Royals Royals Everywhere and Not A Drop to Drink . . .

Would it have killed you to post a picture, or even a link?

What about the current locus of evil in the world, Crown Princess Victoria's second child, Prince Oskar? Is he ripping the wings off of swans?

R1 - OP here - I don't know how. Apologies, that's why I referred folk to Point de Vue.

R2 - Prince Oskar looks a little like Prince Louis of Cambridge, don't you think? And also seems to have the same impish charm.

He looks like a creepy ventriloquist dummy.

R5 - Oh, come now. He's just displaying a little boy's pirate grin.

However, both Victoria's kids look like her and not their father, who is better looking than she is. It's the unfortunate chin.

It can't have been easy on Victoria being the Heir whilst her younger sister, far more blessed with classically balanced features and their father's blondness and blue eyes, was hailed as "the prettiest princess in Europe".

The biggest princess in Europe is Crown Princess Catharina Amalia (they call her Amalia) of The Netherlands. She is already taller than her 5'10" Mum and nearly as tall as her father, King Willem-Alexander. And Amalia isn't tall and slender, but tall and chunky. She has a sweet face and pretty hair, but man is she BIG.

The other two daughters of Maxima and Willem, even though younger, seem to be finer boned. The one who turned 15 today, Princess Alexia, is much smaller than the 17 year old Amalia, but has the not too pretty horse face of of her mother. The youngest daughter, Ariane, has the same round sweet face of the oldest daughter - these two look like their father and grandmother, ex-Queen Beatrix.

Would the darling Tiara Troll and people putting up OT royal news on threads like the Kensington Palace Blasts Kate Middleton Cover Story move that stuff over here? The original thread topic is long played out but people keep putting stuff there that this thread was created to hold.

Ta.

Prince Felix, the younger son of Prince Joachim of Denmark from Joachim's first marriage, is just turning 18. Unlike his older brother, Prince Felix looks like his Danish father (the older son shows the mixture of Asian and Dane, their mother being Anglo-Chinese).

Felix is quite adorable with a suspiciously twinkish air about him.

Before you start bashing me, I don't know how to post links. Check out Billed-Bladet, it's right there.

The older brother is also very good looking and is trying to carve out a career as a model

Princess Amalia could be whittled down to her slimmest and be a knockout. She is a healthy girl, reminds me of Kristen Johnson or Kirstie Alley. Some men find that very attractive; usually they are physically opposite.

[quote]What about the current locus of evil in the world, Crown Princess Victoria's second child, Prince Oskar?

You need to be better informed. And watch your back.

R9, posting links is easy: copy the website link in the search bar thingy at the top of the relevant website and then paste it into the "Web Site Link" box below the reply box here on DL.

Get back to us if you don't know how to know how to copy/paste.

I think Prince Felix is adorable. Yum.

Kate and William made an appearance at the NHS in King's Lynn, which is close by their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, in recognition of the 72nd anniversary of the NHS. Both wore blue, the NHS colour, and they looked, as always, exactly the way the know they need to look: warm, friendly, well but not over stylishly dressed, accessible, and soothing.

R7 William (6'3") & Kate's (5'9") children should be exceptionally tall for The Windsor family. I'd imagine that even Princess Charlotte will be very close to 6ft.

R15 - Given that Charlotte appears also to have inherited Diana's beautiful legs and slim hips (as looks like it from William's Father's Day/Birthday photo), I think you're right, she is going to be really tall with those racehorse legs. Remains to be seen if any of the kids also inherited the fabled Windsor complexion.

In other news, Lady Colin Cambell's book on Meghan (and Harry LOL) has hit the TIMES best-seller lists (that's UK TIMES, it hasn't been released in America yet, although it has fallen steeply in pre-order sales according to Amazon).

I note utter silence from the BRF on the latest legal submissions by Meghan against the Mail, in which she repeats the same mistake for which the court slapped her hands in the initial Complaint at the pre-trial hearing: bringing in extraneous issues with no bearing on the privacy issue on which she based the suit, trying to use a privacy suit to carry a de facto slander suit, and slandering the British royal family as she does by telling outright porkies that the court will spot immediately.

The Danish Royal Family has gone to Graasten for their annual summer visit, and Princess Isabella is apparently taking on her father's keen interest in tennis and is turning out far prettier than she looked to be in childhood. The next heir looks just like his mother but with blue eyes, and once past the acne currently ravaging Prince Christian's face, will be one of the handsomest most fiercely hunted royal catches in Europe in ten years.

As mentioned in other posts - QEII and Queen Margrethe should already be in negotiations for Charlotte's hand for Christian. He's about 8 years older than she. Perfect. He'll be 32, she'll be 24 - imagine the wedding, just imagine it! The first royal wedding in how long where both bride and groom are actually - fully royal and HRHs in their own rights!

^* this should have read: "although the Scobie fan book on Meghan (and Harry) has fallen steeply in pre-order sales according to Amazon) . . .

[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.]

Here's another link.

R18 - They do look like a happy family, but lordy Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia is one huge armful.

Prince Albert of Monaco's illegitimate daughter Jazmin-Grace Grimaldi has tested positive for Covid.

