New Images of Prince Joachim of Denmark's Family

The Danish Royal Court has released to the public four new images (by Steen Broogard) of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark's family: Princes Nikoilai, Felix, Henrik and baby Princess Athena.

Enjoy!

Christening of Princess ATHENA of Denmark

Athena Marguerite Françoise Marie, Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, was born on 24 January 2012 at Rigshospitalet (Copenhagen University Hospital). Princess Athena is the daughter of TRH Prince Joachim and Princess Marie.

HH Athena, PRINCESS OF DENMARK

Princess Athena is included in the order of succession to the Throne.

CHRISTENED

Princess Athena was christened in Møgeltønder Church on 20 May 2012.

Video from Windsor – Arrival of Royal Guests

The event was supposed to be a rare meeting of monarchs to celebrate the 60-year milestone, but it has been overshadowed by strong criticism from campaigners about those invited to the Windsor Castle event, including the King of Bahrain, King Hamad Al-Khalifa.

Guests from controversial regimes include Swaziland's King Mswati III, the former Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah, who stepped down over a corruption row, and Prince Mohammed Bin Nawaf Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Britain.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh greeted their guests when they arrived, patiently waiting outside the Castle's Waterloo chamber where the pre-lunch reception was held.

Members of the British royal family attending the lunch included the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, the Duke of York and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

The Queen hosted the 98 guests in Windsor Castle's St George' Hall.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/the_queens_diamond_jubilee/9275284/The-Queen-welcomes-monarchs-to-Diamond-Jubilee-lunch.html 

 The Queen, whose reign began in February 1952, is surrounded by her two cousins, who, had Communism not intervened, would have enjoyed even longer reigns. King Michael first ascended the Romanian throne in 1927, but three years later was displaced by hos own father King Carol II, who in 1940 packed his bags and left the country for good. King Michael's second reign this began in 1940 and by now he would have reigned longer than King Louis XIV of France, whose own reign lasted nearly seventy-two years. To Her Majesty's left side is King Simeon II of Bulgaria, who succeeded his father in 1943 and would celebrate next year seven decades on the throne had he not been forced out by Communists in 1946.

More Images from the Royal Gathering at Windsor Castle

King Michael of Romania, accompanied by Crown Princess Margarita and her husband Prince Radu are in the UK attending the various gatherings organized to commemorate Her Majesty Diamond Jubilee.

Some of the images here presented were taken by HRH Prince Radu of Romania, who has turned into a photographer of great talent!

Enjoy...and thanks to Prince Radu for allowing us a peek!

 The Queen surrounded by fellow monarchs. First row from left: Emperor Akihito of Japan, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Constantine II of the Hellenes, King Michael of Romania, Her Majesty, King Simeon of Bulgaria, the Sultan of Brunei, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, the King of Swaziland, Prince Hans Adam of Liechtenstein. In the second row, among others are: Prince Albert II of Monaco, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Albert II of the Belgians, King Harald V of Norway, the Sheik of Qatar, the King of Jordan and the King of Bahrain. In the third row, among others are: Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia, the King of Tonga and the Crown Prince of Thailand.

 Crown Princess Margarita of Romania.

 Above and bellow: King Michael I and Crown Princess Margarita of Romania.

King Michael I of Romania and Her Majesty The Queen.

Queen's Own Diamonds to go on Display

Jewellery from world's largest diamond to go on display

 

The diamond was cut into nine principal stones

Jewellery made from the world's largest diamond is to go on display as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The exhibition reunites for the first time seven of the nine principal stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond.

The seven stones are set in brooches, a ring and a necklace, most of which have been worn by the Queen during her 60-year reign.

The exhibition starting on 30 June will form part of the summer opening of Buckingham Palace later this year.
 
The show includes a number of the Queen's personal jewels and illustrates the many ways in which diamonds have been used and worn by British monarchs over the last two centuries.

The Cullinan Diamond, which weighed 3,106 carats in its rough state, was discovered at the Premier Mine near Pretoria, in South Africa in 1905. It was named after the chairman of the mining company, Thomas Cullinan.

Exhibition curator Caroline de Guitaut said: "Until 26 January 1905 no one had ever seen a diamond of this size.

