Tag Archives: Archduchess Marie-Astrid

Austrian-Luxembourg Wedding 40 Years On

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 Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg and Archduke Carl Christian of Austria were married 40 years ago on February 6, 1982. Marie-Astrid wore the Congo Diamond Necklace Tiara, a convertible necklace made by Van Cleef and Arpels and gifted to her mother, Princess Josephine of Belgium, when she married Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg in 1953 by the Belgian colony of Congo (this piece has a fascinating history explained over at The Court Jeweller). Not only was the streamlined tiara one with tangible family connections, it made a great counterpoint to Marie-Astrid’s ruffle trimmed dress.

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Liechtenstein Royal Wedding

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Princess Maria Anunciata of Liechtenstein (daughter of Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg and Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein) was married to Emanuele Musini on Saturday. The ceremony was held The wedding was held at  the Schottenkirche, a baroque 12th century parish church in Vienna (an intimate civil ceremony took place in June at the Villa della Tenuta di Fassia in Italy).

The bride wore a Valentino gown made of satin with a curved neckline and fitted bodice that extended to a full skirt. A balloon hem on the skirt and train linked with the gown’s statement balloon sleeves.

An exquisite elbow length lace veil with detailed border toped the gown, anchored by the Habsburg Fringe tiara, a diadem from the bride’s paternal royal family collection. The spiky tiara contrasted beautifully with the romantic floral veil and blossoms studded through Maria Anunciata’s hair.

 

Five wee bridesmaids in silk frocks with botanical green sashes and white floral headdresses attended the bride, carefully maneuvering her exquisite veil.

For the evening reception held at the magnificent 16th century Liechtenstein Garden Palace, Maria Anunciata wore a silk chiffon gown with deep V neckline, horizontally drapedn beaded torso and flowing skirt. In a lovely nod to her mother’s family, she wore the Luxembourg Vine Leaves tiara, beautifully placed as a bandeau over the crown of her head.

We adore a daytime royal wedding ceremony because it means there will be hats!! Mother of the bride Princess Margaretha topped a pink bouclé Chanel dress with a horizontally pleated pink pillbox. Her younger daughter, Princess Marie-Astrid, wore a halo bandeau covered in a vibrant floral print.

 

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie topped a vibrant floral dress with a wheat coloured sinamay hat with gently raised brim on one side. The hat is simply trimmed with a wide hatband that loops into an interesting large abstract bow.

Princess Claire of Luxembourg wore a bright fuchsia pink bandeau encased in crin that tied in a large bow at the nape of her neck. It  is the “Hotel Party” design by Mimoki.

Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg tucked a fresh floral spray into her chignon. Her aunt, Archduchess Marie-Astrid, wore an navy rolled sinamay leaf fascinator with dotted veil while Countess Marie-Christine de Limburg-Stirum wore a sculpted dusky pink headpiece.

Archduchess Gabriella wore a bandeau headpiece that appears to be trimmed in salmon pink striped feathers.

Princess Sibilla repeated a lime sinamay hat with curving brim trimmed with silk flowers on one side. Countess Diane de Nassau topped her floral Zimmerman dress with a pink sinamay picture hat with rolled sinamay leaves, roses and feathers around the base of the crown in place of a hatband.

Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein, pictured at the far right of the group photo below, wore a wide-brimmed, lemon yellow sinamay hat with upswept brim and large bow on the side

Princess Laetitia of Belgium wore a bandeau headpiece of overlapping green feathers.

Hereditary Princess Cleopatra of Oettingen-Spielberg wore a black knotted halo bandeau headpiece wrapped in a black dotted veil. While members of the Hanover and Casiraghi families were in attendance, they did not wear hats.

As more photos of guests become available, I will update this post. In the meantime- which hats at this wedding stand out most to you?

Images from social media as indicated  

Austro-French Royal Wedding Part 2

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The wedding of Prince Jean Christophe Napoléon and Countess Olympia von Arco-Zinneberg on Saturday saw many royal faces with numerous extended family members and guests in Paris to celebrate with the couple.

