Found the internet!Duchess of Cambridge: New photos mark Kate's 40th birthday
Duchess of Cambridge: New photos mark Kate's 40th birthday
· 2 days ago · Stickied commentOops! This sub has dedicated threads for various topics. Looks like this post would be best suited to the British Royal Family discussion thread. Please continue the discussion over there!
I actually really like these! They’re very interesting and have emotion, as compared to some of the Cambridges other photos (like the 2017 Christmas card). They’re going into the National Portrait Gallery, and I feel like these are better fits than an official gown and sashes picture. Just wish the close up wasn’t that blurry
I really like these, as they illustrate a side of her we don’t often see. Given that they are Catherine-approved, I think they show us something of her she doesn’t often get to show us. Also, she’s not yet Princess of Wales, and I wonder if being “further down” than that gives her some freedom. There’s plenty of time for formal royal portraits.
Yeah very modern I suppose rather than your traditional look. I quite like the white one!
They are nice but not traditional?? I think she doesn't look like herself if that makes sense!!
Royal Family Instagram https://www.instagram.com/detnorskekongehus/
Crown Princess Mette Marit Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crownprincessmm/?hl=en
Princess Martha Louise Instagram https://www.instagram.com/princessmarthalouise/
Princess Martha Louise Instagram #2 https://www.instagram.com/iam_marthalouise/ (I believe she was asked to no longer use the Princess title)
King Harald V (b. 1937)
Ascended the throne in 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V. He was the third child of the King, however his older siblings were both females. At the time of his birth he was 16th in line to the British throne as a descendant of Queen Victoria - he and Queen Elizabeth are second cousins. He spent part of his childhood in Sweden and the US after his family went into exile during WW2.
Harald has executive power granted to him by the constitution, however he is not politically responsible for exercising it. His acts must be countersigned with a member of the Council of State (generally the Prime Minister). He also has the power of veto, however no Norwegian King has exercised it since the dissolution of union of Sweden in 1905.
Interesting Facts:
Represented Sweden in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Olympic Games in the sport of sailing.
Marriage: Harald married commoner Sonja Haraldsen in 1968. They dated (in secret!) for 9 years prior because his father, King Olav, would not allow him to marry a commoner. Olav only relented when Harald told him he would remain unmarried for his lifetime unless he was allowed to marry Sonja. They met at a dinner party.
See photos from their wedding here:.
Gave a speech that publicly supported LGTBQ+
Queen Sonja (b. 1937)
Born to a clothing merchant in Oslo. She received a diploma in dressmaking and tailoring as well as a degree from finishing school. She also attended the University of Oslo receiving a degree in French, English, and Art History.
One of my favorite photos of the Queen at age 33.
A fun article on Sonja and her love of art
Listen to an interview with Sonja (in English)
Crown Prince Haakon (b. 1973)
CP Haakon is heir apparent to the throne of Norway although he has an older sister, Princess Martha Louise. He has served in the Royal Norwegian Navy, attended classes at the University of Oslo, and completed his education in development studies at the London School of Economics.
Crown Prince Haakon got a bachelor of arts degree from University of California, Berkeley in 1999. He's an avid surfer and wind surfer.
Marriage:
Married Crown Princess Mette-Marit, a commoner, in 2001. Then a single mother, Mette-Marit had a known “party” background that included involvement in the rave scene in Oslo, which included a significant drug-subculture. Additionally, the father of her child, Marius, had prior convictions of drug-related offenses.
The Norwegian people were unhappy with CP Haakon’s choice of bride. Many Norwegian conservatives were also upset with the pair when it was made public that they were living together before their marriage. In a heartfelt press conference before their wedding, a tearful Mette-Marit explained her past and apologized for her youthful rebelliousness.
Quotes from her press conference:
“My youthful rebellion went further than it did for others, and I learnt some hard lessons.” The single mother has what has been described as “a colourful past in Oslo’s famously drug-ridden ‘house party’ scene.”
“We tested the limits. It has taken time for me to deal with this. I know it has been difficult for many people. It has been difficult for me. But I can’t make those choices over again, even if I could wish that that were possible.”
The Crown Prince told the assembled media that the Royal Family had spent time discussing how the questions around his future wife’s past should be dealt with before she brought up the issue herself. “What we shared was so important that I could not let it go,” said the heir to the Norwegian throne about his decision to marry Mette-Marit. “I think that together we are stronger than I am by myself.”
The couple also talked about how both of their mothers were giving lots of marriage advice, and about Mette-Marit’s four-year-old son Marius, who will be a page boy at Saturday’s nuptials. “I think he thinks that he is getting married as well,” commented his mother fondly.
See photos from their wedding (including some of your other favorite royals!) here.
Watch their wedding: Mette-Marit appeared to weep throughout much of their wedding.
Watch a speech from Haakon (in English!)
Deep dive into her wedding dress - http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2010/06/top-10-best-royal-wedding-dresses-8-hrh.html
Crown Princess Mette-Marit (b. 1973)
Mette-Marit was born in Norway. Her father was a reported alcoholic who, once his daughter’s relationship with the Crown Prince was public, was paid up to $45,000 USD annually by a magazine to share private information and photos of his daughter. His relationship with MM was strained, however they reportedly reconciled sometime before his death in 2007.
