Religion of Royal Spouses

[bct88]

What were the religions of the royal spouses before they married? I am thinking especially of Prince Philip, Queen Silvia, and the late Prince Claus. I hope someone can help.

 

[selrahc4]

Prince Philip was Greek Orthodox until 1947 when he joined the Church of England just prior to his marriage.

 

[hrhcp]

I am sure Prince Henrik was Roman Catholic, and on his marriage to Margrethe converted to Danish Lutherism.

 

[wymanda]

I read that despite Queen Noor not being active in a religion her family were Christian Scientists? Is this correct?

 

[sara1981]

what about Countess of Wessex and Diana,Princess of Wales,Sarah,Duchess of York and Princess of Royals and member of Royal Family? about religion Royal spouses

Sara Boyce

 

[bct88]

I believe that they were all members of the Church of England since they were all English. I am not to sure though.

What about Queen Silvia? Was she always Lutheran, or could she have been Catholic? I only guess Catholic because she was raised in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and most of Brazil is Roman Catholic. Or did she belong to a different religion?

 

[suturegeisha]

I believe that they were all members of the Church of England since they were all English. I am not to sure though.

What about Queen Silvia? Was she always Lutheran, or could she have been Catholic? I only guess Catholic because she was raised in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and most of Brazil is Roman Catholic. Or did she belong to a different religion?

I never knew that Queen Silvia was raised in Brazil....I always thought she was from Germany. I knew her mother was from Brazil, though. Cool.
-Kara-

 

[hillary_nugent]

I was told Crown Princess Mary was a Prysbeterian prior to her marriage but has since converted to Danish Lutherism.

 

[ally_cooper]

I think Queen Sofía was Catholic Ortodox, until her marriage with Juan Carlos. Also, I think they married by two churches in Athens, but I am not sure.

 

[wymanda]

I think Queen Sofía was Catholic Ortodox, until her marriage with Juan Carlos. Also, I think they married by two churches in Athens, but I am not sure.

You are correct!

The one that took the cake was Prince Phillip's parents, Prince & Princess Andrew, who were married in three ceremonies! The first a civil ceremony, then by the Anglican Church & the Greek Orthodox. Her uncle, Edward VII wanted a ceremony at the British Embassy but the bride drew the line.

 

[bct88]

I think Queen Sofía was Catholic Ortodox, until her marriage with Juan Carlos. Also, I think they married by two churches in Athens, but I am not sure.

I thought she was Greek Orthodox and not Catholic Orthodox. She was the daughter of the King, and the King was Greek Orthodox, right?

 

[rchainho]

I thought she was Greek Orthodox and not Catholic Orthodox. She was the daughter of the King, and the King was Greek Orthodox, right?

La princesa Sofía, un año menor que él y a quien había conocido en un crucero en 1954, era hija de los reyes de Grecia, Pablo I y Federica, y profesaba por aquel entonces la religión cristiana ortodoxa.
A los intereses de Franco y a los de los reyes griegos, que querían asumir el protagonismo, al igual que la iglesia ortodoxa, se sumaron los del Vaticano, que deseaba que la ceremonia se celebrara según los cánones católicos. Juan de Borbón, el padre de Juan Carlos, que años después renunciaría a sus derechos dinásticos en favor de su hijo, consideraba por su parte que el matrimonio debía ser competencia exclusiva de la familia real española.


Los desencuentros fueron tales, que el 11 de marzo de 1962, cuando se supone que Juan Carlos llegaría a Atenas, Sofía acude al aeropuerto y rompe a llorar al percatarse de que su prometido no iba en el avión. «En el entorno de su futuro esposo se había decidido aplazar el viaje», escribe Fernando Rayón, autor del libro «La boda de Juan Carlos y Sofía: claves y secretos de un enlace histórico» (Editorial La Esfera de los Libros).

¿Que había ocurrido? La razón era tan simple a primera vista como espinosa a la segunda: En medio de una batalla diplomático habían surgido diferencias sobre el reparto de las invitaciones para las distintas ceremonias, que competían entre sí por ser la más vistosa.

Y es que, para que cada quien quedara satisfecho, se decidió llevar a cabo nada menos cuatro bodas: una católica, una ortodoxa, una civil para el registro español y otra civil para el registro griego. Los invitados se pasaron aquella mañana del 14 de mayo en Atenas corriendo de una iglesia a otra. En el templo católico de San Dionisio, en una ceremonia sobria de 45 minutos que no fue transmitida por televisión y a la que no asistieron las autoridades griegas, Sofía se convertía en princesa española, una vez pronunciado el «ne thélo» (sí, quiero en griego).
Tras pasar por el Palacio Real para firmar el acta matrimonial española, la ceremonia, esta vez de 60 minutos, transmitida por la televisión y con todas las autoridades griegas presentes, se repitió en la catedral de la Anunciación de Santa María. Juan Carlos incluso bailó la danza de Isaías. Le siguió una nueva firma, esta vez del acta matrimonial griega, otra vez en el Palacio Real.


