HI&RH Archduke Imre of Austria & Miss Kathleen Walker: 8 September 2012

[An Ard Ri]

Is Kathleen Irish-American?

 

[claypoint2]

Luxarazzi reported yesterday that Archdukes Christoph and Alexander will serve as groomsmen at Imre and Kathleen's wedding. Archduchess Gabriella will be one of the bridesmaids, along with two of Kathleen's sisters and two friends. Another of her sisters will serve as flower girl, and a friend will be maid of honor. Two of her brothers will serve as ring bearers.

Luxembourg: Tomorrow's Wedding

 

[Blue_]

I thought it was an early afternoon wedding.

pictures on royalmusing blog

 

[suztav]

I thought the bride looked lovely and her bridesmaids were in "Blessed Mother blue" ... appropriate for someone with such traditional Catholic leanings considering today is the Blessed Mother's birthday. (That's not an editorial opinion, just a comment).

I also think the Groom's mother looked much more approrpriate than she did at her daughter's wedding (yes, that was an editorial opinion!)

 

[MarleneKoenig]

These photos are mine. Please do not copy or use without my permission.

Do not expect any local news coverage in DC -just the wedding photographer, a photographer from Luxnews and me outside .. the other two were inside ...

pictures on royalmusing blog

 

[LaPlusBelle]

pictures on royalmusing blog

Regardless of what is said about the bride, they look happy and she looks radiant in that GORGEOUS dress.

Congrats to both of them.

 

[Al_bina]

It is nice that some of the royals attended, especially Archduchess Marie Christine and Count Rodolphe. Archduchess Kathleen looked all right. I wonder where the bride's father was.

 

[HRHHermione]

Regardless of my opinions on the bride's personality and opinions, I will say that she did look lovely and it looked like a happy wedding.

 

[Blue_]

She's gorgeous and she looks really happy. Congratulations Katie and Imre.

 

[Marengo]

I am not an expert n the Habsburgs, but it seems that there were very few members of the other branches. Only natural perhaps as for most Imre is a second cousin. Marlene states however that Archduke Simeon and his wife Maria of the Two Sicilies were there too.

And no Belgian royal either, doesn't Archduke Amedeo live in the US?

I note that prince Jean of Luxembourg was also absent, were his children too?

 

[bertie5252003]

I agree the bride's situation shall we say is odd... to say the least but she looked lovely and the flowers really pretty .. but gosh she brings "stuff" wit hher no doubt there .. wonder if she will now remain "quiet now or will she continue her crusades?

 

[mybags]

...I note that prince Jean of Luxembourg was also absent, were his children too?

I believe, Prince Jean's eldest son, Prince Constantin, was posing with his cousin, Prince Josef-Emanuel of Liechtenstein.

 

[christinacg]

I'm not a fan of Kathleen and her views, but I adore her dress and she looked pretty today.

 

[claypoint2]

I do think that the bride looked lovely. The top of her wedding dress reminded me of Catherine Middleton's -- lace over a sweetheart-neckline bodice -- although the skirt was fuller and not an A-line. Like others, I recognize that my distaste for Kathleen's views and the manner in which she expresses them has nothing to do with the fact that she was indeed a lovely bride.

It may be difficult to become accustomed to the idea that she is now an Archduchess of Austria (only 25 years ago this would have been unimaginable... the marriage would have certainly been morganatic), but it is what it is. And I suppose that it's healthier for the couple - and especially for any children they may have - to be fully integrated into the family and not be made to feel that they are "lower."

As for the guests, I was pleasantly surprised to see Archduke Simeon and his wife María Paloma, née Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. I was even more surprised - but perhaps should not have been - by the fact that no principal member of a reigning house was in attendance, including the groom's uncle Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, his wife Grand Duchess María Teresa, or anyone from the Belgian royal family (whom one might have expected to see, given the close bonds between the families and the fact that the groom's maternal grandmother Joséphine-Charlotte was born Princess of Belgium... and his paternal grandmother Yolande was born a princess of Ligne, one of Belgium's high nobility of the Salon Bleu).

Perhaps the bride's vocal positions may have made it politically tricky for reigning monarchs or their heirs to attend the wedding, even if they privately agree with her views. On the other hand, there may be other explanations for the absence of the Luxembourgs, such as the death of Alix, Countess of Lannoy, mother of the Hereditary Grand Duke's fiancée Stéphanie.... Or perhaps they were present but not photographed? Of course, all speculation!

