Last updated: October 8th, 2006.
September 1st
Prince Gabriel of Belgium had his first day at pre-school today. His parents Prince Filip and Princess Mathilde took him to the Dutch-language Sint-Jan-Berchmanscollege in Brussels together with his elder sister Princess Elisabeth. The school is also attended by Luisa Maria, Laetitia and Joachim, children of Princess Astrid. It is believed also Princess Louise, daughter of Prince Laurent and Princess Claire, started school today, but it is not known yet what pre-school she is attending.
Princess Kiko of Japan is to give birth on Wednesday 6 September an official at the Imperial Household Agency said today. She is to undergo a Caesarean section after pregnancy complications. Yuka Shiina, an agency spokeswoman, said the operation would take place Wednesday morning, but declined to provide any further details.
September 2nd
King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia and his parents, former King Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Monineath, left for China today where father and son were going for medical checkups. King Norodom Sihamoni said that he expected to be away from Cambodia for about six weeks, stopping first to see doctors in Beijing and then heading to France for more medical checkups. He then will make state visits to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The king then plans to return to France and China for another round of medical checkups and treatment before flying back to Cambodia in mid-October. Former King Norodom Sihanouk said he will not return home until next year.
Today Thai authorities released new details about the sudden death of Prince Christoph zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg last month while jailed in Bangkok. They say he succumbed to a blood infection and diabetes-related complications. The Prince became ill on August 5 and a prison doctor found that his blood sugar level was very high due to diabetes and sent him for treatment at the prison hospital. Then he was sent for immediate treatment at Nonthawej hospital. The Foreign Ministry said his heart stopped beating and he could not be resuscitated. He was pronounced dead at 2:15 a.m. on August 8. An autopsy performed at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok found that the prince had died because organs in his body had failed from an infection in the bloodstream related to a lung infection, and ketone buildup from diabetes, the ministry said in a statement.
September 3rd
Lord Snowdon is for the first time putting part of his collection up for sale. The 72 photographs include several portraits of the royal family, including two of his former wife, the late Princess Margaret. One picture shows Princess Margaret in the Caribbean shortly after the couple married in 1960, and has never before been seen in public. Fifty copies of each will be on sale and it is estimated they could fetch as much as £6m. The sale begins at the Chris Beetles gallery in Mayfair on September 19.
September 4th
Hana Al Jader, the wife of Prince Mohamed Bin Turki Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia today was charged with forcing two Indonesian women to be her domestic slaves while living in Winchester, in the USA. She was accused of enslaving two women in servitude and violating immigration laws. She faced six counts of forced labour and four counts of violating immigration laws. At a District Court, in Boston the Princess pleaded guilty to violating immigration laws - visa fraud and harboring an alien - but no longer faces charges of forcing two Indonesian women to be her domestic servants under a deal with prosecutors.
September 6th
Princess Kiko of Japan gave birth to a healthy baby boy this morning at 8.27am at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo. The operation to deliver the baby ended at 9.07 am The baby weighs 2558 grams and is 48,8 centimeters tall. The princess gave birth by Caesarian section, the first in the history of the Imperial family. Director Masao Nakabayashi, head of the medical team, said at a press conference: "The baby boy is in good condition. When I told the Princess, 'The operation is complete. Congratulations. How are you feeling?' she said, 'Thank you very much. I'm feeling fine.' She is recovering steadily." Ichiro Kanazawa, medical supervisor of the Imperial Household, said: "When I told the Prince, 'Congratulations,' he calmly replied, "Thank you.' I'm surprised that he never lost his calmness." The baby is the first male to have been born into the imperial family since his father, Prince Akishino in 1965. He will be third in line of succession to the throne after his uncle Crown Prince Naruhito and his father Prince Akishino. Prince and Princess Akishino already have two daughters: Mako and Kako. Empress Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan received the news about the birth of their grandson by phone from Prince AKishino when being in Hokkaido. In a statement they said: "We were relieved to receive a report from Prince Akishino that Princess Kiko safely gave birth and that both the mother and the child are fine. We are delighted for Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, who endured various struggles over the past 10 months, and would like to convey our hearty congratulations to them." Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan said the birth of the baby boy was very good news. A signature book for luminaries to sign will be made available at Prince Akishino's Palace within the Akasaka Detached Palace for one week from Wednesday afternoon, but signing is not for ordinary citizens. A messenger of the emperor is scheduled to deliver a protective sword to the baby boy and place it by his pillow later in the day. The baby will be named next Tuesday, the seventh day following his birth, directly by his father Prince Akishino, and a symbol used to mark his belongings will be decided by Princess Kiko.
