Last updated: November 13th, 2006.
October 3rd
Lord Nicholas Windsor is to marry Donna Paola Doimi de Frankopan at the Church of Santo Stefano degli Abissini at the Vatican on November 4. The dress code is morning suit and in the invitation guests are told the Holy See's dress code must be respected, which means that shoulders, arms and knees are not to be shown. The three-day party includes a white-tie ball at the Palazzo Taverna on November 3 and a Mass and brunch in the roof gardens of the Forum Hotel in Rome on November 5. The couple met at a party in New York five years ago.
October 5th
This morning Lis Frederiksen, head of the Danish court's press office, said that Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark has officially been named as a Danish candidate for the International Olympic Commitee. The current Danish member of the IOC, Kai Holm is to retire at the end of 2008. According to Danish public broadcaster DR, the president of the IOC, Jacques Rogge, says he'll support the Crown Prince. On a press conference today Crown Prince Frederik said he submitted his formal application two months ago. Political criticism forced him in 1998 not to candidate himself for the IOC. Is is said now that he has the support of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and politics. The board of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark said it was "very pleased" that the Crown Prince has accepted to stand as a candidate. The Crown Prince may be elected in October 2009 when the IOC meets in Copenhagen in connection with the 13th Olympic Congress.
October 6th
Princess Stephanie of Monaco was named a special representative for UNAIDS today. She vowed to promote prevention of AIDS and combat discrimination against people who suffer from it. "AIDS has no borders, and knows no social, political, religious or racial barriers. It affects everybody," she said. The princess hoped to help UNAIDS campaigns to raise awareness in Russia and the Ukraine, where new infections continue mainly among intravenous drug users, and in Africa. "I have lost friends to this epidemic and I want to underline that AIDS is preventable and treatable and we must unite to get ahead of the epidemic and break down stigma and discrimination," she said in a statement. Princess Stephanie has been President of 'Fight AIDS Monaco' since 2004.
October 8th
Countess Leonore van Oranje-Nassau, daughter of Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, was christened this morning in the chapel of Palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn. The ceremony was led by Ds. Ewoud Roos. Music was being played by the Residentie Kamerkoor and soprano Renate Arends. The godparents were Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, Juliana Guillermo, Marius Brinkhorst and Jean-Charles Count Ullens de Schooten Whetnall. Among the guests were Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands with daughters, Prince Friso and Princess Mabel van Oranje-Nassau with daughters, Prince Maurits and Princess Marilène with their children, Princess Annette with daughter Isabella, Prince Pieter Christiaan and Princess Anita as well as Prince Floris and Princess Aimée van Oranje-Nassau van Vollenhoven, Princess Irene of the Netherlands and Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme, Princess Christina of the Netherlands and Juliana Guillermo, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway with her daughters Maud Angelica and Leah Isadora.
Princess Michael of Kent is to hold a second auction of bric-a-brac from her former home Lypiatt Manor on Friday. Among the items are a gold medallion, wooden candlesticks and a silver chest bearing original House of Windsor labels.
October 10th
Today Sven Gjeruldsen, spokesman of the Norwegian Royal Palace, has denied a report in the magazine Se og Hør that King Harald V of Norway once sought advice from the president of the Parliament because he was considering divorcing his wife Sonja in the 1980s. The magazine says the couple had encountered severe marital difficulties and that Crown Prince Harald had one of his top aides consult the president of the parliament on the subject of divorce. He at that time wondered how the government, the parliament and the Norwegian people would react to a divorce and what consequences a divorce would have for the monarchy. Se og Hør says the story will be published in the biography about King Harald by journalist Per Egil Hegge, which is to be released later this month. Mr Gjeruldsen said to TV2/Nettavisen: "If it's true that someone from the Palace was in contact with the president of the Parliament, that's unknown to the royal couple." Former Prime Minister Kåre Willoch also claims he was never aware that Crown Prince Harald might have been considering a divorce. Per Egil Hegge doesn't want to comment until the book is released.
Prince Norodom Ranariddh of Cambodia has been voted out of his position as president of the National Olympic Committee by the 11-member board on October 2nd, secretary of state for the Ministry of Interior Nuth Sa An said today. Mr Thong Khon, was elected president in the prince's place. Mr Sa An was appointed first deputy president at the vote.
