Last updated: October 11th, 2003.
September 1st
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway started her trainee job at NORAD, as one of six trainees. Crown Princess Mette-Marit said that she was very pleased and is sure that it will be an interesting trainee job. She will take part in an introduction course before starting to work officially in a few weeks. She will work on AIDS problematic at the Zambia-team of NORAD.
Espen Høiby, brother of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, was sentenced at the court in Kristiansand today to 60 days in jail for beating his former girlfriend at a birthday party in Søgne earlier this year and on another occasion a month earlier, and was ordered to pay her about $5300. Espen Høiby denied he had been violent. His attorney claimed he was under pressure because of the fame of his sister, family tensions and new responsibilities at work. Marit Tjessem, his mother, testified at the trial and claimed her son was a responsible, caring person who wasn't capable of violence. Espen Høiby has appealed his conviction.
September 5th
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, accompanied by her husband Prince Henrik, arrived in Lübeck, Germany, at the royal yacht Dannebrog today to open the archeological exhibition "Danes in Lübeck" at the Kulturforum Burgkloster. Also present was Germans President Johannes Rau and the Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Heide Simonis. Queen Margrethe II, during the opening, said that the exhibition is a good example of how results of research can help to understand the past and the present. From 1201 to 1226 Lübeck was reigned by King Waldemar II of Denmark. Lunch, hosted by Mrs Simonis, was held at the historical restaurant "Schiffergesellschaft", with among the guests Noble Prize of Literature winner Günter Grass, especially invited by the Queen. In the evening a reception with about 100 guests took place at the Dannebrog.
September 7th
A new book by Yohei Mori, partly based on 200 newly revealed documents, has given the Japanese a glimpse into royal life and how the annual amount of public money of £150 million is spent by Emperor Akihito. The main imperial family exists of 6 members, while another 19 family members are also covered by the civil list. Imperial men outside the direct line of succession receive twice as much money from the civil list as their wives. For the first time a staff list with more than 1000 people on it is revealed, which includes four doctors (in addition also a £2 million-a-year clinic with 42 staff and eight medical departments, but only 28 visitors a day), five men attending the Emperor's wardrobe, 11 who assist him in Shinto rites, a 24-piece orchestra, 30 gardeners, 25 cooks and 78 plumbers, electricians and builders. The main imperial palace has 160 servants. The monthly water bill is £50,000. A special 961-strong police force guards the imperial family and their residences at a cost of £48 million. There is also a 622-acre farm which provides the imperial family milk, meat and vegetables which annually costs £3 million. The book is opening up public debate about the role of the imperial family. Mr Mori says discussion about the imperial purse has been stifled by secrecy and a lack of scrutiny by the politicians who approve the budget. The imperial palaces are all owned and paid for by the state.
The High Court in Glasgow has heard that a British schoolboy, ordered by another man, has sparked off a UK-wide terror scare by among others sending a letter to Prince William of Wales claiming to contain the deadly poison ricin and adding: "If you smell or touch it you will die." He also sent a bottle of complimentary aromatherapy oil face rub laced with caustic soda to Cherie Blair, wife of the British Prime Minister. Prosecutor Kevin McCallum told the judge, Lord Kingarth, of the fear and terror of some victims who breathed in powder which they thought was either anthrax or ricin. Scores of people had to be decontaminated and buildings evacuated. The person who recruited the schoolboy on the Internet 'had instigated a campaign directed against His Royal Highness Prince William and his attendance at the Scottish university.'
