Last updated: May 2nd, 2006.
April 1st
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima ended a three-day state visit to Princess Máximas native country Argentina, with a visit to the MALBA Museum and a talk about biotechnology. The family, including Princess Amalia and Princess Alexia, already arrived in Argentina on March 24 for a private holiday. The official visit started on March 30, when the family was received by President Néstor Kirchner. They also visited an exhibition on human rights of the Anne Frank Foundation, attended a lunch, visited the congress and laid a wreath at the memorial for General José de San Martin. In the evening there was a state banquet at the Palacio San Martin. On Friday the family visited the Dutch community at Tres Arroyos. Back in Buenos Aires they among others visited the San Telmo quarter. In the evening Queen Beatrix had invited to the Teatro Colón for a ballet by Introdans. President Kirchner cancelled his presence saying he was too busy solving the problems in the country. Queen Beatrix also had a private conversation with two Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in the evening. The family will spent some more days in the north of Argentina before heading home on Monday evening.
King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium, together with Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde with children, as well as Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz with children were received in audience by Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.
April 2nd
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent will have to repay a loan of at least £2.000.000 when they sell Nether Lypiatt Manor, in Bisley, Gloucestershire. Land Registry documents reveal that the couple remortgaged the house a few months before putting it on sale in May last year. The couple decided to sell Nether Lypiatt after Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain told them she would not pay the rent on their London apartment at Kensington Palace beyond 2009.
According to a poll by ICM Research published in the Daily Mail 51% of the respondents would like the British royal family to slim down. 57% of the respondents believe Queen Elizabeth II should carry on unchanged until she dies. Also 57% of the respondents believe the Prince of Wales should become King, while 40% would like the crown to pass directly to his son Prince William. ICM Research made telephone interviews with 1009 British adults.
April 3rd
A party at Sunninghill Park celebrating the 16th birthday of Princess Eugenie of York turned into a drunken binge. The Duke and Duchess of York had spent 30.000 pounds on a "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme party on March 18. Champagne was laid on but the 50-odd high-society guests brought their own hard liquor and the party rapidly descended into a binge. One of the onlookers was quoted as saying: "It was completely out of control. There were stains on the carpets and cigarette burns on floors and furnitures. I wouldn't have wanted to be there when Prince Andrew saw it. Eugenie and Bea were clearly concerned, but there was little they could do as everyone was so p****d (drunk)". An anonymous guest said: "No one wanted to sit and eat and the drink was flowing. Couples started pairing off and disappearing to dark corners." Contract Options, the company in charge of cleaning Sunninghill Park, was quoted as saying: "It was like a bomb had gone off, the house was in a real state. There were empty bottles and broken glasses. It took all day to clean up."
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway has started a 28-day tour through half a dozen of states of the USA to promote the children's book "Why kings and queens don't wear crowns" she released last year. She will read from her book and sign copies for buyers.
April 5th
BBC One will broadcast a two-part documentary on April 9 and April 16 about Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The BBC followed 12 months of the life of the Queen , who will turn 80 on April 21. As the documentary followed the Queen, the BBC gained exclusive footage of events during her working year. Among others home movies shot by and featuring the Queen are to be shown publicly for the first time. The Queen first took up a camera shortly after her marriage. The documentary will also show films from World War II. Other footage in the documentary includes black and white images from Coronation Day, 2 June 1953.
A solid-gold sword presented during their sister's wedding at Buckingham Palace by the Prince Regent to his brother the Duke of Cambridge in 1816 to mark the Duke's appointment as the Viceroy of Hanover in May that year will go under the hammer tomorrow for up to £100,000.
A new book has collected the opinions of 15 authors on why the Swedish monarchy is enjoying 80% approval ratings, despite the fact that it has long been stripped of any formal political power. Inga-Britt Ahlenius, head auditor for the United Nations, says a strong and presidential prime minister paves the way for a popular king. "His power is strengthened by being a bit outside [the political fray]. Whatever he says becomes quite 'kingly'," she says. Historian Dick Harrison writes that this non-political monarchy is the most powerful one in Sweden's history. "The King now acts out the role formerly practiced by queens," he says. "He really lives up to the phrase, 'for Sweden', and that's why he has 80% approval ratings." Republicans in favour of making commoners out of the royal family are also given space in the new book.
