Guillaume and Stéphanie: Wedding Suggestions and Musings

[MidnightSonatta]

Well, Prince Charles attended the weddings of Felipe and Letizia as well as Haakon and Mette-Marit. So he's not exactly oppose to attending foreign royal wedding. Plus, Guillaume's grandparents were/are good friends with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip attended his parent's wedding, so maybe Prince Charles will attend out of respect.

Or perhaps the queen will send the Wessex.

You never know how this could have worked out. Perhaps Guillaume and Stephanie would have enjoyed having William and Catherine in attendance, knowing it would bring wider coverage of their own nuptials.

Exactly how many bride wants to be upstage on her special day?

 

[Dman]

MidnightSonatta, I really don't think the royals worry so much about their royal counterparts upstaging their weddings and other events. They are pretty much used to having other high profile royals attending their events and the press coverage that might bring.

Very true that Prince Charles have attended those weddings but he haven't been back in awhile. I guess it's pretty much down to who the other foreign royals invite, which royal can attend and where they can fit the event in their schedual. The Wessex's might attend or Kents.

At some point the Cambridges will attend major royal events with their royal counterparts, press coverage or not.

I think Guillaume & Stephanie will welcome their royal guest with open harms.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Hearing years ago about the rocking horses burning made me particularly sad. Surely some other child could have used them, or they could have been saved for William and Harry's children.

Even a custom made rocking horse that Ronald and Nancy Reagan had sent to Prince William was consigned to the flames.

 

[Mirabel]

If the Cambridges were to attend the wedding, I have no doubt that other royals will get some attention. However, let's be honest here. Catherine will get the bulk of the attention. There's no other way around it.

Absolutely.
The media will focus on Catherine and William, as usual, with maybe a tiny photo of the bride and groom and a grudging mention of the other royals.

If they aren't there, and the Wessexes attend instead, there will be less coverage than there even was for Albert and Charlene (and that wasn't much).

 

[EIIR]

It was the same when William and Kate were in Copenhagen. The BBC report only mentioned Mary and Frederik in passing and only showed W&K getting interviewed, even though all 4 were interviewed at the same time and in English.

Let Guillaume and Stephanie enjoy their day when they deserve to be the centre of attention.

 

[nascarlucy]

Most likely someone in the British royal family will attend the wedding. If Prince William and Kate were close to Guillaume and Stephanie or they were friends or socialized together, then they most likely would have been the ones to attend the wedding or maybe not.

Most royals attending a royal wedding certainly don't want to upstage those getting married. They usually don't but the press or the news media often is the one that does the upstaging by their focus or focusing on one person or couple.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

You never know how this could have worked out. Perhaps Guillaume and Stephanie would have enjoyed having William and Catherine in attendance, knowing it would bring wider coverage of their own nuptials.

The idea that the notoriously private HGD Guillaume and his fiancee wanted or needed William and Kate-who they have probably never met-to help drum up publicity for their wedding could not be more outside the pale.

During this period of mourning for Guillaume and Stephanie extra media attention is probably at the very bottom of their wish list.

The GDF of Luxembourg has always flown beneath the radar. They never stoop to playing to the press for themselves personally. They never show off or try to make waves. Their dignity is one of the things that sets them apart from most of the other European Royal families.

The Oct20th nuptials in the magnificent Cathedrale Notre-Dame will be as they should be...moving and beautiful, with a touch of poignancy due to the recent sadness. Guillaume and Stephanie will be surrounded by their friends and families, and the citizens of the Grand Duchy...who will only be there to see the two of them.

William and Catherine will not be needed or missed, imo.

 

[Hollie]

Well, in terms of live TV coverage, the focus would definitely be Guillaume and Stephanie. No doubt about it.

As for the extra media attention, why only target William and Kate? I bet there will also be other high profile couples attending. Should they be asked not to attend?

 

[MidnightSonatta]

As for the extra media attention, why only target William and Kate? I bet there will also be other high profile couples attending. Should they be asked not to attend?

Because no matter what events William and Catherine are in, the attention will be on them no matter what. Look at the event in Denmark for UNICEF, all the attention was on Catherine instead of focusing the drought or hunger issues in Somalia or the fact that Frederik and Mary was there also.

 

[claypoint2]

The idea that the notoriously private HGD Guillaume and his fiancee wanted or needed William and Kate-who they have probably never met-to help drum up publicity for their wedding could not be more outside the pale.

