Last updated: October 3rd, 2005.
July 1st
Prince William of Wales arrived in New Zealand on Thursday for a 10-day visit. He will join the British and Irish Lions rugby team's tour there to watch the games. During his trip the prince will carry out his first jobs on his own for the Royal Family. He will represent the Queen at two ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II.
In a book, therapist Simone Simmons claims the late Princess Diana of Wales was ordered to arrange a blood test for her youngest son to prove James Hewitt was not his father. She says this followed Diana's TV interview in which she revealed she and the ex-cavalry officer had been lovers. Mrs Simmons said William also underwent a blood test but neither prince was told the reason. Both tests proved Charles was the father, she says. The DNA claim is the latest in a series of allegations by Simmons in her second money- spinning book about the late Princess Diana. Earlier this week she claimed Diana had a one-night stand with John F Kennedy Jr, a claim derided on both sides of the Atlantic. She followed that up with a claim that Diana once took cocaine and yesterday said Diana ridiculed Charles in bed, awarding him one out of ten.
July 2nd
Laura Ponte, wife of Beltrán Gómez Acebo (a son of Infanta Pilar of Spain), gave birth to a son yesterday at 17.30 at the Sanatorio de Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Madrid. The baby received the names Luis Felipe, weighs 4,5 kilos and is 55 cm tall.
From her home in South Kensington, London, Janan Harb, one of the wives of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia who has accused him of neglecting his marital obligations, gave an interview. Mrs Harb says that her motiviation is not primarily financial, but designed to force the Saudi Government to fulfil the King’s obligations. "It is not about money. It is about taking responsibility for someone who lived with you, who gave power to you, who was a great support to you,” she said. “You don’t just leave people when you want. I myself take responsibility for a lot of people. It is my duty. Even if you have billions, why don’t you take responsibility?" Ms Harb declined to comment on her feelings for the King, but does not blame him for the legal dispute, adding that his decisions have been influenced by courtiers. "It is his advisers. He is sick. If it was him, he would not go on (to court)," she said. The case will be heard in court in London in November.
July 3rd
Prince William of Wales was at the centre of a bomb scare on an Air New Zealand flight between Los Angeles and Auckland last week. The pilot of the aircraft considered turning the plane back after a mobile phone was found in an ice bucket just metres from the Prince, by cabin crew 20 minutes into the Los Angeles-Auckland leg of the trip from London. "The cellphone appeared to belong to the catering company that provides food for the flight. Nevertheless, security procedures were implemented to assess whether the phone posed a safety risk. Concurrently, the catering company was contacted and confirmed the phone belonged to one of its staff members. As a result, the cellphone, which appears to have fallen from a caterer's pocket, was deemed not to be a risk to customer or staff safety. Therefore, the flight carried on as planned - and without incident - to Auckland."
On Saturday the marriage between 32-year-old Princess Nombuso, eldest daughter of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and Queen Sibongile Madlamini, and Dr Seshi Chonco was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Holy Nativity in Pietermaritzburg. The bride wore a light-cream gown and wore roses in her hair. Her bouquet was made of deep peach-coloured roses. A traditional wedding ceremony took place on Sunday afternoon at the Ashdown Stadium. The highlight of the festivities was traditional dancing by the bride's and groom's imithimba (representatives). Among the guests were members of the royal family, royal household representatives, as well as politicians and businessmen from the Eastern Cape and Swaziland.
July 4th
Sarah Forsyth, a sacked Eton College art teacher who secretly taped Prince Harry of Wales in a bid to save her job has won her case for unfair dismissal against the school. A tribunal ruled that she was sacked unfairly after being bullied by Eton's head of art. But it rejected her claims that she was told to do some of the prince's written work for him to help him pass AS art. And it criticised her decision to record a conversation with Prince Harry in which she claimed he admitted this. A spokesman for Clarence House said: "We are delighted that Harry has been totally cleared of cheating." Miss Forsyth, through her solicitor, said she welcomed the findings, but was "saddened by the fact that she was forced into a position of conflict with the school."
July 5th
In a break with tradition Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan will attend their daughter's wedding reception in November, the Imperial Household Agency announced Monday. The wedding ceremony for Princess Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda will be held in Shinto rites on the morning of November 15. About 150 people, including the imperial couple and other royal family members, will attend the wedding reception in the afternoon. The Imperial Household Agency was unable to say if Sayako's wedding would mark the first time an emperor had been to his daughter's nuptials.
