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The other glamorous royal and princely ladies of the world

NOT the British. Fuck them already, there’s way too many active threads about them.

We’re here to discuss Maxima, Letizia, Mette Marit, Mary, Mathilde, Victoria, Maria Theresa, Sophie, Charlene, Marie Chantal, and others.

I’ll start: Maxima is THE most glam queen in Europe at the moment, in my opinion. What I like about her is that she seems to be self aware, she knew riding a bike in stilettos was ridiculous but she went with it anyway and laughed the whole time.

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by Anonymousreply 373June 20, 2019 10:40 AM

Maxima? Oh OP please !! Maxima is a fat cow with heavy legs... Queen Letizia rules!!! And she is wicked.

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by Anonymousreply 1October 21, 2018 1:27 PM

Letizia wasn’t very nice there. I don’t know if Queen Sofia is a dragon lady or not, but supposedly Queen Letizia keeps the princesses from her and this was a rare meeting between them and their granny. Yet Letizia did her best to break it up. That’s her revenge for the former king and queen calling her “Cha Cha” (typical Spanish slang name for a maid) behind her back.

by Anonymousreply 2October 21, 2018 1:35 PM

Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco

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by Anonymousreply 3October 21, 2018 1:37 PM

I'm still not sure what to think of the Letizia/Sofia situation.

My guess/gut is that they are actually all very close. This is the King's mother. Keep in mind his father (former king) is known to be a womanizer and a prick. So it makes sense that Felipe would have gravitated to his mom (mothers and sons, after all).

So, my guess is that they are all very close but Letizia and Sofia had some kind of issue going on, and it reared its head with the cameras rolling. I don't think it represents deep-seated, long-time hatred.

by Anonymousreply 4October 21, 2018 1:39 PM

Who are these people?

by Anonymousreply 5October 21, 2018 1:47 PM

Lalla Salma lost her king, they divorced last year. I guess she did her duty and produced two kids including the male heir, and probably got a big payout. The King himself, gay as a goose.

by Anonymousreply 6October 21, 2018 1:47 PM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

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by Anonymousreply 7October 21, 2018 1:48 PM

Here's the King of Morocco wearing a mary jane-leaf-emblazoned wife beater.

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by Anonymousreply 8October 21, 2018 1:58 PM

He’s such a queen

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by Anonymousreply 9October 21, 2018 2:31 PM

Wow, the Queen of Morocco could be a Datalounger , R9.

by Anonymousreply 10October 21, 2018 2:37 PM

The Thai and Japanese royal families have high drama too. Used to be the king of Thailand used to take precedence over qe2 until his death a few years ago.

by Anonymousreply 11October 21, 2018 4:05 PM

How is it that we don't have a thread dedicated to the king of Morrocco? He's like the Senatrice of the Middle East!

by Anonymousreply 12October 21, 2018 4:09 PM

R12 He was forced to marry to produce an heir. I hope he has. So tiresome, just let some niece or nephew follow.

by Anonymousreply 13October 21, 2018 4:21 PM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

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by Anonymousreply 14October 21, 2018 4:29 PM

^ Indeed, crotch tattoos and thongs are the height of glamour!

by Anonymousreply 15October 21, 2018 4:30 PM

Camilla with the Duke. She is like a light, sugary confection.

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by Anonymousreply 16October 21, 2018 4:34 PM

Victoria of Sweden is my favourite. Love match with husband, adorable kids, popular and down to earth.

by Anonymousreply 17October 21, 2018 5:03 PM

The British RF. The only RF that matters.

by Anonymousreply 18October 21, 2018 5:18 PM

Nobody pulls it off better than the British RF. The others are only there for mockery and comic relief.

by Anonymousreply 19October 21, 2018 5:27 PM

The only emperor today is the Japanese Emperor. Rest are just kings and princes, and so on, including the BRF.

by Anonymousreply 20October 21, 2018 5:30 PM

Nobody outside Japan pays any attention to the Japanese RF.

by Anonymousreply 21October 21, 2018 5:49 PM

That's because they don't need or want publicity. Unlike the threatened BRF which needs to continually justify its station above its nation of shopkeepers.

by Anonymousreply 22October 21, 2018 5:56 PM

Why does Japan still get to have an emperor?

by Anonymousreply 23October 21, 2018 6:27 PM

I hope the Swedish monarchy survives long enough for Victoria to succeed her father. The monarchs powers are vastly limited in Sweden, much less than other countries where government is at least carried on in the monarchs name and requires signature for law. Sweden got rid of all that, the monarch is just a figurehead. And now that Sweden is a hotpot of M*slim tension, I don’t see much future for the monarchy. That’s too bad because Victoria is completely dedicated to her role, and looks fabulous while doing it. She’s got a lovely family, and a hot husband too who knows his place.

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by Anonymousreply 24October 21, 2018 6:30 PM

King Mohammed sort of reminds me of King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, a Hot Slut of the Day candidate if ever there was one.

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by Anonymousreply 25October 21, 2018 7:20 PM

The Emperor of Japan is called that due to an old pissing match with the Chinese that goes back 1000+ years. "Emperor" is the English translation of the Japanese word "tennou" 天皇. 天 means "heavens" in Chinese and Japanese and implies that the Emperor's realm is condoned by the heavens, just like the Chinese emperor's. Prior to the 20th century the Japanese emperor was most often called "mikado" 帝 in English, which is the first character in the compound 帝国 which was used to refer to the Japanese empire (Korea, Taiwan, Manchukuo, etc.).

Japan got to keep the emperor after WWII for complicated reasons that can be boiled down to 1) US fears of a Japanese revolt if the Emperor was forced to abdicate 2) the US occupation authorities and Japanese conservatives both feared the Soviets and worked to preserve the status quo in Japan.

No one in Japan cares about the imperial family except the far right, which has a stranglehold on the ruling party, the media, and the imperial family itself by way of control of the Imperial Household Agency, the arm of the bureaucracy that oversees matters related to the imperial family.

by Anonymousreply 26October 21, 2018 7:37 PM

M6 as he is known in Morocco went to gay clubs in Paris and New York before he got married. After marriage, I stopped following. Surprised to see his wife was blonde. Bottle?

by Anonymousreply 27October 21, 2018 7:38 PM

[quote] the far right, which has a stranglehold on the ruling party, the media, and the imperial family

Correct r26. Try to do anything in or with Japan that even mildly crosses or touches them and you'll see immediately how powerful the far right is.

by Anonymousreply 28October 21, 2018 7:41 PM

The King and Goy

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by Anonymousreply 29October 21, 2018 7:48 PM

The King of Thailand is rumored to be +

by Anonymousreply 30October 21, 2018 8:16 PM

And then of course we have the Thai king’s sister, the personification of Lez Face.

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by Anonymousreply 31October 21, 2018 8:18 PM

I hate this bitch.

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by Anonymousreply 32October 21, 2018 8:30 PM

Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako have one child, Princess Aiko, born on December 1, 2001. The child's birth, which occurred more than eight years after her parents' marriage and after the Crown Princess had considerable (and widely noted) difficulty in conceiving a child, sparked a lively debate in Japan about imperial succession. To add to this dearth of male heirs, Crown Prince Naruhito's brother, Prince Akishino, had only two daughters, Princess Mako of Akishino, born on October 23, 1991, and Princess Kako of Akishino, born December 29, 1994.

[...] No male heir had been born into the Imperial Family in nearly 41 years. [...]

Prince Akishino's wife, Princess Kiko, gave birth to a baby boy on September 6, 2006.

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by Anonymousreply 33October 21, 2018 8:35 PM

Yeah so now Kiko becomes a big deal, as the future Emperor’s mother. No wonder the Crown Princess had a breakdown!

by Anonymousreply 34October 21, 2018 10:34 PM

Thank you r26. I thought "emperor" meant you had to have an empire.

by Anonymousreply 35October 21, 2018 10:44 PM

I feel sorry for Kiko - I doubt that she was given a choice about having a genetically sex-selected child at the age of 40. She looks like a Japanese Stepford Wife these days yet when she married Akishino she was animated and very very pretty. Life in the Imperial Family will do that. Just ask Masako.

Kiko was embroiled in a major drama from the start - she was photographed brushing her husband’s hair out of his eyes at their wedding which was a big no-no, apparently.

by Anonymousreply 36October 21, 2018 10:48 PM

The offending picture.

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by Anonymousreply 37October 21, 2018 10:51 PM

Empress Michiko = queen of nervous royalty

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by Anonymousreply 38October 21, 2018 11:03 PM

R31 She is highly regarded and people say she would make a better monarch if they didn't insist on only males. She's into micro economies, earth policies, people policies. The coffee from a mountain plantation she had some hand in starting is pretty good.

by Anonymousreply 39October 21, 2018 11:19 PM

Why do you hate her, R32?

by Anonymousreply 40October 22, 2018 1:18 AM

[quote] King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand

King Vaj

by Anonymousreply 41October 22, 2018 1:18 AM

[quote] Empress Michiko = queen of nervous royalty

What’s “nervous royalty” and why are they nervous? Why is the empress their queen?

by Anonymousreply 42October 22, 2018 2:10 AM

The Empress has a breakdown in the 1960s as a crown princess, because the late Empress abused her. She’s a meek little thing now. I love her cute little hats. I love The Emperor too. I want to bounce them both on my knee. They’re like little dolls.

by Anonymousreply 43October 22, 2018 2:28 AM

Will the emperor actually retire next year?

by Anonymousreply 44October 22, 2018 2:35 AM

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Princess Kalina of Bulgaria, daughter of the last Bulgarian Tsar. I love how subtle her nose job was, don't you?! And she may look like she's in her 60s, but she was actually born in 1972.

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by Anonymousreply 45October 22, 2018 2:51 AM

R45, has she been in any Twilight Zone episodes?

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by Anonymousreply 46October 22, 2018 2:54 AM

Hot former Prince Nicholas of Romania, stripped of his title by his grandfather King Michael before his death after allegedly fathering a child out of wedlock. Now just plain old Nicholas. Just got married and seems to want his prince title back.

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by Anonymousreply 47October 22, 2018 2:58 AM

I feel bad about mocking that Bulgarian princess now - I threw some articles about her in google translate because it looks like she is losing her hair in the pic above and I wanted to know if she was sick or something. Well, apparently she had some weird medical problems which caused her to look like that:

[quote] The drama of Kalina of Bulgaria had only just begun. The infection he suffered was such that they had to make an emergency stop and operate quickly. The priority was to stop this infection and for this "aesthetic damage" was caused. "The vital thing was to save the eye and the nose from the infection," explains Kitín from Bulgaria.

But still, she could at least try to dress a bit classier and wear her hair differently. Maybe the infection made her lose her fashion sense as well.

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by Anonymousreply 48October 22, 2018 3:00 AM

She looks like a deformed version of Pink at R48.

by Anonymousreply 49October 22, 2018 3:29 AM

👰 Who are these people ?

by Anonymousreply 50October 22, 2018 3:31 AM

R50 Non British Royals

by Anonymousreply 51October 22, 2018 3:47 AM

R48 Wow, she used to look... normal.

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by Anonymousreply 52October 22, 2018 4:08 AM

The beautiful Venezuelan heiress Marie Marguerite, Duchess of Anjou, with her husband Louis Alphonse, Duke of Anjou, Legitimist claimant to the French crown. Little Louis appears happy to see her.

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by Anonymousreply 53October 22, 2018 4:29 AM

The Orleanist have the only legally valid cliam to the French throne as the legitimist claim was wiped out by the Spanish agreeing by treaty that they renounce the claim to the French throne. Thus the Orleanist have the only legal (and legitimate) claim. The less one says of the Napoleonists the better.

by Anonymousreply 54October 22, 2018 4:41 AM

Bonapartists

by Anonymousreply 55October 22, 2018 1:10 PM

R24 Victoria is very popular in Sweden and if anything the monarchy will like remain as long as she is heir or Queen. The luke warm attitude towards the monarchy in Sweden is largely the result of her father. I think Carl Gustav should abdicate in favour of Victoria in order to give the monarchy a better chance of long term survival.

by Anonymousreply 56October 22, 2018 3:10 PM

[quote]She looks like a deformed version of Pink at [R48].

