I just read a detailed account of the Bal des Ifs and I’d never realised how funny this event was when you don’t focus on Madame de Pompadour. All I was taught at school is that it was the masquerade ball in 1745 where Louis XV first took (public) notice of la Pompadour, but what I didn’t know was that the former royal mistress had recently died so there was a vacancy so to speak, and a lot of noblewomen showed up specifically hoping to catch the King’s attention.
But he came dressed up as a shrub (a yew tree similar to the ones in the royal topiary gardens) along with seven other men in identical costumes, so no one knew for sure which one was the King. People always focus on how Madame de Pompadour recognised the royal shrub and talked to him, but what about the women who didn’t!! History is written by the winners but I want to hear about the women who doggedly danced the minuet with random shrubs hoping this one was the one. My book mentions that a determined noble lady followed a yew tree outside the room on a hunch, only to find that she had bet on the wrong shrub. This is what the shrub costumes looked like by the way, imagine stalking one all over the park of Versailles at night because you think his gait looks kingly and you are an ambitious noblewoman
Spanish Royal Family - King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, the Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofia of Spain attend the "Princesa De Asturias" Awards 2023 ceremony at Teatro Campoamor in Asturias, Spain | October 20, 2023
Alonso Sánchez Coello (Spanish, 1531-1588)
The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia, Detail, 1579
Isabella (1566-1633) was the daughter of Philip II of Spain by his third wife, Elisabeth of Valois. Isabella was around the age of thirteen at the time this was painted. In 1599 she married Albrecht of Austria and took over the regency of the Habsburg Netherlands on behalf of her father. Philip was close to both of his daughters, in particular to Isabella who was not married off young unlike the traditional custom with princesses.
TIARA ALERT: Infanta Maria Francisca of Portugal, Duchess of Coimbra, wore Queen Amelie's Diamond Tiara for her wedding to Duarte de Sousa Araújo Martins at the Basilica of Our Lady and Saint Anthony within the Palace of Mafra outside of Lisbon, Portugal on 7 October 2023.
Princess Leonor shares a sweet moment with her family following her swearing allegiance to the Spanish constitution on the day of her 18th birthday at the Spanish parliament | October 31, 2023
QUEEN LETIZIA and a beaming INFANTA SOFÍA cannot hold their excitement with some of the Spanish crowd after the Spanish national team won the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time.
“The fact that support for the monarchy in Spain has risen up to 62% which is more than half of the population, compared to that 30% that was in ten years ago just proves how popular Leonor has become. I think Leonor and Sofia are getting more popular within their country compared to the Dutch royals.” - Submitted by Anonymous
Coordinate for day one of Geek Girl Con! Decided to put together a ringleader inspired circus coordinate and I really like how it turned out. I almost never use this tiny top hat but I really think it works!
Infanta Sofia on July 12, 2010 during an audience for the Men's National Soccer Team who had won their first World Cup that year and on August 20, 2023 celebrating the first World Cup win for the Women's National Team
Spanish Royal Family - The Spanish Royal Court has released the official Christmas Photo of King Felipe VI, Infanta Sofia, Princess Leonor and Queen Letizia. It was taken before Princess Leonor’s 18th birthday events last month | December 12, 2023
A segment on Queen Amelie’s Diamond Tiara from TVI’s interview with Infanta Maria Francisca.
The tiara was a wedding gift from Queen Amelie’s father-in-law, King Luís, in 1886. They show a picture of it with the other wedding gifts from the Portuguese royal family all made by the crown jewelers, Leitão & Irmão. On the right is a matching necklace from her mother-in-law, Queen Maria Pia, and on the left is a sapphire and diamond necklace from her husband, the future King Carlos.
I’ve never seen a picture of Queen Amelie wearing the matching necklace and it was most likely dismantled to create her Diamond Choker Necklace that is still with the former Portuguese royal family. She was photographed on at least one occasion wearing the sapphire necklace but I’m not sure what happened to it.
Any Portuguese speakers, does the jewelry expert, Eduardo Alves Marques, give any more information or say anything interesting?