Wednesday, June 5, 2013

UK: St Edward's Crown on display

LONDON (Reuters) - A fanfare of trumpets and cheering crowds greeted Queen Elizabeth on the 60th anniversary of her coronation on Tuesday, with a service in Westminster Abbey featuring a priceless crown that has adorned the heads of British monarchs for 350 years.

Decorated with rubies, sapphires and amethysts, the golden St Edward's crown was made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 and has been used to crown every British monarch since.

Together with a golden, eagle-shaped bottle containing the holy oil for anointing, it took pride of place beside the altar for the historic service.

For Elizabeth, 87, it was a return to the scene of her coronation when, at age 27, she ascended the throne upon the death of her father, King George VI.

Continue reading...

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/britains-queen-elizabeth-mark-six-decade-reign-114938764.html

EUROHISTORY – Issue XCII (April 2013) Review

Noted Norwegian genealogist Dag Hoelseth's review of our latest Issue!

http://dagtho.blogspot.com/2013/05/eurohistory-european-royal-history.html

UK: The Queen's Coronation

The Queen's Coronation 1953

Buckingham Palace

Saturday, 27 July 2013 to Sunday, 29 September 2013

This summer marks the 60th anniversary of one of the most momentous occasions in 20th-century British history – the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To mark the anniversary of the event, a major exhibition for the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace will bring together for the first time since Coronation Day, a spectacular array of dress, uniform and robes worn by the principal royal party. Works of art, paintings and objects used on the day will also be on display to recreate the atmosphere of that extraordinary occasion.

Image: Cecil Beaton, © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

UK: The Queen and Prince Philip to Slow Down

Speaking after the service to mark the 60th anniversary of the coronation Peter Phillips said he was “hugely” proud of everything that his grandparents have done for the country.

The Duke of Edinburgh, who will be 92 next week, accompanied his 87-year-old wife to the service at Westminster Abbey yesterday despite having to cancel an engagement the night before as he was feeling unwell.

When asked about Prince Philip’s health, his grandson replied: “You have also got to remember his age, both of their ages, you know.

“Still what they do at their age, they do a lot more than most other pensioners of their equivalent age. So if occasionally there is the odd engagement cancelled it shouldn’t come as a surprise given the work load that they do have.”

The Duke of Edinburgh had been due to join the Queen at a gala reception for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) at St James's Palace on the eve of the coronation service but cancelled at the last minute.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/10100214/Queen-and-Prince-Philip-will-cancel-more-engagements-as-they-get-older-says-grandson.html

©Getty

UK: The Queen: Portraits of a Monarch

The Queen: Portraits of a Monarch

Windsor Castle

Friday, 23 November 2012 to Sunday, 09 June 2013

Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most depicted women in the world. She has sat to numerous artists, from Cecil Beaton and Pietro Annigoni to Lucian Freud. Her portrait likeness, so widely circulated, has also inspired artists such as Andy Warhol, whose screenprint portraits of Her Majesty have been recently acquired for the Royal Collection and are displayed for the first time at Windsor Castle.

Portraits of The Queen are made for a number of official purposes, ranging from photographs distributed at the time of a State Visit, to those that mark a particular anniversary. Portraits bearing a clear and recognisable image of the sovereign are required for use on coins, banknotes and stamps. Many of the works on display were created with one of these purposes in mind.

This exhibition presents a selection of official, commissioned and formal portraits of The Queen, gathered here from the different Royal residences.

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/the-queen-portraits-of-a-monarch

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Sweden: Upcoming Royal Wedding

On Saturday 8 June, Princess Madeleine and Mr Christopher O'Neill will get married in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Princess Madeleine was interviewed in April 2013.

There are less than four months until the wedding. How is the planning going?
"Less than four months to go! Time flies when you're having fun. We're busy planning. Even though I'm in New York working for Childhood, the planning is going very well. We're getting a fantastic amount of help from back home, and the support from our families is making things much easier for Chris and me."

