The kindest / Sweetest Princess?

[Mermaid1962]

I wouldn't say that. There are pictures of her embracing people after a terrorist attack in Spain.

As the least caring/kind royal, I'd vote for Queen Letizia of Spain, or her predecessor, Queen Sofia.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think the question is a bit useless. Better question: which royal is not kind/caring, etc.? Ik can hardly think of any...

 

[TLLK]

I wouldn't say that. There are pictures of her embracing people after a terrorist attack in Spain.

That is true and I've seen the Spanish royal ladies embracing other families of soldiers/police killed in action.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I've not met any of them in person, I only know them from photos. Unless we know them personally how can we assess their true personalities?

 

[tommy100]

Queen Sofia is said to have gone out of her way to go over and embrace the widow or mother (I can't remember which) whilst out on a private shopping trip. As far as I recall there were no photographers or cameras around so to me it shows she's just as caring when it's not in front of the cameras

 

[Denville]

I've not met any of them in person, I only know them from photos. Unless we know them personally how can we assess their true personalities?

True, I think the older ones where there has been a long life lived partly in public, and books etc written about them, there is a bit more knowledge. But with younger royals who have been say 10 years in the job, of course they are going to be photographed looking all sweet and smiley, and we're going to be told that they are lovely warm people.. but its hard to decipher how true that might be.

 

[MARG]

After reading back and looking at the start of this thread I can only say "Who Knows"? We only see that sort of thing when they are 'on duty' and we cannot tell who is the sweetest and kindest Princess just from a photo op. Mathilde, Maxima, Mary and Letizia have had enough "coverage" to make a sort of educated guess, but Stephanie, Charlene and even Catherine do not have a really high profile yet.

The important thing is that we are basing our opinion of the worth of these women by what they "look" like. Does she look sweet? Does she look kind? She may be utterly professional and then when she's home she could sit down and write a cheque to help a charity she visited that day. She could also be an utter b***h who comes home and says "thank God that's over for the year, I just get tired of all these people moaning and I haven't had lunch with the girls in weeks". The point is, we'd never know!

Some of the charities they support are not conducive to photo ops, e.g. Camilla's work with rape victims. We've heard she's done some sterling work in this area but we have little information or photos about it.

 

[Curryong]

I agree with all the comments of the "How can we know?" and "Who can tell?" variety. After all, for most modern royals, especially females, work with many charities and causes (and being photographed while doing it) plays a large part in their public persona. So I don't know how I would have voted in the original poll.

I've always had a soft spot for Queen Mathilde and she strikes me as being a kind and sweet person. However, someone who is a Royal (though not a Princess) for whom actions over decades have spoken louder than any words or PR, is the Duchess of Kent.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Princess Madeleine of Sweden. She gave a fairytale party.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doUqruq_yh4

 

[Denville]

I a
I've always had a soft spot for Queen Mathilde and she strikes me as being a kind and sweet person. However, someone who is a Royal (though not a Princess) for whom actions over decades have spoken louder than any words or PR, is the Duchess of Kent.

She is a Princess, and a royal duchess. I think she's a nice person, but I find her a bit "gushy" from what I have read of her. But that's just an Englsih manner that I dont much like.. I think it is fair to say that she has backed up her words with actions, in taking on charty work that most royals dont do, like the Samaritans etc.
I think that if Diana had been a bit lower down the Royal hierarchy, she would have been able to do practical charity work, as Kate Kent has done, and she was good at that, and it woudl have been good for her.
I dont know mucha bout the European royals, how much they do, and I certainly dont know which ones are "sweet"...

 

[Lee-Z]

I agree that we can only judge the public persona and all princesses these days know the impact of the media, but i don't think every princess out there is looking to be "sweet" perse...
Take P.Anne of the UK: imo her public persona is dedicated, humorous, hard-working and down-to-earth (for a royal ), but my first thought would not be the word "sweet" when i think of her, and neither do i get the impression that that is was she strives to be
P.Caroline of Monaco is another one: grand, dedicated, and very "Monaco" (in a good sense) but "sweet" would not be the first thing on my mind either...

Are the princesses we *do* categorize as "sweet" the ones we know little else about than the smiling, hand-shaking, flower-accepting we see in pictures?

