Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel & Princess Eléonore: News & Events, Oct. 2019 -

[Skippy]

It was a hypothetical comment. I don't see it as a realistic outcome.

In any case, just for the sake of argument, Felipe VI was the first king of Spain who did not marry another royal. It is unclear whether his marriage to Letizia sets a precedent for the future or not, but a dynastic marriage for Leonor is still a possibility and, among the potential candidates, Gabriel of Belgium would be one of the best matches.

Besides, Gabriel will be the most senior agnate in the Belgian Coburg dynasty when his father passes away, but nonetheless will not inherit the throne of the Belgians due to the introduction of equal primogeniture. Becoming the consort of the future Queen of Spain and having his descendants sit on the Spanish throne would be fair for him as compensation and would also provide Spain with a proper new Bourbon-Saxe-Coburg dynasty to replace the current Bourbon-Anjou house after Leonor. It is really a win-win situation for the two royal houses.

I see. We'll see what the future brings. I think it a likely scenario that he will end up with a girl from Belgium. Somehow.

 

[Blog Real]

It would really be interesting to have a marriage between Prince Gabriel and the Princess of Asturias.
I also don't think you can rule out a dynastic marriage for Leonor, who will have a lot of pressure (I don't say social but probably familiar and institutional) to marry someone who is suited to his position as heir to the throne. Prince Gabriel would be a good option.

 

[Mbruno]

Unless they're ill-suited like Leonor's grandparents, she wants to marry Emmanuel instead, or Gabriel decides "consort of the rockiest throne in Europe" is poor compensation.

Maybe the rockiest, but still pretty safe in my opinion. Furthermore, rocky though it may be, it is still the second most high profile throne in Europe in terms of international visibility after the British throne of course.

 

[Skippy]

In that respect I would like to know what Prince Gabriël looks for in a girl.
It would be a real shocker (but perhaps not unthinkable) if he suddenly pops up engaged over a couple of years.
He'll be 18 next year, so lawfully ready to go

 

[JR76]

It would be a real shocker (but perhaps not unthinkable) if he suddenly pops up engaged over a couple of years.

That's exactly what his father did. Popped up engaged one day.

 

[Sancia]

I agree Prince Gabriel is handsome, but he currently looks like a too much self-confident high-society teenager, and I hope he will turn into a more looking-humble look. I have met some high-society teens who looked like him. Some of them are now very decent adults, some are unbearable for the most common part of us. Elisabeth looks IMO humbler. However, I must admit Gabriel is taking after a very self-confident mother, who obviously enjoy very much being Queen of Belgians.

 

[Skippy]

That's exactly what his father did. Popped up engaged one day.

I had his father in mind when I wrote it

I agree Prince Gabriel is handsome, but he currently looks like a too much self-confident high-society teenager, and I hope he will turn into a more looking-humble look. I have met some high-society teens who looked like him. Some of them are now very decent adults, some are unbearable for the most common part of us. Elisabeth looks IMO humbler. However, I must admit Gabriel is taking after a very self-confident mother, who obviously enjoy very much being Queen of Belgians.

That's an interesting observation, I have never seen it that way. However, he is the most d'Udekem d'Acoz of all of them, perhaps also in character?

 

[Prinsara]

That's exactly what his father did. Popped up engaged one day.

His dad was a teeny bit older than 17 or 18, though.

 

[Marchesina]

He just turned 17 in August. A good future match for the Princess of Asturias who will turn 15 in two weeks or so (i.e. they are a little over two years apart in age and both from Catholic royal families).

Thank goodness weddings are not arranged by families anymore in royal circles. If and when the prince and the princess wish to marry, I am sure they will find someone they are compatible with character wise, and not just in terms of social extraction and religion.

 

[amaryllus]

That’s very true but a marriage between two Royals is almost unheard of now and if the Prince and one of the Infantas did actually fall in love and Marry it would be very special. But factually There are several teen and preteen senior Royals in the current generation Who will be going to wedding, christenings, parties and other official events in the coming years. No reason a match can’t happen Is there?

 

[Prinsara]

The fact that there hasn't been a major royal-royal wedding in more than fifty years seems to indicate either a) it's never going to happen again or b) the time is overdue for one.

Probably the former, but royal matches aren't lacking all advantages. There is the very important "not having to get used to the royal fishbowl", these days...

 

[JR76]

The fact that there hasn't been a major royal-royal wedding in more than fifty years seems to indicate either a) it's never going to happen again or b) the time is overdue for one.

Probably the former, but royal matches aren't lacking all advantages. There is the very important "not having to get used to the royal fishbowl", these days...

Sorry for being nitpicky but there have been a few royal-royal weddings involving ruling houses in the last 50 years:
1982 Marie Astrid of Luxembourg - Carl Christian of Austria
1982 Margaretha of Luxembourg - Nikolaus of Liechtenstein
1984 - Astrid of Belgium - Lorentz of Austria-Este
1993 - Alois of Liechtenstein - Sophie in Bavaria
Added to this some marriages between royals and members of the nobility.
Naturally, while being high-profile and in accordance to the old Gotha rules, these marriages are, as you say, unusual these days. Once things started to change they did so very quickly.

