These Two Weeks in Princesses

Weddings and funerals and memorials. These past two weeks have been filled with joyous and somber gatherings, but some princesses still managed to snatch some vacation time.


AUGUST 14

Empress Michiko and Emperoro Akihito of Japan attended a memorial ceremony honoring those who died in World War II on the 65th anniversary of World War II. The emperor's father, Hirohito, was a young emperor during the war and was still considered to be a living god. The imperial family is still highly honored but not "revered" in the same way.


AUGUST 18

Do you like my hat? Oh yes, Your Majesty! King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan were all giggles during a visit to Scotland for the 50th anniversary of the Royal Military Tattoo. Living in the Middle East, the king and queen are used to seeing men in longer "skirts" and probably were amused by all the knobby knees under those kilts.


AUGUST 21

Having returned from their honeymoon and dodged bribery accusations for getting it paid for by a rich businessman, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel (in the center) joined King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine for the bicentennial celebration of Sweden's parliament. Carl Philip has been taking heat for dating a reality star who is apparently allergic to wearing clothes and Princess Madeleine has been spending more and more time in the U.S. since her ex-fiancee allegedly cheated on her.

On a "solo" holiday Down Under, Australian-born Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is still showing no sign that she is actually a "trio" at the moment since she is due to deliver twins in about five months. She keeps tricking the watching photographers by wearing loose blouses but this ensemble and the skinny jeans she's been wearing around Australia show no sign of baby bumps.


AUGUST 23

Pauline Ducruet flipped out in Singapore where she was competing in the 2010 Youth Olympics. The 16-year-old daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco is a hopeful for the 2012 London Olympics.


AUGUST 24

Princess Beatrice of York got a bit windswept on the English coast where she was watching billionaire Richard Branson unsuccessfully attempt to kite-surf across the English Channel for his 60th birthday. Bea is dating Branson protege Dave Clark.

The entire Spanish royal family invaded Greece for the wedding celebrations of Prince Nikolaos, whose father King Constantine II is the brother of Queen Sofia of Greece. Apparently, however, Infanta Cristina did not get the notice that they were all supposed to wear white pants to the party! She looks lovely nevertheless standing next to her handsome husband Inaki, sister Elena, sister-in-law Letizia and brother Felipe.


AUGUST 25

A flower-draped carriage was just one fantasy moment for Europe's new fairytale princess and her Prince Charming, as the 29-year-old Tatiana Blatnik married 40-year-old Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark on a lovely Greek island surrounded by friends and family who just happen to include most of the crowned heads of Europe.


AUGUST 26

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was a vision in strawberry pink as she and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway led the 65th anniversary commemoration of their common cousin Folke Bernadotte's "White Buses" mission, which rescued more than 30,000 people from German concentration camps.


AUGUST 27

You'll never get this soldier to blink! King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia of Sweden came face-to-face with some Chinese warriors who have been on sentry duty since the death of the first Chinese emperor. No two of the 8000 terracotta soldiers are the same. They were all part of a huge mausoleum still being excavated in China.

Meanwhile, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall was looking very "queenly" in this smart cream ensemble: Giant feathery hat? Check. Large brooch? Check. Gloves? Check. Handbag with no money in it? Check. Sensible shoes? Check.


AUGUST 28

A day out with dad. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway slipped out to the movies with dad, Crown Prince Haakon, and her brothers Marius and Sverre Magnus on Saturday.

Things were not as cheerful in sunny Parma, as Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Crown Princess Maxima joined the mourners for the funeral of Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma, who died at the age of 80. One of many pretenders to the French throne, Carlos Hugo was married to Willem Alexander's aunt, Princes Irene of the Netherlands for 17 years before they divorced. Irene had to elope with the prince and give up her claim to the Dutch throne because of her groom's Catholicism and his controversial claim to the French throne. Despite that controversy and the divorce, his body laid in state at The Hague in the Netherlands before being transported to Italy for internment.

The Royal Report for Sunday August 29, 2010 - A Tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales

August 31st will mark the 13th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. On this episode a tribute to her life and legacy.

