Royal Dowagers

[Australian]

when a commoner marries a prince or princess, if the prince or princess dies, what will be the role of the royal commoner? will he/she still have a title? will they get a choice if they want to return to common life without a title?

 

[liv]

I think when the partner dies they will still keep their titles .An other thinkg it´s with divorce.

You can see f.e with Fabiola of Belgium.She was and she is still Queen although her husband passed away a few years ago.
But I don´t think they can become Queen on their own. If Haakon died as Crown Prince Mette-Marit wouldn´t become the Sovereign but Ingrid Alexandra would rule.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Princess Alice of Gloucester.When her husband died,she has got title Her Royal Highness Princess Alice,Dowager Duchess of Gloucester.

 

[Josefine]

every country has their own rules and maybe making up new roles for royals as the times are different for each royal

 

[liv]

The only three princess who have been given titles on their own are Princess Mathilde, Princess Claire and Princess Maxima.All the others just hold the title because of their husbands. So I presume if the other princesses divorce they would probably loose their titles.

 

[delineate]

Good topic, Australian! I had actually been wondering about the same thing myself recently.

The only three princess who have been given titles on their own are Princess Mathilde, Princess Claire and Princess Maxima.All the others just hold the title because of their husbands. So I presume if the other princesses divorce they would probably loose their titles.

How does this work? Is it something that's given at the discretion of the family?

 

[Australian]

I had actually forgotten i made this thread hehe it was some time ago.


So i guess its different for every monarchy.

 

[SpiffyBallerina]

I'm almost certain that Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was also given the title "in her own right" by HM Queen Margrethe. They're all crown princesses and they're all equal, but I think giving the new princesses titles for themselves is just a very nice designation for a monarch to place on a new member of the family.

 

[Australian]

What does the title "in her own right" mean exactly?

 

[Warren]

Conferring Titles

What does the title "in her own right" mean exactly?

It means that the Monarch specifically creates a bride of a Prince a Princess of the country or House, so that she bears the title of Princess "in her own right" as opposed to being a Princess by marriage.

eg.. Princess Michael of Kent bears her title and qualification of Royal Highness by virtue of her marriage to Prince Michael. Maxima was created a Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Royal Highness, by Queen Beatrix, and she has the "automatic" title of Princess of Orange because she is married to the Prince of Orange.

Similarly, Prince Phillip was created Duke of Edinburgh on his marriage, and was created a Prince of the United Kingdom "in his own right" in 1957. Prince Henrik was created Prince of Denmark by Frederik IX, otherwise Queen Margrethe's husband would still be known as Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.

In effect it is a public demonstration of special status and "favour" in the eyes of the Monarch.
.
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[Warren]

Other Princesses "in own right"

The only three princess who have been given titles on their own are Princess Mathilde, Princess Claire and Princess Maxima.

Laurentien Brinkhorst was created Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau with the qualification of Royal Highness by Queen Beatrix. Marilene was created Princess Marilene of Orange-Nassau, Highness, on her marriage to Prince Maurits, and Annette was created a Princess of the same style and qualification on her marriage to Prince Bernhard.
.

 

[Australian]

ok thanks for that Warren. It seems like a nice thing for a monarch to do

 

[galuhcandrakirana]

Laurentien Brinkhorst was created Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau with the qualification of Royal Highness by Queen Beatrix. Marilene was created Princess Marilene of Orange-Nassau, Highness, on her marriage to Prince Maurits, and Annette was created a Princess of the same style and qualification on her marriage to Prince Bernhard.
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Yes it is a nice gesture of the queen (or is that the tradition of Netherland royal family?) to give royal title to the new inlaw. I think only Mabel wisse smith doesn't have her own royal title.

 

[Warren]

Mabel's title

I think only Mabel Wisse Smit doesn't have her own Royal title.

Yes, Mabel bears the title "Princess of Orange-Nassau" by virtue of her marriage.

