Dutch Royal Family, Royal Family of the Netherlands

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands Receives a Military Beret Following Military Training with the Royal Netherlands Army

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  • Photos courtesy of the Ministerie van Defensie/Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministerie van Defensie/Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministerie van Defensie/Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst
  • Photos courtesy of the Ministerie van Defensie/Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst

In Den Haag, the Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst (RVD) has announced that Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands received her military beret on Friday, May 29th, upon completing the first phase of her military training as a reservist with the Koninklijke Landmacht (Royal Netherlands Army).

According to RVD, Her Majesty the Queen is attached as a reservist to the Militair Huis van Zijne Majesteit de Koning (Military Household of His Majesty the King) and is undertaking her training through that appointment. The Queen will not be assigned to a specific regiment, corps, or branch of service, but will instead fulfill a broader general role within the Koninklijke Landmacht.

As part of the appointment, Her Majesty the Queen received a beret bearing a lion insignia on a red background, traditionally associated with the General Staff of the Koninklijke Landmacht. Upon completion of the full training program, it is anticipated that Her Majesty the Queen will hold the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

RVD noted that reservists play an important role in supporting the regular armed forces and may be called upon for military service when required. Reservists serve across all branches of the Dutch armed forces and participate in mandatory exercises, theoretical instruction, and the maintenance of military training and operational readiness.

The relationship between the Royal Family of the Netherlands and the armed forces dates back centuries. Willem van Oranje served as a military commander during the Dutch Revolt, while successive stadtholders and sovereigns of the House of Oranje-Nassau traditionally maintained close institutional ties with the military.

His Majesty King Willem-Alexander completed his military service with the Koninklijke Marine and subsequently served with both the Koninklijke Landmacht and the Koninklijke Luchtmacht. As Sovereign of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the King also holds a distinct constitutional and military position within the Dutch armed forces.

Danish Royals, Royal Family of Denmark

Queen Margrethe of Denmark Discharged From Rigshospitalet, the Royal Household of Denmark Confirms

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Portrait courtesy of Kongehuset

In Copenhagen, the Director of Communications for the Royal Household of Denmark, Ms. Nina Z. Munch-Perrin, has announced that Her Majesty Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been discharged from Rigshospitalet and has returned to Fredensborg Slot.

According to the Royal Household, Queen Margrethe is doing well but must continue to rest following her discharge from the hospital, as was also the case after her previous discharge on May 19th.

The Royal Household further stated that Queen Margrethe’s participation in forthcoming official engagements will continue to be assessed on an ongoing basis. At present, no changes have been made to previously announced engagements.

Queen Margrethe was admitted to Rigshospitalet on May 25th, 2026, following the discovery of a larger blood accumulation in the hip region resulting from a fall at Fredensborg Slot on September 18th, 2024.

Earlier in May, on May 14th, 2026, Queen Margrethe was also admitted to Rigshospitalet after suffering a heart attack. The Royal Household confirmed at the time that she had undergone a balloon angioplasty procedure involving one of the coronary arteries of the heart.

Queen Margrethe abdicated the throne on January 14th, 2024, after more than 52 years as Sovereign of the Kingdom of Denmark. Upon her abdication, her eldest son, Frederik, acceded to the throne.

Since her abdication, Queen Margrethe has continued to participate in selected public engagements and cultural patronages, although her public appearances have become increasingly limited in recent years following several health-related absences and medical procedures.

Norwegian Royals, Royal Family of Norway

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway Shortens Japan Visit Due to Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s Deteriorating Health, Palace Confirms

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Portrait courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff

In Oslo, the Royal Household of Norway has announced that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will shorten his forthcoming official visit to Japan due to the health condition of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway.

According to the Royal Household, the Crown Prince will maintain his official program in Tokyo from June 1st through June 3rd, while the scheduled visit to the port city of Hachinohe on June 4th has been cancelled.

The Crown Prince had originally been scheduled to undertake an official visit to Japan from June 1st through June 4th.

In October 2018, the Royal Household of Norway announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit had been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive lung disease characterized by scarring of lung tissue that can gradually impair respiratory function and breathing capacity.

Since November 2025, the number of official engagements carried out by the Crown Princess has been reduced significantly as a consequence of her health condition. 

Crown Princess Mette-Marit made a brief public appearance during Norway’s National Day celebrations on May 17th, 2026, and also attended a reception honoring Norwegian athletes who participated in the Milano Cortina Paralympic Games earlier this year.

Norwegian Royals, Royal Family of Norway

Queen Sonja of Norway Hospitalized at Rikshospitalet in Oslo Due to Heart Fibrillation and Cardiac Complications, the Palace Confirms

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Portrait courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff

In Oslo, the Royal Household of Norway has announced that Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway has been admitted to Rikshospitalet due to heart fibrillation and related cardiac complications.

According to the Royal Household, Her Majesty the Queen will remain hospitalized for the next several days for examinations and observation.

The announcement follows a series of recent health-related absences involving Her Majesty the Queen. On Saturday, May 18th, Communications Adviser to the Royal Household, Mr. Simen Løvberg Sund, confirmed to the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet that Her Majesty the Queen had cancelled her official program after experiencing heart fibrillation.

