Sunday Tidbits for March 15: Horses, of Course (And More)

Heading up this week's tidbits, two kinds of horses, plus some Dutch/Danish cross over as we approach King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima's state visit to Queen Margrethe's territory this week:

--First things first, Friday's Afghanistan Service of Commemoration in London has been covered in full at the Jewel Vault, so feel free to wander over there to discuss. (We won't be repeating coverage of the event here.) [Jewel Vault]

--Crown Princess Mary traveled to London to present the Champions for Change Award to Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau for her efforts to end child marriage with the Girls Not Brides organization. A well-deserved honor. [YouTube, ParisMatch]




--Máxima, you vibrant tropical fish, you. What are you wearing here? (A deeply unflattering top from COS and a peanut necklace, that's what.) I trust you'll be on your best sartorial behavior for the big state visit. [YouTube, ModeKoninginMaxima, Facebook]




--Princess Estelle got a special treat after Crown Princess Victoria's name day celebrations: a hand made rocking horse and wooden sword from the Life Squadron of the Life Guards, which includes items from old Guards equipment. [Livskvadron Facebook]


Kungahuset.se

--In the world of real life horses, one last update to this year's Cheltenham Races roster: Princess Anne helicoptered in after the Afghanistan service for the sole purpose of giving Camilla some competition in the fur hat stakes, and by the looks of it, she means business:

View image | gettyimages.com
Also, Zara Phillips is just DONE with our hat critiques, going out in a frenzied feathery burst of glory:

View image | gettyimages.com

--And finally, the tastiest headline of the week: Guillaume and Stéphanie Receive a Pretzel. [Luxarazzi]

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Sunday Tidbits for March 8: One Christening, Two Lookalikes, and More

I'm busy mourning the loss of a precious hour to daylight saving time, so let's get right to it. Your tidbits for the week:

--Monaco's baby twins have a christening date: May 10, 2015. The ceremony will be broadcast, so I assume all interested in watching will at least be able to stream it online somewhere. [Monaco Matin]

--CNN will run a feature on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall next Saturday featuring an interview with the Prince, just prior to their visit to the States. Catch if you can. Or don't, fine, be that way. [CNN]

--A new logo and new picture have been released for the upcoming celebration of Queen Margrethe II's 75th birthday [Kongehuset]:


 Torben Eskerod / Kongehuset.dk

--Luxembourg's grand ducal family gave an official dinner for France's President Hollande during his visit to the country (but it wasn't a state visit, so no gowns and no tiaras). Stéphanie looks nice and all, but she also looks like she's Single White Female-ing Queen Mathilde. [Luxarazzi]

Sadly no tiaras but still more than expected... MT @Luxarazzi: Dinner for President Hollande http://t.co/vD79PArPAk pic.twitter.com/2P4tHWWT4n
— Sydney Luxarazzi (@SydneyLux) March 6, 2015

--And here's the model herself: Queen Mathilde made a short visit to Washington, D.C. for a "Girls Impacted by Conflict and Civil Unrest" symposium. Still hobbling around with the aid of crutches and occasionally a wheelchair after injuring her knee, she was overheard explaining that her kids now call her maman Robocop. [7sur7]

Stop violence against young women and girls in armed conflicts: symposium @ICRW in Washington DC #Girls Will pic.twitter.com/qAOuV06JX7
— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) March 6, 2015

--The Duke of Cambridge wrapped up his Asian tour in China this week, and not a moment too soon. The length of the trip clearly left him unable to tell the real penguins from the fakes, and unable to remember that you can't make conversation with either. [Kensington Palace Storify]

View image | gettyimages.com

--Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Duchess of Cambridge donned a cheery Erdem frock for an unofficial outing to the Goring Hotel. [Express]

--Over at the Jewel Vault, we covered not just the state visit from Mexico this week, but also the newly updated portrait of QEII that will adorn coins in the U.K. [Jewel Vault]

--And finally: A carriage made for King William IV was sold at auction this week. Was it you? Did you buy it? Can I borrow it? My work commute really could use a little pepping up, you know. [ITV]

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Sunday Tidbits for March 1: Visits Galore, and Things to See Near You

We are heading into prime spring state visit territory, and tiaras are coming our way. Until then, a few tidbits packed with visits current and future and some exhibits you might like to catch:

