Edinburgh Family Picture Thread


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I'm wondering.... why Sophie doesn't have the title princess, but only Countess of Wessex? the same thing to Catherine Middleton. because the other women who were married to royal family would get the title princess or crown princess, although they're not from aristocracy family/commoner like Letizia, Mary, Mette-Marit, Masako or Maxima. sometimes I think British royal is more strict than the other European royal :D
 
biru said:
I'm wondering.... why Sophie doesn't have the title princess, but only Countess of Wessex? the same thing to Catherine Middleton. because the other women who were married to royal family would get the title princess or crown princess, although they're not from aristocracy family/commoner like Letizia, Mary, Mette-Marit, Masako or Maxima. sometimes I think British royal is more strict than the other European royal :D
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British royals don't give titles to women who marry into the family, they take the female equivalent of their husband's titles.

Thus, a woman who marries a King becomes a Queen; the wife of the Prince of Wales is the Princess of Wales, the wife of a Royal Duke is a Royal Duchess, an Earl is a Countess, and so on. If the husband is just a Prince, then the wife becomes Princess [her husband's name].

I believe this isn't actually all that different from the situation with the women you've mentioned. They're all Crown Princesses (except for Maxima, who is a Queen) because that is the female equivalent of their husband's titles. The only real difference that I can see is that each of their titles include their name, while in the British don't - while married, Diana was The Princess of Wales, while her husband was Charles, The Prince of Wales.
 
Ish said:
British royals don't give titles to women who marry into the family, they take the female equivalent of their husband's titles.

Thus, a woman who marries a King becomes a Queen; the wife of the Prince of Wales is the Princess of Wales, the wife of a Royal Duke is a Royal Duchess, an Earl is a Countess, and so on. If the husband is just a Prince, then the wife becomes Princess [her husband's name].

I believe this isn't actually all that different from the situation with the women you've mentioned. They're all Crown Princesses (except for Maxima, who is a Queen) because that is the female equivalent of their husband's titles. The only real difference that I can see is that each of their titles include their name, while in the British don't - while married, Diana was The Princess of Wales, while her husband was Charles, The Prince of Wales.
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wow, thanks for the info. so when William became Prince of Wales, then Kate will be adressed as Princess of Wales like Diana, right?

The women i've mentioned before are indeed Crown Princess, except fo Maxima who now is a Queen not a Crown Princess anymore . But Marie of Denmark, Laurentien of The Netherlands also adressed as princess ( I don't even know their husband's title like duke or earl) when they got married to a prince :ermm:. That's why I think this is the difference between British royals and other European Royals, cmiiw.

Does Sophie come from aristocrate family or just a commoner like Kate? I like Lady Louise, she's such a beautiful young lady :flowers:.
 
biru said:
wow, thanks for the info. so when William became Prince of Wales, then Kate will be adressed as Princess of Wales like Diana, right?

The women i've mentioned before are indeed Crown Princess, except fo Maxima who now is a Queen not a Crown Princess anymore . But Marie of Denmark, Laurentien of The Netherlands also adressed as princess ( I don't even know their husband's title like duke or earl) when they got married to a prince :ermm:. That's why I think this is the difference between British royals and other European Royals, cmiiw.

Does Sophie come from aristocrate family or just a commoner like Kate? I like Lady Louise, she's such a beautiful young lady :flowers:.
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Sophie is from a very middle class/common background, and she did not grow up priviledged at all. She was the first "commoner" with a far from wealthy background to marry a Prince. She set the precedent for Catherine and Autumn really as she proved commoners can adjust. Being from a less priveledged background probably helped to ground Edward a lot.
 
biru said:
wow, thanks for the info. so when William became Prince of Wales, then Kate will be adressed as Princess of Wales like Diana, right?
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Yes, if William is created PoW (it's not automatic), then Kate will be Princess of Wales. If William hadn't even created Duke of Cambridge, then right now she would be Princess William of Wales, similar to how Prince Michael of Kent's wife is known as Princess Michael of Kent.

The women i've mentioned before are indeed Crown Princess, except fo Maxima who now is a Queen not a Crown Princess anymore . But Marie of Denmark, Laurentien of The Netherlands also adressed as princess ( I don't even know their husband's title like duke or earl) when they got married to a prince :ermm:. That's why I think this is the difference between British royals and other European Royals, cmiiw.
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The British are different, that is for sure. Some, probably even most, continental Europeans allow for women to take on the female counterpart of their husband's titles with their own names. They also tend to be more relaxed about how many generations down princely titles go, while also distinguishing more between different levels of highnesses. On the other hand, particularly in non-reigning houses, they focus a lot more on the importance of equal marriages.

Does Sophie come from aristocrate family or just a commoner like Kate? I like Lady Louise, she's such a beautiful young lady :flowers:.
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Sophie does come from a non-aristocratic family, like Kate. She's not the only one; Sarah's family wasn't overly aristocratic (her mother's family has aristocratic descent, but Sarah herself wasn't),
nor is Camilla (although her mother was), but both were brought up in more similar circles to the BRF. Mark Phillips isn't of an aristocratic background at all, nor is Timothy Laurence. I would think that each one of them (and of course Anthony Armstrong-Jones) helped pave the way for Catherine, Autumn, and any future royal spouses.
 