September 8th
Prince Philipp-Ernst zu Schaumburg-Lippe was laid to rest this afternoon at the cemetery next to the Mausoleum in the park of Bückeburg Castle. The coffin was covered by the flag of Schaumburg-Lippe with on it a bouquet of white and red roses. When the guests had entered the Mausoleum the new Hereditary Prince Heinrich Donatus came in in front of the coffin. He carried the orders of the late Prince. He was followed by his father Prince Alexander and his grandmother Princess Benita. The funeral service started at 15:00 with the "Adagio for Strings" of Samuel Barber. Priest Thomas Krage read Psalm 130 as a prayer and afterwards read from the Revelation of Johannes (21, 1-5). Bishop Jürgen Johannesdotter spoke: "His Schaumburgers mourn their Prince". He also said that in the Prince's varied engagement 'we remember where our consolation lies'. In another speech Priest Thomas Krage said "Outside the heaven cries, und we cry with it, but we do it out of thankfulness for the late Prince". The service ended with "Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten" by Arvo Pärt. Then the coffin was carried outside to the cemetery where Prince Philipp-Ernst was buried as he had wished, next to the grave of his eldest son Georg Wilhelm who was killed in a traffic accident in 1983 and who had been reburied at the cemetery last Friday. Among the 500 guests were many royals, among others Prince Ernst August and Princess Caroline of Hannover, Prince Heinrich von Hannover Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, Duke Eberhard von Württemberg, Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis, as well as Prince Alexander's ex-wife Princess Lilly zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg with her mother Princess Annette, as well as his present partner Jette Joop. Outside some hundreds of people had gathered. After the funeral a reception was held at Bückeburg Castle.
It is said around 300 people, among them many representants of the Italian and European nobility, are invited for the wedding of Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy and Clotilde Courau in Rome on September 25. The wedding will be conducted by Cardinal Pio Laghi. It is followed by a party for family and friends at the Palazzo Ruspoli. Among the guests are said to be King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians, the Prince of Asturias, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, former King Simeon of Bulgaria, as well as Prince Albert, Princess Caroline and Princess Stéphanie of Monaco.
62-year-old Queen Mother Mamohato Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho died on Saturday after collapsing at the Roman Catholic Church in Mantsoenyane where she was attending a retreat for the Catholic order of Saint Cecilia it was announced today. She was taken to Mantsoenyane Catholic Hospital but was certified dead on arrival. Her sudden death has shocked the people in Lesotho. The Queen Mother had two sons, King Letsie III of Lesotho and Bereng Seeiso Seeiso, and two grandchildren.
September 9th
King Mswati III of Swaziland sent out hordes of policemen this morning to buy up copies of the South African newspaper, Sunday Times, which carried allegiations and photographs of his fifth wife 30-year-old Inkhosikati LaMagwaza. The king stomped out of his own birthday party after being told about the report after a dinner to mark his 35th birthday at the Royal Swazi Sun Hotel. The report in the South African Sunday Times quoted claims by Soweto man 23-year-old Lizo Shabangu that he had an affair with Inkhosikati LaMagwaza between May 2002 and January 2003, which she ended after he wanted her to elope with him. He was quoted as saying: "I spent a whole week-and-a-half in her room, where we would wear nothing, and we showered together, spent time in the Jacuzzi, ate strawberries and yoghurt off each other and had wine. It was like our honeymoon." He also claimed that they had sex six times a day on average. He claimed that their affair was ended by her when he wanted her to elope to start a new life with him. Photos showed LaMagwaza topless as well as a picture of her bare butt. LaMagwaza has denied having an affair saying Shabangu was a liar and blackmailer, but she admitted that she had considered him her confidante and best friend: "He knows a lot about me and my personal life. He can use that against me. I am actually shocked. I took him in and we worked on art together. It is a big lie that we had a sexual relationship." She confirmed the graphic photographs in the Sunday Times were of her. LaMagwaza was not present at this weekend's festivities.
About 500 people from Bückeburg came to attend the memorial service for Prince Philipp-Ernst zu Schaumburg-Lippe this evening in the Stadtkirche in Bückeburg. The memorial service was also attended by Prince Alexander, Princess Eva-Benita and Prince Alexander's partner Jette Joop. Bishop Jürgen Johannesdotter held the sermon, while the readings were read by Priest Thomas Krage. The Schaumburger Märchensänger sang, the Bückeburger Bach-Orchester played work of Johann Sebastian Bach, Moritz Hauptmann, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach.
Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Mohammed bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia passed away this morning at the age of 56 after an illness. Funeral prayers were performed at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh after the Asr prayers.
