Spanish Royals

Their Majesties King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain Attend a Ceremony at Zarzuela Palace

On December 21, 2011, Their Majesties King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain presided over a ceremony in which  political Conservative Mariano Rajoy was sworn in as Spain’s new prime minister.

Mr. Rajoy took the oath on the Bible before King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia in the Zarzuela Palace. He then went to the Moncloa palace government headquarters to complete the transfer of power to the new government. He replaces Socialist party leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who had been in office since 2004.

The new prime minister returned to Zarzuela Palace Wednesday evening to inform King Juan Carlos I of his choice of ministers before making them public.

Source: Associated Press

Photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey


Dutch Royal Family

Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands Attends the Reopening of the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam (VIDEO)

Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was in Amsterdam on December 20, 2011, to attend the reopening of the Portuguese Synagogue.  During the reopening the Queen toured the famous Ets Haim library where over 560 manuscripts are held dating from 1280.  The synagogue was designed Dutch architect Elias Bouman and completed in 1675.  Two years ago, the seventeenth-century synagogue was in dire need of restoration specifically the building’s foundation.

To learn more about the Portuguese Synagogue please visit their official website here.

To watch a video please click here.

Dutch Royal Family

H.R.H. Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje to Attend Playwright and Czech Ex-President Vaclav Havel

It was announced that His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje (representing Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands) along with and Minister Rosenthal will attend the funeral of playwright and Czech ex-president Vaclav Havel on Friday, December 23, 2011 in Prague.

Mr. Havel died on Sunday at age 75 after a long illness. The state funeral, which will be held at the historic Saint Vitus Cathedral, will also be attended by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, United States Secretary Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Israeli President Shimon Peres according to AFP News.

Photo courtesy of Het Koninklijk Huis

Belgian Royals

T.R.H.s Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium Attend a Remembrance Ceremony in Liege

One week after the horrific attacks on the Place Saint-Lambert in Leige, Belgium more than 3,000 people, along with Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde, attended a remembrance ceremony in the square where shooter, Nordine Amrami, killed six people and injured 125.

Also, in attendance where the victims families, politicians including Prime Minister, Elio Di Rupo, and Interior Minister, Joëlle Milquet.  After three minutes of silence honoring the victims Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde laid flowers in the square then spoke with the victims families.

To view photos please click the links below:

 

Hawaiian royal family

The Bishop Museum Celebrates the 180th Birthday of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop

On December 18, 2011, the Bishop Museum on the island of O’ahu celebrated the birthday of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, founder of the Kamehameha Schools.  During Sunday’s celebrations there were performances from Hâlau Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lâ, traditional chants, a presentation from renowned historian, DeSoto Brown, and much more.

According to president and CEO of the Bishop Museum, Blair Collins:

Were it not for the love of Bernice Pauahi Bishop and Charles Reed Bishop for the people of Hawai‘i, and the Hawaiian culture in particular, we would not exist. They feared that the native people and culture of Hawai‘i were disappearing, and the Museum was their effort to protect and preserve this heritage for future generations. It is only fitting, that in honor of Pauahi’s day of birth, we open our doors to our resident and military populations and reflect on her life and legacy.

Today, the Bishop Museum is recognized as the principal museum of the Pacific, housing the world’s largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts and natural history specimens. More than 340,000 people visit the each year.

To watch a brief news report please click here.

To learn more about the Bishop Museum please click here  and here. By the way, if you have never been to this amazing museum I highly recommend that you do so if you happen to visit the island of O’ahu.

Press release courtesy of the Bishop Museum

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