The bride’s mother, Maria Beatrice of Arco-Zinneberg, was born an Archduchess of Austria-Este, the elder sister of Prince Lorenz of Belgium (Archduke of Austria-Este before gaining the title of prince when he married Princess Astrid). As uncle and aunt of the bride, they were in attendance, Princess Astrid in a brimless hat of spiky dark green feathers. Their daughter, Princess Maria Laura, who acted as a witness for her cousin, wore a sparkling bandeau headpiece. Princesses Luisa Maria, Laetitia Maria and Elisabetta (Amadeo’s wife) were also on the guest list but so far, elude photos.

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Archdukes Rudolph, Carl Christian and Simeon of Austria are also Habsburg relatives of the bride through her mother. Archduke Rudoplph’s wife, Archduchess Marie-Helene wore a white saucer trimmed with veil and a figure-8 bow in the same raspberry pink stripe as her silk coat. Archduchess Marie-Astrid topped her royal blue and gold dress with a navy straw saucer based cocktail hat trimmed with a multi-looped silk abaca bow and a swath of dotted navy tulle.

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Archduke Simeon’s wife, Archduchess Maria (née Princess Maria of Bourbon-Two Sicilies) wore a navy straw brimmed hat with voluminous straw overlay on the brim that wrapped around the design as a draped scarf of sorts. They are pictured here with Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein;  Margaretha topped her orange suit in a repeated russet brown straw hat with mushroom brim, trimmed on the side with a straw bow and pouf of dotted tulle.

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Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus’ elder daughter, Princess Maria Anunciata, wore a high halo bandeau headpiece in brilliant emerald green, lavishly trimmed with silk roses and a ruffle of rough-edged straw studded with tiny beads. Her younger sister wore a deep burgundy velvet bandeau (photo below). Their aunt, Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein, wore a picture hat in champagne straw with wide mushroom brim. The hat’s sheen is spectacular and the repeated use of the wide brim binding also on the hatband gives great balance to the design.

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Much of Luxembourg’s Nassau royal family members were also in attendance. Princess Stephanié, Hereditary Grand Duchess, repeated a circular wrapped headpiece made from overlapping layers of red banana fibre, trimmed with a multi-looped side bow. Princess Claire wore a classic black bandeau trimmed with faux pearls.

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Countess Diane (wife of Prince Jean), wore a tall slice hat of black crin with crown covered in curling pink and black feathers. Jean’s daughter, Princess Marie-Gabrielle, wore a bandeau headpiece covered in varied shades of dusky pink feathers topped with a pink birdcage veil sprinkled with copper sequins.

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Princess Sibilla repeated a wonderful red hat made by Dillon Wallwork. The design features a squared crown covered in the silk crepe, a sidesweeping windowpane straw brim with wide brim edge also in silk crepe, and a wide grey silk hatband with side bow. Also in a British made hat was Princess Beatrice of York in a Julian Garner design described by the milliner as a boater “made out of a fine parasisel straw and is trimmed with hand cut dyed feathers embellished with Preciosa crystals”

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The Greek royal family was represented by Crown Prince Pavlos, Princess Olympia, Prince Michael and Princess Marina. Princess Olympia wore an angular grey-olive bandeau headpiece while Princess Marina donned a black felt fedora with ribbon hatband and kicky upturned brim on one side.

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The Royal House of Hanover was represented by Prince Christian and Princess Alessandra who wore a dark purple bandeau veiled headpiece. The Olympe design from Spanish brand Mimoki features an overlapping double bandeau wrapped in cotton raffia. The Duchess of Bragança topped her blue silk dress and coat with a navy straw arc headpiece trimmed with feathers.

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Princess Tatiana Radziwill wore a red circle headpiece of silk abaca studded with read beads with flying bow tails at the back. Duchess Sophie of Wurtenberg wore a fascinator of bright pink feathers.

