Reflections on the Princely Wedding

[Royal Newbie]

Frankly, I don't understand the need to compare and contrast the differences in the recent royal weddings. Each wedding was different and had its own nuances that made it special. The fact remains that the Windsors and the Grimaldi's do things differently.

It doesn't make either wedding better or worst just different.

Thank you for this!!!

How did you get to be so wise and diplomatic?!!

 

[Horseygal]

But the sadest thing was, when Charlene started to cry ( when a mother and a daughter sang to them ), and Albert was looking at here and almost saying " what are you crying for"!

I have never seen a more sad wedding ceremony - clearly these two should not have gone forward with this farce. She was crying because she stepped into a steel trap that she's bound to until she produces an heir...preferable male, first....if there is to be a 2nd. This was not a joy-filled union - it's more like an arranged or forced marriage. PA is stunted emotionally, and she doesn't strike me as very bright or confident - and, I'm not trying to be unkind, the observation is obvious from all the footage out there. In the US, there reports that they stayed in separate hotels on their honeymoon in So Africa, and that she tried to "run away" 3x prior to the wedding based on stories that PA is either seeing Nicole Coste again, or at best has fathered a 3rd "love" child....while engaged to Charlene......photogs ask them to kiss, and she turns her head away, so he's left awkwardly kissing her cheek - it's Charles and Diana all over again - a wedding based in deception.....it's never going to work, sorry to say.

 

[Renata4711]

The well-being of Charlene and / or Albert is not important in the great scheme of things.
Whether they love each other is also unimportant.
The Principality, its viability (and the vested interests of the French Republic) is what counts.

 

[lazuli]

I have never seen a more sad wedding ceremony - clearly these two should not have gone forward with this farce. She was crying because she stepped into a steel trap that she's bound to until she produces an heir...preferable male, first....if there is to be a 2nd. This was not a joy-filled union - it's more like an arranged or forced marriage. PA is stunted emotionally, and she doesn't strike me as very bright or confident - and, I'm not trying to be unkind, the observation is obvious from all the footage out there. In the US, there reports that they stayed in separate hotels on their honeymoon in So Africa, and that she tried to "run away" 3x prior to the wedding based on stories that PA is either seeing Nicole Coste again, or at best has fathered a 3rd "love" child....while engaged to Charlene......photogs ask them to kiss, and she turns her head away, so he's left awkwardly kissing her cheek - it's Charles and Diana all over again - a wedding based in deception.....it's never going to work, sorry to say.

Horseygal, these are my feelings exactly. The portuguese press keeps publishing articles according to wich Charlene had to sign a contract prior to the wedding. The terms of this pre-nup state that Charlene must stay married to P. Albert for no less than five years, and that she must give him a child... This being true, is sad, sahmeful and humiliating and it's quite unabonatory to H. S. H.'s character. After all that i've read in theses foruns, in portuguese, french and spanish magazines and after all the images i've seen of the ceremonies, both civil and religious, i must confess that P. Albert stroke me as quite a bossy, authoritarian man who, more than commit himself in a loving union with a woman he has true feelings for, trained, shaped and molded, for five long years, a woman into a clone of his mother, and then staged this marriage ( it's said that he planned the whole thing and that Charlene was only allowed to choose her wedding gown )... With what purpose? Time will tell. But i must confess that this all business seemed fishy to me, since the begining, so i think the word you used in your post, farce, describes the whole deal very well...

 

[COUNTESS]

All supposition and I heard this and they wrote that. But Nothing from the hoses's mouth, so to speak. Rumor, inuendo and falsehoods, guesses and whatnot. Other than that, what firsthand knowledge do you have?

 

[Renata4711]

And there's the rub ...... (almost) none of us have first-hand knowledge ...... apart from audio, video or paper-based "news".

The strength of TRF (and similar boards) is the cut and thrust of debate, the knowledge and opinions of other participants, the passionate contributions, and sometimes (unfortunately) discord among posters.

I wouldn't miss it for the world......

