WEDDING FLOWERS: Sunday Tidbits
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Showing posts with label Sunday Tidbits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunday Tidbits. Show all posts
Sunday Tidbits for February 8: Blunders, Birthdays, and Brunches

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

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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]

--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]

--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]

--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]

--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]

Photos: via Getty Images and Twitter as indicated

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

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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]

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

--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]


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

Sunday Tidbits for January 25: From Farewells to Fashion Shows

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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]

--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]

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

Sunday Tidbits for January 18: Birthday Portraits Galore and More

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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]

--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]

--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]

--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.

Sunday Tidbits for January 12: The Monday Edition

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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]

--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]

--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]

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

Sunday Tidbits for January 4: The Holiday Greetings Roll On

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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:

--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]


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

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

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...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]

--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]

--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 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]

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

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

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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.

-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]

-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]

-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.

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

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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.


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]

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.

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.


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

--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.

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

Sunday Tidbits for November 30: Double Astrid Alerts and More

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I'm not ready for Monday. Procrastinate with me, friends.

--The Dutch will pay a state visit to Denmark from March 17-19. I do love a state visit with tiaras on both sides. Polish up those big guns, ladies, polish 'em up. [Kongehuset]

--Astrid Alert #1: Princess Astrid of Belgium has been picking up the slack on the Belgian economic missions now that her brother Philippe is king, and I did love her splash of purple in Singapore this week. [Channel News Asia]

--Astrid Alert #2: I thought Princess Astrid of Norway looked cute this week, out and about to award the Princess Astrid Music Prize. [Adressa; Kongehuset video]

--Here's another dose of cute for you: Princess Madeleine wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving with a new official picture of herself and wee Leonore. [Kungahuset]

--And here's a dose of whaaaa? for you: Prince Henrik at the royal hunt, displaying the sort of sartorial splendor to which only he can aspire. [Berlingske]

--You know, I don't think Queen Mathilde is sorry at all that her shirt is hypnotizing everyone around her. Clearly some sort of diabolical plan at work. [Zimbio]

--Yesterday would have been the 80th wedding anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince George and Princess Marina. Here's my original post on Marina's gown; below, a newsreel from the day. [British Pathé]

--And finally, Queen Elizabeth II got a new brooch this week. [Jewel Vault]

Stay tuned on Monday for a return to Sweden.

Photos:  Suhalmi Abdullah via Getty Images, Kongehuset video, Ewa-Marie Rundquist / Kungahuset.se, Twitter, Mark Renders via Getty Images

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