July 6th
Prince Albert II of Monaco has acknowledged that he has had an illegitimate child with Togolese flight attendant Nicole Coste, his lawyer Thierry Lacoste said in a statement. He said the prince wanted to face up to his responsibilities. The child will not be in line to the throne and will not have the name Grimaldi. The boy, Alexandre, will have the same rights to inheritance as any other child of Prince Albert, should he have any others. In the statement it says that the Prince regrets the fact that Paris Match has gone public with the story so close to his father's funeral and hopes his son can avoid the media spotlight. "Prince Albert II asks the press to adopt responsible behaviour, similar to what it has adopted in similar circumstances for other public figures, and to respect his private life and that of the underage child," the statement added.
King Harald V of Norway and his crew of 14 won the European Championships in sailing this week. The regatta took place off Sweden. The royal sailboat Fram XV sailed to first place after five stages. King Harald said he'd keep sailing as long as he was able to stand on his own two legs. "Yes, I'm satisfied," the King said. "But you mustn't forget that there are 13 other persons on board. I just pay the bills." He celebrated his crew's victory at Sandhamn, outside Stockholm and said they "were lucky with the wind" towards the end.
July 7th
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain says in a statement she is 'deeply shocked' by the wave of terrorist attacks on London Underground trains and a bus today. She sends her sympathy to those affected. "The dreadful events in London this morning have deeply shocked us all," the Queen said in a statement. "I know I speak for the whole nation in expressing my sympathy for all those affected, the relatives of the killed and injured. I have nothing but admiration for the emergency services as they go about their work." In the immediate aftermath of the blasts security at Buckingham Palace was thightened. Police armed with machine guns and army personnel sealed off the Palace and cordoned off the area nearby. Royal engagements in London due to have been undertaken by the Earl and Countess of Wessex were cancelled or postponed, said the spokeswoman. The Queen herself arrived at Windsor from the G8 summit in Scotland. "The Queen is being kept informed of developments," said a Palace spokeswoman.
July 8th
In an address to an audience of 250 staff in the canteen of the Royal London Hospital Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain said about the terrorists behind the London bombings: "Yesterday's bombings in London have deeply affected us all. I know I speak for everyone in expressing my sympathy to those who have been caught up in these events and, above all, to the relatives and friends of those who have lost their lives. My thoughts are also with the injured, some of whom I have been able to see and talk to today. I also want to thank you and all the members of the emergency services and Transport for London who are working with such care, professionalism and sensitivity, often in very difficult condition. You have the respect of us all as you go about your business. Finally I want to express my admiration for the people of our capital city who in the aftermath of yesterday's bombings are calmly determined to resume their normal lives. This is the answer to this outrage. Sadly we in Britain have been all too familiar with acts of terror and members of my generation, especially at this end of London, know that we have been here before. But those who perpetrate these brutal acts against innocent people should know that they will not change our way of life. Atrocities such as these simply reinforce our sense of community, our humanity and our trust in the rule of law. That is the clear message from us all. It underlines the gravity of what has happened." The Queen had visited the hospital starting in the Accident and Emergency Department, thanking staff for their work in the rescue operation. She later visited a ward where survivors are being treated. A Buckingham Palace spokeswomen said it was "highly unusual for the Queen to speak so soon after an event like this".
July 9th
Yesterday Prince William of Wales has expressed his sympathy for the victims of the London bombings. He said the events left him 'Shocked and saddened'. Prince William said: "At this time I'm sure that I'm joined by New Zealanders and Lions supporters alike in extending to the families and loved ones of all those directly involved, my heartfelt sympathies. Our thoughts and prayers are with you." Today the prince signed a book of condolence at the British Consulate-General in Auckland, New Zealand. He wrote: "Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and families" before signing his name as simply "William". He has cancelled plans to go whale watching as a mark of respect to those killed or injured in the blasts. Prince William is due in the northern city of Auckland on Saturday to open a water polo competition and watch the third Test between the Lions and the All Blacks. He is expected to return to London on Sunday after a memorial wreath-laying to mark the end of WWII.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has unveiled a monument to the sacrifices made by civilian and service women during the Second World War. Amid tight security hundreds of war veterans watched the event. Six helicopters performed a fly past. The Bishop of London led prayers celebrating the veterans' achievement, and spoke of the recent terror attacks, vowing that Britain's "spirit of unity, defiance and compassion which brought us to victory 60 years ago" would do the same now."He then prayed for "London and Londoners of every faith and culture" who suffered as a result of the blasts. After a final fly past from two jets, the Queen spent some time with seven women who received the George Medal for bravery during the war.
