Video: "Kings Can Do Anything": The Most Scandalous Unequal Marriages in European History
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Unequal marriages among royalty in the old days caused a storm of indignation in society. But these days, judgments about misalliance is called a manifestation of snobbery, and representatives of the royal families are increasingly marrying "mere mortals", proving to the whole world that "kings can do anything." The most scandalous and sensational unequal marriage of noble persons in European history - further in the review.
Until the beginning of the twentieth century. unequal marriages in royal families were rare - they were considered a disgrace to the family, even when representatives of the ruling dynasties were married not with commoners, but with aristocrats. Thus, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, chose as his wife one of the maids of honor of the Archduchess Isabella von Croix, the Czech Countess Sofia Chotek, which caused a storm of indignation in society. Emperor Franz Joseph opposed marriage for a long time, but when he realized that his nephew was ready to renounce the succession to the throne for the sake of his beloved woman, he yielded to him.
On June 28, 1900, the marriage was officially registered in the Vienna Palace. He was morganatic - Franz Ferdinand signed an "act of abdication", according to which his wife and future children could not claim the throne. The wedding was not attended by any of the ruling Habsburg dynasty. Sofia Chotek was considered to be below the youngest archduchess in rank. This was the most famous and scandalous of the unequal marriages of the Habsburgs.
In the twentieth century. incidents of misalliance in royal families have become more frequent. The uncle of the current British Queen Elizabeth II, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne in 1936 for the opportunity to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson. Edward VIII was the only king in English history to abdicate voluntarily.
In the second half of the twentieth century. the story of the Norwegian Cinderella made many girls dream of a similar fate: in 1968, Crown Prince Harald of Norway (later King Harald V) married a saleswoman in a clothing store, Sona Haraldsen. They have been waiting for permission for marriage for 9 years.
In 1976, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden married the daughter of a German businessman, Sylvia Sommerlat. They met when Sylvia worked as a translator for the Munich Olympics Regional Committee. For her sake, Carl Gustav introduced changes to monarchical legislation: since then, members of the royal family of Sweden had the right to marry representatives of ordinary families.
At the beginning of the 21st century, unequal marriages became ubiquitous, and the very concept of mesalliance has lost its relevance. So, in 2001, after a loud scandal, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway married the waitress Mette-Marit Hoibi. However, the scandal occurred not because of her occupation, but because, before meeting Haakon, she gave birth to an illegitimate son from a drug addict who had been convicted of fights and possession of cocaine more than once, and she herself used drugs in her youth. Mette-Marit publicly confessed to the mistakes of the past, after which she was accepted into the royal family.
A surveyor can also become a princess - this was proved by Claire Louise Coombs by her example when in 2003 she married the youngest son of the King of Belgium, Albert II. The parents hesitated with the blessing, but since the throne was intended for the eldest son, the wedding still took place.
Further more. In 2004The second son of the Queen of the Netherlands, Prince Johan Friso, married the ex-girlfriend of the ringleader of the Amsterdam mafia, Mabel Wisse-Smith. For the sake of the bride, the young man renounced the right to the succession to the throne. In the same year, Crown Prince Frederic André Henrik Christian of Denmark married realtor Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, and Crown Prince of Spain Felipe (now King Philip VI) married the divorced 31-year-old television journalist Leticia Ortiz Rocasolano.
Well, it seems like these days, girls from ordinary families have a much better chance of becoming princesses. And at one time, the union of the Prince of Monaco and the actress was called a scandalous marriage Grace Kelly: what was hidden behind the image of the perfect blonde
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“No king, no king, can marry for love,” the famous song says. The concept of misalliance - unequal marriage - once really mattered and warned royalty against rash decisions. But some noble and titled persons still decided to "marry for love." The most scandalous and sensational unequal marriages of noble persons in Russian history - further in the review