Previous Message
That was my point.
When someone from a different house marries a queen regnant, the dynasty she belonged ceases to exist.
Wilhelmina, the last of the Orange, married Henrik of Mecklenburg.
Her daughter should have been the first of the Mecklenburg dynasty, like Beatrix should have been the first (and only) queen of the Lippe-Biesterfeld dynasty.
Remember that, when Victoria, the last of the UK reigning Hannovers, died her son Edward VII became the first king of the (new) Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty, and he was followed by his son George V of SCG.
Had there not have occurred WW! and George felt compelled to renounce his german name - as if such decision have changed his DNA - until Elisabeth II the RH of the UK would have been of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, duly anglicized from Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha.
Think of Spain: After the death of the last Trastamara Juana the Mad, the throne passed to the Habsburg dynasty with Charles V (I in Spain), and then to the Bourbons with Felipe V.
Some houses easily accepted the name change - Spain , UK.
Others hyphenated it - Habsburg-Lorraine, Bragança-Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha , Orléans-Bragança.
Anothers required that the prince entering the reigning house, would adopt his wife's family name.
Happened twice in Monaco with Louise Hippolyte Grimaldi, who married Jacques de Goyon de Matignon and later with Charlotte who married Pr.Pierre de Polignac.
Both men adopted the Grimaldi family name.
But times have changed.
I don't expect Estelle of Sweden will be the first queen of the Westling dynasty . Previous Message
The Grimaldis of Monaco also continued through a female line: Princess Charlotte wasn't even originally a member, since she was illegitimate (born out of lawful wedlock, although it may be that her parents married canonically). She became legitimized through adoption, whereupon she officially became a Grimaldi. But as house membership (whatever might be said about succession) is generally in the male line, her children were Grimaldis only because their father (Comte Pierre de Polignac) became one at marriage to their mother.
I believe the Habsburgs of Austria are another good example of a dynasty continuing through a female. Like the Romanovs, they really should have a hyphenated house name -- Habsburg-Lorraine. But that's now how they're known ...
Message Thread | This response ↓
« Back to index