She completed her high school education before taking preparatory college courses at Agder College. She then worked as a waitress in Oslo before meeting the Crown Prince at a party during Quart Festival, Norway’s largest music festival. Years later, after becoming a single mother, she met Haakon again and their relationship began. Since becoming Crown Princess, MM has taken several college course and completed a master’s degree in Executive Management.
In 2018 it was announced that MM had been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, which will limit her official duties.
A note from u/daydreamingawaytoo
Mette Marit had a few scandals. According to Wikipedia “In 2012 she attracted controversy for assisting a Norwegian couple with ties to the royal family in procuring surrogacy services in India, despite the fact that surrogacy is banned in Norway; she was criticized by women's rights groups of participating in human trafficking that exploits women in developing countries. The next year, the practice was also banned in India as a form of human trafficking and harmful to women and children.”
As well as “In 2019 she attracted controversy for her friendship with the American convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; she met him several times between 2011 and 2013, after his conviction on charges of sex trafficking of minors in 2008 and release from prison. Her friendship with Epstein was revealed by Norwegian media in the context of the scandal involving Prince Andrew, Duke of York who in that year stepped down from official duties over his longstanding ties to Epstein.”
Watch a speech (in English) from MM.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra (b. 2004)
The Constitution of Norway was altered in 1990 to introduce absolute primogeniture, meaning the crown will pass to the eldest child regardless of sex. It was not considered retroactive, however, thus Crown Prince Haakon remains the heir ahead of his elder sister Martha Louise. As a result, Princess Ingrid Alexandra will become the country’s second female monarch behind Queen Margaret, who reigned over Norway, Denmark, and Sweden from 1380-1412.
Her godparents include Crown Prince Fred of Denmark, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, and the King of Spain. She was a bridesmaid in Victoria’s wedding – see a photo of her and fellow future queen Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands here.
Ingrid is second in line to the throne behind her Father, Crown Prince Haakon.
She's about to turn 18, which is the royal world is a big deal - https://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/norway/what-to-expect-on-princess-ingrid-alexandra-of-norways-18th-birthday-170650/ Unfortunately her birthday celebrations, and what was probably her first tiara event, have been postponed due to covid.
A recent engagement - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10313139/Princess-Ingrid-Alexandra-Norway-17-pilots-plane-trains-Norwegian-air-force.html
Prince Sverre Magnus (b. 2005)
Known for dabbing on the royal balcony.
He was confirmed in Asker church earlier this month.
Marius Borg Hoiby (b. 1997)
Marius is the son of CP Mette Marit from a prior relationship. Marius is not a working member of the royal family. He does not hold a title and does not appear in official portraits.
On January 10, 2017 (shortly before his 20th birthday), Crown Princess Mette-Marit posted an open letter on the royal family's website, asking the press to let her son get peace, as he is not a public person or wants a life in the public light. "Marius does not want to live a life in public. My commitment to him as a mother is to take the responsibility that was given me at Aker Hospital 20 years ago seriously,” she wrote, before asking some Norwegian media to let him drop from their radar “as he wants, when he now partly for that reason chose to go abroad to study.”
You can follow him on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/marius_borg/?hl=en
Princess Martha Louise (b. 1971)
Princess Martha Louise is the eldest child of the King and Queen, however due to Norway’s then-agnatic primogeniture rules she was replaced in the line of succession by her younger brother, Haakon.
Princess Märtha Louise is a certified physiotherapist following education in Oslo and internship in the Netherlands. She has not practiced her profession, however, choosing instead, from her fascination in traditional Norwegian folk tales as well as a love of music, to establish her own commercial entertainment business based on giving public and televised performances reciting folk tales and singing with well-known Norwegian choirs.
After studying physiotherapy at an academy for holistic medicine, she decided to open her own business in 2002. The King, after consulting her, issued a royal edict which removed Princess Märtha Louise's style of Royal Highness (she is conventionally accorded the lesser style Highness abroad, although this style has no legal standing in Norway), in order to provide her freedom from her constitutional role as a princess.
She claims she can communicate with animals and angels and started an alternative therapy center named Astarte Education. Founded as Astarte Education in 2007 and dubbed an “angel school,” the company changed its name to “Soulspring” three years ago. The school offered classes in “healing, reading and touching,” and various treatments and therapies aimed at teaching clients “how to find yourself.” The school closed in 2018 due to financial issues.
Marriage: Married commoner Ari Behn, an author, in 2002 and they divorced in 2017. He passed away from suicide last year. Together they have 3 children:
Maud Angelica Behn (b. 2003)
Leah Isadora Behn (b. 2005)
Emma Tallulah Behn (b. 2008)
See photos from their wedding here.
Current Relationship: Is in a relationship with an American citizen, a shaman named Durek Verrett. Durek claims to be able to aid in the recovery from illnesses such as cancer and leukemia, however faces a lot of scrutiny from the Norwegian public, often being called a “conman”.