Poor Johan Friso, he has been expunged from the official Dutch Royal House web-site. He is only mentioned as one of the sons of the Queen, with a year of birth, and nothing further. But as he is no longer a member of the Royal House he is almost a non-person (in terms of the site). His photo has gone too; very Stalinist.
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[Josefine]

what would be the definition for Royal Dowagers

 

[Empress]

A dowager is part of the title given to the widow of a peer, or other royal/aristocrat when their husband dies and their son succeeds to the title and is married.

Say you have the Duke of Amsterdam and his wife is called the Duchess of Amsterdam. Presume that they also have a son who is married. When the Duke of Amsterdam dies, his son and the sons wife become the new Duke and Duchess, and the old Duchess becomes the Dowager Duchess of Amsterdam. If the son is not married the mother will continue to be called the Duchess of Amsterdam until her son marries, at which time she will become the Dowager Duchess, but only by courtesy. She is automatically the dowager Duchess on her husbands death.

 

[Josefine]

so who is or were the recent dowager.
i would say Fabiola? but she does not have that title

 

[Empress]

Not all countries use the term. It is more prevalent in England than in other countries. It is also more of a historical term, and more used to differentiate between a current and past (still living) bearer of a title.

 

[Josefine]

I think that in sweden the queens were called Dowager Queen, Änke Drottning

 

[CyrilVladisla]

In Royal Romances, Leslie Carrol wrote:
Had Sophia Dorothea not predeceased her husband, her son George II would likely have liberated her from Ahlden and installed her as the dowager queen of England.
​

 

[Meraude]

I think that in sweden the queens were called Dowager Queen, Änke Drottning

It's true that Queen Dowagers of Sweden were called Änkedrottning, but I doubt it would be done today if queen Silvia was to become a widow, it's most likely that she would keep her title as queen Silvia (the same way as queen Fabiola of Belgium), or possibly get the title Drottningmodern (Queen Mother), but I doubt that.

As for other royal widows in Sweden, the last änkehertiginna (dowager duchess) was Teresia, änkehertiginna av Dalarna, the wife of prince August, the youngest son of Oscar I. Neither princess Sibylla nor princess Lilian was named as änkeprinsessa or änkehertiginna.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Yes, Mabel bears the title "Princess of Orange-Nassau" by virtue of her marriage.

Poor Johan Friso, he has been expunged from the official Dutch Royal House web-site. He is only mentioned as one of the sons of the Queen, with a year of birth, and nothing further. But as he is no longer a member of the Royal House he is almost a non-person (in terms of the site). His photo has gone too; very Stalinist.
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Heu... Prine Friso has always been on the website of the Dutch Royal House. He has only been removed from the Koninklijk Huis (Royal House) to the koninklijke familie (royal family). His page, complete with all his studies, career, family, etc. is still there. See: https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/encyclopedie/wie-is-wie/in-memoriam/prins-friso-(1968-2013)/

 

[An Ard Ri]

In Spain Infanta Pilar is the Dowager Viscountess de la Torre and her aunt in law Infanta Alicia is the Dowager Duchess of Calabria and Dowager Countess of Caserta.

 

[Somebody]

It means that the Monarch specifically creates a bride of a Prince a Princess of the country or House, so that she bears the title of Princess "in her own right" as opposed to being a Princess by marriage.

eg.. Princess Michael of Kent bears her title and qualification of Royal Highness by virtue of her marriage to Prince Michael. Maxima was created a Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Royal Highness, by Queen Beatrix, and she has the "automatic" title of Princess of Orange because she is married to the Prince of Orange.

Similarly, Prince Phillip was created Duke of Edinburgh on his marriage, and was created a Prince of the United Kingdom "in his own right" in 1957. Prince Henrik was created Prince of Denmark by Frederik IX, otherwise Queen Margrethe's husband would still be known as Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.

In effect it is a public demonstration of special status and "favour" in the eyes of the Monarch.

Máxima was never the Princess of Orange. That title is solely reserved for the heir and not shared by the spouse.