65-year-old Issei Nomura will become the top official in charge of the household of Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, the government said at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. Hideki Hayashida, the current grand master of the household, will leave office tomorrow. Mr Nomura has served as ambassador to Russia, Armenia, Turkmenistan and Belarus since 2002. Before he served as ambassador to Malaysia and Germany. He has close relations with the parents of Crown Princess Masako.
April 6th
A memorial service was being held today at the cathedral in Monte Carlo to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The memorial service was attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco, his sisters Caroline and Stéphanie, Prince Ernst August of Hannover and the three eldest children of Princess Caroline.
April 7th
The state budget for maintaining the royal family of Norway dipped into the red last year, with expenses exceeding state funding by nearly 3.200.000 million Norwegian crowns. Much of the cost overrun was blamed on expenses tied to last year's centennial celebrations. Both the cost of running the royal palace in Oslo, where King Harald and Queen Sonja live, and the cost of Crown Prince Haakon's estate west of Oslo exceeded their budgets.
4-year-old Princess Aiko of Japan will take part in an entrance ceremony next Tuesday at the Gakushuin Kindergarten in Tokyo, the Imperial Household Agency said today. Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako will also attend the event.
April 8th
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is having a giant henhouse built at Balmoral to help protect her chickens from bird flu. Yesterday staff were constructing a chalet-style building and a 7ft fence after the UK’s first case of the lethal H5N1 strain was found in a dead swan. Balmoral lies just a few miles outside a zone around the spot where it was found.
More than 25.000 people protested in the streets of Bharatpur, a town in the south of Nepal, today. The protesters demand that King Gyanendra restores democracy in Nepal. They set fire to at least half a dozen government offices and forced riot police to retreat from the main square in Bharatpur, a government official said. The demonstration at Bharatpur is the biggest so far in nationwide protests called by the country’s main political parties to protest the king’s rule. One person was killed and two were injured when police opened fire on protesters in the resort town of Pokhara, about 125 miles west Katmandu.
April 9th
An official photograph of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall has been released to mark the couple's first wedding anniversary today. The image, one of five captured by Mario Testino, shows Prince Charles and Camilla in the garden of Clarence House, their London residence. The other pictures, taken inside Clarence House and in its garden, will be published in the May issue of British Vogue. The couple are spending their first anniversary at Birkhall, on Balmoral Estate, where they honeymooned. They attended a church service at nearby Crathie Parish Church on Sunday morning.
Prince Albert II of Monaco has confirmed his acceptance to become a member of the International Paralympic Committee Honorary Board. He attended the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games and watched the final day of Alpine Skiing competition and the Closing Ceremony. IPC President Sir Philip Craven said: “We are extremely pleased that Prince Albert has agreed to become a member. He is not only a Head of State and an IOC member, but also a former athlete. His genuine interest in winter sport and Paralympic sport shone through during his afternoon at Alpine Skiing in Sestriere.” Prince Albert said: "I am delighted to be able to bring my modest contribution to the development of the Paralympic sport and to be an additional link of friendship between the Olympic Movement and the IPC”.
The museum at the Marienburg near Hannover, ancestral home of the royal family of Hannover, has reopend on Saturday after renovation. Also rooms that weren't accessible for the public before are open now. It also will be possible to marry in the chapel of the castle.
Hereditary Prince Heinrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn and his wife Priscilla had their first child, a son called Ludovico, on 5 April at Milan.
