Sisters of the Duke of Edinburgh

[Prinsara]

It was Thelma Furness that was involved with David (Edward VIII). She was aunt to Gloria Vanderbilt and great aunt to Anderson Cooper (CNN). Thelma also introduced Wallis Simpson to David. We know how that ended.

There were two Gloria Vanderbilts. The elder was twin sister to Lady Furness as the Morgan girls, involved with Friedel Hohenlohe, Nada Milford Haven, and the famous custody trial for her daughter, "Little Gloria" (Anderson's mom). Margarita was misidentified at the trial as "a German woman".

 

[Curryong]

Yes, Thelma Furness was mistress to David Prince of Wales until she went to the US to support her sister Thelma in her custody case. When she returned to Britain she found Wallis had nabbed him. (She had asked Wallis to take care of him for her, and she certainly did!)

It was Edwina Mountbatten, Lord Louis’s wife who allegedly had an affair with Nadejda (de Torby) the wife of George Marquis of Milford Haven, her sister in law, and aunt to Philip and his sisters as she was herself. Both women were free spirits who travelled together at times, away from their husbands.

Gottfried, Margarita’s husband, was indeed once engaged to Gloria Vanderbilt snr. Years later he returned to the US to help her as a witness in her custody battle for her daughter, ‘little Gloria’, a cause célèbre that consumed newspaper coverage at the time.

 

[Osipi]

There were two Gloria Vanderbilts. The elder was twin sister to Lady Furness as the Morgan girls, involved with Friedel Hohenlohe, Nada Milford Haven, and the famous custody trial for her daughter, "Little Gloria" (Anderson's mom). Margarita was misidentified at the trial as "a German woman".

Thanks for spotting my error. I've corrected my post. Not enough coffee today. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Prinsara]

Thanks for spotting my error. I've corrected my post. Not enough coffee today. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Well, Thelma was sister to Gloria, but aunt to her daughter Gloria, and great-aunt to Anderson Cooper. You were right, you just missed a Gloria.

 

[Gawin]

Yes, Thelma Furness was mistress to David Prince of Wales until she went to the US to support her sister Thelma in her custody case. When she returned to Britain she found Wallis had nabbed him. (She had asked Wallis to take care of him for her, and she certainly did!)

It was Edwina Mountbatten, Lord Louis’s wife who allegedly had an affair with Nadejda (de Torby) the wife of George Marquis of Milford Haven, her sister in law, and aunt to Philip and his sisters as she was herself. Both women were free spirits who travelled together at times, away from their husbands.

Gottfried, Margarita’s husband, was indeed once engaged to Gloria Vanderbilt snr. Years later he returned to the US to help her as a witness in her custody battle for her daughter, ‘little Gloria’, a cause célèbre that consumed newspaper coverage at the time.

During the Vanderbilt custody trial, a maid testified that she had walked into a bedroom to find Nadejda Milford Haven in bed with Gloria Sr., with her arm around her and kissing her "like a lover." Her testimony created an immediate sensation. Gloria Sr. fell to the floor and had to be carried from the courtroom sobbing.

The British press refused to print Lady Milford Haven's name, referring only to "lurid accusations" involving a "titled woman." Lady Milford Haven publicly denied the accusation and hired a lawyer but never testified in court, although both Gottfried and Margarita did.

 

[Stefan]

An interesting Documentary about the hessian routs of Prince Philip. Unfortunately only in german.In it also his nephew, Prince Rainer of Hesse who lives at Wolfsgarten Castle. He has recently written a book about Wolfsgarten and he had asked Philip to write a preface. But then Philip came into the Hospital and he didn't ant to remeber him so he had already given up. then one Thursday he received a Letter from Buckingham Palace with the preface. And on the next Philip died.

https://www.hr-fernsehen.de/sendung...vQ4L96yW-0s32svgmZa48FPUTMD4Y8qmix67CLqwgJCsg

 

[Marengo]

Lovely story, thanks for posting it as I hadn't seen it elsewhere.

As a sidequestion: didn't Wolfsgarten belong to the Darmstadt branch? And the properties of that branch were inherited by Landgrave Moritz, as he was adopted by Prince Ludwig. How come Prince Rainer is living there now, as he is only a cousin of the late Mortiz.

 

[Curryong]

I have read (but it was Wiki!) that the present Landgrave, Donatus, lives at Schloss Wolfsgarten. Perhaps, as it is quite a large building, various members of the von Hesse family live there at different times and that would include Prince Rainier. The family own several homes and maybe the same arrangements pertain in each? I don’t know, just asking!

