Showing posts with label camilla of cornwall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camilla of cornwall. Show all posts
Today's Pic: Hitting the Shops
Two royal ladies were photographed doing a little shopping. Yesterday, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall visited a traditional shoe shop in Morocco where she a Prince Charles are on an official visit. Today, Letizia Princess of the Asturias visited the factory for the Spanish fashion label, Mango's. Both royal ladies have been noted for their sartorial style although Camilla is usually better recognized for her hats than her shoes and Letizia's super high heels often earn headlines of their own.
"Old" Royal Brides
In light of recent reports that Catherine (Kate) Middleton is the “oldest royal bride EVER” in England, I decided to put together a quick list of royal brides older than 29-year-old Kate.
Maria Fitzherbert, 29
A young widow, Maria married George Prince of Wales in 1785 after he begged her many times, even faking a fatal illness to gain her sympathy. The couple kept the marriage secret because it threatened his royal status on two accounts: he did not have the king’s permission and, since she was a Catholic, he could no longer be in the line of succession. Maria, however, did not enjoy having a secret marriage and was not pleased by her husband’s philandering ways. The couple experienced several separations, especially after 1795 when he (bigamously) married a princess in order to get Parliament to erase his debts. Maria and George’s marriage was never terminated but it was also never officially acknowledged. She died before he became King George IV in 1820.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, 30
Eleanor was at least 30 and perhaps a bit older when she married the future King Henry II, having just received an annulment from her first husband, King Louis VI of France. Eleanor was about 11 years older than her teenaged second husband and the two enjoyed an active married life, which resulted in eight children. Together they ruled an “empire” that stretched from Scotland to southern France, but their relationship was often rocky. When she sided with their sons in rebellion against Henry, he imprisoned her for 11 years. She was only released after his death. She lived into her late 80s, never slowing down for a second: one of her last acts was to travel over land to Spain to retrieve her granddaughter and bring her back to marry the French heir.
Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, 31
Although she did not marry a direct heir to the throne, at the time that Victoria married Edward Duke of Kent in 1818, it was possible that he might become king because none of his three older brothers had living heirs. Victoria was a widow with two young children. Her proven fertility worked out well for Edward and the couple quickly produced a daughter, also named Victoria. A few months later, though, she was widowed again. It is widely rumored that she had a romantic liaison with her comptroller, Sir John Conroy, and that the two of them hoped to rule the kingdom when Edward’s daughter succeeded the throne in 1837. Young Queen Victoria, however, quickly established her independence, sparking a schism with her mother that took years to mend.
Katherine Parr, 31
Katherine’s birth date is uncertain, but it is possible that she was in her thirties when she became Henry VIII’s final wife. Henry was her third older husband with grown children, although she had never had any children of her own. By this stage, however, Henry had become disillusioned with young wives and had likely given up on having any more legitimate children. Nevertheless, Katherine nearly met an untimely fate, not for cuckolding the king like her beheaded predecessors but for holding reformist religious beliefs. Luckily, she intercepted her arrest order and was able to persuade the king that she appeared to adopt these views for the sake of providing good debates for his intellectual mind. Katherine outlived the king, married her one true love and died in childbirth shortly after.
Anne Boleyn, 32
Henry VIII’s infamous second wife also has an uncertain birth date, but she may have been in her thirties when Henry finally freed himself from his first wife and quickly married Anne, who was already pregnant or quickly became so. After giving birth to the future Queen Elizabeth I, Anne failed to have another living child and Henry grew tired of her demanding personality. Anne’s enemies were able to provide the king with (probably) false evidence of Anne’s infidelity and she met her end at the hands of the axeman.
Joan of Navarre, 32
Joan was the widow of the Duke of Brittany when she married the widower King Henry IV. Between them, they had 16 children, but they had no kids together. In addition to being politically advantageous, the marriage might also have been based on affection. Joan is said to have been a good stepmother although she was later accused of using witchcraft to try to kill her stepson, King Henry V, after her husband’s death. She spent a few years imprisoned but then was released and lived another 14 years.
Queen Mary I, 38
One of Queen Mary’s first acts once she ascended the throne was to marry her cousin, the future King Philip II of Spain, who was more than 10 years younger. When she was a young princess, Mary had been the presumptive heiress and her father King Henry VIII had pursued several possible marriages for her. Once he became obsessed with producing a male heir, Mary’s status deteriorated and, at one point, she was even declared a bastard. Her unstable status not only meant that her father could gain nothing politically through her marriage, but that men could not risk marrying her. By the time she was finally able to marry, it was really too late for her. She imagined herself in love with Philip but he certainly viewed it as a purely political match. He remained in England for about a year while Mary endured a phantom pregnancy. She was devastated when he left, but he did not return for two years. When he left again, she once again imagined that she was pregnant. She died several months after it was clear that no child was coming.
Camilla Parker-Bowles (née Shand), 57
Having been painted as one of the worst villains in modern times, Camilla finally married her longtime love, Charles Prince of Wales, in 2005. She is, without a doubt, the oldest person to marry an heir to the throne. The couple met in their twenties, but Camilla married someone else while Charles was pursuing his naval career. When he later married Lady Diana Spencer, it quickly became clear that they were ill-matched and his relationship with Camilla soon resumed. Following his divorce and Diana’s tragic death, public feeling against Camilla was extremely high. Another eight years passed before things had calmed down enough for Charles and the now-divorced Camilla to marry. Controversy still exists, however, as represented by her decision to use one of her husband’s lesser titles and be called Duchess of Cornwall rather than Princess of Wales. Upon his accession, will she be Princess Consort as announced when they married or will she be Queen? In her own words, “You never know.”
OTHER OLDER ROYAL BRIDES
In the last 100 or so years, it’s actually more common for royal brides to be a bit older rather than younger. Diana was barely 20 and the Queen was 22, but nearly all the other Windsor women were in their late twenties or older.