Poor kid...not easy being an overweight teen and in the public eye. It looks like she crossed the line from pleasantly plump to overweight during lockdown. She is a beautiful girl and would have killer cheekbones if she slimmed down.

Photos of the Danish royal family on vacation.

R22 - Agree. If she kept the weight down she'd be rather like Lady Kitty Spencer, who is a seriously zaftig babe herself. Williem is much prettier than his wife, who isn't really pretty at all with her weak chin, bad skin, sallow colouring (which looks dreadful in orange, which Maxima has to wear frequently because, well, you know, House of Orange and all that), and luckily the girls all seem to have inherited their father's fresh Dutch colouring and delicate features. But the line between "statuesque" (good) and "BIG" (not good) is a fine one and Amalia has definitely crossed that line . . .

The Danes, as usual, look a very attractive family. Mary is pushing 50, and Princess Josephine seems to be suddenly emerging from a rather plain little girl into a prettier one.

And as for Prince Vincent - he already bids fair to be terribly good looking when he grows up - like his older brother, who has his mother's dark hair and features but his father's blue eyes.

I've always been partial to dark hair and blue or green eyes.

R21 - JG-G seems a nice, level-headed enough young lady, considering, although I do hate the blonding.

Not one single solitary child or grandchild (so far as we know yet, some are still small children) of Grace Kelly got anything like her perfectly, classic looks.

The best looking of the lost in terms of classic features were Caroline's daughter, Charlotte, and the middle son, Prince Pierre.

^*best looking of the LOT (not lost)

[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.]

Hopefully Prince Guillaume’s son won’t inherit his closeted father’s face or lobster red skin.

[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.]

Swipe for photos of the Norwegian Crown Prince and Princess with their family.

I think Prince Vincent sounds like a character in a Danny Kaye movie......

R31 - I though "Vincent" an odd choice myself. If it has family connections? His twin's name, Josephine, of course goes to family history.

I was surprised they didn't name the first daughter Josephine rather than the more au courant, flirty "Isabella", and save the latter for a daughter farther down the line of succession.

Every time I hear the name "Josephine", all I can see is Tony Curtis fleeing Chicago in drag and getting on the train to Florida in "Some Like It Hot" and telling the band leader that his name is Josephine.

They may as well have named the kid Prince Valiant.

For what it's worth, the young Danish prince's full name is: Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander. I believe Minik is a Greenlandic name; Josephine has an Inuit Greenlandic name as well in her four: Ivalo - although the Inuit spelling is Ivalu, and is a very popular name for girls in Greenland, which is part of Denmark.

Prince Sverre of Norway is a big kid too.

I thought I bought Greenlands.

R35 - GreenlanD, Donald, GreenlanD - not GreenlandS.

GreenlandS is a Health and Wellness store in Delray Beach, Florida.

Prince Haakon of Norway is hot.

[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.]

The Belgian royal family at the National Day celebrations today. Swipe for photos.

Queen Mathilde of Belgium in another outfit today. Her mask matches her dress.

The pellet with the poison is in the vessel with the pestle - the flagon with the dragon has the brew that is true.

Prince George turned seven today and KP released a charming set of photos taken by Kate, of course, with lots of arguments following online about who he looks like. They've all got it wrong, of course, because the person he really looks like is King George VI, the Queen's father, and George's great-great-grandfather . . .

[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.]

Prince Felix of Denmark is 18 years old today. Both Felix and his brother Nikolai are quite dishy. Swipe for photos.

If everything goes smoothly, Europe will have six Queens in the future. Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden all have females in direct line of succession.

R44 - The older brother, Nikolai, is pursuing a career as a model. He has his mother's looks to some extent, whilst the younger boy, Felix looks like Joachim and very Danish. They are both dishy.

Of Joachim's two kids with the second wife, Marie, the boy already looks handsome and the little girl, unfortunately, quite plain.

R38 - The bride looks charming, but the groom looks like John Cassavetes on the set of "Rosemary's Baby". I see trouble ahead.

I do love her full title:

Archduchess of Austria, Royal Princess of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia.

Tasteful friends...swipe for photos of the Middleton home (Kate's parents, Carole and Michael).

Three Princess Margaret gifs. What did Philip say to her in the third one to put her in such a bitch of a mood? If looks could kill, he'd be a dead man. LOL.

R33, that was interesting to learn. Thanks for that!

And now I wonder about Greenland and if they have Covid there.

R49 - "If you had been there, we could have saved the Bentley."

Prince Charles has a video message to celebrate the Queen's official residences now being opened to the public again.

We were talking about the Grimaldis over on the princess Beatrice thread. My comment on Charlene is that she does have that chilly, regal air of mystery. Not someone you picture squatting down to hug children - thank God. Although she does seem to like her own.

R53 - Charlene is something of a mystery. No one anywhere believes she is personally happy, but I do think she adores the children and the wealth. That some sort of "understanding" frames the marriage is nearly a universal given. My guess is that outside of official duties and parenting, they are living separate lives.