A court in Monaco has sentenced a 30-year-old man to 16 days in prison for sending love letters to Princess Stephanie of Monaco by SMS text message. The man worked at the royal palace as a valet. He was already convicted of the same behaviour in November 2005 after sending 25 amorous text messages to the Princess. At that time, he was given a suspended sentence of eight days in jail. On July 29, the man sent another five electronic love letters to the princess and asked for a rendezvous.
The Nepali Parliament's State Affairs Committee has decided to scrap the terminology "His Majesty" from the Bill on Approving Public Document and deprived the king from the power of approving public documents.
September 7th
Preliminary hearings into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales will take place early next year it was announced today. It was also announced that Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss is confirmed as the new coroner to take charge of the inquest. She will also decide whether to hold a joint inquest to include Dodi Fayed, who also died in the crash.
Ghazi Timoor Al Daghestani, son of Princess Basma bint Talal of Jordan, married Samanta Mahdi Saifi at the Zahran Palace in Amman today. The wedding was attended by King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, the parents of bride and groom and other family members.
The newborn Japanese Prince is expected to remain in hospital until September 16, the Imperial Household Agency announced today. He will have three nurses assigned to him when he and his mother go home. The government will provide yearly living expenses of about 3 million yen for the newborn prince starting this month as designated in a law concerning the Imperial family's finances.
September 10th
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited their newborn grandson for the first time today at the hospital in Tokyo where he was born. They returned from a visit to Hokkaido on Saturday. The Empress presented the little prince with a pair of white baby shoes and flowers. Earlier today Prince Akishino visited his parents at the Imperial Palace to report the birth of his son to them in person. Afterwards they had lunch together with the Prince's daughters Mako and Kako.
Prince Tomohito of Japan was released from Keio University Hospital in Tokyo on Saturday after he was admitted for not feeling well. Officials of the Imperial Household Agency said the prince had no particular medical symptoms but was hospitalized Wednesday as a precaution.
September 11th
Prince Christian of Denmark was added to the protocol of heirs to the Danish throne today by the minister of foreign affairs, Per Stig Møller. His name was written down in the protocol, as well as his birth and christening date and the names of his godparents.
Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme has filed a police complaint against her still husband Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn for allegedly revealing official secrets. On Sunday the police indicated that they hoped to interview Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn on Monday. However as his lawyer is abroad the interview has been postponed for two weeks. "This is a personal affair over which I would rather not say anything further because the police must now take the lead," Princess Margarita's lawyer said on Sunday. Lawyer Gabriël Meijers, for De Roy van Zuydewijn, insisted that his client never held office and was always 'an independent business person'.
King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga passed away at the Mercy Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand yesterday evening at 23.34 surrounded by the Queen and other family members. He was born in 1918 as son of Queen Salote Tupou III, and succeeded his mother in 1965. Tomorrow the King will lie in state at Atalanga, his New Zealand residence, in Epsom. On Wednesday his body will return to Tonga, where he will lie in state. The funeral will take place on Tuesday 19 September. After a lunchtime meeting of the Privy Council of Tonga the Prince Regent, Prince Tupouto'a was sworn in as king and is now Tupou V.
September 12th
According to the Daily Mail Lord Nicholas Windsor is to marry Paola Doimi de Frankopan, daughter of (Prince) Louis Doimi de Frankopan and Ingrid Detter. They say Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has given her permission. There hasn't been an official announcement yet.
Willem Jan van Vollenhoven died in a hospital in Nieuwegein this morning at the age of 71 after an illness. He was the brother of Pieter van Vollenhoven, husband of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands.
Luis Alfonso de Borbón and his wife Maria Margarita Vargas y Santaella expect their first child in Spring 2007. The couple lives in Venezuela.
Prince Akishino has named his first son at a traditional naming ceremony today, the seventh day since his wife gave birth to him. In a 5-minute ceremony which begun at 3:35 p.m. at Tokyo's Aiiku Hospital the child received the name Hisahito with a character implying hope for a long life. The parents have chosen the name in the hope that the prince will live long at ease, while the umbrella pine, the coniferous evergreen tree native to Japan, has been selected for his symbol in the hope that he will grow straight and tall. The Chinese character for "hisa" means far and away and at ease, and "hito" means virtuous person. In the ceremony, a paulownia wooden box containing the new prince's name written on thick Japanese paper by Prince Akishino and his symbol written by his wife on Japanese paper was placed by the baby's pillow. The agency's Grand Steward Shingo Haketa will register the name in the imperial family registry by the end of next week after the new prince's name is published on a public bulletin on Thursday. The baby didn't receive a personal title as he is not the son of a crown prince. The Imperial Household Agency reported that Princess Kiko and the baby are doing well and are expected to be discharged from hospital within several days.