You can read more about him here.
Read more about their relationship here.
Durek and Martha Louise now hold seminars and workshops in Norway titled “The Princess and the Shaman”, which promise to take attendees “on a self-discovery into wisdoms to reveal to you your divine self activated”.
HH Princess Astrid (b. 1932)
Sister to the King. After the death of their mother died, Astried (then 22) was the senior lady of the court and acted as first lady of Norway for her father.
Like her brother, Astrid married a commoner. They had five children together and he passed away in 2015. You can read about their wedding here.
The Princess still takes on some official duties on behalf of the Royal Family. According to one article I read, she is well-liked by the Norwegian people and considered to be funny, friendly, and unpretentious.
Interesting Fact: One of her godmothers is Queen Elizabeth of England.
Nobels
Like their Swedish counterparts, the Norwegians play a role in the Nobel ceremonies. The Peace Prize is handed out in Oslo in the presence of the monarch, however it is a much more muted affair than the Swedes. No tiaras are at this event ☹
Jewels
The Norwegians have an interesting collection of tiaras at their disposal. Check out their collection here: http://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2016/01/sunday-sparkler-special-norwegian-royal.html
Royal Family v Royal House
The Norwegians have a clear distinction between the two. The Royal House (kongeheset) is the King and Queen, CP Haakon and CP Mette Marit, and their daughter, Ingrid Alexandra.
The Royal Family includes all of the monarch’s children and their spouses, grandchildren, and siblings.
See a photo of the family here: https://images.app.goo.gl/sLb4xJzqreemMyfV6
Same disclosure as always: these paste a little weird from the last time I posted them so sorry for any formatting issues. Also, some information and/or links may now be out of date.
Royal Family Instagram https://www.instagram.com/detdanskekongehus/?hl=en
Queen Margrethe II (b. 1940)
Margrethe is the Queen of Denmark, the supreme authority of the Church of Denmark, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Danish Defense. She takes no part in party politics and does not express any political opinions. She has the right to vote however chooses not to exercise that privilege.
She became heir presumptive to her father in 1953 when a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne. When it became clear that Queen Ingrid would have no more children (they had 3 girls), her father capitalized on his popularity to begin the constitutional change in 1947. She became Queen when her father, King Frederick IX, died in 1972. She is the first female monarch of Denmark since Margrethe I (1375-1412).
Interesting Facts:
Her nickname is “Daisy”
She is an accomplished artist, painter, and seamstress.
Created the illustrations, under pseudonym Inahild Grathmer, for the Danish editions of The Lord of the Rings.
Loves costume design and designs costumes for the Royal Danish Ballet as well as Danish movies.
Often designs her own clothes and is known for her colorful and at times eccentric clothing choices.
She is publicly known as a chain smoker, however has chosen not to smoke in public since 2006.
She is a gifted linguist, fluent in Danish, Swedish, French, German, and English.
Lord of the Rings Illustrations
Check out the latest official portrait of Margrethe, released 9/21/20, to mark her 80th birthday.
Update 1/4: She recently release a new official portrait to celebrate her 50th year on the throne. Denmark was to celebrate her Golden Jubilee this month however celebrations have been postponed due to coronavirus: https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queen-margrethe-denmark-golden-jubilee-postponsed-covid-19-coronavirus-omicron-surge/2ff3aa5a-e295-4a2b-8c33-21911f45120e
Marriage:
Margrethe married Henri, a French count in 1967 in Copenhagen. Henri changed his name to the Danish spelling, Henrik, and became known as His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark. The two met at an official dinner at the French Embassy, and then again at a wedding. They managed to keep their relationship a secret until the day their engagement was announced.
Henrik, Prince Consort (1934-2018)
Born Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat
He met Princess Margrethe, who was studying at the London School of Economics, while working at the French Embassy. They dated for a year before Henrik proposed.
Interesting Facts:
Henrik spoke French (native language), Danish, English, German, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
A keen winemaker, Henrik produced his own wine at his estate in France
He also published many works of poetry.
Henrik became the first male consort in Danish history. This meant there were no clear descriptions of his duties and he struggled with this throughout his life. He felt frustration with his lesser title and lack of recognition, and was public with his frustrations that his title put him on the same level as his sons and grandsons.
In 2002, he left Denmark for France after his son, the Crown Prince, was made the host of a reception in the absence of Queen Margrethe. "For many years I have been Denmark's number two," he said. "I've been satisfied with that role, but I don't want to be relegated to number three after so many years." Henrik "fled" Denmark to reflect on his status in the Danish Royal Family. Queen Margrethe flew to France to meet her husband. After three weeks he returned to Denmark.
In 2008, Queen Margrethe conferred the new Danish title “Count of Monpezat” to both of her sons and made it hereditary for their male-line descendants, both male and female, as a nod to her husband.
In 2015, it was announced that Henrik would conclude his official duties on January 1, 2016. In April of 2016, Henrik renounced the title of Prince Consort, and in 2017 publicly announced he refused to be buried next to his wife in Roskilde Cathedral, where Danish royals have been buried since 1559.