Her smiles never seem to reach her eyes. Albert needed heirs to prevent Monaco from being returned as a French protectorate, or from being passed through to Caroline's son, Andrea.

Male primogeniture still governs succession in Monaco, despite being over in every other monarchy in Europe, including Britain's - actually, I'm not sure about Luxembourg and Lichtenstein . . .

Will & Kate's Royal Foundation has donated nearly 1.8 million pounds to 10 charities. Swipe for photos and video.

R55 - Yes, for all the noise Harry makes about his devotion to his charitable work and how much he and Meghan "care" and all their videos and their leaks about BLM and Travelyst, it's W&K who made the big grant to the most pressing need at home.

Small wonder the Cambridges are Top of the Pops these days in Britain. And since it's Britain monarchy they are part of, that's all the popularity that counts.

It's Tiara Time...swipe for the Brunswick Tiara worn by Princess Caroline of Monaco and Hanover.

Swipe for The Girls of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Tiara.

R54 Weirdly, I like my "royals" that way. Traditionally chilly and perfunctory.

R57 - Wow, Caroline looks rough - she's aging almost as badly as Sarah Ferguson. "Shopworn" is the word that comes to mind for both women . . .

However, the last photo of the original wearer, Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia, shows a remarkably lovely young woman.

R58 - Love the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, but it was vastly improved by removing the pearl tops worn by Queen Mary initially and replacing them with diamonds.

It's amazing to think one day Kate will be wearing all these - except possible for the George IV Diadem, which I think is usually worn by Queens Regant, not consorts?

Caroline looks fine. She's in her 60s. Too much sun and smoking in her youth, maybe, but not too bad. No look of hideous surgery. She's slim and always chic.

For all of the British Royals here... a documentary on The Princess Royal at 70 will be on ITV next Wednesday. Here's a preview.

Luxemburg is an oddity in terms of succession. It came into being because of female succession in the Netherlands, thanks to the Nassau Family Pact,, but it changed the rules and has since had two ruling Grand Duchesses.

R53 Yes, there is a story there. It’s weird because she hung on Albert for years but as soon as he married her, she turned tragic and sad.

Kate's brother James introduces new members of his family. Swipe for an adorable video.

It's Tiara Time...Part One. Swipe for the wedding tiaras of the British royal family. I love all of the Fringe tiaras.

Tiara Time - Part Two of the wedding tiaras. Favorites are the Iveagh, Festoon and Meander tiaras. The Greville Emerald tiara is in a class by itself.

[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.]

Prince Joachim of Denmark (Nikolai and Felix' father) is recovering from an emergency brain surgery operation. He was rushed to hospital in Toulouse, France for a blood clot and is now in stable condition.

Isn't that a definition of a stroke, a blood clot on the brain?

Those can be lethal or cause lasting damage even if the patient recovers, due to scarring.

Swipe for photos of the christenings of the Queen's grandchildren.

AT this rate i don't think Spain will be a monarchy in a near future.

Unlike other countries there are not strong feelings linked to monarchy and people used to be loyal to Juan Carlos I but his image deteriorated a lot in recent years and he is in the middle of another scandal

R73 - Another scandal? How much worse could it have gotten?

Do tell.

Well, he is in the middle of a corruption scandal (a huge one), and there are rumours he want to leave the former queen for a married woman.

In Spain monarchy was a taboo theme for years and years. Juan Carlos was on the throne because Franco wanted him on the throne, but his role on the spanish transition (Spain went from a long dictatorship regime to a modern country in a quite short span of time) put him in a really good place. Even parties that were traditionall close to a republican regime were fond of him.

He rarely was questioned, even when in the 90's one minister was very ill and he was needed to sign the legal order to change the minister and he was nowhere to be found (he was with one of his lovers).

Every journalist who questioned them in Spain had trouble, but that incident made the european press put their eyes on Juan Carlos, and something started to change.

Anyway, he has a good image (most political parties promote his good image) and he was loved, but the elephant incident was the beginning of the end. He was questioned in the press because he was fond of hunt (sometimes in very dubious ways) but he was caught on a picture with a killed elephant and with Corinna. Probably it wouldn't happen anything if he wasn't injured in that travel, but he was and the pic ended in the media.

He had to apologize.

Then it happened the Urdangarín scandal (and Cristina should have end in jail with him), so the monarchy was very deteriorated (and Spain unlike UK is not a country that fond of monarchs, maybe because Spain would be a way richer country if our kings weren't blantantly stupid in the past).

Felipe has a good image (most people are not that fond of Letizia) but unlike his father (who had a role on the 23-F) he has nothing to sustain his role. So the monarchy right now is probably at its lowest in terms of popularity, and unlike in the past there are political parties that want them out openly.

They did a lot of mistakes on recent times. Even the former queen who was usually discreet was trashed when a biography was published (she is not gay friendly or like divorced people, even when one of her daughters is divorced).

So it was mistake after mistake after mistake .

And both princesses are adorable, they are very inteligent and beautiful girls, but for most people they are cold and distant because their education seems too strict (of course being soft on the education is not a good idea like their older cousins, who had some little scandals by themselves, show)

Why is this greyed out? There’s hardly mention of those unmentionables. Is it now verboten to speak of ANY royalty?