Marina of Greece was 27 when she married the Queen’s uncle, Prince George The Duke of Kent in 1934.
Her daughter-in-law, Katharine Worsley, was 28 when she married the current Duke of Kent in 1961.
Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice, was 28 when she married Prince Henry of Battenberg in 1885.
Sylvana Tomaselli was 29 when she married the Earl of St Andrews in 1988.
Sophie Winkleman was 29 when she married Lord Frederick Windsor in 2009.
The Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, was 29 when she married Anthony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. The couple later divorced.
Queen Victoria’s popular granddaughter, Princess Patricia of Connaught, was 31 when she married Hon. Alexander Ramsay in 1919 at Westminster Abbey and voluntarily surrendered her royal titles.
Autumn Kelly was 30 when she married the Queen's oldest grandson, Peter Phillips, in 2008.
Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott was 33 when she married another uncle of the Queen, Prince Henry The Duke of Gloucester in 1935. She had her first child one week before her fortieth birthday.
The previously married Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz was 33 when she married Prince Michael of Kent in 1978.
Sophie Rhys-Jones was 34 when she married Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex in 1999.
Lady Louise Mountbatten, born Princess Louise of Battenberg, a cousin of both Prince Philip and the Queen was 34 when she became the second wife of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf in 1923. She became Queen of Sweden in 1950.
Princess Paola Doimi de Lupis de Frankopan was 37 when she married Lord Nicholas Windsor in 2006.
Wallis Warfield Spencer Simpson was 40 when she married her third husband, the recently abdicated King Edward VIII, and became the Duchess of Windsor in 1937.
Anne The Princess Royal was 42 when she married her second husband Timothy Laurence in 1992.
Maria Fitzherbert, 29
Eleanor of Aquitaine, 30
Eleanor was at least 30 and perhaps a bit older when she married the future King Henry II, having just received an annulment from her first husband, King Louis VI of France. Eleanor was about 11 years older than her teenaged second husband and the two enjoyed an active married life, which resulted in eight children. Together they ruled an “empire” that stretched from Scotland to southern France, but their relationship was often rocky. When she sided with their sons in rebellion against Henry, he imprisoned her for 11 years. She was only released after his death. She lived into her late 80s, never slowing down for a second: one of her last acts was to travel over land to Spain to retrieve her granddaughter and bring her back to marry the French heir.
Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, 31
Katherine Parr, 31
Katherine’s birth date is uncertain, but it is possible that she was in her thirties when she became Henry VIII’s final wife. Henry was her third older husband with grown children, although she had never had any children of her own. By this stage, however, Henry had become disillusioned with young wives and had likely given up on having any more legitimate children. Nevertheless, Katherine nearly met an untimely fate, not for cuckolding the king like her beheaded predecessors but for holding reformist religious beliefs. Luckily, she intercepted her arrest order and was able to persuade the king that she appeared to adopt these views for the sake of providing good debates for his intellectual mind. Katherine outlived the king, married her one true love and died in childbirth shortly after.
Anne Boleyn, 32
Joan of Navarre, 32
Joan was the widow of the Duke of Brittany when she married the widower King Henry IV. Between them, they had 16 children, but they had no kids together. In addition to being politically advantageous, the marriage might also have been based on affection. Joan is said to have been a good stepmother although she was later accused of using witchcraft to try to kill her stepson, King Henry V, after her husband’s death. She spent a few years imprisoned but then was released and lived another 14 years.
Queen Mary I, 38
Camilla Parker-Bowles (née Shand), 57
Having been painted as one of the worst villains in modern times, Camilla finally married her longtime love, Charles Prince of Wales, in 2005. She is, without a doubt, the oldest person to marry an heir to the throne. The couple met in their twenties, but Camilla married someone else while Charles was pursuing his naval career. When he later married Lady Diana Spencer, it quickly became clear that they were ill-matched and his relationship with Camilla soon resumed. Following his divorce and Diana’s tragic death, public feeling against Camilla was extremely high. Another eight years passed before things had calmed down enough for Charles and the now-divorced Camilla to marry. Controversy still exists, however, as represented by her decision to use one of her husband’s lesser titles and be called Duchess of Cornwall rather than Princess of Wales. Upon his accession, will she be Princess Consort as announced when they married or will she be Queen? In her own words, “You never know.”
OTHER OLDER ROYAL BRIDES
In the last 100 or so years, it’s actually more common for royal brides to be a bit older rather than younger. Diana was barely 20 and the Queen was 22, but nearly all the other Windsor women were in their late twenties or older.
Her daughter-in-law, Katharine Worsley, was 28 when she married the current Duke of Kent in 1961.
Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice, was 28 when she married Prince Henry of Battenberg in 1885.
Sylvana Tomaselli was 29 when she married the Earl of St Andrews in 1988.
Sophie Winkleman was 29 when she married Lord Frederick Windsor in 2009.
The Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, was 29 when she married Anthony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. The couple later divorced.
Autumn Kelly was 30 when she married the Queen's oldest grandson, Peter Phillips, in 2008.
Lady Alice Montagu-Douglas-Scott was 33 when she married another uncle of the Queen, Prince Henry The Duke of Gloucester in 1935. She had her first child one week before her fortieth birthday.
Sophie Rhys-Jones was 34 when she married Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex in 1999.
Lady Louise Mountbatten, born Princess Louise of Battenberg, a cousin of both Prince Philip and the Queen was 34 when she became the second wife of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf in 1923. She became Queen of Sweden in 1950.
Princess Paola Doimi de Lupis de Frankopan was 37 when she married Lord Nicholas Windsor in 2006.