 

[Renata4711]

A belated item in Nice-Matin about the wines for the wedding:

Gio Sergi and Ghislain de Charnacé provided not one, but two wines for the wedding...
A white named Le Clos (Clos Saint Vincent), and a red named Cuvée Baron G. (Château de Bellet).

Le vin de Bellet rois des noces princières de Monaco | Nice-Matin

Le vin de Bellet rois des noces princières de Monaco | Nice-Matin

 

[Renata4711]

The French philosopher Voltaire said:

"I do not agree with a word you say, bur I will defend to the death your right to say it."

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Kitty let's be honest. The British Royal wedding is going to go down as the wedding of the century, not the wedding in Monaco; that is just a fact.

 

[Queen Penelope]

Kitty let's be honest. The British Royal wedding is going to go down as the wedding of the century, not the wedding in Monaco; that is just a fact.

Agreed. I watched the princely wedding again and I was struck by how they weren't even looking in the same direction the majority of the time, let alone looking at each other.

 

[Jacknch]

The French philosopher Voltaire said:

"I do not agree with a word you say, bur I will defend to the death your right to say it."

That's a great philosophy!

It's impossible to compare two very different weddings in a fair manner because there were such different expectations for each one, together with different styles and ways of doing things and different cultures. Monaco has the capacity of literally providing an event that all the Monegasques can attend in one place and so providing 8,000 people (plus 3,000 extra guests) with something worth seeing meant a very different style of wedding that the British one.
What is wonderful about the run of royal weddings we have had in recent years is the fact that they were all different and spectacular in their own ways.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

Kitty let's be honest. The British Royal wedding is going to go down as the wedding of the century, not the wedding in Monaco; that is just a fact.

Who's Fact? It's not my fact.

 

[Renata4711]

Vive la différence !! There's another wedding coming to your screen very soon....

And that one will be different again....

 

[rosana]

Horseygal, these are my feelings exactly. The portuguese press keeps publishing articles according to wich Charlene had to sign a contract prior to the wedding. The terms of this pre-nup state that Charlene must stay married to P. Albert for no less than five years, and that she must give him a child... This being true, is sad, sahmeful and humiliating and it's quite unabonatory to H. S. H.'s character. After all that i've read in theses foruns, in portuguese, french and spanish magazines and after all the images i've seen of the ceremonies, both civil and religious, i must confess that P. Albert stroke me as quite a bossy, authoritarian man who, more than commit himself in a loving union with a woman he has true feelings for, trained, shaped and molded, for five long years, a woman into a clone of his mother, and then staged this marriage ( it's said that he planned the whole thing and that Charlene was only allowed to choose her wedding gown )... With what purpose? Time will tell. But i must confess that this all business seemed fishy to me, since the begining, so i think the word you used in your post, farce, describes the whole deal very well...

I agree 95%!!! You just forget about her part. It was CW who first thought about becoming Princess of Monaco, who forced the situation. He just needed someone to marry, and she was available. The ones who have followed their story from the beginning know what I mean.
I´m glad to hear a similar voice to mine here, because in the last weeks a few posters had to tolerate that CW fans underestimate our opinions in every possible way.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

But the sadest thing was, when Charlene started to cry ( when a mother and a daughter sang to them ), and Albert was looking at here and almost saying " what are you crying for"!

I thought Albert was saying something like "are you OK, honey?"

***************************

...I´m glad to hear a similar voice to mine here, because in the last weeks a few posters had to tolerate that CW fans underestimate our opinions in every possible way.

Yes, and we will continue to do so. However, I'm glad you've found comfort!

 

[Nadine]

As a Finnish speaking, I found that these videos are only available to play fourteen days, i.e. on the 16th July 4.30 p.m. from London time they are unable to monitor.

Thank you, Sofiero, I will have to copy them then before they are deleted.

As regards the topic of this thread, my well is spent, I've written all my nostalgic memories in my 2 or 3 posts to this wonderful thread, and will look back fondly to this thread in the future.

