Guillaume and Stéphanie: the Pre-Wedding Interview - Page 6

Bine221 · #**101** 10-18-2012, 06:45 AM

No official representations today? Like accepting presents of the parliament etc?
BYe Bine

Rayarena · #**102** 10-18-2012, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

What a beautiful, enchanted place to grow up in. Filled with history and even a little haunted from what I have read.

BTW, the Coat of Arms of the Boubais family(Wiki calls them "Roubaix") can still be seen displayed on the walls in some areas of the castle.

I wonder if Guillaume and Stephanie will continue to spend weekends there after the wedding?

Yes, indeed, it's certainly that, a beautiful and enchanted place. As one of eight children, it must certainly have been a wonderful place for Stephanie to grow up in! By the way, I have a question that perhaps you can answer. If you look at the castle, there are two rows of what appear to be houses on each side of the great mansion. What do you suppose those are? I was thinking, servant's quarters, stalls for horses, storage sheds, grain mills, etc...but there seem to be so many. It's such a large construction. Do you think that they might be rental homes? What do you suppose they were/are used for?

Mariel · #**103** 10-18-2012, 10:08 PM

Looks like tiny quarters, Rayarena, I would think they were/are servants' quarters, including gardeners. The garden looks like it needs a lot of tending.

Moonmaiden23 · #**104** 10-18-2012, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rayarena

Yes, indeed, it's certainly that, a beautiful and enchanted place. As one of eight children, it must certainly have been a wonderful place for Stephanie to grow up in! By the way, I have a question that perhaps you can answer. If you look at the castle, there are two rows of what appear to be houses on each side of the great mansion. What do you suppose those are? I was thinking, servant's quarters, stalls for horses, storage sheds, grain mills, etc...but there seem to be so many. It's such a large construction. Do you think that they might be rental homes? What do you suppose they were/are used for?

I agree with Mariel, Rayarena. They might be servants quarters. A property that large, old and distinguished would really require a full staff.

At first I thought of a stable block but where would one ride around there?

Meraude · #**105** 10-18-2012, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

At first I thought of a stable block but where would one ride around there?

Do remember that cars have only been around for about 100 years, before that all kinds of transports needed horses, so I would guess that there were a need for large stable blocks to house all the horses needed.

One of the grandest stables, both in size and style, is at the French castle of Chantilly: http://tinyurl.com/8hlygqs

Moonmaiden23 · #**106** 10-18-2012, 11:52 PM

Wow...thanks Meraude!

Breffney · #**107** 10-19-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meraude

Here is the interview in English at wort.lu: Wort.lu - The big interview: Guillaume & Stéphanie talk wedding, honeymoon and married life

Thanks so much for posting this. I love this couple.

cdm · #**108** 10-20-2012, 10:51 AM

She seems very at ease when being interviewed.
Catherine and especially Charlene looked like schoolgirls compared to Stephanie in their engagement interview(s)

Anne2 · #**109** 10-21-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricarda

IMO her accent in German isn't very strong, though it's clearly there. She speaks fast which shows to me that she is quite secure. Sometimes she uses the wrong vocabulary or hesitates to find the right one and she makes grammatical errors but I think her pronounciation is quite good (compared with other French native speakers I know). You could understand everything she said and she comes across as intelligent and eloquent (which isn't that easy in a foreign language

).

I like this couple and - unlike Kate or Charlene - Stephanie sparks my interest in her and her/their development in the future. (But maybe that's just because this couple gets less media attention and therefore there are more things left to discover.)

I fully agree with Ricarda, her German is quite good, even the accent. It is a very difficult language to master and she is not far away from that. She looks a quite clever person, who has a lot of self-confidence in expressing herself in a foreign language. I am sure her English is at the same level, and I feel sure she will progress very fast in Luxemburgish, rather close to German. I would be surprised Kate would achieve that performance in any other language. Just think Charlene only dares say a few words in French after some years of opportunities to practice it. I am aware that not everyone has spontaneous skills for languages.

Kit · #**110** 10-21-2012, 07:25 PM

I have just watched their interview for the third time and only because these two are soo cute.

Her German is really, really good as well as his. These two are really becoming one of my favourite royal-couples. Never seen two persons more likeable and down-to-earth in a pre-wedding interview.

Artemisia · #**111** 10-21-2012, 08:00 PM

Same with me. Never thought someone could replace Victoria and Daniel as my favourites, but these two are definitely giving them a run for their money.
They really do compliment each other nicely.

Mariel · #**112** 10-21-2012, 08:05 PM

speaking of accents, I loved it that Prince Felix spoke in English without a trace of accent during the religious wedding. That is MOST unusual. He spoke in what we call standard English, which has no trace of British accent or no regional American accent. He sounded more American than I do, as I have a small Canadian accent which no one can figure out how I got, having been born in America. I am fascinated with the linguistic skill of the Luxembourgers. Prince Felix really startled me with that one. I had many foreign students when I was a teacher and I never had one who spoke such perfect standard English as Felix.