Wallis Warfield Spencer Simpson was 40 when she married her third husband, the recently abdicated King Edward VIII, and became the Duchess of Windsor in 1937.
Anne The Princess Royal was 42 when she married her second husband Timothy Laurence in 1992.
Princess of Wales Anwers
1. How many Princesses of Wales never became queen?
Since King Edward I first gave the title Prince of Wales to his son in the 13th century, there have been 21 Princes of Wales but only 10 princesses because some princes died young while others did not marry until after they became king. Of those 10 Princesses of Wales, three never became queen. Joan of Kent's husband Edward the Black Prince died before his father King Edward III in the 14th century. Augusta of Saxe-Gotha faced the same situation with her husband Frederick Prince of Wales in the 18th century. Most recently, Lady Diana Spencer divorced the current Prince of Wales, thereby ensuring that she would not become queen. It remains to be seen whether the current Princess of Wales, Camilla Shand, who chooses to use the title Duchess of Cornwall, will become queen even if her husband ascends the throne. At the time of their marriage, it was announced that she would use the title Princess Consort.
2. Which Princesses of Wales became queen after the death of the Prince of Wales?
Two other Princesses of Wales also outlived their Prince of Wales, but subsequently married a king. The first was Anne Neville who was 14 when she married Edward Prince of Wales, son of the Lancastrian King Henry VI. When her husband died a few months later and his father was murdered weeks after that, Anne's father the Earl of Warwick rode the changing tide of the Wars of the Roses and quickly married her off the Yorkist King Edward IV's brother Richard Duke of Gloucester. When Edward IV's young sons disappeared in the the Tower of London, Richard became the infamous King Richard III.
In the next century, the 16-year-old Spanish Princess Catherine of Aragon was brought over to lend some more legitimacy to the newly instituted House of Tudor by marrying King Henry VII's son Arthur Prince of Wales. Soon after the wedding, bride and groom both became ill; she recovered but he did not. The next eight years in political, emotional and financial turmoil as her former father-in-law tried to figure out how to keep her dowry without necessarily keeping her since her political value dropped after the death of her mother Queen Isabella. Fortunately (or maybe not!), Henry VII died and his second son, the new King Henry VIII came to her rescue and made her his first queen. [Read more about Catherine of Aragon]
3. How many Princesses of Wales have been British?
Half of the Princesses of Wales were born in England: Joan of Kent, Anne Neville, Lady Diana Spencer, Camilla Shand and, less obviously, Princess Mary of Teck. Although technically a Germanic princess, the future Queen Mary was the daughter of a British princess, Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, a first cousin of Queen Victoria. All four of the Teck children were born in Kensington Palace and the Teck family was considered part of the British royal family. In fact, when the British royals forsook their German names and titles, the Tecks did too. Queen Mary's two living brothers became the Marquess of Cambridge and the Earl of Athlone.
Even without her English birth, Mary of Teck was technically a British subject under the 1701 Act of Settlement, which granted that right to descendents of Electress Sophia of Hanover. Under this act, Princesses of Wales Caroline of Brunswick and Alexandra of Denmark could also lay claim to British citizenship.
4. How many Princesses of Wales never had children?
All of the Princesses of Wales have had children, although not always with the Prince of Wales. Anne Neville and Catherine of Aragon had children with their later husbands. Joan of Kent and Camilla Shand each had children with earlier husbands; Joan also had a couple with the prince. All of the others had children only with the prince.
5. How many Princesses of Wales were divorced?
Only Lady Diana Spencer was divorced from her Prince of Wales but several others had other marriages legally ended. Camilla Shand is divorced from her first husband, Andrew Parker-Bowles. Joan of Kent had one earlier marriage annulled. At age 12, she secretly married Sir Thomas Holland. About a year later, while he was on Crusade, her family forced her to marry the Earl of Salisbury. When Holland returned, he was stunned to find his wife married to someone else and took his case to the king and the pope. Much to Joan's relief, the pope ordered her to return to her first love and officially annulled the Salisbury marriage. Catherine of Aragon's later marriage to King Henry VIII was annulled against her wishes. Afterward, she was officially styled as the Dowager Princess of Wales as she had been during her earlier widowhood but she never acknowledged the dissolution of her marriage.
One other Princess of Wales was in perpetual danger of being divorced. Caroline of Brunswick's husband absolutely hated her. He launched two separate official investigations into her questionable conduct in order to find enough evidence to justify a divorce. Despite her crude, raucous behavior, his efforts were thwarted. Much to his dismay, she legally became his queen but he did not allow her to be crowned.
____________________
A Note on Mary Tudor: Princess of Wales?
Several respondents included comments about the future Queen Mary I, oldest daughter of Henry VIII. Although he is infamous for his overweeing drive to produce a male heir, in the 1520s, Henry seems to have accepted Mary as his heir, sending her to preside over Ludlow Castle in Wales just as his father had done with Arthur Prince of Wales a generation earlier. Mary was never officially created Princess of Wales, but she was referred to that way. During this period, Henry also explored numerous diplomatic marriage possibilities for her. By the 1530s, he had clearly changed his mind and even declared her a bastard with no royal inheritance rights. Before his death, he reinstated her to line of succession after her young half-brother.
2. Which Princesses of Wales became queen after the death of the Prince of Wales?
Two other Princesses of Wales also outlived their Prince of Wales, but subsequently married a king. The first was Anne Neville who was 14 when she married Edward Prince of Wales, son of the Lancastrian King Henry VI. When her husband died a few months later and his father was murdered weeks after that, Anne's father the Earl of Warwick rode the changing tide of the Wars of the Roses and quickly married her off the Yorkist King Edward IV's brother Richard Duke of Gloucester. When Edward IV's young sons disappeared in the the Tower of London, Richard became the infamous King Richard III.
