Most Popular Non-Reigning Royal Families

[Andy T]

Although the chances of the restoration of former European monarchies are frequearly discussed, I was wondering which non reigning royal families enjoy the highest profile and levels of popularity in their own countries, or which individuals within those families are held in particular esteem or affection.
Could anyone who lives in a European republic share his/her impressions of the situation in that country?
Thanks.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Although the chances of the restoration of former European monarchies are frequearly discussed, I was wondering which non reigning royal families enjoy the highest profile and levels of popularity in their own countries, or which individuals within those families are held in particular esteem or affection.
Could anyone who lives in a European republic share his/her impressions of the situation in that country?
Thanks.

Romania. It has a functioning Royal House inside the framework of the republican state. They have come from far, being enforced to go into exile, their country enduring Communist dictatorship and mismanagement and now back, with former private properties returned, with the use of palaces given in usufruct by the state and with the Custodian of the Crown receiving the President, the Prime Minister, Ambassadors, foreign dignitaries, with the royals enjoying facilitary, logistic and diplomatic support, transportation, security and military ceremonial. No any former reigning royal family is so close to practically a functioning Royal House.

Picture - Princess Margareta addresses Parliament: https://www.romaniaregala.ro/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ANG6731.jpg

Picture - in December the new Romanian Prime Minister was received in audience at Elisabeta Palace: https://www.nineoclock.ro/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/pag-3-orban-casa-regala-1024x683.jpg

Picture - Princess Stéphanie de Monaco was received in audience at Elisabeta Palace: https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eqklSzUQ...0/Princess-Stephanie-Princess-Margareta-3.jpg

Picture - the Prince of Wales is awaited in front of Elisabeta Palace: https://www.romania-insider.com/sites/default/files/featured_images/9SM_6355.jpg

Picture - Princess Margareta received the Corps Diplomatique at the Royal Palace in Bucharest: http://www.noblesseetroyautes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/34-1.jpg

In 2019 the Romanian couple made a visit to the Netherlands. This was officially reported with pictures et al, on the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Romania in The Hague: http://haga.mae.ro/gallery/1724

 

[wyevale]

The Duke of Bragança in Portugal or the 'Custodian of the Crown' in Romania

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The Duke of Bragança in Portugal or the 'Custodian of the Crown' in Romania

It is her official title. Custodele Coronaei Române. See the picture in previous post, of the Princess addressing Parliament. That title was depicted on the screen in the plenary hall.

 

[Friedrich Karl II]

What about Montenegrian and Serbian royal families? IIRC they enjoy quiet high popularity in Montenegro and Serbia.

 

[Blog Real]

I think the most popular royal families are from Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think the most popular royal families are from Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria.

I don't know about Bulgaria. The King has made himself very impopular by the most unwise decision for a royal who should be an impartial and binding figurehead: to run a political party and even becoming Bulgaria's Prime Minister... Never a wise move for any modern monarch and certainly not in the most corrupt country of the EU.

His successors Prince Boris and Prince Beltrán are essentially Spanish. At the moment Boris is studying in Austria, but his bond with Bulgaria is very thin. Another poor choice by the King. He should have insisted his late son Prince Kardam to live in Bulgaria and to have Prince Boris and Prince Beltrán going to school in Sofia. There is an international school. That the late Prince Kardam did not made that choice tells me he saw no future for the Bulgarian Royal House after his father.

 

[Friedrich Karl II]

I think the most popular royal families are from Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria.

Simeon II effectively killed monarchist cause by stepping to politics. It is something what royals shouldn't do in modern era. There is reason why royals even don't vote on elections.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Simeon II effectively killed monarchist cause by stepping to politics. It is something what royals shouldn't do in modern era. There is reason why royals even don't vote on elections.

Even in the UK the unpartial monarch was dragged into politics when the PM wanted to suspend Parliament for weeks on a most discutable base. I am sure (the advisers of) Queen Elizabeth knew the monarch was "used" but in the highly polarized climate there was little the palace could do without becoming partisan. In the end the UK Government had to back down due to an unanimous Supreme Court destroying said suspension.

We have seen in Luxembourg what happened when a hereditary head of state, without a democratic mandate, wanted to block legislation which was approved by a democratically elected Parliament after a constitutionally correct procedure: the Grand-Duke was removed from the legislative process. Rücksichtlos. With unanimous (!) vote.

When in Belgium King Albert II had similar problems with a Bill, like his brother King Baudouin had, the then Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene then visited Laeken Castle and sharply rebuked him: "Sire, you are not your brother", with that warning him Parliament would not tolerate a second Baudouin to frustrate legislative process.

That is also why it was unwise of Prince Emanuele Filiberto to run under the banner of the UDC (Christian-Democrats) for a seat in the European Parliament. Later he tried to conquer a seat under Silvio Berlusconi's Italia Libertá. That is openly choosing a partisan position in politics. Never wise for any royal, reigning or non reigning. (But Emanuele Filiberto stated when he was born Italy was already a republic. For him the republic was a fact.)

