Engagement of HGD Guillaume & Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy: April 26, 2012

[Moonmaiden23]

I'm going to just come out and say it. I am tired of commoner/Royal weddings. For me the novelty and the charm wore off a long, long time ago.

It's not a bit romantic to me anymore.

Stephanie de Lannoy seems perfect for Guillaume. She shares his interest in music. She is intellectually gifted. She will probably know before the wedding what is expected of her as Hereditary Grand Duchess. She is part of his social set...she fits in and will not need to adapt.

There will more than likely be no awkward and embarrassing revelations about her party girl past, her previous live-in lovers or ex-husbands, out of wedlock children, soft porn photos or her drug use... such as what we have had with some of the more recent Royal girlfriends and CP's.

Sorry, but I do not find things like that endearing or uplifting in a Crown Princess or future Queen.

Guillaume apparently made a decision to choose a wife who is not only agreeable to him personally, but who will be a credit to the House of Nassau. It's old fashioned of him and I love it!

Guillaume seems almost giddy with happiness, and I for one am thrilled and relieved at his choice.

I feel like I finally have a REAL Royal Wedding to look forward to!

 

[Ceallach]

I understand the implications of what I said and I will say it again: I think Guillaume had a very specific type of girl he wanted to marry that had less to do with character than appearance. I'm not saying it's good or bad but it is what it is. IMO, Guillaume would not have considered anyone less than a noble for his wife.

There is no evidence to suggest that is true. He has been romantically linked in the tabloids in the past to three women by name - none noble and all allegedly long term relationships: niece of the Queen of Norway Pia Haraldson 2002-04, an Australian Elle-Ann 2006-07, and Italian Michaela Forcini 2008.

 

[nascarlucy]

I just curious. Did they set a wedding date? All I've seen is the announcement of their engagement.

 

[Ceallach]

P.S. Guillaume in the past when being interviewed on the subject, Guillaume never considered being noble/royal a prerequisite for his future wife.

I just curious. Did they set a wedding date? All I've seen is the announcement of their engagement.

When the engagement was announced, they said the date would be announced within the next weeks.

 

[Al_bina]

... [snipped]

There will more than likely be no awkward and embarrasing revelations about her party girl past, her previous live-in lovers or ex-husbands, or her drug use... such as what we have had with some of the more recent Crown Princesses. ... [snipped]

In addition to your points, there will be no relatives who will do or say anything embarrassing. It would be fair to say that the Lannoy family definitely know how to handle the situation.

 

[NGalitzine]

In addition to your points, there will be no relatives who will do or say anything embarrassing. It would be fair to say that the Lannoy family definitely know how to handle the situation.

Perhaps, but her family have rather flown under the radar largely because no one was really interested in them before the engagement. Depending on the gossip press in Belgium & Luxembourg some enterprising reporter could come up with something. Being aristocratic does not mean that your life has been spotless or that some past or future foible could not become a story in one of the tabloids.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Yes Al bina...you are right about that. I can't imagine any pre-wedding faux pas( cocaine sniffing, hooker happy uncles or anti-monarchist parents) from the de Lannoys.

Thank God.

ETA: NGalitzine...you could be right of course...look at CP Mathilde...the quintessential noblewoman...even she had some controversy in her aristocratic clan...

 

[BurberryBrit]

There is no evidence to suggest that is true. He has been romantically linked in the tabloids in the past to three women by name - none noble and all allegedly long term relationships: niece of the Queen of Norway Pia Haraldson 2002-04, an Australian Elle-Ann 2006-07, and Italian Michaela Forcini 2008.

There is no evidence to suggest it isn't true. None of those girlfriends are confirmed except Pia, and even Pia is the niece of the Queen of Sweden. It's my opinion, and I don't have to defend it.

P.S. Guillaume in the past when being interviewed on the subject, Guillaume never considered being noble/royal a prerequisite for his future wife.

As if he ever would, even if he felt that way.

 

[Tyger]

It is odd all the negativity - especially about motivations and all that. Being someone who really analyzed the video in slow-mo I have to say I found her enchanting - and continue to have the impression that she is actually someone with a good sense of humor who bore up well to the first barrage of cameras.

