The Royal and Aristocratic Stuff Thread

Speaking of coronets, scroll down a bit and you can see the interesting symbolism of coronets used in several monarchies.

Philip was born a prince of both Greece and Denmark. He had to renounce those titles to marry Elizabeth. Shortly before their marriage George VI made him Duke of Edinburgh. In 1957, Elizabeth made him Prince of the United Kingdom (but not Prince Consort). From then until his death he was His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Full list of his titles from Wikipedia:

10 June 1921 – 28 February 1947: His Royal Highness Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

28 February 1947 – 19 November 1947: Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten

19 November 1947 – 20 November 1947: Lieutenant His Royal Highness Sir Philip Mountbatten

20 November 1947 – 22 February 1957: His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh

22 February 1957 – 9 April 2021: His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Philip's subsidary titles, as read aloud at his funeral:

"Thus it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto his divine mercy the late most Illustrious and most Exalted Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order upon whom had been conferred the Royal Victorian Chain, Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, One of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal in the Army and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Husband of Her Most Excellent Majesty Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, whom may God preserve and bless with long life, health and honour and all worldly happiness."

Contrary to popular rumor, Edward did not become Duke of Edinburgh on Philip's death. Buckingham Palace has never spoken on the subject, much less confirmed it.

On Philip's death, all his hereditary titles immediately passed to Charles. He will have the option to give the title to Edward when he, Charles, becomes King. But again, the BRF has never spoken publicly on the subject.

Why is this greyed out?

It's not for me but I have my settings on "asbestos eyeballs."

R5 dumb Meghan Markle fangirls probably hitting the FF button hard because this is a thread not dealing with their obnoxious heroine and her princely puppet.

The interesting thing about Edward is that he got another title a few years ago, a Scottish one.

He's not just the Earl of Wessex, but also the Earl of Forfar.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Andrew never got another title, did he?

I wonder who is the Queens favourite royal cousin? Is she close to all of her cousins?

HM's favorite cousin is often said to be Princess Alexandra.

r10 Oh I'm delighted to hear that! I did wonder if it could be the Duke of Gloucester because he was of the few members of her family who has never been involved in a significant scandal?

[quote] The interesting thing about Edward is that he got another title a few years ago, a Scottish one.

Many of the senior royals have separate titles they use only in Scotland, Charles and Camilla are the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay there.

R12, I know, I've only been wondering about Edward getting an additional Scottish title quite a while after having been created Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn.

He might as well have been created Earl of Forfar simultaneously at his wedding - just like Prince William became Duke of Cambrigde AND Earl of Strathearn AND Baron Carrickfergus and Prince Harry became Duke of Sussex AND Earl of Dumbarton (LOL) AND Baron Kilkeel (LOLOLOL).

There is NO reason for this thread to be greyed out. It's an academic informational thread, not a gossip or celebrity speculation thread. I swear to god the Markle stans and the KGT will be the end of everything.

r4: it may not have been discussed publicly but there's been enough leakage from Buck Palace and Clarence House re the topic to make it a fairly sure bet that King Charles III will re-create the Edinburgh dukedom for his brother Edward.

I'm guessing the Wessex earldom will stay on as a subsidiary title, or second title for him and his heirs.

Edward's son James (the one looking a bit autistic, tbh) is already known by his father's secondary title, Viscount Severn. After his father's death, he will 'inherit' his father's titles.

His sister Louise will only be known as Lady Louise. Which is quite unfair.

Just like the fact that our favourite princesses, Princess Anne and Princess Charlotte, will never have her own dukedoms only because they're female.

I wonder how much longer younger sons will be given royal dukedoms upon marriage. The slimmed-down Royal family won't need their services as working royals, so why make them Duke of this or that? Prince Louis and his offspring will never get near the throne unless something very strange happens: May as well let him stay Prince Louis and his children can just be Mr. or Ms.

When Louise turns 18, she'll have the option to become Princess Louise. However, it's doubtful she will, as she seems to enjoy her privacy, and being a prince or princess brings a lot more attention and expectations.

The 20th Baron Teynham Is DEAD To Me!!!

Louise Wessex does not have an option to begin using HRH or calling herself "Princess Louise" when she turns 18. That would be up to the monarch, whether that will be her grandmother or her uncle Charles.

It was a public declaration by TQ before her birth (when her parents married) that styled her and her brother as children of an Earl. That would be a permanent statement until TQ (or subsequent monarch) stated otherwise, via declaration or formal Letters Patent (LP). It would be doubtful this state of affairs is reversed.

Recent statements by her mother, Sophie, notwithstanding, it's the sole discretion of the sitting monarch to decide who, what and when gets to be HRH or prince/princess. This either by continued acceptance or a prior existing LP, or creation of a new LP or statement of their wishes on the matter.

Phil's coat of arms is hysterically funny to me. That's Phil on the left, and the figure on the right represents Elizabeth

If Louise doesn't have the choice to be a princess, why would her mother say she does? I'm sure if Louise told her grandmother she'd like to be a princess, HM would make an announcement to that effect.

However, I doubt Louise will ask. She doesn't seem interested in being a public figure or a working royal. A princess title would do her no good at all.

The skin of a lion used as a loincloth, with the lion's head draping Philip's cock ... the man had a wicked sense of humour.

[quote]If Louise doesn't have the choice to be a princess, why would her mother say she does? I'm sure if Louise told her grandmother she'd like to be a princess, HM would make an announcement to that effect.

No, the Queen would likely not reverse her decision just because Louise would ask to be a princess. That's not how it works.

The Queen made the initial decision based on the long-standing desire to streamline the monarchy, a central part of which means lessening the number of HRH holders. When Edward and Sophie married, the decision was made (with input from the couple) to announce that their future children would be styled as children of an Earl, and not use the honorific "HRH". There has been no backtracking on that decision, and further inroads to the downsizing plan are likely to be made with the Sussex children - there's a strong chance they may also never be HRH prince/sses.

While Louise's thoughts on the subject would be no doubt privately heard, her grandmother is unlikely to reverse course. And her uncle, Charles, even less so. It's been bandied about that if it wouldn't cause such a family ruckus, he'd like to eventually remove the York girls' titles. He's not going to enhance Louise's status, despite whatever affection he has for her.

As to why Sophie made those statements, I can't know. She should know everything stated here, but its possible (like other BRF members - hello Harry) she may not completely understand the line of thinking.

No letters patent was ever issued stripping Edward's children of their titles.