She reminds me of Mink Stole in [italic]Polyester.[/italic]

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by Anonymousreply 57October 22, 2018 3:14 PM

Speaking of eleganza extravaganza Eastern European royals ...

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by Anonymousreply 58October 22, 2018 3:15 PM

[quote] The luke warm attitude towards the monarchy in Sweden is largely the result of her father.

What has he done to turn them off?

by Anonymousreply 59October 22, 2018 3:22 PM

The TNT princesses are quite stylish and very well liked in Europe.

by Anonymousreply 60October 22, 2018 3:23 PM

One of my favorite European royals is Queen Mathilde of the Belgians. She seems like a genuinely warm and compassionate person. She used to be a speech therapist before she married King Philippe.

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by Anonymousreply 61October 22, 2018 3:28 PM

A lovely photo of Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

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by Anonymousreply 62October 22, 2018 3:29 PM

The next sovereign of Belgium will be the eldest CHILD of Philippe and Mathilde and that would be their eldest daughter named Elisabeth. She's really blossomed over the past year since getting her braces off. She's now attending school in Wales.

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by Anonymousreply 63October 22, 2018 3:33 PM

She has her father’s nose.

by Anonymousreply 64October 22, 2018 3:34 PM

Queen Fabiola was fabulous!

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by Anonymousreply 65October 22, 2018 3:35 PM

The Dutch Royal Family.

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by Anonymousreply 66October 22, 2018 3:39 PM

Dutch King Willem Alexander and his Argentinian wife Queen Maxima have three daughters - the Three A's: Catharina AMALIA, ALEXIA and ARIANE. The oldest is quite chunky like the King, the middle one is prettier like her mother and a redhead and the youngest is unfortunately somewhat homely looking.

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by Anonymousreply 67October 22, 2018 3:41 PM

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands can really rock a tiara!

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by Anonymousreply 68October 22, 2018 3:43 PM

Maxima loves colors and extragant hats too!

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by Anonymousreply 69October 22, 2018 3:45 PM

The Danish Crown Prince Frederik and his family.

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by Anonymousreply 70October 22, 2018 3:48 PM

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has taken to royal life quite well.

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by Anonymousreply 71October 22, 2018 3:49 PM

Mary is excellent at wearing all of the royal finery.

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by Anonymousreply 72October 22, 2018 3:50 PM

Mary and her big hat.

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by Anonymousreply 73October 22, 2018 3:51 PM

The King and Queen of Bhutan.

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by Anonymousreply 74October 22, 2018 3:52 PM

Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan is quite a beauty.

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by Anonymousreply 75October 22, 2018 3:53 PM

She is indeed beautiful R74 and R75.

by Anonymousreply 76October 22, 2018 3:54 PM

Queen Sirikit of Thailand (mother of the current King) was quite glamorous in her youth (see slide show). Unfortunately, the ravages of time has taken its toll: she has put on lots of weight and her lustrous hair is now thinning and snow white.

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by Anonymousreply 77October 22, 2018 4:01 PM

Princess Martha Louise of Norway, daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, is a lot better looking than her brother Haakon Magnus. She has three daughters with her ex-husband and is a physiotherapist.

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by Anonymousreply 78October 22, 2018 4:08 PM

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has her moments of glamor.

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by Anonymousreply 79October 22, 2018 6:30 PM

Mette-Marit's daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra is the future Queen of Norway. I think she's pretty.

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by Anonymousreply 80October 22, 2018 6:33 PM

The two Infantas of Spain - Leonor & Sofia - are probably going to be lookers when they get older.

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by Anonymousreply 81October 22, 2018 6:35 PM

I only want to hear about the only interesting Princess: Princess Caroline of Hanover

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by Anonymousreply 82October 22, 2018 6:35 PM

I can't warm to Queen Letizia of Spain. Too much plastic surgery and botox. She just seems cold.

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by Anonymousreply 83October 22, 2018 6:37 PM

Another one who has wrecked her face is Queen Rania of Jordan.

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by Anonymousreply 84October 22, 2018 6:38 PM

Speaking of Jordan, what the hell did American-born Queen Noor do to herself? She was once a striking woman.

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by Anonymousreply 85October 22, 2018 6:39 PM

No royal lady dresses like this one - Sheikha Mozah of Qatar.

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by Anonymousreply 86October 22, 2018 6:43 PM

The Sheikha is like an evil Bond villainess. LOL.

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by Anonymousreply 87October 22, 2018 6:45 PM

I laugh at danger.

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by Anonymousreply 88October 22, 2018 6:47 PM

The Dutch redhead princess is really cute indeed.

The oldest sister looks ok, too. She'll be queen, so so what if she doesn't develop into a looker.

The youngest looks a bit, sorry, deranged.

by Anonymousreply 89October 22, 2018 6:53 PM

R81 I'm still waiting for Leonor to hit a growth spurt , enter puberty , anything . Because she's going to turn 13 in a few days but comes across as way younger than her 11 year old sister

by Anonymousreply 90October 22, 2018 7:55 PM

We must adopt Sheikha Mozah as our new Datalounge princess mascot.

Not since the days of Diana (of blessed memory) has a royal lady been so perfect for us.

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by Anonymousreply 91October 22, 2018 7:57 PM

There is someone here who is totally up on the royal jewels. We once discussed Princess Mary and her fab gems. Was it rubies? I think it was, she's got some stunners.

Now this is a tiara and a half.

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by Anonymousreply 92October 22, 2018 8:01 PM

R91 LOVE LOVE LOVE Sheikha Mozah... Perfection

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by Anonymousreply 93October 22, 2018 9:26 PM

R92, that’s a great parure. They’re actually clusters of little pink rubies but they’re assembled in such a way they look larger. Mary hadthe tiara reshaped to fit her head better. The cool thing is that everything comes apart so she can wear rubies in many different ways. She bought a vintage ruby tiara a few years ago, it can also be worn as a necklace. It appears to be silver and rose gold, with rubies, diamonds (including a yellow one) and red spinels.

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by Anonymousreply 94October 23, 2018 3:37 AM

More on Crown Princess Mary’s dazzling rubies.

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by Anonymousreply 95October 23, 2018 7:29 AM

That 's a lovely tiara. The silver leaves look like they are pave diamonds. So the effect is greater than actuality. Don't like the necklace especially.

by Anonymousreply 96October 23, 2018 12:37 PM

Maxima is easily the least attractive royal in Europe outside of King Felipe's two sisters; he got all the looks in the family, the two girls, especially the older one, Elena, are borderline ugly. Maxima is large, ungainly, with big feet, a weak chin, bad skin, and big feet. But she is very vivacious and outgoing, and she and Willem seem quite happy.

Mette-Marit has gotten really fat in middle age, but I agree with the poster upthread that her daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, is growing up lovely. She looks like her mother but without the platinum hair and hard edge, the effect is much softer and classier.

The Belgian royal couple's children, as well as the Danish heirs, are very attractive, as well.

The ruby and diamond parure was given to Mary to wear on the eve of her marriage to Frederik. She wore it for the first time at the dinner in Christianborg Palace several days before the wedding in a dress I mentioned once before as the kind of thing Sparkle should wear, and again the night before the wedding at a gala performance at the Royal Theatre with a glorious red dress whose sash belonged to Queen Ingrid, Frederik's grandmother, who brought it over from Sweden when she married his grandfather.

by Anonymousreply 97October 23, 2018 1:07 PM

Further to information about Mary of Denmark jewelry, upon the birth of the son and heir, Prince Christian, Queen Margrethe gave Mary a huge sapphire brooch hung from a short chain of diamonds. It is stunning but very dressy and Mary only rarely pulls it out for day wear on important occasions; it usually appears for evening wear, and even then on more important occasions, like the very grand New Year's reception welcoming foreign dignitaries that Queen Margrethe throws. All the royals are expected at that in full mufti, including the Order of the Elephant decoration.

To me the most interesting gossip about the Danes is the major crush Frederik's brother, Joachim, had on Mary. It was quite obvious if you watch the wedding, Joachim could barely contain his exclamation of admiration when she came through the doors in her wedding gown, and he went out and found himself a carbon copy of Mary as his marriage to Alexandra was already over, with the same name (Marie), the same brunette look, and almost the same birthday. The Danish tabloid Seg og Har (See and Hear) carried a story once of Joachim getting drunk and nearly assaulting Mary at a private party. My Danish is quite sketchy so don't quote me on this, but I think his second wife's similarity to Mary cannot be accidental. I don't believe in accidents like that. Marie, it must be said, like Mary, has adapted quickly to life in the Danish royal family, learning fluent Danish, keeping a low, dignified profile, carrying out engagements dutifully, and producing quickly two attractive children. I believe Queen Margrethe is very relieved that all her daughters in law have worked out so well, even the ex-one.

by Anonymousreply 98October 23, 2018 1:19 PM

Princess Madeleine of Sweden is very pretty, prettier than her sister Viktoria.

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by Anonymousreply 99October 23, 2018 1:50 PM

Supposedly QEII was hoping that Prince William and Princess Madeleine would make a match.

by Anonymousreply 100October 23, 2018 1:56 PM

Princess Astrid of Norway summons her insectoid armies

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by Anonymousreply 101October 23, 2018 1:57 PM

Meghan isn’t even the first black princess in a European court. I give you HSH Princess Angela of Lichtenstein, formerly Angela Brown of NY by way of Panama. She’s Afro-Panamanian and a former clothing designer. She’s married into the fabulously wealthy princely ruling family of Liechtenstein with very little media fanfare. If Megxit wants to call herself black, she’s got stiff competition against THIS pretty princess.

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by Anonymousreply 102October 23, 2018 2:11 PM

Queen Mathilde of the Belgians is currently touring Portugal with her husband King Philippe.

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by Anonymousreply 103October 23, 2018 3:09 PM

Queen Mathilde rocks hats and tiaras.

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by Anonymousreply 104October 23, 2018 3:10 PM

R99 - Madeleine is more than just "prettier" than her older sister, she is prettier than just about every princess in Europe close to her age. I don't doubt that poor Victoria's struggle with anorexia and bulimia in her late teens/early twenties wasn't helped by being the daughter who inherited the sallow complexion, small eyes, and weaponised jaw and chin, whilst the younger sister inherited the blue eyes, blonde hair, nearly model-pretty soft face, and even features.

Pss. Angela rocks - she designed her own wedding gown and you can see the similarity to MeAgain's design, only Angela's actually fit and looked like superb quality. And yes - she really is black and MeAgain isn't. She seems to have fit in well with the royals there, and she and her husband have a very handsome son who is in the line of succession, but, like Harry, somewhere around 6th in line.

by Anonymousreply 105October 23, 2018 3:53 PM

I think Madeleine looks like a Barbie doll . I never found her incredibly beautiful .

by Anonymousreply 106October 23, 2018 4:06 PM

R106 - We'll have to agree to disagree on that. She's not a classic raging Hollywood beauty, I'm not suggesting she's Grace Kelly, but I think it's undeniable that she is incredibly pretty - far prettier than her older sister.

by Anonymousreply 107October 23, 2018 4:34 PM

R105, Princess Madeleine is hardly a natural blond. She may have been blond in her youth, like many, but her hair is now naturally darker and she's constantly changing the color.

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by Anonymousreply 108October 23, 2018 7:25 PM

The captivating Infanta (princess) Elena of Spain. Looks like the former king in drag. Married a gay.