September 10th
Inkhosikati LaMagwaza, the fifth wife of King Mswati III of Swaziland suspected of adultery, could face virtual house arrest if deemed guilty. According to a source in royal family circles, Inkhosikati LaMagwaza could "either be sent out of the country or be kept inside the palaces under strong supervision". In both cases she would be "set aside", which means the king would refuse to visit her palace and would withhold sexual favours from her. The source says it would be the second time she has been "set aside". Two years ago there were rumours she had had an affair. The ban was lifted earlier this year. LaMagwaza's brother, employed as one of the king's bodyguards, has been suspended from work.
It was revealed that designer Luigi Borelli of Napels has made the suit Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy will wear at his wedding. The suit is said to be a classical English one. Clotilde Courau will wear a dress designed by Valentino. Clotilde's witnesses will be her sisters Christiane, Camille and Capucine as well as a French friend. One of the witnesses of Prince Emanuele Filiberto is said to be Prince Albert of Monaco.
September 11th
The Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anna Lindh, died early this morning at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm despite a 10-hour operation after having been stabbed while shopping in Stockholm yesterday. The death of one of Sweden's most popular politicians, only days before the Sunday referendum in which the Swedes is asked whether they want the country to join the Euro, shocked the Swedes very much. The killer hasn't been found yet. Around noon King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden made a short television speech telling that her death was an enormous shock and distress for him. He had known Anna Lindh for many years. The King and his family sent their deepest sympathy to Anna Lindh's husband and two sons. King Harald V of Norway as well as Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands sent the King of Sweden condolences. The flag at the Royal Palace in Stockholm was flying half-mast in honour of Anna Lindh. In the evening a spontaneous memorial service was held in the cathedral of Stockholm. It was attended by King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Lilian.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden have cut short a visit to Denmark. They should have arrived today to attend The Baden Powell Fellowship Event, but now will leave for Denmark tomorrow. King Carl XVI Gustaf will make a speech about what it means to him to be a scout at the 'Partnership for Youth' conference. They will visit Legoland afterwards. While the King takes part in the committee meeting of the World Scout Foundation, Queen Silvia will visit the town hall of Kolding and a company. In the evening there will be a dinner at Løndal Manor. On Saturday a visit to the old village of Christiansfeld is planned, as well as a visit to boy scout activities. In the evening a gala dinner will take place at Koldinghus Castle. Among the royals taking part in the events among others will be Princess Benedikte of Denmark.
Less than a week after picking bride no. 11, King Mswati III of Swaziland selected his 12th bride from thousands of young maidens from Swaziland who attended this year's annual reed dance ceremony. The girl was identified as 18-year-old Nomonde Fihla, who was crowned the first princess in the Miss Swaziland 2003 pageant last month.
Princess Ines of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, wife of Marquess Michele Carelli Palombi, has given birth to a daughter, Teresa, in Rome on September 6, 2003.
The christening of Maria Carolina, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Calabria, will take place in Napels on November 1st.
September 12th
Princess Maria zur Lippe gave birth to her fifth child on September 7th. Mathilde Pauline Anna Elisabeth was born three weeks early in Lich near Giessen. She weighs 2800 grammes and is 46 cm tall. Mother and child are doing fine. Yesterday little Princess Mathilde was presented to the press by her parents Prince Stephan and Princess Maria, as well as her brothers Bernhard, Otto and Wilhelm and her sister Luise.
It was announced that Prince Johan Friso and Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands will be the new honorary chairmen of the Prince Claus fund, which was founded as a 70th birthday gift for their father Prince Claus in 1996.
September 13th
Hereditary Prince Philipp zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg married Saskia Binder at 11:00 at the Marienmünster in Diessen am Ammersee. The bride wore a Hohenlohe-Langenburg tiara. Reception and ball took place at the Restaurant "La Villa" in Starnberg. Already on Friday evening a party with 200 guests took place at the Royal Bavarian Yacht Club at the Starnberger See. Among the guests were members of many noble families, among others Habsburg, Hohenlohe, Toerring-Jettenbach, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Solms-Laubach, Salm-Reifferscheidt, Baden and Waldeck und Pyrmont.
