Grand Duke Henri & Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Current Events 1: Dec 2002 - Nov 2004

[Alexandria]

Wonder if you could direct me to the post/link about the "family disagreements" ?

I don't know that there is a specific link or thread on the internal squabbles of the Luxembourg royals. But this is my understanding of the situation within the family - although bear in mind that I've picked all this up over the years from various message boards and have not read a book on it myself and my details are a bit fuzzy.

1) Grand Duchess Josefine was "forced" to marry Grand Duke Josefine. She allegedly cried on the day of her wedding. I don't know if it was a love match for him though, or how he felt about Josefine.

2) From what I've heard, Grand Duchess Josefine doesn't like Maria Teresa too much. Not quite sure why, but I think it's much more than just a case of no woman being good enough for her son. She apparently does like Prince Guillaume's wife, Sybilla.

Not sure how much light I really shed on the situation, but hopefully others can fill in the details a bit more.

 

[hrhcp]

..  this is my understanding of the situation within the family ...picked ... over the years from various message boards

1) Grand Duchess Josefine was "forced" to marry Grand Duke Jean. She allegedly cried on the day of her wedding. I don't know if it was a love match for him though, or how he felt about Josefine.

I had not heard that. That is a pity, a real pity.

2) From what I've heard, Grand Duchess Josefine doesn't like Maria Teresa too much. Not quite sure why, but I think it's much more than just a case of no woman being good enough for her son. She apparently does like Prince Guillaume's wife, Sybilla.

I had heard once that Maria Teresa - once she became GD - poured out some of these woes to the media, and that the latter weren't too impressed at this revelation.

In looking at GD Henri, he comes across to me as being somewhat angry. On top of that, he looks to be a fitness fanatic while his wife is sort of hiding her figure; and given these opposites, I wonder if there is some element of revenge here? I heard recently from a Lux. resident that there are rumors going around of scores of mistresses for GD Henri and that GD'ss Maria is hitting the bottle. The latter could 'explain' a pudgy figure, but I wonder how much of her mental / physical state is a result of being 'dumped on' by a resentful husband and a dragon lady mother-in-law? Is it possible, that the resentment of 'mother' has moved into the next generation?

 

[moosey60]

1) Grand Duchess Josefine was "forced" to marry Grand Duke Josefine. She allegedly cried on the day of her wedding. I don't know if it was a love match for him though, or how he felt about Josefine.

2) From what I've heard, Grand Duchess Josefine doesn't like Maria Teresa too much. Not quite sure why, but I think it's much more than just a case of no woman being good enough for her son. She apparently does like Prince Guillaume's wife, Sybilla.

Not sure how much light I really shed on the situation, but hopefully others can fill in the details a bit more.

Um, first of all, GD Josefine was forced to marry herself? ....I'm sure you meant Jean. Wow, that seems odd, they've been married for eons. How do they get along now?

Second: Maybe Josefine doesn't like Maria Teresa because of her Cuban-ism? I don't know, maybe she doesn't like the idea of a non-European "penetrating" into her royal family? Also, she might not like the way MT dresses...she dresses in moomoos, seriously. MT doesn't dress to flatter her image, she dresses in flowery moomoos and big satiny/velvety/shiny/metallic dresses made to fit someone with a lot more meat on them. I'm sure MT could dress more...to suit her.

 

[Alexandria]

Um, first of all, GD Josefine was forced to marry herself? ....I'm sure you meant Jean.

Oops! I did mean Jean, thanks for correcting me moosey60. It would be pretty weird if Josefine got all dressed to marry herself!

I don't know about Maria Teresa's heritage being the reason why Josefine does not like Maria Teresa or if she was against MT because she was not of noble background or non-European. I can't see that a long-time family dispute could be over how MT dresses however. That would be pretty petty and insignificant to hold against someone who has married your son and given you grandchildren.

 

[hrhcp]

... Also, she might not like the way MT dresses...she dresses in moomoos, seriously. MT doesn't dress to flatter her image, she dresses in flowery moomoos and big satiny/velvety/shiny/metallic dresses made to fit someone with a lot more meat on them. I'm sure MT could dress more...to suit her.

Hard to do, if you want to hide "a lot more meat".

 

[moby]

royal family with royal pet dogs.

 

[hrhcp]

State Visit to Denmark, October 20 - 22, 2003

From the "Glittering Royal Events Message Board"

http://members3.boardhost.com/Oranjes/msg/22335.html

" Monday: GD's will be officially greeted by Queen Margarethe and Prince Henrik, along with Prince Frederick, Princess Alexandra and Princess Benedikte. A private luncheon follows. In the afternoon, GD Henri will attend a meeting on biotechnology, while GD Maria Teresa will visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art situated on the site of the "Danish Riviera." (" The museum's name has an interesting story: the original landowner had a succession of three wives, all named Louise.") The gala dinner given by Queen Margarethe will be held at Chateau Fredensborg.

