This, in turn, meant that they oftentimes had different church affiliations -- despite all European royals (excepting the Albanians) being Christians. After all, they've traditionally been expected to share the religions of their countries -- notwithstanding occasional exceptions.
Even Lutherans and Calvinists, although both Protestants, technically belong to different churches. With this in mind, I've often wondered how European countries governed by hereditary monarchies accommodated the spiritual needs of foreigners -- typically princesses.
Were there any Orthodox churches in the United Kingdom, prior to the marriage in 1874 of the Duke of Edinburgh and the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia? I don't believe that there was any precedent for an interfaith Anglican-Orthodox royal union, until that point. How about the continent? According to the historical record, the Romanov women also married into the German, Dutch, and Swedish dynasties. Were Orthodox chapels built specifically for them?
Some time ago, I asked whether there were any Lutheran churches in the United Kingdom, and Anglican churches in Germany and Scandinavia: the answer was in the affirmative. What I'm wondering, however, is whether such parishes were built specifically for the sake of foreign royals. For who, other than British princesses, would have any need of Anglican services in Germany?
Of course, German and Scandinavia royals would not have been the only ones in need of Lutheran churches in the UK, which has historically been more cosmopolitan. Similarly, the Dutch royals would not have been the only ones in need of Calvinists services. I would imagine that both churches have long histories in the country.
As for the Netherlands, I would imagine that Lutheran churches have a long history there, too -- serving the needs of persons who were not necessarily royal (just as there undoubtedly have always been Calvinist churches in Germany and Scandinavia).
Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia and Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia traveled to Holland in 1938, where his grandfather (Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany) was living in exile, to undergo a third wedding ceremony -- this time in a Protestant church. I'm assuming that it was Lutheran ...
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