Last updated: July 6th, 2004.
June 2nd
Former royal butler Paul Burrell has said that he will not attend the unveiling of the Princess Diana Memorial at Hyde Park, London, on July 6. He fears that attention given to him coming face to face with the late princess's sons Princes William and Harry of Wales would mar the solemn occasion. He said last night: "It hurts not to go because no one wants to be there more than me. But, in the wider interest of respecting the day's importance, it would be inappropriate to attend. I don't want to upset anyone. I can't allow the day to be dominated by the 'Windsors, Spencers and me'. It would be an irrelevant sideshow. The day is not about me. It's about the princess. My decision is based on respecting her memory. I hope the Spencers realise it's not about them either." In the Mirror today he says: "It is becoming uncomfortably clear that the day could focus on how William and Harry react to me. So after much soul-searching and with a heavy heart I have reluctantly decided to withdraw in their interests." As a member of the Princess of Wales Memorial Committee Mr Burrell had an official invite to the opening. The Royal Family approved the invite as they accepted he enjoyed a special closeness to Diana as her trusted butler. The event is expected to be attended by The Prince of Wales and his sons, and probably also Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
In The Times George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, has said that it would be "the natural thing" for the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles to marry. He and his wife met Camilla at their son's house after her relationship with the Prince of Wales went public. He adds that they met several times but that he had 'no idea' if Camilla wished to marry the Prince of Wales. He says: "He is the heir to the throne and he loves her. The natural thing is that they should get married. The Christian faith is all about forgiveness. We all make mistakes. Failure is part of the human condition and there is no doubt that there has been a strong loving relationship, probably since they were very young, that has endured over the years." He calls Camilla a very nice person, very bright, able, astute, tough and very pleasant company.
Jean-Marie Delwart from the Walloon holding Floridienne, active in the chemical and foodindustry, yesterday said in a meeting that the company would seize Argenteuil Castle in the coming days. The procedure has something to do with an old juridicial case of Floridienne against the Belgian state. For years the holding was controlled by the Special Tax Inspection. Two years ago after a lawsuit the Belgian state was summoned to pay 4.000.000 Euros for making mistakes in the case. Until now the Belgian state hasn't paid anything. Most likely the Belgian state will protest. The state is looking for a new destiny for the domain, former residence of the late King Leopold III of the Belgians and Princess Lilian.
June 3rd
Frances Shand Kydd, the mother of the late Princess Diana of Wales, has died at the age of 68 after a long illness at her home in Scotland, her family announced. Canon Donald MacKay, a Roman Catholic Priest, was among those with her when she died. A spokesman for her son, Earl Spencer, said: "Earl Spencer's mother passed away peacefully this morning after suffering from a long illness. Now this is a private time for the family to grieve." Mrs Shand Kydd lived on the remote island of Seil near Oban in Scotland and her health had been failing in recent months. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has sent a private message of condolence to Lord Spencer, said a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman. A spokesperson for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund said their thoughts were with the family of Mrs Shand Kydd, and that her contribution would be "much missed". Mrs Shand Kydd was born Frances Ruth Burke Roche, daughter of the 4th Baron Fermoy. She married in 1954 Earl Spencer. In 1967 she fell in love with Peter Shand Kydd, whom she married in 1969. From the first marriage she had five children. She is survived by her daughters Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McQuorquodale and her son the present Earl Spencer. Another son died only hours after his birth and Diana Princess of Wales died in 1997 in a car accident.
In an interview to the newspaper Luxemburger Wort the president of the parliamentarian constitutional comittee, Paul-Henri Meyers, answered on the question that a modern constitution also means that the succession to the throne should be arranged in the way of equality of sexes: "I emphasise this opinion - not only because Luxemburg ratified the UN-convention against discrimination of sexes. Therefore I hold a discussion about the possible revision of article 3 of the Constitution for opportune."
June 4th
According to friends Prince Harry of Wales intends to spend several months of his second gap year in Argentina, where he would have the opportunity to play polo with some of the best polo players in the world. He might combine playing polo with other work, possibly on an Argentinian ranch. Robert ffrench Blake, the Prince of Wales's polo manager, confirmed yesterday that Prince Harry was considering a spell in Argentina. "I am aware that visiting Argentina is an option. Any young player who wants to improve his game can do no better than go to Argentina to improve his riding and his skills, and spend six hours a day in the saddle playing with the best players in the world. Harry's game is coming on well. He is naturally very talented, well co-ordinated and he's a natural sportsman." Prince Harry intends to return from Australia before Christmas.
In an announcement in The Times the announcement is announced between the Hon. Orlando Montagu (* 1971), younger son of the Earl and Countess of Sandwich, and Lady Honor Wellesley (* 1979), eldest daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Douro. The Marchioness of Douro was born Princess Antonia of Prussia. It will be the Hon. Orlando Montagu's second marriage. His first marriage (1996) to Laura Ann Raundell ended in divorce in 2002.