The Queen issued a press release stating they were to be styled as the children of an earl (at the request of their parents) and the Countess of Wessex clarified that the agreement has always been that the children would choose whether to continue being styled as such or to be styled as Prince/Princess when they were of age.

She doesn't need to issue an LP to remove titles or affect the styling of any BRF member. As the Fount of Honour on the UK she can make changes in those areas as she sees fit. A simple declaration from her, written or verbal, is sufficient (see: Sussex HRH usage). Her will expressed on the matter is the final word, until such time as she changes direction on the matter, or the subsequent monarch does so.

Her press release on the matter holds full authority. Sophie may mean well, but she has no right of clarification. The ongoing prevailing plan has always been to lessen the number of working royals and HRH holders, not to increase them.

Sophie may have made that statement because she knows Louise and James don't plan to ever use the Prince/Princess titles. The statements makes it seem as if the Queen has given them a choice rather than summarily removing the privilege, which is a gentler way of phrasing things to the public, whatever the reality.

I still maintain that the Wessex children don't want the Prince/Princess titles because of the increased publicity and duties. If Andrew had any sense, he'd have followed the same course for Bea and Eug.

Again, Louise and James don't plan to ever use the titles because unless their grandmother or uncle reverse course, they can't. It's not their option or choice. And their grandmother and uncle are unlikely to change things as they stand.

The Queen didn't leave room for options in her 1999 statement. It was completely to the point. The Wessex children would be styled as the children of a Earl, full stop. If she wanted to leave the door open to their future opinions when they came of age, she would have stated such.

She didn't "summarily remove" anything from them, because they weren't born yet. And she didn't need to phrase anything gently, because why? The public didn't care much. She made clear that Edward and Sophie concurred with the decision, they had input.

The BRF has been on a downsizing trend for a while now, slowly but surely. Any future grandchildren of the monarch, except for the heir's children, are unlikely to be HRHs. Harry's children will be the real test of this. We'll see if HM or Charles have the mettle to follow through on their ideals, despite the intense whining that will emanate from Montecito.

Meghan and Harry cut the ground from beneath themselves went they gave up Royal duties and moved to California. It would be absurd for their American children to be styled as Prince and Princess of the UK. The future King Charles III has a perfect reason for denying Archie and his sister anything more than Lord Archie and Lady Ariel.

The Letters Patent of 1917 granted all male-line grandchildren of the monarch the HRH Prince/Princess designation. That honor was removed from the Wessex children even if they weren't born yet.

But fundamentally you and I are in agreement, R27. Louise and James Wessex will never be styled as Prince or Princess. I also strongly doubt that the Sussex children will be elevated to that status, either. All downsizing considerations aside, Meghan and Harry have done everything possible to ensure that their children never move beyond Lord/Lady status.

Agreed r27 (and r28). The Sussex children should not be styled HRH. But in order for that to happen, the current Queen must create or issue a statement or order (such as Letters Patent, or a clear proclamation of some kind) that this should be so. Otherwise - as pointed out in r29 - the LP of 1917 would stand and as male-line grandkids, they automatically become HRH Prince/ss upon her death.

Someone has to blink in the staring contest. It should be Her Majesty; leaving it to be done by Charles after her death, when the HRH would already be applied and trumpeted hither and yon by the parents, would be very messy.

If the kids become HRH, you know Harry and Meghan will fight to use the HRH again too. They'll argue it would be wrong for the children to have that designation while the parents do not. There is a certain logic to that, which is why I agree that HM should issue new letters patent. However, this is not the year to do it, not after the Oprah interview. Hopefully, the Queen will live a few years yet and can issue the LPs later on.

The Queen should have issued new letters patent when the Succession to the Crown Act was passed in 2013. They were already changing the primogeniture rule, and that would have been the time to go ahead and state that only children of the heir and the heir's heir would be designated HRH Prince/Princess. They could have had everything in place long before Meghan made an entrance.

I wish they wouldn’t downsize. I like my royal family big and over the top.

There is no point in having too many people with HRHs unless you want the BRF to end up like the royal family of Saudi Arabia having more than TWO FUCKING THOUSAND FUCKING PRINCES.

R34 Where the British royals been for my lifetime seems fine to me.

*have been

What I don't get is this:

William was created the Duke of Cambridge. Cambridge is famous for its university - which William never attended.

He did attend St Andrews though and there has been a Duke of Clarence and St Andrews in the past, so why didn't he get created Duke of Clarence and St Andrews? It would've been a nice nod to his ties to St Andrews University.

Is Cambrigde a prestigious dukedom?

What do we know/think of Beatrice Borromeo, wife of one of Princess Caroline's sons? Italian aristocrat (Be-a-TREE-che!), beautiful and terribly chic. I get Eurosnob vibes but that's ok.

The last Duke of Clarence was the brother of Edward IV who was executed for treason, so the RF probably didn't want to revive that title.

R39, hahaha, oops.

Our favourite prince ever, Oskar of Sweden, is already a duke. He's the Duke of Skane.

Granted, his elder sister, Estelle, also holds a dukedom. She's the Duchess of Östergötland.

Tbh, I'd love Princess Charlotte to get a dukedom, too. Could her father create her a Duchess of Wherevershire easily? I know there aren't Duchesses in their own right in the UK, but if feasible rather easily in terms of constitution, could a future King William do it?

r39 I thought the last Duke of Clarence was the elder brother(Albert Victor) of the future George V, and was for a time suspected of being Jack the Ripper.

R37 There is already an Earl of St Andrews in the BRF - he’s the eldest son of the Duke of Kent (St Andrews is one of his subsidiary titles, along with Lord Downpatrick, which is used by the Earl’s only son).

Downpatrick’s professional name is Eddie Downpatrick. He’s a cute little pocket dynamo.

I stand corrected R42.

[Quote]The last Duke of Clarence was the brother of Edward IV who was executed for treason

And here I was thinking he was the congenitally damaged son of Queen Victoria...

R43 thx, I didn't know that.

R42, hahahaha wtf

I had to look her up, R38.

Speaking of Italian aristocracy: Princess Beatrice's husband is some sort of Italian count, isn't he? So, technically speaking, Beatrice is now an Italian countess, so she could be styled Countess (of Whatever) now, but she isn't. I guess that's because this title isn't recognized in Italy anymore - or she doesn't give a fuck about this stuff. Plus, she remains to be a Princess of the UK anyway after all.

Do Princess Anne’s kids really have no titles at all? Not even Sir or Lady?

None at all. I believe the Queen offered her first husband an earldom, but he turned it down. Anne thought it better that her children get along without titles and just be regular people.