Maria Cristina San Martino d'Agliè Marchioness of San Germano and Fontanetto, eldest sister of Queen Paola of Belgium, died on September 10 at the age of 83 at San Martino Alfieri Castle. The private funeral took place today at the family vault at the cemetery of Cardè.
September 14th
Yesterday the marriage took place at Mykonos, Greece, of Princess Lilly (Marie-Louise) zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, ex-wife of Prince Alexander zu Schaumburg-Lippe, and designer Lambros Milona. They had met two years ago in St.Tropez at the yacht of a Dutch woman, Esther Velo. On Friday evening already a party had taken place at the Paranga-beach with 200 guests. On Saturday evening the bride arrived for the wedding by helicopter in a white dress designed by her husband-to-be. The Greek-Orthodox wedding took place in the open air in front of the St Georgios Church and was celebrated by Priest Father Theodosis. Among the four witnesses were Lilly's elder sister Stefanie, and Eshter Velo. Lilly's son Heinrich Donatus handed over the wedding rings to the marrying couple. After the wedding a huge dinner and party took place at the Nobelhotel Santa Marina, which went on until 8:00 this morning. Thereafter a brunch took place at Psarou Beach and it went on until 18:00.
September 15th
Yesterday Countess Maria Theresia von und zu Arco-Zinneberg died at Moos Castle around 17:00 at the age of 81 after a long illness. She leaves two sons, one grandson, seven granddaughters, a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. Countess Maria Theresia was the daughter of Count Johann Georg von Preysing-Lichtenegg-Moos and Princess Gundelinde of Bavaria (daughter of King Ludwig III of Bavaria). After the death of her brother Kaspar in 1940, Maria Theresia became the heir to Moos Castle. In the same year she married Count Ludwig von und zu Arco-Zinneberg who was killed in action in Russia in 1942. One year later she married his brother Count Ulrich Philipp who died in 1980. From both marriages she had a son, Rupprecht-Maximilian and Riprand. A holy requiem will take place at the Theatiner Church in München on Friday morning, September 19. The funeral itself will take place in the afternoon in the family vault in the Wallfahrtsbasilika Unserer Liebe Frau in Tuntenhausen.
Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra of Morocco died this morning at a hospital in the royal palace in Rabat. She was buried later today in the Moulay El Hassan Mausoleum in the Royal Palace after the Al-Asr prayer in presence of King Mohammed VI, Prince Moulay Rachid and Prince Moulay Ismail. The deceased princess was the daughter of Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz, uncle of the late King Mohammed V of Morocco. Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra was chairwoman of the Moroccan Women National Union.
Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme and her husband Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn again want to go to court. This time they want the transcriptions back of the conversations they had one year ago with the magazine HP/De Tijd. They announced it this evening in the television programme "Barend & Van Dorp" where Thieu Vaessen, the author of the articles that appeared in the magazine some months ago, was a guest. Last Friday the couple also tried to let the judge forbid the publication of the book "Oranjebitter" that includes the stories which appeared about the couple in HP/De Tijd, as well as some extra documents, although they had approved the reproduction of the conversations in the magazine earlier. They didn't succeed.
September 16th
The German magazines Bunte and Die Aktuelle today revealed that Princess Stéphanie of Monaco has secretly married 29-year-old Portuguese circus artist Adans Lopez Peres last Friday in the town hall of Eaux-Vives near Geneva, Switzerland. The civil wedding was only attended by witness lawyer and friend Thierry Lacoste and Stéphanie's three children, Louis, Pauline and Camille. Later today Armand Deus, spokesman of the Princely House said: "Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Adans Lopez Peres have married. There was a private ceremony in Geneva last Friday. However it was a private occasion, and therefore there will not be an official communiqué of the palace. The Princess wished that this wedding would have a private character, otherwise she would have chosen an official ceremony." Being asked if Prince Rainier III had give his permission it was said that the prince wants to have 'happy children'. Adans Perez Lopes and his brother Ivan, who represent the 5th generation of a famous Portuguese circus family, at the moment appear in the Circus Knie and are known as the Peres Brothers. In 1996 they won the golden medal at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris with their modern presentation of parnter equilibristic, in which the static and dynamic acrobatic exercises are combined with movements of modern dance. They also won the Special Prize of the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel at the 25th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo Awards in 2001. Die Aktuelle also says that the princess is pregnant again, but that was not confirmed.