Her Majesty the Queen had been scheduled to participate alongside His Majesty King Harald V of Norway and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in receiving the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Narendra Modi, at the Royal Palace for an official audience and luncheon held in connection with the Prime Minister’s official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

On January 16th, 2025, Her Majesty the Queen underwent pacemaker implantation surgery at Rikshospitalet following a previous episode of heart fibrillation experienced during a skiing trip. Prior to the procedure, the Queen had been briefly hospitalized in Lillehammer for observation before returning to Oslo for treatment intended to stabilize her heart rhythm.

In April 2025, Her Majesty the Queen was again admitted to hospital after experiencing shortness of breath while staying at the royal family’s residence in Sikkilsdalen. The Royal Household later described that hospitalization as precautionary in nature.

Danish Royals, Royal Family of Denmark

Queen Margrethe of Denmark Admitted to Rigshospitalet Following Complications From a 2024 Fall

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Portrait courtesy of Kongehuset

In Copenhagen, the Director of Communications for the Royal Household of Denmark, Ms. Nina Z. Munch-Perrin, has announced that Her Majesty Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been admitted to Rigshospitalet following the discovery of a larger blood accumulation in the hip region resulting from a fall on September 18th, 2024, at Fredensborg Slot.

According to the Royal Household, the condition was identified during the course of a CT scan, after which the Queen received treatment at the hospital.  The Royal Household stated that Queen Margrethe is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. “Her Majesty is, under the circumstances, doing well,” the statement added.

On May 14th, 2026, Queen Margrethe was admitted to Rigshospitalet after suffering a heart attack.  The Royal Household confirmed that she had undergone a balloon angioplasty procedure involving one of the coronary arteries of the heart.

A balloon angioplasty, also referred to medically as coronary angioplasty, is a minimally invasive cardiac procedure performed to restore blood flow through narrowed or blocked coronary arteries. The procedure commonly involves the insertion of a catheter equipped with a small inflatable balloon used to widen the affected artery and improve circulation to the heart muscle.

Queen Margrethe abdicated the throne on January 14th, 2024, after more than 52 years as Sovereign of the Kingdom of Denmark. Upon her abdication, her eldest son, Frederik, acceded to the throne.

Queen Margrethe has remained active in selected public engagements and cultural patronages since her abdication, although her public engagements have become increasingly limited in recent years following several health-related absences and medical procedures.

Monaco Princely Family, Princely Family of Monaco

Princess Charlene of Monaco Addresses Women@APCE Meeting at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France

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  • Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Frédéric Nebinger
  • Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Frédéric Nebinger
  • Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Frédéric Nebinger
  • Photos courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco/Frédéric Nebinger

In Strasbourg, Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco participated in a working breakfast hosted by the Women@APCE group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where discussions centered on sport, equality, and public engagement.

Princess Charlene attended the gathering as the guest of honour and delivered an address emphasizing the Principality of Monaco’s shared commitment to the values of the Council of Europe, including human dignity, solidarity, and the protection of vulnerable populations.

The Princess also described sport as a universal instrument for equality and emancipation across national, social, and cultural boundaries. Speaking about her personal experiences, Princess Charlene referenced the legacy of the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, stating that he “understood something very powerful: sometimes, a jersey, a team, or a playing field can bring together people whom everything seemed to divide.”

The Princess also referred to the work of the Fondation Princesse Charlène de Monaco, particularly its initiatives dedicated to water safety, drowning prevention, and rescue training programs for children and communities.

“Concretely, My Foundation teaches children to swim, raises awareness of water safety, and trains individuals in lifesaving techniques,” the Princess stated during the discussions. “Water must remain a place of joy, not of pain.”

According to the Palais Princier de Monaco, more than 30 participants subsequently took part in exchanges concerning their professional and personal experiences, with several attendees posing questions during the course of the working session.

Established within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Women@APCE initiative brings together parliamentarians and institutional representatives engaged in questions relating to equality, representation, and the role of women in public life.

Monaco Princely Family, Princely Family of Monaco

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco to Pay an Official Visit to the Kingdom of Spain in June, Confirms Palais Princier de Monaco

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  • Photo courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco

In Monaco-Ville, the Palais Princier de Monaco has announced that Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco will undertake an official visit to the Kingdom of Spain from June 1st through June 2nd, 2026.

The visit will commemorate the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Principality of Monaco and the Kingdom of Spain, as well as the 10th anniversary of the Spanish branch of the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco.

Relations between the Principality of Monaco and the Kingdom of Spain date to the early 16th century. In 1524, the Treaty of Burgos, signed by Honoré I of Monaco and Emperor Charles V, placed the Principality under Spanish protection and established a period of close political and dynastic relations between the Grimaldi dynasty and the Crown of Spain that endured for centuries through diplomatic, cultural, and royal exchanges.

According to the Palais Princier, the Sovereign Prince will hold a meeting with His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain at the Palacio de La Zarzuela. In the afternoon, Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain will host a luncheon in honour of the Sovereign Prince Couple at the Palacio de La Zarzuela on the occasion of the official visit.

The Sovereign Prince will also hold a meeting with the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, during the visit.

On June 1st, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene will preside over the inauguration of the exhibition Monaco y España: Cinco Siglos de Historia Compartida at the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid.

The exhibition, dedicated to five centuries of historical relations between Monaco and Spain, forms part of the broader commemorations marking the anniversary year and is expected to examine the dynastic, diplomatic, and cultural ties between the Principality and the Crown of Spain across several centuries.

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