Princely House of Thurn und Taxis 2: July 2008 - July 2011

[NotAPretender]

That was a pretty startling read, there. She's intriguing but still really "out there."

[Warren]

TMagazine - New York Times - excellent link, thanks giov.

GLORIA IN EXTREMIS | HORACIO SILVA December 2008
Selected quotes:

On a recent night in New York, Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, better known as Princess TNT, the jet-setting German aristocrat who exploded over 1980s nouvelle society like so much nitroglycerin, held court in the seventh-floor restaurant at Bergdorf Goodman...At one point in the night, Princess Gloria, concerned that not all the guests were sampling the fare she was peddling, went behind the bar, arranged some cookies on a tray and passed them around the room herself. ‘‘It’s hard to say no to a woman with a tray full of treats,’’ she said, ‘‘and that way I also get to meet people in an informal way.’’ According to a friend ‘‘Gloria talks to everybody,...and she chats up everyone — waiters, photographers, models on the runway, Marine guards at the American Embassy in Paris — but in a totally natural, warm way. I think that surprises people because they have this idea of a princess, especially a German princess, being very cold and haughty.’’

Princess Gloria has assumed many roles: fairy tale bride, couture-wearing paparazzi bait, businesswoman, regent for her under-age son after the death of her husband. Yet despite her unrelenting candor, even on the thorniest of topics, her latest incarnation, as an unfiltered messenger of God, may turn out to be the hardest for her to pull off.

I asked Princess Gloria if she had heard the rumors that her friendship with Princess Alessandra Borghese, a fellow conservative Catholic, was of the biblical kind. ‘‘Yes,’’ she said. ‘‘But I don’t think that it really matters. I think that everyone has the right to decide for him- or herself what they want to do behind bedroom doors, and no one of us would ever judge that. And I don’t think the Catholic Church does that.’’ (This might be news to gay Catholics.)

Not all of her urges are so neatly reconciled. Princess Gloria has many gay friends. Those close to Princess Gloria insist that the disconnect between her lifestyle and her belief system is just one of the many contradictions that have always defined her. ‘‘The odd thing about Gloria,’’ said her brother Alexander von Schönburg, ‘‘is that she is riddled with paradoxes. On the one hand, she is staunchly conservative, even reactionary; on the other, she is a total free spirit who enjoys reading G. K. Chesterton as much as William Burroughs.’’

[giov]

You are welcome Warren!
Pics of Gloria and Alessandra Borghese, last night in Rome.
They attended the launch of a book of funny/crazy photos of celebrities taken by a famous paparazzo, Umberto Pizzi!
Dagospia
Dagospia (Unusual caption!)
Dagospia
I guess they are posing for next book!

[iceflower]

Yesterday, December 15, Gloria of Thurn und Taxis gave
a commercial tea party called "High Tea" by Käfer and
Thurn und Taxis, in Munich, Germany. Several guests had
been invited. From now on you can buy tea and confectionary
with the Thurn und Taxis logo via delicatessen shop Käfer.

** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** article in German **

[scooter]

So I guess they are officially out, now? Two Princesses in Love, and all....

[Boris]

While Princess Gloria and Princess Alessandra Borghese have been constantly attending functions in Italy appearing very much like a loving couple for a long time, Princess Gloria’s public outings in Germany are mostly on her own and restricted to the promotion of her businesses, her books and her religion.
It’s a rather weird life apart with a split image, and a website’s caption definitely does NOT constitute a coming out. How the Princess of T&T herself reconciles all the conflicting parts of which her life seems to consist, I have no idea.

[giov]

Originally Posted by Boris

It’s a rather weird life apart with a split image, and a website’s caption definitely does NOT constitute a coming out.

You are totally right! They always put ironic/funny captions behind the pics on Dagospia website!
Anyway, I won't post them anymore.

[Boris]

Why not?
In this case, I don't believe that their intention was to be ironic but rather to state what strikes many as obvious.
And if it was meant to be funny, let's rather have more fun on this forum than less.

[Al_bina]

Dear giov,
Please, do not stop posting photos of Furstin Gloria and her family/friends. She does not frequent spotlight that much. Thus, photos of Furstin give us updates on her activities and life.

Originally Posted by scooter

So I guess they are officially out, now? Two Princesses in Love, and all....

I would not say that... Neither Furstin Gloria nor Princess Borghese can issue a statement clarifying the situation becasuse it will look awkward.

[Boris]

Of course they COULD issue such a statement.
They would be free to come out as a couple any time if that's what their relatonship is about and if they'd wish to do so.
It's just that they most probably WON'T.
And this has to be respected, although the coming out in recent years of many high profile people from the arts to the politics has shown that it has become far easier and less awkward than possibly feared in advance.

[Avicenna]

Originally Posted by Boris

While Princess Gloria and Princess Alessandra Borghese have been constantly attending functions in Italy appearing very much like a loving couple for a long time, Princess Gloria’s public outings in Germany are mostly on her own and restricted to the promotion of her businesses, her books and her religion.
It’s a rather weird life apart with a split image, and a website’s caption definitely does NOT constitute a coming out. How the Princess of T&T herself reconciles all the conflicting parts of which her life seems to consist, I have no idea.

