Guillaume of Luxembourg officially engaged to Stéphanie de Lannoy !

[My13]

Wasn't Philippe and Mathilde's wedding arranged too? Or is that just a rumour?

Rumor - they even denied it.

[pixiecat]

Did they ever say how they met?  I don't recall ever hearing how they met, or how long they had been dating before the engagement announcement.  I've always thought that they had an arranged marriage too.  It's okay if they have; their marriage has turned out to be very successful, and they're good for each other.  I don't really mind arranged marriages IF everyone involved does it of their own free will and has the option to say no to the arrangement. 

When I said the Belgians/Luxes were a tight circle, I didn't mean the Belgian royals and Lux royals.  I knew that they were closely related.  I meant the Belgian royals and Lux royals were in a tight knit group with the Belgian aristos and nobles (who are probably distantly related to the Bel/Lux royals).  It will be interesting to see who the younger Lux royals and Astrid's children end up marrying.  I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up with aristos from this group. 

Any announcement of the wedding date yet? 

[PleaseDoNotEatTheDaisies]

No date yet, pixiecat.

Gui said that they have met by mutual friends. It could be birthday of the Belgian noble women happened few years ago, where Lux royals and their cousins were also present. They're together about 2 years.
Arranged marriage sounds strange for me. Indeed he could search for a suitable wife among the noble girls but no one forced them to this union, it's not middle ages. His parents marriage wasn't arranged and I think that they wouldn't have such a idea.
We know about Pia, there were also rumors about other girls. He was looking for someone who will be good wife and good companion for him as a crown princess I think. He knows situation in other royal families and maybe he wanted someone different than lazy Kate or greedy Mary. I think he chosen well, time will show how Stephanie will develop as a wife and princess. I hope that would be scandals-free union.

[lynda]

Well she can't be a worse pick than Kate & Mary.......................

[pixiecat]

No date yet, pixiecat.

Gui said that they have met by mutual friends. It could be birthday of the Belgian noble women happened few years ago, where Lux royals and their cousins were also present. They're together about 2 years.
Arranged marriage sounds strange for me. Indeed he could search for a suitable wife among the noble girls but no one forced them to this union, it's not middle ages. His parents marriage wasn't arranged and I think that they wouldn't have such a idea.
We know about Pia, there were also rumors about other girls. He was looking for someone who will be good wife and good companion for him as a crown princess I think. He knows situation in other royal families and maybe he wanted someone different than lazy Kate or greedy Mary. I think he chosen well, time will show how Stephanie will develop as a wife and princess. I hope that would be scandals-free union.

Thanks!

Re: arranged marriages, I should have clarified my point earlier.  I'm not advocating arranged marriages.  It is not ideal, especially for the woman (usually).  What I meant to say, was I don't care if their marriage was arranged, as long as everyone involved did it of their own free will and there was no pressure put on the two to marry (like Guillaume's grandparents' situation).  Sometimes, families will introduce their children to each other in the hopes that their kids will "hit it off".  I don't mean that my father should select my spouse and that I shouldn't have a say in the matter.    Sorry if it came out another way...it's early and I need coffee. 

[PleaseDoNotEatTheDaisies]

Well she can't be a worse pick than Kate & Mary.......................

Don't forget about Snakey   

I did not refer to your post pixie. I just wrote what I think about possibility of being this marriage arranged. Even if, so what. He picked nice, intelligent girl with aristocratic background and now people are trying to prove that it's not real love. Sugars treats this noble girl like someone worse and try persuade other posters that only marriage with commoner can be happy. To be honest is marriages of Mary-Fred, Kate-Will, Albert-Charlene are true love?

Stephanie already has own topic on thefashionspot and so far comments are nice, they found her pretty. So do I.

[Miss Waynfleet]

I do think GF and Sophie of Prussia are a love match  It´s nonsense to say that just commoner/royal marriages work 
Gui and Stéph, it looks for me like a mariage de convenance, it doesn´t have to be something bad. These are two intelligent people and know their duties.
I don´t find her ugly and gross, I just don´t get good vibes from her.

[Mab]

Forgot about Georg & Sophie!  They look very comfortable together.  I agree with you Miss W about the weird vibe from Stephanie, Gui seems nervous around her, or maybe it was just the occasion.  Not a great deal of eye contact between them.  The back patting was hilarious!

[Chrissie]

I think all the nervous fussing and the back patting is because Guillaume only ever had Pia as a "public" girlfriend, and that was ages ago. He's got no idea what to do with Stephanie when there are cameras present.

[danifaul]

monarchies-of-the-world and misshonoriaglossop
Not sure if this has already been posted   or not

[KittyHeaven]

I dunno...I just don't get "marriage of convenience" vibes with these two. 

I get the feeling ol' Gui is a horny little something behind closed doors! 

[TLLK]

Congratulations to them both.

[Eugenie]

Having seen many pics of Steph now, I have to say that she can look very cute when she wants to.
It mustn't be arranged in the classical sense, although some friends from the Netherlands told me that people in that part of the world believe that Mathilde could have introduced these two. I don't know if it's true though.


Gui's affection towards her was crystal clear the other day; Stephanie must be more reserved in general or must have felt rather nervous during the interview. Time will tell, of course.

[hanzo1]

he has to love the horrible beard this is not a Hotkon case

[lilith]

It mustn't be arranged in the classical sense, although some friends from the Netherlands told me that people in that part of the world believe that Mathilde could have introduced these two. I don't know if it's true though.

I've heard something similar back last year, that it was "arranged" through Philippe & Mathilde. While it wouldn't surprise me, I'm not completly sold that it's true.