🦪

R75 - Thanks for that, very informative.

The young Infantas do seem quite lovely, and I can't fathom why they would be expected to be anything but distant at their ages - they really have to be.

Letizia always struck me as being cold and controlling, but then, Felipe's mother, Sofia, also was.

I cannot believe JC would be so stupid as to divorce Sofia at this late date. She endured endless humiliation from him, stuck to her duties which I believe she carried out very well, and it's not strange that having converted to Catholicism in the 1960s she should hold such conservative views. Perhaps it's lucky for her husband that she did.

She is still referred to as Queen Sofia, is she not?

Letizia had some very nice early years after the marriage (I hated Pertegaz's dress on her, it was too much cloth for such a small-boned girl, although the dress itself was beautiful), but I think that quickly evaporated.

But I agree, the feelings toward their monarchy aren't on the level of the British and Danish, who see their monarchies as deeply entwined with their national history and identity.

For what it's worth: I saw Felipe and Letizia in Santa Fe, NM, when they arrived to help dedicate St. Francis Cathedral's elevation to a Basilica. I stood five feet away from them.

Felipe was incredibly handsome, gave a lovely speech, and was warm and engaging.

Letizia barely smiled, on the podium looked fixedly over the crowd's head, and couldn't hide how bored she was and how desperately she wished she were somewhere else. I was startled at her utter lack of warmth and inability to do what royals are supposed to do: look like they wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I suppose she didn't care because it wasn't Spain. But of all the places to do that: Spanish America.

She was very petite and very attractive, but it was Felipe who impressed more.

[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.]

"Marchioness of Milford Haven" - always liked that title. Nice ring to it. Cressida's mother-in-law.

Diana's niece, Lady Amelia Spencer is engaged to be married.

Will on video today talking about the Heads Up mental health campaign.

Swipe for the Queen's great grandchildren.

God she's pretty - look at that skin and huge blue eyes!

What happened to Lady Kitty Spencer and that 60 year old multizillionaire she is engaged to and allegedly converting to Judaism to marry?

Oh, please, God: not another major wedding done in secret with 20 people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bad enough we got deprived of all those photos with Eugenie and now Cressida Bonas . . . !

Not Diana's zaftig blonde model niece with her mega-zillions husband, too!!!!

of blood. OP?

So, apropos mention of how big Crown Princess Amalia of The Netherlands is, the DM has a piece up about the Spanish magazine "Caras" referring to her as showing her "plus-size" look, and receiving heated criricism for body-shaming, calling it "dangerous and disrespectful".

Excerpt from DM piece below:

A magazine has come under fire after it described the 16-year-old heir to the Dutch throne as 'plus-size' on its front cover.

Princess Amalia, the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, is pictured alongside her mother on the most recent issue of Caras, a celebrity gossip and royal news magazine published in Spanish and Portuguese.

The photograph, one of several released this month by the Dutch royal family and not taken for the magazine, is published alongside a headline that, once translated, reads: 'Maxima's oldest daughter proudly wears her "plus-size" look.'

The magazine's subhead, once translated, reads: 'The harassed heir to the throne of the Netherlands faces criticism with force and with the support of her parents. A princess who goes through puberty without taboos and defends her figure of "real woman".'

However it is not thought the princess provided any quotes to the magazine or has ever commented on her weight in public.

Social media users and media outlets from Maxima's native Argentina have blasted the magazine for using the term to describe the teenage royal, saying it is 'dangerous', 'disrespectful' and 'shameful'. "

She is huge, it can't be denied, and it can't be healthy in a 16 year old, even if she is already 5'10" or so.

The youngest daughter is the one who takes after Maxima's brunette look, the two other daughters have their father's and his mother's very round-faced blonde Dutch look.

She's also quite slim, the youngest daughter, but not as pretty as her older, much heavier sister. She has Maxima's long horse face and sallow colouring, which Maxima tried to down play by going blonde herself - I've never thought brunettes like Maxima looked good as blondes.

But there it is.

Camilla wore a mask today for a visit to the National Gallery.

[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.]

What do we think of Maxima? She's very vibrant and has a flamboyant style. Almost a little too self-consciously flamboyant, but I guess that's ok.

I think Maxima is terrific, she lightens up an otherwise staid and boring King W-A and gives great photos which is a big part of her job. She wears clothes well (even if her style sometimes borders on garish) and really wears the large jewels well, moreso than the other current queen/consorts imo. Her presentation of the massive Stuart tiara last year in the UK - previously not seen in public for some time, as Beatrix disliked it - was sublime.

She and W-A seem happily married and her daughters all cheerful and well-adjusted, so she's doing something right. The Dutch seem to like her fine, as do her in-laws so its all good.