"It is no secret that the Prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy. This discontent has grown more and more in recent years," the Royal Danish House's director of communications told tabloid BT, in a quote verified and translated by Reuters.
"For the Prince, the decision not to buried beside the Queen is the natural consequence of not having been treated equally to his spouse - by not having the title and role he has desired," the spokesperson told the wire service.
Henrik was diagnosed with dementia in 2017 and died in 2018 after complications from a lung infection.
Though Henrik often struggled with his title as Prince rather than as King, their match was still a love match. In fact, prior to his death, he arranged a tribute to Daisy during his funeral. Read about it here.
Crown Prince Frederik (b. 1968)
Full title: Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat. Danish Kings alternate between being named Frederik and Christian (you'll see his eldest son is named Christian).
Full Name: Frederik André Henrik Christian
Interesting Facts:
Speaks Danish, French, English, and German
Studied for a year at Harvard under a pseudonym and later obtained his MSc degree in Political Science from Aarhus University. He has also completed extensive military studies.
Is known for being outdoorsy/a sportsman
See a video of Fred and Mary on a visit to America
There was a recent documentary of Fred titled "My Way". See a trailer here. I can't seem to find a link to the entire thing so someone help a girl out!
Marriage:
Fred met Australian Mary Elizabeth Donaldson at a Sydney bar (Slip Inn) during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. They started a year-long relationship with Frederik making secret trips to Australia, and in 2001 Mary moved to Denmark. They were married in 2004.
Watch their wedding here. Fred notably cried as his wife walked down the aisle
Deep dive into Mary's dress here
From 2018 – Mary gave one of my all-time favorite (emotional!) speeches as a tribute to her husband on his 50th birthday . Watch here
Crown Princess Mary (b. 1972)
Mary was born the youngest of four children to Scottish parents. She grew up primarily in Tasmania and after graduating from college worked in advertising in Melbourne and Sydney.
Interesting Facts
In October 2019, it was announced that Mary will serve as the patron of WorldPride Copenhagen 2021, making her the first ever royal to serve as patron for a major LGBT event
Mary has been open about her “Princess Training”. She has talked about her struggles in interviews to become fluent in Danish, which has a reputation as one of the hardest to learn due to its eclectic-sounding consonants, hard and guttural sounds and plethora of vowels. She had months of intensive lessons to learn the language.
She enrolled in a $1195 course at Starquest Studios in Double Bay, run by style consultant and actor Teresa Page. The training included instructions on how to relate to other people, how to walk into a room, how to socialize, and how to perform in front of the camera.
She reportedly hired hair and make-up artist Soren Hedegaard to help polish her look in the lead up to her royal wedding, and hired Danish stylist Anja Camilla Alajdi to consult on her fashion choices.
Mary also had to be schooled in Danish society, politics, history and language. Per Thornit was tasked with Mary's royal transition through his role as chief-of-court. He was instrumental in her understanding of Danish political life, taking her to meetings with the Prime Minister, key public servants and other important leaders. Thornit was also helpful in preparing Mary for the finer points of being a princess – including how to accept a bouquet in public and when to discreetly pass it on.
Fred and Mary have 4 children:
Prince Christian (b. 2005)
Second in the line of succession to the Danish throne after his father.
Full name: Christian Valdemar Henri John, Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat
Princess Isabella (b. 2007)
Prince Vincent (b. 2011) *Twins
Princess Josephine (b. 2011 ) *Twins
Prince Joachim (b. 1969)
Has studied economics, and speaks Danish, French, English, and German. Is currently living in France with his family to attend a military educational program at Ecole Militaire. Earlier in June 2020 the Danish Secretary of Defense appointed the Prince to Brigadier General due to his new acquired educational merits at École Militaire. He was subsequently appointed to Military Attaché at the Royal Danish Embassy in Paris, France for the next three years by the Danish Ministry of Defense. The Prince will commence his new position 1 September 2020.
In July of 2020 was admitted to Toulouse Hospital for a blood clot in his brain. He has now fully recovered and still lives and works with his family in Paris.
Joachim is sometimes known for being a party-prince, and his stay in Paris has raised the eyebrows of some Danes. In the French city, he's said to have no royal responsibilities and is still enjoying a handsome wage – believed to be $834,000 a year – from the Amalienborg Palace’s purse.
First Marriage:
Married Alexandra Manley, a Hong Kong-born sales and marketing executive in 1995. The two met at a dinner party in Hong Kong in 1994 and kept their relationship a secret. They divorced in 2005, however by all accounts have an amicable relationship. Alexandra often attends family events with Joachim and his current wife, Marie, and is included in family pictures if her two children are involved.
Alexandra was gifted a tiara for her wedding and got to keep it after her divorce. It’s one of my favorites.
A popular Copenhagen tabloid had this to say about their divorce: 'It appears Joachim had become ... a party prince with a passion for loud music, strong drink and attractive female company,' Ekstra Bladet reported.
They have two children together:
Prince Nikolai (b. 1999) A fashion model who debuted in 2018 at London Fashion Week. Currently attends Copenhagen Business School.