You can listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada No 185 30 August 2010

From My Royal Collection

Diana: The Portrait: Anniversary by Rosallind Coward

Resources used to research this episode

The Queen - DVD

Diana: A Celebration - Official Guidebook

Macleans magazine - Diana, her life and legacy Commemorative edition - September 1997

Macleans Magazine - Forever Diana - September 15, 1997

Newsweek - Farewell, Diana - September 15, 1997

Royalty Magaazine - September 1997

Majesty Magazine Commemorative Issue - September 1997

Time - Commeorative Issue September 15, 1997

Time - Special Report: Death of a Princess - September 8, 1997

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday September 5, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

TThe topic will be: In a special one hour episode, an Interview with Jerramy Fine, author of the memoir, Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures of a Wannabe Princess
Listen to that episode for your chance to win a copy of her book.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Royal Focus: Royal Warrants

The next time you enjoy some Twinning tea or Johnnie Walker you may want to take a close look at the package. You may have seen this particular image before and not known what it means.

Since the Middle Ages, tradesmen and companies that have provided a service or goods to the Sovereign have received formal recognition through a Royal Warrant. Originally this patronage took the form of 'royal charters' granted collectively to various guilds in trades and crafts, which later became known as livery companies.

The first on record was given by Henry II in 1155 to the Weavers Company. Over the centuries, the relationship evolved between the Crown and individual tradesmen and was formalized through 'royal warrants'.  Currently, only three members of the royal family grant royal warrants - The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. When she was alive, the Queen Mother also granted warrants, which were kept valid until 2007 - five years after her death. They are granted to companies that have provided services to the royal family for a minimum of five years. Upon issue, the royal warrant allows the grantee or company to use 'By Royal Appointment' and display the royal coat of arms on their products such as stationery, advertisements and other printed material, in his or her premises and on delivery vehicles.

Royal warrants are initially granted for five years after which point they come up for review. Should the goods or service reduce in quality or the supply of the product is insufficient to the Royal Household, a royal warrant will not be renewed. The warrants may be cancelled at any time or automatically come up for review should the holder die, leaves the business or if the company goes bankrupt or is sold. Some companies have a record of royal warrants over a 100 years. The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales can grant only one warrant to any individual business, however, there are some companies that hold all three.

Royal warrants are granted for a number of products and services, including dry-cleaners to fishmongers, agricultural machinery to computer software.  There are currently approximately 800 Royal warrant holders, holding over 1,100 Royal warrants between them (some have more than one Royal warrant).

The Royal Report - Where do the show ideas come from?

Note: Click on the video to view it in full!






© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday August 22, 2010 - The Princess Royal at 60

Princess Anne, The Princess Royal celebrated her 60th birthday on August 15th. The only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, she is considered to be the hardest working royal yet her causes get little attention. On this episode I look back at her life and highlight this misunderstood royal.

Listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada August 23, 2010 No 184

Star Magazine August 23, 2010 issue - Cover story William & Kate Royal Romance in Ruins

OK! Magazine weekly August 23, 2010 - Cover Story The William & Kate Wedding Tell-All!

From My Royal Collection

Riding Through My Life HRH The Princess Royal with Ivor Herbert

Resources used for this episode

The Official Website of the British Monarchy - The Princess Royal

The Princess Royal by John Parker

Princess Anne;: A royal girl of our time by Anne Matheson and Reginald Davis

Anne: The Working Princess by Paul James

Anne and Mark - Text by Judith Campbell, Photographs by Srdja Djukanovic

Tune in live to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday August 29, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: August 31, 2010 will mark the 13th anniversary of the death  of Diana, Princess of Wales. On this episode, a tribute to the late princess.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Children in the Wedding

Amidst the pageantry of a royal wedding, a small group of children almost always takes center stage after the bride and groom. This troupe of tiny attendants takes the place of adult bridesmaids and groomsmen. For more about this tradition, view my guest blog at Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel Blog.

Here's a look at children at royal weddings from the past.

2010

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden included several of her royal godchildren and young relatives in her Stockholm wedding. The boys were dressed in sailor suits while the girls's dresses reflected the simple, clean lines of Victoria's gown. The youngsters included(from left to right) were Prince Christian of Denmark, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, her cousins Leopold Sommerlath and Ian de Geer, the groom's nieces Vera and Hedwig Blom, and Princess Catharina Amalia of the Netherlands, along with three other girls.

2005

When the Dutch Queen's nephew Prince Pieter Christiann married Anita van Eijk, the little ones in their party were dressed in pale yellow with light green trim. The girls were the classic smocked dress of generations of little girls, but the ruffles on the boys' shirts echoed a more distant past.

