On Tuesday, December 3, 2012, His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain son-in-law, Iñaki Urdangarin, left Washington D.C., to prepare for his upcoming February 25, 2012, corruption case.
Mr. Urdangarin along with his business partner, Diego Torres, and three others are accused of embezzlement, fraud, misuse of public funds, and forgery from the non-profit organization they once presided over, Instituto Nóos.
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Per the Associated Press:
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito of Japan waved to cheering New Year well-wishers on Monday, January 2, 2011, and said he shares in disaster-struck nation’s pain as well as hopes for its recovery.
Emperor Akihito appeared on a balcony at the Imperial Palace along with his wife Empress Michiko and their family, as throngs of well-wishers looked on from below, some energetically waving the Japanese flag – a red circle, symbolising the rising sun, in a backdrop of white.
Akihito said he felt sorrow for those who died in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, as well as those forced from their homes because of the nuclear disaster that followed.
The quake and tsunami in north eastern Japan left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing.
The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant went into meltdown because the tsunami destroyed backup generators. Fully cleaning up and decommissioning the plant is expected to take decades.
‘Last year was a truly distressing year,’ Akihito said in a New Year’s statement. ‘But I hope for recovery, and may this year be a good one, even in little ways, for everyone.’
Akihito holds no political powers and is viewed as a symbol of the nation, unlike his father, the wartime Hirohito, who had been revered as a divinity.
‘I hope that the people’s hearts will always be with the afflicted, and that everyone will persevere and work together to build a brighter tomorrow,’ Akihito said.
To watch a video as well as to view photos please click the links below:
Photo courtesy of Japan Today
Here is the documentary entitled, Juliana: A Lady Queen, about the life of the late Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Click the links below to watch:
Photo courtesy of Het Koninklijk Huis
To say that the year 2011 was a difficult one for the Imperial family as well as for people of Japan is an understatement and so far 2012 began with a rocky start.
A 7.0 earthquake shook Tokyo, Japan on Sunday as His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito led his country’s New Year celebrations by urging people to work together in rebuilding the nation from March’s quake-tsunami disaster.
The earthquake struck at 2:28pm near Torishima, a northwestern Pacific Island about 560 kilometres south of Tokyo. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury and no tsunami warning was issued.
To read more about the Imperial family’s new year celebrations please click here. To watch a video of the New Year’s reception at the Imperial palace please click here.
Sources: AFP and the Japan Times
Photo courtesy of: Daylife/Reuters
Broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh reviews all the British royal family activities in 2011 including that small wedding that occurred on April 29 at Westminster Abbey as well as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s historic visit to the Republic of Ireland and much more. Click the links below to watch:
On January 1, 2012, members of the British royal family attended New Year’s Day church service held at the St. Mary Magdalene at Sandringham. To view photos please click here. To watch another video please click here.
Meanwhile, His Royal Highness Prince Harry of Wales along with his cousins Their Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice and her longtime boyfriend, Dave Clark, rang in the new year in Klosters, Switzerland. To view photos please click here.
The Royal Correspondent 