During this period of mourning for Guillaume and Stephanie, extra media attention is probably at the very bottom of their wish list.

The GDF of Luxembourg has always flown beneath the radar. They never stoop to playing to the press for themselves personally. They never show off or try to make waves. Their dignity is one of the things that sets them apart from most of the other European Royal families.

The Oct20th nuptials in the magnificent Cathedrale Notre-Dame will be as they should be...moving and beautiful, with a touch of poignancy due to the recent sadness. Guillaume and Stephanie will be surrounded by their friends and families, and the citizens of the Grand Duchy...who will only be there to see the two of them.

I agree entirely with Moonmaiden's perspective.

 

[Happiness is sweet]

Because no matter what events William and Catherine are in, the attention will be on them no matter what. Look at the event in Denmark for UNICEF, all the attention was on Catherine instead of focusing the drought or hunger issues in Somalia or the fact that Frederik and Mary was there also.

I have to agree with Midnightsonatta

 

[Meraude]

If the Cambridges were to attend the wedding, I have no doubt that other royals will get some attention. However, let's be honest here. Catherine will get the bulk of the attention. There's no other way around it.

I assume that you are talking about American and British media in this case. Let's face it, media in those (and other English-speaking countries) are not interested in any other royals than the British Royal Family and there won't be much, if any, coverage of the Luxembourg wedding unless there would be something "juicy" to report. When it comes to media in other European countries, the media will concentrate on those they think their readers are interested in, in Sweden (and probably Finland) it will be Victoria and Daniel if they attend, in Norway Haakon and Mette-Marit, in Denmark Frederik and Mary and so on, and that would be the case whether William and Catherine would have attended or not. It's possible that there would have been more photos of W&C than of Guillaume and Stéphanie, but the media focus in each country will be on the country's own royals as they know that that's whom their readers are most interested in.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

First of all, the cameras in the Cathedral are going to be mostly on the bride and groom at the altar. It has always been that way. Even if Kate was sitting there as a guest this would not change...the cameras would pan to her a couple of times like they would any of the other Royal guests.

There will be no live cameras inside the reception. The most Kate would have gotten would have been a couple of snapshots of she and William leaving and entering the Palace and the Cathedral....

Same as the other Royal guests.

Can someone please tell me how this would have equalled stealing the bride's thunder??

It is Gui and Stephanie who would have appeared on the Balcony to the cheers and applause of the crowds...NOT the Cambridges. It is Gui and Stephanie who would be and will be the stars of their wedding day and that would be true even if the Cambridges were there.

There is no doubt that the usual suspects like Hello! Magazine and the othe Brit papers would have made Kate the focus of their articles covering the wedding but so what?

In Luxembourg-the only place that counts as far as the GDF is concerned-it would have still been all about Guillaume and Stephanie.

PERIOD.

Meraude....your comments are SPOT ON CORRECT.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Hang on - has it even been confirmed they're attending?

 

[Moonmaiden23]

No, Lumutqueen they are definitely not attending. I don't think they ever were. It's a rumor that started in the Lux press weeks ago.

Some posters feel it's a bad thing because they wanted to see the Cambridges there, and some feel it's a good thing because they would have taken the spotlight off the bridal couple.

 

[Marengo]

It was the same when William and Kate were in Copenhagen. The BBC report only mentioned Mary and Frederik in passing and only showed W&K getting interviewed, even though all 4 were interviewed at the same time and in English.

Let Guillaume and Stephanie enjoy their day when they deserve to be the centre of attention.

Well...since the BBC is the British Broadcasting Corporation, that is hardly surprising. I am sure that the Danish channels focussed more on their own royals.

Not the whole universe is solely focussed on all things anglosaxon, believe it or not. And although the Daily Mail may have only focussed on the Cambridge couple at this wedding, there are 196 countries in the world, for many of whom glorious Britain is not the center of the universe. The Spanish press for example would be more likely to focus on the princess of Asturias (provided that she attends the wedding).

Having that said, I hope that the Wessex couple will attend.

 

[maria-olivia]

No Transmission of the wedding on France 2 but on RTL , Stéphane Bern will comment.

 

[DukeOfAster]

First of all, the cameras in the Cathedral are going to be mostly on the bride and groom at the altar. It has always been that way. Even if Kate was sitting there as a guest this would not change...the cameras would pan to her a couple of times like they would any of the other Royal guests.

