Happy 24th Birthday, Princess Eugenie of York!

Princess Eugenie with her sister Princess Beatrice during the Trooping
the Colour 2013

Today is Princess Eugenie of York's 24th birthday. Unlike her high-profile elder sister, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie enjoys less publicity. She is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and of Sarah, Duchess of York. The Princess was born in 1990 and was christened Eugenie Victoria Helena.

The Princess has been taking limited public roles to give way to her university studies, although she usually present in various ceremonial and family events. She entered Newcastle University in 2009, where she studied Combined Honours BA, completing her studies in 2012. In 2013, together with Princess Beatrice, she embarked on a tour in Germany, where she had the chance to represent her grandmother The Queen  at the reopening of the former Hanoverian royal palace, the Schloss Herrenhausen.

Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha turns 71

Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Happy 71st Birthday to His Highness Andreas, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke of Saxony! Prince Andreas is the current Head of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, which include the Royal Family Belgium, the former Royal House of Bulgaria, and the British Royal Family, before they changed their name to Windsor, dropped all their German titles, and severed their ties with their German relations following World War I.

The Prince was born Andreas Michael Friedrich Hans Armin Siegfried Hubertus on March 21, 1943, the son of  Friedrich Josias, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the former Countess Viktoria-Luise of Solms-Baruth. Prince Friedrich was the son of and heir of Charles Edward, the last reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke of Albany in the British Peerage. Charles Edward was the only son (born posthumously) of Prince Leopold, youngest son of Queen Victoria. Thus, Andrea is a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

In 1946, his parents divorced. In 1949, together with his mother and stepfather Richard Whitten, he moved to New Orleans. He returned to Germany in 1965 and rendered military service from 1966 until 1968 before working as a timber merchant from 1969 until 1971.

He married Carin Dabelstein (b. Hamburg, 16 July 1946), daughter of Adolf Wilhelm Martin Dabelstein, Fabrikant, Kaufmann, and wife Irma Maria Margarete Callsen in 1971. While the marriage was unequal, the groom's father granted permission to the permission, and so the couple's three children, Stephanie (born 1972), Hubertus, Hereditary Prince and Heir Apparent to the family headship (born 1975) and Alexander (born 1977) have been allowed to use the family's courtesy titles and styles.

Queen Mathilde at 41

We are one with Queen Mathilde and the rest of the Belgian Royal Family in celebrating the 41st birthday of Queen Mathilde. She is the consort of King Philippe. Queen Mathilde was born January 20, 1973. In honor of Queen Mathilde, we've scouted Pinterest for some of the most wonderful images of Her Majesty.

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10 Interesting Facts about Princess Michael of Kent

Princess Michael of Kent. Image: Daily Mail

Today, Princess Michael of Kent celebrates her 69thbirthday. She endures the reputation of being one of the most colorful and controversial figures of the British Royal Family. As we celebrate her 69th year, let’s take a look at the 10 interesting facts that make Princess Michael a larger-than-life figure. 

1. Princess Michael is married to Prince Michael of Kent, the youngest son of Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece. 

2. Michael is not her name. It's Marie-Christine. In Great Britain, wives of the nobility and members of the royal family take the feminine form of their husband's title. Since her husband does not hold a title of nobility, like her brother in law the Duke of Kent, Marie-Christine, therefore, is styled HRH Princess Michael of Kent, the feminine form of her husband’s name. 

3. Princess Michael stands 6 ft tall, making her the tallest member of the British Royal Family, excluding male members, of course. 

4. Princess Michael has authored four books: Crowned in a Far Country, Cupid and the King, The Serpent and The Moon: two rivals for the love of a Renaissance king, and The Queen Of Four Kingdoms.