2003

Claire Coombs decided to have only three girls and no boys at her marriage to Prince Laurent, youngest son of the King of Belgium. The lovely lasses were simple white dresses with pale sashes and wreathes of flowers on their heads. They were (from left) family friend Clothilde de Meulenaere, Claire's niece Emma Grant and Prince Laurent's niece Princess Luisa Maria.

1981

Most people still think of the wedding of Charles Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer when they think of royal weddings, even thought it was nearly 30 years ago. Charles' brothers, Prince Andrew in his naval uniform and Prince Edward in a gray morning suit acted as his 'supporters.' The younger boys, in suits inspired by military uniforms, were blonde-haired royal cousin Lord Nicholas Windsor and friend of the family Edward van Cutsem. The girls ranged from four-year-old Clementine Hambro, a great-granddaughter of Winston Churchill to 16-year-old royal cousin Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Princess Margaret. The other girls were family friends Catherine Cameron and Sarah Jane Gaselee as well as the now famous designer India Hicks, a cousin of the prince on his father's side. The girls' puffy dresses in ivory satin were designed by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel to match Diana's iconic fairytale princess gown.

1975

Here's Lady Sarah Armstong-Jones (now Chatto) several years earlier in a society wedding where her big brother, David Viscount Linley (center), wore a red kilt.

1960

At Sarah and David's mother's wedding, Princess Margaret choose her niece Princess Anne (who celebrates her sixtieth birthday this week) as her chief bridesmaid. Anne, then 10 years old, is standing on the bride's right. All eight young bridesmaids wore long white dresses with elaborate floral headbands.

1947

Princess (now Queen) Elizabeth selected more mature bridesmaids when she married the Duke of Edinburgh. Among them was her beautiful 16-year-old sister Princess Margaret (on the groom's right) and the youngest bridesmaid was 10-year-old Princess Alexandra of Kent. The two kilt-clad pageboys were royal cousins Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent, both about five years old.

1893

Jumping back a couple of generations to the wedding of the Elizabeth and Margaret's grandparents, the future King George V and Queen Mary, the 10 young bridesmaids were all princesses--sisters and cousins of the groom. They included the future Queen Maud of Norway (standing on the far right) and the Duke of Edinburgh's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg (seated on the far left).

This Week in Princesses

Many princesses were still scarce as their summer vacations continued, but a few did manage to make appearances both public and private in view of the cameras.

AUGUST 7, 2010

Queen Sofia of Spain, who spent all of last week at the Copa del Rey sailing competition, wrapped up the event by helping the Rey, King Juan Carlos, present the prizes on Saturday.

Alright, Prince Charles is not a princes, but you must admit he wore a daring hemline at the Mey Highland Games in Scotland.


AUGUST 8, 2010

Three queens (and one King) of style were pictured together when U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama spent some time with KKIng Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia and Princess Letizia during her girls-only Spanish vacation with daughter Sasha and an old friend. The visit sparked some controversy for being too expensive and glitzy for the president's wife until it was revealed that she had agreed to accompany her friend because she couldn't be there when her friend's father died early this year. Who can resist the adorable Sasha?


AUGUST 10, 2010

[picapp align="center" wrap="false" link="term=queen&iid=9529340" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9529340/celebration-the-danish/celebration-the-danish.jpg?size=500&imageId=9529340" width="380" height="245" /]
The always colorful Queen Margrethe II took a little boat ride with her pregnant daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Mary. The expected twins will be grandchild number six and seven for the queen and her husband, Prince Henrik.


AUGUST 12, 2010

If you were out shopping in Palma de Mallorca, you might have noticed a large family group visiting the shops and snacking on ice cream. Queen Sofia of Spain took her daughters, Infantas Elena (seen here) and Cristina and their kids out for the day. Sofia's two older granddaughters were with them: Elena's dark-haired Victoria Federica and Cristina's blonde-haired Irene.

Photographers desperately seeking pictures of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark's baby bump found some satisfaction from the low-belted blouse she wore to the Copenhagen International Fashion Fair.

In chilly ole England, the Princess Royal looked sunny as she reviewed the graduation parade at the Army Foundation College. She will be 60 on August 15.

