Last updated: April 6th, 2006.
March 1st
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has opened the new Welsh Assembly building, the Senedd, in Cardiff today - on St David's Day. She was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Around noon the royal group were greeted in Cardiff Bay by a mixture of music from the Royal Welsh Regiment Band, cheers from hundreds of children and well-wishers, and boos and jeers from a variety of protesters. More than 500 guests from Europe and the commonwealth attended the opening. In her address to the chamber, the Queen said she hoped the building would become as important a symbol as the Houses of Parliament were. After the opening the royals had lunch at the St David's Hotel. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a Welsh National Opera's production of the Flying Dutchman with Bryn Terfel at the Wales Millennium Centre.
A new website on the life of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has been launched to mark her 80th birthday on 21 April. Galleries illustrate the Queen's life and documents such as her birth certificate and letters are included. Letters include her first letter to her grandmother, Queen Mary. The website also features a series of interactive galleries illustrating the Queen's life and contains more than 160 images. There is also a quiz on The Queen's life and a page enabling visitors to send her a birthday greeting. On her birthday, the Queen will meet members of the public in a walkabout outside Windsor Castle. She will be accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and will later attend a birthday dinner hosted by the Prince of Wales. The day before that, the Queen will visit the BBC to mark the 80th anniversary of the granting of the Corporation's Royal Charter. She will reopen Broadcasting House in Portland Place, central London, which has been undergoing redevelopment. She will also visit the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, to mark the 80th anniversary of the granting of the Institute's Royal Charter. See: Celebrating the Queen's 80th Birthday
An authorized biography of King Harald V of Norway is due to appear in the final week of October 2006, four months before the king's 70th birthday. Per Egil Hegge is the author of the work, and he has spent the past two years interviewing King Harald. Hegge has also spoken with all of the adult members of the Norwegian royal family and a wide range of those who know the king through official or personal channels. The book will be well illustrated, with many photographs that have never before been published.
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands had her first public engagement today. She had knee surgery at the end of December. The Queen received the nine Dutch medal winners of the Olympic Winter Games of Turin at Palace Huis ten Bosch. Gold medal winner speed skater Ireen Wüst said that the meeting with the Queen was super, 'really a unique chance, and she was very nice'.
According to sources around him Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn is willing to give up his fight against the Dutch royal family when 2 million euros is being paid to him. The Government Information Service said today that Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn has once offered a proposal of settlement in the past, but the royal family has rejected it.
March 3rd
Security at Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain's official residence in Scotland - the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh - is being boosted six months after an intruder broke in. A metal fence is being erected on top of the seven foot wall surrounding the palace. The three-foot high structure is being built on the corner of the perimeter wall near the bottom of Salisbury Crags. It covers a section where the ground level inside the wall is higher than outside and could make it easier for someone to get into the grounds. The new fence will take the height to around ten feet. A second ornamental fence is being erected in front of it.
One day before the christening of Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway the royal house released several new pictures of Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and their children. The pictures were taken at Skaugum, where the family lives.
Former King Michael of Romania will have about 7,000 hectares of forest land located in Arad County returned to him, according to the head of the Arad Forest Department, Mircea Meches. Mr Meches explained yesterday that the local authorities are analyzing the documents handed in by the Royal House's lawyers, which proved that the forest land near the Savarsin and Birchis localities belonged to the former King. "Procedures are almost finalized and the former King will become the rightful owner in the weeks to come. It is the largest forest area that has ever been given back in the Arad County after 1989," said Mr Meches. The King's lawyer, Adrian Vasiliu, said that he is glad the request was solved without the involvement of courts. "There were some disagreements concerning the Forest Department's buildings that now exist on this land. However, after a series of negotiations, we have reached a compromise and avoided going to court," he said. Within less than a month, the Royal Family is also to have Bran castle and Peles Estate returned to them.
On Wednesday the Brunei High Court said that the Brunei Investment Agency was entitled to enforce the terms of a settlement reached in May 2000. The Agency has now said that it would ask the court to compel Prince jefri Bolkiah, brother of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, to turn over prime property in world capitals, including diamonds, cash and works of art. The BIA had resumed legal proceedings after Prince Jefri had consistently refused to comply with the terms of the 2000 settlement. Prince Jefri's jet-setting playboy lifestyle was blamed by his brother's government for massive losses in state funds, leading to his ouster as finance minister and BIA head in the late 1990s. Among properties being sought are the New York Palace Hotel, the Bel-Air Hotel in Los Angeles, 3-5 Place Vendome in Paris, StJohn's Lodge in London and a mansion in Singapore. There is also real estate in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan as well as paintings, jewelry and cash in bank accounts around the world that the BIA wants returned.
