So, it’s documentary week here at The Royal Correspondent — 🙂 — and today I’ll begin with the 2004 documentary entitled, Kings and Queens of England.
This six part series “…covers the 41 kings and queens of England from 1066 to the present…” The first part of the documentary which focuses on the Normans to Magna Carta (1066-1216).
Here is the recent BBC Four documentary entitled, Illuminations: The Private Lives of Medieval Kings. The program tells the story of the Medieval monarchy:
…as preserved through stunning illuminated manuscripts from the British Library’s Royal Manuscripts collection which contains some of the most priceless documents in our national history. Some of these manuscripts were commissioned by the Medieval Kings to burnish their legacies. Others were captured as war booty, and handed down from one dynasty to the next. Together they make up a fascinating record of the role of the king and the role of the country as it became a major power at the heart of Europe.
Click the links below to watch:
Sources: British Library and BBC Four
Well, it is Sunday, and you know the drill… it’s time for this week’s edition of Blauw Bloed. 🙂 Click the video icon below where it says 10 Jaar Willem-Alexander en Máxima
On January 27, 2012, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco attended mid-morning Mass at the Cathédrale de Monaco in celebration of Sainte-Dévote.
The couple, along with hundreds participants, were celebrating the patron saint of Monaco and of the Grimaldi family. Following the Mass there was a procession to the Palais Princier de Monaco whereupon the Archbishop blessed the Palais for luck, love, and harmony. Afterward, the princely couple appeared on the balcony of the Palais where they waved to the crowds and then said a prayer.
Photo courtesy of Daylife
On January 25, 2012, His Royal Highness Prince Carl Philip of Sweden attended the 2012 Årets Kock (Chef of the Year) Award held at the Stockholm Waterfront. The winner of the award receives the Gastronomic Academy Dairy Medal and the title of, well, Chef of the Year. The winner this year was Klas Lindberg.
Meanwhile, His Royal Highness Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy revealed to an Italian magazine that he had a tumor up his nose.
In early December 2011, the Italian prince without a throne was hospitalized in Geneva to remove the problem and as a result the doctors “…removed three quarters of the cartilage in his nose and part of his bone…” Today, Prince Emanuele is doing great and continues to film his reality show which airs in Italy. To read more about the prince’s hospital stay in Geneva please click here.
Sources: Kungahuset and Virgilio
Photo courtesy of SVD
On January 26, 2012, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene along with Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline of Hanover and her daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Hanover, attended the celebration of the Festival of Sainte-Dévote, the patron saint of the Princely Family of Monaco, the Monégasques, and the Diocese of Monaco. Sainte-Dévote is also the patron saint of the island of Corsica.
Here is the story/legend of Sainte-Dévote:
Tradition holds that she was a Corsican woman born around 283 AD at Mariana. A young virgin, she had decided to devote herself fully to the service of God. By order of the prefect Barbarus, she was imprisoned and tortured for her faith. She was martyred at Mariana by being stoned to death.
After her death, the governor of the province ordered for her body to be burnt to prevent its veneration. However, it was saved from the flames by Christians. Her body was placed on a boat bound for Africa. Gratianus (Graziano), the boat’s pilot; Benedict (Benenato), a priest; and Apollinaris, his deacon; believed it would receive proper Christian burial there. However, a storm overtook the boat and a dove flew out from the mouth of the saint. The dove guided the boat to present-day Les Gaumates, today part of the Principality of Monaco, where a chapel dedicated to Saint George already stood.
Her body was discovered by fishermen. In her honor a chapel was built, which stands in Monaco still. Traditionally, flowers are said to bloom before their season on January 27, the saint’s feast day.
This evening the Princely family of Monaco along with the Monégasques and members of the Diocese of Monaco participated in a torchlight ceremony in front of the Sainte-Dévote church. A boat is placed in front of the little church whereupon the Princely family along with other attendees set the boat ablaze and celebrate.
Tomorrow, — per tradition — the princely family will attend a traditional Mass at the Cathédrale de Monaco then a balcony wave from the Palais Princier de Monaco.
To learn more about Sainte-Dévote please click here.
Photo courtesy of Daylife
On January 26, 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands participated in the symposium entitled, Leesbevordering: Dat doet de bieb! (Promotion of Reading: The Library Does), in Amsterdam.
As honorary president of the Association of Public Libraries (VOB) the princess gave a speech regarding the importance of libraries which “…improves language development, reading and writing.” Today’s event also honored Professor E. Jurgens who recently retired as the President of the Association of Public Libraries (VOB).
To view photos please click here.
Source: Nieuws van Nederland
Photo courtesy of Het Koninklijk Huis
The Royal Correspondent 