The Mad Monarchist: Royal Profile: Princess Michael of Kent Friday, April 20, 2012 Royal Profile: Princess Michael of Kent HRH Princess Michael of Kent is surely one of the more controversial members of the modern British Royal Family, and one of my favorites for all of that. Whereas most of the “controversial” members of the family attain that distinction for behavior which, for lack of a better word, might be considered too “common”; the Princess of Kent won the distinction for behavior which is a bit too “royal” for these egalitarian times. She was born Baroness Marie Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz on January 15, 1945 in Karlsbad, Czechoslovakia (today the Czech Republic) to Baron Gunther Hubertus von Reibnitz (a German) and Countess (take a deep breath) Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walpurga Bernadette Szapáry von Muraszombath, Szèchysziget und Szapár (a Hungarian).

After World War II the couple divorced and her father moved to Portuguese East Africa while her mother took the children and moved to Australia where she opened a beauty salon. As she grew up Baroness Marie Christine was often back in Europe and very cognizant of the fact that through the long ancestries of her parents she is related to virtually every royal house in Christendom. While in Germany, hunting wild boar, she met an English banker named Thomas Troubridge; no one too special (when your claim to ‘fame’ is that your older brother is a baronet -you’re no one too special). In 1971 the two were married in London and in 1973 they separated. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. It was not until 1977 that the two formally divorced and (for reasons not made public) the following year the Baroness was granted an annulment by the Roman Catholic Church. There was a perfectly good reason for the Baroness to finally want to get around to a formal divorce and annulment: she had met and fallen in love with her soul mate, and someone considerably more important than the kid-brother of a baronet.

The lucky man in question was, of course, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, first cousin to HM Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and etc. The very tall Austro-Hungarian aristocrat and the dashing British sailor made quite a handsome couple and they were married, the first time, in a civil ceremony in Vienna, Austria on June 30, 1978. The Baroness then became known to one and all as HRH Princess Michael of Kent, being a royal princess by marriage rather than by birth. On June 29, 1983, with the special permission of the Roman Pontiff, the two had a religious wedding ceremony in London. Because of his marriage to a Roman Catholic, according to the 1701 Act of Settlement, Prince Michael of Kent lost his place in the line of succession to the British throne (not that he was very high on the list anyway). By that time the Prince and Princess of Kent already had a family. In 1979 the Princess gave birth to their first child, Lord Frederick Windsor, and in 1981 to their daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor.

Aside from the usual raised eyebrows about her religion, Princess Michael soon began attracting controversy or at least reported controversy by those in the media business who stand to gain from controversy. Some of it was over their income and their residence and the sort of stuff typical on a slow news day in the tabloids. However, more was to be made of the character and attitude of Princess Michael. It was, for instance, reported (and I stress “reported”) that HM the Queen said Princess Michael was “a bit too grand” as part of a trend the media began to follow portraying the princess as arrogant and elitist. In the first place there is no proof the Queen ever said such a thing and, in the second place, there must be more people besides myself who want royals to be a bit “grand”. I would rather that they behave “a bit too grand” than to behave common. However, this was the line of attack the media would use against Princess Michael for a long time. It did not help that she (reportedly again) did not get along well with the much beloved Diana, Princess of Wales.

One report, in an effort to make her appear arrogant again, said that Princess Michael had stated that she had “more royal blood in her veins than any person to marry into the Royal Family since Prince Philip”. Again, there’s no proof she ever said such a thing but, that aside, when you look at the spouses of the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales and so on -it seems a perfectly factual statement. However, it seems that the root of the objections so many have about Princess Michael is that she is too “royalist” a royal for the modern tastes of many. She has been unashamed in her attachment to monarchy and her Roman Catholic faith, taking part in Catholic functions and authoring a number of books about royal figures. She has made no secret about her belief in the importance of ancestry and bloodlines and that “hereditary rank” is natural and beneficial. The Princess has also never shied away from controversial subjects or speaking her mind.

