Pavlos And Marie Chantal: Current Events December 2002 - October 2003

[sky]

Originally posted by sandee@Oct 10th, 2003 - 9:21 pm
These are really great pictures. Can anyone tell me where Marie Chantal was born and her nationality? Cuz i read on some websites that she was born in england and some said she was born in the united states. Also does she have any greek blood in her? Thankyou

i think she was born in the u.s but raised in the u.k. I dont know about her father bu her mother is from ecuador.

 

[Gabriella]

Hi! I'm new here and was just wondering...is Marie-Chantal really a nice person? It just seems to me from the photos that I have seen that she is a little snooty and aloof. Please correct me if I'm wrong because I really don't know much of anything about her. From what I have surmised, it seems that if you were to meet her on the streets, she would not be the most pleasant person around. I could be completely off base here and know that you should never judge a book by it's cover or anything, I was just wondering if anyone knew if anything has ever been said about her personality.

~ella~

 

[tricia]

The impression I get is that she is snooty. She and her sisters Alexandra and Pia were expected to marry well. Her marriage is the only one that is still intact.

 

[Gabriella]

Thanks for your reply! I did not know that they were expected to marry well. Wow! As I said I don't know that much about her. So do you think that she maybe, I don't know, "flaunts" her status?

 

[Alexandria]

I've read stories where Marie-Chantal insists on being addressed as Princess Marie-Chantal even when she is out shopping or attending fashion shows. And those who forget who she is, she reminds them that she is the Crown Princess of Greece.

Quite the opposite of those stories you often would hear about John F. Kennedy Jr., who always insisted on being called "just John" rather than Mr. Kennedy, Jr. or anything with the slightest hint of grandeur. I think it is often the case for those who come into wealth or titles later on in life rather than being born into it, they like to remind others of their wealth or status.

 

[Gabriella]

Hmmm....Well, if those stories are true, then that doesn't say much about her character. I tend to think that the rest of the Greek Royal family is pretty down to earth, and they seem like they are really happy people who truly love their kids. That's why to me Marie-Chantal seems to almost stick out. She's more of an ice princess than anything else. But once again, I don't think you should ever judge a book my it's cover. That's just my opinion.

 

[solangedebn]

Gabriella,

First of all: hi! On to MC-if you check at the Alex B's Miller Sisters Board, you will be sure to read a whole load of info on Marie-Chantal, ahem, Her Haughty-Oh, excuse me, Her Highness...along with several other 'persons in the spotlight.' But, I agree with you, MC does seem to be snooty. THe pictures of her over the past several years depict at least one side of her. Again, I agree with you that you can't judge a book by its cover, even if you've seen so very many covers of this one particular book...

 

[George]

Daughters can be "expected to marry well" but that is not excuse to be snooty!

There is some "basic good manners" lacking which one would expect !

Nuvoux riche indeed! all the $ no class.

That is how the old timers with money see such newbees.

Someone who is born into it is comfortable and need not flaunt it.

They are natural and it shows.

 

[Julia]

I think she's glacial. Cold and enjoys her title and the benefits that come from it. I wonder if she'll ever do anything apart from sit front-row at fashion shows and appear in fashion shoots with her sisters...not very queenly or gracious in my opinion.

Alexandria, she does indeed remind people of her status. You are quite right. There was some story about M-C shopping in a boutique. She had some clothes on hold and asked some young man working in the store to get them for her (I cannot remember the exact story...look at the Miller Sisters Board). He asked what name they were under and she cooly replied "Marie-Chantal of Greece". The guy gave a snort and asked her if she was in the show "Grease" (this took place after all in New York) and she became very haughty and said no she was the crown princess of Greece, the country. The guy still didn't care and said he had no idea that Greece even had a crown princess. As you can imagine she was livid.

What I do not understand is why Prince Pavlos married her? Yes, she's got loads and loads of money but he seems rather sweet. Of course I don't know that he is...just an impression. Does anyone know what Pavlos' personality is like? Is he sweet?

 

[Gabriella]

Well, I guess that all this now begs a new question for me. I have to wonder what the rest of the Greek Royal Family thinks of her? Do they all get along. They seem so nice and down to earth. They always have very warm smiles and seem to get along well with each other. I especially love Princess Alexia. Shes always just doing her thing regardless of whats going on around. You don't ever see her sitting front row at fashion shows.

 

[Alexandria]

Julia, I think Pavlos does seem like a very sweet man, but a bit passive. He seems to be led around by the nose a lot by Marie-Chantal.

I am not at all surprised to hear about her behaviour in the New York boutique. But quite funny that the sales associate asked her if she was in the musical Grease! What I wouldn't give for the security camera tapes from that episoide!

