God bless the homosexual men in my life. Unlike those serious, straight fellows who are always going on and on about dominion and defense strategies, polishing swords and adjusting their packages, the fops at Court have always been far more entertaining and personable. Take my cousin Mad Ludwig. O sure, he had his issues–falling in [...]
Archive for the ‘Kings & Queens’ Category
my brother-in-law Lutzi Wutzi
Posted in Kings & Queens, the Archduchess, Vienna, tagged archduke Ludwig Viktor, Ludwig II, Lutzi Wutzi, mad men of Bavaria and Vienna, Sophie Charlotte on April 17, 1848 | 2 Comments »
the heroine of gaeta
Posted in History, Kings & Queens, politics, royal wedding, tagged heroine of gaeta, king francis II of naples, marie of bavaria, marie of two sicilies, queen of two sicilies, sisi's sister marie on April 4, 1848 | Leave a Comment »
Do you know my sister, Marie? She was barely 12 when I was whisked away from my family to become Empress, but over the years following, we grew quite close. In fact, I named my favorite child after her. They called her the Queen of Two Sicilies, which has such a romantic sound, does it [...]
I’m such a Sisi
Posted in Kings & Queens, royal terms, setting the record straight on March 31, 1848 | Leave a Comment »
No, not “Sissi,” though the films about me starring Romy Schneider (that sad, sad gorgeous harlot–I mean, starlet), would beg to differ. We have Ernst Marischka, the film’s director, to thank for the blunder, but it’s an honest mistake, because Sissi is often the nickname for Elisabeth in Austria. Here’s the real story on my [...]
the mothers-in-law
Posted in the Archduchess, Uncategorized, tagged archduchess sophie, monster in laws on November 21, 1848 | 2 Comments »
With all the buzz about the new TV program Monster-in-Laws, it seems that less-than-charming mothers-in-law are once again in the public eye. I am quite sure that if I were alive today I would be glued to that particular reality television show, nodding in agreement when the Relationship Expert intervenes, wagging her finger at a meddlesome [...]
Best castle ever: the Nueschwanstein
Posted in castles, Kings & Queens, tagged mad king ludwig, Neuschwanstein Castle, Richard Wagner on October 11, 1848 | Leave a Comment »
It’s no secret that I adored my cousin, Ludwig II. Like me, he was shy. A dreamer with a big heart and a need to follow his vision. As a child he would build these fantastic block castles, and I, seven years his senior, would flop down on the floor beside him and together we [...]
5 castles series: Schönbrunn Palace
Posted in castles, Kings & Queens, tagged castles, schonbrunn, Sisi, vienna on August 24, 1848 | Leave a Comment »
I have decided to bow to expectation (and if you know me, you know how hard this is for me), and unveil some of the lesser known aspects of the ever-popular castles of Vienna. There are five of renown: Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace, Lower Belvedere, Upper Belvedere, and Schloss Wilhelminenberg. Today we will tour Schönbrunn. Opulent [...]
all in the family
Posted in the Archduchess, tagged imperial family portrait on June 6, 1848 | Leave a Comment »
The rumors are true. There is but one “legitimate” family portrait that features me, my husband, his family and our children. It is this portrait at right. Before there was Photoshop, there was the photomontage expert. Smart handlers who knew how to juxtapose likenesses of us all in order to convey normal royal family togetherness. [...]
hats off to the princess
Posted in fashion, Kings & Queens, royal wedding, tagged philip treacy, princess bea, Sisi, the royal wedding on May 19, 1848 | 2 Comments »
A bit ago, I posted about the Royal Snubbing of Fergie, whilst musing on the possibility of Philip Treacy hats amongst the Royal Wedding retinue. My, my, am I prescient or what? Not to toot my own horn, but I knew that where there’s a royal affair, there’s the pressure to set a trend. Not [...]
sibling rivalry never goes out of style.
Posted in royal wedding, the Archduchess, tagged kate and pippa, sisi and nene on May 13, 1848 | Leave a Comment »
Sisters. Can’t love with them, can’t love without them. It has more than come to light that at the latest royal wedding, all eyes were not on Kate. Some were on her younger sister, Pippa. Many, in fact, were on her younger sister. Including those of the spare heir, the paparazzi, and her increasingly anxious [...]
of beauty and fascination. rule the fourth.
Posted in Kings & Queens, Victorian jewelry on April 16, 1848 | Leave a Comment »
Today, I shall dedicate this post to the gentlemen entirely, and our rule will focus on, well, to use the modern parlance, bling. Again, I turn to the stylization in the recent Tudors series, where King Henry VIII and his retinue are festooned in fob chains, breast pins and all manner of rings. But let [...]