Keep calm in the face of Prince William and Kate Middleton engagement rumors

I would advise everyone to stay calm and remain seated. Resist the urge to go to your nearest store and buy the latest issue of OK magazine with William and Kate on the cover. Slowly take your hand away from your purse/wallet. Ignore your Google alerts about an upcoming announcement in November and don't read too much into Kate's no-show at Gatcombe Park, where William demonstrated his prowess by taking photos with his phone.

These stories are just red-herrings because there is no real news about William and Kate (Oh, where is Tina Brown when I need her to illustrate my point?). We can be forgiven for jumping to conclusions, scoffing at these stories while reading every word. After all, what else is there to do?

But as you resist, you become stronger. Capable of reading between the lines of William and Kate stories.  For instance:

1) William and Kate photographed together in actual close physical contact/appearing together at a significant event (Read: They're still together. Phew!)

2)  William and Kate in close proximity looking serious. (Read: Not a good sign, but at least they're in the same frame)

3) Kate smiling enigmatically on the cover of Hello! (Read: Hello! is grasping at straws). There could be any number of reasons why Kate is smiling. It's a facial expression she'll have to lose when she marries into the royal family.

4) William or Kate photographed in separate situations - he at Gatcombe Park, she carrying mysterious rolls of paper while looking determined. (Read: Going about their lives as separate individuals. Or Kate has diagrams of Gatcombe Park to infiltrate the event. She failed.)

5) The cover of OK/Star Magazine showing pictures of William and Kate, with the headlines 'A Wedding Just Like Diana's!' or 'William & Kate's $40 Million Wedding of the Century!'    (Read: Nuff said!)

6) Stories about Kate working. (Read: Don't insult our intelligence)

7) Kate pregnant with William's baby (Read: Don't start knitting just yet)

8) Kate cheating on William (Read: Well, can you really blame her?)

9) William and Kate are related (Read: No worries. Keeping it in the family is a royal family tradition)

10) Specific predictions for engagement announcements and wedding dates (Read: Someone is using the Magic 8 ball again)

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Is Letizia expecting?

While there has certainly been no announcement of a third pregnancy for the future King and Queen of Spain, purely coincidental evidence leads me to believe that Letizia Princess of the Asturias may be adding to her family. This is based entirely on the fact that Crown Princess Mary of Denmark latest pregnancy was announced last week. The royal lives of Mary and Letizia have run on parallel courses since the very beginning, with Mary trotting ahead of Letizia in all family milestones by only a week or so each time.

ENGAGEMENT: 24 days difference

The much-anticipated engagement of Mary Donaldson and Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark was announced on 8 October 2003 while the engagement of Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano took the world by surprise on 1 November.

WEDDING: 8 days difference

The Danish crown couple marched to the altar on 14 May 2004, but still made it to the church on time to see their Spanish counterparts get married on 22 May.

FIRST CHILD: 16 days difference

Mary and Fredrik welcomed the first addition to their family, the future King Christian, on 15 October 2005, while Letizia and Felipe's firstborn, Infanta Leonor, was born on 31 October, amidst speculation about whether Spain would change the laws regarding succession so that she, as a female, might be able to become queen. (The laws, incidentally, have still not changed.)

SECOND CHILD: 8 days difference

The Danes were thrilled by the arrival of the first Danish princess of her generation with the birth of Princess Isabella to Mary and Fredrik on 21 April 2007 while Spain celebrated another little infanta on 29 April to Letizia and Felipe, who named her in honor of her grandmother Queen Sofia.

NEW BABIES?

The Danish court announced last week that Crown Princess Mary is not only pregnant, but expecting twins in January 2011. This certainly ups the ante for Princess Letizia. Judging by her latest photos, it doesn't look like she's entered the baby stakes again yet. But, in order to stay competitive, she must not only conceive quickly but doubly! (Incidentally, Mary is also just seven months older than Letizia and Fredrik is four months younger than Felipe.)

Royal Focus: Princess Diana's Wedding Dress

When people attempt to describe the wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales, the words voluminous, iconic, meringue, fairy-tale tend to be used. But it's difficult to put into words the impact of it both on fashion and on the memory of those who watched Diana alight from the carriage, as if a 'butterfly emerging from a chrysalis'. Unlike any royal wedding dress before or since Diana's will always be in a league of its own.

The dress, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, took four months to make and was made of ivory pure silk taffeta. The bodice was fitted and boned with a wide frill around the curved neckline. It has embroidered lace panels on the front and back. The sleeves are full and gathered into a taffeta frill at the elbow with lace flounce underneath. The skirt of the dress as full, worn over a crinoline petticoat consisting of many layers of ivory tulle and trimmed around the waist and hem with embroidered lace.

