The third issue (September issue 2008) of the Swedish QUEEN magazine has an interview and photos of Countesses Bettina and Diana Bernadotte af Wisborg on Mainau. I have translated the whole article and interview, hope you like it!
The Countesses on the flower island: “Mainau is almost like a sister”
Swedish original by Cecilia Hahne Hilgers
They are countesses and sisters with a special fondness of father Lennart’s flower island Mainau. Bettina and Diana Bernadotte are modern royals with a glimpse in the eye who both grow their own rose garden – and play air guitar in it!
It is when Mainau’s press guy Florian, who attends the photo session with the countesses, sings the hard rock hit “Highway to hell” with AC/DC it happens. The Bernadotte sisters rock loose with great identification on the air guitars in the rose garden. Here are two sisters who know the art of having fun together and who represent the royals of the new time. Two hardworking career women who can have both tiara and tattoo with the silk dress.
- It’s a talisman, Bettina tells about her round symbol in black ink on her shoulder.
Today it is she and her siblings who have taken over father Lennart Bernadotte’s lifework, the flower island Mainau in southern Germany. The easiest way to get here is by first flying to Zürich and then it is about a one-hour drive before one reaches the 45 hectares big island with exotic plants and trees. Lennart Bernadotte’s grandmother’s father, Grand Duke Friedrich I, started to construct a subtropical park on the island already in the year 1853, but after his death the garden decayed. When Lennart Bernadotte took over the island from his father Prince Wilhelm in 1932, the island more resembled an overgrown forest.
But Lennart Bernadotte decided to do over the island and made the castle his home. His work and stubbornness gave result, suddenly Mainau developed and bloomed once again.
Today the island is one of southern Germany’s biggest tourist attractions which is visited by 1,2 million people every year, and who turned over 18 million Europe last year. During the high season between March and October, they have 300 employees, of which 60 are gardeners.
Bettina and Diana and their siblings have grown up in Mainau’s castle, which was built in the mid 1700’s. And from the so called “green room” in the castle, named after its furniture in gold and green velvet, one has a fantastic view over lush trees and the mirror blank Lake Constance.
- When father came here the first time, this was the only room from which one could see the lake because the whole island was so rampant, 34-year old Bettina, who has taken over the role as manager from mother Sonja, tells us.
Earlier Bettina has studies art history and tourism among other things, but after having tried working at Mainau for a year she felt that she had come to the right place. Last year she became the manager.
- It is nice that mother is pleased with what we go and is proud of us. It has surely been difficult for her to let go of Mainau and it will be exciting when I myself end in that situation. Imagine having done something for 40 years and then someone else is taking over… Mother started as telephone operator and at the post here when she was in her 20’s. She knows Mainau from the beginning, Bettina establishes.
Her younger sister Diana, 26 years old, both works and lives at the castle. She is a milliner and sells her self-created hats in a shop at Mainau. Queen Silvia is one of the happy customers.
- When we held a memorial concert for father in July 2006, Silvia and Carl Gustaf came here. Mother, Bettina and I decided that we would be wearing hats, but then we found out that if Queen Silvia doesn’t wear a hat then no one else can either. So when Silvia came here I suggested that I would make her a hat. She wanted a hat with real orchids. I sat up until four in the night the day before the concert working with the hat.
At eight in the morning sharp Silvia got her hat tells Diana, who believes that her interest in design, colours and shapes come from grandmother Maria Pavlovna.
Maria Pavlovna was Lennart Bernadotte’s mother and cousin to Russia’s last Tsar, Nikolaj II. A fun-loving princess who loved jewels and amused herself with riding a silver tray down the stairs in the home Oakhill on Djurgården during her marriage with Prince Wilhelm.
- She was very artistic and design patterns among other things to Coco Chanel, Diana tells.