In the next century, the 16-year-old Spanish Princess Catherine of Aragon was brought over to lend some more legitimacy to the newly instituted House of Tudor by marrying King Henry VII's son Arthur Prince of Wales. Soon after the wedding, bride and groom both became ill; she recovered but he did not. The next eight years in political, emotional and financial turmoil as her former father-in-law tried to figure out how to keep her dowry without necessarily keeping her since her political value dropped after the death of her mother Queen Isabella. Fortunately (or maybe not!), Henry VII died and his second son, the new King Henry VIII came to her rescue and made her his first queen. [Read more about Catherine of Aragon]
3. How many Princesses of Wales have been British?
Even without her English birth, Mary of Teck was technically a British subject under the 1701 Act of Settlement, which granted that right to descendents of Electress Sophia of Hanover. Under this act, Princesses of Wales Caroline of Brunswick and Alexandra of Denmark could also lay claim to British citizenship.
4. How many Princesses of Wales never had children?
All of the Princesses of Wales have had children, although not always with the Prince of Wales. Anne Neville and Catherine of Aragon had children with their later husbands. Joan of Kent and Camilla Shand each had children with earlier husbands; Joan also had a couple with the prince. All of the others had children only with the prince.
5. How many Princesses of Wales were divorced?
Only Lady Diana Spencer was divorced from her Prince of Wales but several others had other marriages legally ended. Camilla Shand is divorced from her first husband, Andrew Parker-Bowles. Joan of Kent had one earlier marriage annulled. At age 12, she secretly married Sir Thomas Holland. About a year later, while he was on Crusade, her family forced her to marry the Earl of Salisbury. When Holland returned, he was stunned to find his wife married to someone else and took his case to the king and the pope. Much to Joan's relief, the pope ordered her to return to her first love and officially annulled the Salisbury marriage. Catherine of Aragon's later marriage to King Henry VIII was annulled against her wishes. Afterward, she was officially styled as the Dowager Princess of Wales as she had been during her earlier widowhood but she never acknowledged the dissolution of her marriage.
One other Princess of Wales was in perpetual danger of being divorced. Caroline of Brunswick's husband absolutely hated her. He launched two separate official investigations into her questionable conduct in order to find enough evidence to justify a divorce. Despite her crude, raucous behavior, his efforts were thwarted. Much to his dismay, she legally became his queen but he did not allow her to be crowned.
____________________
A Note on Mary Tudor: Princess of Wales?
Several respondents included comments about the future Queen Mary I, oldest daughter of Henry VIII. Although he is infamous for his overweeing drive to produce a male heir, in the 1520s, Henry seems to have accepted Mary as his heir, sending her to preside over Ludlow Castle in Wales just as his father had done with Arthur Prince of Wales a generation earlier. Mary was never officially created Princess of Wales, but she was referred to that way. During this period, Henry also explored numerous diplomatic marriage possibilities for her. By the 1530s, he had clearly changed his mind and even declared her a bastard with no royal inheritance rights. Before his death, he reinstated her to line of succession after her young half-brother.
This Week in Princesses
Wow! What a truly newsworthy week. While the Swedish royals were celebrating the Nobel Prizes, the Prince of Wales and his wife were caught up in the middle of violent student riots. Sometimes, I'll admit, royal news isn't really "news", but this week, it absolutely was.
DECEMBER 4, 2010
Princess Caroline presented the ceremonial prize check at the International Gucci Masters Show Jumping Competition in Paris. Her daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi, competed in the tournament, but didn't get the big check.
Incidentally, Gucci is Charlotte's sponsor: the fashion house makes her couture riding ensembles (and presumably the matching hat for her horse!)
DECEMBER 8, 2010
Queen Paola and King Albert II of Belgium officially welcomed Russian President Medvedev and his wife Svetlana on an official visit. It almost looks like the two ladies coordinated their ensembles. Did Paola (on the left) call Svetlana and tell her to wear dark blue or did they both say, "Look! We are twins!" when they met?
DECEMBER 9, 2010
The Duchess of Cornwall and her husband, the Prince of Wales, were all smiles as they arrived at the Palladium for the Royal Variety Performance. However, the two had just emerged from a truly frightening experience. Their car, which was somehow separated from its security detail drove straight into a violent protest by students angry over British tuition hikes. The crowd kicked the royal vehicle, threw things at it and chanted "Off with their heads." An investigation is underway to determine why the heir to the throne didn't have sufficient protection to have prevented his car bumbling into a riot and how his vehicle was separated from the following security vehicle. Concerns are now being raised about the level of protection that will be needed at next April's royal wedding.
Meanwhile, the rioting students not only damaged the prince's car, but also defaced several London landmarks.
In Moscow, Empress Elizabeth celebrated her 300th birthday by opening an exhibition about her life and reign. The daughter of Peter the Great, Elizabeth never married, just like the English Elizabeth. The Russian Elizabeth adopted her nephew Peter as her heir and found a nondescript German princess to marry him to. It took nine years for the couple to have a child, whom Elizabeth immediately claimed. After Elizabeth's death, that frustrated German princess overthrew her husband and declared herself empress; she became Catherine the Great.
DECEMBER 10, 2010
While Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philipp and the new Prince Daniel looked suitably regal at the Nobel Prize ceremony, King Carl XVI Gustaf looks angry and slouchy in this photo. All of the prizes, except peace, are presented in Alfred Nobel's native Sweden, followed by a lavish Swedish banquet. The Peace Prize is usually presented in Oslo with the Norwegian royal family on hand. This year, the Peace Prize winner, Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo, is being held in a Chinese prison, so, he was honored with an empty chair in Stockholm. The Nobel Prize web site is full of great information, including a look back at Queen Silvia's Nobel gowns since 1976. (View the gowns page.) Princess Madeleine, who is now living in New York City, did not attend this year. Although she was not scheduled to be present, she is also said to be suffering from the flu.