I like Maxima. She seems comfortable in her own skin. She's vivacious and full of life. She knows how to wear clothes, hats, gowns and jewels even when they're quite extravagant and flamboyant. She's brought an extra dash of color and pizzazz to the House of Orange. Maxima exhibits great enthusiasm to her role and looks like she enjoys being Queen

R90 - I agree with R92. I like her zest and her appreciation for where she landed, her quick mastery of Dutch, and how she set out to win the hearts of the Dutch despite being far from what many thought appropriate for the Crown Prince. I think she handled a great deal of pressure with good humour, good will, and hard work. She seems born for this kind of thing.

And I adored her wedding ensemble - it's the best she ever looked, everything was perfectly fitted and suitable for her figure, the veil was gorgeous, it was sumptuous without being fussy - and the tiara was stunning. She's not pretty-pretty, she's tall and rangy, she has sallow, not great skin - but she makes it work. Looks like a happy marriage and a close family.

I say Well done re Maxima.

The future King William serves the snacks.

Cute vid r94. And they say William is never relaxed on the job.

I adore Princess Anne but oh dear

R96 - Yes, she's no Diana. But talk of comfortable in one's skin . . . .

Just for clarification....in all the photos at the link R96 posted, Princess Anne is on the right.

It's actually a lovely picture, but.....you know that thing about people and their pets coming to resemble each other....it's actually true here, though oddly not in a bad way.

[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.]

The black dress Diana wore when she danced with John Travolta at the White House will be on display at Kensington Palace.

What size is it?

The Queen, on the advice of the PM, has conferred new peerages on 36 people including Theresa May's husband (ugh?) and PM's brother Jo Johnson (an even bigger UGH?). Thankfully, I'm not Queen because if I received this list, I would say "Are you fucking kidding me?". Nepotism in its highest form.

The rules for peerage are in dire need of an overall.

^ overhaul

Frankly, I'm far more appalled at Philip Hammond getting one than Jo Johnson.

But no one has mentioned that Ruth Davidson's name also appears on the list: Scotland's first openly gay lesbian MP and former leader of the SCP (Scottish Conservative Party). I did not always agree with her but I thought her honest, with strong convictions, courage, and skill. She's worth any three of most of the rest of the political lot., in my view

I'm also interested at seeing Dame Louise Casey's name far to the bottom in the Cross-Bench list. Casey did an influential report on the police handling of the Rotherham grooming scandal. She was appointed by Eric Pickles, who did one of the initial shocking reports, along with the Jay report, to investigate the local Council (Labour, just FYI) and the police culture and handling at the time.

[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.]

[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.]

[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.]

Princess Anne is the guest editor of Country Life magazine.

Prince Andrew was done last year. His mother and Charles saw to that - he has been removed from the Sovereign Grant payroll and is in permanent retirement at Royal Lodge for the rest of his life. They wouldn't even release photos of him at his daughter's wedding in July, although I'm sure they were take for private family mementos.

Charles always wears a kilt in Scotland, where his title is Duke of Rothesay (I believe his others, Earl of Carrick and Baron of Renfrew, are also Scottish but not sure). Great Steward of Scotland is also one of his titles.

Giuffre said she was 17 when she had sex with Andrew, unless I'm misremembering the original Complaint. That is the age of sexual consent in New York, where the sex occurred.

If she knew the exact ages of other girls Andrew had sex with, she would have to prove that in court - that she knew from a credible source who they were and how old they were at the time.

The thing is, accusations go far in the court of public opinion, but the court of law has considerably higher standards for proof before conviction.

Remains to be seen how far these accusations can be taken in an actual courtroom.

Will, sports and mental health.

I think there is some more evidence on Andrew that hasn’t been made public. Whatever it is, it led to him getting the final heave-ho from public life with very little protest from him. He wouldn’t have gone quietly otherwise.

R112 - Very likely. Frankly, I'm not at all sure given his character that he did go quietly. He went quietly publicly, but I'd wager he was bitter behind the scenes. There was never much love lost between him and Charles, you know, so this must have been doubly humiliating for Andrew.

Then there's the impact on his daughters. Had Andrew not been such dumb prick, with the exit of Harry and Meghan his two daughters would have been poised to take on a somewhat larger public role gradually, which is what he's wanted for them for some time - since Kate arrived. He wasn't pleased at how the nouveau royale quickly eclipsed them, much as Diana eclipsed Anne a generation earlier.

Now, Andrew has to wallow in the blame for his daughters' inability to take advantage of a Made To Order opportunity.

Can you imagine what a triumph it would have been for Andrew to see the door opened for the York girls, and imagining Meghan watching them take up the work she ditched, but as real HRHs and Princesses of the Blood, after that Mean Girl stunt Meghan pulled at Eugenie's wedding?

If you have an hour or so to spare, here is a documentary of Princess Anne.

R110 The issue was not that she was 17, the issue is that she was trafficked.

It is illegal to have sex with somebody who’s a victim of human trafficking – the question isn’t whether Andrew knew her specific age, it’s whether or not he knew that she had been transported across state lines by people intending to use her for sex work.

Andrew is such an egomaniac, it’s just possible he thought all the teenage girls were really hot for him. I’m not excusing him at all, it’s just that he really is that full of himself.

A new unseen photo of Prince Louis.

Mum's favourite son usually grows up thinking he's the centre of the Universe.

