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A morganatic marriage is a type of marriage which can be
contracted in certain countries, usually between persons of unequal social rank (unebenbürtig in German), which prevents
the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of
the marriage.
Often, this is a marriage between a male from a royal or reigning house, often a historical German state, and a woman of lesser status (a non-royal or reigning house, or a woman with a low-status profession
such as actress). Neither the bride nor any children of the marriage has any claim on the groom's titles, rights, or entailed
property. The children are considered legitimate on other counts and the prohibition of bigamy applies.
Morganatic, from the Latin phrase matrimonium ad morganaticam,
refers to the gift given by the groom to the bride on the morning after the wedding. The practice of morganatic marriage was most
common in the German-speaking parts of Europe, where equality in
marriage was considered an important principle among the reigning houses and high nobility. The German name was Ehe zur
linken Hand (marriage by the left hand) and the husband gave his left hand during the wedding ceremony instead of the
right.
Marriages were and are never morganatic in England, Great Britain, or the United Kingdom. The
French equivalent was a (openly) secret marriage.
Examples of morganatic marriage:
- Franz Ferdinand of
Austria and Countess Sophie
Chotek von Chotkowa. The bride was made Princess (later Duchess) of Hohenberg by Franz Josef. Their children took their mother's name and rank, and were excluded from the
imperial succession.
- Prince Alexander of Hesse, son of the Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine, and Countess Julia von Hauke. The Grand Duke made the bride Princess of Battenburg, and the resulting
family provided a ruler of Bulgaria and royal consorts
for Spain and the United Kingdom.
- Prince Alexander of Württemberg and Claudine Rhedey. She was made Countess of Hohenstein; their children were later granted
the title of Prince of Teck. The eldest son, Franz, was later made Duke of Teck. His daughter Mary of Teck married
George V of the United Kingdom.
- Ludwig Wilhelm, Duke in Bavaria and (actress) Henriette Mendel. She was created Freifrau von Wallersee, and their daughter,
Marie Louise, Countess Larisch von Moennich, was a confidante of Empress Elisabeth ("Sisi") of Austria.
As there were no provisions for morganatic marriage in British law, specific statutory means of depriving Wallis Simpson of the titles of her husband, formerly King Edward VIII had to be improvised. It has
been suggested that similar arrangements could be cobbled together for Prince Charles and Camilla
Parker-Bowles should they wish to be married and objections to her bearing specific titles remain strong.
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