Royal House of Württemberg - Page 5

**Stefan** · #81 04-19-2008, 05:52 PM

**Marengo** · #82 04-19-2008, 07:10 PM

Would that be another book about her life or a second edition of the one by Mr. Mitterand? I have that one already, though it was quite a challenge to read it as my french is just so-so and the text was rather flowery.

**Stefan** · #83 04-20-2008, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

Would that be another book about her life or a second edition of the one by Mr. Mitterand? I have that one already, though it was quite a challenge to read it as my french is just so-so and the text was rather flowery.

Don't know. I have only read that it will be a book about her life and all facettes of her will get an own chapter: childhood, Wedding, her work, as representant, as mother, as wife. It will be published next year.

**Stefan** · #84 04-21-2008, 02:21 PM

**Marengo** · #85 04-21-2008, 08:09 PM

I was wrong about the original author of her biography btw, it was Stéphane Bern and not the Mitteran guy of Point de Vue. The title is 'Diane de France, la princesse rebelle'.

The Duchess of Württemburg has her own website where you can see her work btw, the website is both in german as in french, go to D. Diane - I.K.H. Diane Herzogin von Württemberg

**Marengo** · #86 06-19-2008, 05:46 AM

The Duchess of Wurttemberg next to a statue she made of St. Theresia of Lisieux

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

**Warren** · #87 06-19-2008, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

The Duchess of Wurttemberg next to a statue she made of St. Theresia of Lisieux - Picture 1

Has Princess Gloria set a new trend within the Gotha?

Jo of Palatine · #88 06-19-2008, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warren

Has Princess Gloria set a new trend within the Gotha?

Let's hope not... I found it cute to see that little nun from France (Catherine de Monpezat, aunt of the groom) in her simple habit attend the princely wedding in Denmark but for me there is a line when it comes to displaying such statues while being dressed yourself in designer fashion.

Odette · #89 06-19-2008, 10:30 AM

I always found the Duchess a rather interesting person. She is free with interviews and over the years there have been quite some controversial statements coming out of her mouth. Once she said she told her sons that she calculated there were over 200 eligible princesses available and should they choose to marry a commoner they'd still be welcome to the Castle but they'd lose their rights (???!!!) at least all but one toed the line.....She mentioned , when her book came out that there was a crisis in her marriage but she is very happy with her husband and hinted that Fleur was the baby of their reconciliation. JC is the Godfather to Fleur. It is only natural that Diane and Sofia cannot be best friends. They are polar opposites.
For those who live in that area, can you help me find Althausen? No matter how many times I tried I always get lost.

**Stefan** · #90 06-19-2008, 02:10 PM

The next town is Bad Saulgau and other towns in that area are Weingarten or Ravensburg.

pamk · #91 06-19-2008, 03:03 PM

In spite of her snobbishness, I have always had a soft spot for Diane.
She is very dramatic, artistic, high-strung. She has always been a rebel - as a teen, wearing a tiara upside down in a family photo, etc.
Growing up in such a big family, maybe with her antics, she was crying out for attention.
I read (ages ago) an exerpt in Point de Vue from her autobiography that when she and Karl became engaged, his mother thought that he was engaged to Anne and was ecstatic. When she found out that the fiancee was Diane, she was not pleased. Apparently, Karl's mother was a real snob. (Her daughter Marie Therese was married to Diane's eldest brother, Henri.)
Diane has always expressed her artistic bent in many ways. When elder daughter, Mathilde married, it was Diane who designed the wedding gown.
The train of the gown was cut into the shape of a huge fleur-de-lis.
She seems to have accepted commoner Julia into the family.
Perhaps if Elena of Spain had been married to Eberhard, it would have proved to be a happier union than being married to Jaime.
Maybe like King Albert and Paola with all of their indiscretions, Karl and Diane have settled into a comfy let-bygones-be-bygones relationship in their old age.

R_Bee · #92 06-19-2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pamk

I read (ages ago) an exerpt in Point de Vue from her autobiography that when she and Karl became engaged, his mother thought that he was engaged to Anne and was ecstatic. When she found out that the fiancee was Diane, she was not pleased. Apparently, Karl's mother was a real snob. (Her daughter Marie Therese was married to Diane's eldest brother, Henri.)

Why did Karl's mother not like Diane? Did it have something to do with her personality? Surely it couldn't have been due to her family background, if Diane's own sister was considered "good enough" but she wasn't.

Odette · #93 06-19-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefan

The next town is Bad Saulgau and other towns in that area are Weingarten or Ravensburg.

Thank you so much Stefan. I have to get my maps out and follow the towns so next time I will finally make it there. Wish me luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by R_Bee

Why did Karl's mother not like Diane? Did it have something to do with her personality? Surely it couldn't have been due to her family background, if Diane's own sister was considered "good enough" but she wasn't.

Perhaps she knew that Diane was a bit more "uncontrolable" than sweet Anne. I remember reading that when they all gathered at the Castle for her wedding, she went along with sisters and brothers and they ate all the hors d'oeuvres the chef prepared for the guests for the next day. She sounds like she must be fun to be with. Duke Karl seems so straight lace, I wonder how they survived all these years together.
On another post about King Albert and Queen Paola. It is so true. A lot of couples go through crises but most do it away from the public eye so most of the outsiders do not know about it.

Harold · #94 07-25-2008, 12:07 PM

From the article below, it appears that the Duke of Wurttemberg bough land in Canada as a refuge during the Cold War. He's now sold it to an environmental group.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

JSP · #95 07-27-2008, 02:42 PM

It's nice to see that his morganatica marriage did not make him ostracized by the RF and he gets invited for some gathreings.

What about his children ?
Are they invited too ?
I've never seen any pics of them. Neither of Ludwig's wives...

Has someone got any ?

Thanks in advance.

**Warren** · #96 07-28-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harold

...the Duke of Wurttemberg bought land in Canada as a refuge during the Cold War. He's now sold it.

Some quotes from the article:

German Duke sells B.C. land to Nature Conservancy

A vast tract of wilderness in southeastern British Columbia, acquired by a German aristocrat during the Cold War as a haven for his family, has become Canada's newest conservation reserve.

Darkwoods, a spectacular 55,000-hectare sweep of mountains, forest, streams and more than 50 lakes in the Kootenay region, has been bought for $125-million by Nature Conservancy Canada, with help from the federal government.

The land – prowled by 30 to 40 grizzly bears, wolf packs, moose and an endangered herd of mountain caribou – was bought by His Royal Highness Duke Carl Herzog von Wurttemberg 40 years ago, on the eve of the Soviet takeover of Czechoslovakia that left Europe shaken.

...the duke, 72, fell in love with the rugged landscape and visited the property once a year until no-smoking regulations put him off long-distance air travel.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

pamk · #97 09-09-2008, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R_Bee

Why did Karl's mother not like Diane? Did it have something to do with her personality? Surely it couldn't have been due to her family background, if Diane's own sister was considered "good enough" but she wasn't.

Diane is a rebel - very artistic and bohemian - that was evident even in her teens.
I had seen only one picture of the Duke's mother and she looked old-fashioned and straitlaced. Diane would not fit in at all!
Marie Therese (the Duke's sister and the ex-wife of the current Count of Paris) was a very ordinary looking lady - not a great beauty, but I am sure that she was well-mannered and all. I admire her though because she has had to raise two handicapped children and then her husband left her for another woman and caused such a big split in the family. Marie Therese has carried on very well and is seen occasionally at family functions. She has become very beautiful in her older age. She is the extreme opposite of Diane.