Appearing like a loving couple does not necessarily mean being a loving couple. Maybe it is simple a great friendship. What's wrong with showing emotions, what's wrong to being affectionate even to a "same sex" friend? IMHO it is wonderful if someone can act like this. But people in different countries act differently. Never was I hugged by friends as much as when I lived and worked in the States. Never did I get as many bisous (cheek kisses) as during my time in France. And now I imagine my north african (arab) former colleagues seeing all this ... they would be shocked Their interpretation would be well ... different ... of what was meant in the other countries.

[iceflower]

For those who are interested and do have German television
Gloria will be a guest at the show "Menschen bei Maischberger"
that will be shown on Tuesday, December 23, 2008, at 11:15 pm
on the programme ARD.
The show was recorded on December 12 in Cologne, Germany,
here are a few pics of it:

** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 **

[Tilla]

Thank you for the information and the pictures. Having missed the show on Dec. 12, I am looking forward to Dec. 23rd. Fürsting Gloria von Thurn und Taxis is a very interesting personality and has a frank speaking.

[giov]

Originally Posted by Al_bina

Dear giov,
Please, do not stop posting photos of Furstin Gloria and her family/friends. She does not frequent spotlight that much. Thus, photos of Furstin give us updates on her activities and life.

Dear Al_bina, I meant I didn't want to post anymore the links to those pics who have that kind of caption.

Thanks for the pics Iceflower!

[Al_bina]

In my opinion, captions are a matter of a individual perception. Different people see different things in a same picture/photo. I see nothing wrong on the photo in question.

[iceflower]

Originally Posted by Tilla

Thank you for the information and the pictures. Having missed the show on Dec. 12, I am looking forward to Dec. 23rd. Fürsting Gloria von Thurn und Taxis is a very interesting personality and has a frank speaking.

You are most welcome, Tilla and giov
Tilla, I don't think you've missed the show. I think it's been recorded
a bit earlier as it's difficult to get all guests you'd like to have in your
show only one day before Christmas Eve..

By the way, I forgot to mention the theme that will be discussed,
freely translated it's : "The problem with the belief. God yes, church
no?" Definitely a theme for Gloria

[Bonnie Bohde]

Gloria and her good friend (perhaps partner) Alessandra Borghese are frequently present at the vatican, and welcomed in farious salons there. They (at least Gloria) heads a congregation of women who support each other in their Catholicism. I hope they find love and hope there. I don't care who they partner with, but i HOPE THEY LEAD HAPPY LIVES AND have much love in their families. They seem close with the children, and qith their enimals.

[Al_bina]

I happen to think that Furstin Gloria and Princess Alessandra Borghese are just friends. Given the fact that (1) both ladies are extremely devout Roman Catholics; and (2)the recent speech by Benedict XVI, it would be fair to assume that the aforementioned individuals are not partners. As Avicenna aptly noted , "Appearing like a loving couple does not necessarily mean being a loving couple. Maybe it is simple a great friendship".

[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by Warren

TMagazine - New York Times - excellent link, thanks giov.

GLORIA IN EXTREMIS | HORACIO SILVA December 2008
Selected quotes:

Thanks Warren, this is interesting. The Princess lived as a complete hedonist before and during her marriage to Prince Johannes and now she lectures in almost every interview about the merits of celibate Christian living.(She made some bizarre statement a while back about Africans being so horny because of the hot weather on the African continent, which I found stunning in it's ignorance) She frequently cites her close friendship with His Holiness the Pope, who only a few days ago made comments that can no way be interpreted as the Church's determination to stay out of the bedrooms of the laity(homosexual that is) yet she makes ambiguous statements about her "friendship" with Princess Borghese that she must know do nothing but fuel the gossip. Why not just come straight out(no pun intended) and say something like "that's silly...simply absurd!?"

I am not certain which Roman Catholic Church the Princess belongs to but I'd be fascinated to hear more about it.

She seems a classic case of one of those "do as I say and not as I do" people.

I know the type well.

[Avicenna]

Nachrichten - mittelbayerische.tv :: Mittelbayerische Zeitung :: www.mittelbayerische.de

On the above link you can find a video showing Fürstin Gloria; she reads the Christmas story and joins other singers in performing some Christmas carols.

Unfortunatly I have no direct link to the video; please look at the top left side "Video Beiträge Regional": Nachrichten - mittelbayerische.tv - Video-Beiträge Regional :: Mittelbayerische Zeitung :: www.mittelbayerische.de

Fürstin Gloria is not alone with her perception of life ... please find attached a link to an article featuring her sister Maja. There is also a link to a picture gallery of the Maja, Gloria and other family members.
Schwester von Fürstin Gloria: "Sex dient der Fortpflanzung, nicht dem Vergnügen" - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Panorama