A wedding takes a lot of planning, especially a royal wedding. Who is helping with the planning?
"There are so many people involved in the planning, who are putting in a great deal of time and energy. We don't want to single out any individuals — it's a team effort, and there are a lot of people involved. We're so grateful for all the help we're getting!"

Christopher O'Neill has both American and British citizenship. Will there be a best man and bridesmaids at the wedding like in the UK and the US?
"Yes and no. Chris will have a best man by his side, but I won't have bridesmaids. Just like my mum and my sister, I'll have bridal attendants — that's a wedding tradition that I want to continue."

Will the wedding be broadcast on TV?
"We want to make our wedding as accessible as possible. But there hasn't been a final decision on broadcasting it yet."

Has the guest list been finalised?
"Yes, I think we can safely say so. The invitations will be sent out by 1 April, so there's not much time left. It's been hard, because we wanted to invite everyone, but unfortunately that wasn't possible."

Has a decision been made on whether it will be a morning or afternoon wedding?
"We'll be having an afternoon wedding, followed by a dinner."

Where will the wedding dinner be held?
"The wedding dinner will be held at Drottningholm Palace, which I'm very pleased about. Drottningholm Palace means so much to me — it's where I was born and grew up."

http://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/thewedding/theprincesscouple/interviewapril2013.4.4ea495e313c19c119aa58c2.html

Monday, June 3, 2013

UK: Duke of Edinburgh Ill

The Duke of Edinburgh withdrew from an official engagement tonight after falling unwell on the eve of a service to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne.

The Duke, who was due to join the Queen at a gala reception for the Royal National Institute of Blind People at St James's Palace, was said to be 'unwell' and pulled out at the last minute.

Prince Philip has not been taken to hospital and is staying overnight at Buckingham Palace, where a spokesman had no details of his illness - but said he was expected to be at the service tomorrow.

Continue reading...

©Mirror.co.uk

Hesse: Funeral of Landgraf Moritz of Hesse

Kronberg in Taunus served as witness today for Europe's royalty to gather and bid farewell to one of its most prominent members, Landgraf Moritz of Hesse. Among those present to bid adieu to a wonderful man were: Queen Sofía of Spain, King Constantine II of the Hellenes, King Simeon of Bulgaria, the Prince of Naples, Prince Georg Friedrich and Princess Sophie of Prussia, Duke Franz of Bavaria, the Margrave of Meißen, Duke Carl of Württemberg, the Margrave and Margravine of Baden, Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha, the Fürst of Schaumburg-Lippe, the Fürst of Waldeck-Pyrmont, the Fürst and Fürstin of Hohenzollern, Duke Christoph and Duchess Elisabeth of Schleswig-Holstein, Dowager Duchess Marie Alix of Schleswig-Holstein, the Fürst and Fürstin of Lippe, Fürst Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Princess Alexandra of Leiningen, Duchess Donata of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess Edina of Mecklenburg-Schwerin with husband Konrad von Posern, the Fürst and Fürstin of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, the Fürst and Fürstin of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, the Fürst of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, the Fürst of Oettingen-Spielberg, the Fürstin and Fürstin of Bismarck, Hereditary Prince Ernst August of Hannover, Duke Friedrich of Württemberg, Hereditary Prince Hubertus and Hereditary Princess Kelli of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Princess Sarvath of Jordan, Hereditary Prince Bernhard and Hereditary Princess Stephanie of Baden, Duke Philipp of Württemberg, Count Hans-Veit of Toerring-Jettenbach, Prince Ludwig and Princess Marianne of Baden, Prince Karl of Hesse, Count Alexander and Countess Irina of Schönburg-Glauchau, Hereditary Prince Kraft and Hereditary Princess Carolyn of Hohenlohe-Oehringen, Hereditary Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Hereditary Prince Heinrich and Hereditary Princess Priscilla of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, Prince Berthold of Baden, Princess Sophie of Baden, the Count of Solms-Laubach, and many others.

Landgraf Moritz passed away in Frankfurt on May 23, after a debilitating illness. He was born at Racconigi Palace, some 25 miles south of Turin. At the time of Moritz's birth, his grandfather, King Vittorio Emanuele III, ruled over Italy.

