The Windsors should embrace their European cousins, says Richard Eden. Photo / Getty Images
The Windsors should embrace their European cousins, says Richard Eden. Photo / Getty Images
OPINION
Once upon a time, the British monarchy thought it was wise to put some distance between them and their vast extended family across Europe.
When Queen Victoria’s eldest grandchild, the Kaiser, declared war on Britain and revolution gripped the early 20th century, the ill-named Saxe-Coburg-Gothas perhaps had a point.
According to Richard Eden, however, times have changed, reports Daily Mail.
“The young people who will succeed to the throne in five different countries posed for a unique portrait at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen,” says Eden in his latest newsletter for Palace Confidential. “It was a vision of the future of Europe’s monarchy.”
However, as made crystal clear by the photograph, there were no British royal family members in sight.
“Personally, I hope that changes,” he adds. “It would be lovely if the Prince and Princess of Wales forged closer ties with their counterparts on the Continent. They have a shared interest in demonstrating that monarchy can be a force for good.”
With nine kids and 42 grandchildren, Queen Victoria was dubbed the “Grandmother of Europe”. Her descendants can be traced to the royal families of Germany, Russia, Greece, Romania, Sweden, Norway and Spain.
“However, when her eldest grandchild, Kaiser Wilhelm II, led Germany into war against Britain in 1914, her dream of her descendants bringing harmony to Europe unravelled,” explains Eden.
“And when her granddaughter, Alexandra, was brutally murdered along with Tsar Nicholas of Russia and their five children by Bolsheviks in 1918, the British royal family distanced themselves from their continental cousins even further, lest they be tainted by the stench of revolution.
“Since then, the newly named Windsors have largely kept themselves apart from the royal families of Europe.
Britain's Prince William, and Kate, Princess of Wales (left), attend a service at St Davids Cathedral in Wales on Friday, September 8 for the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death. Photo / AP
“They invite them to the big state occasions such as weddings and funerals but it tends to be Prince Edward, for example, who would be sent to a foreign celebration rather than King Charles or Prince William.
“Last weekend, we saw a fascinating example of that when European royals gathered en masse for the 18th birthday party for Prince Christian, the future king of Denmark. But the Windsors were conspicuous by their absence.”
The future needs to be taken into consideration, says Eden. “And Prince George, aged 10, would have looked cute posing next to 11-year-old Princess Estelle of Sweden.”
