Did the press "marry off" all Princes to their current girlfriends?

[EmmieLou]

Hi,

I was not knowledgeable about Royals until around five years ago, so I am not sure how the press treated the girlfriends of Princes.

At the moment every article about Kate Middleton and Prince William has them practically getting married soon, I think this must be difficult for them as a couple.

What about when Prince Hakkon, Frederik, Willem-Alexander or Felipe were dating, did the press marry them off to every girlfriend or just long term ones?

Did any of them take their girlfriends to official events or are they not allowed until they are engaged?

Thanks

[soCal girl]

Girlfriends are not allowed to accompany them on any offical events. Private weddings and other such functions they pretty much can. I think every girl they come in contact with and is written about is in one way or the other "married off." It's ridiculous, but gossip magazines live by it. I don't think it has to be long-term girlfriends but generally if they have been together for awhile, the rumors get stronger and more frequent. I'm pretty sure they "married off" Frederick and Felipe when they were dating and the others were probably too. I think its hilarious when the magazines are wrong and wrong over again. But when their right...it's luck.

[Marengo]

In The Netherlands the crownprince was married of by the gosippress to his previous girlfriends Yolande Adriaanse and Emily Bremers. Prince Constantijn was also married of to his former girlfriend Barbara Boomsma (granddaughter of Jvr. Miek de Jonge, one of the best friends of Queen Juliana). In the end the press got it right with Maxima and Laurentien.

In the popular press CP Willem-Alexander was also linked to ice-skating champion Yvonne van Gennip, Princess Haya of Jordan, Duchess Elisabeth of Bavaria (between Emily and Maxima) and even CP Victoria!!!

I believe that the most serious, leftleaning newspaper once published on the frontpage that the Queens niece, Princess Maria-Carolina of Bourbon-Parma was about to get engaged to CP Felipe of Spain and I recall an article from the early 90-ties linking Princess Margaritha of Bourbon-Parma to CP Philippe of Belgium.

I believe both the engagement of Philippe to Mathilde as the engagement of Felipe to Letizia came as a total surprise.

[Lovelydiana]

I do believe that the press does try to marry off royal couples and they tend to blow some things out of proportion like if a prince/princess kisses their girlfriend/boyfriend they tend to automatically say they are a couple and may get married. If the couple is already in a relationship for a long time than they always say that the couple will be married soon. When I'm sure the couple may not know themselves.

[BeatrixFan]

I think that it's true certainly in the case of William and Kate. If we were to believe every story in the press, Westminster Abbey would be booked and Royal milliners everywhere up to their necks in feathers. I think that at the end of the day, the only people to trust are the various spokespeople for the Royals who make statements approved by the Royals themselves.

[magnik]

Almost of the cases - yes, the press does. Specially if they are long (more than a month) with each other

[Incas]

I don't think the press needs the "couple" to be together at all to put out a wedding story. If the pairing is interesting and gets an extra customer, then it's a good story.