About 100.000 gathered in The Hague to have a look at Prinsjesdag. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands arrived at the Ridderzaal (Knight's Hall) by Golden Coach accompanied by The Prince of Orange, a visibly pregnant Princess Máxima and Prince Johan Friso. Also Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien, as well as Princess Margriet and her husband Mr Pieter van Vollenhoven were present. In her address (state of the nation) about the government plans for the next 12 months Queen Beatrix said individuals would have to act responsibly and play an active role in society if life in the Netherlands was to improve, as the government can't provide a solution to all issues. Afterwards the family drove back to Palace Noordeinde where they all appeared on the balcony.
During the television broadcast of Prinsjesdag Dutch royalty reporter Maartje van Wegen told that the wedding of Prince Johan Friso of the Netherlands and Mabel Wisse Smit will take place at the Old Church in Delft on April 24, 2004. The Government Information Service denied that the date was already known and said the date will be decided during the procedure of asking consent for the wedding from the Dutch Parliament.
The Swedish Parliament was opened with soberness this afternoon in presence of King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Madeleine and Princess Lilian, all dressed in black. The King and Queen arrived at the Parliament in a horse drawn carriage. Before the opening there was a service at the Cathedral in Stockholm. Tonight there was a performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Opera.
September 17th
In an interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick Adans Lopez Peres, the new husband of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco says they married out of love and that they are very happy together. After the wedding Adans Lopez Peres appeared in a circus performance at Circus Knie. Afterwards he and Princess Stéphanie as well as the children and witnesses had dinner in an hotel. The couple has spent the wedding night in the presidential suite at the Hôtel d'Angleterre.
September 18th
This evening Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium held their 'happy entrance' in their home town Tervuren. Prince Laurent already lives there for 6 years, Princess Claire moved in this year. The couple was welcomed at the market square by hundreds of people, among them 150 school children from Tervuren who handed over presents to the couple. Afterwards the couple was received by the complete town-council and they got an explanation about various projects in the municipality.
Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy has reserved two hotels in Rome for the guests who will attend his wedding with Clotilde Courau: Hotel Aleph and Hotel Exedra.
In Serbia archeologists have found the mausoleum of the Roman Emperor Hostilian, who died of the plague in 251 AD after having reigned for only one year. In the grave among others pieces of art were found.
September 19th
The Government Information Service announced that Princess Laurentien and Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands expect their second child in the beginning of april. Their daughter Eloise was born on June 8, 2002. The family lives in London, but the baby is expected to be born in The Netherlands.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, as well as Princess Lilian, attended the rememberance service at Stockholm City Hall for murdered Minister of Foreign Affairs Anna Lindh in Stockholm.
Queen Mother Mamohato Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho was laid to rest at the Roman Catholic cemetery at St Louis Mission in Matsieng, southern of Maseru, today. Lesotho's Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili said: "Were it not for the keen role Queen Mamohato played in the administration affairs of the state, Lesotho will not be a monarchy today." He and several others spoke at the state funeral service at the Pitso stadium. The Queen Mother was hailed by all for her contribution towards the upgrading of needy Basotho children by establishing the Queen's National Trust Fund. The Queen Mother's body arrived at the stadium in a casket draped in the royal standard of Lesotho. It was transported on a Lesotho Defence Force military gun carrier. Representatives had come from South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique. From Pitso stadium the body was taken to the cemetery, where she was buried. That part of the funeral was only attended by members of the royal family and dignitaries.