October 12th
A public inquiry has asked King Gyanendra of Nepal to explain his role in the alleged crackdown against the pro-democracy demonstrations in April. Written questions have been sent to the palace. The High-level commission formed to probe the atrocities committed to suppress the April movement will submit its final report to the government by October 27.
October 14th
Claims by the Daily Express that a man breached security at Windsor Castle are being investigated by the police. The newspaper said a member of the public walked into the castle through an unlocked gate and took a telephone book with details of key royal aides. An Express photographer retraced the man's footsteps and found a way into the castle, the newspaper reported. A Royal Family spokeswoman denied any secure areas had been breached and said no royals were resident in the castle at the time. Scotland Yard said detectives were investigating the "full circumstances" amd say that any such incident was taken very seriously.
October 15th
Prins Christian of Denmark celebrated his first birthday at the Kancellihuset at Fredensborg Castle. Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary had invited friends to celebrate with them. The royal court issued several photos.
Yesterday's auction in Cirencester of Prince Michael of Kent's bric-a-bric raised £580. Auctioneer Philip Alwood said: "The items were in some disrepair."
October 17th
A 2007 diary of cooking recipes of the late Princess Sri Nagarindra the Princess Mother and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will be sold starting today. The diary, "Krua Sa Pathum" (The Kitchen of Sa Pathum Palace), contains colourful photographs of the Princess Mother and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn cooking in the palace and their own handwritten instructions for 12 cooking recipes. Two recipes written in English by the late the Princess Mother are 'Boston Baked Beans' and 'Boston Brown Bread' - both favourites of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The other 10 recipes are written by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in Thai and English. The diary is published by the Queen Savang Vadhana Foundation.
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan has won the 2006 J. Paul Getty Award for Conservation Leadership for his three decades of work to conserve the environment of Bhutan that is home to tigers, snow leopards and red pandas. The award's cash prize of $200,000 will be used to establish graduate fellowships for Bhutanese conservationists in honor of the King and the people of Bhutan.
October 18th
This week's Paris Match announces that King Mohammed VI of Morocco and his wife Princess Lalla Salma expect their second child this winter.
The royalist FUNCINPEC party has ousted Prince Norodom Ranariddh of Cambodia as its leader. A spokesman for the prince has denounced the party vote as "illegal." The Prince was in Malaysia at the time of the vote. The newly elected FUNCINPEC president is Keo Puth Rasmey, Cambodia's ambassador to Germany and a son-in-law of retired King Norodom Sihanouk. Senior FUNCINPEC officials have been quoted as saying Prince Norodom Ranariddh had to be replaced if the party was to repair relations with the dominant partner in the ruling coaltion, the Cambodian People's Party. Late today Prince Norodom Ranariddh said by phone from France that he plans to create a new political party to participate in the commune election starting on April 1, 2007 as well as the next general election in 2008. "I name the new political party after my name as Norodom Ranariddh Party, because in Cambodia, law is on the mouth of individuals," he told Voice of America and Radio Free Asia reporters.
October 19th
Simon Astaire, spokesman of Princess Michael of Kent has confirmed that the three-year relationship between Lady Gabriella Windsor and Aatish Taseer has ended: "I can confirm that Gabriella and Aatish are no longer together, but the love and respect they share for each other has not diminished." Aatish Taseer is returning to India. According to a friend: "Aatish very much wanted her to go back with him to India, but she wants to stay in Britain and pursue her writing career here. So they have very sadly decided to go their separate ways."
Queen Rania of Jordan tripped and broke her left ankle recently a spokeswoman said. A picture taken on Tuesday showing Queen Rania in a cast and using crutches was published in the Jordanian press.
King Gyanendra of Nepal has failed to meet a deadline to answer questions about his role in the crackdown against pro-democracy protesters earlier this year. The palace has given no reason for the king's failure to respond. Inquiry panel member Harihar Birah said that the king had been asked to give his answers in writing by Wednesday. He said the panel would still present its report to the government.
