Today, everyone has a hypothetical chance for a prince, a white horse, a carriage and half a kingdom. On the occasion of the recent marriage of Swedish Prince Carl Philip and former model Sofia Hellqvist, I suggest we remember other girls who were fabulously lucky.
The wedding of Swedish Prince Carl Philip and ex-model Sofia Hellqvist took place on June 13, 2015. The 36-year-old prince is the second child and only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. He was crown prince from birth, but a constitutional reform that came into force in 1980 changed the order of succession to the throne in accordance with the principle of absolute primogeniture. He is currently third in line to the throne behind his sister Victoria and niece Princess Estelle. The young royal wife is 30 years old and does not have a drop of blue blood in her. Hellqvist grew up in a middle-class family in the small Swedish town of Älvdalen. In 2005, she moved to New York, where she studied accounting and worked as a yoga teacher and waitress. She starred in the Swedish reality show Paradise Hotel in 2005, in which participants try not to fly out of the luxury resort where they were placed. Her past also included a topless photo shoot with a boa constrictor for the men's magazine Slitz. Fans dubbed her Miss Slitz 2004. “Before she became Princess of Sweden, this was her only title,” the British newspaper sneered.
1. Carl Philip and Sofia, 2015
In 2002, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands was ringed by his girlfriend Maxima Zorreguieta. The prince was then 34 years old. The heir to the Dutch throne is a Protestant. His wife, who received the status of princess after the marriage, was 30 years old. Maxima is from Argentina, an economist by education, and a Catholic by religion. The bride's parents were not present at the celebrations in Amsterdam - they watched the ceremony on television at home in Argentina. Dutch authorities insisted that Princess Maxima's father Jorge Zorreguieta not attend the wedding because he was Argentina's agriculture minister for two years during the dictatorship of General Jorge Videla, whose regime has been accused of serious human rights abuses.
2. Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Maxima Zorreguieta, 2002
In 2004, 38-year-old Prince Felipe (now the King of Spain) married 31-year-old television journalist Leticia Ortiz. The newly-minted princess became the first non-blue-blood claimant to the country's royal throne in history. Leticia was already married before this. But since the first marriage was civil, the Catholic Church of Spain did not object to the royal wedding.
3. Leticia Ortiz, 2003
29-year-old Belgian Prince Amedeo married Italian journalist Elisabetta Maria Rosboch von Wolkenstein in 2014. The wedding took place on July 5 in Rome in the homeland of the bride, a representative of one of the richest and most influential families in the country. Before this, the Belgian and Italian dated for seven years. Prince Amedeo is sixth in line to the Belgian throne. Elisabetta, 26, is a columnist for Bloomberg News and the only daughter of Italian nobleman Ettore Rosboch von Wolkenstein and Countess Lilia de Smecchia. Both the girl’s father and mother work in the film industry, both are film producers.
4. Elisabetta Maria Rosboch, 2015
The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, considered the youngest monarch in the world, chose a girl from a family of humble origin (her father is an airplane pilot) as his life partner. The king's wife was the student Jetsun Pema. The wedding ceremony of the 31-year-old king and his 21-year-old lover took place in a Buddhist temple and took place according to ancient customs: Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk put a crown on his bride, thus declaring her his wife and queen of Bhutan.
5. Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk and Jetsun Pema, 2011
British Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton announced their engagement in the fall of 2010, after ten years of relationships, breakups and reconciliations. The couple met while studying at the University of St Andrews. Their marriage on April 29, 2011 was called the wedding of the decade: for the first time in the British royal family, ordinary girl from a completely non-aristocratic (albeit very wealthy) family. Both were 29 years old at the time. In 1987, the Middletons founded the parcel trading company Party Pieces, which successfully developed in the British market and made them millionaires. But this did not make their blood blue, and therefore the fact that the eldest daughter became related to the Windsors, even now, when Kate and William have a son and daughter growing up, never ceases to amaze. Kate did everything to correspond to her new status, significantly adjusting her image and adopting appropriate manners. The Duchess of Cambridge has come a long way from the translucent dresses of her youth; she is now a recognized style icon and, of course, a role model.
6. Kate Middleton, 2005
Prince Albert II of Monaco married South African athlete Charlene Wittstock. Even the scandal that broke out shortly before the celebration did not prevent the wedding from taking place: rumors spread throughout Monaco that Charlene had allegedly changed her mind about getting married. But the rumors remained rumors, and on July 1, 2011, the marriage was registered, and the next day the couple went to church for the wedding. On December 10, 2014, Princess Charlene gave birth to twins: a boy and a girl.
7. Charlene Wittstock, 2011
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Australian teacher Mary Elizabeth Donaldson married in 2004. She was 32, he was 35. Prince Frederick met his chosen one in 2000 at Olympic Games in Sydney. Then, according to Mary Donaldson herself, she did not know that she had met the Danish prince. The Crown Princess of Denmark was born on the island of Tasmania in the family of a mathematics professor. To marry into the Danish royal family, she had to renounce her Australian and British citizenship, convert to Lutheranism, and learn Danish. She is the first Australian to join the ruling royal family of the Old World.