And teenage girls were hot for him when he was hot in his late teens and twenties.

Much as I respect QEII's handling of her responsibilities as Head of State, it does seem as if she and Philip were appallingly inept parents, at least where Andrew is concerned.

Although, Anne and Edward seem to have done better, perhaps because of less spotlight and pressure in terms of the succession; thus, not taking themselves too seriously.

Charles taking himself seriously was inevitable given his position and title; but his conflict with his father's lack of appreciation for who Charles was as opposed to who Philip thought he should be probably didn't help; and Andrew being the Spare for so long, and being the apple of Mum's eye fostered Seriously Important Me in him.

I dunno.. I'm not a parent, although many friends are, and I am an uncle and great-uncle. It doesn't look easy and at times it seems impossible to get right.

I blame Philip

^*belay that last fragment "I blame Philip". Should have been deleted . . .

R119, sometimes good parents have bad kids. I always felt that, generally, Charles, Anne and Edward are pretty decent adults, when compared to the general population. (Whether they’re “Royal-worthy” is another story.) Andrew’s whole persona seems to be rooted in being incredibly spoiled. When you’re royal and/or wealthy, that’s a very bad combination, because you’re being indulged by your parents and everyone else around you. A mother can have a favorite, or spoil a child, but the rest of the family and society can keep the kid in check. In Andrew’s case, that didn’t happen, and you’re left with a very entitled, spoiled adult.

What a beautiful photo of Charlotte Casa Raggy. My dictation spelled her last name that way and I’m going to leave it. Anyway I love everything about the photo, her face and hair, the trenchcoat, the green lawn in the background and the lovely lavender gladiolus or whatever it is. It looks like it’s from another era.

R122 - It is a gorgeous photo, and she looks much like her mother here, only better.

It looks like (ex) King Juan Carlos of Spain really is being forced to leave the country, although he's making it seem voluntary, over the corruption scandal around a high speed rail contract involving graft to JC by the Saudis.

The Bourbons' woes make the Windsors' seem smaller, as the ire in Spain is being directed at the institution of the monarchy - the ire in the UK is mostly directed at Meghan and Harry.

Letizia is a cold, imperious fish and Felipe dull if dutiful.

Wonder if the Spanish monarchy will be the first of Europe's handful to bite the dust since Greece . . .

[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.]

Have fun, kids!

The Queen with Prince Philip (aka The Grim Reaper). Is Philip on blood thinners?

Charles The Red is in Scotland as well.

Kate has been out and about, with several flattering stories in the DM about her work with Baby Banks.

R129 - Kate supporting Baby Banks.

[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.]

[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.]

The Queen and Philip have sent a message to Lebanon.

Kate donned a mask.

Notice the onslaught of Good Queen Kate out today? As the Mail pays little to no attention to the Court ruling for Meghan . . . and Harry's PR leaks another mean story about he resented being viewed as the Loose Cannon while William is the "sensible one"?

This from the kid who stripped naked at his father's 50th birthday party and ran around, mortifying father, guests, brother . . . the 28 year old Las Vegas Strip Billiards Harry . . . the Nazi Armband at the Costume Party Harry . . . the "Paki" and "Gosh your English is so good" Harry . . . and the Taken In by D-List Grifter Actress Harry, who ended up marooned in a loaned mansion in Beverly Hills cut off from his blood family by a viper intent on seeing that he had No Place To Go But Her.

But he resents William, who waited ten years to marry the Nice Home Counties Girl who is looking more Perfect For The Role every day, as the Sensible One.

As the Good Book has it, the last thing a man sees is the mote in his own eye.

Kate's wearing the mask upside down. Pleats should face down.

I guess Littlle House on the Prairie dresses are fashionable now. They look comfortable.

R136 - The Prairie Dress look is all over the place - at least it was before the lockdown and one couldn't get into shops to see it.

But, yes, it's a Thing.

^*And it's not as if we haven't seen Kate in enough flirty short skirts to know she has great legs and looks good in short skirts.

The Queen is opening the historic gardens at Windsor Castle for the first time in forty years.

[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.]

Happy 32nd Birthday to Princess Bea! She was born on 8-8-88 at 8:18. Swipe for photos.

Good God, those teeth. Bea's eyes.

[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.]

The bride is honest and hopeful and the groom is a chancer with an eye to the main chance.

What? He’s a van Straubenzee, long time friend of William and Harry. His previous marriage to a Percy ended in divorce after a couple years, would like to know the story behind that one.

Oh- r145 knows about Van Straub

Go on, tell us how you know him, r145

[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.]

Your sarcasm is wasted r146. A quick google will show them hanging out together. To say “he’s a chancer with his eye on the main chance” by marrying a school teacher? Unless that’s more of your sarcasm [sic].

R145 - "His previous marriage to a Percy ended in divorce after a couple years, would like to know the story behind that one."

You and me both. Melissa Percy is the Duke of Northumberland's daughter and the wedding was a HUGE affair. She filed for divorce in, like 2 years or something, citing "unreasonable behaviour".

She went on to marry a billionaire and is now a fashion designer, with a daughter named (wait for it . . .) Bluebell Rose.