June 5th
Yesterday a senior government official of Japan said that Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan will issue a statement early next week about his recent remarks about the condition of his wife Crown Princess Masako.
Clarence House yesterday announced that Prince William and Prince Harry of Wales are very upset about the death of their grandmother Frances Shand Kydd, who died on June 3rd of a brain disease. They will attend her funeral next Thursday at St Columba's Cathedral in Oban, Argyll. Thereafter she will be buried at Pennyfuir cemetery, two miles from Oban. Yesterday Father William Maclean dedicated a mass to Mrs Shand Kydd at a packed St Columba's. He said: "She wanted to be seen as one of us in Oban, I don't think she wanted any fanfare."
Hereditary Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Oehringen married Carolin von Wendorff today at the Evangelische Stadtkirche in Preetz, Germany. The bride wore a white silk dress with a 2,8 metres long veil. Among the guests were Princess Benedikte of Denmark with her husband Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and their children Gustav and Nathalie, Prince Alexander zu Schaumburg-Lippe with girlfriend Jette Joop, Prince Karl-Emich zu Leiningen with daughter Cecilia, Duke Friedrich von Württemberg, Count Moritz and Countess Fleur von Goëss, the Prince and Princess zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, Hereditary Prince Carl Friedrich and Hereditary Princess Stephanie zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. After the wedding the couple drove to the Wilhelminenhof, the stud-farm of the bride's parents, for a reception. A huge party took place at Nehmten Castle.
June 6th
Several royals attended the D-Day rememberance ceremonies in Normandy. The biggest ceremony at Arromanches was attended by among others Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, King Harald V of Norway, King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg and Grand Duke Jean of Luxemburg.
June 7th
The reburial of Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia - born Princess Dagmar of Denmark - has been postponed until September 2006. Russia is not ready yet.
The Norwegian Parliament voted in favour of the monarchy today. The Socialistisk Venstreparti had presented a proposal that Norway should become a republic. The proposal received the voted of the Socialistisk Venstreparti and three members of the Labour Party.
June 8th
Today the Imperial Household Agency released a statement from Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan concerning his remarks during a press conference in May. About his earlier remark on the moves to deny the career his wife had developed he said: "I don't think it would be beneficial to specify who was behind such moves and so I want to refrain from elaborating on details here." The Crown Prince says: "As for the words that I used during the press conference, I had no intention of criticizing any action in particular. They were intended to help you to understand our present conditions. It grieves me, however, that these words created anxiety for the Emperor, Empress and others." He told: "What I wanted to speak about during the press conference was the conditions we have faced and our future. I feel that since the press conference, excessive attention has been placed on the conditions preventing us from visiting foreign countries and the so-called heir issue. But of course it was not just this; (Princess Masako) also had to make considerable efforts when she tried to adapt herself to the environment of the Imperial Household, including its traditions, customs and the response to the press." He says that his wife hopes that she will return to her official duties after having recovered and the Crown Prince said to hope that from now on his wife will be able to carry out her duties "with her normal confidence and vivid energy, fully utilizing her career and reflecting a new area." He said: "I think a variety of means and measures are needed to help Masako to return to her duties and I want to talk carefully with the Imperial Household Agency about those things and how we should perform our official duties." Head of the Imperial Household Agency Toshio Yuasa said: "We take the statement seriously. I think we should improve things that should be improved."
A crystal urn containing the heart of King Louis XVII of France, son of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, was reburied today at the royal crypt at the Cathedral of Saint-Denis near Paris next to the remains of his parents. The burial took place exactly 209 years after the boy king died in prison in 1795. The heart, encased in a glass egg, was on display already on Monday in the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, the former parish church of French kings. The ceremony comes four years after DNA tests confirmed that the boy king perished in prison of tuberculosis at the age of 10 (Louis XVII et l'ADN: La Verité). Therefore the French Culture Ministry approved the burial this year. A hearse brimming with lilies delivered the crystal urn containing the heart to the Saint-Denis Basilica. The urn draped in a purple cloth was brought in to a chorus of trumpets by Prince Amaury de Bourbon de Parme. He placed the urn next to a crown on a column draped in the royal fleur-de-lis pattern. In his sermon Cardinal Jean Honore said: "The conscience of a child is sacred. A child is not a toy," said the cardinal. "In the treatment that he was subjected to, there was certainly the desire to eliminate a child who represented something greater than himself." After the ceremony the inhumation of the heart in the royal crypt took place. Luis Alfonso de Bourbon said: "Finally, he will be able to rest in peace with his parents." Prince Charles-Emmanuel de Bourbon-Parme, who has overseen the burial ceremonies, said before the ceremony: "This will not be a royalist celebration, but a symbol of the reconciliation of the French with their history, regardless of their political affiliations." The ceremony was among others attended by Archduke Karl of Austria, Prince Michel de Bourbon de Parme and the Duchess of Anjou and Segovia.
