In Bandar Seri Begawan, Their Majesties Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha of Brunei hosted a formal reception at the Istana Nurul Iman on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
The reception marked the beginning of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations in the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam.
Among those in attendance were Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Hassanal Bolkiah and Crown Princess Sarah of Brunei, His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Malik of Brunei, and Their Royal Highnesses Prince Abdul Mateen and Princess Anisha Rosnah of Brunei. Other members of the extended royal family were also present, along with senior government officials, dignitaries, and members of the diplomatic corps.
The reception forms part of Brunei’s established Hari Raya Aidilfitri observances, under which the royal palace receives invited guests at the outset of the celebrations. This is followed in subsequent days by public audiences, during which citizens are received at Istana Nurul Iman as part of the annual Junjung Ziarah.
The annual celebrations at Istana Nurul Iman remain among the most significant ceremonial events in the national calendar, reflecting the close relationship between the monarchy and the people of Brunei Darussalam.
Portrait courtesy of ديوان البلاط السلطاني (Diwan al-Bilāṭ al-Sulṭānī)
Portrait courtesy of ديوان البلاط السلطاني (Diwan al-Bilāṭ al-Sulṭānī)
Portrait courtesy of ديوان البلاط السلطاني (Diwan al-Bilāṭ al-Sulṭānī)
On the occasion of Mother’s Day, observed annually on March 21st in the Sultanate of Oman, Her Highness The Honorable Lady Sayyida Ahad bint Abdullah Al Busaidiyah issued a statement extending her congratulations to mothers across Oman and around the world.
In her statement, The Honorable Lady emphasized that Mother’s Day should not be regarded as the sole moment in which the virtues of motherhood are acknowledged. Rather, she noted that the values embodied by mothers, including patience, selflessness, devotion, and enduring generosity, ought to remain present in both public consciousness and daily life throughout the year.
“Mother’s Day should not be the only occasion on which we recall the values of patience, dedication, and selflessness… rather, these meanings should remain present in our lives every day,” she said, adding that “mothers are the essence of existence and a blessing in our lives.”
The Honorable Ladyalso addressed the role of mothers in society, describing them as central to human existence and a source of enduring blessing, whose contributions extend beyond the family to the broader fabric of national and social development.
Her Highness The Honorable Lady Sayyida Ahad bint Abdullah Al Busaidiyah is the wife of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman. Together have four children: His Highness Crown Prince Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said of Oman, His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said of Oman, Her Highness Sayyida Thuraya bint Haitham Al Said of Oman, and Her Highness Sayyida Omaima bint Haitham Al Said of Oman.
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
This afternoon in the quartier of Larvotto, Monaco, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko of Mikasa, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Mr. Louis Ducruet, presided over the opening ceremony of Journée du Japon à Monaco, held along the esplanade of the Grimaldi Forum.
The event forms part of commemorations marking the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Principality of Monaco. Formal ties between the two countries were established on December 14th, 2006, and have since developed through sustained cultural exchange and official visits between the Imperial Family of Japan and the Princely Family of Monaco.
The main program, staged along the esplanade of the Grimaldi Forum, featured a Japanese handicrafts exhibition alongside cultural presentations highlighting both traditional and contemporary Japanese arts, including musical and dance performances. The program also included demonstrations and workshops introducing traditional techniques, including washi paper crafting.
Additional activities are taking place at the Jardin Japonais in Larvotto, extending the program across multiple sites and underscoring the cultural dimension of the bilateral anniversary.
The initiative reflects the continued emphasis placed by both Japan and the Principality of Monaco on cultural diplomacy as a means of strengthening bilateral relations.
This evening, the Princess will attend the 70th edition of the Bal de la Rose to be held inside the Salle des Étoiles at the Sporting Monte-Carlo.
Portrait courtesy of H.R.H. Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei/Instagram/Brilliant Day Photography
On the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei released a new formal portrait of himself and his family.
In the portrait, the Prince stands alongside his wife, Her Royal Highness Princess Anisha Rosnah of Brunei, who is seen holding their daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Zahra Mariam Bolkiah of Brunei, in a composed family setting.
The image was photographed by Brilliant Day Photography, a Bangkok-based photography studio.
In an interview broadcast on NRK (Norsk Rikskringkasting), Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has publicly addressed her past association with Jeffrey Epstein for the first time, offering an account that acknowledges regret while raising broader questions regarding judgment and responsibility.
Speaking alongside His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon at their residence, Skaugum, the Crown Princess confirmed that she maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein between 2011 and 2014. She described him as “a friend of a friend,” explaining that the introduction came through trusted international contacts connected to her work.
The Crown Princess stated that she relied on those personal networks, as well as her own inclination to see the best in others, when choosing to remain in contact. This included a period following an incident at Epstein’s residence in Palm Beach that she described as having left her feeling unsafe.
However, correspondence later released by the United States Department of Justice and the House Oversight Committee presents a markedly different tone. The emails show exchanges that appear casual and, at times, flippant, a contrast that has drawn public scrutiny.