September 14th
The auction house Sotheby's in Paris is to sell jewels, silver and works of art from the estate of Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxemburg on 19 December. Among the pieces to be sold are an emerald and diamond bandeau-bracelet , the two diamond tiaras the Grand Duchess wore on her wedding day in 1953, several wedding gifts including a ruby and diamond bracelet with matching earclips and brooch given to the Grand Duchess by her father King Leopold III of Belgium, other items that once belonged to King Leopold III and his wife Astrid like three silver boxes and two silver-plated matchboxes.
Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan has joined the Board of Directors of the United Nations Foundation. Ted Turner, Chairman of the United Nation's Foundation Board of Directors said: "Queen Rania is a tireless advocate for improving the lives of the world's children, young adults and women through better access to health care, literacy and economic empowerment opportunities. This level of commitment and the ability to serve as a voice for those who may otherwise be silent is a great complement to the work being done here at the Foundation. We welcome her to the team."
September 15th
Princess Kiko of Japan and her newborn son Prince Hisahito left hospital around 12.30 accompanied by Prince Akishino. The sleeping Prince Hisahito was wrapped in a white cloth and cuddled by his mother. Hundreds of people gathered around the exit of the hospital to have a look at the new prince. At their palace a room has been refurnished and covered with carpet for Prince Hisahito. A kitchen with a refrigerator has also been constructed near the room, Imperial Household Agency officials said.
September 16th
The condition of the right eye of Queen Sirikit of Thailand has returned to normal after an eye surgery operation six weeks ago the Royal Household Bureau said yesterday. The team of doctors will continue following up the conditions of the eyes. The doctors asked the Queen to continue resting and refraining from carrying out royal activities.
September 17th
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark today was hospitalised at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. She underwent a minor hernia-operation, carried out by Professor dr.med. Preben Kirkegaard. The queen is expected to be discharged within a few days. She is expected to get back to work after a couple of days rest.
September 18th
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark left hospital today. She was driven to Fredensborg where she will rest for a couple of days. The Queen is doing fine.
Prince Hussain Aga Khan married Kristin White, who took the name Khaliya following her conversion to Islam, in a civil ceremony at Aiglemont, France, on September 15. The bride wore a champagne coloured suit and a huge hat. A religious ceremony was held at Chantilly Castle on September 16. The bride wore an ivory and gold traditional dress with precious hair jewels
September 19th
King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga was buried today. The ceremony in the capital, Nuku'alofa, combined Christian and traditional rituals. In the morning, amid cannon fire, the coffin was carried out of the royal palace - where he had been lying in state on a roofed platform draped in black velvet - by an army of Tongan men in traditional dress. The funeral procession was led by the Tongan Defence Forces, while the royal family was led by the Queen and a procession of nobels and Tongan students carrying wreaths. They were joined by dignitaries from dozens of countries. Among them were Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Maori King Tuheitia Paki. Thousands of people lined the 1km long route to the burial site. The Royal undertakers carried the King to his tomb and performed traditional rites out of sight of those who had gathered. The King was then buried in the royal tombs in Nuku'alofa. After the burial the visiting heads of state and dignitaries took wreaths to the tomb.
September 20th
Archduchess Walburga of Austria has been chosen a member of the Swedish Parliament for Sörmland in Sunday's elections. She represents the party Moderaterna (Conservatives). After her marriage to the Swedish Count Archibald Douglas in 1992 she moved to Sweden.
Dukes of Genova were reburied today at the Reale Abbazia di Superga, Turin, in presence of among others the Duke of Aosta and his wife Silvia, the Duke of Apulia, Princess Maria-Gabriella of Savoy, Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta, Princess Maria-Cristina of Savoy, Princess Isabella of Savoy-Genova, Archduke Martin of Austria and Prince Michael of Yugoslavia.
September 21st
Prince William of Wales is to join the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals regiment Clarence House has announced. Prince William will pass out from Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in December. His younger brother Prince Harry has already joined the same regiment. After about a year in the army Prince William will go on "attachments "with both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, it said. He will also start to get to grips with constitutional affairs in preparation for when he one day accedes the throne, said a spokesman. "Finally, Prince William will be further developing his ideas for his medium-term role following army service, both in supporting the Queen and the Prince of Wales and in furthering his own charitable interests." he added. William enrolled at the elite , near London, in January for the gruelling 44-week training course.
In a statement the Grand Ducal Family of Luxemburg says they will reconsider the sale of jewels and other items which belonged to the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxemburg. There had been lots of criticism on the intended sale.