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain will open the Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain on July 6 in Hyde Park, London, the Government announced. She will be joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry of Wales. The event will also be attended by Earl Spencer and other representatives of the Spencer family.
June 9th
According to some Dutch newspapers this morning, quoting sources around the Dutch royal court, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden will be one of the godparents of Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, who will be christened on Saturday at the Grote of Sint Jacobskerk in The Hague. The Swedish royal website confirms the Crown Princess will attend the christening. Several other smaller newspapers had already published the news on Saturday. Also representatives of the Belgian royal family and the Grandducal family of Luxemburg will attend according to De Telegraaf. About 1000 people are invited to attend the christening, among them family, friends and Dutch dignitaries, as well as 240 youngsters aged 12-13 years old from all over the Netherlands. The christening will be performed by Reverend Carel ter Linden.
On the occasion of his 70th birthday on Friday Prince Henrik of Denmark yesterday received his very own island from Jonathan Motzfeld, president of the Greenlandic Parliament. The 'Ile de France' has been renamed into Qeqertag Prins Henrik (Prince Henrik Island).
A survey conducted for The Times by Populus among 1004 people over the last weekend shows that about a third of the people would support a remarriage of the Prince of Wales, while 29% would be against it and 38% doesn't care whether he marries Camilla Parker Bowles or not. There are stark contrasts in opinion between men and women, different age groups and voters. 37% of the woman disapprove a marriage between the couple, while 32% is in favour, while only 21% of the men would object, while 31% would approve. Conservatives are the most in favour (38%) although only 24% of Liberal Democrat voters would actually disapprove while 41% don't care. Labour supporters are evenly split on yes or no at 32% each and 35% don't care. Fans of a marriage are more likely to be among the younger generations with 42% of 18-24 year-olds asked in favour. Disinterest is strongest among the 25-34 (47%) and 35-44 (45%) age groups while 41% of the 55-64 year-olds would be against a wedding as would 39% of those aged over 65.
The Prince of Wales will attend the funeral of former US president Ronald Reagan in Washington on Friday.
The case on restitution of the Vrana Residence to the former King Simeon II of Bulgaria and his sister Princess Marie Louise was closed by the Sofia City Court. The magistrates find the complaint of the heirs of Hadji Bone Petrov irrelevant. They said that the order of Sofian Mayor Stefan Sofiansky from 2001 regulates an internal issue and cannot be challenged in Court. The heirs of Hadji Bone Petrov will appeal the decision. It became known that Vrana Park will be opened for visitors starting this autumn. There will be special routes for visitors in the park. King Ferdinand planted exotic trees and shrubs from all over the world in the park.Simeon II has kept the Vrana Palace with a yard for himself.
Qatar has issued its first written constitution which will come into force in 2005, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, said. The Emir keeps his ultimate power, but the constitution provides for a two-thirds elected advisory body. The constitution also guarantees freedom of expression, assembly, and religion. Parliamentary elections are expected next year. The parliament will have 45 seats, of which one third will be appointed by the emir.
June 10th
The Government Information Service announced that the godparents of Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands will be Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Samantha van Welderen Baroness Rengers née Deane, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Martín Zorreguieta, Mr Herman D. Tjeenk Willink (vice-president of the State Council) and Drs B.M. (Marc) ter Haar. Among the about 1000 guests will be Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg as well as Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium. Also Princess Máxima's parents will attend the christening. The baby will wear the christening gown that was made for the christening of Queen Wilhelmina in 1880. It was also used by the christenings of Queen Juliana, Queen Beatrix, Princess Christina and Prince Willem-Alexander. The gown is 180 centimeters long and is made of Brussels lace. The font that will be used is a silver fond from 1682 which will be borrowed from the Waalse Parish in The Hague. It was also used for the christenings of the later King Willem I of the Netherlands, the children of Princess Margriet and Countess Eloise. The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima announced today that they will donate possible gifts on the occasion of the christening of their daughter to projects of the Oranje Fonds at the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. The projects are the Foundation Rose Pelletier at Curaçao and the Children's Home Imeldahof at Aruba. A special account was opened for the occasion by the Oranje Fonds.
From June 15 the christening gown of Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands will be shown at the exhibition 'Oranje in de Wieg' (Orange in the cradle) at Palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn. Also shown is the cushion the little princess is carried on, the christening veil and the christening bonnet.
