Last updated: August 3rd, 2007.
July 1st
The daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was christened by Erik Norman Svendsen, Bishop of Copenhagen, with the names Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe at Fredensborg today. The baby wore the christening robe that was first worn by King Christian X in 1870. Her godparents are Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Princess Alexia of Greece, Dr Nadine Johnston, Christian Buchwald, Peter Heering and Marie Louise Skeel. The intimate christening was attended by about 140 guests, mainly family and friends, among them Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway as well as Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Crown Princess Mary told that they had chosen the name of their daughter two weeks ago after having consulted the family tree of the royal family.
Today the memorial concert for the late Diana Princess of Wales was held at the Wembley Stadium in London on the day that would have been her 46th birthday. Prince William told the 63.000 strong crowd: "Thank you to all of you who have come here tonight to celebrate our mother's life. For us this has been the most perfect way to remember her, and this is how she would want to be remembered." The princes were joined by Harry's girlfriend Chelsy Davy as well as William's former girlfriend Kate Middleton with her parents and sister. Among the performers during the six-hour show that was broadcasted in 140 countries were Elton John, Duran Duran, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Status Quo, Take That (without Robbie Williams), Lily Allen, P Diddy, Will Young, Nelly Furtado, James Morrison, Natasha Bedingfield and Joss Stone as well as the English National Ballet. There was a video tribute by Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair and Bill Clinton and a musical medley by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The show was presented by among others Sienna Miller, David Beckham, Jamie Oliver, Cat Deeley and Kiefer Sutherland. Proceeds from the event go to charities favoured by the princess.
July 2nd
The Earl and Countess of Wessex are expecting their second child in December, Buckingham Palace announecd today. A palace spokeswoman said: "They're over the moon… both thrilled and excited. The Countess will continue with engagements as normal and take doctors advice." Daughter Louise was born in November 2003. The baby will be the eight grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and the Duke of Edinburgh who are said to be 'delighted'.
July 3rd
A letter from the later Emperor Napoleon to his future wife Joséphine de Beauharnais as fetched 409.000 Euros at an auction in London. In the love letter Napoleon apologises after a furious row. "I send you three kisses - one on your heart, one on your mouth and one on your eyes," Napoleon wrote. The letter was part of a collection of Austrian banker Albin Schram who died two years ago. Among the letters were also ones of Tsar Peter the Great of Russia and Queen Elizabeth I of England.
July 4th
The 70th birthday celebrations of Queen Sonja of Norway started today. The royal yacht arrived in Stavanger this morning. Afterwards the royal family walked through the town to the cathedral for a special birthday service. Afterwards Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg presented the Queen with the gift of the government. A lunch was held at the restaurant Hall Toll. Today also royal guests arrived including Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxemburg, Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium. Together with the royal guests the Norwegian royal family later today sailed aboard of various vessels to an island for a gala birthday dinner. Then they set off on a cruise at the Norwegian and the Danish royal yachts around souther Norway, visiting Lindesnes, Gamle and Ny Hellesund in the coming days. On Saturday the party ends at the royal summer house at Tjøme.
July 5th
In an interview to news agency TT on the occasion of her 30th birthday Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has said that she feels no pressure to "get a job and start a family". About marrying she said: "It will happen when it happens. I'm not in a rush but I hope it will happen at some point." She pointed out she is keen on getting more involved in environmental and climate issues.
Robert Brown, who claims he is the illegitimate son of Princess Margaret of Great Britain and Peter Townsend, has lost his bid at High Court to see her will and the will of the late Queen Mother. His claim was called "vexatious" and an 'abuse of process" and based on "an imaginary and baseless claim" according to the judge.
The outside of the Berliner Schloss (Castle of Berlin) - residence of the Prussian kings and German emperors - will be rebuild. For the interior there will be an architectural contest. The project is to cost half a milliard of Euros. The castle was blown up in 1950 and replaced by the Republican Palace which now will be demolished.
July 6th
At a press conference held on the occasion of his week-long trip to Mongolia Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan said his wife Crown Princess Masako is still to weak to make official trips abroad. "She is still in the middle of recovery and I have heard she still needs time to be able to visit a foreign country." He said: "Masako appreciates people's expectations, but please watch her from a long-time viewpoint. Not only Masako, but also I, regret that she is unable to make the visit."
July 7th
King Albert II of the Belgians was discharged from hospital late this morning. He was walking with two crutches, which he needs to use some more weeks. He will need daily knee exercises. About 100 well wishers met him with applause when he left the hospital.
