Здравей.The Friday cat bloggers are out en masse today, so the contrarian here provides an alternative. Not fluffy, but we present the titular heir to the Bulgarian throne, HRH Prince Kardam of Bulgaria, Prince of Turnovo (as the heir is styled), Duke of Saxony.
Prince Kardam was born in Madrid, eldest son of Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria and Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela. The monarchy had been abolished in Bulgaria before Prince Kardam's birth. On July 11, 1996, he married Doña Miriam Ungria y López, a gemologist and historian. [Wikipedia]
At age six, Kardam's father Simeon, became Tsar of Bulgaria and reigned as Simeon II from 1943-1946. After over five decades in exile, Simeon returned to Bulgaria and was democratically elected and became Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2001-2005) - something hitherto unprecedented in history. When not addressed as a reigning monarch, he is known as Simeon of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His family name indicates that he is related to Queen Elizabeth as "Windsor" is an English-sounding replacement name for Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.Although deposed, Simeon never abdicated and is thus the only living person to bear the title Tsar.
The royal children were educated in the Lycée Français in Madrid. Prince Kardam's siblings are Kyrill, Prince of Preslav; Kubrat, Prince of Panagiurishte; Konstantin-Assen, Prince of Vidin; and Princess Kalina of Bulgaria. Kalina is, perhaps, the wild child of the family, who dresses and behaves with flair and idiosyncrasy (perhaps the only European princess to shave her head, then dye her hair orange after it grew out). The family is said to be close and warm. As heir, Kardam was baptized in the Eastern Orthodox Church, though his siblings are baptized Roman Catholic.
Kardam is presumably named for Khan Kardam, Ruler of Bulgaria from 777 to 803.He and Princess Miriam have two children, both born in Madrid: HRH Prince Boris of Bulgaria (b. 12 October 1997) and Prince Beltran of Bulgaria (b. 23 March 1999).
I just love this photo with Prince Boris sticking out his tongue and Prince Beltran running off with the garden hose. Too cute!
He received his bachelor's degree in International Economics and Philosophy from Clark University in the USA in 1986. Three years later, he received a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Penn State University. [source]Alas, I have no videos of the princely family. But here is a video of Tsarevets Castle in Veliko Turnovo. Were the monarchy still in place in Bulgaria, Prince Kardam might be living there instead of Madrid. (Needs a bit of restoration though.)
And a tour of Veliko Turnovo with Bulgarian music:
Enjoy!
Update:
I forgot the bonus photo collage.
Ще се видим утре.
--the BB
9 comments:
He looks nice, though bald. All the men in my family are bald, too, so I'm used to smooth heads.
Paul, you must be gaining a heap of knowledge in gathering the information on the princes and in your posts on the flags of your visitors.
I tried to do the Pooh quiz, too, but I could never get a name that the site would accept. Whatever. But all that work went for nothing.
Am I one of the little people in you life? If I am, you'd better start paying attention to me, Mr. Wol. I could use some help.
No, Mimi, you are one of the significant people in my life, if but newly arrived. I don't really believe in the concept of "little people." I find it difficult even to conceptualize "someone who doesn't matter" or who matters very little. Makes no sense.
The bits of geography, history, demographics, international politics, linguistics that I pick up for the flags is fascinating, even if my retention rate for new informations is very low these days. The princes are just about fluff material, but even there one gets smatterings of history, such as Simeon being Tsar and then decades later PM.
Some days it seems overwhelming. And I know that I have put the rest of my life on hold to blog (which answers the question of how I put out so much). But it is interesting.
I read your posts with great interest but have not felt that I had much to contribute of late; please don't think I have ignored you, chère Grandmère!
Paul, I'm afraid that blogging has taken over my life, too. I need a group. I can't kick the habit alone. Help!
LOL!
Mimi, would one turn to an active alcoholic to help oneself quit drinking?
No, Paul, I suppose not.
Nice, though bald?! No, no, dear Grandmère Mimi, that's "nice and bald. All the men in my family go bald very young. I never knew till I was halfway to grown up that good-looking adult men were not bald. None of those guys ever had any trouble finding partners, so the motto of the women in the family must be "bald is beautiful."
I think the prince is quite handsome. And the princess is a stunner. (Also, I love guys who marry women taller than they. Shows they don't have fragile egos.)
Mimi, I'll join the group with you. I'm hopeless. But you know we would end up starting a blog for people hooked on blogging, and then where would we be?
I never cease to marvel that this weekly feature, a spoof on Friday cat blogging, would draw more comments than anything else I post, but it rather consistently does.
His brother's wife, Princess Rosario, seems even taller than Princess Miriam (and slender to the point of severity).
My silliest posts always draw the most comments. Go figure.
Herself is purring LOUD(ly). That's the other thing that draws. Animal posts.
I must agree that the silliest of my posts get the most comments. What kind of incentive is that to write well? Add a cute animal or a cute prince and Bingo!
Paul, that's not to say that your prince posts are not serious, because you give us geography and history along with the prices.
Jane, nice AND bald is much better. Thanks.
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