Prince Albert & Charlene Wittstock Wedding Suggestions & Musings

[Renata4711]

"Nice-Matin" poll on PA's wedding - Sunday 21st November 2010:

Votes Monaco | nicematin.com

Can the marriage of the prince change the future of Monaco?

Yes 37% No 63 %

 

[Nathalie Cox]

^Interesting. That's what monegasques think?

 

[jonc93]

So Charlene will attend her second royal wedding as just the "fiance" not the wife, rather unfortunate for her, but I'm so excited to see what she wears as she did so great on national day. So I hope this means Kate & William go to theirs, If they don't I will be disappointed with them. Victoria & Daniel should go to theirs to..

 

[FanofMonaco]

Not the Monegasques, Natalie. I was able to vote on the Nice Matin site.

 

[Nathalie Cox]

Not the Monegasques, Natalie. I was able to vote on the Nice Matin site.

Oh, that's a relief then.
jonc93, Charlene attended as girlfriend at Victoria's wedding (well, actually i'm not sure, 4 days after the marriage she was suddenly his fiancée, maybe they were engaged before, like Kate and Wills?)
Didn't it happen almost the same in Haakon and MM's wedding, Eva Sannum was Felipe's girlfriend at the time and she was there anyway?

 

[fandesacs2003]

Oh, Didn't it happen almost the same in Haakon and MM's wedding, Eva Sannum was Felipe's girlfriend at the time and she was there anyway?

It is not the same. Eva Sannum was invited as a friend of the couple to marry not as a girlfriend of Felipe. Of course it was a good occasion to smoothly introduce her, but the cover was her personnal relationship with Haakaon & MM, she knew them independantly from Felipe. Of course the RSF was aware of and the protocol services negotiated that Eva should not approach Queen Sofia during the ceremony, she had to stay n another room, in order to avoid any picture of them together.
Of course all this effort failed, because especially after this wedding Eva Sannum was considered as non convenient, because of her "star" red carpet appeareace!
Charlene was there only accompanying Prince Albert.

 

[Nathalie Cox]

^Oh, i forgot she was from Norway. So, yes it's different. Thanks for the explanation!

 

[jonc93]

Oh, that's a relief then.
jonc93, Charlene attended as girlfriend at Victoria's wedding (well, actually i'm not sure, 4 days after the marriage she was suddenly his fiancée, maybe they were engaged before, like Kate and Wills?)
Didn't it happen almost the same in Haakon and MM's wedding, Eva Sannum was Felipe's girlfriend at the time and she was there anyway?

Oh yeah that's right at that time she was just "girlfriend" although they were probably secretly engaged. I just feel bad because it'll be a while before she goes to a royal wedding as the Princess of Monaco, Kate & Wills would of been a good start but she'll just be the fiancee.

 

[Simply Amazing]

Do you think Charlene will be less accepted by the citizens of Monaco if she is not Catholic? And lets say she doesn't convert, will she be allowed to participate in festivties and celebrations for Sainte Devote etc?

LadyBelle, that was indeed very noble of you, but you have to remember that this is 2010 and people are people. Charlene could convert to Roman Catholicism, or raise so much $$$ that she single-handedly funds the cure for cancer, it wouldn't register a blip if the people of Monaco are simply unaccepting (or heaven forbid, outright brutal) towards her. However, Charlene doesn't have to provide cause for their lack of acceptance by not appreciating their history and values, and embracing their culture/religion as her own.

In any measure, history has shown us that "foreign" princesses (think Princess Grace, the former Princess Alexandra of Denmark, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg) have been viewed with, at bare minimum, skepticism. Each of these women have had varied challenges in adjusting to their homelands, from meddling in-laws and difficult staff to language barriers and culture clashes. However, they have succeeded in spite of such issues and have gone on to become staples in the hearts and pride of their people.

It would be to her best benefit for Charlene to follow suit.

 

[angieuk]

Has a wedding dress designer been announced yet?

 

[Nadine]

I for one am hoping that Prince Andrew attends with his two lovely daughters, as they are friends with the Casiraghi trio, which will add that spark of youth that the media has always been fixated on - Y-O-U-T-H!

Yes, youth does have its advantages, especially in fairytales I admit, but I personally miss the days where elders were revered & looked upon with admiration & respect.

Okay, back to Prince Andrew, since he was there for Albert's coronation, and also the late Prince Rainier's funeral, I'm hoping he represents the BRF. But alas I can also see Prince Charles attending with his wife, since Albert is a reigning monarch. Lol, or even Prince Philip since his late father's mistress was from Monaco.

On a more serious note, I'm most interested to see if any of the Belgium Royal Family will attend? I admire them more than all other royal & princely families put together. They have stayed strong with first & foremost their Catholic beliefs, and equally important they have only married other royals like themselves. And, yes, most definitely "blue bloods"/"royal bloods" are real. Just as the difference between a purebred dog & a mutt, or to use another analogy a true blonde versus a fake one.