Tuesday: GD Henri and MT will accompany Prince Frederick to North Jutland where Henri will open a new research lab at the University and Maria Teresa will visit an elementary school considered as a model for intergrating handicapped children into its classrooms. They will also visit North Jutland Museum designed by Alvar Aalto. They will fly back to Copenhagen for the return dinner followed by a performance of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestre.

Wednesday: GD Henri will speak before the Danish President and Parliment on trade issues, while Maria Teresa visits the Royal Copenhagen factory. After a farwell luncheon, GD Henri and MT will make a private visit with Queen Margarethe to Odense to see her art exhibit."

 

[thissal]

Monday: GD's will be officially greeted by Queen Margarethe and Prince Henrik, along with Prince Frederick, Princess Alexandra and Princess Benedikte.

Isn't this something Mary should start to be included in?

 

[Sean.~]

Hello Magazine talks about it, too. I agree, though, they are such a fun couple and it really shows in pictures that their love has stood the test of time. They are my favorite royal couple

Except for the nasty rumour being spread around by Josephine Charlotte that Henri was having an affair with the foreign minister. This came from Maria Teresa's own mouth at a press confrence at the Palace. She also said that her mother-in-law went around calling her the little Cuban.

Is there any truth to the rumour that the GD'ess is hitting the bottle?

I'm not sure, but I have pictures of her going back a long way. The other day I was looking at pictures of her from just 1997 & she's gained a lot of weight really quickly. Maybe it is the stress of being Grand Duchess or maybe there is some truth to the rumour about the Grand Duke. Who knows.

 

[lori]

Not to be impolite, but the way her weight is going, it is pretty hard on another spouse, I figure, unless he is fond of a chubby wife. Looking at maria's younger pictures, she is quite cute, lovely, and adorable, but at some point, she just let go, and that is extremely unwise. She is in an image showing business, and drastic weigh gain is almost like a sin, just looking at Sara Furgerson. I know it's pretty hard to control one's weigh, but she has resources to do it, I wonder, why she is not a little bit more consicous about it. Maybe she just needs mental support from her family, I wonder though what her country men thing of her?

 

[thissal]

I wonder though what her country men thing of her?

If Maria Teresa was wise, she would never show her face in public again until she loses 50#.

 

[ravenprincess]

Maria Teresa was wise, she would never show her face in public again until she loses 50#.

Wow, that's a very bold and insensitive statement to make, especially when you don’t know why the Grand Duchess has gained weight. The reason for her weight gain could be due to a myriad of reasons:

• This is a woman with five children; you honestly can’t expect her to remain as small as she was before she had her children.

• Women (for the most part gain weight) when they get older.

• Maybe she’s going through menopause (that causes weight gain)

• Maybe she likes herself at this weight and feels healthier


raven

 

[justine]

wow...I guess beauty is only skin deep??


She looks to have gained weight and lost weight to me.
Some people are naturally thin and some people have to work very hard at it.

 

[thissal]

Wow, that's a very bold and insensitive statement to make, especially when you don’t know why the Grand Duchess has gained weight. The reason for her weight gain could be due to a myriad of reasons:

I agree with you totally. I was being facetious considering the previous post.

 

[Alexandria]

Let's move off this topic of Maria Teresa's weight and focus on the many good things she does. The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg has worked hard and accomplished too much for us to be discussing something as trivial as her weight.

 

[Sean.~]

Aren't people free to discuss what they want here & to state their opinions, providing it is on topic? I know that I certainly wasn't trying to be insensitive. I was just stating a fact based on observation in response to a previous posters inquiry about her alleged drinking.

Indeed, there may be several reasons for her weight gain. I don't think it's the kids though. She was slim after giving birth to the last one.

I think it is wrong to censor members, but that's just my view.

 

[Alexandria]

Aren't people free to discuss what they want here & to state their opinions, providing it is on topic? I know that I certainly wasn't trying to be insensitive. I was just stating a fact based on observation in response to a previous posters inquiry about her alleged drinking.

I think it is wrong to censor members, but that's just my view.

Sean and everybody else: I am not trying to censor what your beliefs or discussion about this situation are, and we always encourage discussion here at LTR, but when the discussion strays into areas which may be sensitive to other members and in some cases, when members are being rude or malicious about the topic, then we administrators and moderators must step in.

 

[Sean.~]

Sean and everybody else: I am not trying to censor what your beliefs or discussion about this situation are, and we always encourage discussion here at LTR, but when the discussion strays into areas which may be sensitive to other members and in some cases, when members are being rude or malicious about the topic, then we administrators and moderators must step in.