Now I leave with the following quote by Edmund Burke, which is a favorite of a skating fan that has used it as her signature ever since I can remember (over a decade at least!), and which has subsequently gone into my favorite book of quotes:


"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"



Salut to Charlene & Albert

 

[lazuli]

I agree 95%!!! You just forget about her part. It was CW who first thought about becoming Princess of Monaco, who forced the situation. He just needed someone to marry, and she was available. The ones who have followed their story from the beginning know what I mean.
I´m glad to hear a similar voice to mine here, because in the last weeks a few posters had to tolerate that CW fans underestimate our opinions in every possible way.

I see what you mean Rosana. Let me just remind you that, last year, when the engagement was announced, i stated my doubts immediately in the proper threads. I remember stating that P. Charlene, then Ms Witstock didn't come as a saint to my eyes either. Here my words:
" This may all be very well, but i can't help feeling there's something fishy in this all story! So His Highness wanders around for five years with a woman came God knows from ( i known she's a southern african swimmer ) and starting ONLY after his father's death ( not good! ), never having the gutts to assume her as his official fiancée, sometimes exposing her to rather unflattering regards and comments. Then he attends a royal wedding with her, has a sudden inspiration, and four ( FOUR! ) days later he proposes to the lady and gets engaged... Hum! What has he been doing and thinking all this time? Putting her through test after test? And what about her? She puts up with five years of dubious attitudes of His Hihgness towards her person, lets herself be placed in the most unconmfortable positions, subjects herself to the public scrutiny ( with results not always nice to her ), and one day, this " silent ", unknown woman becomes engaged with a reigning prince, gains a huge ring and poses with her cold, unexpressive face to the oficial photo... I known i'm being awful, but i can't help feeling there's more than meets the eye in this matter... Ms Wittstock always seemed somewhat sly and not at all as inocent as she posed or as everybody wanted me to think, but time will tell. But, maybe i'm just being too envious... "
So, all in all, i think we can, at least think, if not say, that this marriage was a good (?) deal for both parts ( quite like in medieval times, no? )

 

[NGalitzine]

Kitty let's be honest. The British Royal wedding is going to go down as the wedding of the century, not the wedding in Monaco; that is just a fact.

Shouldn't you wait another 90 years before determining what the wedding of the 21st century was?

 

[KittyAtlanta]

In 90 years, I'll have been, along with all the current royals and all the posters, dead a while.

Since I rule my world, I'll take Monaco!!! as the Wedding of the Century --- LOL

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Only in terms of media coverage was was the British wedding the "Wedding Of The Century"...even before the big event they were stating categorically that 2 billion people would watch...and immediately after the wedding they were saying that 2 billion watched.

I don't believe those figures, sorry.

And if William did not have the Diana connection, I doubt if anyone would care about his wedding or who he married.

Anyway, in terms of spectacle, grandeur, romance, etc I think Daniel and Victoria of Sweden outdid them all, even if the media didn't deign to give them the saturation coverage they gave William and Catherine.

 

[Nathalie Cox]

To XeniaCasiraghi:
Yes, but it's useless to point to Kitty that the Royal Wedding from England will be down in history as THE Royal Wedding.


(...)

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Shouldn't you wait another 90 years before determining what the wedding of teh 21st century was?

Really people. Really? Rumor has it 2billion people watched William and Kate's wedding. 1 million people traveled to watch it in person. It doesn't matter which one you liked better; one of them had more hype, more build up, more excitement around it. The only people excited about Albert and Charlene's wedding were in Monaco.
Debating this is like saying Princess Margaret's wedding was a bigger deal than Charles and Diana's. I didn't like Charles*Diana's wedding, but at least I can admit that it was the wedding of the century.