I think Anne's decision to raise her children without any restrictions that usually come with the HRH or other titles was, ultimately, a very smart one.

Beatrice Borromeo Casiraghi is one of the more naturally beautiful of the current Euro-aristocrat set. She has a wonderful sense of fashion and overall style, and her children are gorgeous as well.

If I were her kids, I’d feel gypped.

Beatrice Casiraghi looks like Botticelli's Venus.

Princess Anne's kids didn't need titles: They're still the grandchildren of the monarch and posh as hell. Without having to drag titles along, they've been able to do pretty much as they like and name their kids silly things like Savannah and Isla. They seem the happiest and best adjusted of that generation.

R54 - speaking of Savannah and Isla...they're growing up.

Savannah looks a bit like Prince Philip. Lucky girl.

Prince George apparently has a cute cousin-crush on Savannah. I read somewhere that he's always by her side at family events, and she likes bossing him around.

In Victoria's day, she'd have made them get married. Lucky for Savannah that's unlikely to happen now. Wouldn't be surprised if George marries a tall, domineering blonde someday, though. Early experiences leave a mark.

R54 exactly. A title, when you have snowballs chance in hell of inheriting the crown, is more a burden than not. Anne's son is 16th in line, 18th by next year when Bea and Meg drop their babies.

Jack Brooksbank declined a courtesy title but Anthony Armstrong-Jones leapt at the chance to become Earl of Snowden and a member of Parliament.

He was a bottom, R59.

r42 is correct; r39 is dead wrong.

r43 Ooh a cute pocket dynamo in what kind of way? Isn't he a very passionate photographer also?

KKKlangranny thread!

[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 you go, R62

r65 Thank you! He's rather handsome and dishy isn't he? Do we know much more about him? Is he dating? Any scandal?

No idea mate - all that I know is what you see. Which is just my type!

Oh, and vaguely interesting is that he, his grandmother and one of his sisters converted to Catholicism.

So he’s in line to become the first Catholic holder of a (formerly) Royal dukedom.

r59, Jack Brooksbank was never offered a peerage, either before or after marrying Eugenie. No way, never. The days of offering peerages to commoners who marry into the BRF are long over (unless a commoner marries a future Queen, only exception).

r67 Thank you very much! I do indeed like what I see!

Here’s another super chic euro royal or aristocrat, I forget her story. She’s just beautiful to look at, refined in the Beatrice Borromeo vein but dark. South American I think. Alessandra De Osma.

Beatrice Borromeo is a doppelgänger for another Italian aristocrat - former Queen Paola of the Belgians.

Nobody said that Brooksbank was offered a Peerage, just a courtesy title.

[quote] Anthony Armstrong-Jones leapt at the chance to become Earl of Snowden and a member of Parliament.

Wrong. He wasn't keen on the title at first because he thought it would interfere with his photography career. Margaret pushed him into it because she did not want untitled children. He was NEVER a Member of Parliament. He was a member of the House of Lords. If he had wanted to become and MP, he would have had to run in an election.

At the time Margaret and Tony were married, hereditary peerages for women in their own right were a rarity and those that did exist went back to medieval times and most of them Scottish in origin. There would have been nothing stopping the Queen from making her sister a peeress whereby her children could have courtesy titles just as though they would have them through their father. She could have done the same for Princess Alexandra and for Princess Anne. But, she didn't...probably because the Establishment frowned on women receiving hereditary peerages. Life peerages for women have been around for centuries and are not a modern innovation.

When George V's daughter Princess Mary married Lord Lascelles, heir to the earldom of Harewood, King George offered to make him a marquess so that Princess Mary's children would have courtesy titles. Harry Lascelles declined because he did not want his earldom of Harewood to be submerged in a newer and higher rank. So, for the first time in anyone's memory, legitimate grandchildren of the sovereign were only "the Honorable Mister". Their eldest son became Viscount Lascelles when Harry Lascelles inherited the earldom of Harewood, but his younger brother remained plain Mr. Lascelles until his death.

OMG, Beatrice Borromeao!

I just took a gown down her "memory" lane. She is the first promotional activity???

Tony Armstrong-Jones was a social climber who relished his new title. His photography career was boosted immensely by his royal connections. The only thing democratic about Tony was his cock: It took on all comers.

Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta and Duke of Savoy has passed away this morning aged 77.

^He seems to have been a bit of a cunt, tbf. Quoted from Wikipedia:

[quote] Amedeo had a daughter with Kyara van Ellinkhuizen, born outside of wedlock: Ginevra Maria Gabriella van Ellinkhuizen (b. Milan, 19 March 2006), who was born with Down syndrome. Though before her birth Amedeo had stated that he would immediately recognize her as his child and provide for her welfare, he did not do so and instead firstly asked for DNA paternity testing to be performed in order to assure the filiation, which was done. On 4 August 2006, he legally recognized his daughter.

LOL

[quote] On 22 July 1964 Amedeo married his second cousin, Princess Claude of Orléans (born 11 December 1943) in Sintra, Portugal. She was the ninth child and fifth daughter of Henri, comte de Paris, Orléanist claimant to the French throne, and of Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza. Amedeo and Claude officially separated 20 July 1976, obtained a civil divorce 26 April 1982, and an ecclesiastical annulment from the Roman Rota 8 January 1987. Amedeo and Claude had three children. [...] On 30 March 1987, Amedeo married Silvia Paternò di Spedalotto (b. Palermo, 31 December 1953) in the chapel of Villa Spedalotto in Bagheria, Sicily. She is the daughter of Vincenzo Paternò di Spedalotto, 6th Marchese di Reggiovanni, and of Rosanna Bellardo e Ferraris. Amedeo and Silvia had no children.

Ok, this is hilarious.

[quote] Always close to the head of the Savoy dynasty, ex-King Umberto II, Amedeo was long viewed by Italian royalists as a likely claimant to the throne if Umberto's own son failed to live up to monarchist expectations. On 7 July 2006, Amedeo declared himself to be the head of the House of Savoy and Duke of Savoy, claiming that his third cousin Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples had lost his dynastic rights when he married, just following the time of his arrest, without previously obtaining the permission of his father, former King Umberto II in 1971, authorization which had been required under monarchical law. Vittorio Emanuele and his son, Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice, sought judicial intervention to forbid Amedeo's use of the title "Duke of Savoy". In February 2010, the court of Arezzo ruled that the Duke of Aosta and his son must pay damages totalling 50,000 euros to their cousins and cease using the surname Savoy instead of Savoy-Aosta. [...] Although many monarchists transferred their allegiance to Prince Amedeo at some point after King Umberto's death, Aosta has been criticized by other Italian royalists who continue to support Prince Vittorio Emanuele. [...]