It makes you wonder how Marie-Chantal would really fare if she had to take on the duties and responsibilities associated with being the Crown Princess of Greece rather than just revel in the title and status? I just can't seem to picture her graciously accepting flowers, opening museum exhibits or hospitals, talking to children or visiting senior citizens in nursing homes. She wouldn't be warm and friendly to the people at all, not like we're used to with Mathilde, Maxima and Alexandra.

 

[solangedebn]

As the saying goes, or rather something akin to this: If you are real Gold, you need not worry about melting when in the heat/fire...Gold melts at a specific temperature, so it need not worry about melting at any other. Of course, if you're pure class and dignity and quality, you need not try to prove it.

MC does not, by any stretch of the imagination (disclaimer: according to all the pix I've seen of her over the past years/seen her a couple of times in person), dress like a tramp, but her manner of dress/decorum need not bo so "in your face." I think back to the ballgown that she wore to Alexandra's and Joachim's wedding and shake my head in wonder. I guess that one could say that it was beautiful in an outlandish, queen-of-the-island/cabana kind of way...I keep wondering where her fruity headgear was?...And, the outfit that she wore to V de D-S's wedding-elegant, but way too old for her. It's as if she wants to show to the world that she can dress in the best designer threads to every single function that she attends. I don't know; that's just my opinion. I think that she can still dress elegantly/classy but more to her age-not so matronly.

Moreover, she knows that she's in the public eye: first, as R.Miller's daughter, or more to the point, as one of the Miller Sisters, and second, as Crown Princess of Greece. If she truly is not as snooty or haughty as is her reputation shows her to be, then perhaps, she should try to ameliorate her public persona. Class and elegance emanate not only from manner of dress, but (and moreso) from personality, carriage and dignity as well.

As for Ice Princess, does anyone know at what temperature Ice melts in Greece?

 

[Julia]

Alexandria, you seem to be quite right...Pavlos does seem to be led around by the nose a lot by Marie-Chantel. He does also seem passive but sweet. I look at photos of him with his children and he seems so warm. And, yes, how I wish I could have been a customer in that boutique the day that M-C and the sales clerk had that tiff!

solangedebn, I never got a look at M-C's gown at Alexandra and Joachim's wedding. I only saw the Prussian-blue satin overcoat but not the gown. Do you have photos? You are right when you say that some of M-C's fashion selections leave one scratching one's head. Valentino creates gorgeous clothes for women her age and yet she opts for (and this is just my opinion) what she seems to think is very "Princess Grace". If that is what she's trying to accomplish, being this century's Princess Grace, she's at a loss. Firstly, it's best to be yourself...whatever that may be. Secondly, she doesn't have (that I've seen) Grace's poise and graciousness. Grace was tireless in her work for the Red Cross and other organizations. And she had natural charisma.


I agree, Gabriella, that the rest of the Greek royal family seems to be very down-to-earth...especially Princess Alexia.

 

[hrhcp]

Alexandria  Posted: Oct 14th, 2003 - 4:39 pm

Pavlos does seem like a very sweet man, but a bit passive. He seems to be led around by the nose a lot by Marie-Chantal.

makes you wonder how Marie-Chantal would really fare if she had to take on the duties and responsibilities associated with being the Crown Princess of Greece rather than just revel in the title and status?

Is the short-hand definition of this, "gold digger" ?

 

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by King Christian@Oct 14th, 2003 - 6:47 pm
Is the short-hand definition of this, "gold digger" ?

I would hardly call Marie-Chantal a gold digger in this situation. She is the one, afterall, with all the money in the marriage. Pavlos simply provided the title and prestige in this marriage. The Greek royals are hardly wealthy in comparison to Robert Miller and his duty-free empire.

I think Pavlos was - is - sincerely in love with Marie-Chantal, he was swept up by her beauty and whatever superficial layer of poise and grace she showed him while they were dating. I don't think, however, that Marie-Chantal is as much in love with Pavlos is as he is with her. She was expected to marry well, saw a good opportunity in Pavlos, and went for it. Marie-Chantal probably could've married someone much richer if that were her intention, but instead she went for a rare quality a man can offer: the title of Princess. I don't doubt that she doesn't love him, just not as much as he loves her.

As for the rest of the Greek royals, Marie-Chantal seems to very much stick out, as mentioned previous. The rest of the family do seem incredibly down-to-earth and not at all glamour-pusses, espescially Alexia, who is probably as earthy and wholesome as they come. Even at royal weddings, Alexia dresses very simply and very little makeup, none of the "look at me/take my picture" quality that Marie-Chantal seems to scream in her choice of outfits, how to do her hair.

 

[Julia]

She is/was more of a "title-snatcher".

 

[Alexandria]

Not trying to curb this discussion, I really would like to hear more about what people think of Pavlos, Marie-Chantal and their relationship or more pictures and news of them and their family, but this thread is getting long. The following link is a second news and picture thread.

http://www.lestribunesroyales.com/forums/i...=ST&f=34&t=3358