THE DAY(S) BEFORE THE WEDDING

As I hadn't been able to get away from my work until August 8th, I had to skip most of Duchess Fleur and Count Moritz's (pre-) wedding festivities: the serenade at the Seminarplatz on Thursday evening, as well as the civil wedding at Altshausen Castle on Friday morning, with reception in the afternoon. I had left the north of The Netherlands early in the morning of Friday August 8th, but I didn't arrive at my hotel in Bad Saulgau - very near Altshausen - until after 11 hours travelling by train (2 hours extra because of delay). Pretty tired I put my luggage in my room and had a small dinner on the terrace of my hotel. I was still eating when I already discovered the first royals - passing me in two cars were for sure Duchess Sophie von Württemberg with her two brothers Alexander and Eugen, and probably also sister Margarethe. They passed too quickly to have a very good look.

Still I was not sure if I would go to Altshausen that evening, because I was pretty tired and would have to wake up already very early the next morning. But my curiosity won it and I walked to the railway station, bought a ticket and then heard that the train had 40 minutes delay. That made me loose most of my enthusiasm to go to Altshausen that evening, and I decided to go back to my hotel. However I knew there was an expensive hotel in the neighbourhood and as I had seen the Württembergs passing I thought there would be a chance some of the guests would stay at that hotel. I passed it on my way back to my hotel and to my surprise I saw two taxi-busses for Altshausen Castle, as was on a paper placed behind the windows, standing outside the hotel. I was crazy enough to ask if I could have a lift to Altshausen, and to my surprise that was no problem. I only had to wait until the guest for Altshausen would come out. I didn't have to wait very long, as he soon arrived. I stepped into the car after the guest and explained to him why I was travelling with the same taxi as him and said to hope he didn't mind (of course not). I soon found out he didn't speak German, but English with a heavy South-European accent. My interest raised when he said he had been born in Bern, and it didn't take long to find out he was a royal and was from Portugal, which together said enough to me about his identity. I asked him then if he was Dom Miguel de Bragança Duke of Viseu, brother of the Duke of Bragança, and yes, it was him. We had a nice chat in the car, and he told me he had just discovered that he had forgotten to take the white waistcoat with him he had to wear the next day.

Soon we reached Altshausen Castle and drove over the court of the castle to the beginning of the square where the party was held. The square was already pretty filled with people. There was no place at the benches and tables anymore: they were already occupied by royal and noble guests as well as people from Altshausen. Soon I saw some press I knew, and to my big surprise Stefan from Bunte, a German magazine, had taken my friend Verena with him to assist him. Also Albert from Royal Press Holland walked around, as well as some other photographers I had met at other occasions. I unfortunately already had missed the arrival of the most important guests, but it was very easy to spot the royal guests around the tables talking and laughing. Among them of course was King Juan Carlos of Spain, godfather of the bride, who had already attended some of the earlier festivities on Friday, and was surrounded by several security people. I didn't dare to photograph anymore as it was already pretty dark when I arrived, but spent my time observing the royals and talking to people I hadn't seen for a while. Regularly I could see a royal enjoying a huge beer, for example Duke Philipp von Württemberg and even his sister Duchess Fleur von Württemberg.

I didn't really enjoy the Austrian and German music that was played at the stage in the beginning. When I was having a drink with a photographer of Seeger Press Dom Miguel de Bragança passed us and told us he loved the music and the beer (we could notice that). Soon afterwards a nice band started playing and we got to see some rock 'n roll. It was already around 11:30 when also Duchess Fleur and Count Moritz walked to the stage and danced together under loud applause of the public around them. Soon other royals joined them for a while. What I only discovered later was that the drummer of the band was noone else as Prince Constantin von und zu Liechtenstein. He and his band were playing at the party as a wedding gift for Fleur and Moritz. I couldn't find Verena and Stefan back anymore, and I decided once more to try to get a lift with one of the taxis as the last train had long left Altshausen. Around midnight I arrived at my hotel and I soon fell asleep, of course dreaming of the next day ...