Dentro de todo, los jóvenes esposos habían tenido suerte. Al frente del Vaticano estaba entonces Juan XXIII, el «Papa bueno», un hombre tolerante que consintió que el matrimonio fuera mixto y que Sofía se convirtiera a la fe católica después del enlace. «De no ser así, me juego la Corona», había advertido Federica de Grecia, la madre de Sofía. Además, los recién casados compensaron tanta tensión: Su luna de miel duró cuatro meses. Uno por cada ceremonia, se podría decir. Aun así, Rayón está convencido de que «todo se pudo ir al garete en más de una ocasión. Fue quizá la decisión y visión de futuro de Don Juan Carlos y Doña Sofía lo que al final salvó la nave».

 

[ally_cooper]

Four weddings??? I'm sure it was a bussy day for Juan Carlos and Sofía...

 

[Ennyllorac]

IF you are going to post in another language please provide a translation.

Thank you.

 

[Reina]

Is Maxima still catholic? And Sofia was Greek Orthodox.

 

[ally_cooper]

Yes, Sofia was Catolic Ortodox. But I'm not sure about Maxima, I think she still is Roman Catolic

 

[MoonlightRhapsody]

To my knowledge, Greek Orthodox is an off-shoot of Catholicism which is why it is sometimes (though rarely) called Catholic Orthodox.

Somehow, I don't think Maxima is still Roman Catholic seeing that she is a future queen. It would depend on the religion of Holland.

 

[kelly9480]

Followers of the Orthodox church would be offended to be called Catholic Orthodox, and therefore, it's rude to call them that. There are problems between the Orthodox church and the Pope. Sofia was Greek Orthodox.

 

[liv]

I think at the time of their wedding it was said that Maxima will remain Catholic whereas any children they might have will be christened as Protestants.

You can also see an Catholic influence in her wedding ceremony. Pater Brown spoke who was Maxima´s Catholic priest. And also the "Ave Maria" was an Catholic element in the ceremony.

 

[norwegianne]

Anne-Marie was Lutheran until after her marriage to Constantin. A short while after the marriage she converted to the Greek Orthodox.

 

[Josefine]

what about royals from the past

 

[betina]

Prince Henrik of Denmark was Roman-Catholic before his marriage to our queen

 

[betina]

Princess Alexandra of Denmark was member of the Anglican Church before she married prince Joachim

 

[bct88]

I've heard that Prince Henrik doesn't believe in God. Is this true?

 

[michelleq]

I know that Royal Family of Monaco is Roman Catholic, but does the future wife of HSH have to be Catholic? Do their children have to be raised Catholic?

 

[Iain]

Is Maxima still catholic? And Sofia was Greek Orthodox.

Maxima is still a Catholic as are princess Irene and princess Christina. The Dutch don't seem to have any problem with that. Although the Netherlands is officially Protestant, Catholicism is the largest religion and the constitution does not insist on the monarch being Protestant.

 

[lashinka2002]

Caroline of monaco is catholic and raises her first 3 children as catholics
She remained catholic when she married Ernst even though he is Protestant and they raise Alexandra as Protestant.

 

[galuhcandrakirana]

Princes Irene de Netherland is catholic prior to her wed to a Prince from bourbon family (French royal), I think it was a quiet scandalous and she did not have permission from the parlemen when she decided to convert to Catholic from Protestant (I'm not very sure about it, I have to find my old magazine)

 

[KikkiB]

The Royal family of Norway all belong to the Lutheran Evangelical variant of protestantism. It's the state religion of Norway and King Harald is the head of church. So there has been no change in churches with the marriages of the King and Queen and the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. How strong their faith is, is quite a different question! But I think Märtha Louise and Ari re-found their faith when they married and consider themselves as personal christians today. What the views of the other members I don't know anything of. Do any of you know?

 

[Alexandra]

Princes Irene de Netherland is catholic prior to her wed to a Prince from bourbon family (French royal), I think it was a quiet scandalous and she did not have permission from the parlemen when she decided to convert to Catholic from Protestant (I'm not very sure about it, I have to find my old magazine)

Yes, it was scandalous! I remember the magazines of that time. No one of her nearest relatives was there in her wedding. I don't know if there were political reasons for that or was it simply that they protested against the marriage with a Catholic. Anyway, poor Irene!