March 4th
Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway was christened today at the chapel of the royal palace in Oslo by Bishop Ole Christian Kvarme. He was carried to the font by his grandmother Queen Sonja. The other sponsors were Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, Princess Rosario of Bulgaria, Espen Høiby, Bjørn Steinsland and Marianne Gjellestad. Among the 165 attending guests were Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn with their two daughters, Princess Ragnhild Mrs Lorentzen with son Haakon, Princess Astrid Mrs Ferner with children Benedikte and Alexander, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Kyrill of Bulgaria. The bishop said: "The whole nation wishes good luck and thank the God of Life for the hope represented by the little one." He added that the first pictures of the little Prince showed us a face with eyes that were wide awake, and an open face. "It is fascinating to look into a baby's expecting and scrutinizing gaze. What will these eyes be experiencing and see in the days and years ahead." Crown Princess Mette-Marit read the lesson from the Gospel of Matthew, and Kari Bremnes sang "Et lite barn som kommer" (A little Child a'coming), a song she had written for the Prince's baptism. Prince Sverre Magnus himself wore the family's baptismal dress made by his great-grandmother Princess Ingeborg in 1920. He however didn't like his first big appearance very much and cried loudly throughout almost the whole ceremony. The chapel was decorated with blue, white and green flowers.
March 5th
Former King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia claimed in a letter on his website he is afraid to return to Cambodia and will remain abroad indefinitely. He says he is homesick, but that he is sure that if he returns home, events will force him to leave the country again. "I always miss my homeland and my beloved compatriots but I do not return home yet," he wrote.
March 6th
According to several newspapers Lord Stevens, after a two-year investigation into the death of the late Diana princess of Wales, plans to release an interim report saying there is no evidence she was killed unlawfully. It will conclude that she died in a simple car crash. The full report will go to the royal coroner in the next few months and will form part of the inquest into Diana's death, due to be heard in the autumn. The team have found no evidence to contradict the French findings that Diana died in a tragic road traffic accident caused by excessive speed.
March 7th
Prince William of Wales and his girlfriend Kate Middleton are too young to marry, according to a survey carried out by Tatler magazine. 94% thought Prince William's girlfriend would make a good wife, 62% believe she is the one, but only 13% think Prince William is ready to tie the knot. Most people, 82% think the couple are too young to wed. 75% believe Kate Middleton would make a down-to-earth princess, 9% thought she would be boring and 90% thought Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain would get on with her. Despite the fact that 82% believe Prince William would be faithful to her, 30% believe it is likely that a marriage would end in divorce. 74% believe it is right that the couple should live together before marriage and 94% believe it is okay for the future king to be having pre-marital sex with his future wife. 52% think they make a sexy couple and 82% said Prince William should marry "a commoner". If the couple have four daughters, 33% said they should also try for a son. The poll comes as it was revealed that Kate Middleton has been voted into a list of the world's 100 sexiest women. She ranks as prettier than Kate Moss and Chelsy Davy, girlfriend of Prince Harry of Wales, but is not as attractive as Jemima Khan.
Two armed men broke into the City Museum in Rio de Janeiro and stole objects used by Brazil's imperial family in the 19th century, police said today. They didn't know the value of the objects, which included silver swords, medals, an ivory fan and a gold-handled cane. The gunmen overpowered guards at the museum and also stole their wallets and mobile phones.
March 8th
The Duchess of Cornwall has made the top ten list of the world's best-dressed women, compiled by Tatler magazine. She ended up in 10th place, behind a few supermodels, actresses and artists. Model Kate Moss was chosen as the best-dressed woman. Tatler editor Geordie Greig said: "The best-dressed British women of the past year have one thing in common: an understanding of fashion. They know just what suits them and how to make it work." The Duchess is hailed as a “new Royal fashion icon”
28-year-old Countess Catherina Bernadotte af Wisborg, second daughter of the late Count Lennart and Countess Sonja Bernadotte af Wisborg has become engaged to 39-year-old Romuald Ruffing, marketing chef at Mainau. He proposed to her in a helicopter above an active volcano at the island Hawaii. The couple currently is making a world tour. A wedding date hasn't been set yet.