Meanwhile, (below) the king's sister, Princess Christina, attended her 47th ceremony; setting a record!
DECEMBER 4, 2010
Princess Caroline presented the ceremonial prize check at the International Gucci Masters Show Jumping Competition in Paris. Her daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi, competed in the tournament, but didn't get the big check.
Incidentally, Gucci is Charlotte's sponsor: the fashion house makes her couture riding ensembles (and presumably the matching hat for her horse!)
DECEMBER 8, 2010
Queen Paola and King Albert II of Belgium officially welcomed Russian President Medvedev and his wife Svetlana on an official visit. It almost looks like the two ladies coordinated their ensembles. Did Paola (on the left) call Svetlana and tell her to wear dark blue or did they both say, "Look! We are twins!" when they met?
DECEMBER 9, 2010
The Duchess of Cornwall and her husband, the Prince of Wales, were all smiles as they arrived at the Palladium for the Royal Variety Performance. However, the two had just emerged from a truly frightening experience. Their car, which was somehow separated from its security detail drove straight into a violent protest by students angry over British tuition hikes. The crowd kicked the royal vehicle, threw things at it and chanted "Off with their heads." An investigation is underway to determine why the heir to the throne didn't have sufficient protection to have prevented his car bumbling into a riot and how his vehicle was separated from the following security vehicle. Concerns are now being raised about the level of protection that will be needed at next April's royal wedding.
Meanwhile, the rioting students not only damaged the prince's car, but also defaced several London landmarks.
In Moscow, Empress Elizabeth celebrated her 300th birthday by opening an exhibition about her life and reign. The daughter of Peter the Great, Elizabeth never married, just like the English Elizabeth. The Russian Elizabeth adopted her nephew Peter as her heir and found a nondescript German princess to marry him to. It took nine years for the couple to have a child, whom Elizabeth immediately claimed. After Elizabeth's death, that frustrated German princess overthrew her husband and declared herself empress; she became Catherine the Great.
DECEMBER 10, 2010
While Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philipp and the new Prince Daniel looked suitably regal at the Nobel Prize ceremony, King Carl XVI Gustaf looks angry and slouchy in this photo. All of the prizes, except peace, are presented in Alfred Nobel's native Sweden, followed by a lavish Swedish banquet. The Peace Prize is usually presented in Oslo with the Norwegian royal family on hand. This year, the Peace Prize winner, Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo, is being held in a Chinese prison, so, he was honored with an empty chair in Stockholm. The Nobel Prize web site is full of great information, including a look back at Queen Silvia's Nobel gowns since 1976. (View the gowns page.) Princess Madeleine, who is now living in New York City, did not attend this year. Although she was not scheduled to be present, she is also said to be suffering from the flu.
Meanwhile, (below) the king's sister, Princess Christina, attended her 47th ceremony; setting a record!
These Two Weeks in Princesses
Weddings and funerals and memorials. These past two weeks have been filled with joyous and somber gatherings, but some princesses still managed to snatch some vacation time.
AUGUST 14
Empress Michiko and Emperoro Akihito of Japan attended a memorial ceremony honoring those who died in World War II on the 65th anniversary of World War II. The emperor's father, Hirohito, was a young emperor during the war and was still considered to be a living god. The imperial family is still highly honored but not "revered" in the same way.
AUGUST 18
Do you like my hat? Oh yes, Your Majesty! King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan were all giggles during a visit to Scotland for the 50th anniversary of the Royal Military Tattoo. Living in the Middle East, the king and queen are used to seeing men in longer "skirts" and probably were amused by all the knobby knees under those kilts.
AUGUST 21
Having returned from their honeymoon and dodged bribery accusations for getting it paid for by a rich businessman, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel (in the center) joined King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine for the bicentennial celebration of Sweden's parliament. Carl Philip has been taking heat for dating a reality star who is apparently allergic to wearing clothes and Princess Madeleine has been spending more and more time in the U.S. since her ex-fiancee allegedly cheated on her.
On a "solo" holiday Down Under, Australian-born Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is still showing no sign that she is actually a "trio" at the moment since she is due to deliver twins in about five months. She keeps tricking the watching photographers by wearing loose blouses but this ensemble and the skinny jeans she's been wearing around Australia show no sign of baby bumps.
AUGUST 23
Pauline Ducruet flipped out in Singapore where she was competing in the 2010 Youth Olympics. The 16-year-old daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco is a hopeful for the 2012 London Olympics.
AUGUST 24
Princess Beatrice of York got a bit windswept on the English coast where she was watching billionaire Richard Branson unsuccessfully attempt to kite-surf across the English Channel for his 60th birthday. Bea is dating Branson protege Dave Clark.
The entire Spanish royal family invaded Greece for the wedding celebrations of Prince Nikolaos, whose father King Constantine II is the brother of Queen Sofia of Greece. Apparently, however, Infanta Cristina did not get the notice that they were all supposed to wear white pants to the party! She looks lovely nevertheless standing next to her handsome husband Inaki, sister Elena, sister-in-law Letizia and brother Felipe.
AUGUST 25
A flower-draped carriage was just one fantasy moment for Europe's new fairytale princess and her Prince Charming, as the 29-year-old Tatiana Blatnik married 40-year-old Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark on a lovely Greek island surrounded by friends and family who just happen to include most of the crowned heads of Europe.
AUGUST 26
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was a vision in strawberry pink as she and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway led the 65th anniversary commemoration of their common cousin Folke Bernadotte's "White Buses" mission, which rescued more than 30,000 people from German concentration camps.
AUGUST 27
You'll never get this soldier to blink! King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia of Sweden came face-to-face with some Chinese warriors who have been on sentry duty since the death of the first Chinese emperor. No two of the 8000 terracotta soldiers are the same. They were all part of a huge mausoleum still being excavated in China.