April 10th
Jewellery, furniture and works of art that belonged to the late Princess Margaret of Great Britain is to go under the hammer at Christie's on June 13 and 14 in London. Viscount Linley prepares to sell off items from the collection of his mother. The pieces due to be auctioned include the Poltimore tiara, expected to fetch well over £250,000, which she wore on her wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones. The upcoming jewellery sale is expected to attract huge interest and up to £2 million in total. The sale is to help her children Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto to pay an inheritance tax. Many of the items had been left over from Margaret's apartment after it was cleaned out by her family, Rhiannon Bevan John, a spokeswoman for Christie's said: "They can't keep everything obviously. They felt the best way to dispose (of the possessions) ... was through a public auction to give people the chance to own their own little piece of royal history,"
Nether Lypiatt, the house of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, has been sold after having been on the market for almost a year. It has been sold for a little short of its original £6 million price. Contracts have been exchanged on a price of £5.75 million, it is thought. A spokesman for the couple said yesterday: "I cannot say anything about the price or who has bought it."
Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, the Ghanaian Dagbon king, was buried late this night in the town of Yendi for years after he was beheaded during a bloody dispute between rival royal clans on March 25, 2002. He had reigned for 28 years. It has taken four years to name a successor and rebuild the palace that was destroyed during the fighting. According to Dagbon custom, the king could not be buried until the matter was resolved. The late monarch's 32 wives travelled from the town of Tamale to Yendi on Sunday with motorcycle escorts to attend the highly symbolic ceremony. Other members of the royal family, government officials as well as civil society organisations that have been working to resolve the four-year dispute also attended. The viewing of the King's body was limited to a few people. In terms of the deal, the late King's first son, Kankupya Na Abdullai Andani, a 40-year-old primary school teacher, is now to be named regent.
April 11th
A locket containing hair from the head of Bonnie Prince Charlie is expected to fetch £1,000 when it goes on sale at Sotheby's in London on 26 April. It was found in Braemar Castle, once the site of Jacobite resistance.
Princess Aiko of Japan has entered kindergarten in Tokyo this morning joining about 50 other new entrants in a ceremony. She is set to spend two years at Gakushuin Kindergarten in Tokyo's Mejiro district. The princess arrived with her parents around 9.45am dressed in a navy-blue uniform and holding a bag decorated with a dog pattern. The head of the kindergarten came out and greeted the family before going inside for the entrance ceremony. Princess Aiko is set to participate in various outings and sports events during her time at kindergarten.
The Transylvanian castle of Bran near Brasov that inspired the Dracula legend is to be returned to their previous owners decades after Romanian Communists confiscated it. The Romanian government is to give over the ownership to 68-year-old Archduke Dominic of Austria, son of Princess Ileana of Romania, in a few weeks time, the Romanian culture minister, Adrian Iorgulescu, has announced. The handover could be completed within a month. The castle was built in 1212 by German knights and later used by Prince Vlad Tepes of Wallachia, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler, as a base for his incursions into Transylvania. The Archduke, who grew up at the castle until 1948 says: "This 'Dracula Castle' was an invention of the last regime - the communists." The family first put in a claim in for the castle in 2000. The Archduke will share the ownership of the castle with his two younger sisters Maria Magdalena and Elisabeth. Other familymembers chose to renounce their claim.
April 12th
Prince Harry of Wales has graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an Army officer. His passing out parade was inspected by his grandmother - Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The Queen stopped to have a few words with her grandson during the parade, after which he broke out in a broad grin. Afterwards the Queen gave a speech to the cadets where she described the parade as a "great occasion". "This day marks the beginning of what I hope will be highly successful careers," she said. "My prayers and my trust go with you all." She also presented the prestigious Sword of Honour to the best cadet and also handed out the Overseas Medal and the Queen's Medal, before addressing the newly-commissioned officers. The ceremony was also attended by The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince William. Prince Harry is to join the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals. He becomes a 2nd Lieutenant, his rank is referred to as a Cornet and he will serve in an armoured reconnaissance unit. He will train to become a troop commander, in charge of 11 men and four light tanks, and could serve in a conflict zone. Some pictures
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway will serve as its new Special Representative, advocating for action to combat the spread of the disease and to help those affected by it. The Crown Princess is planning to generate more attention and support for young people living with and affected by HIV, and will work to raise awareness on the stigma surrounding people living with the virus, the agency said. She will visit the UNAIDS Secretariat in Geneva later this month to learn more about the work of UNAIDS.