As for mothers' and their eyes - her mother is standing with a husband that we have been told is seriously ailing (and people question how long he will live) and Maria T is sitting beside another very old family member, who may not have been well on that day. The reasons behind reserve on the part of the two mothers could be anything. They are compelled to go through the engagement announcement photo-shoot - but is it possible that as willing as they were, understanding what was necessary, they were concerned about the elderly relatives? We will never know at what sacrifice Stephanie's father traveled to Luxumbourg to be there for her - or what took place just before they walked out to the cameras - families have dramas and it may not be the engagement. Yet even if the mothers are pissed about the pairing - it won't be the first time a mother feels her son could do better or the mother of the bride dislikes the groom.

Henri seemed happy. That should count for something.

Anyway, I think she's lovely - and find comparisons to Kate inexplicable. As pleasant as Kate is - and I do believe she's a pleasant, good-hearted girl - her looks are very much a function of her make-up, hair and excessive thinness - take that away and its quite another matter - whereas Stephanie is very natural in every repsect.

I believe there are only two or three natural beauties on the Princess scene - and they are: Madelaine of Sweden (by a mile), Mette-Marit of Norway (born beauty but also by sheer personality charisma) and Charlene of Monaco (youth and vibrant good health make her stunning).

As for the mention of Diana - there were many who watched Diana at her engagement and found her performance odd and disquieting, believe it or not - such is revisionist history adept at scouring social history clean of all negatives. She was seen as pretty but not beautiful - and many there were who were uneasy about her.

I'm surprised that people haven't noticed that Stephanie is endowed and is definitely a womanly woman when it comes to shape. Bravo for that!

 

[NGalitzine]

ETA: NGalitzine...you could be right of course...look at CP Mathilde...the quintessential noblewoman...even she had some controversy in her aristocratic clan...

Its a pretty long list really. There was Champagne Charlie Spencer for one. Queen Fabiolas brother Jaime de Mora y Aragon (actor,playboy, wrestler, model, promotor etc) raised a few eyebrows back in the 60s. Even the most aristocratic families can produce a few "eccentrics", well actually they may produce a few more than your average middle class family because they have more money. Ancestry is no guarantee of an impeccable life, whatever that may be (which would be kind of boring anyway). She may want to be more concerned about the antics of his family (Jean & Louis come to mind) though.

I for one, wish Guillaume and Stephanie the best of luck for a long life and a happy marriage and am not predisposed to judge the reasons for their marriage. That is entirely between themselves as it should be for everyone brave enough to take the journey into wedlock.

 

[Grandma828]

People are jumping in with both feet and making judgements about a couple that they do not know. Let's all just wait and see how things proceed. It can be a lot of fun just to observe without judgement.

 

[CrownPrincess5]

He is, like rest of his family. Also press in Luxembourg is not very interesting in private life of their princely family, only tabloids are searching for some 'scandals'.

Wow! Well then the Luxembourg royal family is very lucky to be so low profiled

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but are they related in any way?

 

[Meraude]

As for the mention of Diana - there were many who watched Diana at her engagement and found her performance odd and disquieting, believe it or not - such is revisionist history adept at scouring social history clean of all negatives. She was seen as pretty but not beautiful - and many there were who were uneasy about her.

I think it's important to remember that Diana as well as Stéphanie and most royal fiancées had had very little experience before their engagements of being in the middle of a media event where their every word and gesture would be scrutinized and displayed for the world and were probably more than a little bit nervous, that being true regardless if there had been a media intrest there while they were royal girlfriends. The only royal fiancées who were familiar with being in the eye of the media is/was princess Grace of Monaco, princess Charlene of Monaco, princess Letitzia of Spain and possibly queen Silvia of Sweden.

 

[Rayarena]

Let me add my two cents in about the alleged troubled faces of the mothers. I didn't pick up on M-T's troubled face, but perhaps I should go back to the video and look. Assuming it is true that she has a troubled look, it doesn't necessarily mean that she's troubled because the marriage is an arranged one. She could be troubled for something as normal as the feeling a mother might have at the prospect of "losing" her boy. There's is, also, often a rivalry between mothers and daughters-in-laws [lets not forget M-T's strained relationship with the late Josephine Charlotte], and so maybe M-T feels a twang of concern. As for Stephanie's mother, she is an older woman and she is "losing" her youngest child too. As delighted as I am sure that Stephanie's mother is that her daughter has found such a wonderful match, I'm sure that she feels ambivalence at "losing" her. The fact that her ailing husband is 90 years old probably brings her to the realization that she will lose him soon too. Not an easy thing to contemplate.