He was the firstborn child of Prince Philipp of Hesse and of his wife, the former Princess Mafalda of Savoy. The couple had married at Racconigi in September 1925, their son making his arrival at the same palace nearly eleven months later. Between 1926 and 1940, Princess Mafalda gave birth to four children: Moritz (1926-2013), Heinrich (1927-1999), Otto (1937-1998) and Elisabeth (b. 1940). Sadly, Mafalda died at Buchenwald concentration camp in 1944. Her end was sad and harrowing and news of her death was only confirmed after the end of the Second World War. Philipp succeeded his father, Landgraf Friedrich Karl, in 1940. His mother was Princess Margarethe of Prussia, herself the youngest daughter of Kaiser Friedrich III and his English wife, Victoria, The Princess Royal.

The Hesse suffered grave losses during the Second World War and thus it fell on Moritz and his father to rebuild the family's tattered fortune. In this endeavor, Moritz, who succeeded as Landgarf of Hesse in 1980, proved to be extremely successful. Behind he leaves a solid historical legacy in the Hesse Family Foundation, designed to protect the family's unique art collections and architectural possessions.

Moritz married at Kronberg Princess Tatiana zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b. 1940). The couple, who divorced in 1974, had four children: Mafalda (b. 1965), Heinrich Donatus [Don] (b. 1966), Elena (b. 1967) and Philipp (b. 1970). All the children have offspring of their own. Although divorced for nearly four decades, Moritz and Tatiana remained very close until the end.

Landgraf Moritz was very approachable, particularly to us historians and genealogists. I first met him in Coburg more than a dozen years ago. Our last meeting took place in April 2012, when he asked me to join him for lunch at Schloß Friedrichshof. During our few hours together, he expressed to me how satisfied he was with Ilana Miller's The Four Graces, which he considered one of the best royal biographies published in decades. I agreed with him.

Although already considerably ill, Moritz was alert and inquisitive during our last meeting. He possessed a sharp mind and never shied away from expressing what he truly felt about the various topics under discussion. With him, one knew where one stood...and I have always found that quite refreshing!

I am saddened by the loss experienced by his children and grandchildren, as well as by his former wife. Moritz was untiring when attending royal events across Europe. His absence will be felt by all who were honored with his friendship and acquaintance.

We wish to express our sincerest condolences to his family...May He Rest in Peace!

The coffin containing the earthly remains of Landgraf Moritz of Hesse.

Princess Sarvath of Jordan and Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands.

Queen doña Sofía of Spain and Prince Karl of Hesse.

The Fürst and Fürstin of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.

Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and her

husband Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein Elgut.

The Fürst and Fürstin of Hohenzollern.

Prince Georg Friedrich and Princess Sophie of Prussia.

Hereditary Prince Ernst August of Hannover.

Hereditary Prince Bernhard and Hereditary Princess Stephanie of Baden.

Hereditary Prince Kraft and Hereditary Princess Carolyn of Hohenlohe-Oehringen.

The Fürst and Fürstin of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn.

The Fürst of Schaumburg-Lippe.

Hereditary Prince Hubertus and Hereditary Princess Kelli of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha.

The Prince of Naples.

Duke Franz of Bavaria.

King Simeon of Bulgaria, Queen doña Sofía of Spain

and King Constantine II of the Hellenes.

The Margrave and Margravine of Baden surrounding

Princess Sarvath of Jordan. Behind her is Duke Philipp
of Württemberg.

Queen doña Sofía of Spain. Behind her is

Count Hans-Veit of Toerring-Jettenbach.

King Constantine II of the Hellenes.

©Albert Nieboer

UK: A New Era Begins, Quietly...

Often what British royals do is far more consequential than what they say. At today’s State Opening of Parliament, Queen Elizabeth II will read out her government’s agenda for the coming session, this time expected to include immigration reforms, a cap on the cost of social care, a measure to control dangerous dogs and another to ban wild animals in circuses. Some of these legislative plans might appear a little weightier than others, but the really big news will be sitting mutely alongside Her Majesty. For the first time, the Queen will be accompanied on the dais at this annual ceremonial fixture not only by her doughty husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, but by their son — and her heir — the Prince of Wales and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall. Their presence will signal a shift in public life that is likely to impact far more Britons than any law about muzzling pitbulls. After more than 60 years, the Elizabethan era is drawing to a close, and the Charlesian age is dawning.

