Is Albert of Monaco a 5?

The sovereign prince of Monaco gave an interview from his hotel in Vancouver as The Winter Olympics drew to a close. (BTW, the gold-medal winning Canadian Women's hockey team cheered on the men to their victory...) With former champion swimmer Charlene at his side, people are speculating that the bachelor Prince may soon marry.

As you may know, Enneagram 5s won't let convention push them into a decision. Already a father of both a son and daughter out of wedlock, this Prince has resisted pressure for years.

Camilla as a One

Now the Duchess of Cornwall, nee Camilla Shand, and known most of her life as Mrs Parker Bowles, the woman the late Diana Princess of Wales nicknamed The Rottweiller surprisingly exhibits many of the traits of Enneagram #1.

The 9 Lives of Princess Letizia

Like Mette Marit, Princess Letizia of Spain is an example of the Enneagram system's gut centre. Unlike the in-your-face type 8 of the Norwegian crown princess, Letizia is self-effacing, a sign of type 9.

Throughout her life's journey, Letizia, the eldest of three girls of divorced union activist/journalist parents from Asturias, prefers to not get in the way of The Story. A journalist graduate with experience in Mexico and Spain, she gained exposure as a presenter on tv news, anchoring newscasts and reporting from the field. She eschewed the cult of the media personality, maintaining a low profile in her personal life. This approach has been reciprocated by those closest to her, including the ex-husband and family. No beans spilled.

Mette Marit - long fight for true love

The final personality type in the Head centre of the Enneagram system resembles Norway's crown princess. Born Mette-Marit Hoilby, this new princess lived through her parents' divorce and state university student subsidies and bursaries and odd jobs to fund a full-out immersion in Oslo's rave party scene. Enneagram type 8 leads life on her own terms.

A single mother by a convicted drug dealer, Mette Marit met and moved in with the crown prince. Only when she was of their relationship, and that she secured the full support of her future in-laws, did Mette Marit consent to marry in 2001. The Eight type doesn't put up with nonsense and will confront, as newscres captured the tonguelashing fearful-flyer Mette Marit gave her husband in disembarking from a plane.

Sarah is Seriously Seven

... Enneagram personality type 7.

The former royal duchess, Sarah Ferguson, managed to combine concern for Haiti with Fashion Week in New York, participating on the catwalk and acting as a host for Naomi Campbell's fundraiser.

Not a new stunt for Fergie, a few years ago, she and Princess Beatrice strutted their stuff together.

The Enneagram 5 crown princess and her family of 5 cheer on a Dutch gold medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics

Princess Maxima seems to best represent Enneagram 5 of all the new princesses. Not all 5s are introverts but they are all intelligent and often hoard and hold on to their head centred focus on the rational.

For Maxima, this includes her expertise in the world of finance and economics. Her husband Willem-Alexander and Queen Beatrix fully support how she has channeled her experiences in investment banking into microfinance via the UN as a part of her royal obligations to fly the Dutch flag.

Plus, there was no arguing that the benefits of the strength of personality was part of her appeal - unlike Mary and Marie of Denmark, Maxima retains her Catholicism and Argentinian citizenship. She has stated she is Latin and remains so. The Dutch royal family see Maxima adding to the Firm, capitalizing on her breadth of experience. The contrast between her situation and Crown Princess Masako - as per the official photo taken a few years ago when the Crown princely family visited Masako's father at the Hague while on holiday - could not be more different. (image, Getty)

Loyalty to Claire

Once again comes rumours that Princess Claire is separating from Prince Laurent, the enfant terrible of the royal family of Belgium. And just in time for Valentine's Day too - have the gossips no shame?

Thankfully, the elegant Italian-born Queen Paola had joined her Anglo-Belgian surveyor daughter-in-law, the former Claire Coombs, in yet another public royal event earlier in the week. The 6ish Claire, in the middle of the Enneagram head centre, must appreciate this show of loyalty. Regardless of the veracity of the rumours, the young mother of three has found her in-laws particularly helpful in easing her into royal public life. The Queen knows what it is like to marry the second son, having done the same in the late 50s! King Albert II lived life to the fullest - and fastest! - before unexpectedly succeeding his pious brother, Baudouin I.

Archduchess Sophie von Hapsburg, Princess von Windisch-Graetz, and Prince Hugo bury their younger son, Alexis

The beautiful Sophie and her husband, Mariano Hugo Prinz von Windisch Graetz, who holds a position at the Papal court, saw their teenage son, Alexis buried at the Vatican as per his family custom. RoyalMusings by Marlene features more biographical information about the family, including Sophie - who exhibits traits of the Enneagram 4 like Marie of Denmark.

