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Posted by
Sofia in
Nathalie on
01 27th, 2010 |
no responses 
In early January the Danish Royal Court announced that Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (34) has become engaged to her boyfriend Alexander Johannsmann (32). The Princess is the daughter of Princess Benedikte of Denmark, sister of Queen Margrethe and Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Nathalie and Alexander became an item in the autumn of 2006 and as recently as late last year, Nathalie answered “not yet “on the question of they were engaged.
The Princess breeds and trains dressage horses at the family’s stud farm in Bad Berleburg and belongs to the top tier of the best dressage riders on the World Cup tour for which she travels around the world to competitions with their best horses, Digby and Rigoletto. Her foremost achievement in dressage this far is an Olympic bronze medal along with the rest of the Danish team in Beijing 2008. Alexander’s family also has a long history in the equestrian world. Among other things, his father was once a famous show jumping rider and is now coach while Alexander himself works for a renowned equine transport company owned by an uncle.
When or where the wedding will be has not yet been announced.
Since I know that non-Danish often have issues when they try to figure out how some of the Danish royal names are pronounced – I pestered a Danish friend of mine, Stine, into helping me make an audio-file so you all could enjoy it.
Well, only that it’s not one audio file. We ended up making two. One for just the brief names, they are known as in every day conversations. And one for their full names.
With many thanks to Stine.
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With Crown Princess Mary in training for the Danish Home Guard: Army, Billed Bladet has pulled out pictures from the time her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe II, went through the training for the Airforce branch of the Home Guard.
The Home Guard stands strong among the Danish female royals: the Queen’s sister, Princess Benedikte is a member of the Navy branch of the organization.
The Danish Home Guard is a part of the Danish military. It has around 50,000 volunteers, and 650 full-time employees. It was formed in 1945, by former resistance fighters, who wanted to ensure that Denmark had a wide network of people who knew how to fight, if Denmark was to be invaded again. Today, the organization deals with education of military forces sent out for deployment, and with more civilian matters inside Denmark, such as handling environmental or other emergencies where the government is in need of extra hands.
Queen Ingrid once said that: “Benedikte is the most royal of my three daughters,” and Mette Bacher, the author of Benedikte: Prinsesse til Danmark, concurs in her foreword.
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Personally, I am less than accustomed with horses. I’ve been on a pony once, under duress, and aside from that my closest relationship with them has been through My Little Pony, or horses for my Barbies. That being said… I still found the biography about Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and her life with horses an interesting read.
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Posted by
Sofia in
Bismarck-Schönhausen on
10 26th, 2008 |
one response Beautiful autumn colours bedecked the gardens of Schloss Friedrichsruh outside Hamburg today as Count Carl-Eduard von Bismarck-Schönhausen, great-great-grandson of German “Iron Chancellor” Otto von Bismarck, and his wife Countess Nathalie invited family and friends to the christening of their second child.
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Posted by
Sofia in
Thurn und Taxis on
10 18th, 2008 |
no responses The Bishopric of Regensburg yesterday announced that the former wild-child-turned-devout-Catholic Fürstin Gloria von Thurn und Taxis has been appointed Dame Commander with Star (DC*SG) of The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Benedictus XVI.
“Particularly impressive is her great interest in the theory and tradition of the church, as well as her natural loyalty towards the Pope and Bishop. Furthermore Gloria is a role model for many people through her charity commitments“, Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Bishop of Regensburg, said in a statement.
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great was founded in 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI and today it belongs to one of five pontifical orders of knighthood conferred by the Holy See. Since 1994 it can be conferred also upon women and it is given to Catholics “in recognition of their service to the Church, unusual labors, support of the Holy See, and the good example set in their communities and country”.
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