April 13th
A court in Amsterdam ruled that Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn is not to make public a tape of a 'lively' argument in January 2002 between his estranged wife, Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme, and her aunt, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. De Roy van Zuydewijn retained a copy of the tape and has been refusing to return it. A transcript of the tape in which the Queen spoke harshly to Princess Margarita was read on talk show 'Barend en Van Dorp' on Talpa television last week. The court ruled Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn will have to pay a EUR 50,000 fine if he publishes the tape after all. De Roy van Zuydewijn claims he no longer has the tape as it has been stolen. The Princess is also seeking compensation from Talpa.
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his team of seven have today started a 92km journey on dog-pulled sledges to the North Pole leaving the Russian tent camp of Barneo. They hope to reach their destination on Sunday. Prince Albert was first flown in a Boeing Business jet from Sweden to the Norwegian outpost of Svalbard, and then by a twin-jet Russian Antonov-74 to a makeshift landing strip at Barneo. The prince says he is using the trip to raise awareness of the dangers of global warming. The trip will also pay tribute to his great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert I of Monaco, who made a similar trek in 1906. "Prince Albert is in excellent form, full of energy and aiming for victory," trip co-ordinator Dmitry Shparo said. See: monaco. arctic-expedition.mc 1906-2006
Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium still haven't issued pictures of their now four-month-old twins Nicolas and Aymeric. The newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reports now that the reason is that the Prince finds them 'a bit ugly'.
April 14th
Nepal's main political parties have rejected an offer by King Gyanendra of Nepal to participate in talks which the king says could pave the way for elections. In an address to the nation, the king said he would open up a dialogue with the opposition and hold elections. But the opposition said the king's offer contained nothing new and protests would continue. The opposition has accused the king of trying to hold on to direct rule and say he has not taken account of the protesters' demands. "The king has failed to address the protests and the movement for democracy. He is only using the offer for dialogue to try prolong his rule," said Krishna Sitaula of the largest party, the Nepali Congress party. "We will intensify the protests until we get rid of the autocratic monarchy," he said.
April 15th
King Abdullah II of Jordan today hosted a luncheon banquet celebrating the wedding ceremony of Prince Hashem Bin Al Hussein and his bride Princess Fahdah, daughter of Sheikh Mohammad Ben Ibrahim Ben Sulayman Abu Neyan. King Abdullah and princes of the royal family princes welcomed the guests, among them Jordanian dignitaries, notables, tribal leaders, refugee camps representatives, members of diplomatic corps, senior civilian and military officials and many other public figures. King Abdullah also welcomed guests and will wishers from Saudi Arab and Oman, among them the father of the bride and her grandfather Sheikh Turkey bin Khaled al-Sedeiri. The nuptials were celebrated under a large tent pitched up on an outdoor lot in the royal palaces compound. "It is the happiest moment in my life to be with you on this blessed day," King Abdullah said. He thanked all Jordanians who came from all parts of the kingdom to share the royal family this happy occasion. No picture of the newly wed couple was issued.
April 16th
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark today celebrated her 66th birthday at Marselisborg in Aarhus. She was accompanied by Prince Henrik, Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and little Prince Christian.
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his team have reached the North Pole on their four-day expedition to highlight global warming. The Prince planted a flag of Monaco and one of the International Olympic Committee, of which he is a member. The prince said: "We must try to find solutions [to global warming], with scientists obviously, but at the individual level." Prince Albert II is the first head of state in office to reach the pole. The prince told by telephone that he had seen the effects of global warming during the trip, with some channels to the Pole barely frozen. "I think everyone by their behaviour can make their small contribution to a global and extraordinary effort," he said. Te prince said the 91km (56-mile) trip had in fact lasted 150km with the need to skirt ice outcrops. "It was a physically difficult journey because it isn't a straight line. When you have blocks of ice that crash into each other they make pretty impressive little hills to climb," he told. Two team members fell into icy water at one stage but were unharmed.
