Death of Comtesse Alix de Lannoy: August 26, 2012

[DukeOfAster]

The Count did not attend. She was 72 and he is 20 years older. Lets send our prayers up and lets all hope this sadness ends with the countess death.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Actually the Countess would have been 71 on Sept20th...exactly three weeks...since she was born in 1941. So she was technically only 70 when she died.

And she was stricken only days after helping her husband celebrate his 90th birthday on Aug14th.

 

[DukeOfAster]

Actually the Countess would have been 71 on Sept20th...exactly three weeks...since she was born in 1941. So she was technically only 70 when she died.

And she was stricken only days after helping her husband celebrate his 90th birthday on Aug14th.

Sorry and thanks for the correction.

 

[Mariel]

I do not think Guillaume and Stephanie should be separated at this time. I think she should move to Luxembourg soon. It would not be very convenient for him to move to the Lannoy castle, if he has duties at home, which he seems to have a lot of. But perhaps the two homes are not far apart. I do not know the mileage between Luxembourg City and Stephanie's home in Belgium. I suppose the Grand Ducal family will send various people to help her pack, in any case, as the wedding date is fast approaching. That is a big stress, to move all her possessions while in mourning. She should probably not try to move everything, just go to Luxembourg "as is", with a few things. Anyway I am just thinking how I would handle it, but I am not nobility with many people to help.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

She has more than likely been gradually transferring her belongings little by little to Berg Castle since her engagement.

She almost undoubtedly has clothes there, but my understanding is that she does not yet live there full time.

I read that she would not move to Luxembourg full time until closer to the wedding date...which as of Friday will be exactly six weeks away. But the sudden death of her mother, combined with likely anxiety and concern for her father, might alter her plans somewhat.

 

[Meraude]

I do not think Guillaume and Stephanie should be separated at this time. I think she should move to Luxembourg soon. It would not be very convenient for him to move to the Lannoy castle, if he has duties at home, which he seems to have a lot of. But perhaps the two homes are not far apart. I do not know the mileage between Luxembourg City and Stephanie's home in Belgium.

I wouldn't be surprised if Stéphanie wants to be close to her father at the moment, especially if he's frail and there are concerns about his health. The distance between Anvaing and Luxembourg is about 180 miles/290 kilometers, and it takes about 3 hours by car according to TralelMath (calculated to Tournai, the city closest to Anvaing).

 

[Rayarena]

There was speculation [I believe] about whether the Count went to his wife's funeral. He wasn't photographed, nor did the papers mention him. Isn't the chapel and the crypt where she is buried on his property? It's not as if he had to travel by car to get there. He could probably walk or be pushed in a wheelchair. Any thoughts on this? Could it be because of his fragility? Maybe he's sedated?

Regarding the speculation about whether Stephanie is going to stay with her father or go to Luxembourg, I would imagine that she wants to stay with him, but she has her responsibilities to the Royal Court. A wedding as big as her's, probably requires so many details, but alas, both families are very wealthy and when you have that much money, arrangements can be made. For instance, the count probably has nurses taking care of him 24/7 and Stephanie's other siblings [I am assuming] probably live in Belgium, so she is not really needed in Anvaing. Is there a small airport nearby? She can probably fly there in a few minutes on a private jet if there was an emergency, etc..

 

[Daria_S]

I wouldn't be surprised if Stéphanie wants to be close to her father at the moment, especially if he's frail and there are concerns about his health. The distance between Anvaing and Luxembourg is about 180 miles/290 kilometers, and it takes about 3 hours by car according to TralelMath (calculated to Tournai, the city closest to Anvaing).

I thought exactly the same when I read the post that you quoted. I don't think that Stephanie will leave her remaining parent alone, especially if the said parent is frail in health, and may need company of a loved one. It wouldn't be a good idea to leave her father alone, because at his age, depression and loneliness can do as much harm as any physical ailment.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I think she will put off the final departure from Anvaing until the last possible moment but as someone has already mentioned, it's getting down to the wire as far as her wedding is concerned. She has responsibilities in Luxembourg that will require her presence soon.

She has seven older siblings-including a much older brother who is the ipso facto head of the family at this point, and they are more than able to arrange whatever care and assistance the Count needs.

They are also aware of the incredibly frought situation their youngest sister is facing now..preparing for a State Wedding while grieving the sudden loss of her mother.. and they will want to help her as well.

Unless she is planning to postpone the wedding-which I doubt-Stephanie cannot put off the final break with Anvaing for much longer.