September 20th
Doctors have advised Princess Máxima of the Netherlands to stop working for this moment. Mother and child are doing fine, and it was not made known what caused the advice of the doctors, but it is said that the princess fell tired lately and needs rest. She and The Prince of Orange were supposed to visit St Petersburg on September 23 and 24. The Prince is now going alone.
Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed of Jordan and his wife Princess Areej became the parents of a little daughter today. They named her Jannah. The couple already had two children, Princess Tasneem (born August 27, 1999) and Prince Abdullah (born November 2001).
Plans for a £20 million rose garden in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales have been shelved after a row over funding. The project involved the Royal National Rose Society and Bonnie Masterson, an American businesswoman, who, it said, pledged to raise £9 million four years ago. However the charity said yesterday that they had received almost no cash and only has debts so that they are forced to sell its headquarters and 45 acres of the surrounding land in St Albans, Herts. The charity will retain 15 acres to build new Gardens of the Rose and a new main office. Miss Masterson, who is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, blamed the failure of the project on Rose Society fears that it could provoke a legal challenge by the Spencer family or the Prince of Wales Trust - a claim the society denied. She said that she was planning to create the memorial rose garden elsewhere, possibly in America.
The marriage of Prince Emanuele Filiberto and Clotilde Courau will take place at 17:00 at the San Maria degli Angeli Basilica at the Piazza della Repubblica in Rome. According to reports 1200 people are invited for the wedding, this amount includes the accredited press. The Basilica will be decorated with 10.000 lillies and white roses. After the wedding the couple will divide their time between Paris and Switzerland, but they also want a house in Italy. Their baby will be born halfway December in a clinic in Rome.
September 22nd
Prince Harry of Wales has started his gap year and has arrived in Sydney, Australia, today. He is scheduled to stay there for three months. He is expected to see the Rugby World Cup next month, and he is also likely to play polo. Armed officers from Scotland Yard's royalty protection branch are travelling with Prince Harry and will not want to let him out of their sight. The first, of possibly two years off, is spent on a structured programme of activities. "We have worked out a programme for the Prince up to next summer," said a Clarence House spokeswoman. "But there are also thoughts about what he would do if he does an additional gap year." An official photocall will be held in Sydney tomorrow, when also details of Prince Harry's work programme are due to announced. The bill to protect the prince in Australia is reportedly £600,000. Australian politicians are angry that taxpayers in Australia have to pay £300,000 to guard Prince Harry during his time in Australia.
Prince Harry of Wales passed the Army's Pre-Regular Commissions Board assessment with flying colours. The assessment is the first hurdle towards enrolling at Royal Sandhurst Military Academy. If he passes the full assessment he might decide not to start at the academy until September 2005. "He is hoping to start training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in the next two years," a spokeswoman for Clarence House said. Most of the 700 recruits accepted at Sandhurst are graduates and aged at least 21.
September 23rd
Prince Harry of Wales, wearing an Australian bush hat, today posed relaxed with a koala, an baby kangaroo and a spiny anteater at Taronga Park Zoo in Sydney. After the photo shoot he was driven to Sydney's airport to fly to an undisclosed location. It was announced that he will work as a jackaroo (Australian cowboy) on remote cattle ranches for the next three months. He will be expected to work dawn to dusk. "From Sydney, the Prince will go on to spend time in the outback learning about farming and agriculture on various cattle stations where he will be mustering cattle on horseback and working as a jackaroo," a Clarence House spokeswoman said. He will be "paid the going rate". Prince Harry will return to Britain to spend Christmas at home.
Yesterday the first day of the auction of silver and works of art from the collection of the late Princess Lilian of Belgium at Sotheby's in Amsterdam has yielded 2.670.000 Euros. The items brought in for the auction together had been estimated 1.300.000 Euros beforehand, but it already now fetched twice as much money. All items that were for sale today were sold. Highlight was a silver dinner-set from 1850 by silver-smith Charles-Nicolas Odiot, another top item were three 18th century tapestries. The second and third session of the auction were held today. The total proceeds of the auction were 4.056.000 Euros. Sotheby's said the auction was very lively with buyers from all over the world. See at Sotheby's.
