As the world watched the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, a new era of British royal family dynamics began. The marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge marked a significant shift in the way the monarchy approached its public image and family life. The couple's first child, Prince George, was born in 2013, followed by Princess Charlotte in 2015, and Prince Louis in 2018. The royal family's modernization efforts were evident in the way they presented their family to the public, showcasing a more relatable and down-to-earth image.
Princess Charlotte, the second child and only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, has been a significant part of this modernization effort. Her early years have been extensively documented by the media, offering a glimpse into the private life of the royal family. As she grows up, Princess Charlotte's role in the monarchy will continue to evolve, reflecting the changing times and the evolving expectations of the British public. This article will explore the portrait of marriage that Princess Charlotte's parents have presented to the world, highlighting the key aspects of their relationship and how it has influenced the royal family's public image.
what makes Princess Charlotte's marriage portrait unique
- Portrayal of African Features: The portrait of Princess Charlotte, dated from the year of her marriage, features her with distinctly African features. This portrayal highlights the politics of portraiture and the status, wealth, and marriageability of the young princess.
- Influence of Portuguese Royalty: The portrait also links to Portuguese royalty, which attracts significant interest. This connection underscores the global nature of royal alliances and the cultural exchange that occurred during this period.
- Unconventional Beauty Standards: Unlike the conventional beauty standards of the time, Princess Charlotte was not considered conventionally pretty. Her features were described as plain and slight, with a nose wider and longer than desirable, and lips not the rosebud ideal. However, her hair was pleasing, her eyes were a fine feature, and she was chatty once she overcame her shyness.
- Silver Wedding Dress: Princess Charlotte's wedding dress was a masterpiece of Georgian-era fashion, retaining features of traditional robes de cour but with a more modern silhouette. The use of silver lama embroidery created a dazzling appearance, reflecting the high status and wealth of the royal family.
- Historical Significance: The dress is significant not only for its beauty but also for its historical context. It is the only royal wedding dress from the Georgian period that survives, offering a glimpse into the fashion and customs of the time. The dress has been altered over the years, but its original features remain an important part of history.
- Royal Family Dynamics: Princess Charlotte's marriage and portrait reflect the changing dynamics of the royal family. Her marriage to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was a significant event in the royal family, and her dress and portrait highlight the cultural and social norms of the time.
how does Princess Charlotte's marriage portrait compare to other royal marriage portraits
- Unconventional Beauty Standards: Unlike the conventional beauty standards of the time, Princess Charlotte was not considered conventionally pretty. Her features were described as plain and slight, with a nose wider and longer than desirable, and lips not the rosebud ideal. However, her hair was pleasing, her eyes were a fine feature, and she was chatty once she overcame her shyness.
- Influence of Portuguese Royalty: The portrait also links to Portuguese royalty, which attracts significant interest. This connection underscores the global nature of royal alliances and the cultural exchange that occurred during this period.
- Historical Significance: The dress is significant not only for its beauty but also for its historical context. It is the only royal wedding dress from the Georgian period that survives, offering a glimpse into the fashion and customs of the time. The dress has been altered over the years, but its original features remain an important part of history.
- Royal Family Dynamics: Princess Charlotte's marriage and portrait reflect the changing dynamics of the royal family. Her marriage to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was a significant event in the royal family, and her dress and portrait highlight the cultural and social norms of the time.
- Portrayal of African Features: The portrait of Princess Charlotte, dated from the year of her marriage, features her with distinctly African features. This portrayal highlights the politics of portraiture and the status, wealth, and marriageability of the young princess.
how does Princess Charlotte's portrait compare to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding portraits
- Facial Features: Princess Charlotte's features, such as her nose, eyes, and lips, closely resemble those of Prince William and Queen Elizabeth II. The similarity in facial structure and shape is quite striking.
- Expression: The portrait captures Princess Charlotte's expression, which is often described as cheerful and lively, much like her father's and grandmother's. This shared expression adds to the overall family resemblance.
- Royal Lineage: The portrait serves as a visual representation of the royal lineage, emphasizing the continuity of the family's features and traditions. It highlights the importance of family ties and the role of the royal family in British history.
- Kate Middleton's Photography: The fact that Kate Middleton took the portrait herself adds a personal touch, showcasing her skill as a photographer and her ability to capture the essence of her family members. This intimate connection between the photographer and subject adds depth to the portrait.