--The King and Queen of Norway completed a state visit to Australia this week. Queen Sonja opened an exhibit of her art while there, which is pretty awesome. [Hello!, Royal House of Norway]


View image | gettyimages.com


--The Duke of Cambridge's current trip to Japan and China is going well. I love a royal gamely sporting traditional garb, if only because (in this particular case) it's one less appearance of the infamous blue suit. [Kensington Palace Storify]


View image | gettyimages.com




--He also popped in for lunch with the Emperor and Empress of Japan. [BBC]

View image | gettyimages.com




--For those in Canada: A state visit from the King and Queen of the Netherlands has been announced, and it will occur May 27-29. No real details on locations yet, but keep an eye out. [Governor General of Canada]




--For those in Denmark: A selection of Crown Princess Mary's dresses will be included in an exhibit called Danish Fashion Now at Brandts in Odense from March 27th to September 13th. [Brandts, h/t to StyleofMary]




--For those in the U.K.: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty opens March 14th and runs through August 2nd at the V&A in London. [V&A]




--The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway and family joined the Swedish royal family for the ski championships in Sweden. [Zimbio]




--Queen Elizabeth II debuted a new brooch this week when the King and Queen of Tonga came to visit, one given to her last November. [Jewel Vault]




--And finally, one last birthday girl for February: Princess Estelle! She turned three years old on Monday and new photos were released for the occasion. Her adorable coat comes from Lars of Scandinavia. [Kungahuset]



Kate Gabor / kungahuset.se

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Sunday Tidbits for February 22: Birthday Girls, History Girls, and More

In this week's tidbits, we've got some current events and some way way back events and everything in between...

--Princess Leonore of Sweden (daughter of Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill) turned 1 this week! New pictures were released by the Swedish court to mark the occasion. [Kungahuset]


Brigitte Grenfeldt / Kungahuset.se

--And we have two more birthday girls over in Luxembourg: Princess Stéphanie turned 31 and Princess Alexandra turned 24. [Wort, Royalista]

--From the Royals We Hardly Ever Cover category: The King and Queen of Tonga were received by the Pope at the Vatican this week. [Vatican Radio, RomeReports]




--The first part of the BBC documentary Reinventing the Royals, which was slightly postponed after apparent legal intervention from the royals, is available for viewing at the BBC site (geo-restricted) or on YouTube. [Radio Times, BBC Live Player, YouTube]

--Crown Princess Mary visited Ethiopia as part of her work on women's rights and health. Here's an article in English, and photo gallery 1 and gallery 2 from the trip. [Sydney Morning Herald, BT]

Welcome to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark! She's at the Addis Ababa Fistula hospital for a cup of tea with Dr Hamlin pic.twitter.com/ierh9ayDqw
— Hamlin Fistula (@fistulaethiopia) February 18, 2015


--Interesting: Facial recognition software indicates that a painting thought to depict Jane Seymour may in fact be Anne Boleyn. [Artnet News]

--The Hairpin takes the history of celebrity stylists waaaaay back, profiling Rose Bertin, stylist to Marie Antoinette and others in her court. [The Hairpin]

--A Russian tycoon has donated items formerly belonging to the Yusupov family (you may recall them from our discussion of their long lost rock crystal tiara) back to the Russian national archive. The pieces include a Faberge egg and a pocket watch made for the last tsar's coronation. [Daily Mail]

--Heads up, America: Chaz and Cams are on their way! The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will visit Washington, D.C. and Louisville, Kentucky from March 17th-20th. Their visit will include a meeting at the White House with President Obama and Vice President Biden, and a visit to Mount Vernon, home of George Washington. You can read more about the visit at their official site. [Clarence House]

--And finally, don't ever tell me being a royal isn't all glamour, all the time: Here's the Prince of Wales celebrating the 150th anniversary of the London sewer system this week. [BBC Video]

View image | gettyimages.com

Stay tuned for next week, we'll be checking out the fruits of fashion week and more!