Princess Haya bint Al Hussein of Jordan was elected member of the International Olympic Committee for the United Arab Emirats at the 119th IOC Session that was held in Guatemala City. She was elected with 78 out of 91 valid votes. Princess Haya said: "It is the greatest honour to be elected as an IOC Member. Since the age of six I have followed the spirit of Olympism and dreamt of serving the Olympic Family. Now I have been honoured by the trust of the IOC through their election of me to their membership. I thank the IOC members for the trust they have placed in me. I shall work to return that trust and, with their support, to serve the Olympic Movement to the very best of my abilities." IOC President Jacques Rogge said: "I am convinced that the dedication to the Olympic ideal she has demonstrated as an Olympian and a President of a major International Federation will be a major asset for the further and better growth of our Movement."
Prince Tomohito of Japan today openly spoke about his alcoholism in a speech at a meeting on welfare services. "I have been drinking alcohol since my days in university and am dependent on it, so I find it rather surprising that I am seen to have been hit by it now," he said. He told that started drinking more alcohol in the past years because of his anxiety over the imperial succession issue and problems within his own family. He said he is going through counselling and is trying to keep himself fit through exercise. "The Imperial Household Agency had told me not to say outright that I am dependent [on alcohol] but I hated being made a topic of talk based on speculation," he said.
Countess Catharina Bernadotte af Wisborg married Romuald Ruffing today at the castle church St. Marien at the flower island Mainau. The bride wore a white satin dress with lace and pearls. The wedding was attended by 200 family members and friends and hundreds of onlookers. The oecumenical church service was led by evangelical dean Dieter Schunck and Father Ridil of the Heart-Jesus missionaries of Homburg. The couple met in 2004 when Romuald Ruffing started working at Mainau, and it was love at first sight. The civil wedding took place at Mainau on 30 June.
Count Patrick von Faber-Castell and Mariella Ahrens - who had already married civilly in December and had a daughter, Lucia, in March - married religiously at Stein, Germany, today. The bride wore a white dress by Roberto Cavalli. After the wedding there was a photosession and then they drove in an Oldtimer-Cabrio to Stein Castle for the reception for which about 250 people were invited. Afterwards a big party followed until far after midnight.
July 10th
According to a poll by the agency Demoskop for the newspaper Expressen a majority of the Swedes would love to see Crown Princess Victoria on the throne. 64% thinks King Carl XVI Gustaf should abdicate at the age of 65. 45% of the Swedes thinks that Crown Princess Victoria is best suited to represent Sweden as head of state.
July 11th
Princess Ariane of the Netherlands will be christened at the Kloosterkerk in The Hague on October 20 it was announced today.
Prince Albert II of Monaco opened an exhibition about his late mother Princess Grace of Monaco today at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. The exhibition marks the 25th anniversary of her tragic death in a car accident. The highlight of the exhibition is the Princess's wedding dress. Also shown are photos, letters, magazine covers and trailers from her many movies. After 23 September the exhibition will move to London.
July 14th
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden celebrated her 30th birthday today. The day started with a family service at the chapel at the royal palace and a reception with members of parliament and the cabinet, and as birthday gifts she received a silver lion and a flat-screen television for her office. At noon a gun salute was fired from Skeppsholmen. Afterwards the Crown Princess and her parents King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia came out at the palace courtyard for a military tribute by the Swedish Armed Forces Orchestra in front of hundreds of well-wishers. Also Prince Carl-Philip, Princess Madeleine and Princess Lilian were present. In the afternoon the Crown Princess was greeted by the public at Solliden at Öland Island. Afterwards a concert took place at Borgholm.
July 15th
Infanta Sofía de Todos los Santos of Spain was christened at a private ceremony in the gardens of the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid with water from the river Jordan by the Archbishop of Madrid, Rouco Varela. Her godparents were Prince Konstantin of Bulgaria and grandmother Paloma Rocasolano. The ceremony was attended by more than 100 guests.
July 16th
A photosession with Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde with their children Elisabeth, Gabriel and Emmanuel, was held at the Parc Chlorophylle at Dochamps.
Rebuilding of the wooden palace of Tsar Alexei Michailovitch of Russia has started in Moscow. The 17th century castle was demolished in 1767. Architects have made a detailed model of the palace by looking at paintings and drawings. The plan is to make the rebuild palace looks as much as possible like the old palace. It is planned to open in 2008.
July 17th
Two journalists from the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet have been reported to the police, after a confrontation with bodyguards. On Sunday their boat entered an exclusion zone outside Solliden at Öland, summer residence of the Swedish royal family. Aftonbladet denies its journalists were anywhere naer the exclusion zone. The case has been passed on to the police in Kalmar.