Prince Felix (b. 2002)
Read their engagement interview
Second Marriage:
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie met while Joachim was still married to his first wife, Countess Alexandra. They were invited to a dinner and, being the only two French-speaking people invited, their host introduced them. Their romance, however, started much later. They were married in 2008. They have two children together.
Prince Henrik (b. 2009)
Princess Athena (b.2012)
Watch their engagement interview
Watch a documentary in English where Marie talks about her life in Denmark
It is reported that there could *possibly* be tension between Joachim’s first and second wives. You can see an article/video here and decide for yourself
Alexandra Manley, Countess of Frederiksborg (b. 1964) (1st wife of Joachim)
Alexandra was born in Hong Kong, the eldest of three daughters. She met Joachim at a party in Hong Kong where he was working for a Danish shipping company.
Alexandra became popular with the Danish people. Known for her fashion sense and charity work, she was dubbed the Diana of the North. She is a native English and German speaker (through her father and mother, respectively), and her fluency in German helped her pick up the Danish language quickly. Within a few months she spoke it nearly without accent, which further endeared her to the Danes.
She and Joachim divorced in 2005 however she was allowed to keep her title. She has been remarried and divorced once since.
Princess Marie (b. 1976) (2nd wife of Joachim)
Marie was born in France, the only child of wealthy parents.
A self-sufficient woman, Marie had held jobs in PR and advertising before landing a gig as an executive secretary in ING Numismatic Group SA, where she worked until her engagement to Joachim.
The Dowager Princess of Sayn-Wittenstein-Berleburg, Princess Benedikte of Denmark (b. 1944)
Often represents her elder sister at official or semi-official events. She married Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and has 3 children. The couple met at the wedding of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and Claus von Amsberg the previous year. Benedikte was there representing her father, King Frederik IX of Denmark, and Richard was a close friend of the groom.
She and her two sisters are extremely close. Since her wedding, Princess Benedikte has divided her time between her marital home at Berleburg Castle, Germany, and Denmark, where she keeps residence at Christian VIII’s Palace in the Amalienborg Complex. Her Royal Highness has also acted as Assistant Regent of Denmark in the absence of her sister, the Queen, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.
The Queen of the Hellenes, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece (b. 1946)
We’ll have a separate thread for the Greek Monarchy so I will keep this description short. Anne-Marie is the youngest daughter of King Frederick of Denmark and sister to the current Queen. She married King Constantine II of Greece in 1964.
The Greek monarchy is now defunct. Queen AM and her family retain their titles out of courtesy and lived primarily in London after the downfall of the monarchy, though they have since moved back to Greece. She often appears at events with her eldest sister, the Queen, in Denmark.
New Year's Eve Ball
One of my favorite events of the year, the Danish Royals host a NYE ball for government officials and parliamentarians.
Take a look from 2020 or deep dive into prior years for a tiara-fest. Evening gowns, tiaras, furs, oh my!
Jewels
See an overview of their tiaras https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2021/04/queen-margrethe-iis-royal-tiaras.html (the Queen) and here https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/princess-mary-tiara-collection-guide-danish-royal-family/60639415-f873-4804-87e4-a4e520c9be90 (Crown Princess Mary)
Fashion
Crown Princess Mary is known as a fashion icon around the world. Feel free to post your favorite outfits of hers below. Personal note - I think she KILLS the evening gown game.
The Daisy Brooches
The Queen has a diamond daisy brooch (remember, that's her nickname) that was a gift from her Mother. Her Mother wore it on her wedding day and if you peak back at Margrethe's wedding day she wore it on the stomach area of her wedding dress.
Prince Henrik gave his daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Mary, a daisy brooch as well.
Mary has another daisy brooch which her daughter, Isabella, wore to the funeral of Prince Henrik.
1/8/22: Trying to get all of these posted so here is some light reading on this fine Saturday. Other than some small updates, some links may be broken and this information is now about a year old.
Author's Note: The Belgians are kind of hard to find information on, so this recap may be a bit light. If you're more familiar with them please feel free to add additional info below. Also, I went back a few more generations than usual to set up the reign of the current King.
Belgian Royal Family Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belgianroyalpalace/?hl=en
Christmas 2021 official photo: https://www.newmyroyals.com/2021/12/the-belgian-royal-family-released-2021.html
King Leopold III (1901-1983)
King Leopold III surrendered to German forces during the war in 1940. We’ll get more into this another time, but this caused a huge rift between Leopold and his government, with his government fleeing to live in exile in London while the King remained under German control in Belgium. In 1944 Leopold and his family were deported to Germany by Henrich Himmler, and were held there until liberated by Allied Forces in 1945. Due to the years-long conflict between Leopold and his government, while he was in exile they had set up his brother (Prince Charles) as regent and refused to allow Leopold back into Belgium. In 1951, he abdicated in favor of his son, King Baudouin.
Note – this is a long and complicated story best explained another time but I want to include some background here.
King Baudouin (1930-1993)
Reined as King of the Belgians from 1951 until his death in 1993. He and his wife, Queen Fabiola, had no children, so after his reign the crown passed to his younger brother, King Albert II.