 

[Denville]

I agthe word "sweet" when i think of her, and neither do i get the impression that that is was she strives to be
P.Caroline of Monaco is another one: grand, dedicated, and very "Monaco" (in a good sense) but "sweet" would not be the first thing on my mind either...

Are the princesses we *do* categorize as "sweet" the ones we know little else about than the smiling, hand-shaking, flower-accepting we see in pictures?

NO Anne does nto want to be seen as "sweet" because she knows she can't do it. (and does not want to because it is not in her nature). I think that Diana was perhaps the first young princess who did little things, that got her a reputation as "sweet", kneeling down to talk to kids, letting them kiss her, touching people without gloves...
and in private, in spite of what people say (that her "being sweet" was all done in front of the cameras), she did a lot of private visiting and helping people that didnt get into the papers, but people often talked about it when she had died.. that she had visited theier dying child, or had them to tea when they had problems or given money.
Now seems like every princess below a certain age is seen hugging people or kissing babies... not that it is not sincere, Im sure it is, but I think she started hte trend...

 

[Lee-Z]

NO Anne does nto want to be seen as "sweet" because she knows she can't do it. (and does not want to because it is not in her nature). I think that Diana was perhaps the first young princess who did little things, that got her a reputation as "sweet", kneeling down to talk to kids, letting them kiss her, touching people without gloves...

Well, maybe in the UK (although you could consider P.Charlotte of Wales https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Charlotte_of_Wales), but there were royals before Diana who you could call "sweet", take for instance Q.Astrid of Belgium who "She was widely loved for her beauty, charm and simplicity. Her public and official engagements radiated enthusiasm."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrid_of_Sweden
Not everything started with Diana

 

[Denville]

Well, maybe in the UK (although you could consider P.Charlotte of Wales https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Charlotte_of_Wales), but there were royals before Diana who you could call "sweet", take for instance Q.Astrid of Belgium who "She was widely loved for her beauty, charm and simplicity. Her public and official engagements radiated enthusiasm."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrid_of_Sweden
Not everything started with Diana

you cant possibly compare a princess of the Regency era with someone who became a royal in the 1980s. (not that I think Charlotte was sweet, she was sily and vulgar and was popular, mostly because she was seen as an improvement on George IV and his brothers.)
Or indeed the 1930's. Astrid was very popular, but I doubt if she did more than smile nicely and be a bit more informal than some others. Diana did things, small things, but little gestures to show that she was much more of an "ordinary person" and that she wasn't standing on ceremony as other British royals did...

 

[Curryong]

I suppose Queen Astrid was also one half of 'a golden couple' of royals, young, happy, in love, bringing up their own little family. I've read she and Leopold would sometimes turn up to their engagements hand in hand. It didn't hurt that they were both attractive either. I think if we time travelled and held such a poll as this in the 1930s, she might well have come out on top! And in the true love marriages in another thread, now I think about it!

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the Duchess of Brabant, has the serenity of both her parents and the natural grace and sweetness of her mother. She has all in her to become a beloved Princess and Queen.

I think females have an advantage in that. Ingrid Alexandra, Estelle, Catharina-Amalia, Elisabeth, Leonor, is any of them not a promising beloved, sweet and gentle royal?

 

[Lee-Z]

When i think of Amalia i think extravert and out-going, not necessarily "sweet", Ingrid-Alexandra for me would be strongwilled, sporty and outdoorsy

Not all females are by default sweet, nor do they want to be...

 

[Lee-Z]

you cant possibly compare a princess of the Regency era with someone who became a royal in the 1980s. (not that I think Charlotte was sweet, she was sily and vulgar and was popular, mostly because she was seen as an improvement on George IV and his brothers.)
Or indeed the 1930's. Astrid was very popular, but I doubt if she did more than smile nicely and be a bit more informal than some others. Diana did things, small things, but little gestures to show that she was much more of an "ordinary person" and that she wasn't standing on ceremony as other British royals did...

For you Diana is the first and the sweetest princess, that's perfectly fine. For me she is neither.

