Last updated: May 3rd, 2009.
April 1st
On 27 March Prince Carl Philip of Sweden launched his cutlery series CPB 2091 at the Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm. The series has been produced by hand by silversmiths at the Mema/GAB's factory in Eskilstuna. Prince Carl Philip was commissioned to think "new and contemporary" in designing a new cutlery. Prince Carl Philip said: "It's been an amazing challenge and I'm proud of the result. It's great to work with silver as a material, not only because of its special sound and lustre, but also because it ages so beautifully. It's been a dream assignment to have the chance to design a product that so many people have a connection with - after all we use cutlery every day." The cutlery set is the first product to be launched under the CPB brand.
Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia has left an hospital in New York late on Tuesday, after having underwent surgery in February. The royal court said that he had "completed the required period following the successful surgery that was performed on him".
April 3rd
Prince Ernst August von Hannover has been released from the Schenk Sanatorium in Schruns, Austria. The prince was admitted to the hospital after a fall on an icy street when leaving his car on 26 March. He had surgery on the same day, conducted by Dr. Christian Schenk. He suffered a laceration of his quadriceps knee ligament of his right knee. He also bruised his right forearm. He is on his way of recovery, the hospital said.
Suwicha Thakho was sentenced to ten years in jail by a court in Bangkok, Thailand for insulting the monarchy. He altered digital images of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and other members of the Thai royal family, and posted them online.
April 6th
The sale of Salem Castle and cultural treasures of the House of Baden by the Grand Ducal family von Baden to the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, has become official this morning. The minister of finance Willi Stächele, the minister of science Peter Frankenberg and Hereditary Prince Bernhard von Baden signed the agreement. The family sold the castle and treasures for 57,8 million Euros: which is 25,8 million Euros for the castle, 17 million Euros for the treasures, and 15 million Euros for the family. The castle will remain open to the public. Also the boarding school Salem doesn't have to move. The agreement ends a more than 90 year fight about the ownership of the property. It is thought a renovation of the castle will cost Baden-Württemberg another 47 million Euros. In a statement Hereditary Prince Bernhard von Baden said to be happy that the castle won't loose its character. It said: "To save the future of the castle, we have given up part of the history."
April 7th
On April 5 Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, an half-sister of King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck of Bhutan, married Dasho Phub Wangchuck Dorji at the Motithang Palace in Bhutan. The ceremony was performed by His Holiness Gyalse Trulku. The wedding was attended by the King, the former king with his four wives, the paternal grandmother of the bride and other members of the family. Today a reception and dance took place at the Terma Linca. The couple met in high school.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum of Dubai revealed that two of his endurance horses, he competes himself, have tested positive to prohibited substances during routine controls at his stables in Dubai. A spokesman for the Sheikh says he has "banned" himself, while the International Equestrian Federation (FIS) - of which his wife Princess Haya is president - has decided how to proceed. He is also undertaking his own investigations which he will share with the FIS.
A Faberge Museum (Russian National Museum) is to open at Baden-Baden, Germany, on May 9. It will house the collection of Russian tycoon Alexander Ivanov, existing ofs 3000 pieces, said to be worth around $1.5 billion. The building of the museum costed about $22 million. Mr Ivanov said the inaugural exhibition will feature the best works from the collection.
April 9th
In a press conference this evening at the Elisabeta Palace in Bucharest, Prince Radu of Romania has announced he will run in the Romanian presidential elections of November 2009.
