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Old 12-03-2005, 05:30 PM
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ElisaR ElisaR is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: ., Italy
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In Italy we translate in Italian the names of some Royals, whereas we left others in the original language. No one knows the reason.

Just few examples.

British:
- Translated:
Elizabeth (both Queen and Queen Mother) -> Elisabetta
Philip -> Filippo
Charles -> Carlo
Anne -> Anna
Andrew -> Andrea
Edward -> Edoardo (but once I heard a journalist calling him Edward)
Eugenie -> Eugenia

- These have the same spelling in both languages, and they are actually translated in Italian:
Diana -> Diana
Zara -> Zara
Beatrice -> Beatrice
Alice -> Alice

- These remain in English:
Mary
Margaret
William
Henry/Harry
Peter
Sarah
Sophie (but she's sometimes called "Sofia")

Generally, the names of those that married recently in the Royal family remain in English (besides Diana). "Earlier" people who married royals usually have their name translated, but there are exceptions (for ex. Queen Mary).
I think that this happens because in the past translating names was more common than today. (But this still doesn't explain why we have William and Harry, but Beatrice and Eugenia, Elisabetta but Margaret, Elisabetta but Mary. A real mistery. )


Something about other royal families.

Monaco
Some are translated and become:
Ranieri
Alberto
Carolina
But Stephanie remains the same and Grace is pronounced in English, not French.

Spanish
Not translated.

Belgian
- Translated:
Baldovino
Alberto

- Not translated:
Fabiola
Paola (she's Italian)
the rest of the family

Dutch
Beatrix -> Beatrice
Bernard -> Bernardo
Juliana -> Giuliana (but also Juliana)

Other members: not translated.

Norwegian
Not translated.

Swedish
Not translated, but I'm not sure about the king, perhaps sometimes called Carlo Gustavo.

Danish
Not tranlated, but Margrethe sometimes becomes Margherita.

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