Meanwhile, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall was looking very "queenly" in this smart cream ensemble: Giant feathery hat? Check. Large brooch? Check. Gloves? Check. Handbag with no money in it? Check. Sensible shoes? Check.
AUGUST 28
A day out with dad. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway slipped out to the movies with dad, Crown Prince Haakon, and her brothers Marius and Sverre Magnus on Saturday.
Things were not as cheerful in sunny Parma, as Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Crown Princess Maxima joined the mourners for the funeral of Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma, who died at the age of 80. One of many pretenders to the French throne, Carlos Hugo was married to Willem Alexander's aunt, Princes Irene of the Netherlands for 17 years before they divorced. Irene had to elope with the prince and give up her claim to the Dutch throne because of her groom's Catholicism and his controversial claim to the French throne. Despite that controversy and the divorce, his body laid in state at The Hague in the Netherlands before being transported to Italy for internment.
AUGUST 14
Empress Michiko and Emperoro Akihito of Japan attended a memorial ceremony honoring those who died in World War II on the 65th anniversary of World War II. The emperor's father, Hirohito, was a young emperor during the war and was still considered to be a living god. The imperial family is still highly honored but not "revered" in the same way.
AUGUST 18
Do you like my hat? Oh yes, Your Majesty! King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan were all giggles during a visit to Scotland for the 50th anniversary of the Royal Military Tattoo. Living in the Middle East, the king and queen are used to seeing men in longer "skirts" and probably were amused by all the knobby knees under those kilts.
AUGUST 21
Having returned from their honeymoon and dodged bribery accusations for getting it paid for by a rich businessman, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel (in the center) joined King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine for the bicentennial celebration of Sweden's parliament. Carl Philip has been taking heat for dating a reality star who is apparently allergic to wearing clothes and Princess Madeleine has been spending more and more time in the U.S. since her ex-fiancee allegedly cheated on her.
On a "solo" holiday Down Under, Australian-born Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is still showing no sign that she is actually a "trio" at the moment since she is due to deliver twins in about five months. She keeps tricking the watching photographers by wearing loose blouses but this ensemble and the skinny jeans she's been wearing around Australia show no sign of baby bumps.
AUGUST 23
Pauline Ducruet flipped out in Singapore where she was competing in the 2010 Youth Olympics. The 16-year-old daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco is a hopeful for the 2012 London Olympics.
AUGUST 24
Princess Beatrice of York got a bit windswept on the English coast where she was watching billionaire Richard Branson unsuccessfully attempt to kite-surf across the English Channel for his 60th birthday. Bea is dating Branson protege Dave Clark.
The entire Spanish royal family invaded Greece for the wedding celebrations of Prince Nikolaos, whose father King Constantine II is the brother of Queen Sofia of Greece. Apparently, however, Infanta Cristina did not get the notice that they were all supposed to wear white pants to the party! She looks lovely nevertheless standing next to her handsome husband Inaki, sister Elena, sister-in-law Letizia and brother Felipe.
AUGUST 25
A flower-draped carriage was just one fantasy moment for Europe's new fairytale princess and her Prince Charming, as the 29-year-old Tatiana Blatnik married 40-year-old Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark on a lovely Greek island surrounded by friends and family who just happen to include most of the crowned heads of Europe.
AUGUST 26
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was a vision in strawberry pink as she and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway led the 65th anniversary commemoration of their common cousin Folke Bernadotte's "White Buses" mission, which rescued more than 30,000 people from German concentration camps.
AUGUST 27
You'll never get this soldier to blink! King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia of Sweden came face-to-face with some Chinese warriors who have been on sentry duty since the death of the first Chinese emperor. No two of the 8000 terracotta soldiers are the same. They were all part of a huge mausoleum still being excavated in China.
Meanwhile, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall was looking very "queenly" in this smart cream ensemble: Giant feathery hat? Check. Large brooch? Check. Gloves? Check. Handbag with no money in it? Check. Sensible shoes? Check.
AUGUST 28
A day out with dad. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway slipped out to the movies with dad, Crown Prince Haakon, and her brothers Marius and Sverre Magnus on Saturday.
Things were not as cheerful in sunny Parma, as Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Crown Princess Maxima joined the mourners for the funeral of Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma, who died at the age of 80. One of many pretenders to the French throne, Carlos Hugo was married to Willem Alexander's aunt, Princes Irene of the Netherlands for 17 years before they divorced. Irene had to elope with the prince and give up her claim to the Dutch throne because of her groom's Catholicism and his controversial claim to the French throne. Despite that controversy and the divorce, his body laid in state at The Hague in the Netherlands before being transported to Italy for internment.
This Week in Princesses
While Queen Elizabeth II continued her family cruise and vacation in the north, many other royal ladies were also scarcely seen this week.
JULY 25, 2010
Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos of Spain joined the annual festivities in Santiago de Compestela where Spaniards combine two celebrations to make one long festival at the end of July. Politicians, religious pilgrims and good-time seekers congregate to honor Galicia Day and St. James's Day.
Later that day, Princess Laurentian of the Netherlands enjoyed a public display of affection with her husband Prince Constantijn at a play premiere in Salzburg.
JULY 28, 2010
Who says Camilla Duchess of Cornwall doesn't have the royal touch? These folks at the Sandringham Flower Show didn't seem to mind waiting in the iffy weather to catch a glimpse of the wife of the heir to the throne. Folks seem to agree that Camilla isn't glamorous, but she definitely has that sporting, common, country touch perfected by British royals since Queen Victoria's reign.
JULY 30, 2010
Princess Stephanie of Monaco "busted" out at Monaco's annual Red Cross Ball while her future sister-in-law, Charlene Wittstock, showed more "grace."