There will be no live cameras inside the reception. The most Kate would have gotten would have been a couple of snapshots of she and William leaving and entering the Palace and the Cathedral....

Same as the other Royal guests.

Can someone please tell me how this would have equalled stealing the bride's thunder??

It is Gui and Stephanie who would have appeared on the Balcony to the cheers and applause of the crowds...NOT the Cambridges. It is Gui and Stephanie who would be and will be the stars of their wedding day and that would be true even if the Cambridges were there.

There is no doubt that the usual suspects like Hello! Magazine and the othe Brit papers would have made Kate the focus of their articles covering the wedding but so what?

In Luxembourg-the only place that counts as far as the GDF is concerned-it would have still been all about Guillaume and Stephanie.

PERIOD.

Meraude....your comments are SPOT ON CORRECT.

Very well put. While I like to see celebrities at events it is indeed the star I am after. While a bright red Catherine looked great for the Thames river celebration it was a glowing white Queen that stole the show.

 

[NGalitzine]

First of all, the cameras in the Cathedral are going to be mostly on the bride and groom at the altar. It has always been that way. Even if Kate was sitting there as a guest this would not change...the cameras would pan to her a couple of times like they would any of the other Royal guests.

There will be no live cameras inside the reception. The most Kate would have gotten would have been a couple of snapshots of she and William leaving and entering the Palace and the Cathedral....

Same as the other Royal guests.

Can someone please tell me how this would have equalled stealing the bride's thunder??

It is Gui and Stephanie who would have appeared on the Balcony to the cheers and applause of the crowds...NOT the Cambridges. It is Gui and Stephanie who would be and will be the stars of their wedding day and that would be true even if the Cambridges were there.

There is no doubt that the usual suspects like Hello! Magazine and the othe Brit papers would have made Kate the focus of their articles covering the wedding but so what?

In Luxembourg-the only place that counts as far as the GDF is concerned-it would have still been all about Guillaume and Stephanie.

PERIOD.

Meraude....your comments are SPOT ON CORRECT.

The local press BENELUX will of course focus on Guillaume and Stephanie. Any international English language press would focus on the Cambridges attendance at the wedding, especially on what Catherine wore, with the bride and groom being a footnote at their own wedding. In fact any attention to the wedding at all would only be because the Cambridges were in attendance.

Moonmaiden, how much coverage did you see in the American English language press of the rather grand 2010 wedding of the Crown Princess of Sweden? I would bet next to none, a footnote at best, because she is unknown internationally. Luxembourg, and its royal family are even less well known than the Swedes.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Of course the English language press would focus on Catherine...my point(and I think Marengo's too) is that the English language press is not the only game in town to the people that matter here...the citizens of the Grand Duchy.

On HGD Guillaume's wedding day she would have been simply another Royal guest.

I think the Court and the bridal couple themselves will be very content to be received warmly in Luxembourg and by the Luxembourgish press.

The Nassaus are always very Lux-centric, the way they have handled this entire engagement leads me to believe they are not concerned about drawing international attention to the wedding.

 

[American Dane]

The local press BENELUX will of course focus on Guillaume and Stephanie. Any international English language press would focus on the Cambridges attendance at the wedding, especially on what Catherine wore, with the bride and groom being a footnote at their own wedding. In fact any attention to the wedding at all would only be because the Cambridges were in attendance.

Moonmaiden, how much coverage did you see in the American English language press of the rather grand 2010 wedding of the Crown Princess of Sweden? I would bet next to none, a footnote at best, because she is unknown internationally. Luxembourg, and its royal family are even less well known than the Swedes.

I hope Moonmaiden23 doesn't mind me answering on her behalf. Victoria's wedding was actually quite well reported here in the United States. In fact the fact that international cameras weren't allowed in the church nor during the reception was a news item on its own. The wedding was on the front page of CNN and The New York Times. Not bad.

Of course Luxembourg is even less well known than Sweden and with much less expats in the US but it will be reported. Not as well as William and Catherine's, or even Victoria and Daniel's, but reported nonetheless.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Thanks AD...I didn't know that Victoria's nuptials made the New York Times front page...that is huge!

I do remember that Haakon and Mette-Marit got a big story on page 2 of the Los Angeles Times because of the unwed mother angle.

Albert of Monaco's wedding was reported widely on CNN, largely because of the notoriety around the event itself.

