Royal Dowagers

Australian · #1 11-17-2004, 08:36 AM

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 · #2 11-17-2004, 11:11 AM

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.

mybags · #3 11-17-2004, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

Mette-Marit would be appointed as Regent until Ingrid Alexandra came of age to rule on her own.

This happened with Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. Her father died when Wilhelmina was just a young girl. Her mother became Queen Regent Emma.

liv · #4 11-17-2004, 11:29 AM

Of course because she is still so young. But when she is over 18 she would rule.

norwegianne · #5 11-17-2004, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mybags

Mette-Marit would be appointed as Regent until Ingrid Alexandra came of age to rule on her own.

Actually Mette-Marit wouldn't. At least not automatically.

The Norwegian cabinet would have to gather up the Storting for an extraordinary meeting in which they shall decide who will act as a regent for Ingrid Alexandra until she reaches her 18th birthday. Until the Storting would have decided then the Cabinet would be acting regent/s.

Larzen · #6 11-17-2004, 02:31 PM

It would never be Mette-Marit, probably Märtha Louise would be the regent

norwegianne · #7 11-17-2004, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larzen

It would never be Mette-Marit, probably Märtha Louise would be the regent

Probably. I was basing my reply on the constitution, though, and it doesn't offer any candidates automatically :)

Of course I hope it will never happen.

mgrant · #8 11-17-2004, 03:52 PM

I really enjoy these discussions on the rights of succession. I'm a babe in the woods when it comes to the topic. But when I finally get the hang of it, I'm gonna be dangerous!

HMQueenElizabethII · #9 11-17-2004, 07:58 PM

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

Josefine · #10 06-12-2005, 04:05 PM

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

liv · #11 06-12-2005, 04:44 PM

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 · #12 06-12-2005, 10:33 PM

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Australian · #13 06-13-2005, 01:19 AM

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

So i guess its different for every monarchy.

SpiffyBallerina · #14 06-13-2005, 01:42 AM

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 · #15 06-13-2005, 04:09 AM

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

Warren · #16 06-13-2005, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Australian

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 · #17 06-13-2005, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liv

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.
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Australian · #18 06-13-2005, 05:44 AM

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

Vecchiolarry · #19 06-25-2005, 10:54 PM

Hello Everyone,

I just joined this forum today and I would like to ask a question.....

Why do you think that The Crown Princess of Norway would not be appointed Regent for her daughter should the unfortunate occasion arise?
She is the girl's mother and Martha Louise is only her aunt.... Not that she wouldn't be a good choice also. But, I believe throughout history, mothers have been the automatic and traditional choices for Regent -- even if they've turned out to be bad ones -eg- Catherine DeMedici...... :o

Regards,
Larry

EmpressRouge · #20 06-25-2005, 11:15 PM

Given Norway, like most other European kingdoms, are constitutional monarchies, MM just wouldn't automatically be regent. It would have to go through government approval. Say the Parliament doesn't find MM appropriate to regent, and ML better suited, they'll do that. Such was the case w/ Russia. After Tsar Nicholas II abdicated, the next in line for the throne would have been Tsaravich Alexei. People thought his sister Grand Duchess Olga would have been made regent in such a case, as Empress Alexandra was highly unpopular in Russia (as we know from history, none of this happened). But in all likelyhood, this situation would not happen in Norway either.