Now I know I'm late with the whole Royal thing, but please bare with me! Now amongst the whole wedding gown analysis, and scrutiny of the royal pictures I noticed in the Daily Hate Mail, sorry Daily Mail, an article headlined 'Where are the black people?' The View's Sherri Shepherd sparks Royal Wedding uproar. Now should I be surprised that such an headline would appear in the realms of the Daily Mail? Probably not, do I even care that there were only a small number of black faces in the pews? Nope I really do not care, and can't say I'm surprised. Sorry but I don't see any members of the royal family with their 'Black best friends' except for the odd publicity shot with Snoop, so this isn't big news at all. When reading I just thought who the hell is Sherri Shepherd? And got to googling her name to find out.
This article did trigger something that has always intrigued me though which is African Royalty, and also Black people in the European family. Now I know that Black History month isn't until October in the (UK anyway), but I did think it would be nice to share some of my findings with ya. Tonight I will focus on Black Princesses, Countesses, Baronesses,even Queen's, and ladies there may be just a slight chance that one of us can bags Harry!
Queen Charlotte
Queen Charlotte was born on May 19, 1744--the eighth child of the Prince of Mirow, Germany, Charles Louis Frederick, and his wife, Elisabeth Albertina of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Sophie Charlotte was descended directly from an African branch of the Portuguese Royal House, Margarita de Castro y Sousa, through six different ancestral lines which means that she was of mixed African and European heritage. In 1761 Queen Charlotte married George III of England, at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace, London, at the age of 17 years of age becoming the Queen of England and Ireland. Their marriage was said to have been an happy one until the deterioration of her husbands health (lookup the madness of King George). They had 15 children together 13 of whom survived until adulthood. Researchers suggest that Queen Charlotte’s notable African features were most likely played down by artists of the era, because of the prevalence of the slave trade. She was a keen botanist and expanded Kew Gardens, whilst also being noted to have introduced England to the tradition of having Christmas Trees in our homes, and had the first one in 1800. She was the grandmother of Queen Victoria, and is the great great great grandmother of Queen Elizabeth 11.
Princess Angela of Liechtenstein
Princess Angela of Liechtenstein (3 February 1958 in Panama) is the wife of Prince Maximilian of. Liechtenstein. She was born Angela Brown and attended school in New York, where she went on to become an award winning fashion designer. This lucky lady married her prince in 2000, in a wedding dress that she designed. They have since had a child together making Princess Angela and her son, Prince Alfons (b. London 18 May 2001), the highest ranked black members of a reigning European dynasty. Princess Angela is 11 years her husbands senior, ya see that though! Black don't Crack! Lucky lady!
Princess Akosua Busia
Princess Akosua Busia of the Royal Family of Wenchi, Ghana (born December 30, 1966) It's only while watching the Colour Purple Reunion on Oprah the other day that I realised that the character who played Nettie is actually a Ghanain Princess. Yep she really is! The Colour Purple was Princess Akosua's first acting début, but she went on to star in other films, and also wrote a song with Stevie Wonder. Everyone remembers Boyz in The Hood, well this Princess married (and divorced) the director of this film John Singleton.
Princess Esther Kamatari
Princess Esther Kamatari of Burundi (born 1951) was brought up in the Burundi royal family until her father the King was overthrown and the monarchy abolished in 1966. Her father was assassinated and Princess Esther settled in exile in France where she became a writer, a humanitarian activist in regards to her homeland of Burundi, and most notably one of the first top African models to break into the European catwalk industry.
Baroness Cecile de Massy of Monaco
Baroness Cecile de Massy of Monaco hails from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe and is the fourth wife of Christian Louis Baron de Massy, the only nephew of the late;Prince Rainier of Monaco. They have two children together, and this lucky lady spends her days no doubt shopping, dining out, and running her charitable foundation Ladies Lunch Monte Carlo who raise funds for the benefit of underprivileged children.
Countess Mary Von Habsburg of Austria
Countess Mary Von Habsburg of Austria married Ferdinand Leopold Joseph Count von Habsburg of Austria who's family descends from William the Conqueror in Nairobi in 1999. The Countess hails from Sudan and there was apparently a lot of controversy regarding their marriage in royal circles because of the Countess' class and ethnicity. This of course had no effect on the couple who have since had 3 children, all of whom were born in Africa where they currently reside.
Well I hope that I've enlightened some of you out there, let me know what you think fellow BDSSers was it nice to hear some of the fairy tales that us sisters or commoners can relate to? Holla at ya girl, I'm off to find me a Prince....