March 9th
Some of the rarely seen treasures once owned by Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) of the Qing Dynasty, including an awe-inspiring ancient sabre, a piece of refined, embroidered satin, and a lavishly decorated pearl-work imperial court robe, will go on auction from 7 to 10 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong. Ranging from ancient paintings, handicrafts and jade ware to contemporary paintings and deluxe Swiss watches, the 2006 spring auction of Sotheby's Hong Kong promises to offer art collectors much more. What might interest art lovers the most are the special sale of a total of 43 lots, including the sabre, satin, royal robe and jadeites, the organizers said.
March 10th
In a news conference crown Prince Naruhito of Japan said Japan's ancient royal house should change with the times. "While honouring the duties we have been doing, I would like to find and perform duties that meet the modern times and those that we can do because we are of this generation," the crown prince told reporters ahead of an official trip next week to Mexico, where he will deliver a speech at an international water summit. He said his wife Crown Princess Masako is now feeling better and enjoys watching their daughter Aiko grow up and she is busy making preparations for Aiko to start nursery school in April. But he said his wife was not yet fit to accompany him to Mexico. "I am hoping that a time would come soon when I can visit a foreign country with Masako," the crown prince added. During the six day trip beginning March 15, the Crown Prince will also make a brief visit in Vancouver before returning to Tokyo on March 21. From 16 to 18 March the conference in Mexico will also be attended by the Prince of Orange.
March 11th
The International Paralympic Committee announced that Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden will join the IPC Honorary Board. She joins Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg and Princess Margriet of the Netherlands. Crown Princess Victoria has agreed to be an ambassador for the Paralympic Movement, helping the IPC to disseminate the positive values and message of the Paralympic Movement to as wide an audience as possible. "I am very pleased to have the possibility to support the Paralympic Movement. It makes a big difference, showing the great value of sports as a way of getting together across all borders. When I visited the Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004, I was deeply impressed by the wonderful spirit and great results," stated HRH Crown Princess Victoria. She attended the Opening Ceremony of the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games. Today, she will visit competitions in Alpine and Nordic Skiing. IPC President Sir Philip Craven said: "HRH Crown Princess Victoria has already shown her support of the Swedish Paralympic Committee on several occasions, also joining in the Paralympic School Day that took place in Sweden last year. I am confident that she will show the same support in the future."
March 12th
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in Australia for a five-day tour, during which she among others will open the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. She was greeted in Canberra by Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Governor-General Michael Jeffery. About 300 people shouted "God save the Queen" to greet the couple. The royal couple will fly to Singapore on Thursday for a two-day State visit. See: the Programme
Mohamed al-Fayed, whose son Dodi died with Diana Princess of Wales in the 1997 Paris car crash, is to legally challenge the royal coroner, Michael Burgess, in case he indeed appoints 12 royal courtiers to a jury. Mr Burgess will decide whether to appoint a jury to oversee the outcome of a criminal investigation by Lord Stevens, which is expected later this year, or judge it himself. Last week Mr Burgess said that if he ruled a jury was required, he had no choice but to have it selected from officers of the Queen’s household. He said: “The Coroners Act 1988 requires that jurors of an inquest held by the coroner of the Queen’s household should consist of officers of that household. This is contained in primary legislation and I have no power to vary this provision.” Lawyers for Mohamed al-Fayed claim that to have royal courtiers ruling on whether Diana Princess of Wales died unlawfully or by accident would make a mockery of the process. The lawyer of Mr al-Fayed says he will take Mr Burgess to the High Court to ensure a jury is formed of members of the public. This could delay the inquest to 2009.
March 13th
Today Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan visited Tokyo Disney Sea and Tokyo Disneyland with their 4-year-old daughter Aiko. Princess Aiko's friends and their families joined them on the visit. When Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters greeted Aiko she appeared surprised and held on to her mother's hand. The Imperial Household Agency officials said the crown prince and princess decided to take Princess Aiko to Tokyo Disney Resort because they wanted to "let her experience the same things other children of her generation are doing." Princess Aiko is scheduled to enter Gakushuin Kindergarten in April.