TVS went on to marry One of the Populace. Perhaps he figured that she would be thrilled to be marrying up and behave, and have a daughter named something terribly traditional like Diana Elizabeth to honour William's and Harry's family . . .

Somehow she ended up in Georgia...the new husband is 17 years older and American.

Looks as if the ex husband stayed tight with the BRF-affiliated crowd and she had to find a new set of friends.

Sucks if he was the one to break up the marriage.

Melissa Percy was allegedly the one who didn't stop partying post-marriage, and brought that to an end. She was allowed to file for divorce citing his behavior, as is often done in those circles, but supposedly bore the brunt of the failure. That may be why the toffs and royals have stuck with TVS and not her, post-divorce.

My guess is she had some issues (substance abuse?) and he did the gentlemanly thing and let her file for divorce on those grounds.

That Percy in Georgia article ends with Percy saying that she's still close to Chelsey Davy and that Chelsey was right about to arrive for a visit that day.

Can you imagine how the two of them must have howled with laughter over Harry's ludicrous wife - and life?

Melissa Percy isn't terribly attractive (she actually went to Harry's wedding, if I remember was photo'd going in with Chelsy) but if you're the Northumberland's daughter I don't suppose it matters - they had a huge wedding at the family seat, Alnwick Castle with a guest list worthy of the Almanach de Gotha.

She wore the massive and quite stunning family Foliate tiara (dates from 1845, if the tiara troll is anywhere about), that was well chosen to offset her pudgy face, a gorgeous antique diamond necklace, and cleverly a nicely unadorned gown with a lace bodice and beautiful flowing full skirt.

To have something begun like that go south so quickly is fairly interesting, but I suppose we'll never know.

Also for the Tiara Troll: the Northumberlands have several tiaras, one of which is the Strawberry Leaf, which the Duchess wore to the coronation and other royal events. It could be broken up into 14 brooches, and was stolen by bold thieves in 1963 as the Duchess was leaving the bank with it - never recovered.

And, lastly, the "strawberry leaves" are a ducal motif. In "Gaudy Night", the best of the Lord Peter Wimsey novels, Lord Peter's nephew, Gerald, the older brother's son and heir to the family's ducal title, merrily tells Harriet that Peter's greatest fear is Gerry getting killed on his motorbike and "landing Uncle Peter with the strawberry leaves".

Just a few fun factoids.

The Queen's Dresses - Part One

Swipe for Part Two of the Queen's Dresses.

Part Three of The Queen's Dresses.

Swipe for The Queen's Dresses - Part Four.

Dresses of Diana.

Most entertaining.....thanks Dress Poster......

Dresses of Princess Anne.

Ladies who wear pants.

It's surprising, now, to see the Princess Royal as such an attractive young woman. The force of her personality is always evident, though. It's very unusual to see HM wearing trousers. I know she did when she had knee surgery, and when riding. Thanks!

Adding my thanks to the Dress Troll.

The Queen had quite the lovely hour-glass figure in her salad days. The wedding dress by Hartnell is really lovely and look how tiny her waist was. In person, with the dark hair, pretty figure, blue eyes, and gorgeous skin, she probably looked much prettier than in photos.

On the other hand, the most interesting set of photos is the one of Princess Anne, who wore some howlers so astonishing that they could be seen from Outer Space. One of Anne's major problems was that she didn't really have a "hat face", and many of the ones she wore worked against that face. The bold-patterned frocks also didn't do her plain, pale face any favours.

She looked best in tailored, block colour clothes and wide-brimmed hats. The small ones with little nets at the back made her look 60 when she was 30.

Her frizzy hair was her other major problem. In photos where it has clearly been smoothed and straightened to a great extent, and falling loosely about her shoulders, in sporty clothes, are the ones where she looks best.

Diana also wore some howlers (that red gown with the bunched up sleeves was worse than her wedding gown, no mean feat) but you always saw the beautiful young woman inside them, so Diana got a pass on them. Her height, eyes, skin, and legs got her past them.

The Queen's Dresses - Part Five.

Royal engagement rings.

Royal brides through the years.

When I read the H/M threads, I feel my IQ dropping. When I read this thread and follow the links, I feel much smarter and I think I've learned something.

It's a refreshing difference!

R166 - missing is Crown Princess Mary of Denmark's beautiful three-stone emerald cut engagement ring fearture a large diamond with a rich red ruby on each side - very large, but very tailored, and, of course, red and white are Denmark's colours.

Even HM with her beautiful complexion can't carry off that acid green. It should be consigned to the dustbin of clothing colours.

Every time I see Diana in her wedding gown, especially the photo provided in which the huge sleeve swallows up her face, hair, tiara . . . I break out in hives.

[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.]

Charles and Camilla attend a VJ Day memorial service.

R171 hat headline is right.....I am stunned.

Kudos to Princess Anne for keeping her figure fit and trim all these years. Not many 70-year-old women can still wear clothing that they bought in the Eighties.

*that

Anne is getting lots of kudos, deservedly so. Many old pictures from the 70s on instagram etc, and young commenters yaaasss-queening her bold, individualistic style. It's nice to see. Not to derail this thread, but I can't help but wonder if a certain inlaw/outlaw is envious of the attention.