King Albert II (b. 1934)
Became King of the Belgians upon the death of his older brother. His mother was Queen Astrid, a Princess of Sweden. His older sister was Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte (basically a Queen, but they’re not called Queens) of Luxembourg.
During WW2 was exiled to France and Spain with his family, however they returned to Belgium in 1944. A year later they were deported by the Germans to Germany and later Austria until they were liberated by the United States Army forces in 1945. After liberation, his father (the King) was not allowed to return to Belgium, so the family moved to Switzerland where Albert attended secondary school. He returned to Belgium in mid-1950.
As King, Albert’s duties included representing Belgium at home and abroad on state visits, trade missions, and at high level international meetings, as well as taking an interest in Belgian society, culture and enterprise.
Marriage:
In 1958, Albert went to the Vatican to witness the coronation of Pope John XXIII. At the reception at the Belgian Embassy, he met Italian Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria. Two months later he introduced Paola to his family, and 4 months later to the press. They were married in 1959.
More on their wedding: https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/royal-wedding-king-albert-ii-and-queen-paolas/de696082-7b51-43bf-afea-c353b095a097
Rumors of infidelity plagued the couple throughout their marriage. It is said that they were on the “brink of divorce” and “lived apart” multiple times. They are, however, still married.
In a rare public interview at the occasion of her 70th birthday, Paola briefly raised the subject. "We had our problems, but now we tell each other that we were made for each other. Now we are really happy."
He is an ardent fan of motorcycles and has been known to get pulled over by Belgian police for speeding.
King Albert abdicated in 2013 citing health reasons.
Queen Paola (b. 1937)
Paola was born in Tuscany, the youngest child from a noble family. She is fluent in Italian, French, German, and English. She is conversational in Dutch, something that has gained her criticism in Belgium as nearly 60 percent of Belgians speak Dutch.
According to the Belgian monarchy website, she loves books, music, and travel.
King Phillipe (b. 1960) *Current King*
The King of the Belgians is a constitutional monarch and does not take independent political action. Belgium is a country that is increasingly divided between Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia. The King often has to navigate that divide by being a unifying force. In fact, the monarchy is seen as one of the last unifiers of the two groups.
Philippe was educated at the Belgian Royal Military Academy (where his eldest daughter currently attends). He continued his education at Trinity College in Oxford, and graduated with an MA degree (political science) from Stanford University in California.
He has his fighter pilot’s wings and is certified as a parachutist and commando.
Philippe is known to be quite shy and reserved.
"One of Philippe's biggest problems is his communication skills," said Steven Samyn of Belgian daily newspaper De Morgen. Prince Philippe isn't the most popular member of the country's royal family: "He is a rather shy, timid person who lacks a bit of natural spontaneity. When he sees a camera, he gets kind of tense. So the images we see and quotes we hear are never very natural."
According to the Belgian Monarchy’s website, the King and Queen enjoy reading and playing sport. The King goes running regularly and took part in the Brussels 20km race in May 2013 and 2014.
See Philippe meeting Barack Obama (in English)
Philippe and Mathilde meeting with Queen Elizabeth
Marriage:
Philippe kept his relationship with Mathilde a secret until their surprise engagement announcement in September of 1999. In fact, news outlets were without a recent of picture of her to use when the news broke. Their wedding took place three months later in December of 1999. To this day they have chosen to keep the details of how they met and their relationship private, however there are some reports they met playing tennis.
More on their wedding: https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/gallery/2018031569625/king-philippe-queen-mathilde-belgium-royal-wedding-photos/3/
Queen Mathilde (b. 1973)
Mathilde is the first ever Belgian Queen to ever be born in Belgium, and she was born into the Belgian aristocracy. She grew up at the family estate, Losange Castle.
Mathilde studied speech therapy and worked as a speech therapist in her own practice in Brussels before her relationship with the King. She also earned a master’s degree in psychology in 2002. She speaks French, Dutch, English, and Italian.
The Queen has a broad interest in art and dance. She likes modern as well as classical music and plays the piano. She also loves literature. She is a keen cyclist, tennis player and swimmer, and enjoys nature and outdoor activities.
An interview with Mathilde in English
Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant (b. 2001)
Elizabeth is the heir apparent to the throne. 10 years prior to her birth, a new act of succession was put into effect introducing absolute primogeniture, enabling her to automatically become first in the line of succession at her birth.
She is currently training at the Belgian Military Academy in Brussels, like her Father did. The royal family released the first photos of her time there a few weeks ago.
She speaks French, English, and Dutch.
Photos from her military school
She received her blue beret from her father, the Commander-in-Chief of the army, last week
See her first major public speech on her 18th birthday (and her tearful parents), as her father presented her with the order of the Leopold, the oldest order of chivalry in Belgium
More information and official photos from her 18th birthday celebration
Update 1/8/22: We've seen her a bit more in the last year since reaching her 18th birthday.
Here she is on military parade (with an emotional Queen Mathilde): https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/20210722118043/queen-mathilde-emotional-princess-elisabeth-belgium-national-day/
Elisabeth is now studying at Oxford.