So on that score I would love to see the Royal Family of Belgium represented, hopefully bringing along Prince Amadeo in tow. One can wish. Btw, have any royal couples met their future spouse at royal weddings? Just curious is all...

I also would love to see Princess Viktoria of Sweden attend with her husband. Also, I give her a bye in marrying Daniel Westling of Sweden, as the Swedish blood was beginning to thin out, just as Prince Charles married a British gal to bring some more of that blood into the crown. And in the future I hope to see Prince Albert & Charlene's son marry a Monaco girl to bring that blood back into the fold. After all they are supposed to represent the Monesque people.

 

[NGalitzine]

Okay, back to Prince Andrew, since he was there for Albert's coronation, and also the late Prince Rainier's funeral, I'm hoping he represents the BRF. But alas I can also see Prince Charles attending with his wife, since Albert is a reigning monarch. Lol, or even Prince Philip since his late father's mistress was from Monaco.

Andrew attended Prince Rainier's state funeral, but it was Edward and Sophie who attended the Enthronement ceremony.
I am betting they will also attend Albert's wedding as they now seem to be The Queen's representative at royal events on the continent. An outside bet would be on the Prince of Wales as he and Albert have met several times over the years.

 

[melina premiere]

Ladybelle and Simply Amazing, I saw all the fest of national day on Tmc, the mass also, Charlene made the sign of cross with the holy oil,that the bishop gave her at the entry of cathedral, she lalso made the sign of cross several times, she knelt down with Albert, Caroline and Stephanie at the time of the benediction all thatPrince Ernst August never made because he was protestant. Ithink she is being converted to catholicisme, we saw that she wanted to participe in the ceremony by making this strong signs. In monaco Hebdo, Jerome Revon producteur of the ceremony of weedding said the live of the weedding will begin at tv at 4 pm and the cameras will follow the princely couple up to the church of holy Devote where he will put the brunch of bride to the Virgin according the custom, I think that Charlene will be catholic at this moment

 

[Renata4711]

Coming back to which British member(s) will attend PA's wedding, I think it's more likely that Charles will attend (with our without Camilla) because PA and PC are closer in age, and they have attended a number of functions together. PA was also at Clarence House.

 

[Bones]

I thought I had read on here somewhere that Charlene was already Catholic or at least was in the process of becoming one. I think she would almost have to be before the wedding. As far as I know no Prince of Monaco has ever married someone who wasn't at least nominally Catholic.

I would like to see Prince Charles and Camilla attend and Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde too. I've never understood the idea some seem to have that the Grimaldis are somehow 'untouchable' to the other "royal" royals. Every time the meet with the royals of Britain, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg etc everyone always looked perfectly friendly to me. In the past Britain and Belgium even provided princesses of Monaco.

 

[melina premiere]

Prince Albert said in the interview of July, when Charlene said 'I am christian', that there is no rules for the wife of the Prince to be catholic, but it was thinghs they will see later, I think in seing Charlene during the mass of the national fest that she is not yet catholic but she will be soon, she must learn all the rits of catholic religion and there are a lot .I am catholic,every catholic chid must learn 3 years before to be an entire catholic. There are many examples of princess being protestant or orthodox who converted to catholicisme, I don't know for Queen Sofia who was orthodox but for Queen Astrid of Belgium, She became catholic some months before the birth Of Prince Baudoin(who became king of belgium)but I am sure Charlene will be catholic before the weedding because she must bring her brunch of bride to the Virgin at Ste Devote Church and this gesture must be only made by a catholic person

 

[Nathalie Cox]

I hardly believe she is catholic (now) but i do think she will do a sort of quick course to become catholic, and problem resolved. After all, we can't say the Grimaldis are the perfection in practicing catholicisim.

 

[Renata4711]

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You're right, NathalieCox, certain Grimaldis only seem to have a "nominal" faith, but I suppose it's better than nothing....
Full marks to the family for wholeheartedly embracing the National Day Mass, regardless of whether they're still wedded to the Faith.

 

[melina premiere]

I always wonder why Princess Caroline doesn-t communie like her brother, I understand why Princess Stephanie don't, because she is divorced, but the first weedding of P Caroline was canceled,her second man is dead, and she is separed from Ernst August,The last time, I saw her communing was at the funerail of Prince Rainier,I follow all the national fest every year,she only knelt down at the salut moment, only Stephanie and Ernst August'( when he was there) stay stand up, this year, I was surprised to see all the four Prince Albert, Princess Caroline, Princess Stephanie and Charlene knelling at this moment of the mass, moment which is very moving and beautiful there are trumpettes and so

 

[Renata4711]

No doubt Caroline has reasons of her own - it's her privilege, after all. She may still regard herself as a nominal Roman Catholic, but she may feel that, at that moment on National day, she may have felt that she was not in a state of grace....