 

[rominet09]

Gorgeous dress. Pity Tessy wasn't present (or did I miss her).
Pity the pix are not bigger !

 

[Fanvanmaxima]

Kathleen looked lovely today. Gorgeous dress, beautiful bride.

 

[MidnightSonatta]

There will be more higher-quality pictures to come from Revue/Tageblatt, according to Marlene.

According to Marlene Koenig, who was there, Guillaume and Stephanie were not there because they are still in mourning.

Katie's make-up looks nice, but, I don't like the dress. I only like the lace part of the dress.

 

[claypoint2]

I thought that Princess Guillaume of Luxembourg (née Sibilla Weiller y Torlonia) looked wonderful!

 

[Pranter]

Loved the dress and the rest of the wedding party looked great too!

LaRae

 

[claypoint2]

According to Marlene Koenig, who was there, Guillaume and Stephanie were not there because they are still in mourning.

This makes sense to me.... but why not Grand Duke Henri - who is the groom's uncle - or his wife the Grand Duchess?

 

[NGalitzine]

^^^^
The Grand Duke is scheduled to be at the closing of the Paralympic Games on Sunday.

Surely having the Grand Dukes 4 children as well as brother Guillaume and sister Margrethe is more than enough to represent Luxembourg at his nephews wedding.

 

[4Pam]

Beautiful bride! Looks like a gorgeous wedding

 

[camelot23ca]

They're a very attractive couple, and I really liked Kathleen's dress. Modest, but not dowdy.

 

[claypoint2]

The Grand Duke is scheduled to be at the closing of the Paralympic Games on Sunday.
Surely having the Grand Dukes 4 children as well as brother Guillaume and sister Margrethe is more than enough to represent Luxembourg at his nephews wedding.

Very well. I also find that moderately persuasive... but only moderately, given that the Paralympic Games are being held not in Luxembourg but in London, and that not every Head of State is traveling to London to support his/her country's athletes. Besides, the Paralympic Games still don't explain the absence of the Grand Duchess from the wedding.

This is an important family event; the Grand Duke is Imre's uncle, and it is a very closely knit family. The couple's engagement took place nine months ago, and the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess weren't there, either. On a tangential note, I also found it odd that there is no evidence - at least yet - that Archduchess Constanza of Austria (Princess of Auersperg-Trautson by marriage) attended the wedding, and she is both Imre's aunt and godmother.

Also, how come there was no one from the Belgian royal family? Several of its members - Crown Prince Philip, his sister Princess Astrid, her daughter Princess Maria-Laura, Dowager Queen Fabiola - were at the wedding of Imre's sister Marie-Christine with Count Rodolphe de Limburg-Stirum. I understand that today's wedding was in Washington, D.C. and therefore quite a distance to travel... it would have been extremely difficult for Queen Fabiola to make the trip... but not a single person, really?

By contrast, I must say that I was delighted to see the Duke and Duchess of Bragança in attendance. But, of course, they are not reigning monarchs.

 

[claypoint2]

I just re-read the Royal Musings blog post with the photos. A stretch Hummer... really??

 

[MidnightSonatta]

Very well. I also find that moderately persuasive... but only moderately...

It seems to me like you're looking far too into why some members are missing as oppose to the fact that some may just have schedule conflicts.

 

[claypoint2]

It seems to me like you're looking far too into why some members are missing as oppose to the fact that some may just have schedule conflicts.

Yes, it's certainly possible... but that's a lot of scheduling conflicts[FONT=&quot], and I remain surprised by the absence of people who are close family (i.e., the Grand Duke and Duchess).
[/FONT]

 

[MidnightSonatta]

As NGalitzine said, the Grand Duke has the paraolympic closing ceremony to attend tomorrow and as for the Grand Duchess, idk, maybe she has another private engagement she has to attend to or she decided to stay home to look after Stephanie or doing wedding preparation for her own son.

 

[claypoint2]

Here's another set of photos from Royal Musings... where we can even catch a glimpse of the stretch Hummer! The order of service with their wedding vows is also worth seeing:

Royal Musings: Archduke Imre and Archduchess Kathleen of Austria

 

[MarleneKoenig]

Tessy was not there. The photographer from Luxpress took very few of the arrival photos apart from Marie Astrid and Christian, the bride, etc. The Luxpress photographer and the wedding photographer were inside and also at the reception. The official wedding photos were taken at the reception. The church is very small.

There will be more higher-quality pictures to come from Revue/Tageblatt, according to Marlene.