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Sunday Tidbits for February 15: Diamonds and Wine and Other Stuff

And to balance out the extravagance, we'll start today's tidbits with an Anne Update:

--The Princess Royal spent some time in uniform this week, which is how you know that all is right in the world. She handled a Buckingham Palace investiture, including bestowing a damehood on fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, and made a naval visit. In uniform with her signature sport shades and a hard hat = the ultimate Anne experience. [BBC, Royal Navy Facebook]

The Princess Royal visits #HMSWestminster and #FleetDivingGroup. HRH is Commodore-in-Chief of #HMNBPortsmouth pic.twitter.com/VdLKWc5SEI
— BritishMonarchy (@BritishMonarchy) February 9, 2015

--Also, here's a little peek at that infamous 'do of hers, while attending a reception this week:

The Princess Royal meets guests at a #MND reception to celebrate the success of the #icebucketchallenge. Her Royal Highness is Royal Patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
A photo posted by The British Monarchy (@the_british_monarchy) on Feb 12, 2015 at 11:03am PST

--Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein is celebrating his 70th birthday, and Luxarazzi is posting long interviews (which they have very kindly translated into English) with him and his family members. It's a nice glimpse into the lives and personalities of this low profile reigning family. [Luxarazzi]

--A 100 carat "perfect" diamond, touted as the largest perfect emerald cut ever to be auctioned, will be sold at Sotheby's in New York in April. The pre-sale estimate? A cool $19-$25 million. [ITV, Observer]


--Queen Letizia once again sported her combo of red ex-crop top dress and rainbow earrings on a visit to a winery with her husband. Add that to the list of royal engagements I'd gladly take on. [Hola]

View image | gettyimages.com

--And finally, have some more wine, why not: Here's a video of Prince Felix of Luxembourg showing off the wines at the vineyard he and Princess Claire run in France, Château des Crostes. [Video in French. Azur TV, via Luxarazzi]

Photos: Getty Images, Twitter, and Instagram as noted

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Sunday Tidbits for February 8: Blunders, Birthdays, and Brunches

Allow me to begin this Sunday free-for-all with a big fat royal facepalm:

--Following the death of Queen Fabiola of Belgium, thank you notes from the household of King Albert II and Queen Paola accidentally thanked people for their condolences on the death of Queen Paola. Who is, you know, still alive. So they sent out apologies for the mistake...and managed to refer to King (Koning) Fabiola, instead of Queen (Koningin). On the plus side, I now feel a little bit better about my own lack of proofreading skills. [NY Post, Le Soir]

--While others were working on their spelling, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were hosting diplomats and Queen Mathilde was making sure that you'll never miss her in the photo. [@Monarchie_Be Twitter]

Met Belgische diplomaten die ons land in het buitenland vertegenwoordigen pic.twitter.com/cakhHf1oWB
— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) February 5, 2015

--Johan Martin Ferner was laid to rest this week, with the Norwegian royal family in attendance. [VG]

--Two big birthdays at the Danish royal court this week: Princess Marie turned 39, and here's a gallery in celebration... [Royalista]

--...and Crown Princess Mary turned 43. Some new poses from the photoshoot for the couple's 10th wedding anniversary were released as official pictures: [Daily Mail]

Princess Mary stuns in heirloom diamond-encrusted tiara for new official pics http://t.co/SJtniwLRbi pic.twitter.com/AQIHq2gxqE
— Daily Mail Australia (@DailyMailAU) February 2, 2015

--If you enjoy mega diamonds, you won't want to miss Luxarazzi's report on the Napoleon Diamond Necklace. Marjorie Merriweather Post and her jewelry collecting habit have featured here in a couple posts: Russian nuptial traditions, and the Marie Louise Diadem. [Luxarazzi]

--The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the Art Worker's Guild and tried their hand at a few crafts. This is them giggling over Camilla's attempt at gold tool embossing. I must agree with the Fug Girls (who also chose a priceless photo from this event), Chaz's pattern coordination is on point here. [Hello, Go Fug Yourself]

View image | gettyimages.com

--Also, Camilla marked "the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi at a brunch showcasing New Zealand food and drinks." Between the crafts and the brunch, Cams is totally winning the royal engagement game this week. [Royalista]

View image | gettyimages.com

--And finally, I am duly informing you of the following Princess Alexandra of Kent sighting: She attended a memorial for Sir Jocelyn Stevens, with her brother, the Duke of Kent, at her side. [Getty]

View image | gettyimages.com

Photos: via Getty Images and Twitter as indicated

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Sunday Tidbits for February 1: A Quadruple Queen Update and More

Let's get right to it, shall we? Tidbits ahoy:

--Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, daughter of Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Prince Richard of Sayn-W(etc., you know), and husband Alexander Johannsmann welcomed a baby girl named Louisa on January 28. The couple also have a son, Konstantin, born in 2010. [Kongehuset, Ridehesten]

--Princess Alexandra of Hanover, competitive figure skater and the 15-year-old daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco and the Prince of Hanover, represented Monaco in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Austria this week. Prince Albert joined his sister to cheer her on, and Alexandra gave an interview for the occasion (video below, in French). [PurePeople]




--Queen Update #1: Queen Silvia looked very elegant in her tone on tone suit this week, helping hand out medals. [Kungahuset]


Kungahuset.se

--Queen Update #2: As did Queen Mathilde, wearing burgundy lace for the last of four New Year's receptions. [Paris Match]

Réception au Palais royal de Belgique http://t.co/BtuhlM9uJl #newyear #Belgique #Bruxelles #royauté #princesse #reine pic.twitter.com/vdYPZZoBeV
— Royal Blog de Match (@Royal_Matcher) January 30, 2015

--Queen Update #3: Do I detect a bit of a flapper wave on Queen Paola here? [RTLPlaceRoyale Twitter]

Albert et Paola ont assisté à l’inauguration de la nouvelle Aile de Launoit de la Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth pic.twitter.com/E7y5HxI5v5
— Place Royale (@RTLPlaceRoyale) January 28, 2015

--Queen Update #4 (it counts, don't argue): Dame Helen Mirren rode the subway. [Gothamist]

--Vanity Fair offers a peek inside Dudley House in London which has been restored to its former life as a grand society home by the Qatari ruling family and Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Thani. [Vanity Fair]

--All is not well with the family's quest to own every important property everywhere, though. Their plans to create a mega mansion in London were shot down this week. [Daily Mail]

--And one joyous scarf wave to send us across the finish line: Prince Carl Philip made an official visit to Lyon, France this week, where he celebrated the Bucose d'Or chef competition with gusto. This gallery includes some from his trip plus Victoria, Daniel, and Estelle watching the European Figure Skating Championships. [Purepeople]

View image | gettyimages.com


Stay tuned for the week to come, we've got Spains and Danes and more on the way.

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Sunday Tidbits for January 25: From Farewells to Fashion Shows

Seems we have an awful lot of royal deaths lately. That can stop anytime soon. But for the moment, that's where we must begin:

--Johan Martin Ferner, husband of Princess Astrid of Norway, passed away on Saturday. He was 87 years old. Ferner, a businessman, married Princess Astrid in 1961, and the couple had five children together. [Royal Court of Norway]


In 2012, celebrating Princess Astrid's 80th birthday: Princess Astrid and Mr. Ferner, center, the late Princess Ragnhild and husband Erling Lorentzen, left, and King Harald and Queen Sonja, right.
Photo: Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen / Det kongelige hoff

--The King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, also passed away late last week. He was 90 years old and came to the throne in 2005, though he had been the country's de facto ruler since 1995. The Prince of Wales, the Crown Prince of Norway, and the Kings of Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Jordan are among the dignitaries who traveled to Saudi Arabia to pay their respects and greet the new sovereign, King Salman. Salman was half-brother to the late king and served as crown prince; the throne currently passes between the sons of the first King of Saudi Arabia and a council exists within the large family to vote on the succession. [NY Times, Washington Post]

El Rey trasladó sus condolencias por la muerte del Rey de Arabia Saudí a @KingSalman http://t.co/9nApSsxuQh pic.twitter.com/daVweRc2TL
— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) January 24, 2015

--With Abdullah's passing, Queen Elizabeth II is now the world's oldest living monarch. [ITV]

--On a lighter note, an excellent anecdote told by a former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia has been flying around: King Abdullah, while still crown prince, visited the Queen at Balmoral and was treated to a tour of the estate. Much to his surprise (and slight terror), the Queen took the wheel of the Land Rover herself. And that's how you welcome the ruler of a country where women aren't allowed to drive, kids. [Twitter]

--Continuing to lighten things up a bit here: Princess Athena of Denmark, daughter of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie, turned three years old this week. Berlingske has some of her new photos plus a little gallery of her little life so far. [Berlingske]

--At the Danish monarchy's site, you'll find the latest engagement of Crown Princess Mary, in black and gray basics. [Kongehuset]

--Luxarazzi is shining a spotlight on the diamond and ruby necklace belonging to the lovely Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg. [Luxarazzi]

--Are you in need of a wearable portrait of the Prince of Wales? Sure you are! Vivienne Westwood's got you covered. Her recent menswear collection featured nods to the Prince's style and pictures of both Charles and the Queen. [Hello]

Vivienne Westwood pays tribute to Prince Charles with latest collection http://t.co/xC1K04nXdL pic.twitter.com/YB9vOG1yYS
— HELLO! (@hellomag) January 21, 2015

Stay tuned for Monday, we have matters of a Belgian sort to discuss. Prep your waffle maker for the occasion.