 

[Bones]

I never knew who took communion and who didn't but I had always thought Caroline was rather the more religious of the three, she seemed to be rather more devout after the loss of Stefano but I suppose that could have been a phase due to that brush with mortality. Of course being religious does not mean always 'virtuous' in every way. Still, I could not imagine a Princess of Monaco who was not at least Catholic in name. I think the Grimaldi siblings have basically the attitude that Princess Stephanie has expressed in the past, they are not like strict religious people but recognize that Monaco has a state church, it is part of their history and culture and so they respect that. No need for laws to force them to choose one way or another and I can't really see the local hierarchy making it difficult on Charlene to convert if she hasn't already. My experience has been that there is alot of freedom on that front. I know some who have done it 'by the book' and it takes a long time, formal classes and lots of steps but then I know others who just had a few months of informal lessons with the priest and presto- nueva catolica.

The possibility of future children would also play a part in this I would think. Also, I don't see Charlene as being devoted religious anyway, more of a nominal Protestant, so I doubt changing church allegiance would be that big of a deal to her. I hope that doesn't sound harsh -some people just take it more seriously than others is all.

 

[melina premiere]

The local hierarchy doesn't make on Charlene to convert.It takes time to convert, the person who wants to convert must learn a lot of rits in catholicism.It takes a year untill 3 years.But I think she must learn very quickly to be ready for july if she wants to be catholic.In looking her during the mass, Isaw that she made many signs that a protestant does not do.Queen Astrid said when she converted that she wanted pray with her children.If Albert and Charlene has children, they must be catholicIt is the rule in Monaco

 

[Renata4711]

As far as I know, the Monegasque head of state HAS to be catholic, as per the Constitution. But I think the non-converted parent, in this case, Charlene, can remain Protestant, as long as any children of the union must be raised Roman Catholic.

 

[Nathalie Cox]

^Yeah, i think the same. Examples like Princess Maxima come to my mind, but i'm not sure if there's no need for Charlene to convert. She did the cross sign at the mass (i think it wasn't very good done, like she mistaken where she has to put the hand first and then).

 

[LadyMacAlpine]

The local hierarchy doesn't make on Charlene to convert.It takes time to convert, the person who wants to convert must learn a lot of rits in catholicism.It takes a year untill 3 years.But I think she must learn very quickly to be ready for july if she wants to be catholic.In looking her during the mass, Isaw that she made many signs that a protestant does not do.Queen Astrid said when she converted that she wanted pray with her children.If Albert and Charlene has children, they must be catholicIt is the rule in Monaco

I don't know where you got your info from of a year to 3 years. I converted back around 2005 and it only took five months, meeting once a week and there isn't much to it. We were told everyone starts at the same time around the world and is accepted into the Church at Easter Vigil. I'm sure if they got permission they could push it all into a month if they wanted to for her.

 

[Lakshmi]

I think Charlene has not converted so far. Agree with LadyMacalpine, it takes only several moths to convert. In my parish people who want to convert start in September and become Catholics on Easter (March/April), so it's 6-7 moths, sometimes less.
IMO Charlene does not have to convert to get married, it's no requirement. But I guess she must promise that they will rise kids as Catholics.

 

[Bahamagirl]

I'm going against the grain here. I believe in family worship;that is Husband Wife and Children attending the same church. However, the most important thing is for the family to experience a born again relationship with Christ. Because it does not matter whether we are Catholic, Anglican, Assembly of God, Chursh of God, Full Baptist. You will till die and go to hell if you do not know Christ as Lord and Saviour.

 

[Zara04]

Really?

However, the most important thing is for the family to experience a born again relationship with Christ. You will till die and go to hell if you do not know Christ as Lord and Saviour.

#1: You have your faith and I have mine. (Hint: It isn't Christianity)
#2: I think this is the wrong place to prophesize.
#3: Your last line: not likely.

 

[Bones]

Just to clarify; I never said Charlene legally *had* to change her religion. However, Monaco is not like the Netherlands -they do have a state church. However, as far as I know, they are not as strict as the British with laws dealing with who a royal can and cannot marry. However, most monarchies do not need such laws, the royals themselves use their own judgment to protect the religious heritage of their country. That is what I think will happen here -not saying Charlene absolutely has to change, just that she doesn't strike me as being extremely committed to Protestantism and so will convert so that she is not the first Princess of Monaco in so many centuries to not share the religion of her country.

 

[Renata4711]

Bones, I suspect that CW is neither extremely committed to protestantism nor to Roman Catholicism. In her own words: "Je suis chrétien" (she should have said "chrétienne"). She will probably make her judgement on the basis of practicality.