Who's Invited To The Royal Wedding? Princess Michael Of Kent?

Princess Michael of Kent, formerly known as Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz, is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, a grandson of King George V. Princess Michael has been dubbed Princess Pushy by the press and is considered one of the most controversial members of the royal family. She has been accused of making racist statements and committing social gaffes. Princess Michael's father, Baron Gunther von Reibnitz, was also revealed to have been a member of the Nazi Party and an SS officer during World War II. Despite the controversies, Princess Michael and her husband continue to attend royal events and are known to be close to the royal family. They live in Kensington Palace and are neighbours to Meghan Markle.

Princess Michael's controversial history of statements and actions

Princess Michael of Kent has a history of making controversial statements and taking actions that have been deemed offensive by many.

In 2004, she was accused of telling a group of influential Black diners at a New York restaurant to "go back to the colonies" after complaining that they were being noisy. The princess later denied making these comments, calling the incident a misunderstanding and saying that she did not know the term "colonies" was considered offensive in America. She also denied being racist, stating that she had "pretended years ago to be an African, a half-caste African" by dyeing her hair black and travelling "on an African bus".

In 2005, she gave an interview to a News of the World journalist posing as a potential buyer for her and her husband's country home. In the interview, she described the late Princess Diana as "bitter" and "nasty" and claimed that Prince Charles was "jealous" of his former wife's popularity. She also said that Prince Charles' Duchy Originals jams were not homemade, stating, "He's got factories. It's just got his name on it."

In 2014, Princess Michael described the older generation of the royal family as "boring for most people" in an interview with Conrad Black. She also stated that Princess Diana was "uneducated" and that both she and Sarah, Duchess of York, had been abandoned by their mothers at a young age, which made it difficult for them to cope with their royal status.

In 2015, the Princess caused controversy again by stating that animals do not have rights because they do not pay taxes, have bank accounts, or vote. She said, "You only have rights if you pay your taxes. You earn your rights."

In 2017, Princess Michael wore a blackamoor brooch to a pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, which was also Meghan Markle's first event with the extended royal family. Blackamoor art depicts African people as exoticised figures and is widely considered offensive. The decision to wear the brooch sparked accusations of racism, especially given Markle's biracial identity. Although the Princess apologised for wearing the brooch, some questioned the sincerity of her apology.

In 2018, Princess Michael's daughter's former partner, Aatish Taseer, alleged that the Princess owned a pair of black sheep that she had named Venus and Serena, after the famous tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.

Princess Michael's father's Nazi past

Princess Michael of Kent's father, Baron (or Freiherr) Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz, was a member of the Nazi Party and served as a cavalry officer in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He joined the Nazi Party in 1930, three years before Hitler came to power, and the SS in 1933. He fought on the Polish front and was recommended for his next appointment by Herman Goering.

In 1945, as the Soviet army approached the family's estates in Silesia, Günther von Reibnitz fled with his young family to Bavaria, which was then part of the American-occupied zone of Germany. He and his wife, Princess Michael's mother, divorced in 1946, and Princess Michael moved with her mother and elder brother to Australia. Günther von Reibnitz went to Mozambique, where he ran a citrus farm.

In 1985, Princess Michael denied having any knowledge of her father's Nazi past, saying she was "shocked" by the revelation. However, royal experts have since claimed that it would be "naive" to believe she knew nothing of her father's history, given her "deep interest in European history".

Princess Michael's apology for wearing a racist brooch

Princess Michael of Kent has apologized for wearing what has been described as a "racist" brooch to a Buckingham Palace lunch where she met Meghan Markle for the first time.

The royal, who is married to the Queen's first cousin, wore a blackamoor-style brooch depicting an African figure to the Queen's annual Christmas banquet in 2017. The event was also attended by Prince Harry's then-fiancée, Meghan Markle, who is mixed-race.

Blackamoor art typically depicts African people as exoticized figures and is widely considered offensive. The style has been tied to ideas of racial conquest and the objectification of the black male body.

Following media reports showing Princess Michael wearing the brooch, she issued an apology through a spokesperson. "The brooch was a gift and has been worn many times before," the spokesperson said. "Princess Michael is very sorry and distressed that it has caused offense."