July 11th
The Government Information Service announced today that the Dutch gossip magazine Privé will not be invited to the photo session for the media during the holiday of the Dutch royal family. The RVD warned in a letter sent to Privé that the magazine will be sued if it buys or uses images from another publication or photographer. The harsh measure stems from Privé's refusal to give a commitment to respect the personal privacy of the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, even during their holiday. The magazine's unwillingness to enter into this undertaking was "very disappointing", RVD boss Gerard van der Wulp said.
In an interview with French TF1 television Prince Albert II of Monaco said that he was 'extremely shocked' at the way the existence of his nearly 2-year-old son Alexandre was made public by the press. The prince said that he remained quiet about his son because "I wanted to protect him". "I was extremely shocked by the manner in which this was treated and the totally inopportune moment when it came out in the press", the prince added, and said that the child "is totally part of my private life." Asked if there might be other such cases, the prince said: "I know there are other people who have nearly the same cases." He refused to elaborate. He didn't indicate whether there was any truth to 'cases' that might come forward. The prince said he had acknowledged paternity privately for the child "practically two years ago before a notary" and that "I did what I had to do rather early". Prince Albert added that Alexandre will "want for nothing" but the Monaco constitution does not place him in the hereditary line of rulers, so he will never inherit the throne.
July 12th
Prince Albert II of Monaco formally ascended the throne of Monaco today. Banners of the national colours, red and white, adorned windows and buildings across the country. The day started at 11.30 with a Mass and Te Deum at the cathedral of Monaco. Prince Albert was joined by his two sisters and other family members. During the Mass archbishop Bernard Barsi of Monaco said: "We praise God for our new prince of Monaco, whom we receive ... as a gift." In the afternoon and evening there were several parties. The mayor of Monte Carlo symbolically handed over the keys of the city to the prince. An official ceremony and reception took place in the evening at the palace square, followed by a concert by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo led by Marek Janowski. At 22.00 there was an open-air ball ending with a firework display at the Quai Albert 1er. The day was billed as a "family" affair for Monegasques. A more formal ceremony is to be held around November 19 with foreign heads of states.
Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has made a substantial donation to the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund, because she recognises that the aftermath of the terrorist bombings on 7 July 2005 will lead to financial hardship. The Queen hopes that her donation, along with donations from others, will go some way in helping the victims and their families to cope with it.
July 13th
Former King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia has announced in his testament that he will hand over the house, in which he was born, to the state, nation and people to use as a museum. The house, located across the street from the capital's Independence Monument, currently houses the embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
July 14th
Irene Urdangarín Borbón was christened with water from the River Jordan in the garden of the La Zarzuela Palace this evening. Her godparents were Princess Rosario of Bulgaria and Pedro López Quesada. The christening was attended by around 50 people.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden led the singing on his daughter's birthday. A thousand well-wishers gathered at the royal family's summer estate this afternoon to wish Crown Princess Victoria happy birthday as she turned 28. The crown princess wore a light green summer dress and a crown of Swedish summer flowers. This year's celebration began with two minutes' silence in memory of the victims of the London bombings a week ago. Crown Princess Victoria made a walkabout during which children met the Crown Princess and gave her flowers and other gifts. She also handed over 25,000 kronor to this year's winners of the Victoria Stipendium, Olympic gold medallists Christian Olsson and Stefan Holm. The celebrations concluded with an early-evening birthday concert at the Borgholm sports ground.
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia is stil in hospital. The Saudi minister of defense and aviation, Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, said that the health condition of the King has been improved six weeks after he was admitted to hospital. But he stressed that the king will not leave the hospital. He added that "we are not in a hurry for the King's check-out." Prince Sultan gave no further details on the King's health conditions.