When a media firestorm erupted after photos of Prince Harry were passed to the tabloids at a costume party wearing a Nazi uniform Halloween costume, Princess Michael said the liberal media would not have cared in the least if he had instead worn a communist uniform with a sickle and hammer. When increased pressure over their finances made things difficult for the Prince and Princess of Kent, the Princess returned to her previous occupation as an interior decorator to augment her work as an author, historian and lecturer. She is also President of the London gallery Partridge Fine Art and has worked as an art consultant. The Princess, along with her husband, have at times represented HM the Queen abroad at engagements she was unable to attend although they do not undertake “official” royal duties nor do they or have they ever received any money from Parliament or the Privy Purse. The Princess, like many members of the Royal Family, loves animals and is especially known for her love of horses, dogs, Siamese and Burmese cats. She is Patron of a number of charities devoted to wildlife preservation in Africa. She is also an avid gardener.

Her work has earned her a good deal of recognition over the years, she was given the Order of the Starry Cross by HIH Archduchess Regina of Austria, she is a Grand Dame of the Order of Malta and in 2010 was given the Order of Mercy for her decades of unpaid charitable work. Although she is considered a “controversial” figure, Princess Michael of Kent is one of my favorite royals in the world today. She makes no apologies for who she is, she is a royal who is staunchly royalist and interested in monarchy as well as the faith and the principles behind monarchy. I admire her for refusing to play the media game according to their own rules and for refusing to be intimidated into silence. At a time when many royals seem to want to be common or at least appear to, Princess Michael is proudly and unabashedly royal. The unfair criticism she has received at the hands of the media is something she has endured with dignity while maintaining her refreshingly honest attitude. She carries on, doing her duty when called upon and pursuing her own interests regardless of the opinion of the chattering classes. She’s one of a kind and good for her. Personally, I’d be happy with more like her.

Posted by RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: June Ferguson's Royal Genealogy Page June Ferguson's Royal Genealogy Page Entries: 69958 Updated: 2017-01-13 20:01:10 UTC (Fri) Contact: fergy Name: Marie-Christine Von Reibnitz, HRH Pss Michael of Kent Prefix: Baroness Given Name: Marie-Christine Von Reibnitz, HRH Pss Michael of Surname: Kent Change Date: 23 SEP 2008 Note: Birth: 15 JAN 1945 in Karlsbad, Bohemia 5 Death: Event: Marie-Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida Von Reibnitz (Full Name) Event: Note Father: Guenther-Hubertus von Reibnitz b: 8 SEP 1894 in Mistitz, Silesia Mother: Maria Anna Szapary de Muraszombath Szechysziget et Szapar b: 2 AUG 1911 in Baden bei Wien, Niederï¿½sterreich, Austria Marriage 1 Thomas Troubridge b: 26 DEC 

1939 in London, England Married: 14 SEP 1971 in Chelsea Old Church, London, England Divorced: 1977 Marriage 2 Michael George Charles Franklin Windsor of Kent b: 4 JUL 1942 in Coppins, Iver, Bucks, England Married: 30 JUN 1978 in Vienna, Lower Austria, Austria Note: Married (civ) Vienna 30 Jun 1978 (rel, Anglican) Westminster Abbey 30 Oct 1978 (rel), Catholic) London 30 Jul 1978.

6 2 Children Frederick Michael George David Louis Windsor b: 6 APR 1979 in Paddington, Middlesex, England Gabriella Marina Alexandra Ophelia Windsor b: 23 APR 1981 in St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London, England c: 8 JUN 1981 in Chapel Royal, St. James Palace, Westminster, Middlesex, England Sources: ll_siteid=106694_headline=-KENTS%252DDIVORCE-name_page.html . Title: Note Page: Miscellaneous Text: Posted by Marlene on April 18, 2004, 20:49:58, in reply to "Prince Michael of Kent" 152.163.253.97 Prince Michael of Kent and Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz were married in a civil ceremony on June 30, 1978 in Vienna.