Again, I wasn't insensitive, rude or malicious, and frankly I am offended that you would even suggest so. I was simply responding to a post. Why not chastise the individual who inquired about her alleged drinking then?

 

[Sean.~]

Sure.

I've already discussed the matter with Alexandria via IM. She's told me that it wasn't my comments that she was referring to.

Nevertheless, I still feel that people should be entitled to talk about what they want, providing that it is on topic and no one is being vulgar (or attacking other posters). After all, people are entitled to have divergent opinions. We can not all be expected to fawn over every single royal. they are public figures & thus subject to public scrutiny.

This is fun board and I enjoy looking at the pictures here. I also enjoy contributing once in a while, although, to be honest, I'm more of a serious historian. If people are going to dictate what can and can not be posted about royals, then I will no longer contribute here.

 

[Binny]

Gee, I've read this with interest. I think we can sometimes forget that these people are human. Just because she has a title and money etc, doesn't mean that she is happy. I have the feeling that she may not be, and her weight is an outward sign of this... Just my opinion.

 

[lori]

I know I should forgo the weigh issue, Alexandria, but I just saw her picture in the return dinner event, and I have to get it out of my chest. It's quite alarming when the picture shows more than thousand words. I have compassion for her, I understand the aloneness marrying into a royal family and the struggle to fit in. Not to mention the different culture she is from. But after more than 20 years, a smart gal would find a way to adjust or adapt which ever way fits for her. Hers is not the only unpleasant mother and daughter in law conflict. She shouold focus on her own family, that including taking good care of herself. I'm sure she could find a confidential psychologist help should she need one in regards to the alcohol issue if that is true. The awareness must be there when you are around so many skinny royals all the time. So please do something to manage the issues, maybe that will help control the weight. I feel so sorry to see a great lady going downhill. I can't get over that she was so cute, young, and lovely, that is no more.

 

[moosey60]

I think Maria is pretty. However, I really don't like her dresses. They're like...imitation flowery flimsy 1950's style muumuus made for people with a greater girth than her. *Shudder*, those dresses make her look even fatter than she is.

 

[lori]

By the way, anyone see the video of return banquet of her dressing yellow orangish fluffy gown, that just doesn't suit her. But the alarming part is her walk, it starts to be limpy and unbalanced, kind of one foot is heavier than the other. I think the weigh starts to cause trouble for her. Or maybe the high heells are not going to balance the weigh. This is horrible. Do something, Duchess.

 

[Sean.~]

Hmm, Lori, if you are really so concerned about her, why don't you write to her?
I'm being serious. Maybe she will appreciate a *supportive* (not critical) letter from from a concerned 'fan'?

 

[Lena]

Yes it´s obvious that MT has gained a lot in recent years, and probably her doctors are advising her to loose a little, but I don´t think that she suffers from serious adiposity, and I can´t also imagine that her balance Problem ( if she has one...I´vent seen the video) is caused through her weight!
We are always talking about "shrinking" female Royals (Q. Rania, Charlotte Casiraghi, Mary Donaldsson, cp Victoria, cp Maxima...) and now there´s a woman who is chubbier and we are still complaining and assuming that she has a mental poblem! Not everybody fits in the perfect BMI-pattern, and as long as it doesn´t get out of the hand, it ´s IMO a good thing!
Another change in the family attracted more attention to me...their daughter Alexandra looked in the pictures, in which she was about 9 years old really shy and fragile, she never smiled/laughed, but in the pictures from last summer she looks more self-confident.
Nice to notice that prince Guillaume has at least a "pseudo"- Royal girlfriend. The niece of Queen Sonja is of course not a Royal in it´s usual definition, but she´s IMO more a Royal, than those middle class boyfriends /girlfriends of current young Royals! I´m not against weddings between Royals and commoners, but to watch eventually a marriage between two Royals would be really exciting ( If I would have said that about 100 years ago, people would have laughed at me )
I didn´t knew much about the Royals from Luxemburg before, but they seem to be a really likeable family (with a great family life)..I´m going to rank them higher in my Royal-houses-ranking-list than before!

 

[USCtrojan]

Thanks for those fantastic photos of the Grand Duke and Duchess in Denmark and her recent visit to Thailand. Can we try not to keep mentioning anything about her weight please? Her weight has nothing to do with who she is. The Grand Duchess is a wonderful woman, if not the most regal and beatutiful of all the Royal wemon by far, so please keep the talks of her weight at a minimum if not at all!!!!! It is about time these stopped.

Thank You

 

[Dennism]

Visit of the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg in Laos

The night market; Every night, the streets of Luang Prabang turn into a huge night market. HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg spent her last evening at the night market where she bought fabrics from Laos craftsmanship work.

HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg with the minister of Luxemburg of Cooperation and Humanitarian Deeds, mister Charles Goerens, inaugurated hospital Maria Teresa dead in the center of Laos. This first visit in the «Kingdom of the million elephants» allowed HRH to see how well the partnership in medical support, between Luxemburg and Laos ran. In exclusivity for Saola Agency, HRH the Grand-Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg has invited us to share with her trip through Laos.

The Baci; During the welcoming ceremony also called "Baci", celebrating HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg's trip, the governor of the province of Luang Prabang following the tradition tied to the wrist of his guest small white ties to bring her good fortune.

During the welcoming ceremony also called "Baci", celebrating HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg's trip, the governor of the province of Luang Prabang following the tradition tied to the wrist of his guest small white ties to bring her good fortune

They put these slightly out of order on the site:

On the last day of her trip in Laos, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg wished to go shopping in the small streets of Luang Prabang to discover the small shops of the craftsmen of Laos. The weavers and the silversmiths - jewel and cups - got all her attention.

Looking at some jewels.

That looks warm.

Cute.

Here's a weaver:

IML pictures

 

[Dennism]

Luang Prabang : Royal City; Inside the courtyard of the Royal Museum, the pagoda is Haw Pha Bang. It is a religious building that has been richly decorated and which counts among the 32 other old temples registered. HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg visited the former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang,with its 63 000 inhabitants. She met young bonze monks; she visited the former Royal Palace that has been transformed into a museum. In the complex of Vat Xieng Thong, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg has seen some of the most beautiful pagodas of the kingdom, and discovered "The Tree of Life (on red background), small chapels and reliquaries with Buddha statues and a funerary carriage set near by the East entrance door of Vat Xieng Thong.

Luang Prabang : Royal City

Luang Prabang : Royal City

Luang Prabang : Royal City

IML pictures

Beautiful.

HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg arriving at Luang Prabang, the former capital of Laos that has been registered on UNESCO heritage list.

HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg travelled around in Laos by helicopter, with health minister of Laos, his Excellency sir Ponemek Dalaroy, and Mister Charles Gorens, minister of cooperation from Luxemburg.

HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg travelled around in Laos by helicopter, with health minister of Laos, his Excellency sir Ponemek Dalaroy, and Mister Charles Gorens, minister of cooperation from Luxemburg

The very good relationships between the Laotian hosts and the Luxemburg delegation showed all through the various meetings organised along the way. Here HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg with his Excellency sir Ponemek Dalaroy, Health Minister of Laos.

 

[Dennism]

In the capital of the kingdom of the million elephants, Vientiane, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg was greeted by Prime minister from Laos, Bunhang Vorachit. During the meeting, they both spoke of the ranking of Laos at the 135th (over 175) on the list of the Human Development.

Nice sandals.

Red Carpet, In the capital of the kingdom of the million elephants, Vientiane, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg was greeted by Prime minister from Laos, Bunhang Vorachit.

With mister Charles Goerens, Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Deeds from Luxemburg, under the lead of His Excellency Sir Ponemek Dalaroy, Health Minister of Laos, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg inaugurated hospital "Grande Duchesse Maria Teresa de Luxembourg". This hospital was built and equipped via the agency of development Lux-Développement, through the minister of cooperation of the Grand Dukedom in the district of Viengkham, north of the capital. Being a leading project in the health department in Laos, this hospital is set to provide health services to 300 000 people . HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg cut the ribbon, with mister Charles Goerens and the minister of public health from Laos, Ponemek Dalaroy.

Interesting earrings

How cute is that little girl!

Very cute.

Mother and child.

Visit to the hospital

Greeting the nurses who deserve many compliments.

IML pictures

 

[Dennism]

Ribbon-cutting ceremony

The unveiling:

. With mister Charles Goerens, Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Deeds from Luxemburg, under the lead of His Excellency Sir Ponemek Dalaroy, Health Minister of Laos, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg inaugurated hospital "Grande Duchesse Maria Teresa de Luxembourg".

Tribes of the North, Laos is on the way to Ho Chi Min trail, and so underwent some major bombing between 1969 and 1974. Today in the North, several tribes are still victims of mines and bombs from that time. Visiting a village in the North of Laos, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg met young girls working on Laotian traditional costumes.

Five kilometers from the capital Vientiane, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg visiting a family that has been granted medical support for their daughter.

Five kilometers from the capital Vientiane, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburgis visiting a family that has been granted medical support for their daughter.

Near the palace Vat Xieng Thong, HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg with young Bonze monks

HRH the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg at the wharf after her day cruise on the Norther Lakes of Laos.

During the inauguration of the hospital "Grande Duchesse Maria Teresa de Luxembourg", in the area of Viengkham, north of Laotian capital, Vientiane, the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg wished to insist on the importance of the cooperation between the two countries Laos and Luxemburg, in terms of medical support.

On the cruise ship

IML pictures