8. Prince Frederick and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson
When the Crown Prince of Brunei married 17-year-old commoner Sarah Saleh in 2004, it was called the wedding of the century in Asia. Al-Muhtadi Billa Bolkiah was 30 years old at the time. After the wedding, the newlyweds rode around the capital in a gold Rolls-Royce, followed by guests in 100 limousines. The wedding, by Brunei standards, was modest: the Sultan’s father, not entirely satisfied with his son’s choice, spared money for a magnificent celebration.
9. Al-Muhtadi Billa Bolkiah and Sarah Saleh
The third son of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Henri Prince Louis, married a simple soldier, Tessie Anthony, in 2006, renouncing his rights to the throne. Both were 20 years old at the time. The prince's parents fully approved of their son's decision. Louis and Tessie were the first of all the children to give the royal couple a grandson.
10. Prince Louis and Tessie Anthony
The strict rule of royal dynasties to marry only members of their own circle began to crack in the 20th century. On the front pages of newspapers every now and then there are reports that a prince is marrying a commoner or a princess is marrying a fitness trainer. "Gordon Boulevard" figured out which of the royal families made modern Cinderellas happy.
In the Middle Ages, marriages between royalty and commoners were unthinkable. Even in the 20th century, feelings for Cinderella could cost the prince his blood, both his crown and his title.
Siegvard with one of his wives - Marianna. Photo: sverigesradio.se
In 1934 the Swedish Prince Siegward fell in love with an ordinary girl - the daughter of a German entrepreneur, Erika Patzek, and decided to marry her. King Gustav V became furious and deprived his son of his titles, lands, bank account and the right to inherit the royal throne. This did not stop Siegward. He left the palace and became a successful designer. The former prince liked getting married: he had three marriages in total.
King Carl XVI Gustaf. Photo: sverigesradio.se
42 years later, Siegward's nephew is king Carl XVI Gustaf married the daughter of a German businessman Sylvia Sommerlath. No one could stop him from doing this, since Carl XVI Gustav was already king by that time. The Swedes welcomed the newlyweds who married for love despite all obstacles, and Sylvia became the people's favorite.
The Queen and her husband. Photo: kongehuset.dk
The example of the Swedish king was followed by the Danish queen MargretheII, who also did not marry a representative of the royal dynasty. Absolutely a simple person her fiancé cannot be named: Henrik Henri Maria Jean Andre - Comte de Laborde de Montpezat. The children went even further. TORon Prince Frederik married Australian lawyer Mary Elizabeth Donaldson. They met in Sydney - in a bar where "Find Your Prince" parties are now held.
Prince Frederick and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson. Photo: dr.dk
The Queen Mother approved of her son's choice, since Mary managed to curb the loving prince. Margret's youngest son, Joachim, not only married the daughter of a Hong Kong businessman, but also divorced her after 10 years of marriage.
The Norwegian became even more extreme Prince Haakon. Not only did he marry a girl out of his circle, but he also chose a bride with a very turbulent past and an illegitimate child.
Norwegian prince with his family. Photo: hola.com
To this day, old photographs of Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, rocking naked at parties, periodically appear in the press. The Prince and Mette-Marit met at music festival. Norwegian housewives liked it fairy tale story, and they supported the bride with a picket. Haakon's sister, princess Martha Louise, followed her brother’s example and married the scandalous Norwegian journalist Ari Behn.
Before marrying Argentine Maxima Zorreguieta, economist and programmer, heir to the Dutch throne Willem-Alexander had to go through public discontent and protests.
Willem-Alexander and Maxima. Photo: europe-today.ru
Maxima turned out to be the daughter of one of the government ministers of the Argentine dictator Rafael Videla, who repressed hundreds of thousands of Argentines, while the Constitution of the Netherlands contains a clause that the marriage of the country's heir must be approved by parliament. The deputies resisted until the prince and the bride announced that they would not invite Maxima's parents to the wedding.
Prince of Brunei with his bride. Photo: inosmi.ru
Crown Prince of Brunei Al-Muhtadi Billa Bolkiah I was looking for a bride... at school. The daughter of a mid-ranking civil servant, Sarah Saleh carefully studied mathematics, biology and chemistry and planned to become a marine biologist. The husband of Sarah's friend told the prince that his wife had a very beautiful friend. Al-Muhtadi became interested and lost his head. When the girl turned 17, she was led to the crown. She had a diamond tiara on her head and her dress was inlaid with precious stones, shoes - diamonds. In her hands the bride held a bouquet of flowers made of gold and precious stones.
The long-awaited wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Westling. Photo: popsugar.com
In 2010, news headlines were again full of names royalty Sweden. Crown Princess Victoria married her fitness trainer Daniel Westling. To Westling's credit, he had been waiting for this moment for eight years, during which Victoria persuaded her father Carl XVI Gustav to give permission for the marriage. It was mainly men who opposed him, who saw in a simple guy a threat to the existence of the very system of succession to the throne.