The train, trimmed with lace, was 25-feet long - the longest to date.

The veil, measuring 11 1/2 foot by 40 foot, was hand-embroidered with 10,000 3mm mother-of-pearl sequins. Diana wore the Spencer family tiara for something borrowed. The something old was a piece of lace from Queen Mary, and for something blue, the Emanuel's hand-sewed a little blue bow into the back of the dress. The couple also added a tiny,golden horse-shoe made of 18-carat Welsh gold, studded with diamonds, sewn into the back of the label of the dress.

Diana carried a large, cascading bouquet. On her feet Diana wore slippers by Clive Shilton. Trimmed with lace from the dress, and made of silk duchess satin, dyed to match the color of the dress, the shoes had 542 mother-of-pearl sequins on each pair, each knotted by hand. The fluted heel was made of bits of leather and wood and the soles were hand-painted with the letters "C" and "D" entwined with a heart.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

The Royal Report for Sunday August 8, 2010 - Are Prince William and Kate Middleton on the path towards a royal engagement?

After eight years of dating, are Prince William and Kate Middleton on the path towards a royal engagement? Have Peter and Autumn Philips sold 3D Ultrasound pictures to Hello! magazine? How and where does Zara Philips get her kicks?

Listen here to find out

Publications mentioned

People Magazine - December 11, 2006 (Cover Story: Kate Middleton and Prince William - Will he propose?)

People Magazine - May 3, 2010 (Cover story: William and Kate - The next Princess!)

Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures of a Wannabe Princess by Jerramy Fine

From My Royal Collection

The Jewels of the Duchess of Windsor

There will be no episode next week. Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday August 22, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America).

The topic will be: The Princess Royal at 60

© Marilyn Braun 2010

This Week in Princesses

While we here in the deep south sent our children back to school this week (despite soaring temperatures), European royal families were enjoying summer holidays.

AUGUST 2, 2010

Queen Sofia of Spain is a lifelong fan of yachting, so it was no surprise to see her at the Copa del Rey race on the first day of the competition. It's not unusual for all or most of the royal family to show up.

It was a bit cooler in Britain where most of the British royal family ended their holiday cruise. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor clearly resembles her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. Not only does she have the queen's girlhood golden curls, but she seems to have adopted the queen's fashion sense, even wearing a little headscarf. Louise's mum, Sophie Count of Wessex, and brother, James Viscount Severn, also enjoyed the family break.




AUGUST 3, 2010

On Day 2 of the Copa del Rey, Infanta Leonor was a little doll in her purple and green summer dress. Although she no longer has her Shirley Temple curls, she is still one of the cutest children on the planet.


AUGUST 4, 2010

Girls day out for the royal ladies (and little ladies!) of Spain. Abuela Queen Sofia, Mama Princess Letizia and las chicas adorables Infantas Leonor and Sofia paid a visit to the Museum of Glass in Palma de Mallorca. Baby Sofia seemed less-than-impressed with the waiting photographers.

Then Letizia and her darlings joined Prince Felipe for a little family time back at the Copa del Rey.


AUGUST 6, 2010

Day 5 of the Copa del Rey found Princess Letizia really getting into the nautical spirit with her navy striped T-shirt, denim capris and sporty flats.

Tragic Death: Rudolph’s Final Moment

Rudolph sat stone still on the edge of the bed, tormented by what his life had become, terrified of the next step he must take. Beside him, his teenage mistress lay nude, cloaked only by her beautiful hair, her youth forever frozen by the jagged bullet wound behind her ear.

Dawn was coming too slowly, too quickly. Crown Prince Rudolph, heir to the dual thrones of Austria and Hungary, knew he had to complete his plan. It had all seemed so simple, why was he hesitating?

Soon, the handful of servants and his friends would be wandering about the hunting lodge at Mayerling outside of Vienna. Hours ticked by on that frozen January night. Finally, around six a.m., the handsome young man left the chilly bed chamber and summoned his valet, and sending him on a false errand to out of earshot. As the trusty servant dashed out of the house, the valet heard his master whistling. Knowing no one would hear the final shot, Rudolph sat back down next to Mary Vetsera and placed the gun to his head.