5. Princess Michael was born Baroness Marie Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida.

6. Princess Michael hails from an illustrious background of Bohemian (Czech) and Hungarian nobility. Her father was Baron Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz a cavalry officer of the German Empire during the First World War. Her mother was Countess Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walpurga Bernadette Szapáry, a member of the Hungarian nobility. From her mother’s side, she is the grand-daughter of Princess Hedwig von Windisch-Graetz. Her maternal grandfather, Count Friedrich Szapáry von Muraszombath, Széchysziget und Szapár, was a diplomat, who served as the ambassador of Austria-Hungary in Saint Petersburg at the start of World War I.

7. Princess Michael is a working royal. She is an author, a lecturer, an art connoisseur at Galerie Gmurzynska in Switzerland, and runs her own interior design company.

8. Princess Michael's first husband was the English banker Thomas Troubridge, the younger brother of Sir Peter Troubridge, 6th Baronet.

9. Princess Michael was the first divorcee, after Wallis Simpson, to marry into the royal family. However, given Prince Michael's distance from the throne, their marriage did not cause much uproar.

10. Princess claims descent from Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henry II of France,  his wife Catherine de' Medici, and also from Peter Paul Rubens, the famous painter.

Celebrating the Life of Queen Sofia of Spain

Queen Sofia of Spain

The recent scandals and intrigues that hounded the Spanish Royal Family, one that even questioned its existence has made Queen Sofia, perhaps, Spain’s Mater Dolorosa. A Telegraph article called her the lonely royal consort. The reasons are plentiful. From the many issues to her husband’s infidelity, it is most admirable to see Queen Sofia still maintain that dignified façade, something that could have crumbled had her fate struck some mortals of lesser emotional stamina. On her 75th birthday, we celebrate Queen Sofia’s selfless life, one that has been dedicated for the service of her family and her kingdom.

The eldest child of King Paul of Greece and Princess Frederica of Hanover, Princess Sofia was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938. She is the sister of the deposed King Constantine II. Another sister is Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark.

While she was a young girl, the princess spent some time in Egypt, where she studied early education at El Nasr Girl’s College (EGC). During World War II, the princess, together with her family, lived in exile in South Africa, returning home in 1946. She attended Schloss Salem boarding school in Southern Germany before returning to Athens where she studied childcare, music and archeology.

Sofia also attended Fitzwilliam College in Cambridge. Together with her brother, she represented Greece during the 1960 Summer Olympics as reserve member of the Gold Medal-winning sailing team.
Marriage and Family

While on a cruise in the Greek islands, Princess Sofia met Infante Juan Carlos of Spain. They once again met at the wedding of her cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, at York Minster in 1961. They were eventually married on May 14, 1962, at the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Dennis in Athens. Jean Desse designed her gown. Her attendants included her sister Princess Irene, the groom’s sister Infanta Pilar of Spain, Sofia’s future sister-in-law Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, Princess Irene of the Netherlands, Princess Alexandra of Kent, Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess Anne of Orleans, Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark, and Princess Tatiana Radziwill.

The couple’s marriage produced three children: Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (born December 20, 1963); Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca (born June 13, 1965); and Felipe, Prince of Asturias (born January 30, 1968), the heir to the throne.

Abolition of the Greek Monarchy

Then-Princess Sofía was on holiday in Greece when the 1967 the Greek military staged their coup against the king. While King Constantine did not abdicate, the Greek Military Junta eventually deposed him in 1974 and King Constantine II was stripped of his title, citizenship and property in Greece. Until 1998, Queen Sofia had only visited Greece once, during the funeral of her mother Queen Frederica. Seventeen years later, she returned to Greece together with King Juan Carlos on an official state visit.

Queen of Spain

To make her more appealing to Catholic Spain, Sofia decided to convert from Greek Orthodoxy to Roman Catholicism. She also relinquished her claim to the Greek throne and her name from Latinized from Sophia to the Spanish variant, Sofía.

In 1969, Francisco Franco bestowed upon Prince Juan Carlos, the title Prince of Spain. While he never used the Prince of Asturias, a title reserved for the heir presumptive, Juan Carlos was already known at that time to succeed Francisco Franco with the restoration of the Spanish monarch. Juan Carlos eventually became king in 1975.