In Italy the current Duke of Aosta and his son Prince Aimone proudly served in the Navy of the Repubblica Italiana. But that is not politics, that is military conscription and serving your country. The same with the current Comte de Paris and his brother Prince Eudes. Both served in the French army.

The previous Duke of Parma gambled on the banner of Carlism. With doing so he could ever forget the throne of Spain for the Carlist cause. Also here a "unpartial and binding" royal became partisan and did lead a (quite militant) party, destroying his prospects, his wealthy wife's fortune and his prestigious royal marriage.

 

[Andy T]

Thanks for the replies. The relatively high level of popular respect and esteem among the citizens of Romania for the royal house has been crystal clear over the last few years, as has the profile of the family in the life of the country.



With regard to Portugal, I see that the Duke of Bragança appears fairly regularly on national television and is consistently present at significant national events, state visits, and so on. Does he draw crowds at functions outside the die-hard royalists?




What about Prince Leka II in Albania? We know that his father enjoyed considerable support in the referendum on the restoration of the monarchy and that Leka's wedding also attracted a lot of coverage. Is his profile growing and does he enjoy popular support at public appearances? I hope that he and his wife produce some/an heir(s) soon: the royal line hangs by a single thread.



Tsar Simeon II seems personally committed to continuing his service to Bulgaria but as far as I can see, his family have not showed many signs of wanting to do the same, as Duc et Pair observes. The Tsar's involvement in government - and various issues regarding restoration of property - have clearly had consequences but how are the family seen?



In Montenegro, the house has achieved a certain legal recognition and status but, again, is the family held in much popular affection. Prince Nikola's children and grandchildren do not seem to have a very high profile.


Crown Prince Alexander II seems to be working very hard to make a contribution in Serbia but I have read articles that suggest that Serbs have not connected with him. Is this so?



As for Italy, the Savoys seem to have a relatively high profile but mainly for the wrong reasons - gossip, disputes and antics - and most Italians I know don't take them seriously at all.





What about the former German ruling families? The Prussian and Bavarian royal families are the ones that seem to have the highest profile. What of the others?



And the Habsburgs? Where, if anywhere, in the various states that formed the Austro-Hungarian Empire, are they most 'present'? Crown Prince Otto's funeral seemed to attract a lot of attention but was it mainly as a spectacle rather than because Austrians held him in affection and esteem?



Who's the most admired member of the Greek royal family in Greece itself and is there any shift away from the predominantly negative view of King Constantine II? I so wish the Greek government could find the heart to restore his citizenship in his lifetime.

 

[Alison H]

I went to Vienna in December, and, considering that Vienna’s seen as being anti-royalist, the Habsburgs were everywhere! You could even buy Christmas tree decorations with pictures of Franz Josef and Sisi on them. I think it was more of a touristy thing, attracting visitors to the royal palaces, than a desire to see the monarchy restored, but there certainly isn’t that sense of the Bourbons in Paris, or the Hohenzollerns in Berlin … although the Wittelsbach history is much in evidence in Munich.

Hungary was generally seen as being more monarchist than Austria in the years immediately after the empire broke up. I don’t think there’s much interest in the Habsburgs outside Austria and Hungary, and I can’t see that there’d ever be a restoration, but Vienna very much seemed to be dominated by the Habsburgs, even now.

 

[princeofitaly]

In Italy the Savoy dynasty is the only very popular non reigning royal family.
All the others are not popular.

The Bourbon-Two Sicilies is quite popular but not as popular like the Savoy dynasty.

In the past also the Agha Khan dynasty (especially the period of Rita Hayworth and Aly Khan marriage), the Pahlavi dynasty (with Soraya, Reza Pahlavi and Fara Diba) and the princely Furstenberg family (with princess-actress Ira Furstenberg) was popular, but today not so much.

Others non reigning royal or princely family (Habsburgs, Bourbon of France, Romanov, Portugal, Romania, etc.) are not popular today in Italy, newspapers, magazines and television never talk about them.

Today the only very popular non reigning family in Italy is the Savoy House.

 

[princeofitaly]

As for Italy, the Savoys seem to have a relatively high profile but mainly for the wrong reasons - gossip, disputes and antics - and most Italians I know don't take them seriously at all.

Especially the males of the dynasty, because the female members of the Savoy House have a positive reputation and are beloved by most people especially Queen Elena, Princess Mafalda and Queen Margherita, but also Queen Maria José, Queen Giovanna, Princess Jolanda, Princess Clotilde Courau, Princess Maria Gabriella, etc.

For the male, the last king Umberto II has a positive reputation, he is called "Il Re Signore", and Emanuele Filiberto is very popular, the most popular Prince in Italy.