I remember seeing this video of Princess Anne bringing the Queen's first grandchild to see her. Peter was a jolly boy. I think it was on one of the Queen's Christmas messages in the 1970's.

Will making a speech for VJ Day.

William looking very kingly, the kingliest I’ve ever seen him

He certainly has improved his speech-giving. Has much more gravitas. It will be interesting to see where he's at by the time he becomes King.

R166, Camilla's ring is awful! I just looked it up, and it turns out it's a hand-me-down from the Queen Mother. I'd be miffed if I were Camilla.

I just watched episode 4 of the Royal House of Windsor on Netflix. The video of Diana during the wedding ceremony is stunning (that tiara!)

That clip at r177 is from another era. It’s like a WWII newsreel except in color. I vaguely thought Peter Phillips was in his mid 30s; he’s 42.

R181 - Beg to differ. That huge emerald cut diamond with the emerald cut shoulders is ten times classier than that mega cocktail ring Diana picked off a tray, never mind that cheap looking boring bauble Harry bought Meghan. It's also probably far more costly.

I doubt Camilla was anything but thrilled.

The Cambridges were spotted at Mabel's Paint Pot in Norfolk. Here is Prince Louis playing with the door.

The Queen's horse dies at the races.

[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.]

Arthur Chatto is a tasty one.

I always think Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark is very handsome.

I am surprised his mother has not stepped down to let him reign.

He looks so young for his age, R189. He's living the DL dream.

Yes, Frederik seems to have escaped some of the troubles dogging other Heirs.

Queen Margrethe just turned 80 and she seems mentally sound if not quite as spry as she used to be - I notice she always wears flats as much as possible.

Mary and Frederik still have a couple of rather young kids - the twins, I think, are only about nine, Christian is rising 15.

I wouldn't be surprised if Margrethe followed the example of Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands and stepped aside, but not until the two younger children were a bit older and Christian was finally at university. I'm guessing she'll give it five more years and perhaps step aside at 85. Mary and Frederik will be well into their fifties, their brood well out of childhood.

If Bea wanted to move to Italy, Edo's family has a nice place in which to settle. Swipe for photos.

What is that schmatta the big faced broad at R2 is wearing on her head? Does she also work as a charwoman in the palace, or has she taken the veil? She looks like a common fishwife.

The Wessex family were spotted at Balmoral this week.

Eugenie and Jack were also at Balmoral.

Is it just me or does Eugenie look like she might be up the duff at last?

If so, R196, I hope she picks a suitably crazy baby name

The Queen's sister Princess Margaret would have been 90 years old today if she had lived. Swipe for some stunning photos.

I wonder if the public would have softened towards Margaret if she were still alive today. Maybe she would have mellowed in her old age and become a nicer person. She was unpopular at the time of her death - but then, so was Prince Philip back then. From what I remember, he was generally portrayed by the press as an arrogant, racist old prat. Now he's one of the most popular royals. Charles and Camilla (particularly the latter) were also strongly disliked in those days. If those three can be rehabilitated in the eyes of the public, maybe Margaret would have been as well.

[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.]

Or pragmatic. He wasn’t going to regain consciousness and recover.

R197 - I say, with the last name being Brooksbank, we could have some fun selecting and/or predicting names!!!!

Girl: Alexandra Elizabeth Sarah Brooksbank

Boy: John Andrew Charles Brooksbank.

Both cover all the bases.

She should probably avoid Andrew as a first or middle name, R202

I think she will use Andrew, for the very reason you suspect she won’t, R202

R204 - I agree. The York girls love their father and I am sure will avoid using it as a first name but absolutely include it as a middle name.

Yes, sorry, my comment was meant for R203. And I agree that it will be a middle name. I think both girls will use Andrew as a show of love and support.

[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.]

W-A and Maxima on holiday in Greece. Max is looking hawt in a bikini at 49. (scroll down). W-A looking plump keeps his shirt on.

[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.]

^ I didn't realise Lady Gabriella is only 52nd in line to the throne. Her wedding made the front of Hello! magazine last year.

The gaudy tomb that will be Queen Margrethe II of Denmark's final resting place. I prefer the first Margrethe's tomb in the second photo.

Prince Albert's biracial son Alexandre has turned into a handsome young man.

I started idly following this Princess Margaret fan account on Instagram, and I’m finding it quite delightful and Margaret herself oddly endearing. Love her fashions. Look at this gorgeous 1950s gown. I miss beauty in popular culture.

[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.]

Today is International Dog Day.

What's the deal with Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark, son of ex-King Constantine and ex-Queen Anne-Marie? He's been married to that elegant blonde for five years, he's now 50, and they have no kids.

Is she a beard? Any tea on him? Quite good-looking.

Nik and Tatiana live quietly in Greece and seem quite happy still. His older brother and sister both have a lot of kids, so there's no need for him to reproduce (they aren't on the throne anymore, anyway). They may choose to be childless.

He was truly dishy back in the day. And seemed nice.