Princess Caroline of Monaco & Prince Ernst August of Hanover: January 23rd, 1999

[tbhrc]

Protocol of their wedding:

Friday, January 22nd, approx. 5pm:

Princess Caroline arrives in Monaco in her silver Mercedes SLK and drives to her house Clos Saint Pierre. At the same time furniture for the bar was delivered.

Saturday, January 23rd:

The sun is shining, it's about 15°C and there are a lot of rumors in Monaco. The palast kept silent to the last minute. The monegasque learned about this event at this morning from the newspaper Monaco Matin.

9.45am:

The flowers arrive at the palast: white lilies, white roses with white and yellow 'fresien', and bouquets of tulips, carnations and orchids

10am:

Prince Albert arrives at the palace.

11.05am

There are hundreds of journalists and sightseer in front of the palace. There are rumours that the wedding will be between 11am and 11.15am.
Two black BMW and two green VW-Bus-Transporter drive up. In one transporter is the bridal couple, and in the other one their 5 children

11.15am

The wedding takes place in the closest family circle. Princess Caroline wears a light blue Chanel suit.
Patrice Davost, President of the monegasque State Council acts as registrar.

Best Man: Spyros Niarchos
Maid of Honor: Duchess Albina de Boisrouvray

Alltogether there are 19 people in the Mirror Room:

- Princess Caroline and Prince Ernst-August
- Spyros Niarchos and Duchess Albina de Boisrouvray
- Patrice Davost
- Prince Rainier
- Princess Antoinette
- Prince Albert
- Andrea, Charlotte and Pierre Casiraghi
- Prince Ernst-August and Prince Christian
- Virginia Gallico
- 5 more members of the administration

1.30pm:

The bridal couple leaves the palace in their VW transporter and drives to Caroline's home Clos Saint Pierre.

3pm:

Prince Rainier leaves the palace. At the same time some of the couple's friends are in the Hotel de Paris: Rolf and Maryam Sachs, Elle MacPherson and Arpad Busson.

4.30pm:

Karl Lagerfeld arrives in Nice and drives with his limousine to Monaco.

5pm:

Lawyer Matthias Prinz and his wife Alexandra von Rehlingen arrive in the Hotel de Paris.

5.30pm:

An official statement by the palace is released


Those info's are from BUNTE.

 

[tbhrc]

Some pics.....

(source APL)

 

[tbhrc]

And some more....

The Thank-You-Card

(Source: 7Tage, Bunte, Paris Match, Point de Vue, Gala)

 

[Kastalia]

Thanks for the details..I'm visiting often the worldroots but it is the first time i see these documents!

 

[Casey321]

Did Stephanie not attend?

 

[Kastalia]

Yes,i think i read at a previous thread at the Monaco forums that she wasn't there!

 

[Suonymona]

How far along with Alexandra was Caroline?

When was Ernst's divorce final?

Ann

 

[Laviollette]

Caroline was three months along into her pregnancy with Alexandra and Ernst was divorced in October 1997.

 

[tbhrc]

You're right, she must have been 3 months along. They married on January 23rd and Alexandra was born on July 20th.

Stephanie did not attend their wedding, but I don't know the reason for this... Maybe someone else knows....

 

[iceflower]

One little addition, seems as if you do not have it in your collection yet, tbhrc

(OGGI)

As to Steph: There were pics published that showed her in the mountains at those days. But that's no real proof and I think we'll never get to know the real reason for her absence..

 

[altagrace]

as far as I know Stephanie did not attend the wedding as "payback" because Caroline did not visit her in the hospital when she delivered her 3rd child Camille.
Great pictures of the civil ceremony- Never saw them before.

 

[tbhrc]

One little addition, seems as if you do not have it in your collection yet, tbhrc

(OGGI)

As to Steph: There were pics published that showed her in the mountains at those days. But that's no real proof and I think we'll never get to know the real reason for her absence..

Great Ice, thanks you so much.... I just love all those pics, it was pretty much a private wedding and so it is soo great to find more and more pics of that event.... They really look happy and relaxed.... Great...