March 14th
The Luxemburg grand-ducal court today announced that Prince Louis of Luxemburg and his girlfriend Tessy Antony had a son on Sunday, according to sources at the Birth Clinic Dr. Bohler auf Kirchberg. The baby received the name Gabriel. Mother and son are doing fine. Spokesman Claude Neu said: "The young couple has decided to let the birth take place in private." He further said: "I assume that Prince Louis will recognise his little son, but the newly born therewith won't be a member of the noble line." There will not be an official photo. Prince Louis will finish his secondary school education in Switzerland in the next weeks.
A chamber discovered last month in the Valley of the Kings was a room used by the ancient Egyptians for mummifying pharaohs buried in the area, rather than a tomb, Egypt's top archaeologist Zahi Hawass said yesterday. He said that five sarcophagi found in the chamber contained remnants of pottery, shrouds and materials used in mummification. The United States team from the University of Memphis which discovered the chamber had also opened ten jars found there to find other materials used in mummification. "This is not a tomb for nobles or relatives of a king, as had been thought, but rather it is a room for mummification," Mr Hawass said.
March 15th
The Danish magazine Billed-Bladet today revealed that the new girlfriend of Prince Joachim of Denmark is 30-year-old French Marie Cavallier. She was born in Paris on 6 February 1976, and has four elder brothers. She and her mother moved from Paris to Switzerland after the divorce of her parents when she was 13. She studied at University in Boston and afterwards had an IT-job in New York. She now works for her stepfather's company in Geneva, Switzerland. The couple met two years ago at a dinner when they both still had a relationship. They kept in touch and about half a year ago the love became stronger and stronger. In the interview with Billed-Bladet Marie Cavallier said: "Prince Joachim is a wonderful person. He's so warm, sweet, and very affectionate. He's been through a very hard period and dealt with a lot of difficult things. But he's also a very patient and honest person. I love him very much." Recently she visited Joachim's home Schackenborg for the first time: "It was delightful. We had a wonderful weekend, and Joachim showed me around his palace,"she said, adding that she looked forward to returning. Asked whether there would be a wedding in the future she answered: "That's a big palace for one man all by himself - but let's see what the future brings." She has met Prince Nikolai during a skiing holiday in Val Torens in February, but she hasn't met Prince Felix yet, nor any other member of the Danish royal family.
March 16th
On Tuesday the Duke of Kent will receive the first Spirit of Kent Award after attending the Lieutenancy of Kent’s Civic Service at Rochester. The award was introduced by Lord Lieutenant Allan Willett to mark conspicuous service to the county and its people. The Duke was unanimously chosen by a panel of county representatives. The Lord Lieutenant said: "This is not an award made out of courtesy to him because of his title. It is made to him in his own right for the wonderful contribution he and his family have made over five decades. He has worked tirelessly, steadfastly and selflessly – always a good friend to our county."
In an interview during his tour through Cambodia and Vietnam Prince Joachim of Denmark for the first time spoke about his new relationship. He said: "I am a happy man. If I am brimming with joy, it's because I am. I'm not complaining."
The Bulgarian parliament opened an inquiry into the restitution of family property to former King Simeon, as the prosecutor's office investigated if the family had salvaged state property along with its own. The parliamentary commission "met Thursday to find out what property has been restored and discuss any eventual legal problems linked to this restitution", the commission chairman, left-wing deputy Plamen Ranchev, told state television.
March 17th
The Prince of Wales has won a legal battle stopping the publication of his Hong Kong diary, but must go to trial to stop seven others being published. The prince's lawyers argued he was entitled to keep his travel journals, in which he called himself a "political dissident", private. His private secretary Sir Michael Peat said the prince was pleased he had "won on all points". Sir Michael Peat described the judgment as "an excellent outcome". "When we brought legal proceedings we brought them with regret," he said. "There was nothing in the Hong Kong journal that we were ashamed of. It was a matter of principle over a stolen document being made public." Sir Michael said the judge awarded the prince 80% of his legal costs and any damages awarded would be given to charity. The Mail on Sunday is to appeal the decision regarding the Hong Kong diary. Clarence House said the trial over the remaining diaries - which are still held by the Mail on Sunday - would involve a one-day hearing, and would not involve the Prince of Wales giving evidence. The paper has agreed not to publish any extracts from them without giving the prince 24 hours warning.