The King and Queen have 3 other children:
· Prince Gabriel, born 20 August 2003
He attends The National Mathematics and Science College in Warwickshire, England. Here's his last birthday portrait: https://www.instagram.com/p/CSyX1miI0MF/
· Prince Emmanuel, born 4 October 2005
Birthday portrait from last fall: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUmdRRqo8ii/
· Princess Eléonore, born 16 April 2008
1/8/22: Here's their 2021 "back to school" photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTRz9qBs7UD/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ff529e36-9f17-48a9-9867-c1eddc9cae6e
Princess Astrid (b. 1962)
Sister of the King - After completing her primary and secondary education in Brussels, Astrid studied art history for a year at Leiden University in the Netherlands and before continuing her art history studies at the Institute of European Studies in Geneva, Switzerland, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States.
Marriage:
Married Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este.
See their wedding: http://royalwatcherblog.com/2018/09/22/wedding-of-princess-astrid-of-belgium-and-archduke-lorenz-of-austria-este/
They have five children:
· Prince Amedeo (born 21 February 1986)
· Princess Maria Laura (born 26 August 1988)
1/8/22 - Was engaged last month (royal wedding time, yessss!): https://www.instagram.com/p/CX-rhNfqiWW/
· Prince Joachim (born 9 December 1991)
· Princess Luisa Maria (born 11 October 1995)
· Princess Laetitia Maria (born 23 April 2003)
Astrid and Lorenz chose to raise their children largely out of the public eye, so you rarely see them attend public events.
Prince Laurent (b. 1963)
Brother of the King - According to an article by Politico: Ever since he was a young child, Laurent has felt like the odds were stacked against him. He struggled with dyslexia while attending a Dutch-speaking secondary school. He resented the decision to send him there as he was brought up speaking French.
The youngest child of King Albert II and Queen Paola, Laurent admitted that his parents were not around much as he grew up and that he struggled to understand why so much more opportunity and attention was given to his elder brother Philippe, who was a direct heir to the throne.
Prince Laurent spent some time as a naval trainee, and is a diver and helicopter pilot.
Marriage:
He is married to Claire Louise Coombs (Princess Claire).
The couple have three children:
· Princess Louise Sophie Mary, born 6 February 2004
· Prince Nicolas Casimir Marie, born 13 December 2005 (twin)
· Prince Aymeric Auguste Marie, born 13 December 2005 (twin)
He is known for his constant “blunders” in the public eye and in fact has the nickname of “eco-blunderer”
In December 2006, Prince Laurent's name surfaced in a corruption scandal in which funds of the Belgian Navy were spent on his residence (Villa Clémentine) in Tervuren. Although the investigating magistrates denied that Laurent was personally implicated, some of the accused have implicated the prince in the press.
Also in 2006 he attempted to sell the first photos of his newborn twins to the press for 15,000 euros.
In March 2011, the prince visited the former Belgian colony of the Congo without receiving the required permission; the reported purpose of the visit was to promote awareness of deforestation.
In 2014, the Prince repaid €16,000 (£12,300) to the Belgian state for claiming his ski holiday, supermarket bills and school fees for his three children as state expenses. The repayment came after the Belgian Court of Audit, the financial watchdog of the public institutions, released a critical report on the prince’s spending last year, and Prime Minister Charles Michel suggested he return the expenses.
In 2017 he attended an event at Chinese embassy in full uniform without government permission. As a result his annual allowance was cut 15% by lawmakers.
In 2019, he took a phone call in the middle of the national anthem during a military parade.
He is also involved in a scandal involving Libya that is too much to type here. Read more if you want.
He is often vocally critical of his family and his brother, the King, and has been outspoken that he feels underutilized and underpaid in his role as Prince.
Why are they the King and Queen “of the Belgians”?
The proper title of the Belgian monarch is King of the Belgians rather than King of Belgium. The title indicates a popular monarchy linked to the people of Belgium (i.e., a hereditary head of state; yet ratified by popular will) rather than to territory or state.
But what is their name?
The children of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde use the last name of “van België” or “de Belgique” (of Belgium). Even though the Royal family is part of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty, they use another last name. Princess Elisabeth, for example, uses the name Elisabeth van België when she has to write her name in school.
Jewels
See the tiaras in their collection
Delphine Boel, now Princess Delphine
Almost 10 years ago in Belgium a woman brought forth a paternity suit against the then King of the Belgians, King Albert II of Belgium (Father of the current King). The woman claimed she was the result of an affair between the King and her then-married Mother, Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. The affair lasted almost 20 years.
Albert denied paternity and refused to take a paternity test until 2018 when the Brussels appeals court ruled the ex-king should be penalized €5,000 (£4,370) a day for refusing to take the test. He finally took it earlier this year and sure enough, artist Delphine Boël, 51, is his daughter.
She has always said the sole reason for the paternity test is that she has had trauma her entire life from the lack of acknowledgement of her biological father and that she has simply always wanted acknowledgment. However, several weeks ago, her Attorney filed suit demanding the same privileges (aka $$) and titles as her brothers (King Philippe, Prince Laurent) and sister (Princess Astrid).