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by Anonymousreply 109October 23, 2018 7:40 PM

R109 - Now that is mean, to have put that photo up there. Poor Elena - married to that wet mess and with all the worst physical characteristics the Bourbon family DNA had to bestow. I always wondered if she was a lesbian and the marriage was a lavender arrangement that benefitted both of them, with the understanding of a divorce later on if it got too unbearable.

by Anonymousreply 110October 23, 2018 8:36 PM

R108 - No, but she works perfectly as a blonde and whatever colour she decides to do her hair, she's still a bona fide pretty pretty girl, and Victoria wasn't. That couldn't have been easy.

by Anonymousreply 111October 23, 2018 8:38 PM

Victoria is attractive; however, she has a 'quieter' beauty. Like Charlotte Cambridge, she has charisma in spades, connects well with the public and will be a beloved queen.

by Anonymousreply 112October 23, 2018 11:18 PM

I agree with R122. She'll practically be seen as the mother of the country, if she lives long enough.

by Anonymousreply 113October 24, 2018 12:21 AM

The King isn’t popular probably because he has a reputation of liking fast cars, women, and is said to not take his role seriously, dozing in meetings. He’s also the son of a Nazi sympathizer. I think he should hang up the ermine and let Victoria take over.

And for those who says Victoria isn’t beautiful, she definitely cleans up well. When she’s at a tiara event she usually looks great. She doesn’t seem to misfire with her gowns, unlike her sister who has been known to pick frothy confections.

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by Anonymousreply 114October 24, 2018 3:09 AM

Speaking of Swedish princesses, I SO want to have drinks and smokes with Princess Birgitta, you can just tell she’s a pisser to hang out with.

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by Anonymousreply 115October 24, 2018 3:12 AM

The infantas are UGLAY because their mom Queen Sofía is a dog herself. And a homophobe to boot.

by Anonymousreply 116October 24, 2018 12:11 PM

I always forget there's a current king of Sweden because it seems like Victoria gets all the press. Not that I'm complaining, the king appears to be a very dull person. I was in Sweden when he was married and nobody cared. I think there were banners on the lampposts in Stockholm and that was it. The Swedes were much more excited when Bjorn Borg won Wimbledon.

by Anonymousreply 117October 24, 2018 5:13 PM

R114 - I agree that Madeleine occasionally goes too frothy, including her wedding dress, which was a huge disappointment, to me. But Victoria, whilst certainly nice and well-liked, just wasn't pretty as a teen and isn't pretty now, not with that jaw. She looks nice enough, and de gustibus and all that, but Madeleine would have been every top school athlete's dream date, let's face it, and Victoria wouldn't have been. In your teen years, especially if you're in the public eye, that can be very hard.

Btw, the dress I thought Victoria looked most spectacular in was the blush or was it cream lace gown by Elie Saab she wore to the festivities the night before. It was incredibly sexy - and on that occasion, then very blonde Madeleine was in full froth mode.

by Anonymousreply 118October 24, 2018 5:21 PM

Maybe because Queen Silvia’s father was a Nazi? Unfortunately the Swedish royal family is tainted with Nazism. Someone tried to call CP Victoria out on it when she visited Auschwitz but she handled it pretty well. I think she’ll be a good queen.

by Anonymousreply 119October 24, 2018 5:22 PM

Victoria is my probably my favourite heir in Europe. She is relativity down to Earth, approachable, and very hard working. Her father, the King, has never really been very popular in Sweden and over the past few years as revelations about his affairs and party lifestyle have leaked out, his popularly (and that of the Monarchy's) has waned a great deal. I wouldn't go as far as to say he his hated, but there is a great deal of indifference towards him. I think his wife, Queen Silvia deserves a lot of the praise for keeping the monarchy afloat during the 80s and 90s as I think during those years it was her popularlity that kept the whole thing going. King Carl Gustav likes the title but is work shy, not particularly bright, and lacks personality. In a biography about him, the author said if it doesn't have big tits or a gas peddle the King isn't much interested. My advice to Carl would be to abdicate and allow Victoria to reign otherwise, I don't see the Swedish monarchy surviving another 20 years.

by Anonymousreply 120October 24, 2018 5:41 PM

R120 - "King Carl Gustav likes the title but is work shy, not particularly bright, and lacks personality. In a biography about him, the author said if it doesn't have big tits or a gas peddle the King isn't much interested."

It's interesting how that meme is repeated in European royal circles. Frederik of Denmark has always been seen as work-shy, indifferent, ambivalent about his future as King, also drinks, and all that interests him is sports and yachting (somewhat like Felipe of Spain before he became King, after which he was forced to work harder). Frederik's commoner wife, however, intensely aware of how lucky she was to get into the Golden Circle of Royal Privilege, works hard and keeps the side up. Felipe before he became King was much like Frederik. The Norwegians don't work much at all, either one of them.

And you're right, there have been more murmuring from the public about the monarchy in Sweden than in Britain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Lichtenstein, and Luxembourg.

The former Silvia Sommerlath was extremely well-educated and I think spoke six languages. One wonders what attracted her to the not particularly nice Carl Gustav . . .

Oh, wait . . . .

by Anonymousreply 121October 24, 2018 6:32 PM

His big uncut Swedish sausage?

Fun fact: ABBA played at their wedding.

by Anonymousreply 122October 24, 2018 6:43 PM

R122 - Because a great looking woman who spoke six languages couldn't one single other big uncut sausage in all of Europe?

by Anonymousreply 123October 24, 2018 7:55 PM

Carl Gustav brought more than his sausage to the table.

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by Anonymousreply 124October 24, 2018 9:42 PM

R124 - Point taken.

by Anonymousreply 125October 24, 2018 10:39 PM

r100 so if the Swedish Princess married Prince William, would she retain her Swedish title until she became Quenn or would the British insist that she relinquish her Swedish royal title?

With divorce so prevelent and The Windsows decision to strip Asians of her title, I couldn’t see any royal wanting to relinquish their original titles for the British. They stab you in the back

by Anonymousreply 126October 24, 2018 11:13 PM

[quote] With divorce so prevelent and The Windsows decision to strip Asians of her title

?

by Anonymousreply 127October 24, 2018 11:21 PM

R127 oh lord I meant Diana. I reached my stop on the subway so autocorrect messed that up lol.

by Anonymousreply 128October 24, 2018 11:26 PM

R128, Your phone autocorrects "Diana" to "Asians"?

by Anonymousreply 129October 25, 2018 12:45 AM

R126 - You don't relinquish an HRH when you've been born one, nor would she have had to because William is also an HRH. She probably would just have been known as HRH the Duchess of Cambridge, just like Kate. It's just that for Madeleine, it would have been what they call a "lateral move" rather than an upgrade from commoner to royal.

When William ascended the throne, she would have been Queen Madeleine of Great Britain.

by Anonymousreply 130October 25, 2018 1:15 AM

She’d be HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Princess of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Halsingland, Duchess of Gastrikland.

by Anonymousreply 131October 25, 2018 2:14 AM

Tell us more, R131.

by Anonymousreply 132October 25, 2018 2:30 AM

She’d also be Countess of Strathearn and Baroness Carrickfergus

by Anonymousreply 133October 25, 2018 2:33 AM

And instead of William she married a really rich guy who seems to love her, had some kids, retained her HRH and now lives relatively anonymously in Florida, R130 to R133.

by Anonymousreply 134October 25, 2018 4:08 AM

Princess Theodora of Greece

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by Anonymousreply 135October 25, 2018 5:31 AM

^^ who is a bit part actress called Theodora Greece who most recently played a secretary in “The Bold and the Beautiful”.

by Anonymousreply 136October 25, 2018 5:42 AM

R136 Theodora is the daughter of ex-King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. A coup got rid of the monarchy when Theodora was a little girl, and the royal family, including Queen Fredericka (Constantine's mother and a known Nazi sympathiser). They live in London and continue to be addressed as royalty even though Constantine has not country to be King of. Anne-Marie is the youngest sister of Queen Margrethe of Denmark - she was by far the prettiest of the three sisters, and her match with Constantine was viewed as one of the great royal matches and weddings of the early 1960s. Their son, Paul(ous), is still called Crown Prince of Greece, and he married the daughter of the billionaire who founded the duty-free shops. Her money has made it possible for him and their five children to continue to live like royalty - despite the fact that the likelihood of them ever reigning anywhere again is unlikely.

Theodora was a quite pudgy not particularly pretty girl with thespian ambitions. She seems quite nice, and the shift to blonde hair in that photo gives her a bit more oomph than she naturally has. I believe she's quite tall as well as "big".

Constantine's other sister, Sofia, is married to ex-King Juan Carlos of Spain. So Theodora is quite extensively blue-blooded, being technically a Princess of Greece through her father, a Princess of Denmark through her mother, and related to the reigning royal family of Spain through her aunt.

by Anonymousreply 137October 25, 2018 2:45 PM

She’s a Princess of Denmark through her father, actually. The Greek royal family (not one drop of Greek blood!) descend from the Danish royal house, who themselves are mostly German. As such they carry the title Prince of Greece and Denmark. Theodora’s mother then is a Princess of Denmark both by birth and by marriage.

by Anonymousreply 138October 25, 2018 2:52 PM

R121 I think the Spanish and Swedish monarchies are the most probable to be abolished in the not too distant future. Polls have shown that support for the Swedish monarchy hovers around 60% which is isn't terrible not nowhere the support of the British or Danish Monarchies which hover around 75 to 80%. Victoria is by far the most popular member of the Swedish royal family followed by Queen Silvia. King Carl's popularity if fairly low and a poll out last year, I think, showed an overwhelming majority want him to abdicate in the next 2 to 3 years.

Before Juan Carlos abdicated, support for the Spanish monarchy hovered around 50%. I'm not sure how much Felipe's accession has changed that.

by Anonymousreply 139October 25, 2018 3:01 PM

R138 - Yes, technically that's correct. Prince Philip is of the same line - his father, a Prince of Denmark, was more or less "elected" to lead the Greek monarchy. But Philip always went by Prince Philip of Greece.

And, it was Theodora's older sister, Alexia, who was a child when the Greek monarchy was abolished and the family had to leave quickly. Theodora was born in London after the coup.

And, like several of the other male monarchs and Crown Princes discusses in this and the other European Royals threads, Constantine did plenty of fooling around, despite being the husband of a very lovely, royally born, and loyal wife.

These men drink in the right to casual infidelity of long-suffering consorts along with their birthrights to titles, estates, and thrones.

I suppose one could laud Diana for refusing to put up with it, if it weren't for the fact that her insane behaviour helped drive him back into Camilla's arms. As Tina Brown pointed out, with her youth and beauty, Diana could have seen Camilla off if she'd only had a bit more savvy and the ability to control herself.

by Anonymousreply 140October 25, 2018 3:03 PM

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease.

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by Anonymousreply 141October 25, 2018 5:29 PM

^^^ because she smokes like a chimney?

by Anonymousreply 142October 25, 2018 5:33 PM

R137 and R138 - Yes I’m very familiar with Princess Theodora’s family and lineage and the history of the now former Greek royal family.

The fact remains that her professional name when acting is “Theodora Greece”. Not that her acting career has really taken off apart from The Bold and the Beautiful, some years ago now.

by Anonymousreply 143October 25, 2018 5:44 PM

Princess Caroline of Monaco has been separated from Ernst for years now. why don't they just divorce?