The guests at the civil service were Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and their daughter, Lady Helen, Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogivly, the Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Princess Paul of Yugoslavia and Princess Georg Wilhelm of Hannover. The marriage was blessed by the Anglican church a few weeks later. They also went through a Catholic service on 7/29/1983 at Archbishop House in London. Following the civil ceremony, the Michaels held a reception in Vienna. Glittering Royal Events Message Board ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- The Senior Kents are to divorce Posted by PK on 1/2/2004, 2:27 pm 67.118.200.128 The Duke has wanted a divorce for some time but the Duchess has refused because of her Faith. She has now agreed and the details are being worked out....the 43 year marriage has brought her much pain, aside from times of joy. To be straight forward about it...there's more than one jug-eared royal who likes to philander.

Royal House of Windsor Message Board ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- QUEEN UPSET AS KENTS TO DIVORCE Feb 1 2004 By Deborah Sherwood THE Duke and Duchess of Kent are set to divorce after 43 years of marriage. The couple are believed to be thrashing out the final details of a settlement after having led virtually separate lives for seven years. A Royal adviser said: "This has been drifting on for too long and the Duke's had enough. They have discussed divorce between themselves and with close friends." It is also believed the Kents have told the Queen of their plans - and she is said to be "distressed" and "upset". The Duchess of Kent has re-invented herself after four decades as the wife of the Duke, who is King George V's grandson. Throughout the marriage she was known as the smiling Royal who had a hug for the tennis losers at Wimbledon and congratulations for the winners. But over the past few years - and at the age of 70 - she has let her Royal duties take a backseat. She shed her Royal title HRH 18 months ago, feeling that being Her Royal Highness was not relevant to this day and age.

She is also no longer a regular fixture on Centre Court at Wimbledon and is believed not to have forgiven the tennis club for refusing to let murdered headmaster Philip Lawrence's son to sit alongside her in the Royal Box. The Duchess lives a bohemian life as a piano teacher giving lessons from a tiny basement bedsit in Notting Hill, West London, which she bought for ï¿½100,000 last year. Her pupils call her Katherine or Kate. She snubs travelling by cars and taxis to ride her bicycle. However, she continues to spend the night at Kensington Palace - the home of the Duke. The Kents also have a home in the Chilterns, but are rarely there together. It is the second time the Duke has told the Queen he wants a divorce. In the late 1970s, when the Duchess suffered severe depression after a miscarriage and then a stillbirth, the Duke consulted the Queen about divorce, saying he felt it would be better for them both. The Queen advised against it and the couple struggled on. Since then, the Duchess has converted to Catholicism - as has her youngest son Lord Nicholas Windsor.

A Royal aide said the Duke had been "gently pushing" his wife for a divorce but she has held out until now because of her religious views. The aide added: "It appears that the Duke is anxious for the matter to be settled. There will soon come a time when a decision will be made - when he finally persuades her. "We are not talking about a two-fisted battle. It would be a quiet divorce and she would be well looked after. It is truly sad for them but these things happen." The Duchess has faced bouts of deep depression which left her close to breakdown and led to her being cruelly dubbed "Mad Kate". More recently she suffered from the debilitating Epstein-Barr virus. The Kents have three children - the Earl of St Andrews, 42, society beauty Lady Helen Taylor, 39, and charity worker Lord Nicholas Windsor, 34 - and six grandchildren.

Last night a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: "I have spoken to the Duke's private secretay and he said he has no information about such a development." ll_siteid=106694_headline=-KENTS%252DDIVORCE-name_page.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- 19 Dec 2003 The duke and duchess of Kent may have different interests but they are not living apart. For a number of reasons, including health, the duchess has given up most of her royal duties. She is after all now 70. Several years ago, she purchased a flat in Notting Hill to use to teach music. The flat is a studio apartment. She does not live there. They also bought together in the last few years (both names are on the planning commission papers) a cottage in Oxford. According to one report in November, the duke has developed a friendship with a Hungarian woman, Katalin Bogyay, Over the years, she has battled depression and suffered from Epstein=Barr disease. She tends to drop the HRH for informal purposes. Marlene Eilers, The British Royals Message Board ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- Files: 25 years ago!