JULY 25, 2010
Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos of Spain joined the annual festivities in Santiago de Compestela where Spaniards combine two celebrations to make one long festival at the end of July. Politicians, religious pilgrims and good-time seekers congregate to honor Galicia Day and St. James's Day.
Later that day, Princess Laurentian of the Netherlands enjoyed a public display of affection with her husband Prince Constantijn at a play premiere in Salzburg.
JULY 28, 2010
Who says Camilla Duchess of Cornwall doesn't have the royal touch? These folks at the Sandringham Flower Show didn't seem to mind waiting in the iffy weather to catch a glimpse of the wife of the heir to the throne. Folks seem to agree that Camilla isn't glamorous, but she definitely has that sporting, common, country touch perfected by British royals since Queen Victoria's reign.
JULY 30, 2010
Princess Stephanie of Monaco "busted" out at Monaco's annual Red Cross Ball while her future sister-in-law, Charlene Wittstock, showed more "grace."
This Week in Princesses
After a fun weekend, the week started out with our favorite royal ladies addressing some serious topics: AIDS, nuclear disarmament, war memorials. But things started to take a lighter turn toward midweek.
JULY 17, 2010
Prince Albert of Monaco and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock reenacted a scene from the Julia Roberts' movie, "Pretty Woman," stomping on divots at a polo match in England. She looks delightful, Grace Kelly-esque. She gets five stars. He gets two and a half for poorly chosen accessories: a ball cap and no socks. He would have received fewer stars but he does have one fabulous accessory: her!
JULY 19, 2010
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway started the week in Vienna, Austria for the 18th World AIDS Conference. I have a feeling that her playful T-shirt was inspired by U.S. President Obama's successful campaign slogan. And this time, it was her shoes rather than Letizia of Spain's, that generated a buzz. In all seriousness, however, the princess spent the conference strongly advocating for more youth involvement and warning the United Nations about the negative impact of funding cuts on the proliferation of the disease.
It is almost impossible to believe that Queen Noor of Jordan is going to be 60 next year! The American-born grandmother-of-three is the widow of King Hussein, who is remembered for his valiant attempts to broker peace in the Middle East. This week, she was in New York City for several events related to the "Global Zero" project, which advocates for nuclear disarmament. On Monday, she was interviewed by Deepak Chopra for a program on the topic.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were among many international luminaries who attended a memorial service marking the re-burial of soldiers killed in the World War I Battle of Fromelles in France. About 250 British and Australian soldiers who were buried in a mass grave have now been reinterred in individual graves. DNA is being used to identify them.
JULY 20, 2010
On Tuesday, Queen Noor continued her no-nukes visit to New York, attending the premiere of the film "Countdown to Zero."
JULY 21, 2010
Queen Fabiola of Belgium (left) looked lovely as she joined her nephew Crown Prince Philippe and his wife Crown Princess Mathilde for Belgium's National Day celebrations. Spanish-born Fabiola is the widow of King Baudoin. She has been plagued by death threats and ill health over the last couple of years. Last year, someone threatened to kill her with a crossbow, so she carried an apple with her to the National Day celebrations tempting her anonymous nemesis to reenact the legend of William Tell. At 82, she is clearly still a spirited lady!
Meanwhile, it appears that Princess Claire of Belgium was flashing back to Fabiola's hey-day. She could easily have worn this complete ensemble to Fabiola's engagement party in 1960. Perhaps, Claire's husband Prince Laurent had to wear the sunglasses--to hide how drowsy this snooze-fest of dress is making him.
Poor Crown Princess Mathilde! It must be difficult to maintain your figure when you live in Belgium where someone is always passing around a platter of fabulous chocolates!
It's a little-known fact that Camilla Duchess of Cornwall does her own marketing. Perhaps she's preparing a little fry-up for hubby Prince Charles. Actually, the royal couple were making an official visit to Brixton Market in south London. They are advocates for organic farming and sustainable agriculture.
JULY 22, 2010
Queen Elizabeth II really knows how to throw a party--a tea party, that is! The tiny queen was decked out in the brightest of blues so that she would stand out amidst the thousands of guests. Just look at that crowd. That's a lot of crumpets and cucumber sandwiches!
JULY 23, 2010
Crown Princess Letizia of Spain often draws attention with her sartorial style. On Friday, her snazzy ensemble had cameras snapping not just her shoes--a usual fetish for the photogs--but also her belt. I'm personally a fan of the belt but I'm not in love with cuffing the pants, but I guess she didn't want to obscure anyone's view of the shoes.
JULY 17, 2010
Prince Albert of Monaco and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock reenacted a scene from the Julia Roberts' movie, "Pretty Woman," stomping on divots at a polo match in England. She looks delightful, Grace Kelly-esque. She gets five stars. He gets two and a half for poorly chosen accessories: a ball cap and no socks. He would have received fewer stars but he does have one fabulous accessory: her!
JULY 19, 2010
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway started the week in Vienna, Austria for the 18th World AIDS Conference. I have a feeling that her playful T-shirt was inspired by U.S. President Obama's successful campaign slogan. And this time, it was her shoes rather than Letizia of Spain's, that generated a buzz. In all seriousness, however, the princess spent the conference strongly advocating for more youth involvement and warning the United Nations about the negative impact of funding cuts on the proliferation of the disease.
It is almost impossible to believe that Queen Noor of Jordan is going to be 60 next year! The American-born grandmother-of-three is the widow of King Hussein, who is remembered for his valiant attempts to broker peace in the Middle East. This week, she was in New York City for several events related to the "Global Zero" project, which advocates for nuclear disarmament. On Monday, she was interviewed by Deepak Chopra for a program on the topic.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were among many international luminaries who attended a memorial service marking the re-burial of soldiers killed in the World War I Battle of Fromelles in France. About 250 British and Australian soldiers who were buried in a mass grave have now been reinterred in individual graves. DNA is being used to identify them.