Lennart Bernadotte was the only child in the arranged marriage between Maria Pavlovna and Prince Wilhelm. The marriage was ordered by the Russian tsar and Prince Wilhelm’s parents, King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria. Maria Pavlovna and Prince Wilhelm married in 1908 when Maria was just 18 years old and the son Lennart was born a year later. But the parents divorced already when Lennart was five years old. Mother Maria moved back to Russia and Prince Lennart was taken care of by his grandmother, Queen Victoria. Lennart Bernadotte described the event in his memoir book “Käre prins, god natt” (Bonniers 1977):
“The decision got wide-ranging effects for my whole life. The most fatal was without doubt the step back in regard to generations: a grandmother would raise a grandson. Tweny-five years were suddenly missing, twenty-five important years during which the world in much had changed in a top-to-bottom way. My grandmother was indeed not the one who felt like accepting the new, the freer, the more democratic. She stubbornly clinged to that the kingship was ‘by the grace of God’ (—).”
Lennart Bernadotte’s own strict upbringing resulted in him trying to give his own children an as natural upbringing as possible.
- Because father was brought up so strictly by his grandmother and could only play with certain children, he wanted the castle to always be open for us and our friends. We are really grateful that they brought us up in a natural way, Bettina says.
She is the oldest in a host of five siblings which Lennart Bernadotte had in his second marriage with Sonja Hauntz. His first marriage with Karin Nissvandt 1932 made grandfather Gustaf V furious (she was an “ordinary” girl and not of blue blood) and made Lennart loose his princely title. The scandal was so big that the marriage could not take place on Swedish soil but the spouses were wed civilly in London. Lennart Bernadotte was titled “Mr” up until 1951 when he got the title Count af Wisborg from Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg.
Together with Karina, Lennart had four children, and the years after their divorce, 1972, he remarried with the German Sonja Hauntz. He was 63, she 28. Many jinxes said that the marriage would not last, but together the couple had almost 30 happy years together and five children: Bettina (born 1974), Björn (1975), Catherina (1977), Christian (1979) and Diana (1982). In December 2004, Lennart passed away, 95 years old. Today Diana, Björn and mother Sonja lives in the castle. Mainau is a family business where almost all siblings are involved, in one way or another.
- When we grew up there were many conversation about Mainau. Our parents said “do you know what happened today” and told about their work and what happened on the island. It created a unity and an interest which makes our siblings feel still today that “this is our thing”, Bettina says.
To grow up on Mainau, with all the shrubberies, bushes and exotic trees, was like a gigantic playground for the Bernadotte children.
- It’s was wonderful with all the trees one could climb in, but it wasn’t always very popular with mother and father! Bettina says.
- When one was 14, it wasn’t very fun to climb in trees anymore, then one wanted to go to disco. But now that I have my daughter here it is really nice to be here in peace and quiet, Diana ascertains.
Growing up with a father who was born a Swedish prince and living on a castle with 100 rooms was nothing that the sisters thought was odd.
- It was only through others that one understood that there were those who found it to be something special. Our parents gave us a normal upbringing. Of course we had nice dresses occasionally, and attended large parties, but the every day life was in jeans and shirts and we attended a normal school in Konstanz (closest city five minutes from Mainau), Bettina says.
How was it to grow up with an older father?
Bettina: Father was very relaxed with children, he already had four from his earlier marriage, so it was very relaxed. Whatever we came up with he always said “yes yes, it’s not so bad”. He gave us very good confidence, one felt important and he was a calm and safe base. Father was informed in all sorts of things and one could discuss everything with him. If one came to father and thought something was terrible, he just said “don’t take it so seriously”. He taught us to enjoy little things, like who wonderful it is to go out into the woods on a Sunday morning to listen to and watch the birds. To take part of life, here and now.
Diana: “Pappi” was really interesting and exciting! He always had an answer to everything and so much experience which maybe youngers fathers don’t have. I remember when he made a play-safari in the white hall, it was so much fun! I was maybe four years old and dad fastned a line across the whole room. The floor was the glacial sea and all children sat on a carpet that was supposed to be a boat, then father pulled us across the room with the line. It is a bit of a special memory that one can think of when one sits in the white room today, listening to an artist or lecturer. “Hmmm, between these chairs we went on the carpet across the glacial sea”, haha. In one way the castle is a castle where we have guests, exhibitions and lectures, and in another way it is our home where we have played and ran around and hidden ourselves from the nanny. It is wonderful that we have our own little memories.
