Princess Marie Esmeralda of Belgium,Lady Moncada and Family

[Marengo]

I believe there is an interview with Princess Esmeralda in this weeks Point de Vue, about the exhibition.

 

[rosana]

Sorry im completly lost, what does Esmerlda have to do with P C Felipe. Can someone clarify for me please!!

 

[Hannelore]

Princess Esmeralda with her children, Alexandra and Leopoldo, and husband Salvador Moncada.
The princess celebrated her 50th birthday in Tunisia, visiting sites such as Tozeur and Tamerza with a group consisting of around 20 close friends (prince Fayçal Bey, Simone Veil, count & countess de Velderlee etc.) - September 2-3, 2006 (Brunopress).

 

[Hannelore]

 

[Sophus]

Princess Esmeralda at home in London with her husband Salvador Moncada and her 2 children Alexandra Leopoldine(4) and Leopoldo(2)
(pics taken june 2003)

Quite cool that a man married to a princess has a picture of Ché in his office...

 

[Hans]

she really looks like her mother, the late Princess Lilian

 

[Marengo]

Guess who is blowing out 50 candles today? Princess Esmeralda!
Hip hip, hurray & happy birthday to the princess.

 

[isabelle16]

Ow, I've met her at the bookfaire in Antwerp a couple of years ago, She's really nice

 

[Marengo]

Was she there to promote one of her books about her father or just as a visitor as well?

 

[isabelle16]

the promote the book about her father

 

[altagrace]

Definitely looks like her mother, a little more serene.

 

[indian princess]

in my opinion she resembes her mother to quite an extent.

 

[indian princess]

Little Esmeralda with her half brother, Baudouin

paris match

u sure thats esmeralda, i thought she was a brunnete.

 

[indian princess]

In this picture, Marie-Christine looks just like Astrid's eldest daughter Maria-Laura, doesn't she?

yes ,the resembance is uncanny

 

[Fie]

Of all the children of the second marriage of King Leopold III I like Esmeralda the most. Don't know why, but from all the interviews I have seen she seems to me like a very down to earth woman, who chose her own path in live without breaking any ties with her family.

Do we know anything about the godparents of her children?

 

[Marengo]

I agree with you Fie and for exactly the same reasons. And she did not go to the press to start about her half siblings, as I am suire she has been asked to do several times (unlike MC).

Anyway, I couldn't find the godparents of her children but just her own godparents:

King Albert II of Belgium
Princess Marie-Adelaide of Luxembourg

 

[Fie]

That seems to be right. According to my sources all three children of Leopold and his first wife Astrid were godparent to one of their halfsiblings.

Joséphine-Charlotte was godmother to Alexander (or Alexandre), Baudouin was godfather to Marie-Christine (the rebel) and Albert was godfather to Marie-Esmeralda (or Esmeralda for short).

Traditionally in Belgian Roman Catholic families with a first child it's the father of the father that is godfather together with the mother of the mother. Second one is father of the mother together with the mother of the father.

As Princess Lilian was not a godparent to either of her stepchildren's children I would presume that Lilian was asked to be a godmother to either of her daughter's children, most likely would be Alexandra, as she's her maternal grandmother. Then it's quite possible that Esmeralda's brother Alexander (or Alexandre) is godfather to Leopoldo, because it's quite common that if the grandfather has died, one of his sons is chosen to take over.

But it seems clear that nothing was made public at the time, and looking at the fact that Esmeralda is quite private, it might be a piece of information we will never know...

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Is it true that Baudouin tried to maintain ties with his half-sister Marie Christine for years by offering her financial assistance before finally throwing in the towel?

I think Esmeralda was always called "Esme" within the family, and MC was called "Daphne" from what I have read.

 

[alterego]

As Princess Lilian was not a godparent to either of her stepchildren's children I would presume that Lilian was asked to be a godmother to either of her daughter's children, most likely would be Alexandra, as she's her maternal grandmother.

I thought Princess Lilian should be at least one of the godmothers of Archduchess Marie-Astrid of Austria nee Luxembourg, the first child of HRH Josephine-Charlotte, as her full name is Marie-Astrid Liliane Charlotte Léopoldine Wilhelmine Ingeborg Antoinette Elisabeth Anna Alberta.

 

[altagrace]

Does anyone have pictures of Esmeralda's wedding?

 

[HMTLove23]

according to netty royalty page Princess esmeralda's first husband Paul druker died april 1st 2008

 

[Elspeth]

Wasn't Paul Druker Princess Marie-Christine's husband?

 

[HMTLove23]

whoops!!!!!!!!! I found the right thread. sorry for the mix up.

 

[Marengo]

Princess Esmeralda has been interviewed by the Walonian version of Paris Match. The photo has been heavily photoshopped.

Look here for the cover.

Courtesy: Catherine at the BRMB.

 

[maria-olivia]

Professor Moncada, princess Esmeralda's husband

The famous scientist Professor Salador Moncada , Princess Marie-Esmeralda's husband never received belgian titles.
British citizen since 1985, Professor at the Royal College in London, he was also chairman at the Wolfson Institute for biomedical researches and did a lot also for the research of new drugs
HM Queen Elisabeth made him Knight Bachelor , one of the highest british honorific nominations, for all what he did for science .
This brilliant scientist is now Sir Moncada and his wife is a Lady.
He married Princess Marie Esmeralda, daughter of King leopold III and Princess Lilian de Rethy. They have two children Alexandra and Leopoldo and are living in London.

I am glad to annouce this high nomination of a member of our RF.

I was sad during Prince Alexandre's funeral because the press ingnored the huge sorrow of Marie-Esmeralda losing her only brother , as the highlight was on the major royals Princesses Mathilde and Claire smilling during the office. Of course this smiling pictures were not published in the belgian press.
Queen Elisabeth II will nominate him officially at Buckingham Palace during an Investiture ceremony next spring.

 

[Marengo]

On the occassion of the 68th birthday of her brother, the late prince Alexandre of Belgium, his youngest sister princess Esmeralda gave an interview to 2 blogs: noblesse & royautes and blog sur la famille royale belge. The interview is in French:

Blog sur la famille royale belge

http://www.noblesseetroyautes.com/nr01/?p=35820http://www.noblesseetroyautes.com/nr01/

 

[iceflower]

______________


Princess Esmeralda pictured during the presentation of her book "Terre!
Agissons pour la planète, il n'est pas trop tard..." (Earth! Act for the planet,
it's not too late ...) organized by Racine publisher at Tour & Taxis building
in Brussels on December 15, 2010.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** belga gallery **

 

[Pantera]

I have been looking for any pictures of the wedding of Princess Esmeralda with Salvador Moncada in 1998. Was it a quiet wedding? and where was she married, in Brussels or in London?

 

[MAfan]

They married in London, on 4 April 1998.

 

[maria-olivia]

Professor Moncada was invited by Princess Lilian who often invited physicians.
They felt in love and had a very private wedding in London 4th April 1998 because Maria Esmeralda was pregnant.
I think Princess Lilian who wanted royal weddings for her children was disappointed but was so happy with the birth of her first grandchild Alexandra.
In 1998 Prince Alexandre said to his mother that he married 7 years ago Miss Lea Wohlman.. Could you imagine the situation , 7 Christmases , 7 birthdays he went alone to his mother.
I am sure MAfan knows the date of Alexandra's Moncanda 's birthday