Aside from being her husband’s frequent companion in numerous state and official visits, Queen Sofia also embarks on solo solo engagements. She best known as the executive president of her namesake foundation, which, in 1993 sent relief funds to Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also sits as honorary president of the Royal Board on Education and Care of Handicapped Persons of Spain and the Spanish Foundation for Aid for Drug Addicts.

Queen Sofia’s interest lies in fighting drug addiction. She has actually gone to various places to attend meetings and conferences about eliminating drug addiction.

While the Queen remains highly respected, she does not lack any detractors. She has earned the rebuked of LGBT about her conservative stance on same-sex marriage. In one interview, she questioned why LGBTs should hold Gay Pride demonstrations after the Spanish Cortes legalized gay marriage. "I can understand, accept and respect that there are people of other sexual tendencies, but why should they be proud to be gay?” she said. "Should they ride on a parade float and come out in protests? If all of us who are not gay were to parade in the streets, we’d halt the traffic in every city,” the Queen continued.

Criticisms and Personal Setbacks

Reports have also surfaced that even her marriage is in under fire and that she and the king have been living apart for many years already. Author Pilar Eyre noted that the reserved but elegant grandmother has few real friends in Spain. Inside the Zarzuela Palace, there is an existing rift between between the King's "team" and the Queen's ladies in waiting.

Queen Sofia, a sister of Greece’s exiled King Constantine and cousin of Prince Philip, is in aspect opposite to King Juan Carlos. She is a vegetarian who disdains bullfighting and rarely speaks in public because of her heavily-accented Spanish. The king meanwhile is known for his straight talking personality and his passion for fast cars, sailing and skiing.

“It was a marriage of convenience,” says Eyre. “They have been living separate lives for a long time.

Nevertheless, no personal trial, not even a marriage on the rocks or lousy detractors could prevent the Queen from carrying on her duty for her family, for her people and for her country. After all she is still the Queen of Spain.

Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!


The Royal Blogger

Christian George Acevedo is a book worm, mentor, and scholar of wide-ranging interests. He has authored hundreds of articles for various websites, and his expertise ranges from online marketing and finance to history, entertainment and many more. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr. Contact Christian at powerwordsonlinewriting@gmail.com.

The Duke of Kent turns 78: a tribute to the Royal Family's hard working guy

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
Image: Wikimedia

There’s no question that the Duke of Kent’s dedication to serving the crown and the country is beyond reproach. Thrusted upon the obligation of doing his best for the sake of the institution on which he was born in, Prince Edward at a young age filled a huge role vacated by the untimely death of his father in 1942. Since then, through rough times and even now that he is in his late 70s, the Duke of Kent continues to spend much of his time performing ceremonial functions, attending charitable causes and supporting various organizations in support of his cousin Queen Elizabeth II and the British Monarchy.

Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick was born on October 9, 1935, at No. 3 Belgrave Square, London. He is the eldest child of Prince George, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George V and the former Princess Mary of Teck, and of Princess Marina of Greece, youngest daughter and child of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna of Russia. He was baptized November 20 at the Private Chapel of Buckingham Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury Cosmo Lang.

Prince Edward attended Ludgrove in Berkshire for his preparatory education. He then proceeded to Eton College and later in Le Rosey in Switzerland. After school, he attended the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, where he won the Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for foreign languages.

The death of Edward’s father in 1942 after a plane crash unexpectedly made him at the age of 6 Duke of Kent, Earl of St Andrews and Baron Downpatrick. However, he did not take his seat in the House of Lords until 1959. As a royal duke early in life, Edward was not spared from royal duties. He was 16 when he joined the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Windsor in walking behind King George VI’s coffin at the state funeral in 1952. He also paid homage to his cousin Queen Elizabeth II during the latter’s coronation (following the Dukes of Edinburgh and Gloucester).