The birth of Prince Hisahito of Japan was registered today in the Imperial family registry, the Imperial Household Agency said. The name Hisahito, the names of his father, Prince Akishino, and mother, Princess Kiko, and the time, date and place of his birth as well as the day he was officially named were recorded in the registry at the agency's Archives and Mausoleum Department in the Imperial Palace compound. Agency chief Shingo Haketa and Takechiyo Orikasa, the department head, signed the registry with a traditional brush and ink to complete the procedure. The department keeps the original and a copy is kept in the Justice Department.
September 22nd
The Grand Ducal court of Luxemburg has issued a statement in which Grand Duke Henri announces the family has decided to annule the sale of jewels and other items of the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxemburg, although the items are private possession of the family. He said that as head of the family it was his duty to divide his mother's inheritance equally among his siblings, which was the reason for the sale. The statement says the Grand Duke had underrated the deep affection of the Luxemburg people for the dynasty.
King Juan Carlos of Spain's yacht Bribon has retired from the fifth race of the Breitling MedCup/Trofeo Balearia following a collision with the yacht Santa Ana yesterday. The Santa Ana was making a port tack approach to the mark and tried to bear away, but collided with Bribon. The Bribon has a one metre gash on the port side of the boat. It is most likely that the damage is so extensive that Bribon will be unable to continue racing. No crew members from either boat were injured in the incident. King Juan Carlos was on board.
Count Patrick von Faber-Castell has become engaged to German actress Mariella Ahrens. The couple met in September 2005 at a society wedding. The count asked her to marry him during their vacation on Sicily. The civil wedding is to take place this year, while the religious ceremony will follow in 2007. Mariella Ahrens was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 2 April 1969, daughter of a German father and a Bulgarian mother. Mariella Ahrens was previously married to Jost Paffrath whom she divorced in 2004. She has a 7-year-old daughter, Isabella, from an earlier relationship with Dragan Banic. Rumours are that Patrick and Mariella are expecting a child together.
September 23rd
A memorial service was being held at Roskilde Cathedral for Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia née Princess Dagmar of Denmark. She was buried at Roskilde Cathedral, although she had wished to be buried alongside her husband, Tsar Alexander III at the St Peter and Paul Cathedral in St Petersburg, Russia. The memorial service was attended by about 500 people, among them Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Prince Henrik of Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Prince Joachim of Denmark, Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess Elisabeth of Denmark, Prince Dimitri and Princess Dorrit Romanoff, Prince Nicholas and Princess Sveva Romanoff, Princess Birgitte de Bourbon de Parme, Prince Jacques de Bourbon de Parme as well a many other Romanov and Danish royal descendants. After the memorial service the coffin was taken by horsedrawn carriage to the Russian Orthodox church of Copenhagen where clergy prayed and performed traditional rituals. The coffin was then taken to Copenhagen Harbour, where the Danish naval ship Esbern Snare waited to carry it to St. Petersburg, where the reburial will take place on Thursday.
September 25th
The Government Information Service announced that the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands expect their third child in the second half of April 2007. The couple let know they are grateful and happy. The doctor has advised the princess to take it easy in the coming weeks. The trip to Australia and New Zealand at the end of October will go on.
The Spanish Royal Court announced that the Prince and Princess of Asturias are expecting their second child early May 2007.
September 26th
The Duke and Duchess of Kent are pleased to announce the engagement of their son Lord Nicholas Windsor, to Paola, daughter of Don Louis and Donna Ingrid Doimi de Frankopan of London.
The coffin of Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia has arrived in Russia today on the same spot where she set foot in Russia 140 years ago: Peterhof. The coffin will stay in a chapel at Peterhof until the official reburial at the St Peter and Paul Cathedral on Thursday.
September 27th
47-year-old Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata of Tonga was appointed as Crown Prince, by the new king of Tonga, King Siaosi Tupou V. He is the youngest brother of the King. This afternoon he surrendered two of his noble titles, 'Ulukalala and Ata, to become the new Crown Prince and the heir to the Tongan throne, taking up the noble title Tupouto'a. The appointment was made in a ceremony at Liukava. The private secretary of the king read out the declaration of the appointment of the new Crown Prince and the bestowment on him of the noble title Tupouto'a, back-dated to September 11. In the same ceremony the surrendered title of 'Ulakalala was bestowment on the eldest son of the Crown Prince, 21-year-old Prince Jiaoji Manumataongo Alaivahamama'o 'Aho'eitu Konftantin Tuku'aho. The title of 'Ata' was bestowed on the second son of the Crown Prince, 18-year-old Prince Viliami 'Unuaki 'o Tonga Mumui Lalaka mo e 'Eiki Tuku'aho.