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| Princess Charlotte of Monaco weds Count Pierre de Polignac |
On 2 February 1920 in Paris, the engagement was announced between Count Pierre de Polignac and Princess Charlotte of Monaco, Duchess ofValentinois. This union between the French nobleman and the Monegasque royal was destined to secure the future of the Grimaldi dynasty.
Count Pierre Marie Xavier Raphaël Antoine Melchior de Polignac was born on 24 October 1895 at the Château de Kerscamp. Pierre was the fourth son and seventh child of Count Maxence de Polignac and Suzanne de la Torre y Mier. Pierre served in the French Armed Forces during World War I. He became a friend of Marcel Proust and Jean Cocteau.
Charlotte Louise Juliette de Monaco was born on 30 September 1898 at Constantine, French Algeria. Charlotte was the only child of Prince Louis of Monaco and Marie Juliette Louvet. In 1919, Prince Louis formally adopted Charlotte in Paris, and she was recognised as his legitimate daughter as a consequence of this adoption. Charlotte was transformed from being simply "Mademoiselle Charlotte Grimaldi de Monaco" into "Her Serene Highness Princess Charlotte of Monaco, Duchess ofValentinois."
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| The Hereditary Prince Albert and Hereditary Princess Mary of Monaco |
Charlotte's father Louis (1870-1949) was the only son of Prince Albert I of Monaco (1848-1922) and Lady Mary Victoria Hamilton (1850-1922), who married in 1869 and whose marriage was annulled in 1880. Prince Albert was the only child of Prince Charles III of Monaco (1818-1889) and Countess Antoinette de Mérode (1828-1864). Lady Mary was the only daughter of William Hamilton (1811-1863), the 11th Duke of Hamilton, and Princess Marie Amelie of Baden (1817-1888).
The Duke and Duchess of Valentinois welcomed their first child within nine months of their union. Princess Antoinette Louise Alberte Suzanne of Monaco was born on 28 December 1920 at Paris. Almost three years later, Charlotte and Pierre produced their second child and only son: Prince Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand of Monaco arrived at the Princely Palace in Monte Carlo on 31 May 1923. After the birth of their second and last child, Pierre and Charlotte's marriage foundered.
In March 1930, Princess Charlotte and Prince Pierre legally separated after a decade of not-so-wedded bliss. Former French president Raymond Poincaré acted as a mediator for the princely couple. Charlotte left her husband in favour of her lover, the Italian doctor Pietro Dalmazzo. In her case for a separation, Charlotte sought a division of the couple's marital property. In his followup to his wife's lawsuit, Pierre cited Charlotte's lover Dr Dalmazzo as a factor in the breakdown of the marriage. Pierre temporarily placed his children, Antoinette and Rainier, in the custody of Princess Henriette of Belgium, Duchess of Vendome. This infuriated Pierre's father-in-law Prince Louis II. In February 1933, the divorce between Hereditary Princess Charlotte of Monaco and Prince Pierre was officially announced by the princely palace in Monte Carlo. In a letter to her father, the princess wrote: "All I ask is to be permitted to seek a peaceful life for myself. For reasons which have been clear for three years, I ask you to dissolve my marital ties and to grant me an absolute divorce." The dissolution of the couple's marriage "led to unofficial indications of displeasure from the Vatican." As a condition of receiving the divorce, and in a stipulation that was only ratified years later, Charlotte gave up her succession rights so that her son Rainier would be the immediate heir of his grandpa Louis.
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| Prince Rainier, Princess Charlotte, Prince Pierre, and Princess Antoinette of Monaco in 1956. |
Some time after, when I was older, Aunt Grace told me that the royal wedding day and the whole period that preceded it were among the worst ordeals she had ever known. At the various official and unofficial occasions, the lunches, the dinners, and the other family gatherings, she was miserably aware of the tension that existed in most of the family, and especially between Charlotte and Polignac, who even carried on vicious arguments right in front of her and Uncle Rainier. At one point she heard Polignac say, in a deliberate slight to Charlotte, and referring to her illegitimate birth, "At least my son married a real princess!" Grace had naturally dreamed that her new parents-in-law would be pleasant and compatible; the fact that her mother-in-law was less than welcoming to her and that Mamou despised her own [ex-]husband was very painful to Grace, for whom family links were of primary importance. One of her first wishes was to make the difficult, quarrelling Grimaldis a family as united as hers. She now understood that this was impossible.
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| Charlotte and Pierre. |
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