And her daughter just had her second illegitimate child, but at least this time the dad is handsome. And the son of Carole Bouquet, the French actress.

by Anonymousreply 144October 25, 2018 6:45 PM

R144 - my guess is that Caroline likes being Princess of Hanover. Doesn't that German title come with Royal Highness instead of Serene Highness?

by Anonymousreply 145October 25, 2018 7:13 PM

Isn't the Infanta Elena @ R109 rumored to be "special"?

by Anonymousreply 146October 25, 2018 7:17 PM

The Scandinavian royals are the most cash poor out of them all. Their high living is solely paid for by the public. Especially Norway. They’re basically penniless, but perhaps the nicest royals in Europe. Queen Sonja of Norway wasn’t allowed to marry King Harald until after his father King Olaf died. They weren’t allowed to marry commoners back then. She even attempted suicide at one point. One of her sisters actually did kill herself. Don’t know why. But that why she and Harald allowed their son Prince Haakon to marry ex party girl and single mother Mette-Marit...he even threatened to relinquish his title to marry her.

by Anonymousreply 147October 25, 2018 7:22 PM

R147 - I believe that King Olav was alive when Harald and Sonja married but they had to wait about ten years before he approved their union.

by Anonymousreply 148October 25, 2018 7:31 PM

R147 That must have been a fascinating wedding as King Olav walked Sonja down the aisle as her father had died ten years earlier.

He did, however, oppose the marriage for a long time - nine years, from memory - as Sonja was not royal.

by Anonymousreply 149October 25, 2018 7:58 PM

R145 - Yes - I think in a divorce, Caroline might lose the HRH she graduated to, from HSH, when she married Ernst. They have a daughter, Alexandra.

I also heard that Harald and Sonja had to wait years for consent because she was a commoner.

R147 - True, the Scandinavians do not have the wealth of the Windsors, Oranges, or Lichtentsteins. That said, the Danish monarchy is quite wealthy, but most of it is in lands and estates. But they live quite grandly, and the Danish Folketing has made it quite clear that only the direct heir (Frederik, and after him, his Heir, Prince Christian) are entitled to an "appenage", that is, to taxpayer stipends for official duties; so the younger brother and his family, as well as Frederk's younger children, will be provided for by Queen Margrethe. They are hardly penniless. Mary and Frederik's apartments in Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen were refurbished at exorbitant cost that took years; I think their second child had arrived before they moved in. Fredensborg, roughly equivalent to Windsor as it is about 25-30 miles from Copenhagen, is a beautiful place, and they have a beautiful country house called Graasten. The Danes are likely the grandest of the three, the Norwegians the poorest, with the Swedes somewhere in the middle.

by Anonymousreply 150October 26, 2018 1:29 AM

[quote] I also heard that Harald and Sonja had to wait years for consent because she was a commoner.

Did you hear that from R149?

by Anonymousreply 151October 26, 2018 1:42 AM

Smell R143

by Anonymousreply 152October 26, 2018 1:44 AM

The Norwegian king’s summer place looks like a house that any upper middle class person could own. They really do live modestly. But he still has a large royal yacht, Queen Elizabeth can’t say the same.

by Anonymousreply 153October 26, 2018 1:47 AM

[quote] Yes I’m very familiar with Princess Theodora’s family and lineage and the history of the now former Greek royal family.

A mere princess. I knew the empress!

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by Anonymousreply 154October 26, 2018 1:49 AM

R146 - not R109 here, but I've always thought that given how obviously comme ca her intended, Jaime, was, and how curiously asexual Elena was, it was a possibility. The other sister, Cristina, somewhat better looking, married a gorgeous former Olympic handball player - now in jail for corruption. Cristina lost her royal title as she was investigated as an accessory, although later acquitted.

R151 - it wasn't a state secret but well known across Europe to anyone who followed royals.

R153 - no, HM decommissioned the Britannia, which was like a fucking floating palace. But if she wanted another one, she could well afford one. She prefers racehorses, if it comes to it.

by Anonymousreply 155October 26, 2018 1:50 AM

Yeah, Brittanica was like the size of a cruise ship. Bad optics, I think. Did you see the decommissioning ceremony? The Queen actually had tears, we never see that. The Norwegian and Danish royal yachts are smaller, but still nice.

by Anonymousreply 156October 26, 2018 2:35 AM

All the royal women should bow to queen maxima. That bitch can dress. She makes Meghan look like she wears jc penny.

by Anonymousreply 157October 26, 2018 2:38 AM

Queen maxima is the most glamorous and all the royal women need to bow down to her. Sparkle will look like a very cheap dresser next to her. Sparkle is like jc penny next to her.

by Anonymousreply 158October 26, 2018 2:40 AM

Nah R77 has that big island native jaw. Bhutan is beautiful, elegant, has it all

by Anonymousreply 159October 26, 2018 3:07 AM

I don't like Letizia although many royal watchers (meaning fans on forums) think all the royals should dress like her. She loosened up a bit over the summer but for the most part everything ends up looking severe on her. Her husband's mother hated his two previous girlfriends, and this summer Letizia intervened when Sofia grasped Letizia's two daughters coming out of church in order to pose for the cameras.

My favorite is Madeleine. (Sweden.) She got lucky. Her fiance' and boyfriend of eight years cheated on her. After much torment, it was broken off and she fled to NYC, where she met a rich, socially connected European finance guy who is madly in love with her. They have the big Swedish wedding on the typically sunny Swedish wedding day and commence to have three kids. They turn up back in Sweden from time to time for official events and celebrations, but otherwise have lived in New York, London, and soon, Florida. He has enough money that he declined to officially join the royal family, has no title, and Madeleine can do what she wants. Nice for her.

Isn't it a bit odd at least that contrary to a lot of aristocrats, none of Liz's kids shored up their (relatively) meagre trust funds by marrying spouses with a lot of money of their own? None of them did, at least not the first time around.

Not to bring in the British too much, but there were many William fans who wanted him to marry Madeleine. I don't think either would be the other's cup of tea on a personal level.

by Anonymousreply 160October 26, 2018 3:18 AM

R99 energized beauty. Her eyes.

by Anonymousreply 161October 26, 2018 3:21 AM

R147 actually the Swedish royal family members have private wealth. It seems to be trust funds and the funds are of course invested, and then annually the income on the funds is reported. I was reading this on a page discussing their set up. Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel plus Carl Phillip and his bride Princess Sophia are working royals, and CP and S now occupy the palace apartments where once resided Lillian and Bertil. I saw a youtube where Queen Silvia took a reporter to tour her offices, to sort of show she was modern, and how when she set up the office and actually did things with her day and had duties and responsibilities, it was very unusual. The entire time she is talking about this the place is a tomb. She can hardly find things she's doing to discuss. She pats a binder or two, and finally opens one that discusses seating arrangements for a state dinner. She makes quite a bit of that. Then she wanders over to another part of the office to discuss the work her daughter Madeleine is doing elsewhere - works very hard, does Madeleine.

So anyway, there is private family money in addition to whatever funding keeps the Swedish going as a royal concern. The year in question being reviewed by the article said that Madeleine's investments had come out the best that year and she had received something north of 200k Euros as her yield. The others were slightly further behind but not hugely. It seems to vary and I guess they do not all have their trust invested in the same portfolios. Not to mention it's what Madeleine's husband does for a living so maybe he manages hers.

by Anonymousreply 162October 26, 2018 3:34 AM

I think Madeleine is more of a tropical holiday girl, where William has to toe the Windsor line and have his holidays in boggy Scotland with dogs and horses.

by Anonymousreply 163October 26, 2018 3:34 AM

[quote] William has to toe the Windsor line and have his holidays in boggy Scotland with dogs and horses.

Camilla and Anne?

by Anonymousreply 164October 26, 2018 3:47 AM

R156 - Pss. Anne cried at the decommissioning ceremony of Britannica, the only time anyone EVER has seen Anne cry in public.

The Dannebrog, the Danish royal yacht isn't near the same size (I think the Britannica was also capable of serving as a full warship), is used mostly for events like gala birthdays, and to take the DRF on annual obligatory visits to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

I don't think I've ever seen the NRF's yacht.

by Anonymousreply 165October 26, 2018 1:44 PM

R155, Britannia the royal yacht was not a personal possession of the Queen. It was decommissioned by the government and not the Queen. She never would have given it up. It holds a very special place in her heart.

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by Anonymousreply 166October 26, 2018 1:59 PM

She looks like Helen Mirren’s portryal of her at R166.

by Anonymousreply 167October 26, 2018 2:01 PM

R166 - most of the Royal Family had tears in their eyes at the Brittania ceremony. They had many lovely family holidays on that yacht and so many good memories. I was surprised at how emotional everyone was. You don't even see that much emotion at family funerals.

by Anonymousreply 168October 26, 2018 2:07 PM

[quote] You don't even see that much emotion at family funerals.

Good on them! I hope they had a gin and tonic instead.

by Anonymousreply 169October 26, 2018 2:09 PM

R168 The Queen has stated several times that Britannia was the only place in the world where she felt totally at ease. People who were aboard Britannia, particularly after official functions had ended, have all said the Queen was always very happy on board, that she would joke, drink, sing, and dance, with guests. Decommissioning Britannia was a mistake, even Blair now admits that. It was a unique feature of Britain's diplomatic core as it was effectively a floating embassy.

by Anonymousreply 170October 26, 2018 2:27 PM

[QUOTE] Pss. Anne cried at the decommissioning ceremony of Britannica, the only time anyone EVER has seen Anne cry in public.

So did The Queen, R165. As seen in R166 link. Which is what I vividly remember. She never cried in public before.

As for The Royal Yacht Dannebrog, I clearly stated that it wasn’t as big. Brittania was a little overkill, but I guess back then air travel wasn’t as comfortable or regal.

by Anonymousreply 171October 26, 2018 2:36 PM

I started this topic to NOT talk about the Windsors. So cut it out because we’re going OT.

by Anonymousreply 172October 26, 2018 2:37 PM

Take Brit RF stuff here:

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by Anonymousreply 173October 26, 2018 9:08 PM

Could someone bring me back up to speed about the dead gay prince of the Netherlands, son of Beatrix?

by Anonymousreply 174October 26, 2018 9:10 PM

[quote]Could someone bring me back up to speed about the dead gay prince of the Netherlands, son of Beatrix?

"Prince (Johan) Friso was struck by an avalanche while skiing off-trail in Lech, Austria, Feb. 17, 2012, and was buried until rescuers pulled him from the snow, unconscious, 20 minutes later. He was resuscitated at the scene and flown to a hospital, but remained in a coma for 18 months. The royal house said the prince died of complications from the accident, without giving more details. Friso is survived by his wife, Princess Mabel, and two daughters, Luana and Zaria.

Friso was considered very handsome as a young man, but he was not known to have had any girlfriends. The Dutch gay community became convinced he was homosexual. Friso turned a blind eye in amusement as Friso-themed parties became a nightlife fixture. But after mainstream publications began speculating as to whether he might come out of the closet, he had the Royal Information Service put out a one-line statement in 2001: "Johan Friso is not homosexual, but heterosexual."

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by Anonymousreply 175October 26, 2018 9:38 PM

Thank you r175!

Prince Friso was a loss.

by Anonymousreply 176October 26, 2018 10:04 PM

Friso also married without the Sovereigns royal assent, so his wife couldn’t become a Princess of The Netherlands. She’s “merely” a Princess of Orange-Nassau. However the family is close to her and she’s apparently a shrewd businesswoman as well as a committed activist. She even tagged along to the State Visit to The UK last week.

by Anonymousreply 177October 26, 2018 11:34 PM

Madleine *was* a tropical girl. Months back I did the deep dive into the Swedish royal family on youtube, and the first video I come up with was Madeleine's wedding. I loved her wedding dress, so there you go. I also thought her head styling, as they say on fashion blogs, was perfect. A brunette chignon, nice skin, perfect make-up. Then, I go back in time and learn she once did the radioactive tan and yellow hair thing - for years. I think she looks much better now. Much more natural. Always very pretty, but even more so without the baked hair and skin. She does tend to frou frou it up. For me, I think it's because very rarely do I ever see women of Madeleine's age (36) wear vividly colored "slacks" in a crepe-type fabric with pumps. I think of that as geriatric but she frequently does, and with a blouse, yet. She will also do a big floral in a dress, fussed up with jewels and a colorful coat. That much stuff is something I think of Camilla Parker Bowles wearing in that sort of silhouette, not a young royal, but Madeleine pulls it off. Swedish royals are fortunate. When Madeleine was living with her husband Chris O'Neill in NYC, they went unnoticed by the population and mostly by the paps. The only paps that ever wanted to grab them were Euro ones who knew they'd sell in Europe.