Laurentien Brinkhorst was created Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau with the qualification of Royal Highness by Queen Beatrix. Marilene was created Princess Marilene of Orange-Nassau, Highness, on her marriage to Prince Maurits, and Annette was created a Princess of the same style and qualification on her marriage to Prince Bernhard.

Among the wives of the Dutch princes, none of them was created a (royal) highness or princess in their own right. However, as it is customary that a wife shares her husband's surname and title(s), they are allowed to use it. Only Máxima was made a princess of the Netherlands. In practical terms, that means that she wouldn't lose that title in case of a divorce, while all others would lose their style and title if they divorced; but not if they are widowed (like Mabel).

 

[JR76]

It's true that Queen Dowagers of Sweden were called Änkedrottning, but I doubt it would be done today if queen Silvia was to become a widow, it's most likely that she would keep her title as queen Silvia (the same way as queen Fabiola of Belgium), or possibly get the title Drottningmodern (Queen Mother), but I doubt that.

As for other royal widows in Sweden, the last änkehertiginna (dowager duchess) was Teresia, änkehertiginna av Dalarna, the wife of prince August, the youngest son of Oscar I. Neither princess Sibylla nor princess Lilian was named as änkeprinsessa or änkehertiginna.

The latest, and most likely the last, Queen Dowager of Sweden was Queen Sofia who died in 1913. She was also the latest example of widowed queen since both Queen Victoria and Queen Louise predeceased their husbands.

 

[Mbruno]

Máxima was never the Princess of Orange. That title is solely reserved for the heir and not shared by the spouse.



Among the wives of the Dutch princes, none of them was created a (royal) highness or princess in their own right. However, as it is customary that a wife shares her husband's surname and title(s), they are allowed to use it. Only Máxima was made a princess of the Netherlands. In practical terms, that means that she wouldn't lose that title in case of a divorce, while all others would lose their style and title if they divorced; but not if they are widowed (like Mabel).

In Belgium, Mathilde and Claire were created Princesses of Belgium in their own right by separate royal decrees issued by King Albert II. And, incidentally, in a rare display of gender equality in the European monarchies, Lorenz is also a Prince of Belgium in his own right despite not being married to a Crown Princess.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Unlike his sisters in law,Prince Lorenz was only granted the title Prince of Belgium in November 1995 ,11 years after his marriage to Astrid

 

[maria-olivia]

At that time I did not understand too.
But it was not possible to have at that time Prince Philippe , la Princesse Astrid and l'Archiduc Lorenz of Habsbourg Este and Prince laurent. It is more easy that he was made Prince of Belgium but he is the only one to be Royal and Imperial Highness.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

At that time I did not understand too.
But it was not possible to have at that time Prince Philippe , la Princesse Astrid and l'Archiduc Lorenz of Habsbourg Este and Prince laurent. It is more easy that he was made Prince of Belgium but he is the only one to be Royal and Imperial Highness.

Lorenz (following the precedent of his children) dropped the "Imperial" from his predicate and became simply "Royal Highness" when he was created Prince of Belgium.

See for example the official court agenda.

https://www.monarchie.be/fr/agenda/trophee-national-du-merite-sportif-2021

Son Altesse Royale le Prince Lorenz assiste à la remise du Trophée national du Mérite Sportif 2021 à l’Hôtel de Ville de Bruxelles. Ce prix récompense le sportif ou l’équipe sportive belge de l’année. Il ne peut être obtenu qu’une seule fois dans une carrière, ce qui en fait l'un des prix les plus prestigieux du sport belge. Le Trophée du mérite sportif est remis cette année à l’athlète Bashir Abdi, médaille de bronze au marathon des Jeux olympiques de Tokyo et recordman d’Europe de la discipline.

I'm almost certain that Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was also given the title "in her own right" by HM Queen Margrethe. They're all crown princesses and they're all equal, but I think giving the new princesses titles for themselves is just a very nice designation for a monarch to place on a new member of the family.

There is no "in her own right" distinction in Denmark as all royal titles are conferred or withheld by the will of the monarch.