A descendant of sovereign Greek, Danish, German, Russian royals, Sophie had struck out on her own in Spain, after striking out on a youthful romance with Rome-based Prince Hugo. As a model, a style journalist (probably like Diana de Cadaval, Duchess d'Anjou), and a mainstay in the Marbella scene for a decade, Sophie lived life to the full and with great 4 style. Then in the late 80's, a family death left Sophie in deep mourning. And Prince Hugo, who had by then untangled the financial mess left by his own family, re-entered the scene to provide the comfort she lacked. Older, wiser, he relit the flames. In 1990, Sophie walked down the aisle in Salzburg with a splendid Russian royal tiara securing her veil in a Valentino gown to her Prince. (If you wonder why the wedding gown of Clotilde Courau to her own Italian prince looks similar, perhaps the baby bump had something to do with it...)

Although she stepped back from the social scene in her move to her husband's Palazzo Taverna and raising three children, Sophie continued to occasionally support charity work in Spain. Issues of Hola with her striking blue eyes always draw attention to her efforts and her healthy family. And in a poignant gesture towards others amidst the anxiety for 18 year old Alexis, Sophie, in a genuine 4 going to Enneagram 2 reaction, supported organ donation.

What an admirable act of kindness from a grieving royal family.

Why give an inch?

Distinguishing features of the last personality type of the heart centre, the 4, can be seen in Princess Marie of Denmark, both past and present incarnations. Today's Marie is not giving up an inch of her true authentic self. She preserves her distinctions as a chic French woman, despite the former Marie Cavallier having to convert to Lutheran from Roman Catholicism and giving up being a citizen of France when she wed Prince Joachim.



Unlike her 3 type sister-in-law Crown Princess Mary, whose efforts are well-publicized, Marie is doing things the 4 way, her way. "Becoming Princess Marie" is done in sync with her individuality.



She is not racing around trying to impress the Danes. She has made it clear her priority of restoring a harmony that is missing at Schakenborg Castle, creating a happy home with her husband and an appropriate stepmother for his 2 eldest sons. Her learning to speak Danish would be done according to her timeline. She has no interest in comparisons with her husband's ex - former princess-and-now Countess Alexandra who like a type 1, immersed herself to speak Danish fluently to become the perfect and photogenic royal.



Criticisms of non-conformity do not phase a Marie who is sure of her focus. Although the downside of this intense self-focus may lead to over-emotional responses to rejection by loved ones, at this point, Marie is comfortable in her marriage with a prince who is doing everything to not louse up maritally again.

This Mary is never contrary...

Mary, HRH the Crown Princess of Denmark - what you see is what she gives you. She has gradually acquired the professionalism expected of the wife of the heir, the future queen. It is fascinating to track the evolution of the former Mary Donaldson, Tasmanian Australian - she put in plenty of effort to get to where she is. The etiquette course at Starmakers, the clothes now supported by bras, learning Danish... She works hard for the Crown. Characteristic of the 3 Enneagram type, she makes sure you know it.

Another Heart centred personality type, the 3 can connect to people but not as all-consuming as the mother hen 2. This comes through as the 3 Princess Mary is always conscious of her image. A meltdown may have happened in Paris when confronted with an ex of Prince Frederik, but it was NOT in front of the media, unlike Maria Teresa, and thus, not enough to trigger reams of gossip. This agility at modulating emotions keeps the interpersonal connection at a respectful distance.

fire at Luxembourg's Grand Duchal palace under control

That was a close call, just days to the 30th anniversary of the grand Duchal couple. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa no doubt would have been right there 'mucking out' - over the years showing a predilection towards Enneagram personality type 2.



People can count on The Helper royal to not stand by. Her empathy with others and ease of interaction are characteristic of the Heart centre.



In her efforts to make a difference, however, the 2 risks overextending herself and not receiving sufficient recognition for the work involved. Maria Teresa felt unappreciated and belittled by her mother-in-law - and as 2s sometimes do, her pentup feelings were made public. Unlike the 1, when a 2 releases stress, calm, cool, and collected are trumped by the heart-felt passions and pure emotions of hurt. According to reports, Maria Teresa's talk with local editors came with plenty of tears. The only mitigating factor was her husband's loyalty and support. Perhaps that is due to his fighting hard for them to even get engaged.

Soon - St Valentine's Day

The romantic wedding of Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista-Falla and Henri, the crown prince of Luxembourg, took place on Valentine's Day 1981. Unlike the couple who married a few months later (Charles and Diana), Maria Teresa is happily married. The mother of 5 became the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg when her husband ascended in 2000.

HRH the Grand Duchess exhibits signs of Enneagram personality type 2.

Welcome to the Royalty & Enneagram Type blog

It's time! Welcome to Royalty & Enneagram Type, where I shall be posting on a regular basis how various figures of royalty illustrate aspects of specific types of the Enneagram personality  system. Here are some of the new princesses I have been following - a preview of my upcoming analyses.

Enjoy Royalty & Enneagram Type!

Salve,

Janice

Photo copyrights purepeople, mariefrance and Abaca; Photo of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark by Tim Whitby/Getty Images Europe); MSN.dk/colourpress; The Royal Court of Norway; EPA/ROBIN UTRECHT; Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York - photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images); Philomena de France photo (SIPA, David Nivière); Claire of Belgium (Belga)