What's the deal with Princess Angela of Liechtenstein?
>> Wednesday, August 20, 2008
At the risk of sounding as though I'm missing something, I don't understand the issue with Princess Angela of Liechtenstein.
I recently wrote an article Changing Face of Royalty where I mentioned her and how she, along with other women of various nationalities and backgrounds, have changed the way we look at royalty. That article was inspired by an email that I received about the fact that she doesn't receive much, if any, media coverage. In response to that article, one person commented: "Shame on the press for not covering them more".
Well, shame on the official site. They make no mention of her either!
Princess Angela may be the only black princess in a reigning European dynasty. She may be accomplished in many areas of her life. But I reiterate, marrying into the royal family is not an accomplishment. That alone does not make her newsworthy. I'd like to know what else she has done other than marry a Prince? Is that the way she should be defined? By who she's married to?
Judging by royal and non-royal forum threads, people are very interested in her. Deploring the lack of media coverage some go as far as to accuse it of being a race issue. The media can't accept a black woman marrying into royalty. Could it be that she and the family that she's married into have such a low profile as to not warrant coverage? Could it be that she and her husband prefer it that way? What exactly would you like the media to report on? In the absence any scandal, how about what she wears? Maybe her appearance at some meaningless party? A spread in Hello magazine? Or would that coverage be too superficial for you? Do you think this bothers Princess Angela as much as it bothers you?
In comparison to the wives of the Crown Prince's of Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Spain, you'd think Princess Angela doesn't exist. But there's a difference. She didn't marry a Crown Prince. Like it or not, that's crucial. She may have married well but she didn't marry someone high enough on the royal food chain.
There are many members of royal houses who are not reported on either. I'm sure that there are many fascinating distant royal relations who we will never hear about. Does that make it some sort of royal reporting agenda? Or could it be they're not newsworthy enough either? I guarantee that if Prince William marries a black woman that will make up for any lack of coverage of Princess Angela. But then will the enormous amount of coverage become a race issue too?
There are many black women who are very accomplished, who have achieved great things and broken barriers. These are women who are noteworthy. Marrying royalty is not in the same league. And there were never any barriers to begin with. Princess Angela just happened to marry the right person.
So for those of you who complain of her not receiving coverage and recognition. Here's what you can do:
1) You can start a blog or a website devoted to her.
2) You can track her down, interview her yourself and submit it somewhere.
3) You can do nothing and continue to complain.
I've done my part. Now you do yours.
© Marilyn Braun 2008
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14 comments:
Good article, thank you. I don't think it's a race issue. If anything her race increases the public interest, as you said. The English-language press tends to ignore non-British royals. Blogs and smaller sites are now helping to fill that gap, but I still rarely see anything about Liechtenstein's princely family. Liechtenstein is a tiny country, and its royals are very, very wealthy and probably don't want or seek publicity.
From the little that's available publicly about the Liechtenstein couple, I don't think they are the type that want attention, and they probably go to great lengths to avoid being in the press.
On the other hand, it's puzzling why the press doesn't cover them more because the press doesn't care what your preferences are. You can name any number of 2nd tier royals and near royals that get more press coverage so it is puzzling how they are almost never mentioned in the press. Even their wedding was not much publicized.
I don't think the Liechtenstein couple is the type that like attention, and they probably go to great lengths to remain out of the news.
However, the press doesn't care about your preferences, and I can name any number of near royals and 2nd tier royals that get more coverage--the Casiraghi trio for instance.
I was born and raised in NYC and there is a lot of press coverage of society weddings. It's odd to me that an American woman marries European royalty and there's next to no mention of it.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck . . .
As Cinderella mentioned, the Liechenstein family gets very little coverage to begin with. I don't think this has anything to do with my preferences. It's reality. They don't seem to be reported on. Period. Maybe if Angela married multiple times, had illegitimate children and took off and joined the circus we'd hear about her more. Do you really think they'd be interesting otherwise? I highly doubt it. But then because your Monegasque group page you should know all about that shouldn't you?
The lack of coverage has nothing to do with race. Some people choose to see it that way. I guess that's their preference isn't it?
....if she weighs the same as a duck, then she's made of wood, and therefore a witch.... (Not Princess Angela. Monty Python - Holy Grail)
Well there are black members of the British Royal Family but that's if you can trace your ancestors back far enough. It would be interesting if Harry would had came back from Africa with a black woman as his girlfriend, what would the royal family think? and what would British subjects think? We all are connected in someway and form but records gets lost and some stories aren't told.