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Sunday Tidbits for January 18: Birthday Portraits Galore and More

It's double the birthday girls and a potential for a dash of royalty in an area near you (uh, if you live in very specific areas) in this week's batch of tidbits. Read on:

--A new portrait was released to celebrate Princess Michael of Kent's 70th birthday last week, featuring her cuddling her cat while sporting one of her tiaras (the Kent Festoon Tiara, which was worn to Queen Elizabeth II's coronation). We've reached peak Princess Michael, with just one image. [Hello US]

Happy 70th birthday #PrincessMichaelofKent! 6 facts about her (and look at her cute cat!) http://t.co/qQQLILoPzW pic.twitter.com/FSHPApr59r
— HELLO! US (@hellomagUS) January 15, 2015

--And two new shots of the Countess of Wessex have also been released, in advance of her 50th birthday. Alas, they feature neither tiaras nor cats. [Countess of Wessex Blog]

Just stunning! Sophie, The Countess of Wessex, wows in new 50th birthday portrait http://t.co/lnVU7BU9MS pic.twitter.com/lxCrQ1gCZX
— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) January 19, 2015

--Are you anywhere near Sydney, Australia? You can see the Australian Wattle Brooch in person, lucky you. It's on loan to the Powerhouse Museum as part of a jewelry exhibit through April. [Powerhouse Museum, with thanks to commenter Kathy]

--Heads up, northern California: Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel are visiting you. They've already arrived, with Princess Estelle, but the visit officially runs Monday through Wednesday. They'll be in San Francisco and Silicon Valley. [Svenskdam]

--The International Circus Festival in Monaco is Princess Stephanie's big event each year, and it's been in full swing this week. Prince Albert gives it an awkward thumbs up. [Paris Match]

View image | gettyimages.com

--This story about the Duchess of Cornwall sending a bouquet to a longtime royal watcher who missed Christmas at Sandringham is so sweet. [EDP24]

--The Japanese imperial family really loves their court dress this time of the year. They were back at it with the New Year's poetry reading this week. I'm so happy that Princess Kako was allowed something beyond the deeply unflattering hat that she got last time, I'll overlook the spread of glorified headband hats. [Imperial Family of Japan Blog, ANN News video]



--And finally, over at the Jewel Vault, I broke down the jewelry additions from the royal gift lists for 2014.

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Sunday Tidbits for January 12: The Monday Edition

A day late and a dollar short, as they say, but here we are with your weekly tidbits/your weekly open thread:

--King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan were among the world leaders joining the Paris unity rally this weekend following the tragic attacks at Charlie Hebdo last week. Many other sovereigns sent condolences to the French president; Grand Duchess Maria Teresa joined Luxembourg's anti-terror rally. [CNN, Luxarazzi]

View image | gettyimages.com

--Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are back in action, with events including their annual Day of the Wise Men conference for young leaders at their home this week. [Kongehuset Facebook]

--Go behind the scenes with the annual documentary Året med kungafamiljen (The Year with the Royal Family) (the Swedish royal family, specifically). [SVT]



--Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine of Denmark turned four this week, and new photographs were released to mark the occasion. The pictures were taken during the family's visit to Greenland last year, as was their Christmas card photo. [Kongehuset.dk, Twitter]

Could the #Danish royal twins get any cuter? New adorable pics released today! http://t.co/u83JED9vpw pic.twitter.com/oVbkGjaGQr
— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) January 8, 2015

--PBS aired ITV's The Queen's Garden, a documentary about (you'll never guess) the Buckingham Palace gardens, last night. The episode is streaming on the PBS website if you missed it. You can also still stream it on ITV's player. (Links may not be viewable everywhere.) [PBS, ITV]