Victoria had a struggle with anorexia. The truth is, at her absolute thinnest she was quite pretty in a 1970ish Ali McGraw sort of way. Even now she certainly is a handsome woman. Not homecoming queen like her sister, but she has a great figure and also "cuts" a figure, as they say. And exudes humor, intelligence, common sense and warmth. She is lucky she fell in love at a relatively early age with a man who adores her, and she also seems to be very "big sister" in personality, so that may have prevented any Madeleine comparison from stinging. Victoria's daughter, Estelle, is her mirror image in looks and personality.

by Anonymousreply 178October 26, 2018 11:43 PM

Go to youtube and look at the royal vacations on the Brittanica. Part of the Queen's 90th birthday documentary. You will drool. Big enough to be luxurious, small enough to feel private and inclusive. Two scenes stand out - one has the then-younger, teen royals like Charles sliding down a water slide that had been set up between one deck and another. Phillip even has a go. The other shows Margaret and others lounging on the gorgeous (teak?) fore deck, hair gently blowing in the wind, impeccable red lipstick, cigarette, as the boat cruises - a brilliantly sunny day and gorgeous Mediterranean water (a deep blue), a spectacular blue sky, and the Rock of Gibralter decorating the coast. Sarah Chatto is the one narrating that section and even she comments on how impossibly glamorous it all looked. She was very grateful to her aunt (QE II) for including the entire family so often, meaning nieces and nephews.

by Anonymousreply 179October 26, 2018 11:48 PM

r179, take this to the BRIT thread. This is the NON Brit thread.

by Anonymousreply 180October 26, 2018 11:58 PM

Oops, sorry, will keep BRF stuff to the BRF or Meghan thread.

On topic: tired of comparisons of Princess Sofia (Sweden) to another new minted royal. I don't think it truly matters what background the royal spouse comes from, as long as they can demonstrate they're up to the job, and the loyalty is to the family and not their own agenda. Sofia (or Sophia?) has been faultless since she became the girlfriend, and she was the girlfriend for years as she was put to the test. She is now indistinguishable from a born royal when she's among the family. She's always dresses in harmony with the family in color, style, silhouette, and is always faultlessly groomed. Puts on that native folk garb during what appears to be horribly frequent occasions they have to wear that crap, and does it with good sportsmanship.

by Anonymousreply 181October 27, 2018 12:17 AM

The Norwegian royals somehow look more legit in the traditinal garb, the Swedes look like their dialing it in and barely suppressing their laughter at wearing those outfits. CP Mette Marit looks perfect in her ‘bunad’ outfit.

by Anonymousreply 182October 27, 2018 1:15 AM

I have faith that The Princess of Orange (heiress to the Dutch throne) is going to outgrow her chunky awkwardness and be a glamorous adult. I know she’s doomed to the pumpkin shaped head that most of the Oranges have, but they’re so fabulously wealthy I could imagine she someday gets her jaw shaved to streamline the shape a little.

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by Anonymousreply 183October 27, 2018 5:17 PM

That round face makes Catharina-Amalia look friendly and likeable. Imagine her with a triangular face and a hard chin - naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, just horrible.

And who fucking cares what she looks like - she'll be the monarch one day.

by Anonymousreply 184October 27, 2018 5:27 PM

Didn't Madeline's former fiance cheat on her? I remember something along the lines of this, but I don't want to talk nonsense, so if anybody here is more familiar with this story, please elaborate.

by Anonymousreply 185October 27, 2018 5:28 PM

It is not BRITANNICA, it's not a fucking encyclopedia. It's a ship, the BRITANNIA.

You know, like the famous patriotic British anthem, "Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves: Britons never ever will be slaves."

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by Anonymousreply 186October 27, 2018 5:39 PM

This might interest you. It's a YouTube video of a Swedish celebration with a bunch of European royalty. It starts out with Carl Gustav and Sylvia waving to the crowd down below but then it switches to the POV of the people on the balcony. Carl-Phillipe is holding Estelle, Daniel is taking a photograph of her and Mary, Madelaine and Chris chatting, Sofia, WAX, Beatrix, Margrethe, maybe some Belgians. They're all just hanging out and chatting, very informal and relaxed and it looks like they are all great friends. It's fun trying to spot the various royals. The narration is all in Swedish.

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by Anonymousreply 187October 27, 2018 9:48 PM

R186 - Indeed - as I pointed out on another thread, people tend to type quickly on these sites. But yes, you're right, it's Britannia.

That said, I do appreciate the image which for once correctly shows the Union Jack right side up: with the broader white stripe nearer the flagpole.

Yes, Madeleine's first fiance turned out to be rather a shite, and his infidelity was exposed and the engagement broken very shortly before Victoria's wedding. Madeleine held up quite nicely and didn't spoil her sister's wedding with glum expressions - she seemed genuinely joyful for her sister's happiness.

Madeleine became engaged to her eventual husband fairly soon afterward, within a couple of years; Queen Silvia inadvertently threw a bit of shade on Victoria's not terribly distinguished choice of husband, calling Chris O'Neill "a dream son in law" when the engagement was announced.

by Anonymousreply 188October 28, 2018 3:16 PM

>>Queen Silvia inadvertently threw a bit of shade on Victoria's not terribly distinguished choice of husband<<

Silvia is a commoner herself, so she ought to sftu in this particular case.

And Daniel is a cutie. And a loving husband and loving father, I guess. Silvia, on the other hand, got an adulterer and a bit of a dimwit. LOL.

by Anonymousreply 189October 28, 2018 4:24 PM

I love Letizia taking down that homely bitch MIL of hers Sofia over the girls . "There will be only ONE queen in Spain, and I am she! Take your grubby Greek hooves off my infantas!"

by Anonymousreply 190October 28, 2018 4:36 PM

R190 I imagine that wasn't the first conflict between Sofia and Letizia. They are both strong-willed, and I doubt Sofia saw Letizia as anything but a Spanish Meghan Markle.

However, it must be said that Sofia's "grubby Greek hooves" are loaded with blue blood, and Letizia is, well - by Sofia's reckoning, a previously married commoner and probably one step up from an actress slut.

by Anonymousreply 191October 28, 2018 4:45 PM

Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, heir the the Liechtenstein throne, was hot for five minutes when he was younger.

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by Anonymousreply 192October 28, 2018 4:45 PM

Prince Felix of Luxembourg though, yummy

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by Anonymousreply 193October 28, 2018 4:47 PM

I predict future eating disorders for Maxima's daughters. The Dutch press will be kind about their weight (Dutch people are good people), but the more general European press will be snarky.

The weird thing is that there are so many future queens among the current crop of young royals: Amalie-Catherine of the Netherlands, Leonor of Spain, Elisabeth of Belgium, Estelle of Sweden, Ingrid Alexandra of Norway. Prince George of the UK will be the only king of the generation thus far born in the 21st century.

by Anonymousreply 194October 28, 2018 4:48 PM

[quote] However, it must be said that Sofia's "grubby Greek hooves" are loaded with blue blood, and Letizia is, well - by Sofia's reckoning, a previously married commoner and probably one step up from an actress slut.

I always think this argument in stupid.

In all royal families, all royal titles stem from the living monarch, not from heredity. The wife of the monarch is the queen, so Letizia could be a prostitute plucked from the slums of Bilbao and she would still be queen. (In fact, think of Empress Theodora of the Roman Empire, who WAS a prostitute before she was empress.) If this isn't true, then the whole idea of royalty is a complete fiction.

If Sofia wants it to matter that she is the daughter of the exiled king of Greece and the wife of the former king of Spain, then she must acknowledge that her son the current king of Spain is married to the new queen. Not the former queen, but THE queen. Otherwise she herself is a fraud.

by Anonymousreply 195October 28, 2018 4:53 PM

Yeah, you count the European male heirs on one hand: The UK, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Monaco. Luckily they are secure thrones, unlike Sweden, Spain, and Belgium.

by Anonymousreply 196October 28, 2018 4:54 PM

How many countries have abolished monarchies unless there was an actual revolution? Monarchies are pretty useful for most countries: they provide a state figurehead to do the things the actual rulers don't want to do (like open things), and provide a sense of stability and continuity for the people, and also a distraction from real political events.

I don't see why Spain or Sweden would want to jettison their monarchies. Their monarchs have no actual power anymore.

by Anonymousreply 197October 28, 2018 5:10 PM

Yes, but Sofia wasn't a prostitute picked up in the streets of anywhere, and how you reckon things is not how they reckon things. Her status as Queen Consort was due to her marriage, but she was born a royal princess of Greece and Denmark, rightfully by birth a blood princess. The Danish monarchy, by the way, is the oldest in Europe. You try telling Sofia that all she amounts to is as a result of her marriage.

In fact, cart before horse: she was picked for Juan Carlos precisely because of her royal blood. And, in fact, she and Juan Carlos are third cousins.

So her grubby hooves, are, indeed, filled with royal blood. She didn't come out of nowhere and those hooves were blue before the wedding ever took place.

by Anonymousreply 198October 28, 2018 5:11 PM

Regardless, I am sure that matters not a whit anymore to Letizia. She just bundles her MIL off to her second-rate palace, and that is that.

Princess Margaret used to say snobby things to her friends that she was born HRH while neither her mother Queen Elizabeth nor her grandmother Queen Mary were (she thought that meant she was superior to them). I'm sure the two queens didn't give a rat's ass what Margaret thought, and knew they were the actual queens, not she.

by Anonymousreply 199October 28, 2018 5:16 PM

Go fuck yourself, R196.

by Anonymousreply 200October 28, 2018 5:19 PM

Well, that was random, r200.

by Anonymousreply 201October 28, 2018 5:20 PM

Sofia was never a major beauty in her youth. She actually had a brief MILFy period in the 80s into the early 90s, when she adopted a wingy Camilla-esque hairdo. By that point her husband King Juan Carlos had most likely already fucked Diana.

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by Anonymousreply 202October 28, 2018 5:24 PM

Juan Carlos wasn't bad in his day.

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by Anonymousreply 203October 28, 2018 5:26 PM

That uni-brow though. I guess back then plucking them had not been invented for men. He seems to have gotten the memo by the 70s.

by Anonymousreply 204October 28, 2018 6:17 PM

Sheikha Mozah can out style any royal lady. Prepare youself for a dazzling slideshow.

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by Anonymousreply 205October 28, 2018 6:36 PM

Turban chic from Sheikha Mozah.

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by Anonymousreply 206October 28, 2018 6:37 PM

A fortune must be spent on clothes and jewellery.

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by Anonymousreply 207October 28, 2018 6:39 PM

Sheikha Mozah with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

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by Anonymousreply 208October 28, 2018 6:39 PM

R2017, but unlike with the merching DuchAss Preggers Meggers, this lady's attire is just gorgeous and worth the money.

by Anonymousreply 209October 28, 2018 6:43 PM

Sheikha Mozah should have theme music whenever she enters a room.

by Anonymousreply 210October 28, 2018 6:47 PM

R209 - I know of whom you speak.

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by Anonymousreply 211October 28, 2018 6:48 PM

Sheikha Mozah and Lalla Salma of Morocco (divorced from the King of Morocco)

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by Anonymousreply 212October 28, 2018 6:50 PM

The French First Lady is outdone. Move over Brigitte, the Sheikha is in town!