 

[Prinsara]

Sorry for being nitpicky but there have been a few royal-royal weddings involving ruling houses in the last 50 years:
1982 Marie Astrid of Luxembourg - Carl Christian of Austria
1982 Margaretha of Luxembourg - Nikolaus of Liechtenstein
1984 - Astrid of Belgium - Lorentz of Austria-Este
1993 - Alois of Liechtenstein - Sophie in Bavaria
Added to this some marriages between royals and members of the nobility.
Naturally, while being high-profile and in accordance to the old Gotha rules, these marriages are, as you say, unusual these days. Once things started to change they did so very quickly.

"Major" is subjective, of course, but I don't believe any of those got the press Constantine and Anne-Marie did. There's also an enormous difference when both parties are from ruling houses, as in a theoretical Belgian/Infanta wedding (although Luxembourg + Liechtenstein may just be a little too small).

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

He just turned 17 in August. A good future match for the Princess of Asturias who will turn 15 in two weeks or so (i.e. they are a little over two years apart in age and both from Catholic royal families).

If we were in the 17th century!

 

[JR76]

"Major" is subjective, of course, but I don't believe any of those got the press Constantine and Anne-Marie did. There's also an enormous difference when both parties are from ruling houses, as in a theoretical Belgian/Infanta wedding (although Luxembourg + Liechtenstein may just be a little too small).

Major as in the child of a monarch marrying another royal not major as in the number of magazine covers they make.

 

[Countessmeout]

That’s very true but a marriage between two Royals is almost unheard of now and if the Prince and one of the Infantas did actually fall in love and Marry it would be very special. But factually There are several teen and preteen senior Royals in the current generation Who will be going to wedding, christenings, parties and other official events in the coming years. No reason a match can’t happen Is there?

The days when you fall in love with and marry the prince you see at an event once or twice a year are long over. None of them run in the same circles. Gabriel may end up married to a noble like his father as Benelux royals tend to associate with the aristocracy and former royals on a social level. But a foreign princess is another matter. Victoria, Felipe and so on all saw each other at baptisms and such and yet none even dated.

The comment above out marrying Leonor would be compensation made me sick.

Compensation for what??? This isn’t a hundred years ago. He wasn’t robbed of anything. If Elizabeth was named Edward no one would claim the second born son would need compensation for not getting a throne. Elizabeth is as much Sax Coburg as her brother and her children will be as well. People need to move on.

As for Felipe being the first to marry a commoner there is always a first. CG was the first he set a precedence for Victoria and the others. So on and so on. If Leonor for some reason felt pressure to marry a title there are plenty of catholic aristocrats and former or minor royal Catholics. Being two years older and catholic doesn’t make Gabriel most ideal.

 

[amaryllus]

The heart wants what the heart wants. This total denial and the absolute impossibility that there might be a chance however remote Gabriel for example can’t Fall in love or at least be attracted to Isabella In 5 or 10 years time is Bizarre to me. Doesn’t Even mean they have to end up married in the end.

 

[Marchesina]

The heart wants what the heart wants. This total denial and the absolute impossibility that there might be a chance however remote Gabriel for example can’t Fall in love or at least be attracted to Isabella In 5 or 10 years time is Bizarre to me. Doesn’t Even mean they have to end up married in the end.

I don't think people here were ruling out the idea altogether. If somehow, despite living different lives in different countries, running in different circles, they meet, keep in touch and eventually fall in love - without the intervention of their parents - I will be gladly witness their union.
But those marriages in the past mostly happened because families wanted them and encouraged young royals to meet and as soon as a certain fascination started, they made sure it would end up in a marriage.

 

[kathia_sophia]

Weddings arranged by parents often ends in tragedy. It happened not too long ago in my country too, and not only in the wealthier families. My paternal grandparents married for convenience because of lands, and their marriage was/is not a happy one.


For me it doesn't matter the rank, social standing of the future spouse of a royal. What matters is love and a choice to marry freely without any external interference. Meaning that royals marrying royals aren't outdated as long as they marry for love. Prince Gabriel and Princess Leonor may fall in love and marry, but they may fall in love with an aristocrat or a common person and marry them. Either way is fine as long they're happy and it's their choice.

 

[Mbruno]

In that respect I would like to know what Prince Gabriël looks for in a girl.
It would be a real shocker (but perhaps not unthinkable) if he suddenly pops up engaged over a couple of years.
He'll be 18 next year, so lawfully ready to go

He won't marry at 18 of course. He will probably go the normal route nowadays, which is to marry in the late 20s or early 30s. That actuallly makes sense as one can concentrate on his/her education, starting a career and dating different people before finding the right partner to make a long-term commitment and start a family.

 

[Skippy]

He won't marry at 18 of course. He will probably go the normal route nowadays, which is to marry in the late 20s or early 30s. That actuallly makes sense as one can concentrate on his/her education, starting a career and dating different people before finding the right partner to make a long-term commitment and start a family.