 

[Osipi]

Maybe its just me but when I think of someone being "sweet", its usually children. By the time one grows to be an adult, there are other aspects of the personality that tend to dominate over sweetness.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Lady Diana Spencer, in her engagement and wedding days was "sweet" but as things evolued and with what we know now about her, "sweet" seems not really a match. I think this probably will count for all royals. Who thinks that Queen Beatrix or Grand Duchess María Teresa are "sweet"? That seems to go with Disney Princesses and with real ones until they start their own life. Once the Infanta Doña Cristina was sweetness herself. Not many will use that label now.

 

[Denville]

For you Diana is the first and the sweetest princess, that's perfectly fine. For me she is neither.

That wasnt what I said at all. Of course Diana isn't the first princess and I never said she was the sweetest; i just meant that it wouldn't take much in the 1930s to get a name for being "sweet/natural/informal/delightful" as a royal. A very little informality would probably do it.
I think though that in the 80s she did a lot of the things FIRST that the newer royals are now all doing.. being chatty with kids, smiley, easy going in her manner...etc. And I think that (while she had her faults) she backed them up with more practical kindness, it wasn't just a public show of pretty behaviour or manners...
As far as I can see from this thread people are mosltly saying "oh I like Princess X, she LOOKS really sweet and kind"...

 

[Denville]

I think Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the Duchess of Brabant, has the serenity of both her parents and the natural grace and sweetness of her mother. She has all in her to become a beloved Princess and Queen.

I think females have an advantage in that. Ingrid Alexandra, Estelle, Catharina-Amalia, Elisabeth, Leonor, is any of them not a promising beloved, sweet and gentle royal?

Since they are all kids, it is hard to say what they are like... (Unless -tehy are stroppy badly behaved kids.. I dont know...

 

[Denville]

Maybe its just me but when I think of someone being "sweet", its usually children. By the time one grows to be an adult, there are other aspects of the personality that tend to dominate over sweetness.

Of course yes there are other aspects to a character, but a nice manner, a kindly heart, is a definite asset in the Royal job, because you are meeting people, tryng to be kind, friendly and at best a bit helpful to them.. so it helps if you can get on with them and have a certain charm and a natural kindliness. If you are very shy, to the point of being realy awkward, it is not going to come across well with the public...And I think that also, if you dont feel kindly towards people, it WILL come across eventually. You can act up to a point but there are royals like Anne who dont even try to act.. I think she does not feel kindly to people and it shows.
Ideally a nice kindly charming manner shoudl be backed up by doing the job, regularly, and if possible by backroom work..
Fergie, for example was relaxed and informal, but she went too far usually in her informal manner, and she didn't stick to steady work as a royal...

 

[MARG]

I think the sweetest and kindest princess is CP Victoria. She struggled with her destiny when she first became an adult. She waited over ten years to marry the man she loves

Yet she turned her personal experience to use to help others with their struggles. Anorexia and dyslexia afflict many, Victoria showed it can happen to anyone and with the right help can be cured or managed.

As to her love? She could have sulked and gone to the Parliament after several years. She did nothing but remain her own sweetheart job filled self. Her ability to show grace under pressure is truly amazing.

 

[Leopoldine]

Maybe its just me but when I think of someone being "sweet", its usually children. By the time one grows to be an adult, there are other aspects of the personality that tend to dominate over sweetness.

I think in our day and age, an adult royal lady who is seasoned (regarding public appearances and intrusive press) and is by nature disciplined and reserved would be considered Sweet. Certainly by HM! ?

 

[royal rob]

I think the sweetest and kindest princess is CP Victoria. She struggled with her destiny when she first became an adult. She waited over ten years to marry the man she loves

Yet she turned her personal experience to use to help others with their struggles. Anorexia and dyslexia afflict many, Victoria showed it can happen to anyone and with the right help can be cured or managed.

As to her love? She could have sulked and gone to the Parliament after several years. She did nothing but remain her own sweetheart job filled self. Her ability to show grace under pressure is truly amazing.

I agree , what a love story it is too.

 

[Curryong]

I agree too. I am full of admiration for the wonderful way Victoria undertakes her duties and in Daniel she has the perfect consort. I think they are a great example to everyone. And to wait ten years to marry is truly remarkable.