 

[tbhrc]

Here is a website/article about their wedding:

http://personales.ya.com/fororeal/enbcarol.htm

 

[Lady Bluffton]

Did Ernst-A & Caroline have a religious ceremony?

 

[liv]

No, they didn´t .Caroline and Ernst-August were both married previously.

 

[Paula**]

So sad Stephanie wasn't there =/

 

[tbhrc]

Here is another pic, from Hola:

Caroline & Ernst

 

[princess olga]

Poor Chantal Hochuli, tht's always my initial thought when I think of this marriage.
I mean, there are so many men in the world, but no, Caroline went out and had to steal a good friend's husband. With Caroline's experience of tragedy, one would think she has more empathy for her friends! Then again, I would love to one day hear HER side of the story!

 

[fandesacs2003]

Caroline's wedding with Junot had been "annuled" and Ernst was married according to the protestant church. Why they could no wed to the church??

 

[sesa]

Maybe she did not want to have a church wedding as it was her 3rd marriage. Or maybe because she was already 3mos pregnant. Or maybe because she did not want to make such a big to do about it.
I don't think it was so much the fact that she "could not" have a church wedding, I think it was more likely that she "did not" want to have a church wedding.

 

[tbhrc]

I have found the official bulletin with a small part of Mr. Davost speech:

Original
N° 7375 du VENDREDI 29 JANVIER 1999 * MARIAGE DE SON ALTESSE SERENISSIME LA PRINCESSE CAROLINE AVEC SON ALTESSE ROYALE


Translated version:
....

"Madame Royal

"With the approval of benevolent His Serene Highness Prince Souverain, You are now committed to each other by marriage. Allow me to present you, both on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire population of Monaco , which I am sure made me the faithful interpreter, very warm wishes of happiness for your union.

"Madam, you have an important place in the hearts of Monegasques You know whose loyalty to your family and the commitment they You wear. They appreciate your outstanding qualities and the role that is Yours in the radiance of the Principality where You continue with a bang, both in the field of art at the head of humanitarian organizations renowned work undertaken by His Serene Highness Princess Grace.

"Allow me, too, Madam, you simply wish a happy birthday, since the day of your wedding is also that of your birth.

"Highness, You who are following a prestigious family, for your union, you now mark your commitment to the Rock, so full of history, and the Principality whose inhabitants welcome you with all the heat they are customary. The Monegasques, through me, are happy to send you, with their well wishes, their congratulations and wishes of happiness deepest.

"Your Royal Highness,

"I am sorry not to speak German, but I would like to tell you in English, that the inhabitants of the Principality, speaking through me, are glad to welcome you warmly and to offer you their congratulations and their very best wishes for your happiness and the happiness of the Princess. ".....

 

[tbhrc]

Here's a nice article from PEOPLE found by EllieSofie:

Ernst Goes to Monaco - Marriage, Weddings, House of Monaco, Prince Ernst, Princess Caroline : People.com

As rehearsal dinners go, it was strikingly laid-back. There, at a back table at Stars and Bars, a lively port-side Tex-Mex eatery in Monte Carlo, Her Serene Highness Princess Caroline of Monaco laughed and chatted with her intended, Prince Ernst of Hanover, and some pals, the night before her Saturday, Jan. 23, wedding. Mingling with commoner kids over Off-Road Challenge and Super Bike at the restaurant's amply stocked video-game room nearby were the couple's combined offspring—his (Ernst August Jr., 15, and Christian, 13) and hers (Andrea, 14, Charlotte, 12, and Pierre, 11). "They were one big happy family," says Stars and Bars owner Kate Powers. "Like the Brady Bunch." Right down to their Everyman repast. "Obviously they weren't here to order sea bass and champagne," observed a fellow diner (who, like other patrons that night, paid scant attention to the royal party). "Caroline likes her chips and guacamole, just like anyone else."

 

[randomlyKeira]

Caroline's wedding with Junot had been "annuled" and Ernst was married according to the protestant church. Why they could no wed to the church??

they could not marry in the church because even though her marriage to Junot was annuled, her marriage to Stefano had been recognized, giving her children a place in Monegesque succession. From what I have heard, she did not want to un-validate her marriage to Stefano for her childrens sake.