With the end of May 1978, probably on May 31, 1978, was announced engagement of prince Michael de Kent and the baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz. Here the cover that Images Point of view of of the World devoted to this event (number 1559, June 9, 1978). Picture on iomega disc. magcover25yrsago.jpg ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- in Daily Telegraph of January 6, the princess Michael de Kent declared that she suffered from a cancer of the skin since 1999. -- 8 Jan 2003 ======================================================= No: 1684 Princess Michael of Kent Tuesday July 25, 2000 Full name (please curtsy as you say it): Baroness Marie-Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz. Age: 55 if we're counting years; about 1,200 if we're counting dynasties. Appearance: Brï¿½nnhilde after a visit to a beautician. Nickname: Princess Pushy. Who dislikes her?

The Queen calls her Val (as in Valkyrie); Woodrow Wyatt branded her "an uncontrollable ass"; and the News of the World's genealogist traced her pedigree back to Vlad the Impaler. Ouch! Why the hostility? She called Princess Diana that "silly girl next door", the Duchess of York "common", and declared her background "better than anyone else who's married into the royal family since the war, except Prince Philip". That famed bloodline to Vlad? To Charlemagne actually. So why is she in the mews, sorry news? She's just given an interview in an American magazine rounding on her critics, who she says attack her because she's "foreign and Catholic". Not because she's an unbearable snob and social climber? Of course not: it's all to do with centuries of British religious bigotry. Brief biog: Father was a Silesian aristocrat and keen Nazi; mother fled to Australia after the war and worked as a hairdresser; the princess moved to London and got a job as a secretary ("typing and shorthand were not her forte", said her boss), before marrying an old Etonian businessman and then her prince.

Sounds rather selective and unfair: It's all to do with centuries of British religious bigotry. Not to be confused with: The tennis-loving Duchess of Kent, who is married to HRH the Duke of Kent, whereas Princess Michael of Kent is married to HRH Prince Michael of Kent. Do any of them actually live in Kent? Don't be silly. Most likely to say: "Call me madam." Least likely to say: "Don't worry about the washing-up, I'll do that." Abbrev: Internet Princess Michael of Kent : definition of Princess Michael of Kent and synonyms of Princess Michael of Kent (English) 11 External links Early Life Princess Michael of Kent was born on 15 January 1945, in Karlsbad , in the then-German-populated Sudetenland , now known as Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic , near the family estates of her Austrian maternal grandmother, Princess Hedwig von Windisch-Graetz , just prior to the defeat and the end of Nazi Germany and of World War II in Europe, and the following expulsion of the German population later that year.

Princess Michael is the only daughter of Baron Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz (of German descent) and his Hungarian wife, Countess Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walpurga Bernadette Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár, a daughter of Count Friedrich Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár , an Austro-Hungarian diplomat, who served as an ambassador in Saint Petersburg at the outbreak of World War I. The Princess's father also had a daughter named Margarita, born on 18 January 1924, from his first marriage to Margherita, Countess von Seherr-Thoß . Through her mother, the Princess is a descendant of Diane de Poitiers , [2] mistress of Henry II of France , [3] and Catherine de' Medici , [4] Queen of France (his wife), [5] and also of painter Peter Paul Rubens . [6] Her father was a Nazi party member who had held the rank of Sturmbannführer or Major in the SS during the Second World War.

[7] He moved to Maforga , Mozambique after divorcing. Marie Christine, her mother, and her brother, Baron Friedrich (Fred) von Reibnitz (now living in Canberra ), moved to Australia, where her mother ran a beauty salon. Friedrich became an Australian Government official . Marriages Princess Michael of Kent on Armistice Day , 2008. Her first husband was the English banker Thomas Troubridge , the younger brother of Sir Peter Troubridge, 6th Baronet . They met during a boar hunt in Germany. They were married on 14 September 1971, at Chelsea Old Church, London. The couple separated in 1973, were divorced in 1977, and the marriage was formally annulled by the Roman Catholic Church in May 1978 for undisclosed reasons. One month after the annulment, on 30 June 1978, in a civil ceremony in Vienna, Austria , she married Prince Michael of Kent , the son of Prince George, Duke of Kent (1902–1942) and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906–1968).