JULY 20, 2010
On Tuesday, Queen Noor continued her no-nukes visit to New York, attending the premiere of the film "Countdown to Zero."
JULY 21, 2010
Queen Fabiola of Belgium (left) looked lovely as she joined her nephew Crown Prince Philippe and his wife Crown Princess Mathilde for Belgium's National Day celebrations. Spanish-born Fabiola is the widow of King Baudoin. She has been plagued by death threats and ill health over the last couple of years. Last year, someone threatened to kill her with a crossbow, so she carried an apple with her to the National Day celebrations tempting her anonymous nemesis to reenact the legend of William Tell. At 82, she is clearly still a spirited lady!
Meanwhile, it appears that Princess Claire of Belgium was flashing back to Fabiola's hey-day. She could easily have worn this complete ensemble to Fabiola's engagement party in 1960. Perhaps, Claire's husband Prince Laurent had to wear the sunglasses--to hide how drowsy this snooze-fest of dress is making him.
Poor Crown Princess Mathilde! It must be difficult to maintain your figure when you live in Belgium where someone is always passing around a platter of fabulous chocolates!
It's a little-known fact that Camilla Duchess of Cornwall does her own marketing. Perhaps she's preparing a little fry-up for hubby Prince Charles. Actually, the royal couple were making an official visit to Brixton Market in south London. They are advocates for organic farming and sustainable agriculture.
JULY 22, 2010
Queen Elizabeth II really knows how to throw a party--a tea party, that is! The tiny queen was decked out in the brightest of blues so that she would stand out amidst the thousands of guests. Just look at that crowd. That's a lot of crumpets and cucumber sandwiches!
JULY 23, 2010
Crown Princess Letizia of Spain often draws attention with her sartorial style. On Friday, her snazzy ensemble had cameras snapping not just her shoes--a usual fetish for the photogs--but also her belt. I'm personally a fan of the belt but I'm not in love with cuffing the pants, but I guess she didn't want to obscure anyone's view of the shoes.
This Week in Princesses
Two royal families celebrated their nations' triumphs on the World Cup field, while others kept busy with the usual royal (and familial) duties.
July 15, 2010
Queen Elizabeth II looks dapper in the robes of the Order of Thistle in Scotland. Her mother was a Scottish lass.
July 11, 2010
Despite the rivalry between their nations on the pitch, Crown Princess Letizia of Spain and Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands behaved like two old girlfriends in the grand stand at the World Cup final.
A kiss for the Queen! Spain's triumphant goalkeeper shared his joy with Queen Sofia after Spain's World Cup victory.
July 12, 2010
Infantas Leanor and Sofia of Spain shared in the World Cup victory celebrations back in Madrid.
Little Leonor is probably the most adorable princess in history.
Princess Stephanie of Monaco shared a tender moment with her daughter, Pauline Ducruet, in Finland. Pauline was competing in the European Junior Diving Championships. Sixteen-year-old Pauline finished in 22nd place in the three-meter.
Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and hubby Prince Charles came prepared for the rainy weather at the Royal Yacht Club in Falmouth. At least Camilla wore a sunny color to brighten everyone's cloudy day!
July 13, 2010
Queen Beatrix was overjoyed to welcome home the 2nd place World Cup team from The Netherlands. That's a lot of handsome athletes for one widowed lady! Lucky Bea!
Princess Hanako Hitachi and her husband, Prince Masahito Hitachi, joined Prince Albert II of Monaco at the opening of a Japanese art exhibition in Monte Carlo. Prince Hitachi is the Japanese emperor's younger brother.
July 14, 2010
Letizia was slim in gray at a military graduation ceremony in Talarn. It's hard to look so stylish when everyone else is wearing medals.
July 16, 2010
Princess Stephanie greets her future sister-in-law, Charlene Wittstock, as the bridegroom, Prince Albert, looks on. The three were attending an annual AIDS gala.
July 15, 2010
Queen Elizabeth II looks dapper in the robes of the Order of Thistle in Scotland. Her mother was a Scottish lass.
July 11, 2010
Despite the rivalry between their nations on the pitch, Crown Princess Letizia of Spain and Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands behaved like two old girlfriends in the grand stand at the World Cup final.
A kiss for the Queen! Spain's triumphant goalkeeper shared his joy with Queen Sofia after Spain's World Cup victory.
July 12, 2010
Infantas Leanor and Sofia of Spain shared in the World Cup victory celebrations back in Madrid.
Little Leonor is probably the most adorable princess in history.
Princess Stephanie of Monaco shared a tender moment with her daughter, Pauline Ducruet, in Finland. Pauline was competing in the European Junior Diving Championships. Sixteen-year-old Pauline finished in 22nd place in the three-meter.
Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and hubby Prince Charles came prepared for the rainy weather at the Royal Yacht Club in Falmouth. At least Camilla wore a sunny color to brighten everyone's cloudy day!
July 13, 2010
Queen Beatrix was overjoyed to welcome home the 2nd place World Cup team from The Netherlands. That's a lot of handsome athletes for one widowed lady! Lucky Bea!
Princess Hanako Hitachi and her husband, Prince Masahito Hitachi, joined Prince Albert II of Monaco at the opening of a Japanese art exhibition in Monte Carlo. Prince Hitachi is the Japanese emperor's younger brother.
July 14, 2010
Letizia was slim in gray at a military graduation ceremony in Talarn. It's hard to look so stylish when everyone else is wearing medals.
July 16, 2010
Princess Stephanie greets her future sister-in-law, Charlene Wittstock, as the bridegroom, Prince Albert, looks on. The three were attending an annual AIDS gala.
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