Princess Maria Christina of the Netherlands, marriage

Mar. 31 Dutch Princess is wed to New Yorker: Princess Maria Christina of the Netherlands, fourth and youngest daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard, was married today to a Cuban-born teacher from New York. Tens of thousands packed the center of Utrecht, cheering as the Princess and her bridegroom, Jorge Guillermo, both 28 years old, were married in a ceremony devoid of pageantry, parades or brides-maids. The 1, 200 guests at the ceremony in the 13th-century cathedral here and at a reception in the ancient hall of Utrecht University did not include members of other European royal families. Many participants were relations or close friends from the United States and Canada. The Princess, in line with her wish to hold pomp to a minimum, wore a white silk organza dress without veil or train. It was designed by a New York couterier, Andrew Koyal. She carried a bouquet of white roses and lilies. Mr. Guillermo, a recently naturalized American citizen who runs a day-care center for deprived children in Harlem, wore black morning dress. The Princess also works as a teacher. After their honeymoon the couple plan to return to their previous jobs and live as ordinary New Yorkers. The princess lived in the city almost incognito for more than a year under the name of Christina Van Oranje (Christina of Orange). She taught French and music at a private school. When she announced her engagement four months ago, the princess renounced her claim to the throne, and their claims of any children she might have. She had ranked 10th in the line of succession. Today's cathedral wedding, following a civil ceremony on the town hall, was conducted by a Protestant clergyman and a Roman Catholic priest. The Princess is a member of the Dutch Protestant Church. Mr. Guillermo is a Roman Catholic. Despite the simplicity of the ceremony, the cathedral was decked with more than 300 exotic plants and flowers, many of them orange to signify the Royal Dutch House of Orange

Restrictions Only for United Kingdom

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