Prince William and Prince Harry of Wales attended the funeral of their maternal grandmother Frances Shand Kydd, who died last week after a long illness. Also her three surviving children, Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes attended the funeral. A requiem mass was held at Oban’s St Columba’s Cathedral. Earl Spencer said in his speech: "My mother was an open book - a woman who was afraid of nothing and of nobody, somebody not interested in convention but in truth and fun. She believed in equality and decency and had no time for self pity." He further said, refering to his late sister Diana Princess of Wales: "The true love Diana had for her mother was evident in her will. She left my mother executor and principal guardian of her sons. Any tensions they may have had were typical tensions between a mother and a daughter." Prince William of Wales read a passage from Romans chapter eight. After the simple ceremony Mrs Shand Kydd's coffin was carried out of the cathedral by four pallbearers and laid to rest at Pennyfuir Cemetary outside Oban.
The New York Times today reported that an American Muslim called Abdurahman Alamoudi, offered detailed accounts about a plot by Libyan Intelligence to assassinate Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to FBI officials and federal prosecutors. He told how he met with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi twice last year to discuss the killing, the Washington Post writes today. Seperately Libyan Mohammed Ismael gave Saudi officials another account of the assassination plan. He added that his orders to be operational commander of the plot came from two Libyan intelligence chiefs who reported directly to Gaddafi. Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam stated today: "What was written in the story of that newspaper are mere lies that remind of old attempts to undermine the image of Libya which proved later to be fabricated and false." Later today an international inquiry, in which the American, British and Saudi governments are involved, was opened into the allegiations.
By Royal Decree Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan received the rank of honorary colonel in the Jordan Armed Forces as of yesterday. She was also entrusted to chair the Higher Commission of the Queen Rania Al Abdullah Society for the care of military personnel and their families.
June 11th
Prince Egon von Fürstenberg died today at the Spallanzani Hospital in Rome. He was born on June 29, 1946, in Lausanne, Switzerland, as second child and eldest son of Prince Tassilo von Fürstenberg (1903-1989) and his first wife Clara Agnelli (born 1920). He finished the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and in 1972 he started working for Macy's. In 1975 he launched his first collection, and in 1977 he founded Egon Von Fürstenberg Ltd in the USA, but moved to Italy in 1983. In 1969 Prince Egon von Fürstenberg married Diane Halfin, but they divorced later on. A second marriage in 1983 to Lynn Marshall also didn't last. He is survived by his children, Alexandre and Tatiana, as well as his grandchildren Talita, Tassilo and Antonia. He also was survived by his partner Tomassini. The funeral will take place in Strobl, Austria, on Monday, June 14, at 15:00, where he will be buried next to his father.
Today Prince Henrik of Denmark celebrated his 70th birthday. Yesterday a special concert took place at the concert hall at Tivoli, Copenhagen. Today the prince celebrated his birthday with family and friends at Fredensborg. In the morning he woke up with music and singing outside. A dinner was held in the evening. Among the guests were many royals, apart from family, among them: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, Prince Leopold of Bavaria, Prince Pierre and Princess Silvia of Arenberg, Prince Michel and Princess Maria Pia de Bourbon de Parme, Princess Marie Gabrielle of Savoy, the Duke and Duchess of Calabria, the Duke and Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein, Prince Robin and Princess Marie-Christine zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Duchess Diane of Württemberg, Prince Dimitri and Princess Dorrit Romanoff, Prince Wilhelm and Princess Ilona zu Schaumburg-Lippe. Speeches were held by Queen Margrethe II and Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. One of the gifts Prince Henrik received at his birthday was a small island at the north-east coast of Greenland that was renamed Prince Henrik Island.
The National Children's Choir and the National Youth Choir will sing at the christening of Princess Catharina-Amalia tomorrow. Felicia van den End will play the flute, and Remy van Kesteren will play the harp. Organist is Ben van Oosten, of the Grote en Sint Jacobskerk. Also the Residentie Bach Ensemble co-operates. Catharina-Amalia will be christened with water from the river the Jordan, which was taken to the Netherlands by three friends of the Prince of Orange, coming from Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Territory. The font was first used by the christening of Prince Willem-Alexander in 1967. It was designed by sculptor Niek van der Schaft and is from 1962. Above the aisle in the church hang thousands of children's drawings, result of a drawing competition of the Haagsche Courant. Nine students of the Royal Academy of Plastic Arts in The Hague designed a presentation, at request of the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima. The drawings together form a moving train of a paper christening gown. For the flower decoration of the church 25 kinds of peonies are used - among them the white with rose Festiva Maxima, the pink Queen Wilhelmina and Mother's Choice (creme white/rose) - roses and lathyrus. At the choir there are orange trees.
