http://royalcorrespondent.com/2010/12/08/a-real-american-princess-in-germany-hh-the-hereditary-princess-kelly-of-saxe-coburg-gotha/
A Real American Princess in Germany: Her Highness Princess Kelly, The Hereditary Princess of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha
A week or so ago I posted an article about Carina Axelsson, the American woman living in Bad Berleburg castle who is not actually a real Princess, but is a permanent girlfriend to His Highness Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittengenstein-Berleburg. Since then I have received a couple of emails wondering if there were any American women who have married into royal or princely houses.
So to answer the curious question: Yes. Yes, there is. Recently, in fact.
In May 2009, Miss Kelly Rondestvedt married one of the most eligible bachelor’s in the world. His name: His Highness Prince Hubertus, The Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha. Now, you may have heard of the House of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha before; however, if you have not here are several important facts you should know.
First, Her Majesty Queen Victoria of Great Britain married His Highness Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha. They produced a lot of children. As a result, many of them married into all the important royal as well as princely houses in Europe. Second, during World War I there was an immense despise for everything German and the British royal family is, after-all, completely German bloodline-wise. As a result, Lord Stamfordom convinced His Majesty King George V of Great Britain (Queen Victoria’s son) to change the family name from the House of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha to the House of Windsor. If Lord Stamfordom had not recommended this change to the King the British royal family’s name, today, would be the House of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha.
Other royal houses tied to the House of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha include the Belgian and Bulgarian royal families and the House of Braganza (Portugal). His Majesty King Carl Gustaf of Sweden is also related to the house via his mother, Her Highness Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha who became Queen of Sweden when she married HRH Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden.
Over all the House of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha is extremely important… historically.
Now, back to the American Princess.
Miss Kelly Rondestvedt hails from San Diego, CA and by all accounts she is an incredibly intelligent woman who obtained her Bachelor of Arts as well as an MBA from UCLA. In 2002, she moved to New York City where she took up a job as an investment banker. In the Fall of 2008, Kelly and Prince Hubertus spoke with iTV Coburg months before their wedding. During the interview, Miss Rondestvedt explained how she met the handsome German Prince, “I was at a restaurant with my girlfriends, and I saw Hubertus from across the room and thought he was so handsome…” Sparks flew and eventually the couple began to date.
A year (or so) later His Highness Prince Hubertus proposed to Kelly at his family’s palace, Schloss Callenberg, in Coburg, Germany.
The couple first had a civil ceremony on May 21, 2009. Days later on May 23, 2009 the couple had their religious ceremony at the St. Moritz Church in Coburg, Germany. It was a beautiful day, as seen by the photos as well as video, and many princely families from Germany attended. TM King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden and HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium also attended the ceremony.
Today, Their Highnesses live in New York City where His Highness Prince Hubertus works for a German bank and Her Highness Princess Kelly still works as an investment banker. However, the couple mentioned that they would eventually move back to Schloss Callenberg in Coburg, Germany in the future.
On June 19, 2010, Their Highnesses attended the royal wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden to Mr. Daniel Westling. It was during this occasion that we finally had a chance to see the Princess in the Saxe-Coburg und Gotha in HH Victoria Adelheid’s Button Tiara (which hasn’t seen the light of day since… I don’t know… forever.) Also, there is a good chance that we will see the couple at the upcoming wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales to Miss Catherine Middleton this April 29, 2011.
Hopefully, there will be more news about the couple in the future. So stay tuned. :)
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