Princess Michael's decision to wear the brooch sparked controversy on social media, with some Twitter users labeling her as racist and others questioning her judgment. It also drew attention due to Princess Michael's history of controversial comments. In 2004, she was accused of telling a group of black customers in a New York restaurant to "go back to the colonies," a claim she has denied.

Princess Michael's apology and the subsequent backlash highlight the ongoing conversations around race and sensitivity within the royal family.

Prince Michael's military career

Prince Michael of Kent, a member of the British royal family, began his military career in 1961 when he entered the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Two years later, in 1963, he was commissioned into the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own). In 1969, following the amalgamation of the 11th Hussars and the 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own), he began serving in The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own).

During his military career, Prince Michael saw service in Germany, Hong Kong, and Cyprus. Notably, in 1971, his squadron formed part of a United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus. He also held a number of appointments on the Defence Intelligence Staff during his subsequent tours of duty, which spanned twenty years in total.

Prince Michael retired from the Army with the rank of Major in 1981. However, his association with the military continued as he went on to hold various honorary positions. In 1994, he was made Honorary Commodore of the Royal Naval Reserve, and in 2004, he was promoted to Honorary Rear Admiral. In 2006, he became Commodore-in-Chief of the combined Maritime Reserves and was further promoted to Honorary Vice Admiral of the Royal Naval Reserve in 2015.

In addition to his roles in the Navy, Prince Michael also held honorary positions in the Air Force and the Army. He was made Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Benson in 2002 and was promoted to Honorary Air Marshal in 2012. He also served as Regimental Colonel of the Honourable Artillery Company from 2009 to 2012, after which he became their Royal Honorary Colonel. Furthermore, he holds honorary colonel positions in other regiments, including the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment in Canada and the King's Royal Hussars.

Prince Michael's involvement in charities and organisations

Prince Michael of Kent is involved with around 100 charities and organisations, including being Patron of a large number of these. Each year, he undertakes over 200 public working engagements for the not-for-profit sector, funded by his own household.

Prince Michael's charitable work reflects his interest in transport, for example, he is Patron of the Brooklands Museum Trust. It also reflects his passion for Russia, including his own charity, The Prince Michael of Kent Foundation, which works to benefit heritage, culture, health and post-graduate business education in Russia.

Prince Michael has also taken part in fundraising challenges, such as leading a rally of Bentleys from Brooklands Museum in the UK to Moscow, covering 1,700 miles in ten days and raising over £25,000 for the Children's Fire and Burns Trust.

He also supports charities relating to road safety, such as RoadSafe, and the Royal Life Saving Society, which aims to reduce the number of drowning incidents worldwide. The preservation of the environment and the protection of animals are particularly important to him.

Prince Michael has a strong interest in Russia, being the first member of the Royal Family to learn Russian and qualify as a Russian interpreter. He is Patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce and Founder Patron of the Pan-European Genesis Initiative, which represents the interests of small and medium enterprises throughout the European Union.

• The Kennel Club
• Maritime Volunteer Service
• The Association of Dunkirk Little Ships
• Life Saving Society
• Royal Automobile Club
• National Eye Research Centre
• Motor Sports Association
• Amberley Museum Trust
• Light Aircraft Association
• London School of Business and Finance
• Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
• Camp Jabulani, Kapama Game Reserve South Africa
• Harewood Bird Garden
• The Carriage Foundation
• Army Flying
• British Business and General Aviation Association
• Friends of No 11 Fighter Group Operations Rooms
• Grandma Flew Spitfires
• The Honourable Company of Air Pilots
• Kingston Aviation Memorial Fund
• British Airport Services & Equipment Association
• Genesis Initiative
• National Museum of Bermuda
• Children's Charities
• European Heart for Children
• First Gear, UK Youth
• Grand Order of Water Rats
• Moscow Academy of Industry and Finance
• Peter the Great Educational Trust
• Russian and English Languages Open Doors
• Saint Gregory’s Charitable Foundation
• Springfield Youth Club
• Variety Club Lifeline Scheme
• Association des Amis de l’Orgue de St Swithun
• Church of St Mary Magdalene, Gethsemane
• Brazzaville Foundation for Peace and Conservation
• The Royal Yacht Squadron
• The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers
• Chatham Historic Dockyard Volunteer Service
• James Myatt Memorial Trust
• Royal Southampton Yacht Club

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