Yesterday the Prince of Wales unveiled a plaque at the Dragon School in Oxford in memory of his godson The Hon Nicholas Knatchbull - pupil of the Dragon School - who was one of four people who died when Lord Mountbatten's boat was blown up off the coast of County Sligo, Ireland, in August 1979. The Prince of Wales said: "As I think again, I was almost struck dumb, absolutely devastated, when I heard about this terrible disaster 25 years ago. It is hard to believe it is 25 years ago." About Nicholas twinbrother Timothy, who survived together with his parents, he said: "They were so close that Tim has had such a difficult time over the last 25 years, being the one left behind. But it has given us great pleasure, particularly as his godfather, to see him find his other half in that of Isabella." A large number of the Mountbatten family including Lady India Hicks and a number former pupils and staff at the school who attended with the twins, were also present.
Today it was announced that Zara Phillips talks about life as a royal in her first television interview with channel Five, which was recorded at the Windsor International Three Day Eventing horse trials. She talks about her relationship with her cousins Princes William and Harry of Wales, Gordonstoun School and living in the public eye. She also talks about her disappointment at not making this year’s Olympic riding team, and the input her parents have had in her career.
June 12th
Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands was christened at the Grote of Sint Jacobskerk in The Hague. The christening was attended by around 1200 guests, among them Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Prince Friso and Princess Mabel, Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien, Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven, Prince Maurits and Princess Marilène, Prince Bernhard and Princess Annette, Prince Pieter-Christiaan with his girlfriend Anita van Eijk, Prince Floris with his girlfriend Aimée Söhngen, Princess Irene, the Duke of Parma, Prince Carlos de Bourbon de Parme and Princess Christina. Also the parents of Princess Máxima, Jorge Zorreguieta and Maria del Carmen Cerrutti de Zorreguieta were present, as well as her brother Martín (godfather) and his wife Mariana. While the service took place in the church Princess Catharina-Amalia stayed at the chapel next to the entrance, together with Countess Eloise and Count Claus-Casimir (children of Prince Constantijn), Anna and Lucas van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (children of Prince Maurits) and Isabella van Vollenhoven (daughter of Prince Bernhard). Princess Laurentien had the honour to bring in the little Princess and take her to her mother. Eloise, Anna, Lucas and Isabella entered also with two nannies. Princess Catharina-Amalia looked around with astonishing eyes, but didn't make a sound during the rest of the ceremony. It was Isabella van Vollenhoven who finally made most of the noise.
The annual Trooping the Colour marked Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain's official 78th birthday today. Her actual birthday was already on April 21st. Thousands of people lined central London's streets to watch the ceremony. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh travelled along The Mall in a carriage. Princess Princess Royal, on horseback, followed the Queen's carriage down the Mall, from Buckingham Palace. The Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra were carried on the first two carriages of the procession. Upon arrival Queen Elizabeth II took the salute and inspecting the troops of the Household Division at Horse Guards Parade. After the ceremony the royal family returned to Buckingham Palace. From the balcony they greeted the crowds and watched the RAF fly past.
Princess Claire of Belgium has been summoned to sit and to check the passports of the citizens of Tervuren at the elections for European Parliament and the Flemish Council tomorrow. Police surveillance will be provided on request of the court.
The second son of Hereditary Prince Bernhard von Baden and his wife Stephanie née Kaul, was christened today in the 'Beetsaal' at Salem Castle by Bishop Dr Ulrich Fischer and the dean of Salem, Mrs Doris Fuchs. He received the names Friedrich Bernhard Leopold Christian Berthold Christoph. His godparents were among others Prince Leopold von Baden and Christian Kaul. 200 guests attended the ceremony that started at 17:00. Among them were Princess Caroline and Prince Ernst August von Hannover with their daughter Alexandra, Duchess Marie von Württemberg with her son Duke Wilhelm, Prince Andreas and Princess Alexandra of Leiningen, Prince Heinrich and Princess Milana zu Fürstenberg, Countess Bettina Bernadotte af Wisborg, Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria with Daniel Terberger, Princess Aglae of Baden, Princess Margarita of Baden and Countess Stephanie von Waldburg-Zeil-Hohenems. After the christening a reception took place in the Emperor's Hall in the Castle.
Today's Le Figaro announces the engagement of Princess Marie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, daughter of Prince Robin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and his wife née Marie-Christine Heftler-Louiche, and Olivier Le Maire, son of the late Mr Maurice Le Maire and his wife née Viviane Fradin de Belabre.
