfriend Mette-Marit during the past days. This morning I read at German teletext that it was officially denied. Both said that they don't have a special date yet! But people who are close to them believe that the engagement will be before christmas!
OCTOBER 30TH
It was officially announced that Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau (*1969) and his wife Marilene (*1970) expect their first baby at the end of April 2001!
NOVEMBER 5TH
According to German teletext Queenmother Ingrid of Denmark is seriously ill. She dosen't have a special illness she is only suffering from her old age. But her condition is not alarming!
NOVEMBER 6TH
The health condition of Queen Ingrid of Denmark is getting worse. Nearly all close family members are or will be soon at her side. Another former Queen is injured: after two falls in one week Queen Mum broke her collar bone. But her condition is not too bad. At least she can leave her bed and is able to walk!
NOVEMBER 7TH
Queen Mother Ingrid of Denmark died today. She was 90 years old. Her three daughters and her 10 grandchildren have been by her side! In 1910 she was born as Princess of Sweden. She was the widow of King Frederik IX. of Denmark.
NOVEMBER 14TH
Funeral of Queen Mother Ingrid of Denmark in Copenhagen. Her final resting place is at Roskilde next to her husband King Frederik IX.. She was brought there by train.
Among the guests:
- all children, sons-in-law, all grandchildren with their husbands and wifes
- many Rosenborgs
- from Sweden: King, Queen, their 3 children, the King's sisters, many Wisborgs
- from Norway: King, Queen, their 2 children
- from Spain: Queen Sofia with her daughter Elena
- from Luxembourg: former and present Grand Dukes
- from Belgium: King and Queen
- from Netherlands: Queen Beatrix
- from England: Prince Charles, the Dukes of Glouchester, Princess Alexandra of Kent
- from Monaco: Prince Albert, Princess Caroline with husband
- from Greece: Princess Irene, Prince Michael
- from Yugoslavia: Crown Prince Alexander
- from Roumania: Queen Anne
For photos click here!
Princess Zahra Aga Khan (*1970) and her husband Mark Boyden got their first child today! Little Sara was born in Geneva.
NOVEMBER 18TH
Archduchess Isabelle of Austria (*14.09.2000) and her cousin Conte Constantino Secco d'Aragona (*10.07.2000) were baptized together in Weiller/Austria! It was a big family event with many royal guests: Princess Constanza of Auersperg-Trautson with her two daughters, Princess Cristina of Bourbon-Sicily with her daughter Victoria, Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and his wife Sophie, Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein.
The godparents of Constantino are his maternal aunt Archduchess Maria Paloma and Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este! Isabelle's godparents are Rocio Galatas and Prince Gustavo or Jorge de Elembherg.
For more photos click here!
NOVEMBER 19TH
National Day in Monaco: except Princess Stephanie's children all members of the Princely family were present. Little Alexandra was the big star of this event!
More photos!
NOVEMBER 20TH
Prince Tassilo of Ratibor and Corvey (*1965) and his wife Clarissa (born in 1965 as Countess of Toerring-Jettenbach) got their first child! It's a daughter who's name is not yet published! Her parents married in summer 1999.
NOVEMBER 22ND
Spain celebrated 25 years of monarchy under King Juan Carlos I.: photos!
It was said that Infanta Cristina is expecting her second son every day!
NOVEMBER 23RD
The best non-genealogical royal news of the year:
visiting a child center in London Prince Charles of Wales said about his late ex-wife Lady Di:
"Coming here today has reminded me of all the work that Diana did before she died."
DECEMBER 1ST
King Harald V. of Norway officially announced the engagement of his son and heir Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway (*1973) and Miss Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby (*19.08.1973). The wedding shall be on August 25th 2001!
Mette-Marit is studying Journalism and Anthropology. She is a single mother. Her son Marius was born in January 1997. Haakon Magnus and his fiancee are living together since a few months!
More photos!
DECEMBER 2ND
Benedikte Ferner (*1963), divorced daughter of Princess Astrid of Norway, married for a second time. Her new husband Mons Einar Stange is 38 years old. The Norwegian Royal family including the Crown Prince's fiancee Mette-Marit was present!
Click here to see the photos!
DECEMBER 3RD
The first official portrait of Haakon Magnus and Mette-Marit was taken!
More photos!
DECEMBER 6TH
In Germany the children celebrated Santa Claus today and in Liechtenstein and Spain two royal babys were born who got his name!
- Prince NIKOLAUS Sebastian Alexander Maria of Liechtenstein, the 4th child of Hereditary Prince Alois (*1968) and his wife Sophie (*1967). He was born in Grabs/Switzerland in the afternoon.
- Pablo Nicolas Urdangarin y de Borbon, the 2nd child of Infanta Cristina of Spain (*1965) and her husband Inaki Urdangarin (*1968). Juanito's little brother was born in Barcelona at 10.50 p.m. (local time). He was named after his maternal great-grandfather King Paul I. of Greece and of course after Saint Nicholas .
The little Prince was too early (he should have been born in January) and little Pablo was too late (he should already have been born in November)!
DECEMBER 9TH
Infanta Cristina left hospital with her newborn son and presented him to the press for the first time!
More photos!
DECEMBER 10TH
Today the godparents of Pablo Nicolas were announced: Princess Alexia of Greece (first cousin of his mother) and Prince Koubrad of Bulgaria.
There were also more photos taken of the little baby and his family!
DECEMBER 16TH
Today was officially announced that Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands (*1969) will marry his longtime girlfriend Laurentien Brinkhorst (*15.05.1966) in the middle of 2001. Constantijn is the third and youngest son of Queen Beatrix. His fiancee the daughter of Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, the present Dutch Minister of Agriculture.
DECEMBER 18TH
Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (*1981) was officially announced Hereditary Grand Duke!
DECEMBER 21ST
Archduke Carl Peter of Austria (*1955) and his wife Alexandra (born 1970 as Fürstin von Wrede) got their 1st child. Their daughter's name is Antonia.
Back to my homepage
