I saw it, too - as no doubt the videographer/editor did which was why it was left in - an intriquing moment and inexplicable if it is as you suggest given all that has gone before. If you watch the video she was continually casting glances towards him to verify his cues to her - and she was absolutely in sync with his physicality with her throughout.
LINK:
Erbgroßherzog Guillaume und Stéphanie de Lannoy zeigen sich auf Schloss Berg - YouTube
Because it is an intriguing moment I watched the split seconds in slow-mo
and its actually an intense moment of intimacy between them - her tongue actually comes out between her lips, she is leaning in, her glance is side-long and smoky, her eyes responding to him - when he, utterly focused on her with a warm smile, touches her. Its a lover's moment - and she smiles and then leans away from his ardour but in doing so bows her head to him (as a lover) and then looks away back to the front. At no time is he displeased with her - he remains intent - but she has successfully pulled herself back into the moment which is a photo-shoot. The impression of 'contempt' is the impact her face has from a certain angle which happens as she turns to face forward - you see the angle that is her least flattering. (I wager that it will be this angle that gets endlessly interpreted in years to come). But if you watch her eyes in the fade out that comes in rapidly, she is actually basking under his gaze, and she is not displeased.
Or - the simpler explanation - the photographer was calling to them to face forward and look into the camera. Ha!
Thank you.
Doesn't reveal a whole lot. Seems she was an advanced student, doing interesting student studies while she dated - and now she will marry. So its all ahead of her.
On the contrary, thank
you!
Love it. This is exactly the kind of frame-by-frame analysis that psychologists do to study mother-infant interactions, and I believe in the method a great deal. I didn't do it myself this time, but I trust your assessment. For the record, I wasn't at all sure that it was contempt, and it's true that Guillaume's was a private and tender gesture in the midst of a very public situation. If she's at all reserved by temperament, that alone might have made her back away; even if she's not shy, there must have been a constant awareness of the cameras pointing their lenses at her & them.
As for her education, I believe that she was finished with her studies. She obtained an undergraduate and a Master's degree in German, studied Russian language & literature in Moscow (in addition to violin & piano, apparently), and then worked for an investment bank. Can't remember where I read that last bit... it may have been on one of the Belgian forums.
Does anyone else get the feeling that this is an arranged marriage? I do and here are some reasons why:
Oh, I couldn't disagree more with you on this point. Here are some reasons why:
- Not only were Henri and Maria Teresa a love match; they have been very supportive of other "unequal" marriages (e.g., they attended Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton).
- If they have proven anything in their handling of the Louis & Tessy situation, it's that they truly strive to live according to their religious and moral convictions. They rightly (IMO) take the marriage vow extremely seriously; it is a sacrament and a promise made before God, and by their actions they have shown that they will not impose it on their children, even when there is considerable social pressure to do so. They accepted Tessy's pregnancy (of course they could never have supported the idea of an abortion), and they were willing to recognize the grandchild without forcing Louis to marry immediately. They allowed the couple to take their time to make the decision to marry. It would be completely incongruous with their prior actions to now impose an arranged marriage on another child of theirs.
- The fact that Guillaume is marrying someone with an ancient lineage does
not make life easier for Maria Teresa, especially in the short term. It cannot be easy for her to have all of the Luxembourgish court (who have not always been very nice to her) show that they are positively overjoyed because
finally an heir to the throne is marrying someone "suitable." It must stir up and bring back a lot of unpleasant feelings of being devalued. And yet she is a loving mother and of course must feel happy for her son if he has found joy and a good partner for life.
- Most importantly, the couple looks very in love to me... especially him. He has declared publicly that, in his case, it was love at first sight. And, from looking at the videotape, I believe him.