All posts by Alexandra

Dutch Royal Family

H.R.H. Princess Máxima of the Netherlands to Celebrate Her Birthday With a Few of Her Closest Royal Friends

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This past May 17, 2011, H.R.H. Princess Máxima of the Netherlands turned the big 4-0, and on her day she spent it with her family.  Well, now it’s time for the mega birthday bash with a few of her closest royal friends.

According to the official website for the Dutch royal family, Het Koninklijk Huis, on May 27, 2011 there will be a lovely birthday concert in her honor:

Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands will be celebrating her 40th birthday in a concert of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Besides friends, family, members of foreign royal houses there will also be people there with whom she has worked with the for the past 10 years.

Verjaars ontvangst (birthday reception) of the Princess which include the following members of the Dutch Royal Family are expected:

Her Majesty the Queen
H.R.H. The Prince of Orange and H.R.H. Princess Máxima of the Netherlands
H.R.H. Prince Friso and Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau
H.R.H. Prince Constantijn and H.R.H. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands
H.R.H. Princess Irene of the Netherlands
Princess Anne and Prince Carlos de Bourbon de Parme
Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme
Princess Carolina de Bourbon de Parme
Princess Margriet of The Netherlands and Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven
Prince Maurits and Princess of Orange-Nassau Marilène
Prince Bernhard and Princess Annette van Oranje-Nassau
Prince Pieter-Christiaan and Princess Anita of Orange-Nassau
Prince Floris and Princess Aimée of Orange-Nassau
Princess Christina of the Netherlands

Members present reigning Royal and Princely Families are: 
Belgium: H.R.H. Prince Philippe and H.R.H.Princess Mathilde
Denmark: H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik and H.R.H. Crown Princess Mary
Luxembourg: H.R.H. Prince Guillaume, the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Norway: H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon and H.R.H. Princess Martha Louise

Also present:
Aga Khan IV, Karim al-Hussaynī
Bulgaria: Prince Kyril and Princess Rosario of Preslav and Princess Miriam of Tirnovo
Greece: H.R.H. Crown Prince Pavlos and H.R.H. Crown Princess Marie-Chantal
Greece: H.R.H. Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana

The concert is attended by some 700 guests of Princess Maxima and 1200 visitors who have bought a ticket.

Besides the concerts this weekend the Princess will celebrate her birthday privately.

Unfortunately, it seems that T.R.H.s Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden will not attend along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex (Edward and Sophie).  Nor will H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and his fiancée, Charlene Wittstock.

Source:  Koninklijkhuis.nl

*Photo of H.R.H. Princess Máxima the Netherlands, given to The Royal Correspondent by and published on this site with permission by: AD Magazine/De MediaVilla.*

Monaco Princely Family

The Future Princess of Monaco, Charlene Wittstock, on the Cover of Hola! Magazine and Interview

In the upcoming issue of Hola! magazine, the future princess of Monaco, Charlene Wittstock, graces (no pun intended) their cover.  Now, if you are thinking to yourself, “Ummm…  This photo looks very familiar!”

Well, my friends, it is.

The image (shot by famed photographer Ruven Afanador) used on the cover, as well as the images accompanying the article, are the same ones used in the infamous December 2010 issue of Tatler magazine.

Anyway, the nice people at Hola!, (thank you, guys 🙂  ),  promised that this issue won’t disappoint their readers and that there are more interesting stuff coming up about the lovely Charlene.

Here is a snippet from the article:

Dressed in white, the future princess has posed the most emblematic of the strength of the Grimaldi, under all the great celebrations of the princely family in the life of Princess Grace. With exceptional ease she poses in haute couture outfits would be her home and confesses: ‘Sometimes I have to pinch myself to verify that this is my life and I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world with the man of my dreams.’

Very much in love with many things in common with her ​​husband to be, including humanitarian causes, sport and the environment, Charlene recounted in this dramatic story how they met, how they fell in love, their commitment and continuous preparation for future Princess.

Source:  Hola.com  Photos courtesy of:  Hola.com and my scanner.  🙂

Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg

H.R.H. Prince Guillaume, The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg In Wiesbaden, Germany

H.R.H. Prince Guillaume, The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg was in Wiesbaden, Germany on May 25, 2011, on business with the L’Université du Luxembourg (University of Luxembourg.)

