Duc_et_Pair
Imperial Majesty
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2014
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And you know that all these people, foreign royalty, diplomats, etc. having been "dismissed" by QEII, threw their toys out of their cots and refused to recognise her daughter's-in-law, how?
1 + 1 = 2
The foreign female spouse gets no Order? Then the female spouse of "the other side" gets no Order either. That is what is called reciprocity. During Diana's period as HRH The Princess of Wales, the following European monarchs made a State Visit to the United Kingdom:
- HM The Queen of the Netherlands 1982:
Charles was made Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Orange-Nassau + Diana was made Lady Grand Cross in the Crown Order (House of Orange Order)
- HE The President of France, co-Sovereign of Andorrra 1984:
Charles was given the Grand Cross in the Légion d'Honneur. There was no decoration for Madame Mitterrand. (See: http://img.20mn.fr/5f4DBbBAS5O8X7AP...mbassade-france-a-londres-25-octobre-1984.jpg ). Result: there was no decoration for the Princess of Wales.
- HM The King of Spain 1986:
Charles was made a Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Carlos III. There was no decoration for Queen Sofía (!). Result: there was no decoration for the Princess of Wales.
- HM The King of Norway 1994:
Charles already held the Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. There was no decoration for Queen Sonja (!). Result: there was no decoration for the Princess of Wales.
That the previous Princess of Wales received an Order from Queen Beatrix was just because of her generosity, her goodwill and her lack of pettiness. Proof: the Queen ordered her stablemaster to look out for a top-breed stud and during the State Visit this expensive horse was handed over to Queen Elizabeth. This was done with decorum: riding servants from the Dutch Royal Mews, in ceremonial tenue, were flown over to give it all cachet. See picture. This illustrated the high esteem Queen Beatrix held (holds) for Queen Elizabeth II. Other State Visits are usually larded with some vases, a picture or a sculpture, not with such an expensive gift. The recpiprocity here was a signed state portrait of the British royal couple in a golden frame... Queen Beatrix knew this but apparently she is not the "one for you, one for me"-type of person.
Another proof, my president made a State Visit to the Netherlands. Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus received the Grand Cross in the Légion d'Honneur. Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard already held this Order. The President gave Princess Margriet and even Mr Pieter van Vollenhoven the French Order of Merit. The Queen acted reciprocally: the President was given the highest Dutch honour, Madame Danielle Mitterrand received the same Order as Diana got. See picture: http://www.corbisimages.com/images/...e=67&uid=1c9b8055-a62b-41d4-aa91-45223e94be62
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