On Saturday, the city of Straubing, Germany hosted a wedding between a prince of the former royal family of France and a descendant of several German royal houses.
Prince François d’Orléans (shown here wearing an ill-advised top hat) is the younger son of Prince Michel of Orléans, Comte d’Évreux and his estranged wife, Béatrice. He is a member of the House of Orléans, one of the royal houses that claims to be the rightful ruling dynasty of France via their descent from King Louis Philippe I of France. François’s grandfather, Henri, was the Orléanist pretender to the throne until his death in 1999; his uncle, also named Henri, is the current claimant and uses the title “Comte de Paris.” Through his paternal grandmother, François is also a descendant of the former imperial family of Brazil.
The bride, Theresa von Einsiedel, also has significant royal ties. Her maternal grandmother, Princess Iniga von Thurn und Taxis, was the daughter of Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg, a sister of Grand Duchesses Marie-Adelaide and Charlotte.
The tiara chosen by Theresa as a bridal diadem appears to be something of an unknown quantity. It’s always hard to keep track of the jewelry owned by various noble families, and this one apparently belongs to the bride’s mother, not the Orléans collection.
Perhaps this was one of her “something blue” items? Stefan, writer of the Royal Travel blog, was present at the wedding; he reports that the center stone in the tiara was changed (presumably from a diamond) to a sapphire specifically for the wedding. It’s a shame that the tiara is set so far down in her hair, as there’s no way for the gems to catch the light. I’d love to see this piece showcased a bit more, but alas, weddings are one of the only chances we have to see these pieces from noble collections in public.
What’s the verdict on the bridal jewels and ensemble from this royal wedding, dear readers?
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