And the best bit:

[quote] On 21 May 2004, at a soirée held at the Zarzuela Palace near Madrid during the wedding celebrations of the Spanish royal heir apparent, Felipe, Prince of Asturias, Amedeo approached Vittorio Emanuele who reportedly punched him twice in the face, causing him to stumble backward down the steps. The swift intervention of another guest, former Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, who propped him up, prevented Amedeo from falling to the ground. She helped him move indoors and stanched his bleeding facial wound until first aid was administered. Upon learning of the incident Spain's King Juan Carlos I, a cousin of both men, reportedly declared that "never again" would an opportunity to abuse his hospitality be afforded the rivals.

And as a follow up to my post about Alessandra DeOsma at R70, here is her husband. Ummmmm wow....

James and Louise are both Prince and Princess and can choose to use those titles once they reach majority. Their parents have decided not to use them while they are minors. Both have those titles just as Prince Andrew’s daughters have those titles.

I don’t know why that poster keeps insisting that they don’t. Wouldn’t one think it to be odd that Andrew’s daughters are princesses while Louise is not? Andrew is a pompous windbag and of course chose for his daughters to use their titles.

Edward and Sophie are more low key and desire more privacy for their children, James and Louise.

It's common knowledge Andrew is a pompous twat. He was allegedly pestering his mother to make sure his spawn would become prince, princess respectively, and get the HRH title.

Edward and Sophie's stance is much smarter: Let the kids decide for themselves.

The THE Princess Margaret/Snowden breakup was ridiculous in that Armstrong-Jones seized the moment to play the wounded, rejected, wronged party. He had consistently slobbered on uncountable chicks and DICKS before and throughout the marriage. It's comical to me. I bet the rest of the Royals had a good laugh about this as well.

[quote]Nobody said that Brooksbank was offered a Peerage, just a courtesy title.

?? - you're confusing two different types of titles. Brooksbank wasn't offered a peerage, like Anthony Armstrong-Jones was (an earldom, in the latter's case). A "courtesy title" is a title used through custom, with no legal significance, such as those used by elder sons of peers. The Earl of St. Andrews, for example, is the elder son of the Duke of Kent, and he uses his father's subsidiary title as a courtesy. Viscount Severn uses Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex's subsidiary title, etc.

The Queen wouldn't have offered Jack, or any other male in-law, a courtesy title. She might have offered a peerage, but as stated this is no longer the accepted norm in modern times. The last peerage offered to an in-law was offered to Mark Phillips in 1973, but he (with input from Princess Anne) declined this.

[quote]James and Louise are both Prince and Princess and can choose to use those titles once they reach majority. Their parents have decided not to use them while they are minors. Both have those titles just as Prince Andrew’s daughters have those titles.

No, they do not. See the clear explanation upthread.

[quote]I don’t know why that poster keeps insisting that they don’t.

Because they don't.

[quote]Wouldn’t one think it to be odd that Andrew’s daughters are princesses while Louise is not? Andrew is a pompous windbag and of course chose for his daughters to use their titles.

No it isn't odd. Not in the current modern era of downsizing the monarchy., not at all. It's the ongoing trend, look for it to continue apace.

Andrew never "chose" anything for his daughters, they had the HRH honorific and "Princess" title at their birth due to the longstanding Letters Patent of 1917, effected by George V. He chose and did nothing.

The Queen made a public statement in 1999 changing the honorific and title for the future Wessex children only. This was several years after the York girls' births, after the Wales and York divorces, and times were changing by then.

Is there a Byzantine Emperor? I want him to sweep in and take control of Turkey someday, or at least Constantinople (don't give me that Istanbul shit!)

Didn't the Royals like him more than they liked Margaret actually r84?

Oh fuck, is he really a hedge fund manager r64? What a cunt.

I believe that out of all of the monarchs in the world Queen Elizabeth is the closet to and gets along best with Queen Margareth of Denmark.

She gets on well with Daisy, but she is actually personally closer to former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and also the Norwegian King Harald who is her 2nd cousin.

She and Philip had good relations with Juan Carlos and Sofia, due to the Greek Royal family connection. And both QEII and Charles are very close to ex-King Constantine of Greece, he is William's godfather and both have been godparents to the Greek royal children.

r91 Thank you! I had forgotten about the Daisy nickname!

Am I correct in remembering that Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was staying at the Balmoral estate as a guest informally not officially of the Queen in 1997 when Princess Diana died?

R88, her, oops - Her family knew she was ridiculous.

Imagine being Elizabeth, she must feel so comfortable around other queens. So few understand.

Wasn't there a recent thread about Travellers?

Squatting at Windsor.

Not to derail the thread, especially if there is another thread on travellers, but they are like cockroaches this weekend. Pitching up everywhere. They're in my village too at the moment. Leaving piles of rubbish and broken-into sheds everywhere. I will never understand any level of tolerance toward them. People say "not all Travellers are the same". I'm waiting to actually see illustration of that point. Kick 'em out HRM! Now, back to the Royals and Aristocrats.

I always find blowhards like R23, pontificating so emphatically, really irritating. You don't know what the Queen will or won't do and the intensity of your certainty suggests you've got something wrong with you.

And OP the Queen was an HRH princess from birth.

What does “HRM” stand for, R96?

I believe that's one of the made up Her Royal Majesty afflictions, as if the styles and titles are mix and match for effect.

Is nobody gonna post about this?

[quote] banned “coloured immigrants or foreigners” from serving in clerical roles in the royal household until at least the late 1960s.

Yikes. Cunts.

So fifty years ago.

Schools in the American South weren't integrated until the late 60s, either. Are we really going to cancel Buckingham Palace over something that happened 50 years ago?

Yeah, R100. That story won't get any traction, but it's a sad reminder of how people, including likely the Queen herself, thought back then. Of course there's nothing to be done today, but learn from it.

The Queen is almost 100 years old. I'm sure her thinking about a lot of things has changed over the years: For instance, divorce. What was unheard of for her sister Princess Margaret and barely tolerated for her son Prince Charles merits nary a shrug when her grandson Peter Phillips does it.

R103 maybe the palace should conduct a formal inquiry into the reports of racism and it’s affect on hiring practices - and see if there was any direct involvement with the head of state, since they seem so focused on making sure those kinds of things are being dealt with officially recently ;)

Yes. I would like to know if Meghan bullied only white peasants, but also peasants of color.

