Juan Carlos and Sofia
In the summer of 1954, Queen Frederika of Greece organized a cruise on the Agamemnon Yacht, with the purpose of putting together ten younger members of the royal European houses. It was during this cruise that Princess Sophia of Greece, then 15 and Don Juan Carlos de Borbón, then 16, first met.
But it would take four years so that Juan Carlos confessed to his friends, at the wedding of Isabel de Würtemberg and António de Borbón Dos-Sicilias: «Princess Sophia of Greece... she enchants me»! Impeccably dressed in his Navy Gala uniform, the Prince spent that whole evening of July in the Althausen Castle, courting the young princess. They strolled by the castle's gardens, they danced... The dice were loaded.
After this big social meeting, the couple got together again during the sailing competition at the 1960 Olympic Games, in which Doña Sophia participated as backup of her brother, Constantine. Because of that, the Kings of Greece organized a dinner in their boat. Doña Sophia summarizes the meeting: “Together with don Juan and Doña María, came Juan Carlos. He had a mustache. I said to him. "I don't like this disgusting moustache." "Really?”, - he responded, - “but now I don't know how I'm going to get rid of it." I said: "You don't know how? I do. Come with me." I took him to the boat's bathroom, made him sit, put a towel in his neck, just like in a barber's shop, got a razor, lifted his nose and took it away. And he let me do it!"
In 1961, during a celebration in the Beau Rivage Hotel of Lausanne, Juan Carlos threw a small box in the air, saying: "Sofi, catch it!" The King - as Queen Sophia has said herself in numerous occasions never formally asked "Will you marry me". Inside the box, there was an engagement ring. He then came to the princess and just said: "Now, we will get married, okay?"...
The engagement was announced on December 12th, 1961.
And, at ten in the morning on that May 14th, 1962, Don Juan Carlos waited for his bride. Forty-five thousand red and yellow carnations, brought specifically from Valencia and Cataluña, adorned the interior of the temple.
Princess Sophia, before entering the cathedral saluted her people as in a farewell... Meanwhile, the Tatoi Chaplain conducted a choir of 300 voices that started to sing the Halleluiah of Haendel.
The princes were married by two church rites. The first, Catholic, happened at the San Dionisio Cathedral. The second, Orthodox, happened an hour later at Saint Mary's Cathedral and was authorized by Pope John XXIII. Doña Sophia, moved emotionally during both ceremonies, had to use Juan Carlos handkerchief several times.
The Archbishop Printesi posed the question and Don Juan Carlos, replied loud and clear "Sí," the Princess, with a more tender voice answered: "Malissa" (yes in Greek).
After the reception, the couple went away on their honeymoon, which lasted four months. It started in the Aegean Islands and ended in London. When they returned, they went to live in la Zarzuela, a little palace on the outskirts of Madrid, where they were able to live as a family. According to an interview given to Spanish TV, Juan Carlos could not forget what his grandfather, Alfonso XIII, once told him: "he was only able to eat hot food, when travelling around Spain, because at the Royal Palace the kitchen was so far from the dining-room, that the food always got there cold!"
In 1963, the first of their three children, Infanta Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbón y Grecia, was born, followed, two years later, by Infanta Cristina Federica de Borbón y Grecia, and, finally in 1968, by Prince Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia.
Both King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are immensely popular in Spain. The people have greatest respect for the King, who they credit for keeping democracy in the country, and they are very attached with their Queen, who has tirelessly worked for her adopted motherland ever since she said that ‘Mailssa’.
Albert and Paola
Donna Paola Margherita Maria Antonia Consiglia Ruffo di Calabria was invited to the inauguration of pope John XXIII. There she met a young man she thought was very charming. That young man was Prince Albert of Belgium. Albert was most impressed by Donna Paola as well, for Paola was hailed the leading beauty in Europe.
Paola that she knew nothing about Belgium at the time she met Prince Albert. She had vaguely heard about king Baudouin, but never about her future husband. The only thing about Belgium she knew well was Tintin: Paola said she enjoyed the whole collection.
Albert and Paola liked each other from the start but both were very shy and it took them a while to get to know each other. When Albert eventually proposed, she never hesitated a moment. When Paola arrived in Belgium, she was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the Belgian people and vowed to do her best to serve them.
Albert and Paola married on July 2, 1959 in Brussels. Paola was so overwhelmed with emotions; she had to reach for her handkerchief for several times.
But Paola’s first years in Belgium were lonely. She had to learn two new cultures and two new languages, which was difficult for her. Paola missed Queen Astrid, Prince Albert’s mother, for she though the late Queen could comfort, help and guide her on her way. Cold and wet Belgian weather, so unlike to the one Paola was used to, was another problem. Albert proved to be a caring husband though and he gradually made her used to the Belgian weather by walks in the Ardennes. Those walks triggered Paola’s love for nature and gardening.
Paola once said that she loves Belgian people, and would love them even she weren’t a Queen of Belgium: according to her, they are discreet, humble and they like celebrations. She added that she herself feels very much Belgian and her heart lies in Belgium.
Albert and Paola have 3 children, Philippe, Astrid and Laurent, and 12 grandchildren (including the yet unborn child of Princess Mathilde). In her 2006 interview, Queen Paola also talked about the joy of being a grandparent. She said that as a young parent, you are more responsible, like and actor in a play. But as a grandparent, you can show more tenderness and you are spectator in the play.
At the start of her marriage Paola and Albert wanted as much privacy as possible, but they were constantly chased by paparazzi. Their marriage had known problems, which became quite apparent after the revelation that King Albert allegedly has an illegitimate daughter and unfounded rumours that Prince Laurent is not Albert’s biological son. But despite this, Paola and Albert managed to solve all problems and, as Paola said in the interview, “…are very happy and often say to each other that they are really made for each other”.
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