--The Japanese imperial family got all done up court dress-style to listen to the New Year's lectures, an annual event which leaves me in awe of the family's ability to stay awake and focused at all times. [Imperial Family of Japan Blog]



--And finally, Zara Phillips has been in Australia, wearing a boatload of jewelry and a hat like a carnival game come to life, just aim your bean bag through the top and you could win 50 points and a pink stuffed panda bear. I think headgear that encourages people to toss things at you should probably be discouraged, right? [Hello]

View image | gettyimages.com

Photos: Thierry Chesnot via Getty Images, SVT video, @HelloCanada, FNNNewsCH video, Matt Roberts via Getty Images

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Sunday Tidbits for January 4: The Holiday Greetings Roll On

Queen Elizabeth II's annual Christmas broadcast is pretty well known around the world, but many of her sovereign colleagues have a similar speech to offer this time of the year. I've thrown several of them together in today's tidbits, because they're quite interesting in comparison. Just a snippet tells you something about that monarch, I think, from their levels of expression down to their choices of teleprompters and editing vs. none of that fancy business. Also included below are other greetings for the new year and random news bits, so read on...

--King Philippe does a version of his message for the season in each of Belgium's three official languages, and this year he started off with a tribute to the late Queen Fabiola. Here's an article with some highlights in English and a video. [Deredactie]


Deredactie video
The Belgian royal family also published some new family photos for the holiday:

Merry Christmas and happy New Year! pic.twitter.com/CwVNcWhJ4B
— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) December 24, 2014

--Queen Elizabeth II's Christmas message was covered at the Jewel Vault along with the jewels she wore to deliver it. Also covered over there in the past week was my annual round up of her year in jewels, where we recall what was new (a ton!) and count up what was worn most often (did you know that QEII wore close to 70 brooches this year? True story). [Jewel Vault]


British monarchy video

--Queen Margrethe II looked smashing in purple for her annual New Year's speech, and needless to say it delights me that both queens regnant opted for my favorite color. You can watch the speech here, or read the text in English here. And here's a gallery of her changing looks during this speech over the years, always a fun walk through time. [YouTube, Kongehuset, BT]


Kongehuset video

--Grand Duke Henri was one of many to make note of this year of commemoration in his Christmas speech. Here's video and English text. [Wort]


Wort video

--Prince Albert II highlighted the birth of the new twins in his New Year message, video below and English translation here. [YouTube, Royal Correspondent]



--King Willem-Alexander joined Queen Máxima's side of the family in Argentina for Christmas, while his speech played at home. Here's video, the full text, or an article in English. The family also posed for a pre-holiday photocall while in Argentina. [Het Koninklijk Huis and YouTube, Dutchnews.nl, NOS]


RVD/Frank van Beek

--King Harald V gets points from me for a New Year's Eve speech delivered in a tux, though reading note cards while standing does give me some unpleasant flashbacks to high school speech class. You can view the speech here, or read excerpts in English here. [Kongehuset YouTube, The Norway Post]


Kongehuset video

--King Carl XVI Gustaf is bit of a hand talker, compared to his colleagues, isn't he? Formulate your own deep thoughts on the matter by viewing his Christmas message or reading it (in Swedish) here. [Kungahuset]


SVT video
The family also released a new photo for the new year, taken last July. And the court recently confirmed that Princess Madeleine and her family have moved from New York City back to Sweden for the time being. [The Local]


Anna-Lena Ahlström / Kungahuset.se

--King Felipe VI's first Christmas message as king was a bit more political than most, dealing with some of the big issues on his plate right now (corruption, Catalonian separation). Made for an interesting contrast, the informal family photos displayed beside him and a serious message, I thought. You can see it here or read an article in English here. [CasarealTV YouTube, BBC]


CasarealTV video

--Emperor Akihito continues greeting the new year in Japan, joining the family to greet thousands of well-wishers at the Imperial Palace. Click here for pictures. The imperial couple also releases poems for the occasion. [Japan Today, Imperial Family of Japan blog]



--And finally, the Jordanian royal family sends us greetings for 2015 via social media, naturally. [Queen Rania Instagram]

كل عام وانتم بخير. ونسأل الله الأمن والسلام في عام ٢٠١٥ #عائلة #سلام #حب #حب_الأردن #الأردن From our family to yours, May 2015 bring us all peace and happiness… #Family #Peace #Love #LoveJO #Jordan
Una foto publicada por Queen Rania Al Abdullah (@queenrania) el Dic 12, 2014 at 9:57 PST


Stay tuned for Monday, we have British business to attend to...

