Prince Louis and Princess Tessy to Divorce: January 18, 2017

[Tatiana Maria]

It smells so much of disgust against the commoner Tessy and while I believe it's not that but has rather to do with things which happened behind the Royal curtain, it still seems not honorable to me. For if Tessy had been a countess born, they surely would have given her a new title.

See the family bylaw from the house laws; a translation can be found in Stefan's post #810 and the German text in this post: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...e-january-18-2017-a-41787-40.html#post2209345

Prisma shared the Grand-Ducal Court's statement on the divorce and Princess Tessy's future name, and Luxarazzi's translation of it, in this post.

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...e-january-18-2017-a-41787-40.html#post2209360

As is apparent from § 4, there is no distinction made between a commoner-born divorcée and a noble-born divorcée, or even between a divorcée who married a prince with the written consent of the grand duke or a divorcée who (like Tessy) married without it.

because leaving a divorced noblewoman with her maiden name is so against noble traditions. IMHO, of course.

Traditions vary, even amongst Western European countries. The tradition for noble as well as commoner women in the Benelux countries is to cease using the ex-husband's surname and title at the time of divorce. The five-month extension of Tessy's usage of the Princess title and the retention of her ex-husband's surname are, as mentioned in the court's statement, a "special favor".

For IMHO it is a difference if someone marries a prince, shares his names and titles, then gets divorced and looses that and someone who marries a prince, does not get to share his titles, but is later elevated to the rank of HRH and princess in a special decree and divorces then. IMHO there should have been a repeal of the decree and a replacement of the titles, not just a - look up the House Laws. But that's just me.

But the consequence if such a guideline were adopted would be that wives who married with the consent of the grand duke would become untitled after divorce, while wives who married without his consent would remain titled after divorce.

Actually she was treated better then the other who married Princes of Luxemborug who had renounced their rights as they where never created Princess of Luxembourg. And she is also allowed to put de-Nassau to her name which was not the case for Hélène Vestur.

Indeed, and the spouses of Princesses of Luxembourg, even noblemen who married princesses with the consent of the grand duke, are not even allowed to carry any royal title or surname.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

If she didn't care about titles; she wouldn't use de Luxembourg or de Nassau on her social media accounts or in interviews (as others have pointed out). It seems that she is trying to hang on to her royal connections for as long as she can. I doubt she'd get nearly as many commercial companies sponsoring her or giving her free gifts if she weren't connected to the GDF.

But at the same time she claims that: "A title doesn't make you who you are. A woman has her own merits and it’s not who you marry or what name you carry, it is what you have achieved in your own right"

Yet this is the same person who labels themselves as a philanthropist which is a title normally earned!

 

[An Ard Ri]

Tessy's Titles and styles :

28 October 1985 – 29 September 2006: Miss Tessy Antony
29 September 2006 – 23 June 2009: Mrs Tessy de Nassau
23 June 2009 – present: Her Royal Highness Princess Tessy of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau and Bourbon-Parma
Roll on September when she'll be Mrs Tessy Antony de Nassau

 

[tommy100]

Still, I found it more honourable how the Danish queen treated Alexandra on creating her a grevinde in her own right. Yes, Louis gave up the right to the throne in Luxembourg, so Tessy is not the mother of two boys in-line of the succession, but she was created a HRH and a princess, so should at least have been left with a comital title and a style like Alexandra, who is "Her Excellency" (due to holding the Order of the Elephant).


It smells so much of disgust against the commoner Tessy and while I believe it's not that but has rather to do with things which happened behind the Royal curtain, it still seems not honorable to me. For if Tessy had been a countess born, they surely would have given her a new title. because leaving a divorced noblewoman with her maiden name is so against noble traditions. IMHO, of course.

How can anyone compare one RF's situation to anothers? Yes in Denmark Alexandra got a title but that was a very rare exception, I can think of plenty more royals who divorced and lost their titles.

The fact is, the Danish Queen felt Alexandra had earned a noble title for all her years service to the Crown. The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg did not feel Tess deserved the same and chose to follow the same rules other women married into the family had been made to follow upon divorce.

Maybe if Tessy hadn't been so open and honest and, at times downright rude, about her former in-laws they would have felt more like letting her keep a title.

