"To be or not to be" Thursday (Imperial and Royal Families 4 The House of Hanoveria)

It has been many months since we had an installment discussing  the Dynastic Houses of Europa. Today we will deal with the ruling Grand Ducal House of Hanoveria. This Dynastic House, albeit referred to as Grand Ducal by virtue of the title of the head of the house, is strictly speaking a Royal House on par with others in Europa. This Royal House also shares the name of the country it reigns over as the original rulers took the name of the region as their own.

The current head of the dynasty is His Royal Highness Grand Duke George III of Hanoveria. In this State portrait we see the Royal Crest and Crown of the Dynastic House of Hanoveria that has ruled over the regions known as Hanoveria for hundreds of years. 

The Grand Duke, at left is a first cousin of the Crown Prince Imperial and the Duke of Swann at right. This relation comes through his mother, a Princess of Scotney and sister of Empress Crystobel and Duchess Elizabeth of Swann. As such these cousins do not share in being of the Hanoverian Dynasty, but are as close as brothers.

The Grand Duke's paternal aunt married into the Ruskian Imperial Family in pretense and as such the current pretender to the Imperial Throne of Ruskiana, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, is a member of the House of Hanoveria.

This photo shows the Grand Duke with his mother at right and his wife at left dressed in gold. The current Grand Duchess of Hanoveria is the sister of the Baron D'Rothchild and brings Franconian Royal blood into the House of Hanoveria.

Here we see the entire current Royal Family of the House of Hanoveria and their spouses, from left King Nikolas III of Syldavia who is married to Queen Maxima nee Princess of Hanoveria, the Dowager Grand Duchess of Hanoveria, mother of the current Grand Duke, The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Hanoveria, Princess Kirsten Youssopoff, nee Princess of Hanoveria and wife of Prince Felix Youssopoff.