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by Anonymousreply 213October 28, 2018 6:52 PM

Brigitte always looks like her wig is about to fall off.

by Anonymousreply 214October 28, 2018 6:53 PM

You want color, I give you color to blind you! Can you see me now!

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by Anonymousreply 215October 28, 2018 7:00 PM

Those two Duchesses are nothing compared to me. I am Queen of Style.

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by Anonymousreply 216October 28, 2018 7:04 PM

Please, I laugh at little Megsy's outfits.

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by Anonymousreply 217October 28, 2018 7:08 PM

Mozah is the wife of the former emir (abdicated) of Qatar, just fyi. She certainly is stunning.

by Anonymousreply 218October 28, 2018 7:09 PM

Wherever I go, I make an impression. I am a walking fashion statement.

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by Anonymousreply 219October 28, 2018 7:10 PM

Even mean tempered Dukes like me.

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by Anonymousreply 220October 28, 2018 7:11 PM

Fashion is serious and I mean business.

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by Anonymousreply 221October 28, 2018 7:21 PM

Does she keep the Sheika title, or does she revert to princess?

by Anonymousreply 222October 28, 2018 7:22 PM

Two Spanish queens can't block out my presence.

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by Anonymousreply 223October 28, 2018 7:22 PM

Sheikha Mozah is like what Melania aspires to be.

by Anonymousreply 224October 28, 2018 7:24 PM

I noticed Queen Elizabeth bestowed an order on The Sheika, that’s practically unheard of for HM. I can’t rhink of an instance where she’s decorated a consort, other than a male consort of a reigning queen like Claus of The Netherlands or Henrik of Denmark. The Sheika’s oil rich husband must have been of strategic importance to The UK for such an honor to his wife.

by Anonymousreply 225October 28, 2018 7:25 PM

Mozah's husband used to be quite fat. He's lost a lot of weight and uses a cane. Perhaps he abdicated because he was sick.

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by Anonymousreply 226October 28, 2018 7:26 PM

I brightened up the Pope's day! You're welcome, Holy Father!

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by Anonymousreply 227October 28, 2018 7:29 PM

Move over bitches. Let me show you how to make an entrance (or exit).

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by Anonymousreply 228October 28, 2018 7:30 PM

The French make me a member of the Academie de Beaux Arts and I flatter them with this outfit.

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by Anonymousreply 229October 28, 2018 7:37 PM

The Sheikha with The Queen and Prince Philip.

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by Anonymousreply 230October 28, 2018 7:40 PM

Camilla pales in comparison to me.

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by Anonymousreply 231October 28, 2018 7:41 PM

I got my answer. Her husband abdicated in favor of their son, so she retains the Sheikha title. Actually it appears all the princely women in Qatar are sheikhas, and the princes sheikhs. They use His/Her Highness. She’s like, Sheikha-Mother now.

by Anonymousreply 232October 28, 2018 7:41 PM

Sheikha and The Queen.

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by Anonymousreply 233October 28, 2018 7:45 PM

Princess Caroline and Stefano

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by Anonymousreply 234October 28, 2018 7:47 PM

I keep whole industries afloat with my haute couture clothes and fabulous jewels. Harry Winston knows my name!

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by Anonymousreply 235October 28, 2018 7:48 PM

Pierre Casigrahi and Beatrice

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by Anonymousreply 236October 28, 2018 7:49 PM

OK we get it about Sheikha Moza, you tedious cunt.

by Anonymousreply 237October 28, 2018 7:50 PM

R210, Sheikha Mozah's theme.

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by Anonymousreply 238October 28, 2018 7:50 PM

I can rock a veil like no one else.

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by Anonymousreply 239October 28, 2018 7:50 PM

Prince Constantine Alexios, Prince William’s godson

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by Anonymousreply 240October 28, 2018 7:52 PM

I am versatile.

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by Anonymousreply 241October 28, 2018 7:53 PM

Prince Achileas Andreas

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by Anonymousreply 242October 28, 2018 7:54 PM

Prince Nikolai of Denmark

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by Anonymousreply 243October 28, 2018 8:04 PM

Queen Paola of Belgium

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by Anonymousreply 244October 28, 2018 8:08 PM

I don't know why people are posting photos of men on this thread of "royal and princely LADIES of the world".

by Anonymousreply 245October 28, 2018 8:18 PM

Queen Astrid of Sweden

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by Anonymousreply 246October 28, 2018 8:48 PM

Princess Fawzia of Egypt

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by Anonymousreply 247October 28, 2018 9:12 PM

Queen Jetsun Phuma of Bhutan

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by Anonymousreply 248October 28, 2018 9:15 PM

That old photo of the Egyptian princess looks like the only one who could give Sheikha Mozah a run for her husband's money in the Glamour Stakes.

I said it before, perhaps earlier in this thread, this Sheikha Mozah must be our new Queen. Handy, since her husband abdicated so she's not booked up.

She even looks glam in her reading glasses.

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by Anonymousreply 249October 28, 2018 9:58 PM

Princess Fawzia was very glamorous, like an old movie star

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by Anonymousreply 250October 28, 2018 10:04 PM

Princess Fawzia with her family

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by Anonymousreply 251October 28, 2018 10:05 PM

Empress Farrah

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by Anonymousreply 252October 28, 2018 10:15 PM

I like the little turban, it's chic and classy. The atrocious hijab on Emine Erdogan on the other hand... when Emine was a girl she was forced (I think by her oldest brother) to wear this thing on her head and she cried for days. A gross fashion item in every way.

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by Anonymousreply 253October 28, 2018 10:40 PM

And speaking of Farah Diba - leave us not forget the Shah's second wife, and reportedly the love of his life, ex-Queen Soraya. Had she been able to give him a son (she had no children at all), we would never have heard of Farah Diba. Soraya looked like Ava Gardner . . .

by Anonymousreply 254October 28, 2018 11:02 PM

She’s amazing. Every look, weather you like it or not, is perfectly fitted and accessorized.

by Anonymousreply 255October 28, 2018 11:03 PM

Oh wow, ex-queen Soraya really does look like Ava Gardner.

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by Anonymousreply 256October 28, 2018 11:19 PM

The one good thing I can say for the full Hijab is that in older women it covers their thinning hair, turkey necks and double chins.

by Anonymousreply 257October 28, 2018 11:21 PM

....and fat asses, flaring hips, and gunts!

by Anonymousreply 258October 29, 2018 12:07 AM

The hijab is just the head bit, R258, if you want to cover everything you're looking for the "beekeeper suit" as Bill Maher calls it, the burqa.

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by Anonymousreply 259October 29, 2018 6:09 AM

What do you think of this. For some reason the best jewels in the Grimaldi collection (two impressive tiaras, a sapphire necklace tiara, a diamond floral hair ornament) were all left to Princess Caroline instead of being left to the Sovereign. So The Princess of Monaco (Charlene) has only whatever Albert purchased for her. Isn’t that weird? I know Caroline was functioning as both ‘first lady’ and was the de jure Hereditary Princess, but surely they’d know Albert would marry someday.

by Anonymousreply 260October 29, 2018 4:11 PM

[quote] weather you like it...

Oh, DEAR.

by Anonymousreply 261October 29, 2018 4:31 PM

Shieka looks like Ray Liotta has transitioned.

by Anonymousreply 262October 29, 2018 4:46 PM

Princess Ayako of Japan has married and is now a commoner with no rights or privileges of a royal. That's how they treat females in the Japanese royal family. You marry = we're done with you.

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by Anonymousreply 263October 29, 2018 5:20 PM

^^^ that’s a shame too. But I think the House rules all changed after WWII. They can probably blame MacArthur for a lot of the changes. There’s no reason a princess should have to lose her HRH, even if marrying Unequally.

by Anonymousreply 264October 29, 2018 5:22 PM

Correction, her HIH.

by Anonymousreply 265October 29, 2018 5:23 PM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

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by Anonymousreply 266October 29, 2018 6:07 PM

Mary of Denmark, Victoria of Sweden and Maxima of the Netherlands.

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by Anonymousreply 267October 29, 2018 6:08 PM

r260, if this is the kind of accoutrements that the Sovereign Prince of Monaco bestows upon his consort, let the Hanoverian Hag have hers...

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by Anonymousreply 268October 29, 2018 6:15 PM

R266 - she's probably relieved to be free from the Imperial Household. It's the most rigid and strict in the world. Too many rules and too much protocol.

Don't know why the bride is dressed in traditional costume and the groom is in suit. What the hell did they do to her hair? It's like they put glue on it to keep it together. It must have taken hours and a load of staff to get her ready.

by Anonymousreply 269October 29, 2018 6:16 PM

will Princess Mette-Marit get a lung transplant or something?

by Anonymousreply 270October 29, 2018 6:21 PM

R270 we don't know yet. They just diagnosed it and are probably still figuring things out. One article I read said it's been suggested it's autoimmune related which would make ineligible for a transplant.

by Anonymousreply 271October 29, 2018 7:55 PM

There seems to be a curse on the high ranking women of the Norwegian royal family. The present King's mother, Crown Princess Martha, died of cancer before she ever became Queen consort. Queen Maud, the present King's Grandmother and also the great-Aunt of Queen Elizabeth II, died unexpectedly while visiting her brother George V at Sandringham. During the visit she suddenly became ill, it's now believed she suffered a heart attack or stroke, and doctors performed some kind of abdominal surgery. Maud survived the surgery only to have a massive heart attack before she regained consciousness. When Harald became King in 1991, Sonja became the first Queen Consort of Norway in over 50 years.

by Anonymousreply 272October 29, 2018 8:06 PM

R272 Sorry correction Maude was visiting her nephew George VI not George V (George V was dead by this point).

by Anonymousreply 273October 29, 2018 8:08 PM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

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by Anonymousreply 274October 29, 2018 8:10 PM

Are steroids part of the treatment for her condition? It could explain the weight gain.

by Anonymousreply 275October 29, 2018 8:13 PM

I wish we heard and saw more of the Liechtenstein princely family. They are the oldest and wealthiest monarchs in Europe. They also had a black American woman join the family a dozen or so years before ol' Sparkle (Princess Angela).

by Anonymousreply 276October 29, 2018 8:13 PM

I think Mette-Marit is on corticoids given her puffy face. The good thing is, corticoids can diminish the progression of the disease. Of course, there are nasty side effects, like developing osteoporosis, gaining weight etc

by Anonymousreply 277October 29, 2018 8:13 PM

R277 even with cortices the average life expediency is 3-5 years.

by Anonymousreply 278October 29, 2018 8:17 PM

Poor, poor prognosis... but I’m Not sure autoimmune rules her out for a lung transplant. A friend of mine had an autoimmune disease; his lungs failed because of it (in fact he had a liver transplant years before because of it). He was on the transplant list but died before they became available. But this is in the US...maybe other systems/countries have other guidelines.

by Anonymousreply 279October 29, 2018 8:22 PM

I think she's got some autoimmune disease - which would, paradoxically, improve the prognosis. An idiopathic lung fibrosis' prognosis is hardly treatable and worsens quickly.

by Anonymousreply 280October 29, 2018 8:31 PM

Victoria is going to make a beautiful elegant glamorous Queen when she ascends the throne in Sweden.

by Anonymousreply 281October 29, 2018 8:33 PM

Princess Madeline has her own verified Instagram account, and if her Instagram is any indication, she seems very down to earth and “normal” for a royal

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by Anonymousreply 282October 29, 2018 10:09 PM

R279 Yes a lung transplant wouldn't be ruled out if autoimmune disease of the cause of her pulmonary fibrosis. The problem with autoimmune disease is that there is a higher risk of rejection and the long term prognosis even after a lung transplanet is not the greatest. A lung transplant is life extending not life saving. Now, lets not lie to ourseleves she's going to get the best damn care given her status but even with the best treatment, if nothing can be done she has 3 to 5 years. If she has a successful lung transplant, 7 to 10 years.

by Anonymousreply 283October 30, 2018 3:53 AM

Does Princess Madeline live in NYC still?

by Anonymousreply 284October 30, 2018 3:58 AM

R284 No she's now based in London.

by Anonymousreply 285October 30, 2018 4:00 AM

I thought Madeleine just moved to Florida.

by Anonymousreply 286October 30, 2018 4:03 AM

Prince Haakon's second wife could be Princess Beatrice, she'll probably still be single.

by Anonymousreply 287October 30, 2018 4:04 AM

Princess Ayako is far better off as a commoner. The imperial family in Japan is totally controlled by the Imperial Household Agency. It's like being in prison.

by Anonymousreply 288October 30, 2018 4:09 AM

R288 - Crown Prince Naruhito's wife was treated shamefully by the Imperial court. He persuaded Masako to marry him after promising over several years of resistance by her to protect her; she had a promising career as a diplomat before her, and when she was able to have "only" a daughter, who by rights should have been Heir to the throne. And quite coincidentally [cough cough], JUST as the Japanese government was about to change the law to allow a female to ascend the throne, Naruhito's younger brother's wife fell pregnant, and, of course, had a boy. Rumour has it that Imperial courtiers, willing to do anything to prevent a woman from inheriting the throne, quietly persuaded the younger brother and his wife to try for a boy again, even though the younger brother was quite happy with his two daughters. They had a boy, Hisahito, who is now Heir, because he was born JUST in the nick of time before the government could change the law.

