News and Pictures of the Grand Ducal Family, Part 5

[Peaches]

Yes...if you noticed when Queen Elizabeth visited the late Pope John Paul II, she had to wear a black veil. The privilege of a wearing a white veil is extended only to Catholic monarchs. Recently, if you saw pictures of the visit of Belgium's royal family to the Vatican, Queen Paola is wearing white; however, you'll also noticed that Princess Elisabeth is also wearing white...:)

[Peaches]

Oh I forgot to add...Alexandra and Sebastian have grown! Looks like Guillaume is going to be the shortest in his family. And about Felix's hair...cut it boy!

[Peaches]

Oh sorry, three posts in a row, but it's a question I've got to ask.

What is the necklace (if you could call it that) that Henri is wearing. I noticed Felipe of Spain wore that in his wedding as well as Prince Albert of Monaco during his coronation (? is it coronation? last November?). I've seen King Carl Gustav wearing that as well.

Can anyone tell me the significance of it?

[rere]

I expected Alexandra to cut wear white. I guess Alexandra will wear white to the Vatican when she's older. I like what MT is wearing, but I expected the dress to be longer.

[Paula**]

alexandra is taller than her mom uau time goes by so fast, she and her brother sebastian are really really beautiful, both

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by rere

I expected Alexandra to cut wear white. I guess Alexandra will wear white to the Vatican when she's older.

I think it is only Queens or other symbolic and political heads or the wives of heads of state can wear white. Even if the rest of their family is Catholic, I think they still have to wear black. When Letizia visited Pope John Paul, she wore black even though she is Catholic. In future visits to the Pope, Alexandra would still wear black -- unless she marries and becomes the wife of a head of state and visits the Pope, then she would wear white.

[LaPlusBelle]

I was wondering about the necklace that Henri is wearing, also. And the hair! What's with the Luxembourg boys and their hair?! Alexandra has grown into such a beautiful young woman now, too. *sigh* Such a beautiful family!

[suturegeisha]

Originally Posted by Peaches

Oh sorry, three posts in a row, but it's a question I've got to ask.

What is the necklace (if you could call it that) that Henri is wearing. I noticed Felipe of Spain wore that in his wedding as well as Prince Albert of Monaco during his coronation (? is it coronation? last November?). I've seen King Carl Gustav wearing that as well.

Can anyone tell me the significance of it?

The "necklace" :) is actually a collar and is part of a state order, in this case, the state order of the Vatican. State orders are those sashes you see everyone wearing at weddings and funerals and whatnot.
The methods in which they're worn [since Henri is wearing only the collar, and not the sash] vary due to the formality of the visit and I'm sure other factors as well.

And about the white: only reigning Catholic monarchs may wear white to the Vatican, as that is their privilege. Everyone else wears black. To wear white to visit the Pope when you are not Catholic, or a current [or past] monarch, is quite the faux pas. I don't believe this rule applies for young children or teenagers, though.

[GreenLily]

Why did the family have an audience with the pope? I mean, was it a special occassion or something?

(And yes, definitely agree that all three of the older boys have had better haircuts...)

[Chu-Chi]

it's really nice to see ALL of the family together!!! Can't wait until the next family event! All of the children have grown to be such beautiful people.

[Queen Zenobia]

**sighs and stares off dreamily into space** Felix looks so dashing and handsome.

[drimal]

Thanks for the pics! :)

Princess Alexandra has visibly grown up! :p

[Oppie]

I think it has something to do with the fact that their religion is catholicism. Unlike the other reigning monarchs who have different religions.

Just to add to my point those are the only ones who can wear white. For example the Catholic Princesses of Monaco and Liechtenstein (sp?) do not wear white even though they are traditionally Catholic heads of state or married to. When Princess Maxima becomes Queen although she is Catholic she would also not be allowed to wear white, neither would a Catholic head of state (president or wife of) from another country to be allowed to. I think there are some older pictures wear Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg isn wearing white, and I also the Princess Madeline of Sweden might have as well when they were younger girls. The rule also only applys to the Vatican. Queen Rania wore white when visiting the Pope at his summer home, and Queen Margarthe wore blue durning a visit by the pope to Denmark.

[purple_platinum]

from Corbis

[Danielle]

I would just like to clarify a point about wearing white; only wives of Catholic monarchs can. Not heads of state. Monarchs. Everyone else should wear black and a veil or mantilla. I made some complaints about Cherie Blair, wife of Tony, and she wore white to meet the pope. She wasn't allowed to do this because she isn't the wife of a monarch. Apparently a lot of people are now not observing the appropriate attire for meeting the Pope, so maybe the rules will die out soon. It's a bit of a shame really.

Thanks for the photos. They're so lucky to have met the Pope. I wonder what they talked about. I don't know if it has been posted, but how long was the audience?

[Kelly]

I was reading the most current issue of Vanidades magazine in where they had a special interview with GD Maria Theresa. She stated that her dream was to take her husband and children to Cuba.

[grim_lady]

She did take Felix and Louis there a few years back but I can see why she'd want to take the entire family there and share more of her kids' other culture.

[Oppie]

I would just like to clarify a point about wearing white; only wives of Catholic monarchs can. Not heads of state. Monarchs. Everyone else should wear black and a veil or mantilla. I made some complaints about Cherie Blair, wife of Tony, and she wore white to meet the pope. She wasn't allowed to do this because she isn't the wife of a monarch. Apparently a lot of people are now not observing the appropriate attire for meeting the Pope, so maybe the rules will die out soon. It's a bit of a shame really

This was mentioned in my first couple of posts but for some reason I find this one of the most facinating royal traditions so I just want to offer a small clarification. The rule doesn't apply to the wives of Catholic monarchs but to a specfic group of them, the Queens of Belgium and Spain and the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. The rule also applies to Archduchesses of Austria and Princesses of Savoy. The wives of the Catholic monarchs of Monaco and Liechtenstien are not allowed to, neither would a Catholic wife of another monarch (Princess Maxima when she becomes Queen would not be allowed to even though she is Catholic herself and the wife of a monarch)

The rule only seems to be strictly enforced when on an offical state visit to the Vatican, which is likley why Cherie Blair wore white (although I agree she wasn't suppose to) because that wouldn't be condsidered a state visit. Queen Rania and The Empress of Japan also have worn white but they were on a non-state visit to the Pope summer home (State vists only happen in the Vatican)

[GreenLily]

Originally Posted by Oppie

(State vists only happen in the Vatican)

Oh it was a state visit? Sorry, I asked above what the occassion was. Took me a while to catch on :o

[soCal girl]

Thanks for the pictures everybody!!! Princess Alexandra has grown up so much and she looks so pretty. Her outfit seemed appropriate for the occasion and her age. Plus, I liked her shoes. It's nice to see the whole family together. Seems that Alexandra is blending the white and black rule with the Pope. White as a bottom layer with black lace. Is she wearing a black mantilla? And what purpose does the mantilla hold or is it just a courtesy thing? (sorry for my ignorance on the subject)