I was wondering, did the people of Monaco, or of the world, know that Caroline was pregnant when she married Ernest? Like, had there been an announcement or rumors of it before the wedding? Or did anyone suspect it when they saw photos of her looking a bit "bloated" in her wedding photos?

 

[Pixilated]

And some more....

The Thank-You-Card

(Source: 7Tage, Bunte, Paris Match, Point de Vue, Gala)

Caroline looks so beautiful and truly happy!!!!

 

[iceflower]

I was wondering, did the people of Monaco, or of the world, know that Caroline was pregnant when she married Ernest? Like, had there been an announcement or rumors of it before the wedding? Or did anyone suspect it when they saw photos of her looking a bit "bloated" in her wedding photos?

In case I remember it right there has not been any official announcement
untill the birth itself, but what I know is that there has definitely not been
any announcement before or together with the wedding.

As to pictures in the first months of the pregnancy that showed Caroline
in revealing beach-wear and Ernst August touching her belly quite often,
it's been an open secret that she was pregnant before the wedding took
place.

 

[giov]

Does anybody know why Caroline wore a recycled outfit on her wedding!
It is weird!

 

[Tosca]

Caroline's wedding with Junot had been "annuled" and Ernst was married according to the protestant church. Why they could no wed to the church??

Because all those who were baptized as Christians of any faith (Protestants, Ortodox a.s.o) are all Catholic in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church. So Ernst is still Chantal's husband to the Catholic faith, and he needs to get his first marriage annuled by the Roman Rota before he and Caroline can be allowed to get married in the Church.

 

[Sg1fan]

they could not marry in the church because even though her marriage to Junot was annuled, her marriage to Stefano had been recognized, giving her children a place in Monegesque succession. From what I have heard, she did not want to un-validate her marriage to Stefano for her childrens sake. All Catholic Widows are free to remarry without any sort of annulment as long as their partner is also free to marry in the Church. The only annulment Princess Caroline needed was from her marriage to Junot.

Actually, that is not the reason. With Casiraghi's death, Caroline was free to remarry in the Catholic Church again with no sort of validation issues to her previous marriage or children. Once he died, their marriage ended in the eyes of the church. Caroline's annulment went through after his death and was done to legitimize the children of their union - not to hold her to him for eternity. It was only necessary because Junot was still living! An annulment does not invalidate children of a union but is required to remarry. It simply states that the marriage commitment was not made in good faith (ie insanity, lies about identity, not wanting children, failure to commit, etc).

Since Prince Ernst and Princess Caroline's daughter was going to be raised protestant (to remain in the British succession) Princess Caroline could NOT marry in the Catholic Church. Members of the Roman Catholic Church who marry others of a different faith are not accorded church sanctioned weddings unless their partner agrees to raise the child Catholic. There have been other royal instances of this, including Princess Michael of Kent (where the Catholic Church actually made a statement in writing saying they were denying her church wedding and therefore she was forced to change a few days before to have a civil wedding even though she had an annulment from her previous marriage). Some people might tell the priest otherwise to be married but they are not considered Catholic and are, according to Church law not accorded sacraments.

The Catholic Church does recognize most (but not all) protestant weddings (Lutheran is one that is recognized) and therefore Prince Ernst would need an annulment to be married in the Catholic Church to Princess Caroline. It is doubtful he would be able to obtain one in the current climate of the rota (the tribunal that would hear the case).

The Catholic Church does not recognize legal weddings (like the Princess had) and so there is no need for an annulment or to present a situation where the Princess might be denied a sacrament of some sort.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

And some more....

The Thank-You-Card

(Source: 7Tage, Bunte, Paris Match, Point de Vue, Gala)

Prince Ernst August looks nice with or without glasses in photos!
​

 

[Blog Real]

Wedding photos of Princess Caeroline and Prince Ernst August of Hanover.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inUFUmDb...HQ/s1600/56d18fbf77349f28f1aa08dc73bd68ce.jpg

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VhiJvcdn...HQ/s1600/72d6b03b7adfee7151e64bf9de476651.jpg

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hYNJZZ-0...HQ/s1600/fe12aaa679ca304c876f1298bc8e71d2.jpg