No one knows if Hisahito was sex selected medically or not, but at a minimum, the obedient Princess Akishino did what she was told and agreed to have another baby ASAP. I remember the photo of her leaving the hospital with the newborn boy, and her smug happy smile must have been incredibly galling to Masako.

As if, you know, the Japanese Heir was going to be leading armies into battle instead of waving and smiling like all the other leftover royals in western or westernised countries.

It was outrageous. No wonder Masako is so reclusive and depressed.

by Anonymousreply 289October 30, 2018 3:08 PM

The Japanese royals seem so uptight and repressed.

by Anonymousreply 290October 30, 2018 3:14 PM

The Empress of Japan wears cute little hats cocked to the side. She’s like a little doll.

by Anonymousreply 291October 30, 2018 3:46 PM

R287 Haakon has far better taste and would likely have a wide range of women [or men in my dreams] to select. I know this morbid, but I wonder if he will remarry. His grandfather, who was till fairly young when his wife died, remained a widower for the rest of his life (granted King Olav was a stickler for tradition and would have only remarried to a royal princess and it's likely none his age were available). After he relented and allowed King Harald to marry Sonja, Sonja became something of a stand-in Queen often supporting Olav at official events.

by Anonymousreply 292October 30, 2018 3:53 PM

I'm sure Datalounge is crying out for a thread about suitable artisocratic second wives for Prince Haakon.

by Anonymousreply 293October 30, 2018 4:00 PM

I suspect he’s a kind and gentle man, and will hold Mette Marit’s memory in his heart forever and not remarry. I know, Mary!

by Anonymousreply 294October 30, 2018 4:25 PM

R293 I'd marry Haakon in a heartbeat. Actually I'd be happy just blowing him.

by Anonymousreply 295October 30, 2018 4:26 PM

R293 - Fear not, secretly, Meghan Markle and her handler, Jessica Mulroney, are already on this. Harry is toast.

Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode in which Elaine explains her strategy of comforting the male half of a splitting couple, and the trajectory between "I'm there for you" to, suddenly, just, "I'm THERE."

by Anonymousreply 296October 30, 2018 6:08 PM

R291 - Too right. The Japanese court makes the Windsors look like socialist progressives.

by Anonymousreply 297October 30, 2018 6:10 PM

R296 Maybe Jessica Mulroney will leave her gay husband for Haakon?

by Anonymousreply 298October 30, 2018 6:16 PM

The second wife needs to be in her mid thirties or thereabouts by the time Haakon's single, that way he gets to avoid any ugliness regarding the age difference while still getting a bride who's fertile.

Luxembourg has two minor princesses - Maria-Anunciata and Maria-Astrid, pictured here with their hot brother Prince Josef-Emanuel. They're a bit homely, mind.

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by Anonymousreply 299October 30, 2018 6:29 PM

r299. throw a tiara on either one of them and they would do fine.

by Anonymousreply 300October 30, 2018 6:30 PM

This is Maria-Annunciata with another homely but single royal gal, Princess Maria Laura of Belgium.

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by Anonymousreply 301October 30, 2018 6:37 PM

R299 - Why would he want a bride who is fertile? He already has two with Mette-Marit, so the succession is secured. What is more likely is that, as usual, the second wife herself will want the kid as insurance. Prince Joachim of Denmark's second wife didn't lose any time popping out their two children, and he already had two with the ex. Of course, he was the younger brother, not the Crown Prince, but still.

Haakon will almost certainly remarry eventually, and given that he'll probably be nearly fifty when he does, she is likely to be in her thirties, but the issue of children is more likely to be the bride's concern, not Haakon's.

What a pity one of the two younger Dutch princesses isn't a bit older, or the younger daughters of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. It's so long since we've had a real European royal alliance! The Spanish Infantas are also too young (as well as Catholic).

I think it's really time for a major European royal wedding where both halves are mega-royal.

by Anonymousreply 302October 30, 2018 6:44 PM

He could always try the non-sovereign royal houses, there are plenty of those knocking around.

by Anonymousreply 303October 30, 2018 6:46 PM

I still think Beatrice should go for it. She could get some work done on that weird mouth of hers, get a stylist, and console Haakon during his widowerhood. One thing invariably leads to another, and then she's queen.

It's a better gig than her current prospects (which is Aging Yacht Girl). She needs to wait until after the wedding to tell him Fergie's living with them though.

by Anonymousreply 304October 30, 2018 6:53 PM

😂 R304

by Anonymousreply 305October 30, 2018 6:55 PM

Given that Haakon married a commoner single mother with an extremely wild past, he is under no pressure to marry a fellow royal. In all honestly, I wouldn't envy the woman who becomes his second wife. Not only would she likely go right from commoner to Queen, she would constantly be compared to the dead wife.

My personal view is Haakon won't remarry, maybe he'll get some on the side, but he clearly is devoted to his wife and will not get over her premature death easily. Rumours were that a few years ago their marriage was on the rocks because she allegedly had an affair with a wealthy Norwegian/America business man. Apparently both the King and Queen pushed Haakon to formally separate from her (a decision he allegedly mulled over for a bit) but he ultimately forgave her and they seem closer now than they have in a years. When his wife dies and Haakon eventually becomes King, I think his mother will continue to act as something of a consort (if she's in good enough shape) until his eldest child is done schooling.

by Anonymousreply 306October 30, 2018 7:07 PM

R306 - I didn't say he was under any pressure to do so, but it certainly would be fun and a change after all these common girls :)

And I don't think his marriage to M-M was really happy.

As for Beatrice going for it - he wouldn't touch her with the proverbial barge-pole, including his own. No, it's going to have to be someone pretty, unthreatening, youthful but motherly, and very attractive. He'll end up with someone more like Princess Marie, Prince Joachim of Denmark's second wife.

by Anonymousreply 307October 30, 2018 8:39 PM

Frederik of Denmark.

Period.

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by Anonymousreply 308October 30, 2018 8:39 PM

[quote]Frederik of Denmark.

he's a lady?

by Anonymousreply 309October 30, 2018 8:40 PM

Maybe an eligible aristocratic lady.

by Anonymousreply 310October 30, 2018 9:01 PM

R304 - I don't think Beatrice would make it as a yacht girl. Face it, those Saudi sheiks want young and hard-muscled and sexy. Beatrice isn't any of those things and doesn't carry enough cachet to compensat.

I did hear yachting rumours on Enty's site about Pippa Middleton, Queen Letizia, and, of course, Sparkle.

by Anonymousreply 311October 30, 2018 10:44 PM

How about this well bred filly, Lady Alexandra Gordon-Lennox. 32 year old daughter of the Duke of Richmond, a title dating back to the 1600s.

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by Anonymousreply 312October 31, 2018 12:18 AM

R312 - Now you're talking!

Athough at 32 she not want to wait five years for M-M to die and then another couple of years for Haakon to be able to marry again gracefully.

How about Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg? She's 27, perfect, and very lovely, single I believe. Of course . . . there's the little matter of her Catholicism . . . but they can work that out.

by Anonymousreply 313October 31, 2018 12:27 AM

Princess Alexandra seems pleasant enough, has good breeding and is the right age. I suppose late 20s is perhaps better than early 30s if there's to be a ten year wait until Haakon is ready to remarry.

There are probably some Austrian Archduchesses knocking around too, but it's not quite the same if they're not from an officially recognised house.

by Anonymousreply 314October 31, 2018 1:45 AM

I'm still on Team Lady Alexandra though. Aside from the genealogy, she grew up in Goodwood House, which has its own racetrack, and her father has a net worth of £211m. That's a good marriage.

Blonde too, and Haakon likes them.

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by Anonymousreply 315October 31, 2018 1:51 AM

How long will Hotkon wait before remarrying?

by Anonymousreply 316October 31, 2018 2:41 AM

R316 - Depends upon whether you mean publicly or private. Look what happened with Daniel Barenboin and Jacqueline Du Pre. Especially as I think the marriage had broken down more than people realise. He could begin quietly dating before she dies, then wait a year to go public. If not, he has to wait at least a year after she dies to start dating, and at least a year or two after that to marry again.

It's not just the public, he has the sensibilities of their two children to think about.

by Anonymousreply 317October 31, 2018 1:00 PM

Why are you guys spending so much time talking about Prince Haakon's second wife, when Mette-Marit is so healthy that she's still doing events and such?

by Anonymousreply 318October 31, 2018 1:40 PM

R318 I agree not in the best of taste, but isn't that what DL is notorious for. The sad reality is though that with her condition, Mette-Marit only has a few years left.

by Anonymousreply 319October 31, 2018 1:49 PM

R319, that isn't true. She can have a lung transplant and live for many years. I know someone who is OLD and had her transplant at about 65 and she's lived another 20 years.

by Anonymousreply 320October 31, 2018 2:00 PM

Why do we think they had a bad marriage?

by Anonymousreply 321October 31, 2018 2:04 PM

R320 We don't know if a lung transplant is a viable option yet. A lung transplant is typically a life saving treatment, rather it is generally life extending. The person you knew is very luck as according to the Mayo Clinic the life expectancy after a lunch transplant is an average of 7 years.

by Anonymousreply 322October 31, 2018 5:44 PM

R318 - Mette-Marit's condition is a progressive one that for awhile will allow her to carry out many ordinary life activities. It is, however, an irreversible progressive disease, and eventually she will be unable to go about without an oxygen tube trailing behind her, and breathing will become more and more laboured, and her energy levels decrease sharply. The woman I knew who died of this was the wife of a well to do and well connected internist, and there was little he could do to help her. She lived only three years after diagnosis, and at the last, was on a respirator which her husband finally had to tell the hospital remove, because, as he put it, "I could not allow her suffering to continue." It was a dreadful situation.

No one lives for many years with progressive, chronic, pulmonary fibrosis (unless the diagnosis has been wrongly stated here). It is virtually a death sentence, no different from metastatic cancer. Mette-Marit has, depending on where the disease is in progression when diagnosed, at most 5-7 years.