 

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent--the baby.
Image:  Woman and Home



The Duke of Kent marries his bride, Miss Katharine Worsley in 1961.
Image: Order of Splendor (Blogspot)

The Duke of Kent represents the Queen during Ghana's independence
celebration, 1962. Image: Royal Historian

 

The Duke and Duchess of Kent with their three children.
Image: Camera Press/MailOnline

After graduating from Sandhurst in 1955, the duke joined the Royal Scots Grey as Second Lieutenant. That was the start of a military career that spanned over 20 years, one which took him to various places around the world.

In 1961, he was promoted Captain; Major in 1967; and Lieutenant Colonel in 1973. In 1970 the Duke commanded a squadron of his regiment serving in the British Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus, part of the UN force enforcing peace between the Greek and Turkish halves of the island.

The duke also spent time commanding a unit in Northern Ireland shortly after troubles in the 1970s broke out, but was recalled early on grounds of security. He now maintains his link with the services mainly through honory rank, which includes that of Colonel of the Scots Guards. He is personal aide-de-camp to her cousin Queen Elizabeth II who promoted him supernumerary Major General on her official birthday in 1983 and Field Marshal in 1993.

On June 29, 1961, the duke married Miss Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley (born February 22, 1933 at Hovingham Hall, Yorkshire), the only daughter of Sir William Arthington Worsley, 4th Baronet, and Joyce Morgan Brunner, daughter of Sir John Brunner, 2nd Baronet.

The Duke of Kent first met his future bride at a county ball while being stationed at Catterick in North Yorkshire in 1957.  Their friendship blossomed but Princess Marina, anxious of her son’s playboy image and not sure at all that he was ready for the responsibilities of marriage, urged him to wait awhile before proposing. For Katharine's part, she was at first hesitant to marry the duke because the was not sure if she was ready to embrace the fast-pace and busy life of royalty. The duke finally took matters into his own hands and thought over of the situation deeply. While spending Christmas with the Royal Family at Sandringham, he sought out his cousin and asked permission to leave the party on Boxing Day to see Katharine who was with her family at Hovingham Hall near Malton in East Yorkshire. The prince eventually sought the hands of her princess.

The Daily Telegraph writes that the wedding “within the mellowed walls of York Minster brought back pageantry and splendor to an ancient city” which did not witness a royal wedding for over 600 years. Theirs was dubbed as the wedding of the year attended by over 2,000 guests, including three queens: Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain,  and a number of celebrities and famous society figures, including Noel Coward and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. It was watched by “probably a million television viewers" around the country, notes Telegraph.

Three children were born afterwards: George, who took the courtesy title Earl of St Andrews (born 26 June 1962); Lady Helen (born 28 April 1964); and Lord Nicholas (born 25 July 1970). However, a stillborn child in 1977, ushered in a series of ill-health that proved nearly too much for the duchess to bear. The successive removal of her gallbladder and an ovarian cyst and treatment for slipped disc and for obstruction in the gallbladder duct involved several spells in the hospital. Two months after the death of her mother in 1979, the duchess fell under severe depression, about which she has spoken publicly.

For over 50 years, the Duke of Kent has been performing royal duties and on behalf of the Queen. He has represented Her Majesty in the independence celebrations in the former British colonies of Sierra Leone, Uganda, Guyana, and Gambia. Most recently he has attended the 50th Independence Anniversary Celebration of Ghana. He has also acted as Counselor of State during periods of the  Queen's absence abroad.

In his civilian capacity, he served as President of the National Lifeboat Association , a position which took him and the duchess throughout the country to name and launch lifeboats and to encourage appeals; and British exports, in support of which he made frequent trips abroad. In private life, the duke is an enthusiastic photographer –he one issued a series of his pictures featuring his daughter Lady Helen Windsor as official photographs to mark her 14th birthday. He is also well-practiced in skiing, a sport that the duchess and their children also participate in. In 1968, the duke succeeded Princess Marina as President of the All-England Lawn Tennis Association.  Together with the duchess, the duke attended many championships during many days of Wimbledon fortnights each year, presenting prized at the end of every competition.