April 10th
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan today celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a tea party for 101 couples who were married around the same time. Already early in the morning well-wishers ligned up in front of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to sign books of congratulation. In the morning several ceremonial meetings were held at the Imperial Palace with members of the Imperial family and 51 guests attending. In an interview prior to the wedding anniversary Emperor Akihito said to look forward to meeting the other couples. The couple thanked each other for their continued support over the past 50 years. Emperor Akihito said: "Taking all matters calmly in her stride, the Empress has always been a great support for me, first when I was Crown Prince, and subsequently as Emperor, in fulfilling my duties," Emperor Akihito said in expressing his gratitude to Empress Michiko. If there is something that I would like to present to the Empress on the occasion of our 50th wedding anniversary, it would, this time, be a Citation of Appreciation and Gratitude. She has truly made great efforts over these 50 years. I know that during these years there have been many sad times and many difficult times, but the Empress has borne these well with fortitude. I am greeting our 50th wedding anniversary with true feelings of appreciation and gratitude," and "I should like to express my deep appreciation to all those people who have supported the Empress and myself over the 50 years of our marriage." Emperss Michiko said: "The path of 50 years has been long and at times challenging, but as His Majesty has always sought the right path with sincerity and shown me the way, I have been able to walk together with His Majesty up to this very day. I would like to offer Him a Citation of Appreciation and Gratitude. I feel that it is somehow not enough. Still, a Citation of Appreciation and Gratitude with all my heart."
On the occasion of the 50th wedding anniversary of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan an exhibition is held at the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo from 7 to 19 April. It will afterwards be on display at the stores in Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sendai and Sapporo. Apart from 120 travel photographs of the couple and commemorative items, also the sokutai court dress worn by the Emperor and the kimono worn by the Empress at their coronation are on display. Only in Tokyo the wedding coach can be seen, in which they rode their wedding parade.
April 12th
The wedding between Lord Frederick Windsor and Sophie Winkleman is to take place at the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace near London on 12 September 2009. A reception for 400 guests will take place at the Great Hall of Hampton Court Palace in the late afternoon.
April 13th
On 18 April the Duke of Edinburgh will become the longest serving consort in the history of Great Britain. So far the record was 57 years and 70 days, set by Queen Charlotte, who was married to King George III.
April 14th
The Supreme Court of Anquities at Egypt said today that archaeologists will start excavating next week. Excavations will be carried out at three sites near the Mediterranean, that last month were identified during a radar survey of the temple of Taposiris Magna near Alexandria, Egypt, as part of a search for the tombs of Pharaoh Cleopatra and her Roman lover Mark Anthony. Last year archaeologists found the head of a statue of Cleopatra and a mask believed to be Mark Anthony near the temple.
April 15th
A piece of the 1871 wedding cake of Princess Louise of Great Britain and the Marquis of Lorne will go on sale at the spring Antiquities for Everyone fair at the NEC in Birmingham this week. It is being sold by antiques dealer John Shepherd for £145. It is thought to be the only surviving piece of the wedding cake. It is wrapped in parchment and delicately tied with string.
April 16th
Thousands of well-wishers cheered Queen Margrethe II of Denmark today. The Queen appeared on the balcony of Amalienborg in Copenhagen on the occasion of her 69th birthday. She was joined by her husband, children and grandchildren. A rare photograph of the proclamation of King Edward VII's ascension to the throne in 1901 has been discovered by a parishioner of St Thomas Church in Exeter. The hand-coloured photo was restored. The original photograph now will go to the West Country Studies Library, while a copy will hang in the church.
Kenneth Halliday, a scrap metal dealer from Dalkeith, was jailed by Edinburgh Sheriff Court for five months. Mr Halliday sold one of two propellers stolen from the Royal Yacht Britannia. He was originally charged with theft.
April 17th
Prince William and Prince Harry of Wales are to begin new phases of their helicopter training with the Royal Air Force and Army Air Corps. Prince William has completed the refresher phase of his course in March. The rest of 2009 he will take part in the Multi Engine Advanced Rotary Wing course at RAF Valley in Anglesey. In 2010 he will continue his training with the Sea King Operational Conversion Unit. Prince Harry will finish the Fixed Wing Phase of the Army Pilots' Course at RAF Barkston Heath at the end of April. He has undertaken his first solo flight on 2 March. In May he will continue to be assessed right up to graduating onto the Squirrel helicopter at DHFS at RAF Shawbury. If he successfully completes the elementery helicopter flying programme in October, he will progress onto the Operational Training Phase at the School of Army Aviation at Middle Wallop, which will last another six months.
In an interview to the Nepali TV-station Avenues Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda of Nepal has said that there might be a link between the killing of the Nepalese royal family at the Royal Palace on 1 June 2001, and the helicopter crash in November 2001 in which Princess Prekshya died. Mr Prachanda didn't say whether his government would also order a new investigation into the crash.