Thanks to the American Friends of Versailles, who have been fundraising for the past years, the three mammoth fountains at Le Bosquet des Trois Fontaines (the Three Fountains Grove), one of King Louis XIV of France's favourite gardens at Versailles, came back to life today after a silence of nearly 200 years. The last fundraiser took place today at a ball at Versailles, that among others was attended by Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. French foreign minister Michel Barnier said: "We owe this superb restoration to the determination of the curators of Versailles, the labor and skills of the architects and craftspeople who worked on this project and the generosity of the patrons. This tremendous undertaking would never have been possible without the generosity and support of the American Friends of Versailles." He also thanked the French Societe des Amis de Versailles. Studies began seven years ago to revive the garden, known in English as the Three Fountains Grove; actual work began in 2002.
June 13th
Ex-royal valet George Smith who claimed he saw an incident involving Prince Charles has denied withdrawing the allegation. He was paid £60,000 by the Mail on Sunday for the story, which has been denied by the prince, last year. Now the Sunday Telegraph says Mr Smith has agreed to withdraw the allegation for the same sum. Mr Smith however told the PA news agency he admits he was tempted by the cash offer to say that he had told lies because he was deeply in debt. But, he says, he could not accept the money because "if I had said that it would not be true". He added: "I stick by what I have always said. I told The Mail on Sunday what I witnessed and that is the truth." The Sunday Telegraph, however, reports that Mr Smith was "very interested" in signing an affidavit swearing that the allegation was untrue in exchange for a hypothetical £60,000. According to the newspaper, the new version of the story would see Mr Smith saying he did not see the incident originally alleged. The reason that he had made the claim originally, he is alleged to have said, is because he was angry with another royal servant, who he claims raped him. An earlier police investigation into Mr Smith's rape claim found no evidence and no proceedings were brought. The Sunday Telegraph says the comments were recorded in "extensive" video and audio-taped conversations with reports made of the past 10 days. Mr Smith says the newspaper "bought him drinks", made the recordings covertly and denies agreeing to an interview or signing any form of affidavit. The Mail on Sunday newspaper has denounced the Sunday Telegraph story.
June 14th
Clarence House said that Prince Harry of Wales is planning to take entry exams for Sandhurst Royal Military Acadamy in July and if he is successfull, join cadets there in January 2005. No decision has yet been taken as to which regiment Harry might join. Before that he will undertake voluntary work for the Rugby Football Union (RFU) the English rugby's governing body has said. The Prince will help to coach young people and promote the game.
At the presidential elections in Serbia that were held yesterday no candidate emerged from the first round. There will be a runoff vote on June 27. The two candidates who got most votes will compete in the runoff. There were 15 candidates, among them Princess Elisabeth of Yugoslavia. After having counted 98% of the votes she won a modest 2,03% of the votes, with which she ended as 6th of the 15 candidates.
June 15th
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan have expressed the wish that the Imperial Household Agency should keep silent for now about the individual media reports on the imperial family that have apparently been prompted by remarks Crown Prince Naruhito made last month, an agency official said yesterday. They believe it is not in the country's interest to comment each time these reports come out.
June 16th
The fight between Prince Alexander zu Schaumburg-Lippe and the owner of the Internet address finally ended the juridical fight about http://www.schaumburg-lippe.de, the Prince announced yesterday. The Prince bought the address, while the former owner will get permission to search the house archive of the Prince and the Internet address http://www.region-schaumburg-lippe.de.
Last week Princess Alexandra zur Lippe-Weissenfeld née Gerlach gave birth to her first child, a son called Georg Moritz. The baby was born in Dresden. Mother and son are doing fine.
June 17th
Love letters, other letters, evening dresses and two bottles of 1811 cognac, once belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were sold today at Christie's in Rome. Also a photo of the couple during a vacation in Kitzbühel, Austria, in 1935 was sold. Letters the then Prince of Wales wrote to Wallis Simpson during their relationship before they married in 1937 were sold for $ 18.000. The bottles of cognac were sold for $ 10.500. The sold items fetched less than expected. The 187 lots were expected to fetch up to 400.000 Euros. The couple left the items to their head butler and his Italian wife. The butler's nephew put them up for sale. A spokeswoman for Christie's said: "We've had a lot of international interest, mainly from American collectors and a lot of English collectors, too".
Yesterday the town of Gera announced that the Princely House Reuß and the town of Gera have ended their fight about valuable art and cultural objects. The town of Gera buys 84 paintings, plastics, precious metal, arms and furniture from the princely family. The town didn't announce how much they paid for it. The princely family gets back the rest of the objects. Seven years ago the family received 700 items from their former possessions back, while the rest was for Gera. The princely house sold the items in 1998. A new fight started when the princely house discovered that the new town museum wouldn't have an exhibition about the old principality of Reuß. At the moment the family is still trying to receive back real estate, among others the theatre of Gera and Osterstein Castle.
Author Count Péter Esterházy has won the Peace Prize of the German Bookshops, the most important literary prize of Germany. He can pick up the prize, 15.000 Euros, at the bookfair in Frankfurt am Main later this year. According to the jury his work is an accusation against the destroying of the people through terror and violence and an 'arising of humanity through mourning and irony'.