When the Crown Prince did not emerge from his chamber later that morning, the valet and the other servants hesitated to disturb him. They knew he was with his mistress. But the prince’s guest Count Hoyos and his brother-in-law Prince Philip of Coburg, who had arrived that morning from Vienna, were unaware that she had been smuggled in. The room was forced open on Prince Philip’s orders and the gruesome scene unfolded before them.

As the only son of the powerful, hard-working but autocratic Emperor Francis Joseph II and his beloved, beautiful but restless wife Elizabeth of Bavaria, Rudolph had led a charmed life. He was considered one of the handsomest, most popular and most promising young princes in Europe. Even the rapidly aging widow Queen Victoria fell under his spell—her cousin, the Duchess of Teck, teased that Victoria had fallen in love with him.

But as Rudolph grew into adulthood, troubling characteristics began to emerge, like the pleasure he took in killing small animals. His mother’s son, he was restless and liberal-minded. He began keeping company with like-minded people, some of whom sought to overthrow his father. Rudolph even wrote incognito articles for a liberal newspaper. The Emperor, who had once planned to personally train his son for his future role, instead felt compelled to keep him away from state business and had him followed by the secret police. Unlike either of his fearless parents, Rudolph was cowardly and promiscuous. He was moody and felt persecuted.

Forced into a loveless marriage with Princess Stephanie of Belgium, he found no solace in his private life. Even his darling little daughter could not assuage the demons that were pursuing him.

Inspired perhaps by the mysterious suicide of his cousin King Ludwig of Bavaria, Rudolph decided that a murder-suicide was the solution to his troubles. He contemplated the idea for many months, always looking for a companion for his plans. He proposed the idea to his horrified wife, who took the information directly to the Emperor. He asked his longtime mistress Mitzi Kaspar to join his pact. She reported the incident to the police who also notified the Emperor. On both occasions, the Emperor could not bring himself to believe that Rudolph was serious—he may threaten to harm himself, but he could never actually do it.

Then, Rudolph met the star-struck 16-year-old Baroness Mary Vetsera who was all-too-willing to believe that she was the true love of this man who was nearly twice her age. At first, Rudolph thought he might make a life with the adorable and adoring youngster. He infuriated his father by asking the Pope for a divorce. With that door slammed in his face, Rudolph reverted to his previous plan.

Mary excitedly agreed. She had been the prince’s lover for barely two weeks when she left her mother’s house for a shopping trip with Rudolph’s cousin (and procuress) Countess Marie Larisch. Two days later, her distraught mother, went to the palace to demand that the Empress make the Crown Prince return her daughter immediately.

“Your daughter is dead,” the unusually calm Elizabeth told her, “but also my Rudolph is dead.” The news had been brought to the highly strung Empress only hours before. Everyone feared to tell her—especially since the Emperor tried to keep all unpleasantness from her—but they feared even more to tell the Emperor. So, it fell to Empress to break the news to Francis Joseph, who was distraught and no doubt niggled by guilt at the tragedy.

The palace tried to hush up the cause and circumstances of the death. Little Mary’s uncles were forced to dress her and sneak her away from Mayerling in the middle of the night with her body seated upright between them in the carriage. But, the subterfuge was useless. Telegraph wires and newspapers around the world were already publishing the story before it had even reached the ears of the imperial parents. The doctor would not confirm the proposed cause of death (heart failure), reporting instead that the Crown Prince had died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. He did, however, add that certain brain abnormalities indicated that it had happened in a moment of “mental derangement.”

It was enough to convince the public. Rudolph’s cousin after all was King Ludwig, who had been declared insane before he committed suicide, and who had been succeeded by his even more mentally disturbed brother, King Otto, who had been brought out of confinement to assume the throne under a regency.

It was also enough to guarantee a properly royal and religious burial. His grieving father dutifully attended, but his mother could not bring herself to mourn so publicly. In the middle of the night, she stole out of the palace and hailed a taxi. Against the protests of the monks, she insisted on entering the dark, icy crypt alone but her anguished cries could still be heard ringing through the monastery.

Later, she would say that all those who had whispered against her in Vienna must be satisfied knowing that “no son of mine will ever rule Austria.” The role of heir apparent was assumed by Rudolph’s cousin, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, who, two decades later, would also die with his beloved from gunshot wounds, this time at the hands of an assassin who sparked the First World War.