In “Käre prins, god natt”, Lennart Bernadotte wrote about the Mainau castle’s supernatural powers.
“Of course the old castle must be loaded with dynamic powers from past times. My grandmother’s mother for example, old Grand Duchess Luise, was a very strong-willed and energetic lady, who spent a lot of time on Mainau, and who also dealt with a peculiar death-cult, when it came to close relatives. In her bed chamber she had no more than twenty pictures of people on their death bed. Six of them, who were of her late husband Grand Duke Friedrich I, hung in the bed alcove. Luise if anyone would be predestined to haunt us in her black widow outfit with tab bonnet and crepe veil.”
And the sisters confirm that there is a ghost at Mainau, but say that “he is very kind”.
- Sometimes one can hear him. He knocks in the walls, and sometimes he opens the doors and walk over the floor so it creaks, Bettina says.
Father Lennart had his own trick to keep the ghosts in check:
- He used to say that “if you put a bottle of red wine in the room, the ghost won’t knock anymore, he gets other things to do!”, Diana says and laughs.
Both sisters speak fluent Swedish and say that Sweden feels like home.
- We always spoke Swedish with father. It is like a secret language here on Mainau because no one else speaks it here, Diana says.
- At least we think so, haha! Our parents thought it was important that we experienced the Swedish traditions with Lucia, Midsummer, and Easter witches, and that is something we want to extend to our visitors here at Mainau. On Midsummer for example, we have a Midsummer pole and Swedish choirs here, Bettina says.
Do you speak Swedish with your children?
Bettina: Yes! My three-year old son Emil wanted me to build a cave for him and said in German “mother can you build a cave for me?”. Yes we can I sad, but then we have fetch the mattress from your room and Linnea sleeps there. Then Emil answered in Swedish “då måste vi vara mycket tysta!” (”then we have to be very quiet”).
Diana: You only speak Swedish with your children, I speak a little Swedish with my daughter Paulina and teach her some words and so on.
In the book “Mainau – en ö. En man, ett livsverk” with text by Barbro Bolinder and photo by Lennart Bernadotte (Wiken 1989) the two sisters are portrayed in different ways. Diana is described as “plucky with strong own will” who wants to decide for herself and one day, four years old, tells her parents that “today I start kindergarten, I am tired of just being at home. Just so you know”, collects her things and disappears from the breakfast table.
Bettina is described as “a castle miss as fetched from a fairytale book” and as the oldest in the host of siblings takes responsibility and acts as justice of peace.
- Hahaha! We have to read that book, it absolutely fits, still, Diana establishes.
- Yes, but when one is to give a face to our family, to Mainau and to the Lennart Bernadotte Foundation we all agree, it is a very strong common interest. And then Sweden is another common interest, we have a summer place outside Mariefred and love going to Sweden! Bettina says.
Which are Bettina’s best characteristics?
Diana: Wow, there are so many. That she is fair is probably the greatest. Plus that she’s kind. If one does something wrong she doesn’t say “now you’re doing it wrong!” but “maybe that wasn’t so good”. Bettina explains in a kind way and one can ask her for advice. She is always honest.
And which are Diana’s best sides?
Bettina: She is very creative and that gives her a lot of speed, she has a lot of dynamics and…
Dina: Thank you for not saying “dynamite”!
Bettina: …she has many ideas and is great at buying birthday gifts! Diana has an ability to see people and what suits them. And she would never say “today I don’t know what I’m going to do”, she always has something going.
Do you spend time together every day?
Bettina: Yes all siblings usually see each other because Diana works down at the castle and I have my office one floor above her studio. We also see each other when we leave our children at kindergarten or when they sleep over at each other’s.
Diana: Bettina is godmother to Paulina.
What is the best thing with having a sister
Diana: One learns a lot from one’s siblings!
Bettina: Do you?