Monarchs from 14 countries will attend celebrations marking the 60th year on the throne of King Bhumibol of Thailand later this year. The monarchs of Brunei, Swaziland, Monaco, Japan, Lesotho, Nepal, Sweden, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia and Cambodia will come to Thailand to participate in the celebrations, Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said yesterday. Royal delegations are being sent by the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Bhutan, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Norway, Spain, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, Tonga, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
March 21st
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have arrived in Egypt at the start of a two-week tour of the Middle East and India. On Nile TV the prince yesterday said: "My heart is incredibly heavy from all the destruction and death that occurs. It's tolerance, it's understanding of what other people hold sacred, which I think is so vital." He said he had tried to warn of the growing problems between Islam and the West during a speech in Oxford in 1993. In the interview yesterday he said: "I have a dreadful feeling that what I was trying to say then, what I was warning about seems to have been coming about." Today the prince received an honorary degree of Al-Azhar University. Last night the royal couple met the Aga Khan at al-Azhar Park. Later they had a private tour of the Egyptian Museum, which holds treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb.
The Oldie magazine has named the Duchess of Cornwall Spouse of the Year. The Duchess said she was 'lost for words' at being named so by the satirical magazine. She said she regretted being unable to attend the awards ceremony organized because she was on "spousing duties" in "some far-flung corner of the globe." Her speech was read by friend and author Jilly Cooper. Mrs Cooper said the Duchess was "absolutely knocked out, thrilled to bits" to receive the award.
March 22nd
The Hanyang mausoleum, where the fourth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD), Liu Qi, and his Empress are buried, will open to public at the end of this month in the city of Hanyang, northwest China, local government said yesterday. Part of the mausoleum has been built into the country's first fully underground museum. The tomb covers about 12 square kilometers. The mausoleum displays tens of thousands of cultural relics, such as colored terra-cotta warriors and a variety of animals statues from the tomb.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will spend more than 50 million Baht to decorate Bangkok ahead of celebrations of King Bhumibol of Thailand's 60th year on the throne, officials said yesterday. About 23 million Baht will be spent to decorate Rattanakosin Island with flowers and other plants, and a contractor would be hired to produce 31 decorative arches at a cost of about 30 million Baht. The arches will be completed by April 6. Pamphlets explaining the meaning of the arches would be distributed to the public. The renovation of the Chakri Throne Hall shall be completed in May. The King is scheduled to host a reception for visiting monarchs and their spouses on June 23.
Kyara van Ellinkhuizen gave birth to a daughter at the Clinica Mangiagalli in Milan on 19 March. She will be named Ginevra Maria Gabriella, and upon christening she will also receive the name Beatrice in honour of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The baby's father, the Duke of Aosta, visited the baby at hospital. He said he will ask for DNA examinations first before recognising the baby.
March 23rd
Crown Princess Masako of Japan attended her first solo royal engagement in two years today. She looked relaxed and confident when she met medical staff at Tokyo’s St Luke hospital. She chatted with doctors in the clinic's pediatric wing and was given information about the center's work by surgeon Ryota Hosoya.
Archduke Otto of Austria has been declared an honorary citizen of Sarajevo. Sarajevo Mayor Semiha Borovac presented him the Charter at a ceremony in the City Council in Sarajevo today. She said that the archduke has shown true friendship by promoting the truth about Sarajevo during the worst days of the aggression against Bosnia Hercegovina, when the city was under siege and brutally killed and destroyed every day. “You have remained our true ambassador of peace, tolerance and friendship. Your word is a word of truth and it carries immeasurable value for our city, our present and our future”, Borovac said. She also thanked him for supporting the road of Bosnia Hercegovina towards Europe. “Europe without Bosnia Hercegovina is not Europe”, archduke Otto of Austria. He said that he never felt a foreigner in Sarajevo and that he was “born a Bosnian because Bosnia Hercegovina was a part Austro-Hungary at the time”. “As long as I live I will stand by your side”, he said.
March 24th
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and her husband Ari Behn have lodged a complaint against the magazine Se og Hør at the Pressens Faglige Utvalg. They are angry about a photo report of their daughter Maud Angelica on a horse in the magazine.
