Engagement of Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia!

The Head of House Prussia, Prince Georg Friedrich (b. 1976), only son of the late Prince Louis Ferdinand (Jr.) of Prussia and of his wife Donata of Castell-Rudenhausen, announced yesterday his engagement to Princess Sophie of Isenburg (b. 1978).

The lucky young lady is the fourth child of Fürst Franz Alexander  (b. 1943) and of his wife Fürstin Christine, née Countess von Saurma, Baroness von und zu der Jeltsch (b. 1941).

Two of Princess Sophie's siblings have contracted stupendous dynastic marriages: Princess Katharina married in 2004 Archduke Martin of Austria, one of the sons of the late Archduke Robert of Austria-Este and of his wife Archduchess Margherita, née Savoy-Aosta.; and Princess Isabelle who has been married since 1998 to Fürst Wilhelm of Wied.

Princess Sophie has two brothers, Alexander and Viktor, both unmarried.

No date for the wedding ceremony has been given yet!

http://www.preussen.de/de/heute/aktuell/verlobung_im_haus_hohenzollern.html

Reconciliation at Broadlands in the Works?

Richard Kay reports in the daily Mail:

End of the affair for Brabourne?

Landowner Lord Brabourne’s dramatic exit from his 30-year marriage and Hampshire estate shattered one of Britain’s great aristocratic dynasties.

But just five months after the 63-year-old cousin of Prince Charles and heir to the Mountbatten title left his attractive wife Penny to start afresh in the Bahamas, there has been a setback in his new romantic life with exotic local beauty Jeannie McWeeny.

The couple, I learn, are no longer together. Brabourne, better known as Norton Knatchbull, had been with 58-year-old Jeannie, a fashion entrepreneur and widow of tax-exiled baronet Sir Nicholas ­Nuttall, on tiny Windermere island since his abrupt departure from Broadlands, his 60-room ancestral home, where the Queen spent her honeymoon.

Whether this estrangement is temporary or permanent remains to be seen, but friends are saying it is over.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1348730/Kate-Middleton-Goring-Hotel-night-Royal-wedding.html#ixzz1BgbZecQL

The Middletons Take Over a Hotel near Buckingham Palace...

It was much loved by the Queen Mother, and these days the Queen and Baroness Thatcher are patrons.

And for four days in April, the Goring Hotel, near Buckingham ­Palace, will be taken over by the family and friends of Kate Middleton — together with ­William’s chums — for the royal wedding.

Now, I hear, Kate is thinking of basing ­herself at the same hotel for the night before the ceremony.

Certainly that is the talk among excited staff at the five-star hotel, where double rooms cost £345 a night.

The couple chose the Goring for their guests because it is close to the Palace, where their reception will be held after the Westminster Abbey nuptials.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1348730/Kate-Middleton-Goring-Hotel-night-Royal-wedding.html#ixzz1BgW7Lwft

Ten Years of the Crown Princess Katerine of Yugoslavia Foundation

http://www.youtube.com/RoyalSerbianChannel#p/u/0/JUQ8KYkwQEk

Royal Wedding Sparks Succession Debate!

LONDON — Lawmakers say it would be the perfect wedding gift – changing Britain's rules of succession so any daughter born to Prince William and wife-to-be Kate Middleton would enjoy an equal right to the throne.

Lawmaker Keith Vaz led a brief House of Commons debate Tuesday calling for an overhaul of the 300-year-old procedures, which many call antiquated and sexist.

"Sex discrimination has been illegal in the UK since 1975 and those who break the law are rightly punished," he told Parliament. "This rule attempts to bring gender equality into our succession rules." He said a series of newspaper polls shows strong support for this change to the rules.

The system currently gives sons an automatic preference over older female siblings to succeed to the British throne. That means if Middleton had a daughter and then a son, the daughter would be passed over and the son would become king when William dies or vacates the throne.

 ©Getty

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/18/royal-wedding-sparks-succ_n_810459.html

Father-in-law of Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia Passes Away

PRESS RELEASE

CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE’S FATHER SADLY PASSES AWAY

Athens, 20 January 2011 - Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Katherine’s father sadly passed away today in Athens. Mr. Robert Batis had been seriously ill for several weeks.

Mr. Batis lived in Athens. He was very devoted to his family, charity and the care of people. Mr. Batis had a very big heart and was very much loved.  He was one of most prominent Greek philanthropists, and received several awards from Greek Government for his humanitarian work. Mr. Batis was also honorary president of the football club Fostiras for many years.

Mr. Batis is survived by his daughters HRH Crown Princess Katherine and Mrs. Betty Roumeliotis, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The funeral will take place in Athens in the next few days and will be a private one. Crown Princess Katherine and her family are very grateful for the many messages of sympathy and kind words they have received.

Full Birth Equality in the Works Perhaps...

LONDON – Lawmakers say it would be the perfect wedding gift — changing Britain's rules of succession so any daughter born to Prince William and wife-to-be Kate Middleton would enjoy an equal right to the throne.

Lawmaker Keith Vaz led a brief House of Commons debate Tuesday calling for an overhaul of the 300-year-old procedures, which many call antiquated and sexist.

"Sex discrimination has been illegal in the UK since 1975 and those who break the law are rightly punished," he told Parliament. "This rule attempts to bring gender equality into our succession rules." He said a series of newspaper polls shows strong support for this change to the rules.

©AP

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110118/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_royal_succession

TLC Plans a Week a Royalty Programs

LOS ANGELES — The TLC channel is giving the wedding of Britain's Prince William the royal treatment.

In the five days leading up to the April 29 nuptials of William and Kate Middleton, the channel will air specials featuring archived and other footage, interviews and a round-table discussion with experts on royalty, TLC said Wednesday.

The U.K.-themed week, in partnership with ITV Studios, also will include a show focusing on British and U.S. hoarders and "extreme" collectors of royal memorabilia.

The channel plans live coverage of the wedding, with a condensed version of the event set to air April 30-May 1.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/19/tlc-plans-week-of-special_n_810807.html

What Happens in the Palace Stays in the Palace...

LONDON — What happens in the palace stays in the palace.

A new British law that took effect Wednesday makes Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William exempt from freedom of information laws, meaning many private details of their lives won't be made public for decades.

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke says the exemption will protect the monarch's private conversations with politicians and officials – but information advocates say it will make it even harder to hold to account a royal family that costs taxpayers millions a year.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/19/royal-freedom-of-information-act_n_810911.html

A royal baby for Sweden...?

Is she pregnant or is she not..therein lies the question...eventually photos will help us decipher the quandary!