July 17th
The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands posed with their daughters Amalia and Alexia for photographers in their garden at Villa De Eikenhorst in Wassenaar. After the photosession the couple answered a few questions of the press. The Prince of Orange started by thanking everyone in the Netherlands for the ‘incredible flood’ of gifts, flowers, cards, e-mails and other congratulations his family received after Princess Alexia’s birth on 26 June.
The Duchess of Cornwall has been granted a Royal coat of arms, Clarence House has revealed. The design, in bright blue, red, gold and green, shows both the coat of arms of her husband the Prince of Wales and her father, Major Bruce Shand. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain authorised the coat of arms. It was unveiled to mark the Duchess's 58th birthday. Its central shield is divided down the middle, showing elements from the Prince of Wales's own arms. The shield is flanked by the "Royal lion supporter" from the Prince's arms on the left, and a boar from Major Shand's arms on the right. It also features a single arched crown, taken from the Prince of Wales's own arms.
July 18th
Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia has celebrated his 60th birthday in Belgrade in the past days. Among the foreign royals attending were King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, Grand Duke Henri of Luxemburg, as well as Prince Philipp and Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein, Princess Chantal of France and Baron François-Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue, Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia and Mr Desmond De Silva with their daughter Victoria, Prince Serge and Princess Eleonora of Yugoslavia, the Duke and Duchess of Bragança. Also attending were prominent politicians and members of the British aristocracy. The celebrations started with a gala concert by the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra at Kalemegdan Fortress on July 15. The concert was open to the public who could listen to pieces of famous composers. During the performance of the Handel’s “Royal Fireworks Music” a magnificent fireworks was displayed above Kalemegdan. On July 16 a business breakfast was organised at the White Palace at which occasion investment possibilities and economic situation in Serbia and Montenegro were presented. After breakfast the guests visited the Refugee Women’s Handcraft Bazaar organized at The White Palace terrace. In the evening a gala dinner was organised at the Royal Palace. Crown Prince Alexander cut the birthday cake, and the Choir sang “Many Years to Come“, and then a magnificent fireworks was displayed. The actual birthday of the Crown Prince started with a morning liturgy and thanksgiving at The Royal Chapel of Saint Andrew The First Called. The employees of the royal palace and the foundation of Crown Princess Katherine surprised the birthday boy with a symbol of strength and health: a “Pancic” blue spruce. At night an artistic and cultural spectacle was organised at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre performed by the National Orchestra and Choir of the Academic Cultural Society ”Lola”, The Royal Strings of St. George, the actors of the National Theatre and the National Ensemble ”Kolo”. Through music and dance, the program presented the national identity of our country in the best possible way. The birthday celebrations ended on July 18 with a visit to the Foundation of King Peter I at Oplenac.
July 20th
Countess Bettina Bernadotte af Wisborg and her husband Philipp Haug had their first child, a son called Emil Gustaf, yesterday at 7.55 at Konstanz. He is 51 cm tall and weighs 3830 grammes. The parents are very happy.
Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan were greeted today by crowds at the U.K. pavilion at the Aichi World Expo. The Crown Princess resumed her official duties outside Tokyo for the first time in 20 months. She was all smiles during the visit. The Imperial Household Agency said the Crown Princess has not completely recovered from her illness, but she had wanted to visit the expo with her husband, who is the event's honorary president. The couple visited the U.K. pavilion and the expo's centerpiece, Global House, to view the rare frozen remains of a mammoth from Siberia and other exhibits. The trip was kept to one day in consideration of the princess's health, officials said.
Lee Ku, son of the last Korean Crown Prince Yongchin, died of a heart attack in a hotel room in Japan, on Saturday at the age of 73. Lee Ku was born in Tokyo in 1931 to Prince Yongchin - the younger brother of Choson¡'s last monarch Sunjong - and Masako Nashimoto. The prince used to work as an architect in the USA, was the second son in the marriage, but his elder brother Chin died as a baby. He divorced his American wife, Julia Mullock, whom he married in 1958 in 1982, and never had children. His death signifies the end of the main lineage of the Choson¡'s royal descent. A spokesman for the Royal Family Association said: "The Japanese police have confirmed through an autopsy that the cause of death was a heart attack." The prince's funeral will be held on July 24 after the official nine-day mourning period, when the coffin will be placed at Naksonjae residence. The burial ground will be within Hongnung royal mausoleum in Namyangju, Kyonggi Province.