September 24th
Not totally unexpected the Lord Chamberlain's Office in Copenhagen announced that Queen Margrethe II of Denmark intends to give her consent to the marriage between Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson (Australian and British nationality) in the Council of State that is held at 10:00 on Wednesday, 8 October 2003, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. A press conference will be held at Fredensborg Castle at 15:30 on October 8. Mary Donaldson was born in Hobart, Tasmania, on February 5, 1972, as the youngest child of John Dalgleish Donaldson and Henrietta (Etta) Clark Horne, who originally came from Scotland. She has two older sisters and an older brother. Mary's mother died in November 1997 and her father remarried to author Susan Moody in 2001. Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson met in Sydney during the Olympic Games in September 2000. Mary Donaldson moved to Europe early 2002 and started living in Copenhagen in the Summer of 2002. There have already been rumours about an engagement since the press found out about their relationship in November 2001. At first Mary Donaldson will keep her appartment at the Langelinie in Copenhagen, while Crown Prince Frederik will move to the Kancellihuset (Chancellery House) near Fredensborg Castle this autumn. The Kancellihuset will also become the future home of the couple, while they also might stay part of the time at Amalienborg in Copenhagen. The wedding is reported by the press to take place in the first half of 2004, but a date is not known yet. From today Mary Donaldson quit her job at Microsoft Business Solutions in Copenhagen, which she started in September 2002. An extensive Curriculum Vitae for Mary Donaldson, including a picture, and of her father Professor John D. Donaldson can be read at the homepage of His Royal Highness.
The Prince of Orange will have a seat in the co-ordination committee of the Olympic Winter Games of 2010 in the Canadian city of Vancouver. The committee will support the organisators of the Games and supervise the progress of the preparations. The Prince already has a seat in the evaluation committee that visited the candidates and adviced the members of the International Olympic Committee about the candidates for the Olympic Winter Games. On July 2 the IOC decided which city would organise the Games.
September 25th
Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy married French actress Clotilde Courau at 17:00 at the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome. The bride, wearing a dress designed by Valentino and a 4-metres veil, was given away by her father, Jean Claude Courau. The bride wore a diademe from the Savoy family. Brides children were: Alais and Lucille Lamontre, Camilla and Angelica Bellora and Luna Alonso Fagone. The 'men of honour' were Carlo dei conti D’Amelio, Prince don Alessandrojacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi Altemps, don Alessandro Ruspoli, Count don Giovanni Gaetani dell’Aquila, Flavio Misciatelli and Matteo Marenghi Vaselli. The wedding was celebrated by Cardinal Pio Laghi. Witnesses for the bride were her three sisters as well as the famous French rocksinger Johnny Halliday. Witnesses for the groom were Prince Albert of Monaco, Prince Serge of Yugoslavia, Ottavio Mazzola and Arturo Barone. About 1300 guests attended the wedding. Among them were Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy with her daughter Asaea, Prince Serge of Yugoslavia with girlfriend Eleonore Rajneri, Princess Helena of Yugoslavia with her husband Thierry Gaubert, the Duke and Duchess of Calabria, Landgrave Moritz von Hessen, Princess Mafalda von Hessen with her husband Ferdinando Brachetti-Peretti, Prince Mariano Hugo and Princess Sophie von Windisch-Graetz, Paul and Lia Lambrino (Romania) as well as many Italian aristocrats. Several thousands of people watched the wedding outside the church, among them 120 people from the press. After the wedding a cocktail reception for 50 people took place at the terrace of Hotel Exedra, followed by a dinner at the Palazzo Ruspoli with 200 guests.
The Region Brussels has decided that early next year a few gardens of the royal domain of Stuyvenberg in Laken will be opened for the public. The renovation of the gardens must be finished in early 2004. Also the verandahs (serres) at the domain get a public destiny. They will be used for education and receiving people who are professionally involved in botany. The renovation of the verandahs will start within a few months. They were built in order of King Leopold II of the Belgians at the end of the 19th century. The 4 hectares are close to the Castle of Stuyvenberg where Queen Fabiola lives.