 

[shari-aree]

I loved watching for the other Royals who were guests.
Playing spot the Royal amoungst the crowd, then checking out the fashions they wore, (I loved that so many changed outfits) was also fun.
I am loathe to make comparisons about Royal Weddings as these are special private days as well as very public exhibitions; but I got the impression I was watching a well organised Royal Wedding in Monaco.
In the UK I saw moments amoungst the grandeur of a couple beginning a life together in Marriage despite the numbers in the seats.
I wish both couples well - as Royal watchers it is so exciting to see the Royal houses grow !!!
xoxos

 

[miche]

Only in terms of media coverage was was the British wedding the "Wedding Of The Century"...even before the big event they were stating categorically that 2 billion people would watch...and immediately after the wedding they were saying that 2 billion watched.

I don't believe those figures, sorry.

And if William did not have the Diana connection, I doubt if anyone would care about his wedding or who he married.

Anyway, in terms of spectacle, grandeur, romance, etc I think Daniel and Victoria of Sweden outdid them all, even if the media didn't deign to give them the saturation coverage they gave William and Catherine.

People care about the BRF long before Diana, so no I don't think people only care about William because he was Diana's son

 

[rosana]

I thought Albert was saying something like "are you OK, honey?"

***************************



Yes, and we will continue to do so. However, I'm glad you've found comfort!

I am not looking for comfort since I am not stressed or anxious at all! I´m not sure you can say the same. This couple, wedding and "love story" makes you really excited from what I read.

I think you should better revise the rules of this messages board, before threatening a poster with your usually rude comments.

 

[iceflower]

__________________


Please stay respectful towards each other and stay on topic of this thread!
A few personal arguments already had to be deleted, further will be so without notice!

 

[Renata4711]

Nice-Matin today:

"Le mariage prinicer a dopé l'économie"

I've heard of doping athletes and horses, but this takes the biscuit....

 

[Laura]

Nice-Matin today:

"Le mariage princier a dopé l'économie"

I've heard of doping athletes and horses, but this takes the biscuit....

Renata, doper here means to boost: "The princely wedding boosted the economy"

 

[American Dane]

Really people. Really? Rumor has it 2billion people watched William and Kate's wedding. 1 million people traveled to watch it in person. It doesn't matter which one you liked better; one of them had more hype, more build up, more excitement around it. The only people excited about Albert and Charlene's wedding were in Monaco.
Debating this is like saying Princess Margaret's wedding was a bigger deal than Charles and Diana's. I didn't like Charles*Diana's wedding, but at least I can admit that it was the wedding of the century.

The comparison of Princess Margaret/Charles and Diana & Albert/William is unfounded. Margaret = second child of late monarch, Charles = heir to British throne, Albert = sovereign monarch, and William = heir to the heir of the most well-known monarchy. None of the four are equal to each other in rank or media interest.

At the time of Charles and Diana's wedding there was still some deference left in regards to the British monarchy. Whatever was left was gone by the time Diana died, and throughout William and Kate's engagement period there was very few articles, etc. That DID NOT mention Diana in comparison to Kate or in regards to William. Kate's ring (and yes, it is most certainly her ring now, it has been ever since William placed it on her finger) is still regarded as Diana's ring... it's enough already really.

Perhaps you don't remember but Albert's mother, Grace Kelly, was much more famous than Diana was during her lifetime which ended only a little more than a year into Charles and Diana's marriage. The American relationship with Monaco is still remembered by Americans and I know many, especially in the Philadelphia area where Grace came from and New York where she lived for a time, who were disappointed by the coverage of Albert's wedding. The coverage of William and Kate's wedding and the build up to it came from the media's demand not from every household across the world.

I'm sure the collapse of the World Trade Center was watched by an estimate 2 billion as well, not because 2 billion people wanted to watch it but because all other shows/news/TV or Internet topics were scrapped to fit in coverage of one topic. How many shows are on at 4am PST on a Friday morning? 12pm in Italy, Denmark, or Poland? Even some sport coverage was cancelled here in Australia to fit in a wedding at 8pm.

Apologies if this offends anyone.

 

[miche]

^ So people woke up early in the morning (1am, 2am, 3am, 4am, 5am) in many part of the world to watch a wedding that they weren't interested in or didn't want to watch, just b/c all the television stations was showing it?