Unmarried, Single & Eligible Royals

[Chamberlain]

If a princess wanted to marry in her own country, who are the most prestigious nobles in each monarchy?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

If a princess wanted to marry in her own country, who are the most prestigious nobles in each monarchy?

It is difficult to categorize in who is the most prestigious. There are newly created nobles with the highest title (prince or duke) and there are untitled Nobility whom belong to the Uradel (mediaeval or feudal nobility tracing back before the 14th C) and there are Italian families claiming a reliable ancestry to Patrician families in Rome, meaning they were already noble when Roman legions marched through Europe. These old European noble families do not always have (high) titles of Nobility but have immense prestige and anciennity.

But it is 2023. Monarchs marry untitled partners once working as real estate agent, news anchor, banker, fitness trainer, it is all okay as there is no requirement to marry blue blood.

 

[hereditarytitles]

Pauline and Alexandra in Monaco aren’t royal.

Concerning Alexandra, Caroline's daughter (wikipedia):

"Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Hanover
Alexandra is the only one of Princess Caroline's four children who bears any royal style or title. While she is formally styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Hanover in Monaco, she is afforded the style and title out of courtesy elsewhere".

 

[Chamberlain]

It is difficult to categorize in who is the most prestigious. There are newly created nobles with the highest title (prince or duke) and there are untitled Nobility whom belong to the Uradel (mediaeval or feudal nobility tracing back before the 14th C) and there are Italian families claiming a reliable ancestry to Patrician families in Rome, meaning they were already noble when Roman legions marched through Europe. These old European noble families do not always have (high) titles of Nobility but have immense prestige and anciennity.

But it is 2023. Monarchs marry untitled partners once working as real estate agent, news anchor, banker, fitness trainer, it is all okay as there is no requirement to marry blue blood.

Are there any nobles who still live like royals do?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Are there any nobles who still live like royals do?

Oh yes, plenty. I think there are more nobles living on a grander scale as royals. Many royals do not live in castles or palaces, while many nobles still somehow retained their ancestral properties.

The current hereditary Grand-Duchess of Luxembourg is daughter of the Comte de Lannoy et du Saint-Empire and of Alix della Faile de Leverghem and lived at their estate, the Château d'Anvaing:
https://www.frasnes-lez-anvaing.be/...os/anvaing/anvaing1.jpg/image_view_fullscreen

Queen Mathilde of Belgium is daughter of the Patrick comte d'Udekem d'Acoz and of Anna Maria comtesse Komorowska and lived at their estate, the Château de Lozenge (as Mathilde's father was a junior son, this was not the main ancestral estate of the d'Udekem d'Acoz family): https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipMpB24TgthHhhv96yw9OA0SBKA8194XbpYTHS7i=w412-h253-k-no

The younger brother of the Grand-Duke of Luxembourg, Prince Jean, married a Dutch lady, Diane de Guerre, whom grew up at her mother's (a countess Wolff-Metternich) castle Hillenraad in the South of the Netherlands: https://www.schumulder.nl/elly/images/Luchtfoto's/Ballonvaart 10.jpg

The future Prince von und zu Liechtenstein is married with Princess Sophie, Herzogin in Bayern (daughter of Duke Maximilian in Bavaria and of Elizabeth, Countess Douglas) and lived in her family's property at Wildbad Kreuth: https://www.merkur.de/bilder/2020/1...ildbad-kreuth-kohler-tegernsee-hotel-1Kea.jpg

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Prince Charles-Henri de Lobkowicz comes to mind. Son of Prince Françoise de Bourbon de Parme and full cousin to the Duke of Parma. Prince Charles-Henri owns Château de Fourchaud, Château du Vieux-Bostz, Château du Nouveau-Bostz, and Château de Rochefort and surrounding domains plus is the most likely heir to the Manoir d'Ujezd in Goderville, and to the Château de Lignières.