I don't think it's a race thing either. Most people don't even know that Liechtenstein exists unless they've read Danielle Steel's novel about the fictional Princess Christina. It would be nice if we could know more, but you have to respect their desire to live a more private life, her husband, as you pointed out, is not the heir to the principality.
Well the Princely Family of Liechtenstein is not just like the other royal families and so we cannot really discuss them in the same context. They are ruling royals of the old school, the family holds enourmous political and econonomical powers in the country and the country would really not be the same without them.
Most of what the family does takes place behind closed doors, they only show up at a few occasions per year and they do not have to have a working schedule in the limelight like other royals in Europe. They manage their country and the LGT Group where many of them are involved and show up for big events. That's it.
Also, Princess Angela and Prince Maximilian live abroad where they have jobs.
rman, I think that if Prince Harry started dating a black woman that that would become a race issue. Lack of coverage doesn't make it a race issue, it would be the enormous amount of coverage that would do so. Kate Middleton thinks she has it tough. I actually found one message board discussing whether Princess Angela is black enough.
I'm not sure whether she's the first black woman to marry into a European dynasty. Wasn't King George III's wife part black? I think there are other examples but beyond Queen Victoria's time I'm lost!
I'd heard of Liechtenstein prior to this but I can't say I ever had enough interest in them to delve further. Like Cinderella said, I think it increases public interest too. Although they're a private family, I wouldn't mind knowing more about them myself.
I'll bet the British royal family would love to have the luxury of being able to do things behind closed doors. Sophia, doesn't Prince Maximmillian have a high profile position in the LTG group?Group Chief Executive Officier? Is this an international division? He can't be completely out of the public eye then.
Afro Panamanian Princess Angela of Liechtenstein and her family are not interested in being part of the limelight.
One of Princess Angela's relative in Panama sometimes divulge minor information to the Panamanian press about the Royal family.
I believe the Liechtenstein Royal family is very happy the way things are.That still does not take away from the fact that there is little coverage or pictures BY the press of Princess Angela and Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein.
One of my Panamanian friend who resides in Switzerland has promised that she will get an interview from Princess Angela.I wish her the very best.
úrsula,
La Panameña
It's interesting that the black American press has ignored Princess Angela as well. I think race is involved to a certain extent, in that neither the black media nor the white media seems to be terribly interested in covering black female/white male relationships. Even in Hollywood these types of relationships tend to be covered up, to a large extent. But I agree that the Liechtenstein royal family, in part due to their being a banking family and being "old school", tend to avoid publicity. Although Hello magazine did do a cover story spread on Princess Angela back in 2002 (so perhaps she is willing to cooperate with certain publications that do show an interest in her?)
Princess Angela and Prince Maximilian do attend many functions- royal weddings and charity events.They reside in Europe and the European press do write about them.The Germans and the people in Liechtenstein are fascinated with Princess Angela.
Recently, the entire princely family of Liechtenstein had a conference with Pope Benedict XVI.A beautiful photo was taken of the Pope with all members of the Leichtenstein family.
Back in my native Panama, there are rumours that the couple have purchased a home in Pedasí.
Their little son, Prince Alfons is growing tall and looking so lovely. He is fluent in German, English and Spanish. I know there is hardly much information about them here in the Americas, but they are happy and doing fine.
In the beginning Princess Angela appeared to have been a little shy, but she seems very relaxed now and at ease with her role.
Saludos,
Ana
It does baffle me there is so little about this couple...but in this case I don't think it's because they're an interracial couple. I think it's because the media still shows far more interest in the British royal family moreso than any other of the Royal Houses of Europe. The attention given to Diana is still great despite the fact she's been dead for over 10 years. Not that I'm upset by that. To me, she'll always be the People's Princess no matter what. It would be nice to see more information about royals from other parts of the world, for sure.
Anyway, I found a lovely video on youtube dedicated to Prince Maximillian and Princess Angela... which I put up at my blog.
Well, Marilyn, I just visited the message board you mentioned...and I was just stunned. Talk about some jealous cats! MEOW. I think she's lovely and I'm glad she found her Prince and is living happily ever after. We should all be so lucky :)
I like this blog by the way.
It's more than likely a mix of a lot of things. The "color" issue many people have (even if they're in denial), not knowing where in the world Lichtenstein is, (or that it existed) and the fact that most people have no clue about anyone's royal family short of Britain; and yes there have been other "black" European royalty.
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