Posted by Pamela on 5/5/2008, 3:58:48, in reply to "Re: Death of a Grandee and former PM"
24.137.197.149
I was very impressed with the way the Spanish Royal Family supported Princess Letizia at the funeral of her sister. I could not see the British Royal Family doing that if, say, one of the Princess of Wales' siblings had died. I don't think there were any Royal Family members present at the service for The Countess of Wessex's mother (other than the Earl of Wessex). Can you imagine if your mother died and none of your in-laws came to the service? I guess with the British royals, they are royals first and family second. --Previous Message--
: I think the Dutch Royal Family acts all
: together very different about deaths in
: general.
:
: Not only of former PM's, but also when a
: close family friend (Soldaat van Oranje)
: dies. This was the man who brought the two
: small princesses Beatrix and Irene back home
: in 1945, but the Queen was only represented
: on his memorial service. No member of the
: family was present on the actual funeral.
:
: The Spanish manner is much more sympathetic
: to me, grieving with their people (ever saw
: the presence of the PoO at the arrival of
: Dutch soldiers who dies in Afghanistan?),
: showing that they care for their country-men
: in life and death.
:
: The Dutch RF seems to repay loyalty to the
: family and their country only when the
: people are alive. Like they don't matter
: anymore once they are death.
:
: Perhaps they think differently about it in
: private, but their actions (or non-actions)
: come across as very cold and aloof.
:
: --Previous Message--
: I found it a bit macabre to see His Majesty
: offering the Collar of the Order of Carlos
: III to Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, lying in his
: coffin.
:
: But ah, death is part of life also.
:
: I found it a bit weird to see Queen Sofía
: and the Princess of Asturias kissing and
: hugging with the widow and the daughters of
: the late mr. Calvo Sotelo.
:
: Even the less distant (?) Queen Beatrix
: would not kiss the widows of her former
: PM's: she sends her Grandmastress or a
: Chamberlain to represent her.
:
: It is amazing to see the evolution of a once
: so distant, catholic and conservative
: Spanish Court into an almost egalitarian
: institution.
:
:
:
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