Diana: Yes, absolutely! One doesn’t want to talk with one’s mother about everything, then it’s great to be able to ask a sister “how did you do when you were 14?”. It’s nice to be able to say two words, and the other one knows exactly what one means. It’s perfect, no fuss.
What do you want to bring over to your children from your own upbringing?
Bettina: That it is very important to know where they come from so that they know who they are. That they have a good temper and learn to live with their surroundings. To be aware of what they themselves want to do and not let themselves be affected by others; to realize that we can all just be a small part of a big system and that one should not just take but also give.
Diana: I think it is important t give the children an openness without pointers and to be curious and listen. When I was little I constantly asked “why” and when my daughter who is now fours years old ask me the same thing I try to always give her an answer. And if I don’t know something I check it up. Our parents let us choose our own professions, they never said “you can absolutely not do that”. It is important that the children don’t walk the path that the parents have decided
Do you hope that your own children will take over Mainau?
Bettina: Yes of course, but that is something they can decide for themselves. So far they are young… But last week Björn got engaged to his girlfriend, so now there’s a chance for more kids! They are marrying at Mainau next year. I also married here in the castle church at Mainau and the new had a party in the Palm House, it was great fun.
Bettina married in October 2004 with Philipp Haug. One year earlier, in September 2003, Diana married Bernd Grawe – in the Palm House!
- Yes, haha! Because I’m a bit younger, but was going to marry first, we decided to do something completely different. I wanted Bettina to marry first in the church, because she is the oldest daughter, Diana says.
Last year Diana and Bernd got divorces and today Diana is a single mother to four year old Paulina. But she receives great support from her family.
- They help me with everything. Bettina and I help each other with picking up at kindergarten. And when I had my hat show on the castle grounds in May, all siblings helped me with modeling the hats on the catwalk! Sure we discuss some things, but we siblings agree more often than we don’t anyway!
Do you feel a great responsibility taking care of the legacy from father?
Bettina: Absolutely, it is a very exciting task to go into the future with this company. To read the market and develop the company after that, but at the same time daring to believe your own impulses. If there’s something I have learned from father it is to always be yourself. To always give what you yourself want to others, and that is what we try here at Mainau. We want people to experience something fascinating and exciting. Therefore we for example have a path where one should preferably walk barefoot and one can feel the material of nature with hands and feet. One can walk to the butterfly house in the morning and see the butterflies coming out of their cocoons, to see how everything works, come closer to nature and be fascinated by it. To become aware of nature and how important it is.
Lennart Bernadotte used to say in interviews that “Mainau and I have a very special relationship with each other”. That is something that his daughters recognize in themselves.
- It is something that is also alive, I feel that when I work here. Mainau is not just a job – many of our employees work directly with our visitors and it’s important how they themselves feel, how the feeling here on the island is. One puts a lot of oneself in it all, Bettina says.
Diana nods and agrees:
- Yes, to us Mainau is almost like a member of the family. Like a sister!
DIANA BERNADOTTE
Age: 26
Profession: Designs hats and sunglasses.
Family: Daughter Paulina, 4 years (sister Bettina is godmother).
Lives: In the castle at Mainau.
BETTINA BERNADOTTE
Age: 34
Profession: Manager of Mainau.
Family: Husband Philipp Haug, children Emil, 3 years, and Linnea, 1,5 years.
Lives: Villa in Konstanz.
LENNART BERNADOTTE…
… was born on Tullgarn Palace on 8 May 1909.
… was our King’s grandfather’s nephew.
… was the son of Prince Wilhelm, Sweden’s heir prince, Duke of Södermanland, and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (grandchild of Tsar Alexander II). The spouses divorced in 1914. Maria Pavlovna is buried in Mainau’s castle church.
… was the first one of Gustaf V’s grandchildren to marry civilly. Also princes Sigvard and Carl Johan lost their princely titles when they entered civil marriages.
… took over Mainau in 1932.
… Was named “Swede of the year in the world” by Svenska Dagbladet in 1991.
… Passed away 95 years old, 2004.
jane on 
Sofia on