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Princess Maria Pia of Savoy wore a pink and grey floral headpiece set on a circle of gathered net tulle veil.  Princess Edouard De Lobkowicz (née Princess Marie Francoise of Bourbon-Parma) wore wonderful throw-back voluminous pillbox covered in curving mint, grey and peach straw leaves.

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The groom’s maternal aunt, Princess Anne Marie of Bourbon Two Sicilies, wore a braided black picture hat with upswept brim on one side, trimmed with a black organdie multi-looped bow and net veil. Her daughter, Dorothée de Bourbon-Siciles, wore a fascinator of neon pink crin, dotted crin and feathers while her daughter-in-law wore a chic black veiled pillbox with bow on the side. 

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Finally, the groom’s maternal uncle, Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, attended with his glamorous wife and daughters. Princess Camilla’s navy blue straw vertical disc hat is lavishly trimmed with different varieties of feathers in navy and black, large loops of navy crin and crystal-studded windowpane crin on the exposed underside of the raised brim.  Princess Maria Carolina, who served as a witness, topped her orchid purple suit with a magenta straw hat. With a sharply curved ‘slice’ shape, the design is trimmed with pink and black feathers on the lower side of the brim. Princess Maria Chiara wore a tan silk abaca draped hat with pleated crescent, net tulle veil and dark blue organza leaves and lighter blue flowers.

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Numerous more royal guests attended the wedding who, I’m afraid, were not caught by photographer’s lenses. Even so, we do have record of 33 hats and headpieces from this event which we are able to admire. This leads me to ask, dearest readers- which ones stand out to you, most?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Funeral of Grand Duke Jean: Family

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The funeral for Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg was held Saturday at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, attended by all members of the extended Grand Ducal Family and their Belgian royal cousins. Out of respect for this event and the Grand Duke’s memory, this post does not contain any commentary on the hats and it is not open for comments.

Grand Ducal Family:

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Extended Grand Ducal Family:

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Belgian Royal Family:

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To identify individuals, click on the photo and link to its original source, with explanation. You can see the many royal guests who attended at this post.

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Luxembourg Royal Wedding Guests, Ten Years On

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Anniversary While the wedding of Prince Louis of Luxembourg and Tessy Antony ten years ago was a small one by royal standards, it included a number of hats worn by members of the couple’s family. From our current vantage point a decade later, here is a look back at these millinery designs.

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa arrived with the groom in a silver silk suit topped with a matching jewelled headpiece of overlapping silk bow loops and pale grey flying feathers.

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The headpiece makes a strong statement (nearly as loud as a statement as Maria Teresa made when she left the church cradling her grandson, firmly putting rumours of Grand Ducal disapproval of the marriage to rest) and while it’s a little haphazard, I always thought it was great fun.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne

Tessy’s mother Régine Antony wore a wide brimmed black straw hat with flat crown, raised brim and large bow at the side. Her grandmother, pictured far left in the group photo below, wore a black felt hat with wavy brim.

September 29, 2006 | Royal Hats

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Archduchess Marie Astrid wore a small hat made of widely woven natural straw with tightly upfolded cuff brim and swath of net veil. The weave of the straw lends great texture to the piece which feels a little nondescript. Her sister, Princess Margaretha of Leichtenstein, wore what appears to be a cream calot with black overlay. The overlay gives interesting dimension to the piece although I have a hard time making a connection betwen the hat and her ensemble.

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Archduchess Marie Astrid and Princess Margaretha, September 29, 2006 | Royal Hats

Finally, Princess Sibilla wore a forest green Garbo style hat with laser cut brim. The pattern cut into the brim is an eye-catching embellishment alternative to usual flowers and feathers and, I suspect, a rather fashion-forward statement ten years ago. I’m not sure the hat was showed off to best effect with Sibilla’s gray-green suit but it’s an interesting piece of millinery that stands on its own.

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The stand-out millinery designs here are the ones worn by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Princess Sibilla, both of which I think could easily be worn today. What do you think of the royal hats at this royal wedding, ten years on?

Photos from Getty as indicated: Alain Benainous, Alain Benainous and Alain Benainous via Getty