Bear in mind though that setting a rule for one means letting others in the future do the same, imagine if Guillaume, Felix an Sebastian also all married then divorced and all their wives kept their titles....in the bigger picture Tessy is, to be frank, not important, so they followed the same rules as all others in the family had to follow.

 

[MARG]

Yes indeed, Alexandra was a special case and treated as such. She was stylish with such an innate elegance that many though CP Mary would find difficult to equal.

She was well versed in diplomacy, multilingual and the Queen's ever willing right hand. She worked hard for her adopted country and they showed their appreciation. Tessy did none of this.

She reaped the spoils of a superior education on the Grand Duke's dime and did nothing to even show her gratitude. Rather she seemed to take it all as her due and, when she finished her degree in the UK she wasted no time using all those connections that being 'royal' provided.

Her progress was marked with never-ending Instagram posts showing her at every charity gala dresses to the nines.

That was not the life Prince Louis had planned as he joined a not very well paying NOG with a vision to help others.

Tessy's biggest divorce moans were the loss of her title and the exclusive London address.

 

[tommy100]

Yes indeed, Alexandra was a special case and treated as such. She was stylish with such an innate elegance that many though CP Mary would find difficult to equal.

She was well versed in diplomacy, multilingual and the Queen's ever willing right hand. She worked hard for her adopted country and they showed their appreciation. Tessy did none of this.

She reaped the spoils of a superior education on the Grand Duke's dime and did nothing to even show her gratitude. Rather she seemed to take it all as her due and, when she finished her degree in the UK she wasted no time using all those connections that being 'royal' provided.

Her progress was marked with never-ending Instagram posts showing her at every charity gala dresses to the nines.

That was not the life Prince Louis had planned as he joined a not very well paying NOG with a vision to help others.

Tessy's biggest divorce moans were the loss of her title and the exclusive London address.

And to me, IMO, that shows what is most important to her, no matter what she says on her social media.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I am not sure the Grand-Duke would have bestowed a title. The Luxembourg Nobility is almost non-existent and is mainly the Nobility of the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, of which roughly 60% was tranferred to the Belgian Nobility after the formal secession in 1839 (these familes are still enlisted in the official Nobility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, by the way).

Luxembourg only became independent from the Netherlands 50 years later (1890). I am not aware of a specific Luxembourgian Nobility. For an example: Mathilde comtesse d'Udekem d'Acoz is from (the Belgian province of) Luxembourg, so she is a Luxembourgian noble, but not from the Grand-Duchy.

I think the "Luxembourg Nobility" is mainly based on nobles belonging to foreign peerages whom have found residence in the Grand-Duchy. I doubt the Grand Duke would have made Tessy a comtesse de Weilbourg/Gräfin von Weilburg or so, even when she was exemplaric. It seems so non-2019 in today's Luxembourg situation. But okay: Queen Margrethe did it, why not Grand-Duke Henri? But Denmark has a real and active peerage which Luxembourg lacks.

 

[maria-olivia]

MARG , I like your posts and as Tommy , to me IMO

 

[JR76]

I am not sure the Grand-Duke would have bestowed a title. The Luxembourg Nobility is almost non-existent and is mainly the Nobility of the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, of which roughly 60% was tranferred to the Belgian Nobility after the formal secession in 1839 (these familes are still enlisted in the official Nobility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, by the way).

Luxembourg only became independent from the Netherlands 50 years later (1890). I am not aware of a specific Luxembourgian Nobility. For an example: Mathilde comtesse d'Udekem d'Acoz is from (the Belgian province of) Luxembourg, so she is a Luxembourgian noble, but not from the Grand-Duchy.

I think the "Luxembourg Nobility" is mainly based on nobles belonging to foreign peerages whom have found residence in the Grand-Duchy. I doubt the Grand Duke would have made Tessy a comtesse de Weilbourg/Gräfin von Weilburg or so, even when she was exemplaric. It seems so non-2019 in today's Luxembourg situation. But okay: Queen Margrethe did it, why not Grand-Duke Henri? But Denmark has a real and active peerage which Luxembourg lacks.

Don't forget that the Bernadotte of Wisborg 's technically are members of the Luxembourg nobility. They're actually the only ones I can think off.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Don't forget that the Bernadotte of Wisborg 's technically are members of the Luxembourg nobility. They're actually the only ones I can think off.