The purpose of the trip, according to the Cour Grand-Ducale de Luxembourg website, was to “… explore the possibilities of ‘social business.”  The purpose for this notion of social business is to:

…solve social problems, like charitable organizations, with the difference that they operate according to economic principles and that their profits are reinvested.

This is the area that the City of Wiesbaden claims a leading role and can already boast of many projects that can be used to generate ideas.  The study tour was organized by the Unit for Sustainable Development at the L’Université du Luxembourg under the direction of Dr. Ariane König, in collaboration with the Grameen Creative Lab, and with the support of the Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg as well as with the Ministry of Economy.

The aim of the operation was to gather ideas for projects to be implemented in Luxembourg.

To view photos please click the link here.

Sources:  Cour Grand Ducale de Luxembourg and Wiesbadener-kurier.de

Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg

H.R.H. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa Has An Audience at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxemourg

H.R.H. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg had an audience of very special guests on May 23, 2011 at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg.  Apparently, back in February 2011, the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa visited a children’s hospital in Luxembourg.  Whilst there she met with various doctors, hospital staff, and patients. During her visit she promised the patients a tour of the Grand Ducal Palace and today she kept her word.

According to the official site for the for the Grand Ducal family of Luxembourg, Cour Grand-Ducale de Luxembourg:

After an arrival ceremony of the official delegation from the entrance of the Palace, the Grand Duchess wanted personally welcome her guests in the Hall of Honor. On the agenda, was a visit ‘to the discovery of the Palace’ and explained by the Grand Duchess… During this time the children were very interested in learning more about ‘Life at the Palace’ and they seized the moment to ask many questions to the Grand Duchess.

To view photos please click the link here.

Source: Cour Grand Ducale de Luxembourg

Dutch Royal Family

Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands Visits Flevoland

On May 24, 2011, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands visited the Dutch province Flevoland this afternoon; moreover, she had a chance to visit the Center of Nature in Oostvaarders.

According to PPE, the Queen visited the, “…the farmschool of the agricultural university of Dronten and the recreation park Brennels Outside.”  

Yeah, I’m confused; nevertheless, judging from the photos it looks like the queen had a great time.  To view the images from today please click here.  To learn more about the nature center preserve please click the link here.  To watch a video please click here.

Source: PPE Photo courtesy of:  Koninklijkhuis.nl

Monaco Princely Family

H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco Attends the Chelsea Flower Show

On May 22, 2011, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the Chelsea Flower Show in London, England where his country entered the show for the first time.

The garden was designed by “… Sarah Eberle, the award-winning garden designer, aims to capture not only the architecture of the principality but the mundane side of life that visitors and camera crews rarely see.” 

Apparently, the prince has a passion for gardening and he was excited that Monaco had finally entered the show.  The British newspaper, Telegraph, interviewed Roger Shine, a close friend of the prince, who noted that it was the prince’s idea:

… to show at the Chelsea Flower Show. He has always been passionate about gardens, as his mother was. The gardens at the palace have been part of his life. He felt showing at Chelsea would help people’s perception of Monaco and help them see that it’s about real people getting on with their lives. It’s about the new Monaco, rather than the old. It’s not all fast cars and glitzy yachts.

The Chelsea Flower Show runs through May 28, 2011, and this year the show is sold out, according to various sources; however, you can still view the gardens via the RHS Chelsea Flower Show website here.  

To read more about Monaco’s entry at the show please click the link here, here, here,  and here.

To view photos please click the link here.

Sources:  The Telegraph, City Out Monaco and RHS

Photo courtesy of: Yahoo AP

Monaco Princely Family, Royal documentaries

Charlene Wittstock and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco: Extended ZDF and Das Erste Interview

Both ZDF and Das Erste released a semi-extended interview/slightly different with Miss Charlene Wittstock and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.  To watch please click the links:  ZDF and MDR.de 

To be honest with all of you, the interviews are pretty much the same; however, the ZDF asked a couple of questions that was not aired in my previous report about the couple’s interview (if that makes any freaking sense.)   🙂

Photo courtesy of:  Daylife by Francois Durand/GettyImagesEurope