 

[Queen Ester]

An interesting Documentary about the hessian routs of Prince Philip. Unfortunately only in german.In it also his nephew, Prince Rainer of Hesse who lives at Wolfsgarten Castle. He has recently written a book about Wolfsgarten and he had asked Philip to write a preface. But then Philip came into the Hospital and he didn't ant to remeber him so he had already given up. then one Thursday he received a Letter from Buckingham Palace with the preface. And on the next Philip died.

https://www.hr-fernsehen.de/sendung...vQ4L96yW-0s32svgmZa48FPUTMD4Y8qmix67CLqwgJCsg

very interesting, thank you for sharing, do you recall what year HM and the Duke of Edenborough made this visit?

 

[Somebody]

very interesting, thank you for sharing, do you recall what year HM and the Duke of Edenborough made this visit?

I found this picture of a visit in 1965. It was the wedding of prince Ludwig and princess Margaret that Philip's sister was about to attend when their plane crashed.

This story on Royal Musings about Philip's youth provides some background information about the social circles of Philip's family. Most interesting detail: his mother had lunch with Elizabeth's grandparents (the king and queen) on the day of Elizabeth's birth.

 

[Gawin]

I found this picture of a visit in 1965.

The Queen and Prince Philip paid their first official state visit to Germany in 1965. While there they visited Wolfsgarten as well as his sisters Theodora at Salem and Margarita at Langenburg.

Source: Gyles Brandreth, Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Royal Marriage (2004), p. 293.

 

[Marengo]

I have read (but it was Wiki!) that the present Landgrave, Donatus, lives at Schloss Wolfsgarten. Perhaps, as it is quite a large building, various members of the von Hesse family live there at various times and that would include Prince Rainier. The family own various homes and maybe the same arrangements pertain in each? I don’t know, just asking!

Interesting observation. I looked it up -also on wikipedia- and it seems that like the Bavarians the Hessens have several castles in a foundation (Hessische Hausstiftung). It seems likely indeed that they allow members to live in a property, rather than letting it stand empty.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

I found this picture of a visit in 1965. It was the wedding of prince Ludwig and princess Margaret that Philip's sister was about to attend when their plane crashed.

Included in this photograph is Princess Christina of Hesse. Was not Princess Christina once mentioned as a possible bride for Prince Charles of Great Britain?

 

[Marc23]

Included in this photograph is Princess Christina of Hesse. Was not Princess Christina once mentioned as a possible bride for Prince Charles of Great Britain?

By today's standards she is too closely related. Maybe the press speculated something like that.

Princess Beatrix von Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Philip's niece who is also in the photo, was engaged to her first cousin Margrave Max of Baden, who was also Philip's nephew, although the engagement was late cancelled for "personal reasons".

 

[Denville]

I dont think that there was much speculation on any royal brides for Charles apart from the report about Marie Astrid of Lux... who was impossilbe as she was Roman Catholic. I dotn think that by the time P Charles was marriagable people thought of him marrying a foreign royal bride...

 

[Gawin]

Included in this photograph is Princess Christina of Hesse. Was not Princess Christina once mentioned as a possible bride for Prince Charles of Great Britain?

Christina was 15 years older than Charles and married Prince Andrej of Yugoslavia in 1956.

I believe it may actually be her younger sister Clarissa who is pictured. She was 21 years old in 1965 (four years older than Charles).

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Christina was 15 years older than Charles and married Prince Andrej of Yugoslavia in 1956.

I believe it may actually be her younger sister Clarissa who is pictured. She was 21 years old in 1965 (four years older than Charles).

Gawin, You have identified the correct sister! The sister was Princess Clarissa. Thus, had she and Charles married, there may have been a Queen Clarissa.

 

[fandesacs2003]

Out of the subject. Isn't Princess Clarissa of Hesse who was one of the bridesmaids in the wedding of King Constantine and Pcs Anne-Marie?

Gawin, You have identified the correct sister! The sister was Princess Clarissa. Thus, had she and Charles married, there may have been a Queen Clarissa.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Out of the subject. Isn't Princess Clarissa of Hesse who was one of the bridesmaids in the wedding of King Constantine and Pcs Anne-Marie?

Yes. Princess Clarissa of Hesse was a bridesmaid.

 

[Lysander2]

Interesting that they don't say where it was taken, but I suppose "Germany" would have been the safe answer.

Was that photo not taken at Sophie's 2nd marriage to Georg of Hanover in April 1946?