July 21st
On Belgian National Day King Albert, Queen Paola and Queen Fabiola attended the traditional Te Deum at the St Michel and St Gudule Cathedral in Brussels, Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde attended the Te Deum in Hasselt, while Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz were at Eupen. In the afternoon almost the whole complete royal family was present at the parade in front of the Royal Palace in Brussels, while in the evening they attended the spectacle '175-25' with final fireworks.
July 22nd
Prince William of Wales is set to have a waxwork double at London's Madame Tussauds museum. The museum plans to unveil the new model on August 3 and they are already expecting it to be a huge hit with female visitors. They have even predicted that William's waxwork will become more popular than the model of pop heartthrob Robbie Williams. "The Royal Family is extremely popular at Madame Tussauds and we're confident William will be no exception." The wax double of the prince will stand next to his father, the Prince of Wales, and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, in the World Stage area of the museum. The prince could not pose for the waxwork - which took three months to make - so artists created the dummy from photographs. They decided to create the prince's model due to high public demand. A Madame Tussauds spokesperson added: "We did get people coming in and asking if there was a Prince William model here. So it was just a matter of time."
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia is expected to leave hospital soon after two months spent recuperating, according to a government minister. Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed bin Abduaziz told the Okaz Daily that the monarch's health was steadily improving and he was recuperating in hospital. Prince Ahmed said King Fahd is expected to be discharged from hospital soon, although the date will be "left up to the doctors."
July 23rd
Prince Harry of Wales is suffering from a condition familiar to many new recruits at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst - blisters. Clarence House confirmed yesterday that the 20-year-old prince had spent the previous night in the medical centre, but denied reports that health problems could jeopardise his place on the 44-week course. It described the prince as "upbeat" and determined to finish the course. He was suffering from a bug and had earlier developed blisters on his feet. The spokesman said the prince was expected to be released from the medical centre yesterday and would go on light duties.
The Lee Royal Family Organization announced yesterday that Lee Won, 42, will be adopted as the son of the late Lee Ku, who died last Saturday without children. The family organization's chief director, Lee Hwan-ui, said Lee Ku had signed an adoption agreement while he was alive in order to advance the royal line. Lee Won is a great-grandson of King Gojong. "I will faithfully conduct my duties as an adoptee," Lee Won said yesterday.
July 24th
Lee Ku, the son of Korea's last crown prince, was buried today. Thousands of mourners in black suits and traditional white robes followed the coffin of the last direct heir to Korea's throne through the streets of Seoul on Sunday, paying their final respects to the dynasty that ruled the peninsula for more than 500 years. "May he join his parents in enjoying all the happiness that he did not enjoy this life," said Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, a relative of the deceased, in a funeral address at Changdeok Palace. The former wife of the deceased, Julia Mullock, watched the ceremony from across the street from the palace. Lee Ku was buried in the royal burial grounds east of Seoul, alongside his parents and his brother, who died as an infant.
The remains of Prince Vladimir of Kiev [980-1015] have returned to the Monastery on the Caves in Kiev, Ukrain, today. The relics were brought back from the Rostov-on-Don diocese in Russia. Prince Vladimir introduced Kiev to Christianity in 988. His remains were uncovered by archeologists in 1635, in a marble sarcophagus of the Church of the Tithes-Kievan Rus' first stone cathedral. Part of the relics went to the Moscow Kremlin's Assumption Cathedral. The other part was placed at the Caves Monastery, where it remained almost until World War II. Before the war the Kiev-based relics were loaned to Leningrad for an anthropological study, on whose basis a sculpture of Prince Vladimir was to be created, but went missing during the war. The relics that are now returning to Kiev were in the 1980s transferred from the Moscow Kremlin to the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Rostov-on-Don.
July 25th
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is to go green after full planning permission was granted to run Windsor Castle on hydro-electric power. The innovative £1million four turbine energy-efficient plant will be built at Romney Weir on the River Thames. It will generate 200 kilowatts which will be used to power around a third of Windsor, the largest occupied castle in the world. Buckingham Palace said the royal household was pleased the project had been approved. "We're constantly looking at ways of saving energy. We use energy efficient lightbulbs at Buckingham Palace and recycle 99 per cent of green waste," a spokeswoman for the Queen said. Tony Juniper, director of the pressure group, said: "We're delighted that the Queen is taking a lead in the use of green electricity to help tackle global warming. Construction is expected to begin next year with Windsor Castle set to start using green electricity before the end of 2006.