July 20th
The Spanish High Court has ordered the seizure of all copies of the satirical magazine El Jueves. The front page of the magazine has a cartoon showing the Prince and Princess of Asturias having sex and the Prince is saying: "Just imagine if you end up pregnant. This will be the closest thing to work I've ever done in my life". The cartoon was published after the government announced it would pay couples nearly $3,500 for each new baby born. The high court judge Juan del Olmo ruled that the cartoon insulted the royal family and "struck at the honour and dignity of the people represented". The magazine is also ordered to identify the author of the cartoon.
July 21st
The Duchess of Cornwall celebrated her 60th birthday with a big party at Highgrove tonight. The Duchess wore a diamond necklace that once belonged to the late Queen Mother. Among the guests were Prince William of Wales, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Zara Phillips with her boyfriend Mike Tindall, Andrew Parker Bowles with his wife Rosemary, and Kate Middleton. The Duchess asked guests to donate to the National Osteoporosis Society instead of giving her gifts.
Archaeologists have traced the exact location of Scone Abbey by using sophisticated magnetic imaging technology. The abbey was founded in 1114 by King Alexander I of Scotland and burned down in 1559. It was the place where Scottish kings were crowned for four centuries and it is believed to have been the place where the Stone of Destiny was housed in the main altar. At the moment a major investigation is taking place in the grounds of Scone Palace. Oliver O'Grady of Glasgow University said: "We have been really surprised by the high quality of the survey results so far. For the first time in the modern age we can actually begin to get an emerging picture of the scale of the church here. We are amazed by what we've found." The team believes the abbey complex could be up to 100 metres in length.
Belgium celebrated its National Day today. The day started with a traditional Te Deum at the Cathedral in Brussels attended by King Albert II and Queen Paola as well as Queen Fabiola. The other family members attended church services elsewhere in the country. In the afternoon the whole family attended the military parade in front of the royal palace. In the evening they attended various events in Brussels.
Prince Tomohito of Japan was discharged from the hospital where he was treated for alcohol dependency during the past month. The prince is expected to resume his duties as he works to improve his health the Imperial Household Agency said today.
Hereditary Prince Carl Ferdinand zu Bentheim und Steinfurt married Elna-Margret Rinn at the Grosse Evangelische Kirche in Burgsteinfurt. A bigger report will follow later.
July 23rd
Former King Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan died this morning at his residence in the presidential palace in Kabul aged 92 following a long illness. He was born in Kabul in 1914 and was educated in France. He abdicated in 1973 as result of a coup after having reigned since 1933 when his father was assassinated. He returned to Afghanistan in 2002 after having spent 29 years in exile, mainly in Italy. President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has announced three days of mourning. He called the former king a symbol of national unity. His body is lying in state at a mosque in Kabul. The funeral will be held tomorrow. The former King's wife Homaira died shortly before their return to Afghanistan. The couple had five sons and two daughters. One son, Shah Mahmoud Zahir died in 2002.
July 24th
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and her friend Elisabeth Samnøy are launching an alternative school aimed at training students to contact angels. The school is called Astarte Education. According to the website the training program means "getting in touch with your own truths" through "readings, healing, crystals and hands-on treatment. Courses will be offered twice a week over three years, at a cost of NOK 12,000 per half-year. Princess Märtha Louise says she has seen the light in 2002 and has "always been interested in alternative treatment programs." She said she started "taking contact with angels" when she worked with horses. "I have later learned the value of this enormous gift, and want to share it with others."
In Kabul, Afghanistan, the funeral took place of former king Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan on a hill above Kabul next to his father and his wife. A guard of honour carried the coffin draped in the Afghan flag to a viewing stand under a shade of pine trees at the palace grounds in the capital. Members of the government passed and condoled the family. From the main mosque in Kabul the coffin was taken to the hilltop mausoleum where he was buried.
July 28th
Buckingham Palace announced the engagement between Peter Phillips, son of Mark Phillips and the Princess Royal, and Autumn Kelly, daughter of Brian and Kitty Kelly. A date for the marriage hasn't been set yet. Autumn Kelly was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1975. She graduated from McGill University in Montreal in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and now is a management consultant. The couple met at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in 2003. Autumn Kelly moved to Great Britain and the couple has been living in a cottage at Gatcombe Park. Peter Phillips since September 2005 works at the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh.
A British Airways flight from Linate airport in Milan, Italy, to Heathrow airport in London was delayed for almost four hours after the three wives of Sheikh Badr Bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar refused to take their seats because they objected sitting next to men they didn't know. The captain of the flight returned to the terminal. Finally it was decided that the Qatari entourage had to leave the airplane. The Qatar royals had been on a shopping day-trip to Milan and finally returned to London in an Alitalia flight.
Royal News: June 2007. Last updated: July 7th, 2007.