On May 7, on the eve of the State Opening, Buckingham Palace also announced that for the first time since 1973 the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth, will not attend November’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Prince Charles will deputize for her, traveling to Sri Lanka in her place. The Queen, at 87, looks frail, but is in good health, according to a palace insider, who does concede that officials “are pacing her commitments.” Charles will “increasingly share constitutional duties...

Friday, May 31, 2013

Serbia: State Funeral for King Peter II and Others

PRESS RELEASE

Royal Family, President of Serbia, Prime Minister, Serbian Church and Serbian People attend State Funeral at Royal Mausoleum in Oplenac.

Belgrade, 26 May 2013 - Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander II, Crown Princess Katherine, Hereditary Prince Peter, Prince Philip and Prince Alexander, Princess Linda, Prince Nicholas, Princess Katerina, Prince Vladimir and Princess Brigitta, Princess Lavinia, Mr. Austin Prichard-Levy and Luca Prichard-Levy, Prince Dimitri, Princess Elizabeth, Prince Michel, Prince Serge and Prince Dushan with H.E. Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, President of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Ivica Dacic, Prime Minister, H.E. Foreign Minister Mr. Ivan Mrkic, H.E. Prof. Dr. Slavica Djukic – Dejanovic, Minister of health, H.E. Mr. Velimir Ilic, Minister of Construction and Urbanism, H.E. Mr. Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, representatives of Parliament of Serbia, Serbian Army, members of other Royal Families, and a great number of citizens from all over Serbia, Republika Srpska and abroad, representatives of diplomatic corps, paid final respects to Their Majesties King Peter II, Queen Alexandra and Queen Maria and His Royal Highness Prince Andrej at St. George church Royal Mausoleum in Oplenac on May 26.

Also present Mr. and Mrs. David Andrews, son and daughter in law of HRH Crown Princess Katherine, Ms. Alison Andrews, daughter of HRH Crown Princess Katherine and her sons Mr. Nicholas Garfinkel and Mr. Michael Garfinkel, and Ms. Betty Roumeliotis, sister of HRH Crown Princess Katherine.

Among representatives of foreign Royal Families there were Their Majesties King Simeon and Queen Margarita of the Bulgarians, Their Majesties King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Margarita and Prince Radu of Romania, Their Imperial and Royal Highnesses Archduke Sandor and Archduchess Herta of Austria, His Highness Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Their Royal Highnesses The Margraf and Margrafin of Baden, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Philipp Erasmus and Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein, His Royal Highness Prince Mabandla Dlamini of Swaziland, Princess Ira Von Fürstenberg and His Serene Highness Prince Pierre D' Arenberg.

H. E. Mr. Michael Davenport, Ambassador of the United Kingdom and H.E. Ms. Mette Kjuel Nielsen, Ambassador of Kingdom of Denmark were also present in the church.

Before the ceremony started, His Royal Highness Hereditary Prince Peter placed the Crown of HM King Peter I, His Royal Highness Prince Philip placed the sceptre and orb, and His Royal Highness Prince Alexander placed a diamond sabre of HM King Alexander I on the coffin of HM King Peter II.

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, His Eminence Metropolitan of Dabar and Bosnia Nikolaj, Their Graces Bishop Lukijan of Budim, Bishop Jovan of Sumadija, Bishop Vasilije of Srem, Bishop Ignatije of Branicevo, Bishop Lukijan of Osijek pole and Baranja, Bishop Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia, Bishop Maxim of Western America, Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje and Niksic, Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand, Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, Archimandrite Metodije of Hilandar, officiated and attended the Holy Liturgy.

