When Were Royal Girl/Boyfriends Discovered?

[kwanfan]

I've seen the magazine cover that broke the news of Fred and Mary's relationship. But, when were other royal partners discovered by the press?

 

[crisiñaki]

The relationship between Cristina and Iñaki was disclosed by her aunt Infanta Pilar, a journalist set a trap assuring her that everybody knew they were dating, she confirmed his information and broke the news about 3 months before the engagement, so Iñaki got very chased and has to move with his friends Barrufet (best man at his wedding) and O'Callaghan because his house was sited by the papparazzi!!!

 

[Ms Griffin]

And in Norway, AFAIK, paparazzi followed Haakon around and saw him meeting up with a single mother. I remember seeing a picture of them in Kristiansand where he carried a children's car seat and she had Marius. The press wondered who she was (a friend?, a friend's friend?, etc.), where he knew her from, etc. A little while later he gave an interview that he is seeing someone and asked the press to back off. What they of course didn't. Wasn't that interview at Skaugum taking place in May 1999 already? Or in 2000? I remember hearing some experts saying Haakon was naive giving that interview so early on. But in their case it worked out in the end. So, good for them.

 

[moosey60]

I think Tessy Antony, girlfriend of Prince Louis of Luxembourg, was discovered when it was announced last year that they would be parents.

 

[Gita]

I know Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling were discovered after a couple of months dating. I think Princess Madeleine and Jonasd were found out after only a few dates.

 

[carlota]

felipe and letizia's relationship was found out by announcement as well. however, some days before, some journalists were commenting of felipe having a good relationship with a journalist.

 

[Josefine]

did denmark know about henrik, richard and constatine before the engagments

howabout norway, harld "dated" sonja for 10 years when was the relationchip piblic

how about the king of swedens sisters

 

[Lumutqueen]

William and Kate were found out after dating for 2 years, they were spotted skiing possible at Klosters.

I don't think the press new about Henrik before the engagement.
Princess Margaretha I don't think the press new about her realtionship until they were engaged and when she lost her Royal Highness.
I believe the press new about the Countess Of Frederiksborg before she married Prince Joachim.
Also the press knew about Princess Marie before she got engaged. They knew for possible a few years.

 

[Maura724]

The press wasn't supposed to know about Henrik until the engagement was announced, but Margrethe mentions in her memoir that there was a leak somehow and he had to be brought to Denmark right away so there could be an official announcement.

 

[Blog Real]

I think Mary was discovered when Billed Bladet magazine published pictures of her.

When did the press discover Sonja from Norway and Silvia from Sweden?

 

[Claire]

A member of staff informed the press about Edward and Sophie, although Edward accused the Duchess of York and later people suspected Diana.
Andrew Morton was told by someone and setup an appointment at Sophie's office. Morton did so in order to surprise Sophie by walking up to her and saying, "May I be the first to address you as the Duchess of Cambridge?" and this was in an open office.
It appeared the next day in the tabloids.

 

[Prinsara]

I think the first press mention of Sonja was when they announced the engagement, believe it or not. Afaik the Norwegian public was not really aware of her prior to that.

There's a few reasons she and Harald were together for nine years and there are almost no pictures of that period. If she was "discovered" at some point, the press really deferred to the palace's wishes and shut up about it. Completely different media age.

 

[Skippy]

I think Mary was discovered when Billed Bladet magazine published pictures of her.

When did the press discover Sonja from Norway and Silvia from Sweden?

Sonja Haraldsen was discovered when she attended Harald's graduation ball at Akershus.

 

[JR76]

I think Mary was discovered when Billed Bladet magazine published pictures of her.

When did the press discover Sonja from Norway and Silvia from Sweden?

There had been rumours going around that the Crown Prince had met someone during the spring, but the first picture taken them together as a couple was taken near Solliden in June 1973.

There are in fact pictures from their first date at Club Kinki in München 1972, but nobody really took any notice of them at the time. The Crown Prince had a certain reputation and there were many pictures published of him partying with young women.

 

[Prinsara]

The Crown Prince had a certain reputation and at the time Silvia was just one of many young women that he was photographed together with.

https://www.hallandsposten.se/image/policy:1.4387357:1503681708/kungen.jpg?f=Regular&w=960&$p$f$w=292a51a

How very flattering for Silvia, I'm sure.

But their first date? It's both historical and the exact equivalent of someone taking a phone pic today.

 

[Prinsara]

Sonja Haraldsen was discovered when she attended Harald's graduation ball at Akershus.

Sonja was photographed with Harald right at the beginning, but again, no one took any notice (not due to reputation but because it was one picture at a party) and in this case, there were no more pictures. She went under the radar until the engagement.

 

[Skippy]

Sonja was photographed with Harald right at the beginning, but again, no one took any notice (not due to reputation but because it was one picture at a party) and in this case, there were no more pictures. She went under the radar until the engagement.

It was the first time Sonja was seen with Harald, regardless of her going under the radar and his father aggressively pursuing the thought of a princess. Discovery IMO means seeing something/one that/who has never been seen before.

So I wouldn't say she was literally discovered at the engagement announcement. Depends on one's viewpoint, I guess.

 

[Prinsara]

The thread title is When Were Royal Girl/Boyfriends Discovered? and it was the first time Sonja was seen with Harald, regardless of her going under the radar and his father aggressively pursuing the thought of a princess.

So I wouldn't literally say she was discovered at the engagement announcement. Depends on one's viewpoint, I gues.

I wouldn't literally say it, either, but if almost no one knew who she was when the engagement was announced, can you really say that she'd been discovered? It's only a discovery if people take notice of it and something changes. No one realized the significance of the first photo until they got engaged.

CG and Silvia were on their first date. Did not make any difference to the public awareness.

 

[Skippy]

I wouldn't literally say it, either, but if almost no one knew who she was when the engagement was announced, can you really say that she'd been discovered? It's only a discovery if people take notice of it and something changes. No one realized the significance of the first photo until they got engaged.

CG and Silvia were on their first date. Did not make any difference to the public awareness.

Fair enough. This thread does lead me to when Máxima Zorreguieta was first discovered. On a boat trip on De Groene Draeck with her boyfriend, among others, in 1999/2000. At the time the Dutch press thought she was German and was dubbed "Fraulein Herzog".

 

[Blog Real]

Mary's first photos were published by Billed Bladet magazine.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--EjxShKs...482-h640/fb70faea4a0f799473b7dee45e727755.jpg

Felipe and Letizia's relationship was only made public after the announcement of the royal house.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sUnioQR6...zUOjsX8bzTQCLcBGAsYHQ/w508-h640/133959062.jpg

 

[Princess_Eleanor]

I believe the first time the Norwegian press pictured AND named Sonja was in September 1967 when a Norwegian magazine titled "Skal Harald få sin Sonja?" = "Should Harald get his Sonja?" and invited readers to participate in a poll about whether they should be allowed to marry.

She was pictured and named in the foreign press before that, but the Norwegian press did not dare. There were, however, articles and debates about whether Harald should be allowed to marry a commoner that implicitly referred to Sonja, because of course "the commoner" they meant was her.

Some of the foreign press even followed her around, for instance when she was studying at the University of Oslo. So in that sense, she was known to the foreign press & also to the Norwegian press, though the latter did not dare publish their knowledge and didn't follow her.