Among them is a message sent following the wedding of His Royal Highness Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Stéphanie de Lannoy in October 2012, in which the Crown Princess described the event as “boring.” In the interview, she did not dispute the remark, instead acknowledging the difficulty of seeing such comments made public and the potential for them to cause offense.
Other messages include informal references to relationships and infidelity, which the Crown Princess characterized as “banter” and described in Norwegian as “sleivete,” or careless in tone. The nature of these exchanges, given the recipient, has contributed to ongoing criticism.
The Crown Princess stated that she ultimately severed contact after concluding that Epstein was “a bad person.” She further acknowledged that she should have exercised greater due diligence, including more thoroughly investigating his background, and expressed regret that she did not warn others.
While maintaining that she was unaware of the full extent of Epstein’s criminal activity at the time, she also recognized that her association may have conferred a degree of legitimacy upon him, a consequence she described as difficult to confront in retrospect.
The full NRK interview has been made available for those living outside of Norway:
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Sarah Steck
In Fontvieille, Their Serene Highnesses Albert II of Monaco and Charlene of Monaco, accompanied by Her Serene Highness Princess Gabriella of Monaco, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko of Mikasa, and Mr. Gareth Wittstock, attended the opening ceremony of the 14th edition of the Sainte-Dévote Rugby Tournament at Stade Louis-II.
Organized by the Fondation Princesse Charlène de Monaco, with the support of the Fédération Monégasque de Rugby, the annual tournament brings together youth teams from around the world, promoting the values of discipline, teamwork, and inclusion through sport.
A total of 24 teams representing 23 nations are participating in this year’s two-day competition, including delegations from South Africa, Argentina, Japan, the United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates. The 2026 edition marks the first participation of a team from Japan, reflecting the tournament’s expanding international reach.
Princess Akiko of Mikasa, President of the Japan Rugby Football Union and an official guest of the Princely Couple, attended the opening events alongside the princely family. Princess Charlene, who serves as President of the Fédération Monégasque de Rugby, emphasized the broader significance of the tournament.
“Rugby is a remarkable school of life, and the Sainte-Dévote Tournament is a vehicle for peace,” she said. “On the field, young players from diverse cultures discover solidarity, humility, and trust in others. These are values that extend far beyond sport.”
The opening ceremony featured a parade of nations followed by the Monégasque national anthem, after which the first matches were held on the Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella of Monaco pitches.
Earlier in the day, the initiative Rugby for All introduced schoolchildren from across the Principality, as well as young adults with disabilities, to the sport, underscoring the tournament’s commitment to accessibility and social inclusion.
Photo courtesy of Volkshochschule Kreis Siegen-Wittgenstein/Wittgensteiner Heimatverein/Capitol
Schloss Berleburg/Wikipedia
Photo courtesy of Volkshochschule Kreis Siegen-Wittgenstein/Wittgensteiner Heimatverein/Capitol
Last week, in Bad Berleburg, Her Serene Highness Princess Carina of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg delivered a public lecture on the restoration of Schloss Berleburg (Berleburg Castle), offering a detailed account of the long-term preservation of the princely family’s historic residence.
The event formed part of the Wittgensteiner Heimatstammtisch, a regional series organized by the Volkshochschule Kreis Siegen-Wittgenstein and the Wittgensteiner Heimatverein.
Speaking about her experience after moving to the castle in 2005 with her then partner, now husband, His Serene Highness Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, the Princess reflected on the condition of the residence at that time.
Although the property had not been entirely abandoned, large sections had remained inactive following the end of the Second World War. Even after the late Princess Margareta of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg took up residence, only a relatively small portion of the castle was regularly occupied.
Upon taking up residence, Princess Carina encountered a structure marked by prolonged periods of partial dormancy. Attics and storage areas contained extensive collections of furniture, rare textiles, uniforms, porcelain, and archival materials, while many of the principal rooms remained sparsely furnished. The scale of the building underscores the complexity of its restoration, with approximately 200 rooms, 350 windows, more than 1,000 brass door handles, around a dozen staircases, and over a dozen fireplaces.
With the support of her late father-in-law, His Serene Highness Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, and in collaboration with Prince Gustav, she initiated a systematic program of restoration and reorganization. This work has included the recovery and identification of historical materials dating from the 17th through the 20th centuries. In doing so, she has worked alongside historians and art specialists, contributing to the documentation and preservation of the castle’s historical holdings.
The Princess also addressed the financial realities associated with maintaining a residence of this scale. Annual costs for maintenance and restoration are estimated to range between €500,000 and €1 million, with major structural works, including roofing, requiring significantly higher investment. She described the building as requiring continuous intervention, reflecting both its age and its architectural scale.
Current works at Schloss Berleburg represent the most extensive program of restoration undertaken at the property since the early 20th century. The project reflects a sustained commitment to the stewardship of cultural heritage and the preservation of one of Germany’s longstanding princely residences.
The Royal Correspondent 