We may assume she will have the best medical treatment available - but then, so did my friend's wife.

by Anonymousreply 323October 31, 2018 9:20 PM

Fun fact r292: the Queen Mother was actually thought of as a potential girlfriend or mate for widowed King Olav. Both were widowed and single and got on well, but alas no romance ensued.

by Anonymousreply 324November 1, 2018 2:47 AM

^^^ both had brown teeth too

by Anonymousreply 325November 1, 2018 2:50 AM

The Queen Mum would never have considered another husband, let alone a foreign one. British to the core. No idea how King Olav felt, but no way the Queen Mum would have considered it.

by Anonymousreply 326November 1, 2018 2:06 PM

Olav was very influenced by British culture, believe me. His mother Queen Maude was a British princess and his grandfather King Edward VII. He spent three months a year with her visiting Britain, she retained a property there until her death.

by Anonymousreply 327November 1, 2018 2:21 PM

R324 I've never heard that before, but the Queen Mum and King Olav were very fond of each other and had a great deal of correspondence with each other over the years. Indeed, the Queen Mum was guest of honour at Olav's 80th birthday celebrations in Oslo in 1983. Olav was very well liked by the present Queen as well and I believe he was the only foreign monarch during the Queen's reign to be honoured with all major royal orders: Order of the Garter, the Order of the Thistle, the Order of Bath, and the Royal Victorian Chain. Most European Monarchs will get the Garter and that's it. There is no way the Queen Mum would have considered marriage with Olav, I doubt she would have wanted to move to Norway nor would Elizabeth II have wanted her mother, whom she relied on a great deal, to be so far away.

by Anonymousreply 328November 1, 2018 2:35 PM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

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by Anonymousreply 329November 2, 2018 3:45 PM

The suicide was only five months ago. That must have been painful. I have to give her credit for keeping her composure. I don't think I could have managed.

by Anonymousreply 330November 2, 2018 4:07 PM

Queen Letizia lost her own sister to suicide.

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by Anonymousreply 331November 2, 2018 5:36 PM

My favorite royal is Queen Mathilde of the Belgians. Her beauty comes from within.

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by Anonymousreply 332November 4, 2018 5:47 PM

The King and Queen of Belgium have two girls and two boys. The eldest girl is the Crown Princess.

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by Anonymousreply 333November 4, 2018 5:53 PM

The Queens of Belgium and the Netherlands.

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by Anonymousreply 334November 4, 2018 5:54 PM

Mathilde and Philippe were in Austria a coiuple of weeks ago, attending the opening of a Bruegel-related exhibition at Vienna's main museum of art and history of art. According to a friend of mine who had to deal with them, Mathilde was a pleasant lady, very polite and genuinely interested in stuff, not pretentious or pompous due to her position.

by Anonymousreply 335November 4, 2018 5:55 PM

Elisabeth will be the next Queen of Belgium. She's currently attending school in Wales.

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by Anonymousreply 336November 4, 2018 5:55 PM

R335 - that's nice to hear. Thanks for the info.

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by Anonymousreply 337November 4, 2018 5:58 PM

Mathilde had a visit with the Queen this summer at Windsor.

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by Anonymousreply 338November 4, 2018 6:00 PM

That’s a rather fartsy outfit they dressed the young Belgian crown princess in. I guess she has to look conservative as a future head of state and as a Catholic Monarch. But still. She looks like she’s going to cocktail hour on a senior citizen cruise.

by Anonymousreply 339November 4, 2018 7:33 PM

It has been announced that Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is taking time off from royal duties due to illness (intestinal infection?).

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by Anonymousreply 340November 5, 2018 3:10 PM

Princess Charlene of Monaco is already pretty masculine so I don't think this look is very flattering.

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by Anonymousreply 341November 5, 2018 3:12 PM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

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by Anonymousreply 342November 5, 2018 3:55 PM

R341 - It's those swimmer's shoulders.

by Anonymousreply 343November 5, 2018 4:36 PM

Is Charlene as isolated as Grace was in Monaco? At least Grace had a country house and lover in France, didn't she? Charlene is likely haunted by her husband's three illegitimate kids, the last of which, an infant, was declared on the eve of her wedding. I hope she has recovered from that awful wedding where she was alternately tearful and austere, the antithesis of any bride anywhere, royal or not. Does she have anything useful or substantive to do with her life in that fishbowl that is Monaco? The place is so tiny and populated by rich, gross, dissolute tax exiles. Or does she just hide out at the palace only to be jaunted out for show by her ugly, ungainly bloated "husband" Albert when he needs a good-looking side piece? He has to be the ugliest, most disenfranchised "royal" if His "Serene" Highness counts for anything in Europe outside of his billions. It really looks like his wife can't enjoy the cash outside of luxury brand spending which really must get old and boring after a while.

by Anonymousreply 344November 12, 2018 6:40 AM

You seem really charming and kind, R344.

by Anonymousreply 345November 12, 2018 2:22 PM

Apparently, a series of Crowned and One Day Will Be Crowned Heads will be attending Charles's huge 70th birthday bash at Buck House, so the British and Other European Royals threads will perforce overlap. Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark have already put up a post stating that they will be attending. The only question is: will it be gowns and tiaras or just gowns?

by Anonymousreply 346November 12, 2018 3:08 PM

R346 Charles held similar events when he turned 50 and again at 60 and there were no tiaras just evening wear.

by Anonymousreply 347November 12, 2018 3:24 PM

It just dawned on me Charles is turning 70 with both his parents still alive that's not all that common even with longer life spans.

by Anonymousreply 348November 12, 2018 3:27 PM

r348, Lilibet inherited a flux of good English genes from her long lived mother. Philip gets hybrid vigor from the diverse gene populations that created his parents.

Charles is benefiting from centuries of sturdy mating in a world where it really isn't necessary for survival.

Result...longevity.

[On a personal level, my ancestors bred to digest large quantities of hard animal fat. In a world where I ingest small quantities of animal products, the result...low cholesterol. ]

Charles could become king in his 80s.

by Anonymousreply 349November 12, 2018 4:30 PM

R347, but Merching Meg will want to wear a tiara - and do not forget: What Meghan wants, Meghan gets!

by Anonymousreply 350November 12, 2018 4:35 PM

The Grimaldi’s have a beautiful chateau in France in a park like setting. Rainier and Grace used to spend time there but I also heard that Rainier’s mother Princess Charlotte used it as her love nest and later used it as a rehab center when she became a social worker. I wouldn’t be surprised if Charlene spends time there to escape the tackiness of Monaco, but if she still hasn’t picked up French she’d be a bit of a pariah.

by Anonymousreply 351November 12, 2018 4:37 PM

R347 - Well, that is too bad. We will just have to make do with magnificent jewels distributed on ears, necks, wrists, fingers, and bosoms.

Unless I'm mistaken, or we haven't seen it yet, Meghan hasn't been given on permanent loan one of the family tiaras, as Kate has, or been given a new one as a wedding gift.

Diana had the Spencer tiara to alternate with the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara, and of course she had the Saudi (or was it Qatar?) sapphire demi-parure that she got as a wedding gift.

Except for the Cartier diamond bracelet that was allegedly a wedding gift from Charles or the BRF, I haven't heard about Meghan getting a tiara of her "own". She's only been seen in the Queen Mary Bandeau.

So, lost opportunity to see what the next stage of Tiara Gate would have been.

Still hoping Kate shows up in those emeralds.

by Anonymousreply 352November 12, 2018 5:15 PM

The sooner the plug is pulled on these insulting stupid circuses, the better.

by Anonymousreply 353November 12, 2018 5:24 PM

Can someone explain to me HOW the Japanese Monarchs are so controlled (R288) compared to useless Western royals or relatively more powerful Asian Monarchs? How can the Japanese Monarchs themselves not say NO to anything?

by Anonymousreply 354November 13, 2018 3:36 AM

R354 - The Gray Suits in the Imperial Household keep a very close eye on the Japanese royal family. They have the strictest rules and protocol of any royal family in the world. The royals can't piss without permission. That's why some of the women who marry into the family suffer some form of mental illness (Empress Michiko, Crown Princess Masako).

by Anonymousreply 355November 13, 2018 3:02 PM

Queen Sofía hates the gays. Said that if we have Gay Pride parades, why not ones for straight people? She’s also strongly opposed to gay marriage. Awful woman.

Queen Paola of Belgium is a legendary cunt also.

by Anonymousreply 356November 30, 2018 3:52 PM

Legendary Cunt, haven't we seen the adverts shot by Avedon?

by Anonymousreply 357November 30, 2018 5:10 PM

Duke of Alba and his sons.

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by Anonymousreply 358December 20, 2018 1:03 PM

The glamorous former Duchess of Feria, Nati Abascal, and her sons Rafael de Medina y Abascal, 20th Duke of Feria, and Luis de Medina y Abascal.

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by Anonymousreply 359December 21, 2018 1:56 AM

You lot should keep an eye on billedbladet.dk as the Danish Royal Family comes out in full mufti tonight for the annual New Year's Eve Diplomatic Reception. Queen Margrethe, Crown Princess Mary, and Princess Marie, as well as the Queen's sister, Pss. Benedikte, will all show up in gowns, tiaras, the Order of the Elephant draped across their chests, and of course, furs against the chilly Danish winter night.

I believe billedbladet not only shows a video of the royals getting out of their limos and going into Christiansborg Palace, but possibly crossing the beautiful black and white marble floors into the reception room.

Should be plenty of gowns and jewels on display.

by Anonymousreply 360December 31, 2018 3:45 PM

Oh yes it’s wonderful! One of those courts though, QMII has worn the same blue dress for the last few years. I wonder if she considers it the ‘uniform’ for the event. She looks like a Russian Boyar lady in it, which is a fine tribute to her Romanov ancestors. via her descent from The Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia.

by Anonymousreply 361December 31, 2018 4:21 PM

Hmmm - they should have been arriving by now . . . wonder what's up?

by Anonymousreply 362December 31, 2018 9:05 PM

My bad - it's the Queen's New Year's address that's given on NYE - the Diplomatic Reception is New Year's Day.

And, yes, R361, QM does seem to favour that blue gown with the fur trim. I'm always amused at the flat she wears as she sits most of the time now. She looks more and more to me like Mother Goose, especially when she wears her specs.

Apologies for raising expectations for this evening . . .

by Anonymousreply 363December 31, 2018 9:10 PM

*flat shoes she wears (ditto at the opening of the Folketing in eary fall)

by Anonymousreply 364December 31, 2018 9:11 PM

I remember she had her knee replaced or something not too long back, and she had a cane during her recovery. Those brown flats add no glamour to that outfit, for sure. But if that blue and fur thing is her official garb for that event, I guess so be it. I just don’t like when she wears it to more than one of the three event, which I think she did last year.

by Anonymousreply 365December 31, 2018 11:22 PM

Also, I believe they hold the reception at Amalienborg, not Christiansborg Palace.

by Anonymousreply 366January 1, 2019 2:17 PM

Ah, at last we have the Danish royals about to arrive at Amalienborg (live video on billedblader). Looks windy and chilly in Copenhagen.

by Anonymousreply 367January 1, 2019 4:46 PM

R365 - QM was much cheerier this year in coral, Pss. Marie looked very nice in cream satin, and Crown Princess Mary was unusually subdued in muted colours.

by Anonymousreply 368January 1, 2019 11:23 PM

HM wore the blue dress again, for the 1/3 and 1/4 levees. CP Mary also wore the same color blue, similar siloutte as HM. So I guess it’s now the ‘uniform’ for these events.

by Anonymousreply 369January 4, 2019 3:04 PM

R363 & R365 I believe Queen M suffers from bad arthritis. She's has had both her knees replaced and also back surgery several years ago.

by Anonymousreply 370January 4, 2019 3:23 PM

CP Mary wore the brooch from her Napoleanic ruby parure, she wore it at her neck and cleverly suspended two ruby and diamond drops from it, giving it a different look. She’s very good with making the most out of her jewelry.

by Anonymousreply 371January 5, 2019 1:30 AM

R244 Queen Paola of Belgium reminds me of Jean Seberg.

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by Anonymousreply 372June 20, 2019 10:20 AM

Olav was really handsome.

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by Anonymousreply 373June 20, 2019 10:40 AM
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