June 18th
Last week Princess Victoria Margaritta Sieglinde Johanna Isabella Maria von Hohenzollern was christened at the parish church in Fergitz. She is the third child and first daughter of Prince Ferdinand von Hohenzollern and his wife Ilona. She has two elder brothers: Aloys and Fidelis. The family lives in Fergitz since about two years. After the christening guests and people from the village enjoyed cake and drinks.
June 19th
On Friday the Imperial Household Agency said that several local and international reports alleging that Crown Princess Masako is in a state of depression or suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder "are speculative and are not true."
June 21st
A royal source said today that King Mswati III of Swaziland married his 11th wife last Wednesday at the Ludzidzini residence outside Mbabane. His bride is 20-year-old Zena Mahlangu. "The occasion started in the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday and it dragged on until afternoon," the royal source said. The bride's mother, Lindiwe Dlamini, had tried to prevent the king from marrying her daughter after claiming that she had been abducted by two royal emissaries on October 18, 2002. However it was later said that Zena Mahlangu was happy living in the royal household.
Princess Takamado of Japan started a visit to Canada in Vancouver some ten days ago. Today, at the end of her tour, she received an honorary doctorate of laws degree at UPEI and was also named the International Patron of the L.M. Montgomery Institute in a special morning convocation at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre at Prince Edward Island. She among others was presented a copy of a book written in Japanese on the history of Anne of Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. The Princess was honoured with the doctorate not only because she is a member of the Imperial Household of Japan, but also because of the longstanding friendship between Japan and Canada. Princess Takamado said that it was a great honour for her to receive the doctorate. She visited Canada six times before with her late husband, who had studied at university in Kingston, Ontario, and had always remembered his time in Canada and regarded the country his second homeland.
June 22nd
Fabrice Chassery, Jacques Langevin and Christian Martinez, the three photographers who were part of the press that chased Diana, Princess of Wales, the night of her fatal car accident in Paris are back at a French court today. They were acquitted last November, but both the prosecutor's office and Mohamed Al-Fayed, the father of Diana's boyfriend Dodi, appealed. Following the appeal court hearing of today a verdict is expected on September 14.
The Duke of Kent was in Dresden, Germany, today where a British-made gilded orb and cross - a replica of the ones that topped the church until February 13-14, 1945 - was placed on top of the Frauenkirche, a landmark step in the restoration of the 18th century church that was destroyed by Allied firebombing in 1945. The $158 million renovation of the church began in 1994 and is being financed largely by private donors. About 60.000 people watched as a crane raised the 29-ton cross and cupola to the top of the 250-foot dome of the Church of Our Lady. Speaking in German at the ceremony, Britain's Duke of Kent called the event "a project that joins people who were once enemies in a strong and lasting friendship." The church's "destruction in that inferno that afflicted Dresden in February 1945 was a tragedy," he said. "Its reconstruction is a great achievement, and it fills me with pride to be able to give a little help." The orb and cross were commissioned by the Dresden Trust, a British group of which the Duke of Kent is the president. The replica was officially unveiled in December 1998 and toured English cities damaged by German attacks during World War II before being sent to Dresden, where the Duke presented it to the city in 2000, on the 55th anniversary of the raid.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said today that he thinks that the Imperial Household Agency will consider easing the imperial family's duties in view of a recent dispute over Crown Princess Masako's condition.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark arrived in Greenland today for a two-week visit. Yesterday Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark already were in Nuuk to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Greenland's Home Rule Government. Until July 5th the royal couples will visit several places at Greenland. After arriving in Nuuk the crownprincely couple changed clothes and wore Greenlandish costumes. Crown Princess Mary received hers upon arrival in Nuuk as a wedding gift. Photos.
The State Administration of Cultural Heritage will invest $ 2.000.000 to renovate the Eastern Qing Tombs in Zunhua, Hebei, North China. Experts say that the move will help better to introduce the biggest and most intact imperial graveyard known. Covering 2,500 square kilometres, the grave group took about 150 years to construct, and was finished in 1908. Five emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) together with 15 empresses were buried there.
June 23rd
Today Luxemburg celebrated its National Day. Already on Monday a music party took place with classical music to Latin music. One of the highlights was the fireworks above the Petrusse-valley on Tuesday evening. Before the Grand Ducal couple with Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Prince Felix, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sébastien had arrived to watch the march-past of a military band and an honorary division of the army, lots of unions, as well as the torch-light procession. This morning at 9:30 Grand Duke Henri of Luxemburg arrived for the 'Prise d´armes' with afterwards a march-past. At 11:00 the Grand Ducal family attended the Te Deum in the Cathedral of Luxemburg.