15-year-old Princess Eugenie of York has revealed that she wants to take a degree in cultural subjects. Eugenie, who is currently visiting Marlborough College, said: "Once my GCSE exams are out of the way [next year] I want to specialise in History of Art. I hope to do a degree in it eventually."
Archaeologists in Bulgaria have unearthed the treasure-filled tomb of what is thought to be a Thracian king. A golden crown, ring, armour and other artefacts dating back 2,400 years were found with the skeleton in a tomb near the south-eastern town of Zlatinitsa. A crown wreath of gold was found among the ruler's belongings. National Museum of History director Bozhidar Dimitrov said the Thracian king was a young ruler who was buried with two horses and a favourite dog. "He seems to have died suddenly," he told. The bones are still being excavated and will be sent to Sofia for examination. Investigations are continuing as to the identity of the ruler. The professor's theory is that he was a ruler called Sevt, referred to in Greek writings relating to the period. But he says there were around 23 kingdoms in Bulgaria during the same period, so finding the exact identity will require further research. The treasure will be sent to the National Historic Museum in Sofia tomorrow and will be displayed to the public in the end of October.
July 26th
A 41-year-old schizophrenic man with a dangerous obsession for Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has been arrested by the Danish police today after he had escaped from a psychiatric clinic in Roskilde last Friday. The Swedish tabloid Expressen said security around Crown Princess Victoria was increased after the escape, though Swedish security police refused to comment on the report. "He is very interested in royals in Sweden and Denmark. He has said he wants to marry Victoria," Roskilde chief police inspector Ib Meng told.
A government panel on imperial succession has presented its report today. According to the panel of experts Japan should break with more than 2,000 years of tradition and allow an empress to reign. Under current laws, only males can succeed. As a result, the throne would fall vacant beyond the next generation because no son has been born to the Japanese imperial family for more than 40 years. Under alternative options listed by the panel, the imperial family could adopt sons descended from one of 11 branches of the family that were made into commoners in reforms in 1947. Among these, the closest relatives to today's royals are descended from an emperor who ruled about 600 years ago. Alternatively, these branches could be re-ennobled and thus brought back into the line of succession. This would preserve the principle of male to male succession, which Japanese believe has been unbroken for 2,600 years, but would be unlikely to win support from the public. None of the men who would be put in line to the throne are well-known figures, whereas the Japanese public is watching adorable three-year-old Princess Aiko growing up. The panel's report is intended to serve as a starting point for public debate, leading to formal proposals in the autumn.
July 27th
The Belgian Royal Trust has decided to sell the former Royal Villa in Oostende. The villa is located close to the Zeedijk at a top location in the city, but has been vacant since May 2004. In recent months, the villa has been targeted by vandals and squatters. The Oostende City Council then indicated it wants the location to be used better and said it was open to changing the zoning. On that basis, the Royal Trust decided to sell the villa and a special sales committee will be asked to draw up a property assessment. A Royal Trust director said the adjoining King's Park will not be sold and will remain publicly accessible.
Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece is to open her first children's clothes store in the USA in the first week of August. She opened her first shop in London in September 2003. Her collection is featured in specialty and department stores throughout the USA, Europe and Asia. A shop was opened in Thessaloniki, Greece in September 2004 and another shop will be opened in Athens, Greece, in September 2005.
Prince Walid bin Talal of Saudi Arabia has donated more than 17m euros towards building an Islamic art gallery at the Louvre museum in Paris. He said he hopes that the gallery will help people to gain an understanding of Islam as a religion of humanity and tolerance. The Louvre says the new wing will house its Islamic art collection. The museum says it has 10,000 artefacts from Islamic civilisation, ranging from Spain to India - most of which is now in storage because of lack of space. The museum says the new wing will cost nearly 58m euros.