"So incredible was its discovery that the moment it was found at the Premier Mine it was thrown out of the window of the mine manager's office because it was thought to be a worthless crystal.

'Now, for the first time, our visitors will be able to see seven of the nine principal stones cut from this magnificent and highly important diamond.'

Measuring 10.1cm high, the diamond was notable for its extraordinary blue-white colour and exceptional purity.

Although it is the largest ever to have been found the rough diamond had a cloven face on one side, which suggested that it might once have formed part of an even larger stone.
 

 

 

The collection includes a diamond crown that was worn by Queen Victoria

Soon after being discovered, it was sent to London and taken to Buckingham Palace for inspection by King Edward VII.

For the next two years the stone remained a public wonder and was shown to many prospective clients - although no buyer could be found because nobody knew how it could be cut.

Eventually the Prime Minister of the Transvaal suggested that his government should acquire the Cullinan and present it to Edward VII as a token of loyalty.

In 1907, under police protection, the uncut stone was conveyed to Sandringham House, in Norfolk, where the King was celebrating his 66th birthday.

Continue reading...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18072914

Royals Gather in the UK to Toast The Queen

Kings and queens from around the world have gathered in Britain to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Twelve UK royals joined the Queen to welcome the sovereigns of 26 countries for a luncheon at Windsor Castle.

Human rights campaigners have condemned the inclusion of Bahrain's King Hamad al-Khalifa but the Palace said the Foreign Office approved his invitation.

Protesters gathered at Buckingham Palace, where Prince Charles is hosting a dinner for some of the royals.

King Hamad is not at the banquet.

Another invitation proving to be controversial is that of King Mswati III of Swaziland, who is accused of living a lavish lifestyle while his people go hungry.

Demonstrators at Buckingham Palace chanted and held banners reading: "Shame on you Liz Windsor," and "Democracy now for Swaziland".

Continue reading...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18099937

 King Constantine II of the Hellenes, King Michael of Romania, The Queen, King Simeon of Bulgaria and the Sultan of Brunei.

 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the King and Queen of Jordan.

+John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl (1929-2012)

John Murray, the 11th Duke of Atholl and commander of Britain's only private army, has died in a hospital in South Africa.

The 83-year-old former land surveyor, who inherited the title in 1996, visited Blair Atholl, Perthshire, from his home in South Africa every year for the Atholl Highlanders' parade and gathering held at the end of May.

He last visited in 2010 but was unable to return in 2011 due to ill health. Officials said this year's event, planned for the weekend of May 26-27 would go ahead as planned.

Blair Castle, the family seat since 1269, flew the Duke's standard at half mast as a mark of respect.

An official from Atholl Estates said: "It is with great sadness that we report that John Murray, the 11th Duke of Atholl, died peacefully in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday May 15, 2012.

"As a mark of respect the Atholl flag will fly at half mast, at Blair Castle.

"The Duke was Colonel-in-Chief of the Atholl Highlanders and over the years had become a well known figure on Atholl Estates. He visited Scotland every year for the Atholl Highlander's parade and gathering held at the end of May.

"As he would have wished, the parade will be held this year as usual, at Blair Castle on Saturday May 26 and the Gathering on Sunday 27.

"A service of remembrance will be held at Blair Castle when the Atholl Highlanders and local friends will have a chance to remember the Duke."

The Duke, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, inherited the title as third cousin of the 10th Duke. At the time he was a retired land surveyor, and his relationship to the 10th Duke had only recently been discovered.

Friends told how, in the Duke's early visits, he stayed at Blair Castle. But he and the Duchess made so many friends that they later stayed in local people's homes.
Friend Edna Mackay, a former employee at Blair Castle, said she and her husband Alistair had shown the Duke and Duchess around Scotland. In return, the Duke had invited them for holidays at his home in South Africa.

She said: "We are very sad. He was a very dear friend. He would visit us when he was in Scotland and we would spend a lot of time together. We took him to various places and showed him some of Scotland, and he did the same for us in South Africa.

"He was proud to be the Duke of Atholl and he carried out his duties very well. We are a small community and he will be greatly missed by the many friends he made here."