October 20th
At her annual birthday news conference Empress Michiko of Japan, who celebrates her 72nd birthday today, said she had been extremely worried over Princess Kiko's pregnancy complications and hoped that her newborn son Prince Hisahito would grow up strong. "All I wish is for (Prince Hisahito) to be kept safe in the loving care of his parents, his older sisters and other people around him, and that he grows up strong and healthy," she added. She also said that she was happy and relieved that Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako had been able to take a two-week family vacation in the Netherlands. The Empress said the decision on when Crown Princess Masako will return to those duties should be left up to her.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has issued a new law to prevent any disputes regarding succession to the Saudi throne after his death. The new decree provides for the eventuality of the king and the crown prince becoming ill or dying at the same time. This precautionary measure is due to the fact that all the sons of the founder of the Saudi state King Abdulaziz Al Saud are old. New are the procedures for appointing a new crown prince in which the wishes of the new king and those of the other prominent members of the Al Saud family are balanced. A committee of princes called the Allegiance Institution, made up of sons and grandsons of late King Abdul Aziz al-Saud, will be set up to formalise the succession in the event of a death of a king. They will have a say in the appointment of a crown prince suggested by the king. If the institution rejects the nominated crown prince, it may vote for one of three princes the king nominates for the title. The appointment of the new crown prince will have to be done within 30 days of the accession of a new king.
October 22nd
The Duke of Edinburgh paid a brief surprise visit to the British troops in Iraq. He spent several hours in Basra visiting soldiers from the Queen's Royal Hussars. He is the regiment's colonel-in-chief. He also handed out recent promotions. In his address to the troops he said that it was a great pleasure to be with them.
Princess Kalina of Bulgaria and her husband Kitín Muñoz expect their first child it was announced during the opening mass of the newly built church named after the Orthodox Christian Saint Ivan Rilski in Tsarska Bistritza.
October 23rd
The Duchess of York was named global ambassador for World Children's Day at MacDonald's for a second year.
October 24th
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has allowed a film crew of BBC an 'unprecedented insight' into the Royal Household. The series will be called Monarchy and is to be screened next summer. Behind-the-scenes “reality” footage shows the Queen on official duties and also shows the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Princes William and Harry.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway have dropped plans to build a large summer house on the island of Flekkerøy off the coast near Kristiansand. In a statement the couple thanked Kristiansand for taking the initiative to allow them to take over a piece of land on the island. They however have decided to turn down the offer after an evaluation of the complexity of the project. The couple will continue searching for another summer house on the southern coast.
Robert Brown, a Jersey accountant, who claims to be the illegitimate son of the late Princess Margaret of Great Britain, is taking his case to the High Court in London. He wants access to the wills of the Princess and the Queen Mother to try and prove his parentage. He believes he might have been the result of the affair of Princess Margaret with Peter Townsend. Buckingham Palace has refused Mr Brown's offer to a DNA test and has declined to comment about the case. Mr Brown was born in Nairobi, Kenya, on January 5, 1955.
Princess Marie Ranariddh, the estranged wife of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, was appointed as senior minister in charge of an unspecified 'special mission'. The appointment was requested by Prime Minister Hun Sen and approved by 83 votes out of 105 lawmakers.
October 26th
It was announced today that Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark expect their second child in the beginning of May 2007. The baby will be born at the Rigshospitalet. Crown Princess Mary will continue to fulfil her official duties as long as possible.
An official biography about King Harald V of Norway by Per Egil Hegge was released today. Mr Hegge worked on the biography for the last two years and interviewed all adult members of the royal family. He had access to previously secret archives and private photos. The book reveals that Harald and his wife Sonja lost faith several times during their nine-year wait for approval of their wedding. They tried a few times to break off their relationship, but the love was too strong. Harald's father King Olav V, did never speak with Sonja before the engagement.
October 31st
King Siaosi Tupou V of Tonga will be crowned on August 1, 2007, an announcement from the Tonga Government confirmed today. It was also announced that November 4, traditionally known as Constitutional Day for Tongans, will be officially commemorated as Tonga's National Day, starting next year.
Royal News: September 2006. Last updated: October 7th, 2006.