July 28th
The car in which the late Diana Princess of Wales died has been shipped to London for forensic examination by the Metropolitan Police. Investigators will comb the wrecked Mercedes for clues to the cause of the crash that killed her, her friend Dodi Al-Fayed, and their chauffeur Henri Paul. The evidence, gathered using state-of-the-art technology, will be used to create a three-dimensional computer model of the crash scene. It will form an important part of the Met's probe into the 1997 Paris crash. A police spokeswoman said the computer-generated model would recreate "exactly the movement of the car on the road" in the Pont d'Alma tunnel where the crash happened. They would then try to reach "the best possible understanding of what happened", she added. The car had been loaned to the Met with the assistance of the French authorities, the spokeswoman said.
Germany must pay 10,000 euros in damages to Princess Caroline of Monaco after failing to stop press photos violating her right to privacy, the European Court of Human Rights ruled today. The ruling validated an accord the two parties reached amicably after the court at Strasbourg condemned Germany last year for letting newspapers publish photos of her. Germany's Constitutional Court ruled in December 1999 that the princess was a contemporary public figure who had to tolerate photos of herself in public places, rejecting her bid for an injunction stopping further photographs being published. But the Strasbourg court said in June last year this constituted a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights, which grants the right to respect for private life. At the same time the court put off a decision on damages and the two parties worked out an agreement that also satisfied the court. Princess Caroline of Monaco will also receive 105.000 euros for legal costs and expenses, the court stated.
Bulgaria's Socialist Party (BSP) - the winner of last month's election - has failed to form a new government, its leader Sergei Stanishev says. He wanted to form a coalition with a small, mainly ethnic Turkish party, but MPs voted against the plan. Former king Simeon II might now get another chance to form a government - but analysts say that will be difficult. The Simeon II National Movement (NMS) came second in the election with just under 20% of the vote.
July 29th
The Princess Diana Memorial Fund that was set up in 1997 is to be closed after losing a multi-million pound legal battle with US souvenir firm Franklin Mint. The fund will close as soon as it has distributed the £38million it has left. The late Princess Diana's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, will step down as president. A source yesterday confirmed: "It's shutting. It always did have a limited life span but the legal problems haven't helped."
The political party of former King Simeon II of Bulgaria is readying to invite the Socialists to a ruling coalition, after slamming them about two weeks ago. That was announced by the Simeon II National Movement in a televised interview today. The party is now bracing up to receive an exploratory mandate for forming a government after the socialists failed to do so.
A 1,700-year-old carved marble head of Emperor Constantine has been found in a sewer in central Rome. Archaeologists found the 60cm head while clearing an ancient drainage system in the ruins of the Roman Forum. Eugenio La Rocca, superintendent of Rome's artefacts, described the head as a rare find and said it was possible it had been used to clear a blocked sewer. The white marble head was confirmed as a portrait of Constantine by experts who compared it with coins and two other giant heads kept in Rome's Capitoline Museums. Probably carved between 312 and 325 AD it may have belonged to a statue of the emperor in full armour. "Recovering a portrait of this size and in this state of conservation in the very heart of the city is really extraordinary," said Mr La Rocca. "We have concluded that the head did not fall by accident into the passage, but was put there on purpose. It could have been used as a big piece of stone to divert water from the drain, or it could have been put there to symbolise the resentment of a pagan people for their Christian emperor." The head's unceremonious insertion in the drain may have saved it from the plundering of the Forum after the fall of the Roman empire in the 5th Century. It is expected to go on display in Rome's museums after a brief period of restoration.
July 30th
Princess Alexia of Greece gave birth to her third child and first son today at 13.45 at the Clínica Teknon in Barcelona. The boy who weighs 3760 grammes and is 52,5 cm tall will be called Carlos after his father Carlos Morales Quintana. Mother and son are doing well.
Hideki Hayashida, grand master of the Crown Prince's Household, said that the Aichi Expo trip earlier this month was a major step towards Crown Princess Masako of Japan's future activities. Up until their departure, some of her aides had recommended that the couple's visit was to be postponed until September. However, they decided that the couple would go ahead with their visit because the Crown Prince serves as honorary president of the expo and Crown Princess Masako wanted to show to the people that she is fine. During her visit, she had difficulties going to some events on several occasions because of fatigue. He quoted the Crown Princess as saying that she was "grateful" to expo visitors who encouraged her to take care of herself. Imperial Household Agency officials said it will likely take the Princess considerable time before she can fully resume her public duties.
Royal News: June 2005. Last updated: August 2nd, 2005.