April 18th
Great Britain will issue new stamps on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Henry VIII of England. The stamps will be released on Tuesday and feature six contemporary portraits of Tudor Monarchs: Henry VII, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Edward VI, Jane Grey and Mary I. Alongside four additional stamps illustrating significant people and events from the period will be issued.
April 19th
Crown Princess Masako of Japan performed her first official duty outside Tokyo in 15 months. Together with her husband Crown Prince Naruhito she attended a greenery event at Yokohama today.
April 20th
Recently autochromes from the early 1900s were found in a cupboard at Exbury House in Hampshire. They were taken by banker Lionel de Rothshild, who was an enthusiastic amateur photographer, and were found by his grandson Lionel de Rothschild. The pictures offer a unique insight into the Edwardian life. A selection of the autochromes will be shown in an exhibtion at Exbury House from May 1.
The Prince of Wales has written a book called "Harmony" about man has become "dangerously disconnected" from nature. The work, published by Harper Collins, is expected to be published in 2010 and will also be turned into a children's picture book in 2011.
Publisher Cappelen Damm has announced that Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Elisabeth Samnøy will write a series of books called "The Angel School". The first book in the series will be published in October 2009.
Penguin Group has announced that in 2010 they will release memoirs by King Abdullah II of Jordan. The book is called "The Last Best Chance: An Intimate Account of the Pursuit of Peace in a Time of Peril."
In an interview with the Financial Times newspaper former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand claims that King Bhumibol Adulyadej knew about the military coup of 2006, and did nothing to stop it. He said thatgenerals and privy councilors briefed the King about their plans to remove Thaksin prior to the military coup. Thai officials deny the claims.
Archaeologists searching for the graves of Pharaoh Cleopatra of Egypt and Mark Antony have made a few important discoveries. During a radar survey of the temple of Taposiris Magna near Alexandria a female skull was found. It will be tested by scientists, whether it is Cleopatra's skull, as well as a complete body found in a stone coffin. Zahi Hawass of the Supreme Court of Antiquities said this could be the most important discovery of the 21st century.
April 21st
Prince Bernhard van Oranje-Nassau, van Vollenhoven had surgery today at the Academisch Medisch Centrum in Amsterdam. A piece of his intestine was removed because of a benignant structure.
Australian Nasra Alshamery was sentenced to two years in jail for insulting the Emir of Kuwait last December. Her lawyer said she had denied all charges, and says there was a misunderstanding between members of the family and an airport official. They will appeal to the verdict. The husband of Mrs Alshamery has asked the Emir for a pardon. He and his wife originally are Kuwaiti and emigrated to Australia in 1999.
Archaeologists from Egypt have found carvings at four ancient temples in the Sinai. They hope the inscriptions will shed a fresh light on one of the darkest periods of the history of the pharaohs. The Hyksos people invaded Egypt during the 12th dynasty and ruled from 1991 to 1802 BC. Their monuments and records were destroyed after they left the country.
April 22nd
The Spanish royal household announced today that Infanta Cristina and her family will move to Washington, USA. Her husband Iñaki Urdangarín will become the head of a unit of the Spanish telecommunications company Telefonica. He joined the board of Telefonica International in 2006. It is not known when they will move. The magazine Hola says they will live there for at least two years.
April 23rd
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden ended their three-day state visit to the Netherlands today.
The Swedish government announced today that it will hand over the use of Haga Palace near Stockholm to Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her fiancé Daniel Westling. The royal court said: "The Crown Princess appreciates the generous offer and looks forward to living in Haga Palace together with her husband to be Daniel Westling." After their wedding the The government has used the palace since 1966.
On 26 October Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir will be installed as the 11th Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, one of the Malaysian states. He was proclaimed the new Yang di-Pertuan Besar on 29 December 2008 after the death of his uncle Tuanku Ja'afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman. 26 October has been declared a state holiday. From 2010 14 January will become a state holiday to celebrate the birthday of Tuanku Muhriz.