While the duke’s hard work and steadfast work ethic made him one of the most respected members of the Royal Family, sadly, it has taken a toll on his health. Last March, the duke suffered a mild stroke and had to temporarily beg off from his active rounds of official engagements. The duke eventually recovered and has once again resumed the many activities that keep his calendars filled.

Royal Events this Week - August 18-24

Read on and find out this week's royal events that you should never miss!

Prince Philipp Erasmus of Liechtenstein

August 19 - Prince Philipp Erasmus of Liechtenstein turns 67. He is the second son of Prince Franz Joseph II and younger brother of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. Image: Wikimedia

August 19 - Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway turns 40.

Prince Gabriel of Belgium. Image: China Daily

August 20 - Prince Gabriel of Belgium turns 10. He is the first son and second child of King Phillippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

King Mohammad VI of Morocco. Image: Wikimedia

August 21 - King Mohammed VI of Morocco celebrates his 50th birthday. He became king in 1999 upon the death of his father King Hassan II.

Queen Noor of Jordan. Image: Wikimedia

August 23 - Queen Noor of Jordan celebrates her 62nd birthday. Born Lisa Najeeb Halaby, Queen Noor was the fourth wife of King Hussein and his queen consort from 1978 until 1999.

The Royal Blogger

Christian George Acevedo is a book worm, mentor, and scholar of wide-ranging interests. He has authored hundreds of articles for various websites, and his expertise ranges from online marketing and finance to history, entertainment and many more. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr. Contact Christian at powerwordsonlinewriting@gmail.com.

Royal Events this Week - August 11-17

Read on and find out this week's royal events that you should never miss!

Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau. Image: Wikimedia

August 11 - Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau celebrates her 45th birthday. She is the wife of Prince Johan Friso, who has been in coma since Feb. 2012.

Queen Sirikit of Thailand. Image: Flickr

August 12 - Queen Sirikit of Thailand celebrates her 81st birthday. She is the consort of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Prince Achileas Andreas of Greece (second from left)

August 12 - Prince Achileas Andreas of Greece celebrates his 13th birthday. He is the son of Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Duty Free heiress Marie-Chantal Miller.

Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia. Image: RoyalFamily.org

 August 13 - Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia celebrates his 89th birthday. He is the son of Prince Paul, who served as Regent of Yugoslavia and of Princess Olga of Greece.

Anne, Princess Royal. Image: Wikimedia

 August 15 - Anne, Princess Royal, celebrates her 63rd birthday. She is the only daughter and second child of Queen Elizabeth II.

About the Author 

Christian George Acevedo is a book worm, mentor, and scholar of wide-ranging interests. He has authored hundreds of articles for various websites, and his expertise ranges from online marketing and finance to history, entertainment and many more. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr. Contact Christian at powerwordsonlinewriting@gmail.com.

Royal History: Duchess of York Gives Birth to a Baby Girl

The Duchess of York cuddles newly born Princess Beatrice. Image: USNews

London, Aug. 8, 1988 - The Duchess of York has given birth to a healthy baby girl, Associated Press reports. This is the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York.

The child is currently the fifth in line to the British throne. She weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces. A statement from Buckingham Palace revealed that the baby and the mother are both in good condition.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York and second son of Queen Elizabeth II, was with his wife when she was ''safely delivered of a daughter at 8:18 P.M. today,'' according to Palace source.

In a statement last May, the couple wished to name their baby girl Annabel.

''All members of the royal family are very pleased with the news,'' a palace spokesman said later.

Buckingham Palace officials posted a bulletin on the gates of Buckingham Palace as part of tradition.

It seems that luck will abide the life of the baby princess. She was born 18 minutes past 8 P.M. on the eighth day of the eighth month of 1988, which many believe as a sign of good fortune.


(The baby girl was not however named Annabel. She was baptized Beatrice Elizabeth Mary)

The Royal Blogger


Christian George Acevedo is a book worm, mentor, and scholar of wide-ranging interests. He has authored hundreds of articles for various websites, and his expertise ranges from online marketing and finance to history, entertainment and many more. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr. Contact Christian at powerwordsonlinewriting@gmail.com.