Once one of the most eligible rich aristocrats around, at the age of 58 he still is unmarried: https://www.pointdevue.fr//storage/images/article_900/2020/04/_jp27736.jpg

In front of the Château du Vieux-Bostz:
https://img.lamontagne.fr/hNNcXRriC...y8vMDAvMDAvMDMvNzUvNTgvMjAwMDAwMzc1NTg2MA.jpg

Aerial:
https://cms.eventail.be/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/chateau-lobko-Chateau_du_Vieux_Bostz.jpg

In front of the Château de Fourchaud:
https://gentlemansreview.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/charles-henri-de-lobkowicz-2.jpg

In the fields:
https://cms.eventail.be/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/chateau-lobko-Chteau-de-Fourchaud.jpg

In front of the Château du Nouveau-Bostz
https://gentlemansreview.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/charles-henri-de-lobkowicz-3.jpg

By day:
https://cms.eventail.be/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/chateau-lobko.-Chteau-nouveau-du-Bostz.jpg

Château de Lignières (owned by his equally unmarried uncle Prince Sixte-henri de Bourbon de Parme)
https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/im...e717daa106b8e52d/version/1378642090/image.jpg

Another eligible is the only son of HSH Mariano-Hugo of Windisch-Graetz, Prince Maximilian-Hugo.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Prince Charles-Henri de Lobkowicz comes to mind. Son of Prince Françoise de Bourbon de Parme and full cousin to the Duke of Parma. Prince Charles-Henri owns Château de Fourchaud, Château du Vieux-Bostz, Château du Nouveau-Bostz, and Château de Rochefort and surrounding domains plus is the most likely heir to the Manoir d'Ujezd in Goderville, and to the Château de Lignières.

Once one of the most eligible rich aristocrats around, at the age of 58 he still is unmarried: https://www.pointdevue.fr//storage/images/article_900/2020/04/_jp27736.jpg

In front of the Château du Vieux-Bostz:
https://img.lamontagne.fr/hNNcXRriC...y8vMDAvMDAvMDMvNzUvNTgvMjAwMDAwMzc1NTg2MA.jpg

Aerial:
https://cms.eventail.be/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/chateau-lobko-Chateau_du_Vieux_Bostz.jpg

In front of the Château de Fourchaud:
https://gentlemansreview.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/charles-henri-de-lobkowicz-2.jpg

In the fields:
https://cms.eventail.be/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/chateau-lobko-Chteau-de-Fourchaud.jpg

In front of the Château du Nouveau-Bostz
https://gentlemansreview.hu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/charles-henri-de-lobkowicz-3.jpg

By day:
https://cms.eventail.be/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/chateau-lobko.-Chteau-nouveau-du-Bostz.jpg

Château de Lignières (owned by his equally unmarried uncle Prince Sixte-henri de Bourbon de Parme)
https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/im...e717daa106b8e52d/version/1378642090/image.jpg[/
My post repeated. Mistake

 

[Curryong]

If someone, eligible male or not, has reached the age of 58 without ever marrying or coming near to it, ie broken engagement, then most people would infer that there is no interest in doing so.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

If someone, eligible male or not, has reached the age of 58 without ever marrying or coming near to it, ie broken engagement, then most people would infer that there is no interest in doing so.

Johannes Fürst von Thurn und Taxis married Gloria Gräfin von Schönburg-Glauchau at the age of 54, and got children.

The Prince of Monaco married Charlene Wittstock at the age of 53, and has children.

But I agree it looks unlikely to see lots of single men marry past 50, even only for the procreation of their ancestral estate (what would thw Prince de Lobkowicz do with his now 4 and soon 6 castles without a heir)?

 

[Curryong]

Well yes Duc, there are always exceptions. However, it was known that Prince Albert had had relationships with several women that had produced children, some of whom were acknowledged. Do we know anything similar about Prince Charles-Henri?

Some people just aren’t interested in such a life-long commitment, and as the years go on the enthusiasm doesn’t get any greater, in my restricted experience of friends and acquaintances, anyway.

 

[Biri]

I am still waiting for the Thurn and Taxis oldest children to get married
Elisabeth who his 40 [\B]
Albert , who is almost 40

She may be childfree

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Lord Edward George Seymour is the youngest son of Henry Seymour, 9th Marquess of Hertford.

 

[Chamberlain]

Which bachelors would be most considered most suitable by past royals like Queen Victoria?

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Which bachelors would be most considered most suitable by past royals like Queen Victoria?

In Queen Victoria’s time, early on mainly royals who were Protestant were suitable matches, however at some point “standards slipped” when she allowed one of her daughters to marry a Battenberg because she “believed in love matches” and wanted the child to be close to her and in another instance, marrying a “subject”, a Scottish Duke because typically royals didn’t marry aristocrats but she relented to that because of the rude comments about penniless foreign princes and need for new blood. Or do you mean sitable men for the Queen herself?

 

[Denville]

It took Victoria ages to agree to Beatrice marrying Henry of Battenburg, not because of his rank but because she did not want her daughter to marry. She was aware that the public were getting sick of what were called German beggars coming along and marrying Princesses and getting an income. So she was more flexible about who they were allowed to marry....