Prince Michael is a first cousin of the current British monarch, Elizabeth II. Upon marriage, she assumed the style and title of HRH Princess Michael of Kent, the female equivalent to her husband's title; because she was not born a Princess, she does not hold the title Princess Marie-Christine. After receiving the Pope 's permission, the couple later married in a Roman Catholic ceremony on 29 June 1983, at the Archbishop's House, London. Since the Act of Settlement 1701 prohibits anyone who has married a Roman Catholic from succeeding to the throne, Prince Michael of Kent (at the time, 15th in the line of succession) lost his succession right upon his marriage to Marie Christine. However, their children retain their rights of succession because they are in communion with the Church of England .[ citation needed ] TRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have two children: Lady Gabriella Windsor , born 23 April 1981 Career HRH Princess Alexandra Prince Michael has never received a parliamentary annuity or an allowance from the Privy Purse.

Even so, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent represented The Queen at the independence celebrations in Belize and at the Coronation of King Mswati III of Swaziland . Prince Michael also supports a large number of different charities and organisations, and Princess Michael supports him in this work.[ citation needed ] The couple have had the use of a five-bedroom, five-reception grace and favour apartment at Kensington Palace . The Queen had paid the rent for the apartment at a market rate of £120,000 annually from her own private funds with the couple paying the nominal amount of £70 per week. The rent goes to the Grant-in-aid, provided by the Government for the maintenance of the Occupied Royal Palaces. The rent is based on the current rate for commercially rented properties at Kensington Palace, and is recorded in the overall figures for commercial rents in the Grant-in-aid annual report. This rent payment by the Queen is "in recognition of the Royal engagements and work for various charities which Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have undertaken at their own expense, and without any public funding," according to a statement released by the British Monarchy Media Centre.

[8] In 2008, it was announced Prince and Princess Michael would be required to begin paying rent of £120,000 a year. [9] [10] Members of Parliament on the palace's committee had demanded the change after the Kents' rent had come to light. [9] The Kents have lived in the apartment since 1979, only paying their utility bills prior to 2002. [9] Interest in Catholicism Princess Michael of Kent attended several events during the historic Pope Benedict XVI 's state visit to the United Kingdom in September 2010. She was present at the Mass at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday, 18 September, where she was seated in the first row among other dignitaries, including Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor , the Duke of Norfolk and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair . After the Mass, they met the Pope. [11] [12] On Sunday, on the last day of the visit, 19 September, she attended the open-air Mass of beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Cofton Park, Birmingham.

Princess Michael was personally involved in the Beatification process [13] and attended several other celebrations related to the Beatification before and after the Mass in Cofton Park, including a commemorative concert of the Dream of Gerontius at Town Hall Birmingham on 18 September. She also attended a civic dinner with invited dignitaries and bishops in Birmingham, before attending the Mass and meeting the Pope. [14] Previously, in November 2008, the Princess attended the translation of remains of Cardinal Newman at his Birmingham Oratory , along with other guests of honour, including Francis Campbell , the British Ambassador to the Holy See; the Lord Mayor of Birmingham and Lady Mayoress; Sir Ivor Roberts , the President of Trinity College; Sir Derek Morris , the Provost of Oriel College, Oxford, and the former British Ambassador to Italy. After the translation Mass, Princess Michael was shown round Cardinal Newman's Room and Chapel and visited Newman's library.

[13] Except for Earl and Countess of St Andrews and Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor, who are members of the extended Royal Family, Princess Michael was the only member of the British Royal Family who took part in the Papal visit of 2010, except the state welcome by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the first visit in Edinburgh. Another Catholic member of the Royal Family, Katharine, Duchess of Kent , did not attend. Princess Michael of Kent represented her first cousin-in law, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the launching ceremony of the Green Pilgrimage Network in Assisi, Italy , on 1 November 2011. It was organised by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), which was founded by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1995, in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), once presided by the Duke. The Princess read a speech on behalf of the Duke of Edinburgh and led the opening procession.