R98 and R99 I did write HRM because I couldn't remember what it was supposed to be. I stand corrected. I'm still raging about the travellers in my village and not thinking about The Queen's correct title.

The twins of Monaco, Jacques and Gabriella. Their mother Charlene has been missing in action. She went to Africa and supposedly caught an infection so she hasn't been seen for awhile. There's something off about her and Albert's marriage.

Isn't she the one who tried to flee the country right before the wedding?

Albert should let her go. He has his heir and spare and can now go back to fucking cocktail waitresses or whatever.

[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.]

[quote]I always find blowhards like [R23], pontificating so emphatically, really irritating. You don't know what the Queen will or won't do and the intensity of your certainty suggests you've got something wrong with you.

And I find dilettantes like r97 equally annoying. Of course we don't know for certain what TQ "will or won't do". But we can make informed inferences, based on her prior statements and actions and those of her heir, other family members and close staff. And it all indicates a distinct trend towards downsizing the number of HRHs.

It's not "pontificating" to correct overtly false information surrounding the long-standing processes and practices re monarchical oversight of honorifics and titles. Especially as there's been so much recent public misinformation and blatantly false misdirection on the topic (hello, Sussexes). Correct details matter.

You are, my liege, the essence of pontificating.

Must not try so hard.

(shrug). I like facts. You should try a bit harder.

R113 - At this focus, you should point out your numerous associations that others don't find out what may make you a hugely embarrassed associate elsewhere. Everyone KNOWS...

Facts are hard.

R109, why go back when he's very likely already doing so?

And I've got to agree, there's something wrong with the Monaco marriage. There's an hereditary prince ("Crown Prince") now, and even a spare, anyway, so I tend to think Charlene and Albert don't interact a lot these days.

And by "interact", I do not necessarily mean sexual intercourse.

The children are her spitting image.

Despite being paraded around in front of cameras for most of their little lives, the twins look very subdued. I'd say unhappy, too? Something's going on in that family. It wouldn't surprise me if Albert had Charlene committed to a sanitarium in Switzerland, J.R. > Sue Ellen style. Her shaved style haircut looked like a cry for help.

They could make the remaining royal dukedoms life or 'at pleasure' grants, So a working royal like Prince Louis will probably be has a title, but it doesn't get lost to the family long term, like Gloucester and Kent will be. York would be available once Andrew dies (amazing really that after about 10 creations, it keeps coming back into royal hands) and Clarence is knocking around (by the way, William IV was also Duke of Clarence, so there have been a few since Edward IV's brother).,

[quote][R113] - At this focus, you should point out your numerous associations that others don't find out what may make you a hugely embarrassed associate elsewhere. Everyone KNOWS...

??? Strange weirdness. My associations, known to no one here, are typical of most posters and completely boring/anodyne.

r116 I find the twins cute and lively but obvs well-trained to behave quietly in public. Little Jacques taking his sister's hand the other day, at the Oceanographic Museum outing, was too sweet. It's strange re Charlene however, that she can't return home due to "infection" in SA. What's wrong with her?

I also found her punkette coif last year to be odd and a bit of a statement. Regarding what though, I'm not sure.

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I can't help the feeling that the pic of Albert, Charlene, and the twins colouring easter eggs looks somewhat doctored.

She seems to be having a breakdown and the kids appear depressed.

She had a terrible case of head lice from her hotel and mites from all the animals she's been hugging, R119. Something had to be done, and it took a razor.

[quote] (Snowden) was NEVER a Member of Parliament. He was a member of the House of Lords.

Sorry mate, but the House of Lords is the upper House of Parliament, making its peers, along with members of the Commons, MPs.

I'm an American. I was surprised to find out a) how huge the HoL is; b) that there are Labour and Lib/Dem Lords (and a Green or two, I believe); and c) there are "spiritual Lords," the clergy. The last is especially weird for Americans due to our separation of church and state where no denomination or church would be enshrined in government. It would be a sacrilege!

Wow, here’s a stunning Royal look:

The funeral of Prince Amedeo (see R76).

Another interesting funeral is King Michael of Romania - he got a full state funeral. Another interesting factoid is that the majority of the Romanian public want the monarchy restored but it's generally believed that none of the parties will take it on because they don't want to give up having their own members as the Head of State.

Prince Albert of Monaco on the balcony with his twins. Mama Charlene is nowhere to be seen. Now, what type of "infection" did she catch in Africa to keep her away from her children for so long?

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R126 - I like it that the Duke decided himself that he was the pretend claimant to a pretend throne and then that everyone just went along with it.

Charlene with her family.

Yep, I do believe that Charlene has had MORE work done on her face. Look at her skin in this photo.

Well… If you were having work done and didn’t want anyone to notice, a bizarre haircut is one way to distract. Just hypothetically speaking, I don’t know what Charlene may or may not have done. I think she’s pretty though.

Charlene over the years. Teeth capped, nose job, fillers, face lift...did I leave anything out?

She has a regal air, some mystery.

She's no Serene Highness, and that's for damn sure!

I hope their parents' choice of name will make sure the latest Sussex bundle of joy and her elder brother will NEVER get styled HRH and Prince/Princess.

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r137 Is her mother Victoria Earl Spencers ex wife still in South Africa?

Charles is in Oxford today.

The Duke and Duchess of Kent have been married 60 years today so to celebrate here is the diamond bandeau the Duchess wore at her wedding. I don't know if they even live together anymore.

Eugenie's son August making a racket on World Ocean Day.

I'm getting a bit weary of this kid in disguise trick. If you want the child to have privacy, do so. If you want to pimp it, show the child.

Charles at a Mini Cooper plant. This is one royal duty which I would find to be interesting and fun at the same time.

Canceling the Queen at Oxford - maybe these students should study in another country.

The Liechtenstein Fringe Tiaras.

Hey Tiara Troll, what tiara is the huge one Camilla often wears these days?

Camilla wears either the Delhi Durbar Tiara (see pic below), or the Greville tiara, also known as the Boucheron Tiara. Both were worn and associated with the Queen Mother, and not by the current Queen Elizabeth II.

The Calligraphy Tiara.

The one that looks like expensive fencing is the gnature Greville Tiara (also known as the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara) and the calligraphy tiara is the Delhi Durbar tiara

Camilla’s hairstyle, which remains unchanged since the eighties, is nevertheless perfect for wearing big tiaras. And Camilla seems to really enjoy pulling the big parures out of the jewel box.