I know, that's why I inserted the smileys. It's best when he carves out his life and eventually settles down with a woman he loves (and vice versa).

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Compensation for what??? This isn’t a hundred years ago. He wasn’t robbed of anything. If Elizabeth was named Edward no one would claim the second born son would need compensation for not getting a throne.

I agree. Had Prince Gabriel lost his position at age 53 like Knud of Denmark it could be argued that he deserved compensation for a lifetime serving his country, but he has never had any expectation of inheriting a throne or becoming the head of his house.

Elizabeth is as much Sax Coburg as her brother and her children will be as well. People need to move on..

To be fair, nothing has been said about what family names Elisabeth's, Gabriel's, or Leonor's children will carry and the overwhelming majority of Belgians and Spaniards continue to follow the tradition of patrilineal naming. That said, even in the 19th and 20th centuries European queens regnant consistently passed their family names to their children, and the Belgian 2019 decree on royal coats of arms treats both male- and female-line grandchildren as members of the House of Saxony.

 

[Somebody]

The days when you fall in love with and marry the prince you see at an event once or twice a year are long over. None of them run in the same circles. Gabriel may end up married to a noble like his father as Benelux royals tend to associate with the aristocracy and former royals on a social level. But a foreign princess is another matter. Victoria, Felipe and so on all saw each other at baptisms and such and yet none even dated.

That seems to apply to the Belgium and Luxembourgian royals but not to the Dutch royals. They do socialize with the upper class but not necessarily with the (Dutch or foreign) aristocracy.

For me it doesn't matter the rank, social standing of the future spouse of a royal. What matters is love and a choice to marry freely without any external interference. Meaning that royals marrying royals aren't outdated as long as they marry for love. Prince Gabriel and Princess Leonor may fall in love and marry, but they may fall in love with an aristocrat or a common person and marry them. Either way is fine as long they're happy and it's their choice.

From afar they seem rather different people. Leonor is rather shy, while Gabriel seems very confident in his skin and a bit more outgoing. Both do know how to behave in public; so in that way they had a somewhat similar upbringing although the Belgian royal children seem less stiff than their Spanish counterparts (among which Sofía seems a bit 'more free' probably due to character and position in line to the throne).

 

[kathia_sophia]

From afar they seem rather different people. Leonor is rather shy, while Gabriel seems very confident in his skin and a bit more outgoing. Both do know how to behave in public; so in that way they had a somewhat similar upbringing although the Belgian royal children seem less stiff than their Spanish counterparts (among which Sofía seems a bit 'more free' probably due to character and position in line to the throne).

"Opposites attract each other" Anyway, I wish them freedom to marry the person they love when they grow up, be it fellow royals, aristocrats or common folk

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I don't think people here were ruling out the idea altogether. If somehow, despite living different lives in different countries, running in different circles, they meet, keep in touch and eventually fall in love - without the intervention of their parents - I will be gladly witness their union.

In light of the seeming closeness of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to their children, it would be unsurprising if one or more of their children married a person whom they came to know through their parents. Personally, I would not consider that a problem.

What matters is love and a choice to marry freely without any external interference.

Anyway, I wish them freedom to marry the person they love when they grow up, be it fellow royals, aristocrats or common folk

The same legal freedoms and restrictions on whom they may or may not marry apply to them as to any other Belgian citizen, but as public figures they will inevitably be viewed with suspicion if they marry a controversial person, whether that person is an aristocrat or commoner, and that may have consequences for their public role.

 

[eya]

Happy Birthday to the Princess Eleonore today!!


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EzElSWNWYAU5ZOh?format=jpg&name=large

 

[polyesco]

Belgian Prince Gabriël, who turns 18 today, moves to England. The second child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde has been admitted to the National Mathematics and Science College (@Natmatsci) in Warwickshire, in the West Midlands.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1428582062693527553

New pictures
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9NYoSBXEAQ4kj9?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9NW3HKXMAIOVNr?format=jpg&name=360x360
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9NW3HMXoAQsvMS?format=jpg&name=small

 

[W.Y.CII]

I am waiting for the announcement about Elisabeth's education so it's a surprise to hear Gabriel's first (I just forget he also turns 18 this year).

Seems that UK will have a few more princes and princesses Also isn't there a rumour that Elisabeth might study at university in UK like her father? Maybe the oldest two will go to UK together.

 

[leidi]

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20...Txu0tRcYfthWwZ2To4RaCJT9EW39O2BSkCz2BKR6MlA==

Well, it seems like Gabriël likes exact sciences, he'll study Maths, Advanced Maths and Physics at the UK school, probably aiming to earn a place at Oxford/Cambridge.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Belgian Prince Gabriël, who turns 18 today, moves to England. The second child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde has been admitted to the National Mathematics and Science College (@Natmatsci) in Warwickshire, in the West Midlands.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1428582062693527553

An overview of life at The National Mathematics and Science College