Hello all, I've been on hiatus!
At any rate, I highly doubt Prinz Christian is being kicked out. I'm sure he's known for awhile - homes of this size take some time to sell, even if it is owned by famous people. It's really a bloody shame, the house is beautiful. I've never been in it, but I used to live about 5 minutes away by car in the neighboring section of Oberneuland. My friend sold her gorgeous house three doors down. If you know the area, you would be sad for that alone forgetting the property. But it's a really massive piece of land extending well into the back, and it's difficult to discern that from the street facade.
I don't believe that this is an easy decision for any involved, His Royal Highness least of all. Indeed, GF spent his childhood there but so did almost all his immediate family! Many memories are being sold along with bricks and mortar.... As for what he's doing -- possibly the same. von Preussen's his name and royaling is his game. I haven't heard any news that he's keeping a 9 to 5, but predominantly staying involved in family charities and the whatnot. And no girlfriends either, so you can breathe that sigh of relief. I am not going to be as naive to say he's not been seeing anyone - he's young AND he's a Gemini ^_^ And if you buy into any of those ridiculous "gay" rumours, then I have a bridge to sell you!!
Whether these relationships have been serious or not is the sticking point. At any rate, despite its implications, I believe GF will marry the woman most suited to the rank even if she is *not* royal. Oh, yes, he's paid the lip service that she'll probably be from the geborene, but in reality, well...that could be something mightily different. And whilst the proverbial s**t will more than likely hit the fan for any decision along those lines, it seems that he, having made the decision to marry non-royal, would stick to his guns. After all, technically speaking, he's not part of the generation that was expected to marry along their own rank and can do as he pleases. Yes, marrying a royal or aristocrat makes his life significantly easier, but I think this one is a rogue who just might follow his heart no matter where it leads him.
Lately, I think any discussion on this topic is banal and redundant because you see the self-same uncles who are suing him, chatting him up at events like the hypocrites they quite possibly could be. The family keeps quite mum about the whole situation because really it's no one else's business but theirs. Nonetheless, I feel there are significant factors we are not considering because we aren't part of the drama. And I feel that his not marrying royal won't factor in one iota, because he's unmarried now and they are *still* tilting at windmills for his money and being typically German talking up and down about laws and precedents. If only they had has as much determination to keep their rights in the first place as they had to marry common women!!
Lastly, some extra thoughts...I don't believe that GF is broke. Well, unless 51M Euro is broke (maybe for wealthy people he's slumming it). GF strikes me as a very pragmatic man. Yes, it's sad to sell off property that you've owned for centuries, but really -- why not? The most striking and elegant buildings aren't theirs anymore: Cecilienhof, Sansouci, Charlottenburg...they've been gone for awhile. And while it's very romantic to hold onto these gorgeous properties, I can't believe that it's easy maintaining them! They have to cost a cool 2M Euro annually EACH just to have them looking kempt!!! Forget running them or staffing them. Other than Burg Hohenzollern, which feeds itself with admission fees and tourism, it's a perpetual drain to keep them. You have to consider Preussen isn't a tax earning entity anymore. He's not winning any wars for wealth or territory. It's the 21st century, as dismal as it seems and the romantic era is a bygone conclusion =( So, I'm not shocked or saddened because I believe he understands this and is trying to maintain enough to collect and invest to maintain the House of Preussen as a solvent entity. Also, if it's any consolation, they will not disappear when they're sold! People will still look back for generations and revel in the history of these wonderful places and the name of Preussen will always be on them. And that, I think, is worth more than the money!