[15] Author The princess is the author of three books, Crowned in a Far Country: Eight Royal Brides (Weidenfeld), and Cupid and the King – Five Royal Paramours (Harper Collins) and in 2004 released The Serpent and The Moon, a true story of love and betrayal in a royal family. She also writes a society column for an on-line shopping website. Michael of Kent, Princess (1986). Crowned in a Far Country: Portraits of eight royal brides. Weidenfeld and Nicolson . ISBN 0-297-79010-2 . Michael of Kent, Princess (1991). Cupid and the King. Harper Collins . ISBN 0-00-223911-6 . Michael of Kent, Princess (2004). The Serpent and The Moon: two rivals for the love of a Renaissance king. Simon and Schuster . ISBN 0-7432-5104-0 . Before her marriage to Prince Michael, she was an interior decorator.

According to a report in The Observer's Pendennis column in September 2007, the Princess began decorating again under her original company, SZAPAR DESIGNS. [16] From 2007-2011 the Princess was President of Partridge Fine Art, a gallery in London's New Bond Street until it went into administration following substantial multi-year losses. [17] In 2008 the Princess began work as a consultant with the Swiss art gallery Galerie Gmurzynska. [18] Controversies The media claim she once declared to an American fashion magazine that she had "more royal blood in her veins than any person to marry into the royal family since Prince Philip". [19] She is also reported to have said she was "probably the first tall person to marry into the clan" (also true if males are discounted; Princess Michael stands about six feet (1.83 m) tall). The Queen reportedly has referred to her as "Our Val," a reference to the warrior-like Valkyries , and – sarcastically – as "a bit too grand for" the rest of the royal family.

[20] In May 2004 she was in the news when a group of black diners in a New York restaurant alleged that the Princess had told them to "get back to the colonies" when complaining about their noise – an accusation she denied, though it made headlines around the world. Her account of the story was that she remarked to one of her fellow dinner guests that she would be glad to go back to the colonies in order to escape her noisy neighbours. She later described her accusers as a "group of rappers ". [21] This was untrue; the group consisted of an investment banker, a music mogul, a reporter, a television fashion correspondent, and a lawyer. [21] In February 2005 she gave a series of interviews to promote her book, in one of which she claimed that Britons should be more concerned about the bloodlines of their children, and claimed that the British media were "excited" by Prince Harry's decision to wear a swastika for a fancy dress party because "of the ownership structure" of the British press.

She claimed that the press would not have been so concerned had he worn a hammer and sickle, which "stands for Stalin and gulag and pogrom and devastation". In September 2005, she appeared in the news again, after the News of the World reporter Mazher Mahmood apparently gained her confidence and claimed that she made a number of intemperate remarks, including calling Diana, Princess of Wales , "bitter" and "nasty". [22] On hearing that the research of Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth seems to indicate that rank among female baboons is hereditary, the Princess said, "I always knew that when people who aren’t like us claim that hereditary rank is not part of human nature, they must be wrong.

Now you’ve given me evolutionary proof!" [23] Titles, styles, honours and arms Royal styles of 15 January 1945 – 14 September 1971: Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz 14 September 1971 – 30 June 1978: Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz, Mrs Thomas Troubridge 30 June 1978 –: Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent In full: Her Royal Highness Baroness Marie-Christine Anne Agnes Hedwig Ida, Princess Michael of Kent [24] It is worth noting that although Princess Michael of Kent is styled as a princess, she is not a princess in her own right, she is princess by marriage. According to Letters Patent issued by King George V , the style of British Princess by birth may only be given to the daughter of a sovereign, the daughter of the Prince of Wales and the female children fathered from male line relating to the Monarch (For example, Princess Beatrice of York is styled as such due to her father being a prince and a male line relation from Elizabeth II ).