April 18th
Of 1.500 people polled for ITV News, 68% of the participants want a Monarch for Great Britain and 57% want Queen Elizabeth II to reign until she dies. However, 16% of those polled would like the Queen to retire and make way for her grandson Prince William. But just 12% want the Prince of Wales to rule. 13% do not want a successor at all. They want Great Britain to become a republic. The poll also showed that the Duchess of Cornwall still hasn't been accepted. When asked if the Prince of Wales would become King, should the Duchess of Cornwall become Queen, 57% said no while 29% said yes. The Duchess of Cornwall was also the least favourite of all royals, with just 1% of the vote while Queen Elizabeth II topped the poll with 26%. Prince William was second with 21% and the Princess Royal third with 11%. The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry came joint fourth with 4% each.
April 19th
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain had lunch with 99 people who were born on the same day as her - 21 April 1926 - as part of her 80th birthday celebrations. She described the 70 women and 29 men who attended the Buckingham Palace reception as her "exact twins". The guests were treated to a three-course lunch, with the main course of filet de boeuf bordelaise being served on a royal silver dinner service normally reserved for state banquets. The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, told her guests "we can and should count our blessings". "I doubt whether any of us would say the last 80 years has been plain sailing. "But we can give thanks for our health and happiness, the support we receive from our families and friends, some wonderful memories and the excitement that each new day brings." She thanked her guests for coming, adding: "I hope all those of you who are my exact twins will make the most of our special day on Friday. A happy birthday to you all."
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand has won this year's United Nations Development Programme Award for his decades-long dedication to Thailand's development through royal works and many royally initiated projects. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has requested an audience with the King to present the award. Annan would visit Thailand between May 25 and May 27.
King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV of Tonga returned to New Zealand on April 13 to undergo further medical check-ups, the Palace Office in Nuku’alofa confirmed today. He already lived in Auckland from December 2005 to March 18, 2006. The king was expected to return to Tonga in the second week of May. Princess Pilolevu was Princess Regent following the departure of the king on April 13 until the Easter weekend, when Crown Prince Tupouto'a returned to Tonga from overseas.
April 21st
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain celebrated her 80th birthday today. Shortly after noon she and the Duke of Edinburgh made a walkabout in the town centre of Windsor. The Band of the Irish Guards played 'Happy Birthday' as the couple emerged from the castle. The Queen - dressed in a pink coat and hat - accepted gifts, cards and flowers as she walked around the town for 45 minutes. In the evening the Prince of Wales hosted a private family dinner at the King's Dining Room at the newly restored Kew Palace. The dinner was attended by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry, the Duke of York with Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Timothy Laurence with Peter and Zara Phillips, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra the Hon. Lady Ogilvy, Viscount and Viscountess Linley and the Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto. They enjoyed a three-course dinner which included delicacies from the Royal estates. Hebridean smoked salmon, Juniper-roast loin of Sandringham Estate venison and birthday chocolate sponge cake filled with a Highgrove fruit filling, were among the delights. Afterwards they all watched a firework display, set to music from the last 80 years. In a speech broadcasted on television and radio the Prince of Wales, as the "proud and loving son", thanked the Queen for the "many wonderful qualities she has brought to almost an entire lifetime of service and dedication".
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden gave an interview to news agency TT upon the occasion of his 60th birthday on April 30. "I remember very well when the Crown Princess turned 27, and I said, jokingly: "just so you know - I was your age when I succeeded my grandfather". "She was pretty terrified. She didn't really feel ready for it – perhaps one never does," he laughs. The King's father, Prince Gustaf Adolf, died before his son's first birthday, and the little prince grew up with four older sisters and a mother, Princess Sibylla, who was often absent. The king says he thinks his upbringing without any close male role-models has had an effect on his own role as a father. "I can't think of any examples, but you try to treat your own children as you would like to be treated yourself." He said that as a boy he wanted to be a farmer. The future is also likely to contain grandchildren. The king says his 60th birthday is a good milestone, and a "time of reflection." When he was a child his sisters used to wake him with a song and a cake - a tradition his own family has taken up, "and the dogs - that's all part of it. They have lovely rosettes around their necks on my birthday." Asked if he had a birthday wish, the king answered "good weather. There are going to be so many outdoor events, so good weather will make it more pleasant for everyone."
