Community Chat

[goldensrbest]

Not sure what the point of this is,but he sure is better looking than Charles, good she married him,she might be dead now, like dianna.

[SharkE]

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@Oznell wrote:

There's an interesting back story to the fact that "Charles/Marie Astrid" was an absolute non-starter.  Unless I'm wrong, I think it wasn't considered because of the nature of the English monarchy's relationship to the Church of England.  The king or queen, I believe, could not marry anyone other than a fellow Anglican or Protestant.

And since the then-princess Marie Astrid was Roman Catholic, perhaps there were strictures on her side against marrying a Protestant...

Perhaps someone can fill us in more?

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You can't marry Catholics. Have to convert. 

[Johnnyeager]

That the government considered it possible that Prince Charles might one day want to marry Princess Marie-Astrid is shown by the fact that there were several committees set-up to see if it was constitutionally possible to repeal the ban on British royals marrying Catholics. 

There was soft opposition, from the beginning, including from Charles's beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who was not only a devout Protestant but was also naturally opposed to change. Concerns about how such a marriage would affect the already-volatile situation in Northern Ireland were also voiced.

Early in 1980, the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, set up a small committee to discuss the issue. According to her future biographer, Hugo Young, the Prime Minister herself was strongly opposed to changing the law or to encouraging the Prince's marriage to Marie-Astrid. And her objections rested squarely on the idea that the princess's religion was problematic and undesirable. Some of the committees other members later told Young that they had been shocked by "the extreme anti-Catholicism"  of the Prime Minister.

Eventually the rumours about Charles and Marie-Astrid faded away. Maybe that's all they ever were. 

[Tinkrbl44]

I wouldn't say she "let" Charles get away ....  luck was on her side and she dodged a bullet.    Based on his interview when he was finished with Diana, he was a very difficult and self-centered man.   What woman in her right mind would want that?

[Oznell]

That is so interesting, @Johnnyeager -- thank you for posting that!  I knew someone would have the real skinny and be kind enough to post it!

Although much more detailed and informative than what I remember,  it tracks very much with what I had vaguely heard about the episode.

The quotation marks around "get away" in my title were meant ironically--  one doubts that Marie Astrid was personally pining to be taken on by the Brits, or that Charles was in a state of yearning either...  Back then, feverish linkages of various degrees of plausibility were always being dreamed up by some wishful thinker or another...

That Marie Astrid was a princess of Luxembourg before she married snagged my interest.  From a historical and geographical standpoint, I've always been interested in the teeny-tiny little countries or principalities in Europe, that have managed to hang on down through the centuries, amid their big, powerful neighbors, like France or Germany.  Tiny Luxembourg, Lichtenstein (sp.?) and Monaco are a few of those fascinating little territories....

[Desertdi]

Luxembourg is the wealthiest country in the EU

[Cakers3]

@Oznell   Try repeating one of her daughter's name 3 times fast.  LOL

Archduchess Marie Christine Anne Astrid Zita Charlotte of Austria

Or one of her sons"

Archduke Alexander Hector Marie Karl Leopold Marcus d'Aviano of Austria

[Cakers3]

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@SharkE wrote:

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@Oznell wrote:

There's an interesting back story to the fact that "Charles/Marie Astrid" was an absolute non-starter.  Unless I'm wrong, I think it wasn't considered because of the nature of the English monarchy's relationship to the Church of England.  The king or queen, I believe, could not marry anyone other than a fellow Anglican or Protestant.

And since the then-princess Marie Astrid was Roman Catholic, perhaps there were strictures on her side against marrying a Protestant...

Perhaps someone can fill us in more?

---

You can't marry Catholics. Have to convert. 

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@SharkE   Incorrect.

[SharkE]

Who married a Catholic in the Royalty family ?

[SharkE]

Camilla converted

Nope, she had married a Catholic, but, she never became a Catholic. I thought she had converted, but, she didn't.

Both children were raised in their father's Roman Catholic faith, particularly during the lifetime of their paternal grandmother ,however Camilla remained an Anglican and did not convert to Roman Catholicism.