As Princess Michael married into the British Royal Family and is not a direct relation to the Queen or any other member, she only holds the title and rank of her husband, Prince Michael of Kent through marriage. If her husband were to be given a dukedom, she would then again take on his title and rank, therefore becoming a Duchess. An example of this is The Duchess of Gloucester . Upon marrying HRH Prince Richard of Gloucester in 1972, he did not at the time hold a dukedom, therefore his wife did not gain that style and was known as "Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester". On 10 June 1974, two years after their marriage, Prince Richard inherited his father's dukedom, becoming The Duke of Gloucester. Automatically, his wife assumed the feminine form of his title and rank, becoming The Duchess of Gloucester. Arms 23 April 1981 Ancestry The Princess is of mixed German, Austrian, Czech and Hungarian aristocratic ancestry. Her ancestors originated from more than 40 countries.

She is a direct descendant of the "Vampire Princess" Eleonore von Schwarzenberg whose sister Princess Maria Ludowika von Thurn und Taxis is a direct ancestor of British Royal family. Princess Michael is also related to Queen Elizabeth II and her own husband Prince Michael through her mother and also through her father. It is safe to say that she is related to every royal family of Europe. From her mother's side she and Queen Elizabeth II are both descended from Prince Ferdinand von Lobkowicz, who died in 18th century, and from her father's side she and Queen Elizabeth II are both descended from the ancient family of Burggrafen von Dohna. [19] Ancestors of Princess Michael of Kent Notes ^ As a titled royal, Princess Michael holds no surname, but, when one is used, it is Windsor ^ Thru Diane's youngest daughter thru her earlier marriage Louise de Brézé (1518–1577), later thru her marriage marquesse de Mayenne and later duchesse d'Aumale. The Serpent and The Moon: two rivals for the love of a Renaissance king.

^ And to add further, great16-granddaughter of Agnès Sorel ; Diane's husband is Agnès' grandson thru her daughter Charlotte, Fille de France. Cupid and the King. ^ Thru her 2nd child and eldest daughter Elisabeth, Fille de France , later to be Philip II of Spain 's 3rd wife. The Serpent and The Moon: two rivals for the love of a Renaissance king. ^ Thru both ladies, their common descendant is Luigi Vittorio de Savoie (1721–1778: HRH's mother's maternal great5-grandfather), Prince de Carignano. Son of Vittoria Francesca di Savoia (1690–1766; great5-granddaughter of Diane) & Vittorio Amadeo de Savoie (1690–1741; great3-grandson of Catherine), Prince de Carignano. The Serpent and The Moon: two rivals for the love of a Renaissance king.

Royal Wedding: 21 things you didn't know from the Queen to Prince Andrew and Fergie's | Daily Mail Online comments Bit of a temper: Edwards won the role because 'you would be terrified to bump into [him] in a dark alley at the dead of night' 1. BBC newscaster Huw Edwards was chosen to commentate on the Royal Wedding after a day-long contest against his rivals. ‘This is the 21st century, so we wanted to get away from the warm, relaxed, authoritative style of David Dimbleby,’ explains BBC supremo Mark Thompson. ‘We knew that the man for the job had to be a bit frightening, with a bit of a temper on him, someone you would be terrified to bump into in a dark alley at the dead of night’. Edwards clinched the role after a fiercely contested competition involving arm-wrestling, table-football and staring. 2. Others short-listed for Edwards’ role included Sir Christopher Lee, Ray Winstone, Christopher Walken, TV quizmaster Anne Robinson and the British-born star of Nightmare On Elm Street, Robert Englund. 3.

When our present Queen married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in 1947, Great Britain was in the middle of a period of post-war austerity. This entailed strict cutbacks to the ceremony: the bride’s train barely stretched over her neck, the groom wore a flat cap with his morning suit, and the couple drove themselves away from Westminster Abbey in a second-hand Morris Seven, escorted by a single policeman on a bicycle. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Instead of the traditional choir, the music at the wedding was provided by the irrepressible George Formby, who sang a lusty rendition of Oh Praise We the Lord to the tune of Grandad’s Flannelette Night-Shirt. Post-war austerity: When our present Queen married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in 1947, the couple drove themselves away from Westminster Abbey in a second-hand Morris Seven, escorted by a single policeman on a bicycle 4. The only Royal Wedding to have taken place in Las Vegas was that of Prince Michael of Kent to Baroness Marie-Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz in 1978.