ETA: Note to Rayarena...the Church of St. Amand and the graveyard behind it are in the village of Anvaing but not attached to Anvaing Castle. The crypt of the de Lannoy family would therefore only be accessible to members of the family by car from the castle.

 

[Meraude]

It's possible that it's Stéphanie who needs to be with her father more than he needs her to be with him, having lost one parent and with certainty understand that she doesn't have too much time left to spend with her remaining parent would make it more important for her to spend as much time as she can in his company.

As for the wedding planning, it's not certain that Stéphanie is needed in the day-to-day planning, that is probably done by the staff at the Luxembourg court, and I would guess that she will be in daily contact with her fiancé and future mother-in-law and that they are giving her all the help she needs. Without doubt she will attend all the necessary meetings and representative duties she will have, but I don't think she will stay in Luxembourg those days when there are nothing planned for her to do there.

 

[NoorMeansLight]

How terribly sad! This news (and thread) caught my attention just now, so sorry to hear that! My condolences to Stephanie and her family.
Will the wedding be postponed? I believe it would be a lot of trouble to change the date now. What will happen with all the preparations so far and so on.

 

[Mirabel]

I read the wedding will not be postponed.

(Really, a postponement might not be a good thing, with Stephanie's father as frail as he is. What purpose would it serve?)
And with all the arrangements made, they may as well go through as planned.

 

[NoorMeansLight]

My thoughts exactly, Mirabel. Thanks for the confirmation!

 

[Mariel]

I recall a similar case of a father unable to attend a royal wedding. This was the case of Henry, Duke of Gloucester, who remained at home nearby when his younger son Richard was wed in the village church nearby. He was present at the reception in his home after the wedding. Present at the wedding were the Queen Mother Elizabeth, his other son William, his wife Princess Alice, Prince Charles, and Princess Margaret. Henry, Duke of Gloucester had been ailing since an auto accident.
But Phillipe de Lannoy lives far from the wedding site, so this is a problem in terms of his even being present after the wedding to wish the newlyweds well.
Princess Alice of Gloucester was over a hundred years old when her grandaughter Davina Windsor married in Kensington Palace chapel. Alice lived right there, at Kensington, with her son and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, so the newlyweds came to see her immediately after the wedding.
Poor Phillipe will be 180 miles away. Perhaps he should live at Berg until the wedding, at least. He has, blessedly, other children to take care of him at home, so perhaps it will not be too important.
He may not be senile, just frail. Some 90 year olds have all their "marbles," so he may be aware of what transpires.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I don't think he is at all senile. He was interviewed on the occasion of Gui and Stephanie's engagement and sounded perfectly lucid even though he spoke slowly and with some difficulty.

Unless there has been some sharp decline in his mental faculties in the last four months.....

 

[Meraude]

Perhaps he should live at Berg until the wedding, at least. He has, blessedly, other children to take care of him at home, so perhaps it will not be too important.

I don't think it would be a good idea for the comte to have to leave his home, as older people are often very attached to their homes and having to move away from a familiar place will cause unnecessary emotional stress, and that's not something he needs after the death of his wife.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Sources in the Belgian press are reporting that the Comte de Lannoy was indeed present at his wife's funeral. He was taken in his wheelchair through a side entrance of the church before the other guests arrived, perhaps to shield the frail old man from the cameras.

So that settles that.

 

[Biri]

Poor Stephanie! What a blow just before her wedding!
And who would suppose that Countess Alix would pass away before her husband, giving that she was much younger than he...

Condolences to him, all their children and grandchildren.

 

[rominet09]

Sources in the Belgian press are reporting that the Comte de Lannoy was indeed present at his wife's funeral. He was taken in his wheelchair through a side entrance of the church before the other guests arrived, perhaps to shield the frail old man from the cameras.

So that settles that.

I am happy he could be present; how horrible it would be not physically been able to attend !

 

[claypoint2]

It's possible that it's Stéphanie who needs to be with her father more than he needs her to be with him, having lost one parent and with certainty understand that she doesn't have too much time left to spend with her remaining parent would make it more important for her to spend as much time as she can in his company.

Meraude, thank you for saying exactly what I was thinking... and for saying it better than I would.

 

[Rayarena]

Here's a very short TV news report of the funeral. Stephanie is shown with Guillaume arriving for the services:

La Reine Fabiola et la princesse Astrid aux funérailles de la Comtesse Alix de Lannoy (vidéo) - RTL info

 

[Biri]

Photos from the funeral:

Obsèques d'Alix de Lannoy: La comtesse Stéphanie en deuil, épaulée par Guillaume