Kuwaiti police have arrested a member of the ruling Al-Sabah family with a large drugs haul, including at least 10 kilogrammes of cocaine, a few kilogrammes of heroin and hashish. The prince's name was not revealed. His arrest came at the orders of Interior and Defence Minister, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak al-Sabah. The drugs were found at the prince’s house.
April 22nd
Gabriel-Michael-Louis-Ronny, son of Prince Louis of Luxemburg and Tessy Antony, was christened today at the parish church of Gilsdorf at 15.00. He was born in Genève on 12 March. The godparents of the baby are Princess Alexandra of Luxemburg and Ronny Antony, brother of Tessy. The christening was attended by family members of both families, including Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxemburg.
King Gyanendra of Nepal last night vowed to end his absolute rule and hand back “power to the people”, 14 months after he seized control, setting off protests that ended in weeks of violent confrontation. But political leaders said that his promise fell short of their demands and that the protests would continue. In a television address King Gyanendra said that he had an unflinching commitment towards constitutional monarchy and multiparty democracy. He called on the seven-party alliance to name a prime minister as soon as possible. “Executive power shall, from this day, be returned to the people,” he said.
April 23rd
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has appointed her two youngest sons the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex as Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. As Members of the Royal family, the appointments of The Duke of York and The Earl of Wessex are additional to the established number of 24 Knights Companions.
Princess Benedikte of Denmark has launched a website as part of her campaign for the elections of the President of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports.
April 25th
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has been named a special emissary in the United Nations' global war on AIDS today. This assignment will last two years, with both sides having the option to seek to extend it. The crown princess will concentrate especially on programs for youth and young adults, and she is expected to travel with UNAIDS several times. She began a two-day visit to UNAIDS in Geneva, Switzerland today. She will take part in a global conference on HIV/AIDS in Toronto, Canada in August.
Law firm Harbottle & Lewis, lawyers for Prince William of Wales' girlfriend Kate Middleton, have made further complaints to newspapers and picture agencies about the publication of photographs they claim breached her privacy. has warned the Daily Mail, Daily Star and the Sun and the picture agencies Big Pictures and Matrix after they ran photographs of Ms Middleton sitting at a bus stop. The recent warnings follow legal letters sent last October following the publication of photographs and articles of Ms Middleton in her private life. "The circumstances surrounding the taking of photographs is the subject of correspondence to the newspapers and picture agencies involved and that correspondence has also been copied to the Press Complaints Commission," said solicitor Gerrard Tyrrell.
A 22-year-old man was jailed for three months for insulting Princess Stephanie of Monaco. He confronted the princess and made derogatory comments about her appearance as she left a restaurant in the Principality with her former husband Daniel Ducruet and her children on Saturday. According to a witness, Daniel Ducruet then fought with the man. Court today found the man guilty of defamation and provocation.
Prince Hussein, second son of the Aga Khan, has become engaged to American Kristin J. White. The marriage is to take place in the autumn. Kristin White has converted to the Islam and has taken the name of Khaliya. The couple met during their studies at Columbia University, USA.
April 26th
A letter signed by both the Prince and Princess of Wales was sold for £1182 yesterday. It was sent to staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to say thank you for helping treat Prince William. He suffered a fractured skull after being hit on the head with a golf club in June 1991. In the letter, the Prince of Wales wrote: "I only hope that being involved with a royal patient has not seriously affected your health." The letter was bought by a collector at an auction in Wareham, Dorset.
A lock of hair believed to be from the head of Bonnie Prince Charlie was auctioned for more than £2,600, more than three times its original estimated value. The hair is contained in a George III gold-mounted glass locket which went under the hammer at Sotheby's in London.