I can’t imagine anyone else being game to pop on that multi strand diamond necklace AND the Grenville tiara.

These HUGE tiaras would look just weird on Kate. But Kate seems to be more in delicate tiaras anyway and she does know what looks good on her.

I don’t know. Tiny Letizia looks okay with giant tiaras…doesn’t she? 😅

LOL - although it has to be said she looks less worse than expected. The Delhi Durbar would look terrible on her though.

Maxima, Queen of the Netherlands, does rock these huge tiaras. It's the hairdo that helps a lot. But if you look stupid with such a hairdo, you will also look like a moron with such a huge tiara on your head.

R152 - I disagree. The tiara is BIGGER than Letizia's head. I'm not a fan of HUGE tiaras.

They’re not pretty R145. Sorry.

The Queen was presented with a new Duke of Edinburgh rose.

I love Camilla. She's a sassy gal who's also sweet and nice. it's a shame the original pairing that should have happened didn't. And God, she can carry off those huge tiaras that nobody else can except Máxima of the Netherlands, who ended up with the huge Stuart Tiara and wore it so magnificently at that State Dinner that was such a lovely family funfest for both families.

It's interesting how Camilla is perceived – respected finally, but not seen as wholly legit somehow, because of the ghost of her predecessor. She's not really thought of as the next Queen Consort. And of course she keeps a low profile. "Queen Camilla" - I hope she gets the title.

These threads always seem to turn into BRF threads, ignoring the other monarchies in the world.

Today is June 10 and would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday. RIP.

A sweet Winnie The Pooh video that has been released just before the Queen's official birthday.

Charles joined cyclists to kick start the British Asian Trust's 'Palaces on Wheels' event at Highgrove,

The Dutch Crown Princess may be a "big girl" but she's smart.

The Prince of Wales met with Global CEOs of the Sustainable Markets Initiative at St James’s Palace today ahead of tomorrow’s @g7 Summit to discuss how the private sector can work with governments to tackle the climate emergency and make the world’s economy more sustainable.

Is that designer Stella McCartney? What the hell did she do to herself?

Prince Philip was certainly a more hands-on parent than the Queen.

Thank you r163 for that...the Dutch Royal family has its issues but the King and Queen seem like nice people. And the crown princess is pretty. She’s a little thick, but that’s fine.

Kate and Jill Biden visited a school today.

If there are any Hollywood-types on this thread, you should make a movie that's a fly-on-the-wall type story about Charles and his mother (QEII) reminiscing together about their long lives.

Obviously you would be inventing the dialogue, but I might be hilarious listening to the son whine and the mother talking to him about being orderly and responsible.

I just wonder.....

I do like Amalia, she looks like a nice person. I don't give a fuck about her being a bit big.

The future looker among the three sister is the redhead, though.

So Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg finally spermpoisoned his wife. He’s been rumored to be gay for years.

Where have you been r171? Their baby is nearly a year old.

I just found out r172.

Nice pic of Prince Albert and his daughter Jazmin. He seems to be a caring father to all his kids.

Here's a great topic for the titles-obsessed ones among us.

What sheer nonsense. Of course she will be The Princess of Wales.

That's Guillaume and his bride right before kissing on the balcony.

LOLOLOLOL

What a sincere newlyweds' kiss indeed, haha.

R176 r177, links don’t work...

R175, all of this nonsense about not using titles because if the association with Diana seems over the top.

For Camilla, yes, it makes sense. But for Kate who was a child when all these shenanigans were going on it makes no sense.

That title is ready for a refresh. I can’t wait for Kate to have it. The suggestion she decline it is probably Meghan’s fondest wish.

You know that Princess Charlene of Monaco has had a major makeover when you see what she looked like when she was younger. Plastic surgery, botox, teeth capped etc...if she continues, she'll turn into the Cat Woman.

The Bidens visited the Queen today at Windsor Castle. The President inspected the guard and then they went inside to have a private tea.

R182 Imagine that brisk, stimulating conversation. Zzzzz

R183 - I'm sure it was more stimulating, uplifting and positive than the one she had with the Orange Blowhard, Boris.

R183 - see the difference? One was/is an ugly ignoramus and the other is the friendly, polite guy next door

R181 I cannot get over her linebacker shoulders. Linda Evans can’t come close.

She was an Olympic backstroker, R186 - the shoulders come with the territory.

R184 R185 Sorry, I’m just not into Joe Biden aesthetically. The fake choppers, fake hair, “sincere” soft voice - blech. But do carry on with the “two teams” bullshit. I know you miss Trump, but he’s gone, you have to find something new to make everything about.

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There's no Garter day this year but here's the Queen's cousin Princess Alexandra of Kent discussing the honor.

Peter and Autumn Phillips' divorce is finalized.

I'd bet money that he'll be remarried within 2 years and have more children--the son and heir has not yet been birthed, after all.

The gay Duke of Bavaria has chosen his heir.

Prince Ludwig of Bavaria is kind of dishy.

Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg will never marry, I think. Lesbian, maybe?

Princess Maria Annunciata of Liechtenstein is engaged to an Italian.

Ludwig (Louis) of Bavaria is fucking hot. But he looks even hotter without the beard. Sadly, the beard distract from his eyes.

R195 Alexandra of Luxembourg seems to have inherited her mother’s figure which probably doesn’t help her prospects.

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I always found him the least attractive of all the brothers r199. I think that Felix is the hottest one.

I like Louis' look too, R199. There's something oddly hot about him. It's difficult to put a finger on it, exactly.

Ascot Week is here! First day - Charles, Camilla and Anne arrive for the race.

Zara and Mike Tindall were at Ascot too.

Anne is in fantastic shape for an old broad.

Love Mike Tindall's pink tie.

Zara looks splendid. She really is an old-fashioned English aristocrat, isn't she.

I am a little sick of fascinators, though, they feel played out to me. Let's see a return to picture hats and otherwise hats put on straight. Funny that Diana missed the whole fascinator trend; did she ever wear one?

Zara has the glowy look of a woman who's getting good sex on the regular.

R205, Zara isn't wearing a fascinator in that photo. That's a hat.

I like Zara's husband's tie, too. Glad he fixed his nose.

R205 Yes, true. It does have that height and tilt, though. I guess I was thinking more of Sophie's look in the pictures.

Sorry - R209 meant for R207

What’s the difference between a hat and a fascination? Why does the latter have this moniker?

According to the DM, this was only the second time in over 60 years HM didn't attend the Ascot opening. The article said she may attend later in the week.

