Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Encyclopedia
Princess Nathalie Xenia Margarete Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
(born 2 May 1975, in Copenhagen
, Denmark
) is daughter of Princess Benedikte of Denmark
, who is the younger sister of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
" with her trainer Kyra Kyrklund
, former world champion in dressage
. After four very successful years, in which among other things she won the bronze medal at the European Championship with the Danish team, she had to change coaches as Kyrklund moved to England. She teamed up with Klaus Balkenhol
, coach of the German dressage team.
Nathalie gained a place in the 2000 Olympic team as reserve rider, and afterward she participated in the European Championship of 2001, gaining a bronze medal and the World Championship 2002 (where she was placed fourth) with the Danish team. She was a member of the Team Denmark dressage team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
and was awarded a Bronze (third place) medal.
Beside riding she also breeds horses, as does her mother, Princess Benedikte of Denmark. In autumn 2005, the princess opened her own stud farm
, which is based in Bad Berleburg
.
They married religiously on 18 June 2011 at Berleburg in Germany.
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was a county , most of which is located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany . Its seat was the town and palace in Berleburg...
(born 2 May 1975, in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
) is daughter of Princess Benedikte of Denmark
Princess Benedikte of Denmark
Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, , , is the second daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden...
, who is the younger sister of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Equestrian
She discovered a love for horses and for riding in early childhood, and has turned her passion into an occupation. She began in 1994 training on the Swedish stud "FlyingeFlyinge
Flyinge is a locality situated in Eslöv Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 979 inhabitants in 2005....
" with her trainer Kyra Kyrklund
Kyra Kyrklund
Kyra Marie Christine Kyrklund is a Finnish dressage rider and trainer who currently lives in West Sussex. In 1991 she and "Matador II" won the World Cup Finals in Paris...
, former world champion in dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
. After four very successful years, in which among other things she won the bronze medal at the European Championship with the Danish team, she had to change coaches as Kyrklund moved to England. She teamed up with Klaus Balkenhol
Klaus Balkenhol
Klaus Balkenhol is a German equestrian and Olympic champion. He won a gold medal in team dressage at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona with the team from Germany. Klaus is the author of several dressage books. He is an avid member of Xenophen, and like Philippe Karl petitions against the use...
, coach of the German dressage team.
Nathalie gained a place in the 2000 Olympic team as reserve rider, and afterward she participated in the European Championship of 2001, gaining a bronze medal and the World Championship 2002 (where she was placed fourth) with the Danish team. She was a member of the Team Denmark dressage team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and was awarded a Bronze (third place) medal.
Beside riding she also breeds horses, as does her mother, Princess Benedikte of Denmark. In autumn 2005, the princess opened her own stud farm
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
, which is based in Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg
Bad Berleburg is a town, in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of Germany's largest towns by land area. It is located approx...
.
Marriage
Since 4 January 2010, Princess Nathalie had been officially engaged to German, Alexander Johannsmann. On 21 March 2010, it was revealed that the couple were expecting their first child, due in July. Princess Nathalie and Alexander married civilly 27 May 2010. Princess Nathalie gave birth to a son Konstantin Gustav Heinrich Richard on 24 July 2010.They married religiously on 18 June 2011 at Berleburg in Germany.