In a rare interview King Mswati of Swaziland said this week his country is not ready for political parties and criticised foreign governments for meddling in its internal affairs. "Most countries that adopted multi-party systems of government and succeeded to rule without internal strife had healthy economies, while the poor nations have continued to experience conflict. What we need to do right now as a country is to build our economy to a sustainable level where the introduction of multi parties can operate with a reasonable degree of success," he said. He criticised the governments of Great Britain and the Netherlands, and South Africa's trade unions, for interference in the internal affairs of Swaziland.
April 27th
Princess Máxima of the Netherlands today started the Run for Rio at Wassenaar. All children of the primary schools in Wassenaar took part in this charity run to collect money for building a school in Africa. To everyone's big surprise the princess came along with her husband the Prince of Orange, who celebrated his 39th birtday, as well as their daughters Amalia and Alexia.
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands should abdicate in favour of her son, the Prince of Orange, within the next five years, 52% of the respondents in a Queen's Day poll said. Last November 44% were of the same opinion. Compared with the earlier poll, confidence in Prince Willem-Alexander has risen from 48% to 53%. But 14% said in the latest poll that they have little or no confidence in him. The poll of 22,000 people was carried out by television programme TweeVandaag. The Queen's popularity remains high: she scored 7,3 out of 10 for the way she carries out her duties. Support for the Netherlands becoming a republic dropped from 24% in November to 21%.
A woman has been cautioned for sending nuisance mail to the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Officers from Scotland Yard's specialist crime operations unit arrested the 44-year-old woman at her home at Beeston, Nottinghamshire, in March. She gave detectives examples of her handwriting, it is understood. A police spokesman said the woman, whose name has not been released, was cautioned for sending "malicious communications" to the Royal couple.
Staff at a Hydro Texaco station in Gråmyra, Levanger, got the shock of their lives when they managed to trace the motorist that drove off without paying a gasoline bill. When staff checked the license plates on a missing payment, they traced the vehicle to the Swedish palace. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden routinely visit the Trøndelag region at Easter, where they have a cabin in Storlien. This Easter the Swedish royal couple made the trip with a pair of friends and two bodyguards. On the way home they stopped to fill up the tank, and the driver, a friend of the king's, went in to the station to pay and also buy some candy. "By accident he only paid for the candy, something that happened without thinking. Then he went out to the car and just drove on," Nina Eldh, press chief for the Swedish palace, said. The station owner contacted the Swedish palace and the bill was paid. "The owner of the little station in Trøndelag was a nice fellow. He accepted our apology and we settled up," Mrs Eldh said.
Princess Kiko, wife of Prince Akishino of Japan, today underwent an ancient ritual to pray for a safe birth. Attended by court ladies and her husband, the princess was wrapped in a long white sash provided by Empress Michiko in a symbolic gesture to protect her unborn child, an Imperial Household Agency spokesman said. "From what I hear, all is well with the pregnancy," he added.
April 28th
The celebrations of the 60th birthday of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden began today with an official gift ceremony at the royal palace in Stockholm. Fantastic!" the king kept repeating as the well-wishers queued to hand over presents. The gifts varied from a portrait from the Swedish people, homemade strawberry jam to masses of memories. Everything from a personal greeting from president Vladimir Putin via Russia's ambassador to a GPS receiver from the police was handed over. "Mamma, that's going to take over your job as map reader now," joked Princess Madeleine. The gift from parliament and the government - and therefore from the Swedish people - was a state portrait of the king by the artist Olle Hamngren, which will hang in Gripsholm Castle.