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Sunday Tidbits for December 21: Christmas Time Is Here...

...and the tidbits this week are jam-packed with holiday treats guaranteed to give you a warm fuzzy feeling. Cute kids! Uniforms! Miniature horses! Scandinavian interiors! We've got something for everyone:

--The Swedish royal court announced that Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill are expecting their second baby, due in Summer 2015. Congrats! [Kungahuset]

--It's not Christmas until the Norwegian royal family does their annual photoshoot around the Christmas tree. You know how I love it when they break out the traditional dress. [TV2, Hello]

The Norwegian royals are in the festive spirit with this #Christmas photoshoot http://t.co/8WmhcFRagr pic.twitter.com/ZUiBO3xmtC
— HELLO! (@hellomag) December 19, 2014

--And it's also not Christmas until we get an adorable little video greeting from Haga Palace and Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, and Princess Estelle:

Cuteness and another look at Haga's interiors, which I find to be the perfect mix of palace chic and modern comfort.[Kungahuset YouTube]

--They also released a few new Estelle pictures. She's wearing a Ralph Lauren dress and Livly shoes, I know you needed to know that. [Svenskdam]


Kate Gabor/kungahuset.se

--And in even more Estelle news, she joined her mom to accept the Christmas trees for their home this week. [Kungahuset]


kungahuset.se

--Hey, Sweden's not the only country with cute royal kids! Belgium's in the game too. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde brought the whole family along for the annual palace Christmas concert. [Belgian Monarchy, Le Soir]

Dank aan iedereen voor hun bijdrage aan de Koninklijke activiteiten in 2014 pic.twitter.com/KBRyXBItzF
— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) December 17, 2014

--I know how much some of you love King Felipe with his beard, and apparently so does the Spanish court - they've provided an early holiday present in the form of new official pics in uniform. (The portraits with Letizia and in a suit are older.) [Patrimonio Nacional]

--Prince Harry doing good works while in the presence of adorable kids in Lesotho, what more could you ask for? [Go Fug Yourself]

--The Swedish royal family (they've had a busy week, man) were out in force for the Swedish Academy's formal gathering, another one of those white tie/no tiara events. I am intrigued by Victoria's jacket/skirt combo. [Expressen]

The Swedish Royal Family attending the Annual meeting of the Swedish Academy in Stockholm tonight. pic.twitter.com/M7cK1EV04h
— Scandinavian Royals. (@crownprincely) December 20, 2014

--The Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra teamed up for a reception for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Have to love an Alexandra sighting. [Clarence House Twitter]

The Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra @BritishMonarchy mark the 50th anniversary of the @cftrust @ClarenceHouse pic.twitter.com/UIZfMMRcWx
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) December 19, 2014

--Here's a short clip of an interview with Queen Margrethe, card-carrying member of the Mutual Admiration Society for Queens Regnant (which I just made up but should be an actual thing), talking about the summer she met Princess Beatrix and her love for her old friend. (Starts at 3:48.) [NPO]

--And finally, the Duchess of Cornwall hung out with a miniature horse and Mother Goose this week, as you do. [Daily Mail]

Stay tuned next week for more year end fabulousness!
 

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Sunday Tidbits for December 14: Queen Fabiola's Farewell, and More

As we cap a busy week, a few items we haven't covered here and a few leftovers from last week. Tidbits, here we go:

-Queen Fabiola was laid to rest on Friday. It was an emotional ceremony, with Queen Mathilde among those in tears. A Spanish performance paid tribute to Fabiola's roots and some of the young members of the family took part in readings. It was a fitting memorial for a much-loved queen.

• You can watch the entire funeral here.
• Alternately, RTL offers a few selected clips and here is a clip with a little more of the Belgian royal family. A clip is embedded below as well.
• Click here for a gallery.