Peter Phillips must have just been added back on England's "most eligible bachelor" list, no? I think he should go gay this time around, mix it up a little.

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Sophie clearly thought the world of Philip and is loyal to the Queen. God knows she's given them the least stress of their daughters-in-law!

She did at the beginning.

More continental royal tea, please. Less BRF.

One royal who I find difficult to warm to is Queen Letizia of Spain. She just comes across as a cold bitch.

She does have style most of the time.

Does anyone have the video of her publicly fighting with Sophia.? I think they were leaving church or something and they were fighting over which one the elder daughter would walk beside, or something else petty.

Queen Letizia is gorgeous!

Queen Letizia is something else. She’s one of the smarter royals. During one interview with Felipe after they announced their engagement, she cut him off when the reporter asked her a question and Felipe answered for her.

She was even caught pushing Queen Sophia away from her daughters when Sophia tried to hug them.

Juan-Carlos was and is an ogre. He shot and killed his older brother in a hunting accident as a teenager. The death was ruled accidental, but some say that he murdered him. This was during their exile.

Queen Sophia is an ugly homophobic cunt. She was interviewed by some Catholic magazine where she spoke out against gays and lesbians getting married and that there should be “no celebration” of gay life. If there was, then she thought straight people should celebrate heterosexual relationships. Felipe’s sisters both are ugly as sin and married total losers.

Felipe's sisters referred to Letizia as "the help".

They got their nerve r272. They look like they should be scullery maids, with those hard faces.

One of Felipe’s sisters married an ugly not-very-well-closeted aristocratic gay man. Since divorced.

The other married a very handsome Basque Olympic handball player - since convicted of embezzlement of public funds and currently in jail. His wife allegedly was in on it but was spared conviction due to her status. She’s pretty much persona non grata in Spain.

Letizia as Queen is presumably a fan of neither.

I hope that the daughters have decent looking children.

“That’s MY daughter, bitch!”

You have some strong feelings about the Spanish royal family, huh, R221, etc?

Spain was stunned, I tell ya! STUNNED!!

The only royal family worse than the Spanish one is the Belgian RF.

Here, hold my beer, r229.

The King of Belgium might be a bit of a moron, but his wife, Queen Mathilde, is a true lady. Very interested in stuff, very grateful for any help.

The Crown Princess is a looker. And apparently pretty smart and already very devoted to her duties.

The previous generations of the Belgian RF were and are odious human beings. Debauched, entitled and living off of the riches pilfered from their colonies. Mathilde seems like a good woman though.

Queen Elisabeth of Belgium aided the rescue of Jewish children during the war.

r230 Here, hold my brick.

Fixed it for ya'.

Are any of the world's monarchs or ex or retired monarchs in the case of Queen Beatrix, King Juan Carlos of Spain etc known to be in poor health? Are any coronations of new monarchs likely to take place this year?

Beatrix already abdicated so her son Willem could be king. Now she’s jus HRH Princess Beatrix.

r236 No I know Beatrix has abdicated as has King Juan Carlos of Spain as I indicated. I was asking one question with two parts

Are any CURRENT monarchs in very poor health and possibly may die this year thus leading to a new monarch and Coronation? Are ant retired or abdicated monarchs like the former Queen Beatrix in poor health? Sorry if that wasn't clear.

R237 - the last time I saw King Harald of Norway, he looked terrible. Also, Queen Margrethe of Denmark looks pretty feeble now. She was about 6 feet tall and she looked smaller than her son Frederik and her grandson Christian. What the hell is that spot on Harald's face? Skin cancer?

Queen Margrethe has shrunk.

Britain is the only country in Europe that has an actual crowning. The rest of the royals just take an oath, usually with a crown on a pillow next to the monarch.

The Danish royal males are ready to rumble!

King Harald had a serious heart ailment a few years ago. He has been looking bad lately.

Doesn't Norway have a religious inauguration?

R242 - according to Wikileaks...

Coronations in Norway were held from 1164 to 1906, mostly in the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. Although a crowning ceremony was formerly mandated by the nation's constitution, this requirement was eliminated in 1908. However, Norwegian kings have since chosen voluntarily to take part in a ritual of "benediction" to mark their accession to the throne, during which the crown is present, but not physically bestowed upon the sovereign. The new ceremony retains some of the religious elements of earlier rites, while eliminating other features now considered to be "undemocratic".

r238 Thanks. Wasnt there rumours in the past year about the health of the King of Sweden? r239 I genuinely didn't know that only the UK had a big formal Coronation

Charles' coronation won't be like his mother's. He's already said he wants a scaled-down ceremony. Elizabeth's was probably the last of the old-style coronations.

Elizabeth's Coronation was over-the-top! Good grief. One older man who was then just a young boy remarked in one of the many documentaries re the subject "I remember that it was so LOUD! LOUD, it was! I wouldn't be surprised if you could hear the ceremony all over London." Check out the fanfare Phil chose for himself as he enters Westminster Abbey - those with musical inclination will understand that I'm asserting Phil's choice was also over-the-top. Hardly anyone curtsies or bows to Phil. It's at the 21:40 mark, and of course the Queen processes directly afterward.

Beatrice Borromeo is such a stunner. Love seeing unapologetic unmasked glamour again. After the past few mean years we’ve all been through, I’m kind of hoping the cultural pendulum swings back to irrational exuberance and excess.

I just love his green eyes.

Is he, by any chance, gay and single?

Who's hot among the Hapsburgs? I'm not really familiar with them as a family.

R249, young Ferdinand looks sort of twinky-cute. But I wouldn't call any Habsburg guy hot.

King Harald doesn’t have access to whitestrips?

Queen Margarethe sure doesn't.

R250 - yes, you're right, he is kind of cute. Looking at the family, it's clear it's his brother-in-law Jérôme d'Ambrosio who has the looks in the family!

R250 - yes, you're right, he is kind of cute. Looking at the family, it's clear it's his brother-in-law Jérôme d'Ambrosio who has the looks in the family!

Daisy is a down-ass bish, who smokes, drinks and designs costumes with the best of ‘em.

I wonder if the Norwegian coronation includes elements of Catholicism?

I'm not that much into men with facial hair, but with Ludwig (Louis) of Bayern (Bavaria) it's VERY different.

He's hot as fuck, ffs.

I seriously crush on Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. So suave.

^Is his wife dead yet?

Not yet r259.

Such a thing to say 🥺

The Spanish royals at the Order of Civil Merit ceremony. Now, society needs to hear those two words (merit and civil) a lot more and practice them.

