Europe's Future Queens

Yup, another post on European royalties. I told you I am fascinated.

Over the years, reporters have been saying that European royalties have changed and became modern. Indeed. Gone were the days when marriages between monarchies were contemplated on the basis of strengthening one's kingdom. Now, they seem to marry for love.

Kate Middleton will join a list of "commoners" who snagged Crown Princes' hearts en route to becoming future queens of their husband's countries.

PRINCESS MARY OF DENMARK

Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, RE (née Mary Elizabeth Donaldson; born 5 February 1972) is the wife of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark.

The couple met at the Slip Inn, a pub in Sydney, when the Crown Prince was visiting Australia during the 2000 Summer Olympics. Their official engagement in 2003 and their marriage the following year were the subject of extensive attention from Australian and European news media, which portrayed the marriage as a modern fairytale romance between a prince and a commoner.

 Their wedding in May 2004.

 With their children, Prince Christian (continuing the Danish royal tradition of the heir apparent being named either Frederik or Christian) and Princess Isabella.

  With their newborn twins. Born earlier this year.

PRINCESS MAXIMA OF NETHERLANDS

Máxima met the heir to the Dutch throne in April 1999 in Sevilla, Spain, during the Seville Spring Fair, also known as the "Feria de abril de Sevilla."  In an interview, they stated that he introduced himself only as "Alexander," so that she did not know he was a prince. She thought he was joking when he told her he was a Prince. They agreed to meet in New York, where Máxima was working for Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, two weeks later. Their relationship apparently began in New York, but the Princess did not meet the Prince's parents, Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus, for some time.
The news of the couple's relationship and eventual marriage plans caused controversy in the Netherlands. Máxima's father had been the Minister of Agriculture during the regime of former Argentine President Jorge Rafael Videla, a military dictator who ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1981 and who was responsible for many atrocities against civilians (An estimated 10,000–30,000 people disappeared during this and subsequent military regimes before democracy was restored to Argentina in 1983). However, the research determined that Máxima's father had not been directly involved with the many deaths in question. Even so, his possible presence at the royal wedding was debated for several months.Approval for the marriage was granted by the Dutch parliament (necessary by law for the Prince of Orange to remain heir to the throne), but Máxima's father offered not to attend the wedding. Out of solidarity with her husband, Máxima's mother also remained absent from the wedding on 2 February 2002 in Amsterdam.

 Crown Princess Maxima of Orange

 Dutch Royal wedding in 2002

 With their children Ariane, Alexia and Amelia

PRINCESS METTE-MARIT OF NORWAY

When the engagement between Crown Prince Haakon and Mette Marit was announced, many Norwegians felt that the Crown Prince’s choice of partner was inappropriate. This was primarily about her being a single mother, but information concerning her involvement in the Rave scene in Oslo, which included a significant drug-subculture, also added to the controversy. In addition, the father of her child was convicted of drug-related offences.
Her first official appearance as the intended bride of the Crown Prince was at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at Oslo City Hall on 10 December 2000, following the announcement of the couple's engagement on 1 December. At the press conference, Crown Prince Haakon said that he and Mette-Marit had been together for about one year. Haakon gave Mette-Marit the same engagement ring as his grandfather King Olav V and his father King Harald V gave to their fiancées.
The couple married on 25 August 2001 at the Oslo Cathedral, Oslo, with attendance of statesmen and royalty from around the world.

 

 

Her 2001 wedding with Prince Haakon

With their children Prince Sverre Magnus, Marius and Princess Ingrid

PRINCESS LETIZIA OF SPAIN

On 1 November 2003 to the surprise of many, the Royal Household announced Letizia's engagement to the Prince of Asturias. Afterwards, she moved to live in a wing of Zarzuela Palace until the day of her wedding.
The wedding took place on 22 May 2004 in the Cathedral Santa María la Real de la Almudena in Madrid. It was the first royal wedding in this cathedral, which was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993. It had been nearly a century since the capital celebrated a royal wedding, as the present king and queen married in Athens, and the prince's sisters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina, married in Sevilla and Barcelona respectively.
As Letizia's previous marriage involved only a civil ceremony, the Roman Catholic Church does not consider it valid and therefore did not require an annulment before her Catholic marriage to the Prince of Asturias.

 Her May 2004 wedding to Prince Felipe

With their children Infanta Sofia and Infanta Leonor

CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF CORNWALL

On 10 February 2005, it was announced by Clarence House that Camilla and the Prince of Wales were engaged; Camilla had been presented with an engagement ring that had belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The marriage was to have been on 8 April of that year, and was to take place in a civil ceremony at Windsor Castle, with a subsequent religious blessing at St George's Chapel. To conduct a civil marriage at Windsor Castle would oblige the venue to obtain a license for civil marriages, which it did not have. A condition of such a license is that the licensed venue must be available for a period of one year to anyone wishing to be married there. As the Royal Family did not wish to make Windsor Castle available to the public for civil marriages, even just for one year, the location was changed to the Windsor Guildhall. On 4 April it was announced that the marriage would be delayed by one day to allow for the Prince of Wales and some of the invited dignitaries to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II. As Charles' parents did not attend the marriage ceremony (the Queen's reluctance to attend arising from her position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England), neither did Camilla's father; her children, instead, acted as witnesses of the union, as did Prince William and Prince Harry. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh did, however, attend the service of blessing, and held a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle afterwards. Following the wedding, the couple travelled to the Prince's country home in Scotland, Birkhall, and carried out their first public duties as a couple during their honeymoon.

 In her April 2005 wedding with Prince Charles

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla Rosemary; née Shand, previously Parker Bowles; born 17 July 1947) is the second wife of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and is the current holder of the titles Princess of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay and Countess of Chester. Although Camilla automatically became the Princess of Wales upon her marriage to Prince Charles, she prefers to be known by the lesser title of Duchess of Cornwall, avoiding confusion with the Prince of Wales' first wife, Diana, Princess of Wales. She uses this title everywhere except Scotland, where she is styled Duchess of Rothesay.

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Images from official websites of the Crown Princes and other websites.

Other info from Wikipedia