September 27th
Princess Victoria of Bourbon-Two Sicilies married 38-year-old Greek Markos Nomikos at 13:00 today in a catholic and Greek orthodox ceremony at the Convent of la Asunción de Calatrava, in Almagro, Spain. The bride wore a simple dress designed by Lorenzo Caprile. Among the guests were the entire Spanish royal family, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and his wife Marie-Chantal, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, Princess Alexia of Greece and Carlos Morales Quintana, Princess Irene of Greece, Queen Margarita of Bulgaria, Prince Kirill and Princess Rosario of Bulgaria, the Duke and Duchess of Württemberg. The just married couple will spend their honeymoon in the Caribean. Afterwards they firstly will divide their time between Athens, Madrid and London.
Comtesse Diana Bernadotte af Wisborg today married 37-year-old Bernd Grawe at Castle Mainau at the Island of Mainau in a civil ceremony led by mayor Horst Frank. Outside the castle bride and groom were greeted by 24 chimney-sweepers, colleagues of the groom, all wearing black as well as by motor-bike friends of the groom. The couple doesn't plan a religious wedding ceremony at first. The couple only met last Spring during carnival in Konstanz. At the moment Comtesse Diana learns to become a hat-designer. She says to love her husband's humor. Bernd Grawe says he was fascinated by her hearty smile. The couple is going to live in Konstanz.
The Danish tv-channel DR1 will broadcast no less than 12 1/2 hours television about the engagement of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mary Donaldson on October 8th. The broadcast starts at 9:30 and will end at 22:00. The State Council will be held at 10:00 at Amalienborg in which Queen Margrethe will give permission to the marriage of her son Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson in accordance with the proposal of the Prime Minister. The ministers will meet the couple afterwards at 11:00. At 12:00 the couple and their parents will occur at the balcony of Amalienborg, followed at 13:15 by a family lunch at Fredensborg Castle. At 15:30 a photosession and press conference will be held in the gardenroom at Fredensborg Castle. In the evening a dinner takes place at 20:00 at Fredensborg Castle for which next to the family also members of the government and some other politicians are invited. The date of the wedding is expected to be announced on October 8th also.
According to a Clarence House spokeswoman Prince Harry of Wales is continuing his stay at the Australian cattle station, Tooloombilla Station in Queensland, despite of reports that he had been escorted away by police because of intense media interest in his visit. The spokeswoman said: "He's there. He's still at the ranch and he never left. He's absolutely fine, he's getting on with it and enjoying himself. We increasingly hope he'll be staying to get the outback experience he wanted. We do hope the media will give him the space to enjoy his time there. He wants to learn about agriculture in the outback." An internet poll on an Australian website says that 87% of the Australians believe the media should leave the prince alone during his stay in Australia.
September 29th
A new 550-square-meter gardening complex on the grounds of the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway, was destroyed by fire early today. The fire broke out around 4:30 this morning and started on two places on opposite sides of the gardening complex. The police suspect the fire was intentionally set. It took the fire-brigade one hour to extinguish the flames. There is almost nothing left of the gardening complex.
September 30th
The Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad today reported that Mabel Wisse Smit, fiancée of Prince Johan Friso of the Netherlands, had a few-months-long relationship with the late criminal Klaas Bruinsma. They base their story on an interview of crime-reporter Peter R. de Vries with Bruinsma's former bodyguard Charlie. Via the Government Information Service Mabel Wisse Smit denied ever having had a relationship with Klaas Bruinsma and said she doesn't know any Charlie. Some weeks ago the Government Information Service already released a statement in which it said that Mabel Wisse Smit broke off all contact with Klaas Bruinsma when she found out about his background. The political parties in the opposition as well as the governing political party Democrats 66 have asked the Cabinet in a letter to explain the case more clearly.
Royal News: August 2003. Last updated: September 21st, 2003.