Prince Harry of Wales is launching a charity in Lesotho to support children orphaned by Aids, in memory of his mother Diana Princess of Wales. In a tribute to her he will call the charity Sentebale, which means "forget me not". The charity, to be run by Clarence House, will be launched at the Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek, in the southern African kingdom. He returned to Lesotho this week for the launch where he was reunited with six-year-old Aids orphan Mutsu Potsane, whom he first met at the children's home two years ago. This is Harry's fourth trip to Lesotho. The Prince co-founded the charity with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Also Prince Seeiso's mother Queen Mamohato, who died in 2003, was hugely connected with Aids, especially the orphaned children. "I wanted to carry on as best I could what she [Diana] started and what better place than to do it than here?" Prince Harry said. He hoped his mother would be proud, he added. The charity plans to offer long-term support to small and new projects that might not attract large-scale international funding. "This is our place. We are starting with small projects. Most other charities are concentrating on other areas. There is no one else. It is only us," said Prince Harry. "When you are back in England you just get on with life ... but then you come to a place like this and it makes you realise how lucky you actually are. When I was here for the first time, I actually found myself thanking the press for the first time - and the last time ever probably - for the amount of awareness they made of this place by putting it in the papers." He also said: "It would be weird not to come back. I am committed for the rest of my life."
A collection of watercolours of the gardens at Sandringham in Norfolk given as presents by the British Royal Family has been sold for £3,616. The 10 paintings were given each year at Christmas by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and later by George V and Queen Mary. They were put up for sale by the family of Thomas Henderson Cook who was head gardener during the early 1900s. The auction was conducted on Thursday at Cheffins Auctioneers in Cambridge.
At 1 p.m. today the Royal Palace in Oslo got a new address. The royal palace is now located at Henrik Ibsens gate 1. The lower part of Drammensveien in Oslo was renamed Henrik Ibsens gate, as part of the ongoing activities honoring the 100th anniversary of the playwright's death. Oslo City Council leader Erling Lae presided over the ceremony at the Ibsen Museum. The date was chosen since Ibsen moved to Oslo on April 28, 1850. He lived in Drammensveien, where the Ibsen Museum is situated today. Lae proposed the shift of name for the stretch of Drammensveien that runs from the Nationaltheatret to Solli plass, an area that includes the palace, the American embassy, and the Nobel Institute.
April 29th
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and her family visited Zeewolde and Almere in the province of Flevoland today to celebrate Queen's Day. Only Princess Anita van Oranje-Nassau, Van Vollenhoven had to cancel because of the flu. The royal family arrived in a wet and cold Zeewolde. Despite of rain and hail the visit to Zeewolde was enjoyed a lot by both family and public. In Almere it happily was dry. At the end of the visit Queen Beatrix told: "How cold it may be, the people of Flevoland know to make something of it, for us and for each other."
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden today received more presents for his 60th birthday, including almost 12 million kronor in donations to a new charity called Young Leadership. "We're proud that our country has a head of state who wants to use his birthday to do something for others," said the charity's chairman Ingemar Eliasson, who gave the king a painting and a list of all those who had contributed money to the charity. "I really want to thank everyone who's been involved in this. And thank you in advance on behalf of all the young people who we will eventually select," said the king. Among the other gifts was an invitation from the president of the Seychelles to visit the Aldabra atoll, a new fund from the World Wildlife Fund in the king's name, and a tie from the City of Stockholm made out of 83 year old curtains. In the evening a private dinner for family, royals and friends was held at Drottningholm Palace.
April 30th
Today the 60th birthday of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden began with a service in the palace chapel of the royal palace in Stockholm. The service was led by Chaplain Henrik Svenungsson and was attended by tens of royal guests. Afterwards many people gathered in the castle's Outer Courtyard to hear the drums and horns of the Navy's music corps. After a series of ceremonies, a group children rushed forward to present flowers and gifts to the king. In the early afternoon thousands of people lined the streets in and around the palace. The King greeted the crowd at Lejonbacken, at the palace, and an enormous applause was heard when the birthday boy and his family came outside. "It's wonderful to stand up here. I wish that you could all stand up here with me," the king said. Music came from Adolf Fredriks Music Class and the Marine Music Choir. Then there was a royal procession between the palace and the City Hall. When the king and queen passed in an open carriage with six horses the crowd cheered loudly, while the royal couple were welcomed for lunch at the City Hall. In the evening a concert took place at the Rikssalen, again attended by many royal guests. Afterwards a galadinner was being held. King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain didn't attend today's activities, while Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, as well as King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians arrived today to join the party.
Royal News: March 2006. Last updated: April 6th, 2006.