The women, on the other hand, were fascinated by Westling. In a survey, 80% of Swedish women aged 18 to 89 said that the princess was very lucky to have her husband. The wedding was broadcast on live, there were festive celebrations in the streets. By the way, Westling became the first man in the history of the Swedish royal house to receive the title of His Royal Highness Prince Daniel, Duke of Westergotland thanks to his wife, since the husbands of all other princesses were of royal blood.
William and Kate. Photo: EPA
However, the press considers the wedding of a British prince to be the wedding of the decade William and Kate Middleton. The bride's family is very wealthy, but by no means belongs to the aristocracy. Kate and William met at university and over time realized that they could not live without each other. On April 29, 2011 they got married. The British public, which is very strict towards representatives of the royal family, is crazy about the Duchess of Cambridge.
The luxurious wedding of the future Sultan of Brunei, Prince Abdul Malik, with his chosen one, 22-year-old programmer Dayangku Raabiatul Adawiya Pengiran Haji Bolkiah, eclipsed in luxury even the wedding of the Crown Prince of the British throne, which, in comparison with this, could be called very modest. The Prince of Brunei and his bride wore wedding robes embroidered with real gold, and the bride's bouquet was made of precious stones.
Prince Abdul Malik is the youngest of four sons of reigning Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and second in line to the throne after his father. The wedding ceremony took place 11 days after the engagement.
The bride's shoes from Christian Louboutin are decorated with diamonds and gold.
The bride's wedding necklace and tiara are decorated with diamonds and huge emeralds the size of grapes. According to local traditions, the bride must have something borrowed on her. IN in this case These were my mother-in-law's jewelry - a diamond tiara, a necklace and a brooch. A fairytale wedding you can only dream of.
Solemn wedding ceremony took place at the Sultan's Palace in the capital of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan. Istana Nurul Imam Palace - the residence of the Sultan - has 1788 rooms.
The Sultan of Brunei, the groom's father and a fuel magnate, is one of the richest men in the world. His fortune is estimated at 20-80 billion dollars. Hassanal Bolkiah has ruled his country since 1967.
The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, has five sons and seven daughters from three marriages. Prince Abdul Malik is second in line to the Brunei throne. The first son, Crown Prince of Brunei Al-Muhtadi Billa, married more than 10 years ago.
During the wedding ceremony.
Brunei, a long-standing British colony of 400,000 that lies on the northwestern coast of the island of Borneo, is an absolute monarchy (sultanate). In Brunei, ruled by the 68-year-old Sultan, he is both head of state and head of government, minister of national defense and minister of finance.
Prince Abdul Malik with his father, the Sultan of Brunei. Members of the royal family have often been criticized for living too extravagantly. The Telegraph recalled that in 1996, Michael Jackson was supposed to receive 10 million pounds for a concert in honor of the Sultan's 50th birthday. However, dissatisfaction with the government system in the country is small, which is a consequence high level the lives of its citizens, as well as free education and healthcare.
Brunei is a country whose official religion is Islam. Last year, after the Sultan adopted Sharia law, which allows punishments such as stoning and flogging, a wave of indignation and discontent arose in the country.
More than two thousand guests gathered for the magnificent and colorful wedding ceremony of 30-year-old Prince Al-Muhtadi Bill Bolkiah and Sarah Saleh. The entire royal family, politicians from many countries of the world were present, including the prime ministers of Malaysia and Singapore, the presidents of Indonesia and the Philippines, and royalty from all over Asia.
A few months ago, Sarah Saleh could not even imagine that she would become a princess. She was the daughter of a middle-ranking civil servant. The girl studied mathematics, biology and chemistry at one of the secondary schools in Brunei and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. But last year, Sarah's school friend married into royalty. The girl's husband told the Crown Prince that his bride had a very beautiful girlfriend. The prince became interested. A visit to the school was organized, which was widely covered in the press. It was then that the prince saw Sarah for the first time. This was followed by private meetings between Al-Muhtadi, a graduate of an American university and a student at a Brunei school.
At the wedding, the groom was belted with a sash with a dagger tucked into it, and on his head was a golden crown. By the way, according to local traditions, the splendor of the costumes depends little on the status of the newlyweds: even when it is not princes who get married, but “common people,” their costumes and the chairs on which the newlyweds sit during the ceremony imitate the royal ones. The prince was led to the real - not imitation - golden throne under a canopy, where the bride sat, by his father, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. After which the wedding ceremony itself began.
During the wedding, the newlyweds undergo traditional “makeup”: the groom draws a mustache to make him look more masculine, and paints his lips. The young drink water from vessels where rose petals float, their faces are smeared with honey, their heads are sprinkled with rice and they wish happy life and wealth.
However, observers say the wedding was a modest affair by Bruneian standards because the sultan, once the world's richest man, spent "too little" money on it after his brother recently lost 16 billions of dollars.