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-   -   Trains fit for a king (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/trains-fit-for-a-king-1672916/)

BDKR Oct 16th, 2019 10:59 AM

Trains fit for a king
 
The king and the queen of Belgium just took the train to Luxembourg instead of flying.

Nice!

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2019/10...aar-luxemburg/

hetismij2 Oct 16th, 2019 11:22 AM

Good for them, but it isn't unusual for royals to take the train.

ahbonvraiment Oct 20th, 2019 10:47 AM

And they were just visiting the family.

Pepper_von_snoot Oct 20th, 2019 11:45 AM

I think the retired King of Belgium has an illegitimate daughter.

Cousin Muffy went to some funeral recently, maybe the funeral of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and people were talking about it covertly. She said the ex-king looked terrible and could barely walk with a cane. The ex-queen looked even worse.

Muffy latched on to some adoptive daughter of one of the Bonapartes and she knew a lot of gossip.🤣

Thin,aristocrat 🔪

hetismij2 Oct 20th, 2019 12:18 PM

He had a long affair with Sybille de Selys Longchamps and one of her daughters claims to be his child. Her mother supports the claim.
He is 85 now and never been very healthy, so it is no wonder he uses a stick. Paola is 82.

Pepper_von_snoot Oct 20th, 2019 06:44 PM

Yes, that's it. The mother is a baroness I think.

The funeral was Grand Duke Jean. Muffy said it was a terrible day, rainy and cold, windy. Princess Anne was there with the Brenda's cousin, the one whose mother was Ann of Denmark by the second husband. I think her father was the Earl of Litchfield. Lady Elizabeth Something.

The Count of Paris and the Bonapartes, also the Prince of the Two Sicilies sat near Muffy and Princess Desiree and just spilled lots of gossip.

Thin,aristocrat 🐦


Tulips Oct 20th, 2019 09:31 PM

There is no doubt among Belgians that she is his daughter. King Albert's refusal to comply with court orders to give his DNA has led to plummeting support for him and his wife.
If the girl is not your daughter, then just give your DNA to proof it. How hard can that be?
Also he whines about his allowance, from his mansion in the Provence where he spends most his time.

JessicaBr Oct 21st, 2019 02:12 AM

I like that, Royal families trying to stay normal. It happens a lot in Europe.

hetismij2 Oct 21st, 2019 02:53 AM

Hah! there's normal and there's normal. No Royals are truly normal, no matter whther they take a train or ride a bike.

BDKR Oct 21st, 2019 03:05 AM

I think it's great when they show good example to their subjects.

There are lots of snobs out there who would not be seen dead on a train, thinking that trains are only for the plebs(never mind the 1st class). If they change their mind about train travel(at least give it a try) that's a small step in the good direction.

Tulips Oct 21st, 2019 09:50 PM


Originally Posted by BDKR (Post 17003778)
I think it's great when they show good example to their subjects.

There are lots of snobs out there who would not be seen dead on a train, thinking that trains are only for the plebs(never mind the 1st class). If they change their mind about train travel(at least give it a try) that's a small step in the good direction.

What an odd comment. Who are these snobs? Not anyone I know.

menachem Oct 21st, 2019 10:33 PM


Originally Posted by hetismij2 (Post 17003774)
Hah! there's normal and there's normal. No Royals are truly normal, no matter whther they take a train or ride a bike.

More interesting to me is the fact that members of the Luxembourg Ducal family sat in on a conference on Israel's occupation policy and BDS as valid non-violent action.

BDKR Oct 21st, 2019 11:47 PM

"What an odd comment. Who are these snobs? Not anyone I know."

If these don't exist in Belgium, than good for you.

This type of people certainly exist even in Germany and are quite numerous in Eastern Europe. They think trains are only for losers, normal people drive a car or fly.

"More interesting to me is the fact that members of the Luxembourg Ducal family sat in on a conference on Israel's occupation policy and BDS as valid non-violent action."

Interesting it may be, but what does their opinion matter? Most people can't even find Luxembourg on the map.

Pepper_von_snoot Oct 22nd, 2019 11:50 AM

I always travel by train in Switzerland, and I sit in second class.

I also take the tube in London and the Paris metro, RER B.

Thin, aristocrat ⛺

JessicaBr Oct 22nd, 2019 07:02 PM


Originally Posted by hetismij2 (Post 17003774)
Hah! there's normal and there's normal. No Royals are truly normal, no matter whther they take a train or ride a bike.

I did say trying...haha. I still think it's nice. And I am sure they didn't have to share the couch with other people and I am also sure the train would have waited if they were late. But still, they didn't get a helicopter or a car with an escort.


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