Ish said:
Yes, if William is created PoW (it's not automatic), then Kate will be Princess of Wales. If William hadn't even created Duke of Cambridge, then right now she would be Princess William of Wales, similar to how Prince Michael of Kent's wife is known as Princess Michael of Kent.
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thanks again for the info. I always wondered before why Prince Michael's wife is called Princess Michael of Kent, what's her real name? I don't even know :). Now I understand why people call her like that :D.

by the way where does the Wessex family live right now? is it in London?
 
biru said:
thanks again for the info. I always wondered before why Prince Michael's wife is called Princess Michael of Kent, what's her real name? I don't even know :). Now I understand why people call her like that :D.

by the way where does the Wessex family live right now? is it in London?
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Princess Michael's given name is Marie-Christine.
The Wessex family lives at Bagshot park, near Windsor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagshot_Park
 
I love little finds!

Edward and Sophie went on a cruise in September 2006 and here are some images of their stop in Italy.

One, Two, Three and Four

I must say I would hate to have security with me all the time on holiday.
 
Lovely pictures.

i think her hair looks so much more shinier (and less dry) when it's short.
 
biru said:
I'm wondering.... why Sophie doesn't have the title princess, but only Countess of Wessex? the same thing to Catherine Middleton. because the other women who were married to royal family would get the title princess or crown princess, although they're not from aristocracy family/commoner like Letizia, Mary, Mette-Marit, Masako or Maxima. sometimes I think British royal is more strict than the other European royal :D
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Countess of Wessex is technically Sophie, Princess Edward. Because due to George V's Letters Patent of 30 November 191, Princess title is given to:

  • the legitimate daughters of a British sovereign,
  • the legitimate male line granddaughters of a British sovereign,
  • the wife of a British prince.
In The Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy, there is a "plate" for Countess that says, HRH Princess Edward, Countess of Wessex.
http://www.elystan.co.uk/Elystan.co...'s stall plate in Savoy Chapel (close up).jpg

However due to the "low" rank of Edward's position to the crown, they were given lesser royal title to use officialy, hence Countess and Earl.

BUT when the title "Duke of Edinburgh" will come back to the crown, after Prince Philip's death, that title will be given to Edward and Sophie. So they will be Duke and Duchess in the future. And the Duke title outranks Prince's title.
Of course there is also issue of royal blood, and then royals by blood are higher in rank when it comes to those who married into royal family, but when Countess and Duchess are with husbands they outrank Princesses by blood. It's all very confusing.

Recently there was a "fight" between reporters and officials, as back in 2011, Clarence House, insisted that Kate, is not Princess upon her marriage (when letter patent, which is still valid these days, says that she must be, as she married a Prince).

So after baby George's birth, when reporters saw that at the birth certificate it was stated, Catherine, Princess of the United Kingdom (in occupation), they started asking questions, and it was one big mess, and this time Clarence House, change their tune, and said, that yes, Cathrine is Princess as well, due to her marriage.

Hope I explained it.
 
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I just found two pictures of Edward and Sophie in Monaco from Albert and Charlene's wedding, but I think it's from the dinner the night before.

Edward and Sophie

Edward and Sophie

I forgot how pretty that dress was and Sophie's hair looks lovely.
 
 
Molly or anyone else here, have someone seen a picture of Countess at the opening ceremony or reception for the London Olimpics in 2012?
 
Hey Anna, there have never been any photos of Sophie at the opening ceremony for London 2012, only the paralympic's. She and Edward did attend a long with many other members of the family, but they were not sitting with the Queen etc. in the IOC so they were never photographed.
 
Thanks Molly, watching Our Queen for the next time, I think I saw a glimpse of Sophie head from the back at that reception, and that would be it...
I wonder where they sit? As for reception, well only one person was really photographed.
 
Family photo released to mark Prince Edward’s 50th birthday
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Family photo released to mark Prince Edward’s 50th birthday | Royal Central

Edward, portrait of a family man at 50: Prince offers glimpse of his home life as he releases image to mark his birthday
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Prince Edward, portrait of a family man at 50 | Mail Online

Prince Edward shares intimate family photo to mark 50th birthday
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http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2014031017397/prince-edward-50-birthday-portrait/
 
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The new photo is wonderful. Louise looks a lot like her grandmother at that age.
 
iceflower said:
And some from 2002, also from Gettyimages, I like that couple a lot, very lovely, elegant and kind of discreet, I do not find a better word for that..:)
rclfd1.jpg
rclfgo.jpg

rclh02.jpg

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rclh86.jpg
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I like the photograph of Prince Edward wearing the top hat.
He reminds me of the photographs of I have seen of his maternal grandfather, George VI {Prince Albert, The Duke of York} wearing a top hat. :D:britflag:
​
 
^^^ Edward does look a lot like his grandfather Bertie. :)
 
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