Yes, they are also the only ones I can think about. I see no website or so for a Council of Nobility as an independent institute. The one in Belgium was dissolved in 1996 and became a part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so there is no public list of families belonging to the Luxembourgian Nobility. I will see if there is a link via the Dutch Hoge Raad van Adel.

 

[JR76]

Yes, they are also the only ones I can think about. I see no website or so for a Council of Nobility as an independent institute. The one in Belgium was dissolved in 1996 and became a part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so there is no public list of families belonging to the Luxembourgian Nobility. I will see if there is a link via the Dutch Hoge Raad van Adel.

The Bernadottes should technically still be counted as Luxembourg nobles since they were never introduced into the Swedish House of Nobles.

 

[Lori138]

On another note according to Hello and the Daily Mail, Tessy says that "there were some" that made sure she lost her title. Who do you think she is speaking of? She still sounds very bitter to me and yes, I agree with others here that the only thing she seemed to want (other than lots of money) was to keep her title.

Both articles make it sound, as well, that she is struggling to be a single mother and trying to work at the same time, which is patently untrue as both boys are in boarding school and she has all the free time in the world.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

In the Nobility List of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1848 I can see Luxembourgian nobles (like after the Belgian secession, the nobles remain on this list). I can not see if these nobles (and later additions after 1848) were incorporated into a Nobility of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, or thay the Luxembourg Government simply continued the Dutch registers, after all the Kings were Grand-Dukes as well.

François Henri François-de-Paule baron d'ANETHAN from Latrapperie (Luxembourg).
The title of baron is hereditary but for the eldest son only.
The other sons are chevalier (ridder).

Pierre Félix Joseph baron d'ANETHAN from Forges la Trapperie (Luxembourg)
The title of baron is ad personam.

George baron d'ARNOULT DE SOULEUVRE from Château Linster (Luxembourg)
The title baron / baronne (barones) is for all descendants of the body male.

Antoine baron d'ARNOULT DE SOULEUVRE from Château Bernbourg (Luxembourg)
The title baron / baronne (barones) is for all descendants of the body male.

Gabriel baron d'ARNOULT DE SOULEUVRE from Château Differdange (Luxembourg)
The title baron / baronne (barones) is for all descendants of the body male.

Frédéric Georges Prospère comte DE BLOKHAUSEN from Château Bertrange (Luxembourg)
The title of comte (graaf) is hereditary but for the eldest son only.
The other sons are baron.

Ferdinand Joseph LE BRUM DE MIRAUMONT from Hondelange (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Henri Ambroise DE LA CHAPELLE from Luxembourg
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Charles Alexander Guillaume Joseph VAN EYLL from Scherpenich (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Godefroid DU FAING d'AIGREMONT from Luxembourg
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Jean Antoine Adolphe DE FELLER from Arlon (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

François Laurent Leon Marie Joseph Ghisbert DE FORMANOIR d'ARCHIMONT
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Augustin Alexandre François Joseph DE HOEFNAGLE DE SCHUTBOURG from Château Schutbourg (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Jean Jacques chevalier (ridder) DE HONTHEIM from Eich (Luxembourg)
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for male descendants.

François Albert Louis Hubert chevalier (ridder) DE HONTHEIM from Eich (Luxembourg)
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for male descendants.

Nicolas Joseph Simeon Guillaume chevalier (ridder) DE HONTHEIM from Steinsel (Luxembourg)
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for male descendants.

Nicolas François Guilain DE HOUT appelé (genaamd) HOLLER from Echternach (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Philippe Joseph Jacques baron d'HUART from Château Colnet d'Huart (Luxembourg)
The title baron is hereditary but for the eldest son only.
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all other descendants of the body male.

Charles Antoine Louis Joseph Félix chevalier (ridder) LAMOCK DE SOHIER from Sohier (Luxembourg)
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for all male descendants.

Henri Theodore Remacle chevalier (ridder) DE LANTREMANGE from Clervaux (Luxembourg)
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for all male descendants.

Deodatus Josephus Ignatius chevalier (ridder) VAN DER MAESEN from Luxembourg
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for all male descendants.

Jean Adolph Joseph chevalier (ridder) DE MARTINY from Luxembourg
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for all male descendants.

Pierre Ferrant baron DE MONTIGNY from Noville (Luxembourg)
The title baron is hereditary but for the eldest son only.
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all other descendants of the body male.