 

[SirGyamfi1]

It took Victoria ages to agree to Beatrice marrying Henry of Battenburg, not because of his rank but because she did not want her daughter to marry. She was aware that the public were getting sick of what were called German beggars coming along and marrying Princesses and getting an income. So she was more flexible about who they were allowed to marry....

I didn’t say say she was against the marriage because of rank, what I was saying was that it was a slight change in policy because most of her children were married to higher status royals in comparison to Beatrice. I am also aware she wanted Beatrice to stay as a companion. When I say change in policy I’m saying she was being flexible at that point.

 

[Chamberlain]

In Queen Victoria’s time, early on mainly royals who were Protestant were suitable matches, however at some point “standards slipped” when she allowed one of her daughters to marry a Battenberg because she “believed in love matches” and wanted the child to be close to her and in another instance, marrying a “subject”, a Scottish Duke because typically royals didn’t marry aristocrats but she relented to that because of the rude comments about penniless foreign princes and need for new blood. Or do you mean sitable men for the Queen herself?

The bachelors of today.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

The bachelors of today.

The Duke of Westminster
The second and third sons of the Duke of Fife
The sons of Viscount Portman
The eldest son of Hon.Count Peter Czernin (son of Baroness Howard de Walden)
Among others

 

[Curryong]

Traditionally, younger sons, especially younger sons of minor Peers, were not considered particularly eligible because no title was/is involved.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Traditionally, younger sons, especially younger sons of minor Peers, were not considered particularly eligible because no title was/is involved.

Well if the younger sons inherit property or wealth or are independently wealthy it’s not a problem. Also the chance that the elder sibling may not have children, not have legitimate issue or only have daughters will make the younger son eligible. Also if he has a good reputation and image and is seen as good-looking.

 

[Curryong]

Viscount Portman’s eldest son and heir is married and has two sons of his own. I’ve never heard of either of his younger brothers being particularly wealthy. And of course as Viscount’s sons none of them have a title. Well-connected the younger brothers, eligible ?

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Viscount Portman’s eldest son and heir is married and has two sons of his own. I’ve never heard of either of his younger brothers being particularly wealthy. And of course as Viscount’s sons none of them have a title. Well-connected the younger brothers, eligible ?

I said the younger sons of Viscount Portman not the eldest. I didn’t say they were wealthy but they are part of a wealthy family so they probably have trust funds and live comfortably. The younger sons are eligible because they are unmarried and are from an old wealthy landed family.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The Duke of Westminster
The second and third sons of the Duke of Fife
The sons of Viscount Portman
The eldest son of Hon.Count Peter Czernin (son of Baroness Howard de Walden)
Among others

Included in the blog is a picture of the younger sons of the Duke of Fife: Lord George Carnegie and Lord Hugh Carnegie.
http://www.eurohistoryjournal.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-60th-birthday-of-duke-of-fife.html

 

[Curryong]

Also the chance that the elder sibling may not have children, not have legitimate issue or only have daughters will make the younger son eligible. Also if he has a good reputation and image and is seen as good-looking.

It was this part of a quote of yours that I was answering, when you had pointed to younger sons ie Viscount Portman’s sons, being eligibles.

I then pointed out that Viscount Portman’s heir was not childless and did not have daughters or illegitimate offspring, but had two perfectly legitimate sons of his own. So any women hoping for a title among the British nobility wouldn’t regard the younger Portman sons as particular eligible.

 

[Adda]

We can take The Duke of Westminster out of the list now. He's engaged.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

But in Liechtenstein women don’t pass on Princely titles so he’s not a Prince. And “half prince” isn’t a thing. You are either a Prince or you aren’t.

But no one has said he himself is a prince. The original post explained that by half-prince they were referring to "princely blood" through one (half) of his two parents.

 

[HRHTalDuchess]

Please add Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp to the list if not already added...technically he's a royal due the Spencer family's descent from the Stuart kings...

 

[Biri]

Of course! He is the Heir of the Earldom of Spencer and of Althorp Hall!
And a first cousin of the Prince of Wales.

And we can add his half-brother Edmund too - he is of age already.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

But no one has said he himself is a prince. The original post explained that by half-prince they were referring to "princely blood" through one (half) of his two parents.

Still no and he’s untitled nobility so doesn’t count.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

We can take The Duke of Westminster out of the list now. He's engaged.

Just seen the engagement announcements. Thank you for reminding me