The Duke will be succeeded by his eldest son Bruce Murray, the 51-year-old Marquess of Tullibardine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Murray,_11th_Duke_of_Atholl

©Allan Warren

Naomi Watts to Play Diana Princess of Wales

King Kong star Naomi Watts said she is "absolutely terrified" to play the role of Princess Diana in a new film portraying the last two years of her life.

Caught in Flight is set to explore Diana's relationship with heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan and her tragic death in August 1997.

Watts said: "She is a part of our history, an incredible woman and fascinating but a tragic ending. The filmmakers came to me and it's a good script and it's very scary and I kind of wanted to say no but I couldn't."

The British-born actress said she grew up watching Diana and taking on the new role will be "tough".

"I saw the wedding and everything and she is a very inspiring woman and it's kind of impressive how she sort of changed the whole gearing of the tradition of the royal family and opened it up and brought warmth to it.

"Now I'm doing all the research and there is so much to read, I just hope we make a good film and people can learn something new about her that's interesting. There are a lot of people that knew her and a lot of books to read and so much information and one story is different to the next so it's hard to gauge what was the truth. It's going to be a tough one, it's a big beast to take on, I just try to do my best."

Continue reading...http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/17/naomi-watts-absolutely-te_n_1523447.html

The Troubles in Spain – A Royal Crisis, or a Time for Renewal?

When King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia celebrated their silver wedding anniversary on May 14, 1987 they hosted a lavish reception at the Royal Palace inviting 25 other couples from across Spain who married on the same day.

But their golden wedding anniversary which falls next Monday will be marked with no such celebration.

The lack of a formal celebration has done much to fuel speculation over the state of the 74-year-old Monarch's marriage.

The last bout of speculation began when King Juan Carlos fractured his hip during an ill-fated safari trip to Botswana to hunt elephants.

Amid the public outcry over the nature and expense of the private trip, which led to an unprecedented apology by the shame faced monarch issued on the steps of the hospital, it was noted that Queen Sofia had paid only a brief visit to his bedside.

Royal commentators were quick to remark that the 26-minute bedside visit by Queen Sofia, who had not been on the hunting trip but visiting her Greek relatives, hinted at the deep breakdown in their relationship.

"The failure of his marriage to Queen Sofia, from whom he is practically separated, is public knowledge," wrote Jose Antonio Zarzalejos, a royal commentator and the former director of respected daily ABC.

Such comments voiced in the mainstream press would once have been unthinkable. But a series of scandals and gaffes by Spain's royals have seen their popularity plummet and ushered in an open season on a family once awarded the sort of privacy and respect that could only be dreamed of by their northern cousins the Windsors.

The roving-eye of Juan Carlos has long been an ill-kept secret, the subject of gossip at dinner parties across Spain, but now with the taboo on publishing palace secrets a thing of the past, even King Juan Carlos' acquaintance with a German aristocrat, a glamorous blonde 28 years his junior, has made headlines.

Claims of an "intimate relationship" going back six years have been fiercely contested by the woman, who is reported to have accompanied him on the Botswana trip, and she has threatened legal action against any newspaper that names her.

But the episode marks the latest in what is turning out to be an "annus horribilis" for Spain's monarch - to coin a phrase used by Queen Elizabeth.

The king's son-in-law is accused of embezzling public funds and in February became the first Spanish royal in modern history to be questioned in court.

The King had done his best to distance himself from the scandal engulfing the Royal Family even relieving his youngest daughter, Princess Cristina, wife of the shamed Iaki Urdangarin, from public duties.

But this week reports emerged of emails implicating the monarch himself in the unsavoury business dealings and the prosecutor in charge of the case is said to be poised to investigate further.

The once much loved King has faced calls to abdicate over the Botswana hunting trip, which served to highlight the huge gulf between the privileged royals and the fate of Spaniards struggling in deep economic crisis.

Continue reading...http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/9254999/Spains-king-and-queen-will-not-celebrate-Golden-Wedding-anniversary.html

The Queen's Diamonds – Review by Coryne Hall

Our official book reviewer, Coryne Hall, has written a very concise analysis of this marvelous new book!

http://royalreadingcorner.blogspot.com/2012/05/queens-diamonds-review-by-coryne-hall.html