In a statement former King Michael of Romania announced his support for his son-in-law Prince Radu, who has candidated for the presidential elections later this year. He said: "Through the participation of a member of the Royal Family in democratic elections to elect the Head of State, my family wishes to attempt to unite and rehabilitate the Romania of today through dedicated service to our nation and her people. I have every confidence that Prince Radu can shoulder this important responsibility and this noble goal."
Count Carl Piper was shot in the head on Tuesday outside the school of his daughter in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden. He is severely wounded. His girlfriend was with him, and managed to call for help. Yesterday the ex-wife of the count was arrested. It is thought she hired someone to shoot her former husband. Also this man has been arrested
April 24th
The Prince of Wales will appear in a film that will tell the stories of 12 people who helped saving Jewish people from the Nazis in World War II. In the series "The Rescuers: Heroes of the Holocaust" the Prince praises his "very remarkable" paternal grandmother Princess Alice of Greece. She hid Jewish people at the royal palace in Athens.
April 25th
Count Björn Bernadotte af Wisborg married Sandra Angerer civilly today at Mainau Castle. The religious wedding will be held at Mainau on 7 May. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden will be present at a gala-dinner at Mainau that evening.
April 27th
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican at the start of their two-day visit to Italy. They were greeted by an honour guard of the Swiss Guards and a Vatican nobleman before the meeting. The Pope presented the couple with an honorary medal and a drawing of the St Peter's Basilica. The Pope received a set of plates with paintings of plants from the Highgrove estate.
Despite of huge abdication rumours in the Netherlands and in the Belgian, German and Argentinean press on Friday and on Monday the days passed without anything happening. The Prince of Orange today celebrated his 42nd birthday at home with his wife and children. In 1980 Queen Juliana abdicated on the 42nd birthday of her daughter Beatrix.
April 28th
Pieter van Vollenhoven, husband of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, who is to celebrate his 70th birthday on 30 April, today already celebrated with a performance at the Beatrix Theatre in Utrecht. Among the guests were most members of the Dutch royal family, as well as Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium.
Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy announced today that he will head the list of candidates of the UDC party (Christian Democrats) for north-west Italy in the June European elections. He said: "It's the realisation of a dream after the end of the exile. I want to make myself useful to my country. The UDC is a party of the centre, far removed from the extreme left and right, with which I share the same Christian values on family and life." UDC Leader Lorenzo Casa said: "Emanuele will be a big surprise to Italian and European politics. He is an extraordinary person."
April 29th
Prince Turki bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia has said that the last operation of his father, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, in February was successful, and that his father is now "healthy". He is to leave New York and return to Morocco today, where he will recover further from his last surgery.
April 30th
What was supposed to become one of the best Queen's Days ever in the Netherlands, turned into a nightmare for the Dutch royal family, the audience and others present. After a wonderful morning at the Oranjepark in Apeldoorn, the royal family toured the Loolaan from the park to Palace Het Loo in an open bus, waving and enjoying the historical procession on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Queen Juliana. Just after passing the Loolaan and turning into the direction of the avenue leading to Palace Het Loo, a car drove with high speed through the audience, and speeded over the crossing into the direction of the bus with royals. The car fortunately drove straight into the Naald, a monument erected in honour of Queen Wilhelmina. The royal family was immediately driven to the Palace. On the square people wounded were helped at once. Soon afterwards the programme for the rest of the day was cancelled, which also meant that the march-past, people were very much looking forward to as also the newest generation of the royal family was to appear, was cancelled. The 38-year-old driver was arrested, and taken to hospital with serious injuries, and had surgery. At a press conference in the evening it was said that he had said that he had wanted to attack the royal family itself. In total two women and three men died, and 13 people were injured (including the driver), some of them seriously. Among the injured people were three children aged 9, 15 and 16. In a television address on television on Thursday afternoon Queen Beatrix, looking very shocked, offered sympathy to the victims and their relatives. Queen's Day celebration in many places in the Netherlands were cancelled or shortened, and flags were lowered to half-mast.
Crown Princess Marie Chantal of Greece opened a new clothing shop for children in Beverly Hills. It is her third shop in the USA. Among the guests at the opening were actresses Sharon Stone and Minnie Driver.
Royal News: March 2009. Last updated: April 4th, 2009.