-Trouble in Thailand: Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is divorcing his wife amid talk of a potential succession struggle. [NPR]

-Allow these new photos of Prince George to put a holiday smile on your face. The little socks are killing me. [BBC]

The latest photos of Prince George for you! Our little Prince is pictured sitting on the steps of Kensington Palace. pic.twitter.com/kWkj9aAtTz
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) December 13, 2014

-Here's Princess Benedikte looking resplendent in a red wrap with fur trim. [Billed Bladet]

-The Duchess of Cornwall wore this magnificent sapphire on her necklace again this week (she debuted it last year). Drool. [Zimbio]

View image | gettyimages.com

-A couple items sold at Christie's in 2006 from the estate of Princess Margaret have been sold again. [Express]

-A Cartier sapphire and diamond ring that belonged to the Duchess of Windsor was also sold again this week. [Christie's]

-From a couple weeks ago, an interesting article on Cartier's Royal Tiara. The newly crafted piece includes a perfect natural pearl that belonged to Queen Mary (consort of George V and our magpie queen). Can't say I'm a fan of the tiara form. [Wall Street Journal]

Stay tuned for Monday, we're going Dutch.

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Sunday Tidbits for December 7: Queen Fabiola, 1928-2014

Queen Fabiola of Belgium, widow of King Baudouin, died Friday at Stuyvenberg Castle in Brussels. She was 86 years old. Today's Sunday Tidbits are devoted entirely to the late queen, with pictures, videos, links to past features on this blog, and links to a few features in her memory elsewhere.


Baudouin and Fabiola
--The Telegraph's obituary details her journey from Spanish aristocrat and nurse to Queen of the Belgians, and how she and Baudouin became completely devoted to one another through it all, even their (ultimately unsuccessful) struggles to have a child.


#460051140 / gettyimages.com

The couple at their pre-wedding gala


--They married on December 15, 1960, and Fabiola's gown was a monumental creation that we have covered in depth in the past. Since Baudouin was already king, she went straight into her position as Queen of the Belgians, and the dress reflects that with its grand scale and regal use of fur trim. It was made by the great couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga, a fellow Spaniard.


Video: British Pathé newsreel coverage of the wedding

--Queen Fabiola donated her gown to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Foundation, and it can be admired at the Balenciaga museum in Spain. [Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa]


#115509476 / gettyimages.com
Queen Sofia of Spain views Fabiola's wedding gown while at the official opening of the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum

--At the wedding, Fabiola wore the Nine Provinces Tiara, which was given to her by her father-in-law, King Leopold III. This is the one Belgian tiara that has really been designated the queen's tiara - Fabiola passed it on to the next queen, Paola, after Baudouin died, and it has now been passed on to Mathilde.


Video: Scenes from the wedding, in color

--The Nine Provinces Tiara was one of three tiaras she wore and they've all been covered here individually. The other two remained in her possession: the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara, an extremely flexible piece that could be worn with different stones and in two different tiara configurations plus as a necklace and separate elements, and the smaller Wolfers Necklace Tiara, which could also (as the name states) be used as a necklace. Both were wedding gifts.



#111348072 / gettyimages.com
Using a piece of the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara on her necklace, 1978

--As for what will happen to Fabiola's estate, the palace confirmed reports that she left it to charity - specifically, to the Queen's Charities (Ouvres de la Reine). But they declined to share further details, as it is a private matter. It is of note, though, since her attempts to use a foundation to secure some of her assets in the past couple years resulted in accusations of tax dodging. The government cut her allowance in response to the uproar, and she abandoned her plans for the foundation. It speaks volumes about Fabiola, I think, that her solution was to give it to those that need it.


Fabiola dancing, just to put a smile on your face

--VTM offers a lengthy documentary feature on Queen Fabiola's life. Lovely and interesting footage, even if you don't speak the language.


#53266362 / gettyimages.com


--Fabiola was aunt to King Philippe and also to the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Luxarazzi has Henri's official note of condolence.
 

#111348059 / gettyimages.com

--The Royal Hats Blog is posting on the late queen's hat style. She was known more for her serious devotion to one hairstyle than for her hats, I suppose, but she has some major millinery statements in her past. In the past few years, she was prone to ditching the hats, and the tiaras too. She made her own dress code. And to an extent, she had always done so - she may have had tiaras, but she notably avoided wearing almost all orders.


#459995690 / gettyimages.com
At the Spanish royal wedding, 2004

--And finally, Queen Fabiola's funeral will be held on Friday, December 12, at 10 a.m. in Brussels at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. She will be greatly missed!

Photos: National Archives and Records Administration/Wikimedia Commons,  Getty Images as indicated

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