On Monday, September 23, 2013, Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain arrived at the Hotel Meliá Castilla in Madrid to preside over the inauguration of the Congreso Internacional de Investigación e Innovación en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIIIEN).

And, finally, His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain was admitted to the Hospital Universitario Quirón in Madrid this afternoon for yet another operation on his left hip. The reason for the surgery: The old king developed an infection on is artificial left hip, which was originally operated on November 23, 2012, and will be replaced with a new one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FjGKpBvp8Q

Monaco Princely Family, Royalty and Films

“Grace of Monaco” to be Released in the Spring of 2014? Yup! (VIDEO)

September 24, 2013 Alexandra

Cheesy trailer

Well, this is unfortunate. According to the Hollywood Reporter journalist, Mr. Scott Feinberg, it seems that the controversial film, Grace of Monaco, directed by Mr. Olivier Dahan and starring Ms. Nicole Kidman, will not be released on November 27, 2013. Instead, the Weinstein Company — the film’s distributors — have decided to push the release date back until the spring of 2014.

Yeah, that’s not a good sign. If you saw the trailer, which was released last week, you know that it was simply…horrible.

Anyway, so why is Grace of Monaco being delayed? The excuse: “The Weinstein Company has decided the film needs more time to be completed [which will be] positioned more as a commercial entry than an awards play [Oscars]…”

Basically, they are re-cutting the film perhaps to make it more, oh I don’t know, more historically accurate and/or mildly interesting! If that is the case hopefully the re-edited version of Grace of Monaco shall please His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and other members of the Princely family because as of now they are not exactly happy campers regarding the film.

British Royals

Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex Visits Doha, Qatar: Day Two.

September 23, 2013 Alexandra

On Monday, September 23, 2013, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex continued her visit to Doha, Qatar with the charity, ORBIS.

This morning the lovely countess took “…Qataris donors on a tour of ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital at Doha International Airport…” In the evening, the countess attended a dinner held at the British Embassy according to the British royal court.

Click here to view a photo gallery.

British Royals

His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex Visits North West England. (VIDEO)

September 23, 2013 Alexandra

On the afternoon of September 23, 2013, His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex arrived in the town of Birkenhead in North West England to open the St. Catherine’s Health Centre. Thereafter, he opened the newly restored Liverpool Central Library in, well, Liverpool. 🙂

The Earl of Wessex also participated in the opening of Wigan University Technical College.

For more information about today’s events as well as to view photos please click here and here.

Click here to watch a video.

Swedish Royals

News Regarding His Royal Highness Prince Daniel of Sweden.

September 23, 2013 Alexandra

On Monday, September 23, 2013, His Royal Highness Prince Daniel of Sweden, with the Prince Daniel’s Fellowship, visited Polhemskolan and Lunds Universitet. The purpose of Prince Daniel’s Fellowship is to:

“…inspire young people to become entrepreneurs, and to support a number of companies through mentoring.

Prince Daniel’s Fellowship has brought together a group of successful entrepreneurs and managers to form a council of experts who will visit upper secondary schools, universities and university colleges in Sweden to inspire young people and to talk about their experiences as entrepreneurs.”

Anyway, according to the Swedish royal court, the prince, accompanied by several well-known entrepreneurs, participated in a roundtable discussion with several students from Polhemskolan to discuss entrepreneurship. After a nice luncheon, Prince Daniel arrived at Lunds Universitet to participate in a seminar, again with experts and well-known entrepreneurs, to discuss their “…experiences of entrepreneurship…”

Click here to view photos.

Photo courtesy of Kungahuset

British Royals

HRH The Duchess of Rothesay Opens a Cancer Support Center in Aberdeen, Scotland. (VIDEOS)

September 23, 2013 Alexandra

On Monday, September 23, 2013, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Rothesay accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway arrived in Aberdeen, Scotland to inaugurate Maggie’s Aberdeen, a Cancer support and care center at the Elizabeth Montgomerie Building.

The new £3 million building, adjacent to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was designed by the Norwegian architecture firm, Snøhetta, in collaboration with the Scottish architecture firm, Halliday Fraser Munro, according to the official website for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre.

Click here to watch a video from today’s opening.

Click here to view a photo gallery.

Click here to watch a video news report about the center.

British Royals

Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex Visits Doha, Qatar.

September 22, 2013 Alexandra

On Sunday, September 22, 2013, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex arrived in lovely Doha, Qatar with the ORBIS charity to “…raise awareness about the prevention and treatment of blindness which affects some 1.5 million children around the world…” according to the Gulf Times.

After touching down at Doha International Airport the countess met with the Prime Minister of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani. In the evening, the countess attended a charity gala dinner at Katara Hall.