Guillaume Joseph DE NEUNHEUSER d'AIGREMONT from Luxembourg
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Charles Antoine Augustin d'OLYMART from Bettendorf (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Joseph Léopold chevalier (ridder) DE PAPIGNY from Clemarais (Luxembourg)
The title chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for all male descendants.

Antoine Florent Albert DE PREZ d'AYE from Aye (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Evrard Albert Joseph DE PREZ d'AYE from Aye (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Charles Auguste baron DE TORNACO from Sanem (Luxembourg)
The title baron / baronne (barones) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Jean Herman baron DE TRAPPÉ DE LOZANGE from Château Lozange (Luxembourg)
The title baron / baronne (barones) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Charlemagne Hyacinthe Ferdinand DE VAULX DE BLEID from Bleid (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Casimir Philippe Joseph Antoine René DE VILLERS MASBOURG from Mont (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

Adolphe Antoine Joseph Népomucène Nicolas chevalier (ridder) DE VILLERS MASBOURG from Berg (Luxembourg)
The title of chevalier (ridder) is hereditary for all male descendants.

François Xavier DE WAUTIER from Rolle (Luxembourg)
The predicate écuyer (jonkheer / jonkvrouw) is hereditary for all descendants of the body male.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

On another note according to Hello and the Daily Mail, Tessy says that "there were some" that made sure she lost her title. Who do you think she is speaking of? She still sounds very bitter to me and yes, I agree with others here that the only thing she seemed to want (other than lots of money) was to keep her title.

Both articles make it sound, as well, that she is struggling to be a single mother and trying to work at the same time, which is patently untrue as both boys are in boarding school and she has all the free time in the world.

There was no one to make her to loose her title. It is an automatism from the House Laws. A spouse who is styled as princesse de Luxembourg, princesse de Nassau, princesse de Bourbon de Parme by virtue of marriage, looses this style by the termination of said marriage. Fairly simple.

And as you said: the princes are at boarding school. And in weekends and holidays there is also papa Prince Louis, who shares a mansion in Paris with his sister, complete with staff, as we learned from the court case. Papa will have quality time as well, with his sons. The maid will make the beds. The cook will undoubtedly present healthy food. Little worries for maman, in her free London house (even the utilities are paid for) I would say....

 

[Prisma]

I wonder what repercussions this divorce could have on the GDF... Could it trigger an update to the family bylaws? (i.e. - make decree nisi sufficient for loss of title) If another prince marries without consent, would GD Henri be less generous?

GD Jean only elevated Prince Jean's then-wife Hélène Vestur and children to Count/ess of Nassau in 1995 whereas GD Henri elevated the children to Prince/ss of Nassau in 2004. He didn't have to do that, right? GD Henri could have kept Tessy as "Tessy de Nassau" or elevated her to Countess de Nassau instead of Princess of Luxembourg.

I get the feeling the GDF will have a whole new appreciation for Hélène Vestur. No lengthy drama when she and Prince Jean divorced. She seems to be on good terms with the GDF. It wasn't necessary to invite her to weddings or Communion but they did anyway.

 

[Stefan]

I wonder what repercussions this divorce could have on the GDF... Could it trigger an update to the family bylaws? (i.e. - make decree nisi sufficient for loss of title) If another prince marries without consent, would GD Henri be less generous?

GD Jean only elevated Prince Jean's then-wife Hélène Vestur and children to Count/ess of Nassau in 1995 whereas GD Henri elevated the children to Prince/ss of Nassau in 2004. He didn't have to do that, right? GD Henri could have kept Tessy as "Tessy de Nassau" or elevated her to Countess de Nassau instead of Princess of Luxembourg.

I get the feeling the GDF will have a whole new appreciation for Hélène Vestur. No lengthy drama when she and Prince Jean divorced. She seems to be on good terms with the GDF. It wasn't necessary to invite her to weddings or Communion but they did anyway.

According to the House Laws a wife in an not approved marriage would be Countess of Nassau so the elevation of Tessy was an exception. Also children from not apprived marriages are Count/Countess of Nassau according to the House Law and i think this makes sense.

As it is now with all the children of not approved marriages raised to Prince/Princess of Nassau there is no difference between them and children of younger sons from approved marriages (Felix and Guillaumes"s children).

 

[maria-olivia]

In their boarding School I suppose the 2 boys have the name de Nassau and not luxembourg.