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his girlfriend Charlene Wittstock are to sue the French weekly magazine Paris Match over snatched pictures, their lawyer said today. "In the name of the Prince and Charlene Wittstock, I shall sue the company publishing Paris Match for invasion of privacy including the taking of pictures," Thierry Lacoste said. The lawsuit follows the publication in the issue dated March 16 of a story headlined "Albert and Charlene, a foretaste of honeymoon" showing pictures of the pair holidaying in a luxury hotel in the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. The photos were chiefly taken from the sea looking into the open part of the couple's bungalow. Lacoste said he would be asking for 50,000 euros in damages.
March 26th
The Duchess of Cornwall's 26-year-old daughter, Laura Parker Bowles, will marry 29-year-old Harry Lopes, in May in Wiltshire.
March 27th
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have begun a tour of the northern state of Punjab, as part of a six-day visit to India. They were welcomed in the state capital Chandigarh by Punjabi folk dancers, before they moved on to the princedom of Patiala. The Prince also visited two Punjab villages, where he met organic farmers. On Tuesday the royal couple are scheduled to visit the historic Sikh shrine of Keshgarh in Anandpur Sahib town. On Sunday, they met members of the England cricket team who are playing in India.
Prince Abdul Rahman ibn Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Sudairy, uncle of the late King Fahd and former governor of Al-Jouf, died yesterday at the age of 89 after a prolonged illness, the Royal Court announced. Funeral prayers for the late prince were held at Imam Turki ibn Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.
March 28th
Prince Albert II of Monaco has been hospitalized for removal of a common cyst near his shoulder, the princely palace said today. He was expected to undergo a "small general anesthetic" and required a stay of about a day at Princess Grace Hospital Center. The palace did not say how big or what type of cyst was being removed.
March 29th
The Dutch magazine Privé has to pay 3000 Euros compensation for publishing photos of the Prince of Orange, Princess Máxima and Princess Amalia of the Netherlands in bathing-costume in Porto Ercole, Italy, last September. The court forbids Privé to publish private pictures of the family in the coming two years. For every edition of Privé carrying photos of the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima in private the magazine has to pay a penal sum of 50.000 euros. For photos of Princess Amalia they will even have to pay a penal sum of 100.000 euros per edition. Everything up to a maximum of 10.000.000 euros. Privé has now announced that they are thinking of signing the mediacode after all.
Official photos of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, commissioned to mark her 80th birthday, have been taken by Lord Snowdon. An official photo will be available for publication on Thursday 20th April, the day before the Queen's birthday. A downloadable version will be available on the Internet for non-commercial or non-media purposes. A further official photo will be available for publication on Sunday 23rd April. Photographic portraits of the Queen have been taken by Jane Bown. One photograph will be available for publication in the national media on Tuesday 4th April. The other image will be available for publication, first in the regional media, on Monday 10th April.
Prince Harry of Wales has taken his place alongside his brother Prince William as the lastest waxwork at Madame Tussauds in Londno. The museum said they waited until his 21nd birthday despite receiving thousands of requests. A spokeswoman said it was "only right to complete the circle of the immediate Royal Family by including him". Like his brother the wax Harry is wearing a double breasted suit, shirt and tie. A spokeswoman said as yet there were no plans for the Duchess of Cornwall to join them. "We poll our guests on who they want to see, and Camilla isn't a very popular choice yet."
Lawyers for descendants of Russia's former imperial family said today they would file suit to clear the name of Tsar Nicholas II if prosecutors were unwilling to do so. Lawyer German Lukyanov said the Prosecutor General's Office on Tuesday had refused to take the Nicholas II case to a higher court, without giving any specific legal reasons. The refusal comes a month after prosecutors had turned down a request to recognize Russia's last tsar as a victim of Bolshevik repression and clear him of all political charges.
March 31st
Deputy Prime Minister Mr Surakiart Sathirathai announced yesterday that monarchs from 15 countries have accepted the invitation to join the celebrations of the 60th anniversary to the throne of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand in June. These 15 countries are Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nepal, Qatar, Sweden and Swaziland. Others countries, including Denmark, Spain, Morocco, Tonga, Bhutan, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Great Britain, have confirmed that other members of the royal familes will participate.
Royal News: February 2006. Last updated: March 2nd, 2006.