Former royal butler Paul Burrell has cancelled three of his planned four performances at the Town Hall Theatre in Manhattan, New York, because of poor ticket sales. He was to perform his one-man show 'In His Own Words'. It is said fewer than 100 tickets were sold for the four shows together. The show opened at the Theater Royal Drury Lane, London, last Sunday. About 300 people attended and Mr Burrell was heckled by the crowd. His London critics were very bad.
June 24th
In a public hearing today the European Court of Human Rights delivered a judgement in the case of Princess Caroline of Hannover against Germany. Princess Caroline has been campaining to prevent photographs about her private life being published in the press. On several occasions she has unsuccessfully applied to the German courts for publication of photographs of her private life. Having regard to all the factors, and despite the margin of appreciation afforded to the State in this area, the Court considered that the German courts had not struck a fair balance between the competing interests. Accordingly, it held that there had been a violation of Article 8 of the Convention (right to respect for private life) and that it was not necessary to rule on the applicant’s complaint relating to her right to respect for her family life.
June 25th
Queen Sonja of Norway underwent a minor correcting operation on her leg at the Hospital Sophies Minde in Oslo.
Author Andrew Morton in his new book 'Diana: In Pursuit of Love' claims that British or US intelligence forced Diana Princess of Wales to change plans to stay with American billionaire Teddy Forstmann at his house in the Hamptons in the Summer of 1997, saying it was too dangerous to take her sons there. The block on her plans meant that instead she took a summer break with Mohamed El-Fayed, which ultimately led to her going to Paris with his son Dodi, where they died in a car crash. Morton writes: "Diana was looking forward to a week's holiday with the two young men who had never let her down and whom she loved unconditionally, William and Harry." Scotland Yard detectives carrying out an inquiry into the princess's death are planning to interview Morton over the new claims. Morton also claims that Princess Diana leaked the Duchess of York's divorce plans in an attempt to stop bad press about herself.
June 26th
Prince Alexander zu Waldeck und Pyrmont married Tanja Rippetoe in the Fürstenkapelle at Kloster Lichtenthal in Baden-Baden at 14:00. After the wedding ceremony a reception was being held in the garden of the monastery.
Yesterday Prince Amedeo of Belgium Archduke of Austria-Este finished his studies at Sevenoaks Boardingschool in Kent, Great Britain, obtaining an international baccalaureate. In September he will start at the Royal Military School in Brussels, probably for one year.
Yesterday Hideki Hayashida, grand master of the Crown Prince's Household, made a request to the media to hold back in reporting on Crown Princess Masako during private trips outside the palace as she tries to recover, in a statement issued to fifteen newspapers, news agencies and television networks that regularly cover the imperial family. In a news conference a spokesman for the Imperial Household Agency said: "One factor that led to a worsening of the physical condition of the princess is resistance toward having even private movements covered and reported." He also said that having to face many cameras could also upset the couple's daughter Aiko. The request was based on an assessment by doctors, who feel it is essential for the Crown Princess to take such trips and to ensure that she is in peaceful surroundings. "Doctors think that...securing a quiet environment that is as stress-free as possible is vital for her physical condition to recover."
June 28th
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway paid a three-day official visit to Iceland starting on Sunday. They brought their little daughter Ingrid Alexandra with them. They were greeted on Sunday by President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and his wife Dorrit Mousaieff. The president said: "This is the first time Iceland has been visited by a Norwegian crown prince together with a Norwegian crown princess and Norway's royal heir. Your visit has therefore already become an important event in the long relations between Iceland and Norway's kings." Crown Prince Haakon said he was looking forward to see both "the historic and the modern Iceland." The couple visited historic sites outside Reykjavik on Monday, including Tingvellir, along with the local plant for Norwegian firm Elkem.
June 29th
Yesterday the Duke and Duchess of Noto had their third son, Pablo. He was born in Madrid at 15:00. He has two elder brothers: Jaime and Juan.
The three-year-long relationship between Fürst Alexander zu Schaumburg-Lippe and fashion designer Jette Joop has come to an end, despite of media rumours that they were about to get married. Fürst Alexander said that Jette Joop called him from the USA only 16 minutes before she informed the press and that he was completely surprised. A spokeswoman of the Jette Joop Europe GmbH said however that the end of the relationship was discussed in a long phonecall.
June 30th
Emperor Akihito will undergo anticancer hormone therapy from July to combat signs of tumors following surgery in January 2003 for prostate cancer, his chief doctor Ichiro Kanazawa said on Tuesday. The emperor will receive injections of a drug to reduce male hormones every four weeks, as these hormones can stimulate the growth of prostate cancer.
Royal News: May 2004. Last updated: June 2nd, 2004.