Here's another photo from the wedding - Sophie appears to be wearing the same outfit

 

[Prinsara]

Was that photo not taken at Sophie's 2nd marriage to Georg of Hanover in April 1946?

Here's another photo from the wedding - Sophie appears to be wearing the same outfit

Since it's dated as October 1947, unless it's mislabeled, no.

Sophie repeating the outfit in those times and when she was not allowed to go to Philip's wouldn't be surprising.

 

[Kataryn]

I dont think that there was much speculation on any royal brides for Charles apart from the report about Marie Astrid of Lux... who was impossilbe as she was Roman Catholic. I dotn think that by the time P Charles was marriagable people thought of him marrying a foreign royal bride...

Oh, but they did! The yellow press was full of potential brides and whenever he was seen with one of his girlfriends, her aristocratic roots were discussed. And there are so many girls his age in the protestant "equal" families in Germany alone. Plus the Russian princesses. Wasn't there even talk about a Korean ex-Imperial princess?

 

[Alison H]

There was a bit of talk about Prince Edward and Princess Martha Louise at one time, but I don't think Prince Charles was ever linked with any princesses, other than Astrid of Luxembourg who's already been mentioned.

 

[JR76]

There never was a romance with Marie Astrid. It was a rumour created by the palace to find an in-house source that were leaking stories to the press.

 

[Lysander2]

Since it's dated as October 1947, unless it's mislabeled, no.

Sophie repeating the outfit in those times and when she was not allowed to go to Philip's wouldn't be surprising.

I feel it could be mislabelled as she's carrying what looks like flowers in it (a bridal bouquet?) , I will do some more checking. I do seem to recall reading somewhere that Prince Philip attended her 2nd wedding in 1946.

But appreciate that they probably did recycle outfits in those austere times.

 

[Heavs]

Oh, but they did! The yellow press was full of potential brides and whenever he was seen with one of his girlfriends, her aristocratic roots were discussed. And there are so many girls his age in the protestant "equal" families in Germany alone. Plus the Russian princesses. Wasn't there even talk about a Korean ex-Imperial princess?

Yes I can imagine some of the press did. Just as some speculated about William and Madeleine of Sweden or Theodora of Greece or Harry and Marie-Olympia, which is pretty much on the same level as the matching up posters do here.

I doubt many people seriously expected him to marry equally to one of his European cousins. A young British aristocrat was always much more likely and lists are always made of those candidates as well.

 

[Denville]

Yes I can imagine some of the press did. Just as some speculated about William and Madeleine of Sweden or Theodora of Greece or Harry and Marie-Olympia, which is pretty much on the same level as the matching up posters do here.

I doubt many people seriously expected him to marry equally to one of his European cousins. A young British aristocrat was always much more likely and lists are always made of those candidates as well.

I can't ssay that I remember any. There might have been an occasional aritcle about princesses but I dont think anyone seriously expected him to marry a foregin princess... The Speculation was about his girlfriends

 

[Kataryn]

I can't ssay that I remember any. There might have been an occasional aritcle about princesses but I dont think anyone seriously expected him to marry a foregin princess... The Speculation was about his girlfriends

The editors of the newspapers were quite old by then, having worked themselves up to a top-position. And what they thought could get into their paper got in. "They" believed in the old regime and the need of Charles to find an "equal" bride and thus articles were created. It might have been that it was always known that Charles wouldn't marry into another European noble house (his mother did, though) but still the available ladies were pointed out all the time. And with Lady Jane Wellesley "denying" him, as did his cousin Amanda Knatchbill (one of Mountbatten girls- well, we were never invited behind the Royal veil...)), the people settled for "anyone with a good pedigree" and on and on it went...



But we never knew what Charles and his parents thought about that and so, a Royal-born bride could have been on the list!

 

[Sue Lemon]

I can remember talk about Prince Charles marrying Princess Caroline of Monaco way back when ... quite funny to think about that now, but also then!

 

[fandesacs2003]

Yes you are right. It was a huge press discussion these times, despite the the interessees met very few times, never privately and barely know eachother. Of course it was unthinkable because she is Roman catholic and being daughter of a catholic state sovereign, even if sue wanted it would be almost impossible to convert. By the way does the English law accept as princess of whales and future queen a (even converted) Roman catholic?
A generation after, this unreal rumor started again for Prince William and Charlotte Casiraghi, who never met

I can remember talk about Prince Charles marrying Princess Caroline of Monaco way back when ... quite funny to think about that now, but also then!