The couple were married by an Elvis Presley lookalike in a chapel next to a motorway to the north-east of the city. ‘I insisted on the decorum due to a royal bride,’ reveals Princess Michael in her autobiography, My Journey. ‘Accordingly, our Elvis Presley lookalike wore the robes of an Archbishop, and, as we walked down the aisle, he sang I’m All Shook Up at an appropriately slow and majestic pace.’ All shook up: Prince Michael of Kent and Baroness Marie-Christine Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz were married by an Elvis Presley lookalike in Vegas 5. The wedding of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson in 1986 was the first at which the father of the bride arrived in fancy dress. ‘I always think these events are so much more fun if one’s prepared to let one’s hair down,’ explained Major Ron, who came to Westminster Abbey dressed as Captain Scarlet, the lead character from the popular television series of the same name. Sadly, when he arrived at that evening’s party at Buckingham Palace dressed as Carmen Miranda, his entrance was barred by a 20-strong corps of Sergeants-at-Arms.

Major Ron was finally admitted to the party, but only after switching his costume for the tail-coat of a senior butler, and agreeing to hand round the chicken vol-au-vents, and, at the end of the evening, stack the chairs. VIEW FULL ARCHIVE 6. Princess Anne’s former husband, Captain Mark Phillips, now has a senior position with Tesco UK, working as head of security at their Totnes branch. He says he enjoys the job, as it gives him a chance to put on the military uniform he wore to his 1973 wedding. 7. Possibly the most ‘modern’ Royal Wedding of them all was that of HRH Princess Margaret to the fashionable photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in May 1960. ‘I wanted the whole thing to have a bit of dash, a bit of brio, a bit of bizazz,’ explained Armstrong Jones (later Lord Snowdon) in his TV tie-in book, titled Welcome To My With-It Wedding. 8.

With this aim in mind, the young couple were led up the aisle by members of the popular dance-troupe The Younger Generation, all dressed in white satin kimonos and dancing to She Taught Me To Yodel, the chart-topping song by royal favourite Frank Ifield. 9. Though the Snowdons’ marriage service was drawn largely from the Book of Common Prayer, the groom added one or two of his own flourishes to make it appeal to a modern, more carefree audience. These included ‘To have and to hold, from this day forward, backward, knees bend, turn around, that’s what it’s all about!’ and ‘With this ring, I groove to your tune’. 10. At the time, it was strongly rumoured that some members of the Royal Family disapproved of these changes to the traditional service. The Duke of Edinburgh was observed refusing to join in with the last-minute replacement to the hymn-sheet. Some suspect that he felt that Would You Like To Fly (In My Beautiful Balloon) was inappropriate to the occasion and that he would have preferred the more traditional I Vow To Thee My Country.

1000+ images about Prince Michael of Kent his father George the 4th son of King George and Queen Mary on Pinterest | King george, Edward viii and Windsor FC Forward The Kent City of London Fringe Tiara - (Great Britain) The City of London gave this tiara to Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark when she married Prince George, the Duke of Kent in 1934. Since the tiara was given to her almost all of the Kent women have worn it at their weddings. The tiara is now owned by Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. See more 1000+ images about Prince & Princess Michael of Kent on Pinterest | Prince michael of kent, Prince and princess and Lord frederick windsor (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Princess Michael of Kent attends Day 4 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 21, 2013 in Ascot, England.

(Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images) See More 1000+ images about Princess Michael of Kent on Pinterest | Prince and princess, Michael o'keefe and Princesses Forward Britain's Princess Michael of Kent attends the 20th edition of the 'Foret des Livres' (Books forest) book fair on August 30, 2015 in Chanceaux-pres-Loches. The event will play hosts to over two hundred writers. AFP PHOTO / GUILLAUME SOUVANT (Photo credit should read GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP/Getty Images) See More

Question: What is the much more common name of the British Royal named Baroness Marie Christine Anna Hedwig Ida Von Reibbitz?
Answer: PRINCESS MICHAEL OF KENT