It was confirmed that Count Patrick von Faber-Castell and his fiancée Mariella Ahrens are expecting their first child together. They expect a daughter in March 2007.
September 28th
Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, widow of Tsar Alexander III, was buried next to her husband at the St Peter and Paul Fortress in St Petersburg today. Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II presided over the ceremony at St. Isaac's Cathedral, which was attended by Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, who cast earth taken from the Empress's garden in Hvidøre where she spent her last days, members of the Russian imperial family, Prince Michael of Kent and dignitaries from Russia and Denmark. The Patriarch said: "This will be another sign that Russia is overcoming the enmity and divisions brought by the revolution and civil war. Having fallen deeply in love with the Russian people, the empress devoted a great deal of effort for the benefit of the Russian fatherland. Her soul ached for Russia." After the wooden coffin covered with a flag was lowered into the imperial crypt guests filed past and sprinkled earth onto the coffin. Flags flew at half-mast around the city and artillery fired a salute.
September 29th
Prince Louis of Luxemburg married Tessy Antony today. The civil wedding took place at the Grand-Ducal Palace in Luxemburg-City. In the late afternoon they married in a religious ceremony at the parish church of Gilsdorf led by Abbé Albert Franck and 'Hofseelsorger' Georges Vuillermoz. About 500 people and some tens of photographers had gathered outside the church to see the bridal couple with their son and their families. Tessy Antony wore a strapless ivory dress with a veil. Tessy and the couple's son Gabriel, who was born earlier this year, will take the family name 'de Nassau'. Among the guests were Grand Duke Jean of Luxemburg, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg with their other four children, the uncles and aunts of the groom (apart from Prince Jean) as well as many of his cousins, Archduke Carl-Peter and Archduchess Alexandra of Austria, Archduke Istvan and Archduchess Paola of Austria, Archduchess Isabella of Austria and Count Andrea Czarnocki. After the wedding there was a reception at the Grand-Ducal Palace in Luxemburg-City.
Zara Phillips, daughter of the Princess Royal, was named Equestrian of the Year. She was awarded the trophy today by the Horse of the Year Show in recognition of her individual gold medal at the World Equestrian Games at Aachen, Germany.
The divorce of Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme and Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn is scheduled for November 8 at court in Amsterdam. In January 2007 the court case about the distribution of the estate and alimentation will take place.
The Korean Imperial Family Association Taehanjeguk held a one-hour ceremony today at a hotel in Seoul to crown 88-year-old Yi Hae-won as Queen of South Korea. The new Queen is the second daughter of Prince Uichin, fifth son of King Kojong, the second last king of the Chosun Kingdom. "We unanimously agreed that Yi deserves to be the queen as she is the eldest authentic survivor of the imperial family," Yi Cho-nam, president of the association, said. The Queen will succeed as leader of the traditional Choson society as well as have authority to select her successor, he added. "We hope to unite the royal descendants spread across the country and speak as one voice through Queen Yi." The crowning ceremony wasn't supported by the South Korean government.
September 30th
According to a survey by the newspaper Mainichi 63% of the Japanese people believe it is necessary to revise the Imperial House Law that allows only male members of the Imperial Family to accede to the Chrysanthemum Throne, while 72% supports a female emperor.
Tonga has ended 10 nights of mourning after the burial of the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga was marked this morning with a funeral ceremony at Pangai Lahi called the Pongipongi Tapu, with a traditionally massive presentation of food and several important ceremonial events held on the seafront ground next to the Royal Palace. The Taumafa Kava, and the bestowment of a royal title and several noble titles also took place in a huge kava circle that filled Pangai Lahi. The ceremony was attended by the new Tongan King Siaosi Tupou V, as well as over 100 noble title-holders and chiefs, and hundreds of other people. The new Crown Prince's titles and the ones of his two sons were also officially bestowed in the ceremony. Hon. Tu'ivanuavou Vaea said that the Pongipongi Tapu marked the end of ten nights of mourning, "now estate owners and their people can go back to their islands and villages and continue on with their lives, but the one month of taboo will continue until October 17." The taboo restricts loud music, nightclubs and celebrations throughout Tonga. The ceremony also marked the easing of the strict ritual requirements for the Nima Tapu, the king's funeral attendants. Now they can visit their families and the taboo on washing and sex is lifted. Yesterday the princesses of Tonga and their relatives had their hair cut at the Royal Palace in another ceremony marking the end of the first 10 nights of mourning.
Royal News: August 2006. Last updated: September 5th, 2006.