Thrones in Majesty: A New Exhibit at Château de Versailles

I thought I would share this bit of information with all of you.  Starting on March 19, 2011, there will be a new exhibit opening at the magnificent Château de Versailles entitled Thrones in Majesty.

Per the official website for Château de Versailles:

Approximately 40 emblematic thrones from different periods and civilisations are on display in the Grand Apartments of the palace of Versailles. They will help visitors better understand the universality of the seated representation of religious or political authority.

Thrones in Majesty features exceptional pieces on loan from the Vatican, Beijing’s Forbidden City and royal palaces in Madrid, Warsaw and other European capitals. Emblematic chairs, including those of King Dagobert, Napoleon, the restored king Louis XVIII and Pope Pius VII’s sedia gestatoria are on display with Taino, African, Chinese, Thai and other thrones in a fitting setting.

Here is a small clip detailing what visitors can expect to see: Video

So if you happen to be visiting France, or perhaps you live there, between March 19 through June 19, 2011 it would definitely be worth checking out this exhibit at Château de Versailles.

Source: Château de Versailles

A Documentary About Charlene Wittstock and Miss Catherine Middleton

There is a semi-new documentary about the future Princess of Monaco, Charlene Wittstock, and the future Queen of England, Catherine Middleton, that perhaps some of you have may never seen.

La Monarchie: Le Fabuleux Destin de Kate et Charlene recently aired on French television and now it is available on Daily Motion. Unfortunately, the French commentator, Stéphane Bern (yeah, he’s a total tool, a wannabe Historian, and a brown noser from Hell), is apart of the series.  Barf.  Any way, please click the link to watch: Part One (begins at the 4:24 mark) and Part Two

The series is quite interesting so enjoy!   🙂

Also, there is a nice radio interview with Charlene Wittstock from Talk Radio 702.co.za (South Africa).  Click to listen:  Interview with Charlene Wittstock

Photos courtesy of: Zimbio.com by Handout/Getty Images Europe and Mario Testino/Clarence House

A Hawaiian Scavenger Hunt: A Princess Seeks Palace Treasures

Here is an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal newspaper, published on February 19, 2011, that I believe many may enjoy reading regarding the Hawaiian royal family and valuable artifacts.

Here is a snippet:

Abigail Kawananakoa has been on a decades-long treasure hunt—a bid to recover silverware, lamps, rare furniture and other assorted objects from her family’s former home.  Make that ‘palace.’

This 84-year-old is a princess—a descendant of the royal family that ruled the former nation of Hawaii more than a century ago, presiding from graceful I’olani Palace in downtown Honolulu.

But much of the 19th-century palace’s custom-made furniture, oil paintings and other treasures disappeared after January 1893, when a small band of businessmen overthrew the monarchy.

‘We’d love the king’s bed back,’ says Princess Abigail, the great grand-niece of Queen Kapiolani, who was married to the last King of Hawaii, David Kalakaua. His gilt-and-ebonized bed, made by the Boston-based A.H. Davenport Co., is one major item still missing. “We’ve had so many leads, and they’ve all been dead ends,” the princess says.

Built in 1882, I’olani Palace was richly furnished when it was the home of Hawaii’s last two monarchs. But by 1969, the creaky, termite-infested Italianate palace stood vacant. The Junior League of Honolulu helped found a nonprofit group called The Friends of I’olani Palace, which ended up running the palace as a museum. They tapped Princess Abigail’s mother, Liliuokalani Kawananakoa Morris, to be the Friends’ first president.

Please click the link to read the article in its entirety:  Wall Street Journal

Photos: Author’s own.  Please DO NOT copy.

A New Portrait of the Late Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg

This afternoon in Luxembourg Grand Duke Jean attended a ceremony at the Musée d’Art Moderne to unveil a new portrait of the late Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg.

The modern portrait was painted by Stephan Balkenhol and will be on permanent display at the Musée d’Art Moderne.

To view several photos of the portrait please click the links: Monarchie.lu and  Wort.lu

Source: Wort.lu

HSH Prince Albert of Monaco in Königssee, Germany

On February 20, 2011, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco was in Königssee, Germany to watch the Men’s Bobsleigh World Championship.  The Prince was all gung-ho about the race that one could feel that he was jealous that he wasn’t participating in the event.

Any who, after the race was over he took several photos with the winners and losers  and spoke to the press.

How lovely.

 

HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium is an Entitlement queen

Once again, HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium, aka Peter Griffin, continues to annoy the crap out of everyone he comes in contact with.

So, what did the he do this time?  Well, it seems that Laurent is an entitlement queen.

According to the Belgian newspaper, DeMorgen.be, Laurent ruffled some feathers recently with Brussels Airlines.  Apparently he likes to purchase economy class tickets when ever he travels, but once he is one the plane he demands that he be seated in Business Class (aka an upgrade) because he is a royal.  According those who work for the airline, Laurent harasses the airline staff whereupon many become panicked when his name appears on their Brussels Airline passenger list.

Last June, when Prince Laurent and Princess Claire attended the Swedish royal wedding, Prince Laurent screamed at a Brussels Airlines stewardess when she asked to see his ticket (which is normal procedure on all flights.)  According to Demorgen.be the stewardess asked:

‘Sir, may I  please see your boarding pass?’  Irritated, Laurent showed her his ticket.  It was for economy and he had to be seated in his assigned seat.  Laurent argued with the stewardess, and finally, several minutes later, the Prince finally cooperated and got up from his seat. Fellow travelers on the flight heard him complain whereupon he screamed about the “lack of professionalism” with the airline staff.  Then he pouted like a pissy entitlement queen and moved back to his assigned seat in economy class. A little later came food and drinks.  The Prince refused to pay. ‘Now you want me to pay?’  He then calls another the flight attendant.

A group of Swedish passengers, not familiar Prince Laurent’s reputation, watched with amazement of the scene Prince Laurent was creating.  So, they decided  that since Prince Laurent refused to pay for food and drinks why should they, ‘They started to order drinks,’ said a cabin crew member. ‘One of them said: Put mine on the account of that man over there.’  Gradually, people started to adopt an attitude of: if he does not pay, why us? It was quite a tiring flight. ‘

The antics of Prince Laurent apparently lead to increased irritation. Several members of our cabin crew gave similar testimony about the conduct of Prince Laurent. Not just once, they say, but every time.

‘He always chooses b.light for cheap tickets,’ said one of them. ‘If he comes aboard, he demands a place in business class or by way of compromise, in b.flex (one level below business class, DDC).  His reason:  Because he is a prince and that’s the way it is.

On August 14, 2010, after a vacation with his family in Italy, Prince Laurent boarded a Brussels Airlines flight to Brussels. He had six tickets with him, because he was accompanied by Princess Claire, Princess Louise (7), the Princes Nicolas and Aymeric (5) and a nanny. They are six b.flex tickets, economy, but this time there were several empty seats in Business Class.

‘He just sat down there without asking,’ said one eyewitness. The crew decided not to confront Laurent because they knew he would cause another scene. The behavior of the prince was simply rude.’

Source: DeMorgen.be

All the latest news and events from monarchies around the world.