 

[Tyger]

I usually just come on TRF and click on whatever is the going threads - and this was one that was going so I came on and found myself commenting. I honestly do not get what all this is about. She is clearly a lovely young woman - clearly beautiful. And Maria and Henri seem quite happy about it all.

Here's a video that uses stills. I'd say the young lady would be a catch for any man. He has every reason to be proud of her and pleased at his good fortune. I just hope she doesn't get cold feet.

Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy - YouTube

 

[agami.pearl]

Wow! Well then the Luxembourg royal family is very lucky to be so low profiled

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but are they related in any way?

You mean Stephanie and Guillaumne? Yes they are. But these genealogy thinks are too much for me. Both are connected with de Ligne family.

 

[Marengo]

I think it is time to move on from troubled faces/ patting on the back & deducting this an arranged marriage. Further references will be deleted.

Furthermore I would like to ask some moderation from members in critisizing the looks of Stephanie (or any other person). Photoshopped pictures with 'improvements' have been and will continue to be deleted too.

 

[principessa]

I am looking forward to the wedding group photos with parents, grandparents and siblings and their families. This picture will include many persons.

 

[SLV]

I usually just come on TRF and click on whatever is the going threads - and this was one that was going so I came on and found myself commenting. I honestly do not get what all this is about. She is clearly a lovely young woman - clearly beautiful. And Maria and Henri seem quite happy about it all.

Here's a video that uses stills. I'd say the young lady would be a catch for any man. He has every reason to be proud of her and pleased at his good fortune. I just hope she doesn't get cold feet.

Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy - YouTube

Watching this video, she looks like a lovely girl.
I am very happy for them.

 

[elleann]

Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy - YouTube

There is one photo of Pia Haraldsen here

 

[lise]

congratulations to Guillaume and Stephanie

 

[Marika86]

Two more photogalleries

Luxemburgin perintösuurherttua Guillaume Hereditary kihlautui | Lehtikuva | lehtikuva.fi ** Engagement Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Countess Stephanie de Lannoy - Dutch Photo Press

 

[Tyger]

One more video - shows the family very briefly at the beginning preparing to pose for the formal indoor portrait - lots of warmth - Maria T vibrantly laughing and Stephanie's mother smiling over, checking on her daughter.

Then the 'long walk' to the cameras - daunting prospect - take a deep breath, Stephanie. It seems the brothers came out with umbrellas because of the rain - gallant of them but probably not planned. All in all, quite charming. Luxumbourg has reason to be pleased imo.

120427 Guillaume Stephanie Familie Luxembourg.mov - YouTube

LATER: Can someone translate what Stephanie is saying at the end of the video in the interview? What is amusing that is being said - everyone is laughing.

 

[NoorMeansLight]

I think what was meant is that Stephanie is hardly that much in need of money to go for an arranged marriage.
Personally I don't see this as an arranged union; Prince Guillaume looked very much in love and while Stephanie was more reserved, that was probably due to nerves.

My thoughts exactly.

I just saw that some people from Lux seem rather worried about this union. I believe the most important quality is work ethic and Stephanie has that. She just doesn't seem to be the sort or person who would complain about the load of work or who would demand a monthly vacation after having worked for 4 days in a row. Yes, other Princesses are greater beauties, but some of them have been lazy or greedy or cold towards people, even though they were born commoners. I repeat: it's a very good thing that Stephanie understands her role and position and what is expected from her. Never underestimate this.

 

[agami.pearl]

Fully agree.

 

[lyndaW]

I adore her ring. Anyhone know if the stones have a history

 

[Bine221]

Just give her time, then she may becom emore relaxed with the media and the attention as well....
BYe Bine

 

[Rayarena]

Why are some of the people from Lux worried about this union?

My thoughts exactly.

I just saw that some people from Lux seem rather worried about this union. I believe the most important quality is work ethic and Stephanie has that. She just doesn't seem to be the sort or person who would complain about the load of work or who would demand a monthly vacation after having worked for 4 days in a row. Yes, other Princesses are greater beauties, but some of them have been lazy or greedy or cold towards people, even though they were born commoners. I repeat: it's a very good thing that Stephanie understands her role and position and what is expected from her. Never underestimate this.

 

[ironical]

Are there "before engagment" fotos of Stephanie availiable for the public?

 

[dbarn67]

Here's the only picture I could find of Stephanie before the announcement.

She's quite pretty in these shots; her skin is flawless.

http://i50.tinypic.com/w9i4jb.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/16lgzk6.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/35jky06.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/imndeg.jpg