Catherine at the LSE today. This may be the least expensive dress she's worn and it's stunning.

Kate’s cool, but was all this really necessary? It seems like a lot of responsibility. Why not just keep up with normal patronages?

r259 Is she in poor health?

Check out this signorina. The hair, the tiara, the title! I thought this was from the 60s. Bravissima!

She has an incurable pulmonary disease, r264.

r266 Thank you. How sad she is only young.

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R269 - Charlene is probably getting yet more work done on her face. She has a serious addiction to surgery and other facial procedures.

If she leaves Albert, the twins have to stay in Monaco with him. That’s why Princess Grace never left. She didn’t want to be separated from her children.

The Queen showed up at Ascot today to watch her horses race. One came in second.

^Love her hat. And smile.

History - A gay King of Wurttemberg.

The Danish-born Duchess of Gloucester is 75 years old today.

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Princess Eugenie released some photos of hubby and child for Father's Day.

I didn't realize Charlene has been absent so long. Three months! I wonder how the kids are dealing with it.

Prince Albert must be hell to live with. Maybe Princess Charlene will give up custody of her children just to be free.

It might just be Charlene who has issues as well as Albert. I know that's an unpopular opinion, but she's always seemed fragile and a bit strange to me.

It's William's birthday and Charles wishes him a happy one.

R281, did Charles say, “Happy Birthday to my only sane son”?

There’s a reason why Prince Albert took so long to get married. He clearly has issues.

A casual Kate at a museum today.

R284 Too casual. No!

R284 - not really. It was a surprise visit to an urban nature project. She brought some honey for the school children to taste.

A bit too casual maybe, but you can see she enjoys wearing comfortable clothes. Let's not forget that while she looks amazing in her official events' clothing, that clothing is rather uncomfortable, so getting to see casual Catherine for a change is perfectly alright.

William is at Wembley to watch England play soccer.

This rendition of the British National Anthem at Euro96 sends shivers down my spine and I'm not even British.

The DM is saying Prince Josef-Emmanuel of Liechtenstein is one of Europe's most eligible bachelor's and I certainly agree - he is HOT! Pictured with his sister, who just got married.

Princess Gabriela of Monaco has presence. Look out, Charlotte Cambridge!

Princess Caroline has let her hair go gray. I respect how gracefully she has chosen to age.

I guess no one wants to talk about the Monegasques with me. Nevertheless here is Princess Alexandra in Dior. She is a very lovely young lady. Is the jacket supposed to be lopsided like that though?

Caroline had no choice, R292, R293. Her smoking, boozing and overdoing it in the sun forces her to accept it. All of the Grimaldis seem to hit the wall at a certain point. Even Caroline's daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi. She was a great beauty in her youth, but now is losing her looks. And for the same reason her mother and aunt Stephanie has.

R294 Well....what a way to go!

R293 - I think plenty of us are interested in any posts on the Grimaldis you care to post. I don't contribute anything, because I don't find anything on my own. But, by all means, please carry on!

Why thank you, R296. I’ll continue then with a clip of the wonderfully deep, rich speaking voice of Charlotte Casiraghi.

Luv how Kate has helped the brothers to reconcile.

Charlotte Casiraghi has such awful posture.

That was a cheap laugh, R298. But it was a laugh.

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I remember when Marie-Chantal and her sisters were US Vogue mascots. Now she has 5 grown children. I'm old.

Princ Pavlos was foxy when he was younger.

PrincE not Princ…

There was and maybe still is a Princess Diane of France. Who knew? Cool title.

Diane of Württemberg (nee of France) and her sisters all had similarly gorgeous wedding gown/veil combos, topped by lavish tiaras. Very pretty brides all of them.

I wish France still had a monarchy. A chic, opulent monarchy. In tune with the times, that’s me!

Looks like Delphine (the new Princess of Belgium) did in fact attend public National Day services last week, with other royal family members:

Hi Phillywhore here on this beautiful Sunday. I have a question about Caroline's children from her 2nd marriage? I know the youngest daughter is a Princess due to the fact that her drunken Drugged out Dad is a HRH!! Are the other Casiraghi children guaranteed Titles due to their mother the HRH and their ugly fat Uncle Albert the HSH Ruler of Monaco.. Sure they have tons of MONEY or married it but Damn it, don't they want a nice Title.

No none of Caroline's Casiraghi kids are entitled to titles or HSH. Their father was an untitled commoner, they are also untitled commoners.

With the exception of the youngest child, Caroline’s three eldest children and all of Stephanie’s children, while in the lines of succession, don’t have titles because their fathers were commoners. Right?

The HSH Fat Albert of Monaco has all those "leftover Titles" like spare change in his piggy bank.. I am sure that if HRH Princess Caroline asks nicely, HSH Prince Fat Albert will bestow some Countess Title on Charlotte and 2 Count Title(or Baron or Prince) on the 2 hot Casiraghi Boys.

Only Albert's legitimate spawn is entitled to get all these "leftover titles".

Hereditary Prince Jacques has got a shitload of titles. His sister Gabriella has got quite a few, but considerably less than her twin brother.

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The main point to Flora Ogilvy's wedding was to catch a pic of her brother Alexander (here pictured with her). What a heartthrob he is - someone's going to be very lucky to catch him!

FFS Why do you Americans bother getting involved in these discussions? You have no fucking idea.

Oh, we could never possibly aspire to your level of deep knowledge, r316. We mere colonials must simply stumble on the best we can.

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Wow my goodness, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna is puttin on the dog!

What do we think of her son's pretentions to the Russian throne? He just married a commoner, so their children certainly won't be in line for it. I'm surprised his mother was so happy at the wedding, seeing that he didn't marry a royal.

British royals up in Scotland. Look at Camilla’s cute little outfit. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, in her way she dresses as well as Diana did.

To R319, Is she for fucking real? Is she a "fat dwarf" and what the fuck is she wearing....Did Omar the tentmaker make that dress? Did she borrow the tiara( is it real)???. Does anyone in the family have any MONEY? Is that fur a 100 yrs old(it looks it). Didn't she look in a mirror? Really cool Russian Titles though, I want one.

322 This was not just a royal wedding, this was an #imperialwedding!

r320 they will probably elevate George's new wife to "Grand Duchess" status and change to rules to make the kids eligible.

It’s a moot point given that there is no Russian throne to inherit.

Sure r325 but it all carries cachet in their royal-adjacent and aristocratic circles. Plus the potential endorsements, appearances, speaking gigs, board appointments. Look at Emanuele Filiberto and how much he has raked in. It pays.