I don't doubt the the Lux wedding will get little to no coverage here in the States...my point is simply that it doesn't matter.

 

[American Dane]

Thanks AD...I didn't know that Victoria's nuptials made the New York Times front page...that is huge!

I do remember that Haakon and Mette-Marit got a big story on page 2 of the Los Angeles Times because of the unwed mother angle.

Albert of Monaco's wedding was reported widely on CNN, largely because of the notoriety around the wedding.

It was a 'WORLD' briefing if I remember right. Not very large, nor a several page story like W&C's, but there nonetheless. The whole first heiress apparent marrying was a big deal. It took up a bit larger space on the front page of the Times website.

I think most people miss it or don't believe that is the case because they're not looking for it. I have no doubt that Guillaume and Stephanie's wedding will make the Times' website at least. Even if you have to go to the Europe section for it.

 

[Meraude]

It was a 'WORLD' briefing if I remember right. Not very large, nor a several page story like W&C's, but there nonetheless. The whole first heiress apparent marrying was a big deal. It took up a bit larger space on the front page of the Times website.

That Victoria and Daniel's wedding made the news in the U.S. was most likely due to the fact that it was the wedding of a heiress apparent and that she married her personal trainer, it gave the wedding an interesting angle in American press. The same can be said about the wedding of Haakon and Mette-Marit, the fact that she was a unmarried mother who was to become crown princess made the story interesting, and when it comes to the marriage of Frederick and Mary, I would guess that it made the English-language papers because Mary was from Australia.

In the case of wedding between Guillaume and Stéphanie there is (or perhaps was) nothing that made it interesting for American and British media, but unfortunately I suspect that the death of Stéphanie's mother might give the wedding an emotional angle that will make it to the papers in countries that wouldn't mention it otherwise.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Guillaume and Stephanie have made the full front cover of this week's Point de Vue magazine which is almost unheard of for a member of the Luxembourg GDF. I can't remember the last time even Henri and Maria-Teresa took up the entire cover.

It's a beautiful, sad photo of the two of them at the Comtesse de Lannoy's funeral.

They are also the big story in Germany's BUNTE.

I think Meraude is right, tragedy has given the impending nuptials an aura of poignancy and drama that wasn't necessarily there before, and I think that is unfortunate.

 

[Molly2101]

I think it is a given that the Wessex's will attend, particularly if it is the Crown Princely couples who are attending as well. The Wessex's know the other couples, they have bonded with them and are at the same life stages as they are with young children. I think this is probably why the Queen sends Edward and Sophie; she knows they will be able to relate to the other couples, and we know that they are "a safe pair of hands", as many press reports have quoted.

I know people are saying that in the service it's self, the Cambridges would have only gotten small moments on camera, and that is probably true. What was definitely a given though, would have been the amount of images and paper articles that would have been written about them attending, what Catherine was wearing, who they smiled at/talked to and how much she covered her "baby bump", and then the last line would have said something about it being a Royal wedding and the bride look stunning. I hate that this is what happens, but it's the way it's going to be for a while

 

[Artemisia]

Although I think you are right and the Wessexes are the likeliest candidates to represent Britain, I wouldn't exclude the Wales (Charles and Camilla) just yet. Kate and William are highly unlikely to be in attendance. Right now, the only person who is certain not to attend the Duke of Kent - he has an engagement on the day.

 

[Molly2101]

I would be very shocked if Wales' went, but you may be right. I believe the Gloucester's used to be the Royal representatives for weddings until Edward married Sophie, then they entrusted with that role. I understand that Camilla and Charles are apparently friendly with the GDF, is this correct?

 

[Artemisia]

I think Charles is friendly with the heirs and monarchs of most of current Monarchies; he may not make a lot of official appearances abroad but, as we saw during the recent Scandinavia tour, he maintains close personal relationships with the foreign royals.

I'm not sure whether he is particularly close to Guillaume though (more likely, he is closer to Henri and Marie Teresa).

 

[kathia_sophia]

^when the time comes, i need to watch it online, im sure my country will not air it, they only did with Charles&Diana, Will&Kate/Felipe&Letizia, and both the Infantas Elena and Cristina...but i saw on tv the wedding of Victoria and Daniel because i found in my tv cable a swedish channel at the time!

one month and half until the wedding, cant wait!!!!!!!!! its almost here^^