The following Religious Leader were also present His Excellency Monsignor Stanislav Hocevar, Roman Catholic Metropolitan and Archbishop of Belgrade, Muhamed ef.Jusufspahic, Mufti of Serbia, Father Vitalij Tarasjev, representative of Moscow Patriarchate in Belgrade.

After the Liturgy and the Requiem, His Holiness, Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, said: “The honourable Serbian Royal House, and its Head Your Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander II, in the light of divine force and truth, we are rectifying a great injustice today, human injustice that cried to the heavens. Descendents of Karadjordje, Father of Serbia, witnessed ocupation of their country, were forced to leave their beloved country, and to live in exile for decades. Today, when final wish of His Majesty King Peter I has been fulfilled, that his descendents live in their country with their people, and to be buried at St. George Church in Oplenac, we truly believe that souls of Karadjordje, Prince Alexander, King Peter I and King Alexander I rejoyce today. This is important day for Royal House of Kradjordjevic and their Head Crown Prince Alexander. Serbian children and Serbian people will gather around their graves to learn lessons of patriotism, love for their country, its history and culture.”

Prime Minister of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Ivica Dacic, said: “A final piece of our history’s mosaic has been put in place today. We cannot change the past, but we rectify mistakes today. There are many ideologies, but there is just one Serbia. Therefore, it is very important that our people become united in the future. Long live Serbia!“

H.E. President of Serbia Mr. Tomislav Nikolic, said: “Our nation's history, beside glorious deeds, patriotism, fight for justice and truth, records conflicts, as well. That is one of the reasons that our country has had bad destiny. More Serbs died of acts of their brothers, than from foreign occupiers, and we must not forget that fact. Destiny of Karadjordje, his descendents and his family, represent sublimation of all ours divisions and disasters. We cannot have luxury of divisions and injustice any more. Serbs have respected justice as highest virtue from the ancient times. Therefor we are rectifying immense injustic at the grave of Supreme Leader Karadjordje today. And we are making another step toward unity“.

HRH Crown Prince Alexander II, son of Their Majesties King Peter II and Queen Alexandra, and grandson of HM Queen Maria, delivered a moving speech: “We are gathered today here in Oplenac to pay our last respects and bid farewell to King Peter II, Queen Alexandra, Queen Maria and Prince Andrej. The Karadjordjevic's, whose destiny throughout history has been closely tied to the destiny of the entire nation, as well as to the establishment of the modern Serbian State. Their lives are the reflection of what happened to their people and their homeland. Their wanderings and their exile lasted for too long. They lived and died in different parts of the world.

Today they are here in Oplenac, among their family and among their Serbs. For me, as the Head of the Royal Family and for my whole family this a great day. Sad, but solemn. Full of emotions and reverence. Full of personal memories. This is not only a historic moment for Royal Family, but also for the whole Serbian nation and the State of Serbia.”

TRH Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine, Hereditary Prince Peter, Prince Philip and Prince Alexander will host a reception on this solemn occasion for the Royal Family, state officials, church dignitaries, members of foreign Royal families and ambassadors at the White Palace 8 pm this evening.

HRH Crown Prince Alexander II and the Royal Family would like to express their gratitude to H.E. Mr. Tomislav Nikolic President of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Ivica Dacic, Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of the Interior, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia and Serbian Orthodox Church, the State Commission for the transfer of remains of members of Royal Family and Prof. Dr. Oliver Antic, special advisor to President of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Ivan Mrkic, Minister of foreign affairs of Serbia, His Grace Bishop Longin of the Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America in Illionois United States of America, H.E. Mr. Vladimir Petrovic, ambassador of Serbia to the United States of America, H.E. Mr. Dragan Zupanjevac, ambassador of Serbia to Greece, H.E. Dr. Dejan Popovic, ambassador of Serbia to the United Kingdom, Mr. Desko Nikitovic, Consul General of Serbia in Chicago United States of America, The Government of Greece, H.E. Ambassador Dionyssios Kodellas from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Mr. Tom Karacic, lawyer from Chicago, Mr Dusan Djordjevic of Sveta Gora in Chicago, and so many others from Serbia and abroad who contributed that this event of tremendous importance for Serbia and its citizens was made possible.