Last week, on 10/1, she won her suit and now has the right to call herself a Princess of Belgium. She gave an interview after the decision in which she said the entire saga was not about money (her adopted father is exceedingly wealthy), but about the right to be recognized by her blood father.
From an article:
Princess Delphine said going to court was all about getting family recognition and the love of a father who had always coldshouldered her. “For me to go to court, especially for that, to be recognized by my own blood, my own father, felt so unnatural," she told reporters on Monday.
“It is a sort of unnatural life I was living that was most painful,” the 52-year-old said during an emotional press conference.
She said her art will continue to define her. “I am still going to be Delphine. I am not going to be hanging out in the streets saying, please call me princess," she said, adding that charity work could be an exception.
She doesn't know whether the legal victory will turn into warm family bonds anytime soon.
“If you ask me whether I am expecting anything from the Royal family, as I said, I am not expecting anything. I am just going to carry on with my work," she said. “And however, if suddenly they show a sign of life, I would never (turn) my back to them. That’s for sure.”
Update from 1/8: She is now appearing on Belgium's "Dancing with the Stars"
Last year we saw her attend her first official event as a royal in July for Belgium's National Day: https://people.com/royals/princess-delphine-attends-first-royal-event-since-being-officially-recognized-by-father/#:~:text=Princess%20Delphine%20of%20Belgium%20has,of%20Belgium's%20National%20Day%20celebrations. (lol this outfit)
Royal Family Twitter: https://twitter.com/CasaReal
*I don't believe they have an official instagram so what I'm about to link is an unofficial fan account
Their 2021 Christmas card: https://www.instagram.com/p/CXiwB4RvF03/
At an award ceremony in October 2021: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVVxI9dvMMW/
King Alfonso III (1886-1941)
Gonna go back one more generation than usual to start this wild ride.
Alfonso the III's father, Alfonso XII, died while his mother was pregnant with him, thus he was King upon his birth in 1886. She served as regent until his 16th birthday when he assumed full authority as King. After a series of poor choices, he aligned his fortunes to the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, who fell from power in 1930. Municipal elections in 1931 resulted in a landslide victory for the Republican and Socialist parties, and they demanded the King abdicate the throne. The King went into exile but refused to abdicate.
While exiled, his eldest son, Alfonso, renounced his right to the throne to marry a commoner.
His second son, Jaime, renounced his rights to the throne because he was deaf.
This left his third son, Juan, as heir apparent. In 1947, General Francisco Franco declared Spain a monarchy yet again, calling it a “restoration”. However, he did not trust Juan as heir. As a result, in 1969, his son, Juan Carlos, was selected as King.
King Juan Carlos I (b. 1938) (abdicated)
Juan Carlos is the grandson of Alfonso XIII, the last king of Spain before the monarchy was abolished in 1931. He was born in exile in Rome, however was allowed back to Spain in 1948 to be further educated there. He joined the army, completing his officer training from 1955-1957. Afterwards, he spent time in both the naval school and the air force school, and later studied law, international political economy and public finance at the University of Madrid.
He was selected to be King of Spain over his father, Juan, by General Franco.
So, why did Franco bring back the monarchy? I found this answer online:
“We’re accustomed to believing a tyrant like Franco could do anything he wanted. Yet, in reality, his options were very limited, amounting to:a) Do nothing OR appoint another military strongman to take his place.b) Restore the republic.c) Restore the monarchy.There really are no further choices. Regarding (a), Franco was well aware that dictatorships are little more than the cult surrounding the person of the dictator, who is unable to transfer the cult to any 3rd party. So, a dead dictator equates to a dead dictatorhip, perhaps not immediately but before very long the ‘Franco Regime Without Franco’ was bound to implode. Franco accepted this to be an awkward truth, but he swallowed the bitter pill nonetheless.Option (b) was never in the cards — Franco detested the Republic he fought to unseat and never even considered bring one back to govern Spain post-mortem.That only leaves option (c). For Franco, the issue was not Monarchy Vs. Republic but rather (i) what sort of monarchy, and (ii.) incarnated by whom? The choices might seem straight-forward, but reality was rather complex since the legitimate heir to the throne (Juan de Bourbon, Count of Barcelona) was a man with whom Franco agreed on practically nothing. The Count of Barcelona made his political philosophies publicly know in the so-called Laussane Manifesto (Mar, 1945), the contents of which were diametrically opposed to the Franco Regime on practically all matters of importance.Hence, in ’47 Franco did the only thing he regarded as workable — restoring the monarchy in theory but leaving the throne vacant, pending an eventual nomination to fill the seat. The temporary vacancy last 22 years when the Count’s son (Juan Carlos I) was officially designated as heir to the dual roles of head-of-state & commander-in-chief of the armed forces.”
Furthermore, Franco disliked Juan (father of Juan Carlos), whom he suspected of being an Anglophile (Franco despised the British and referred to Great Britain as “perfidious Albion”); he was also determined to be the sole arbiter of Spain’s destiny. And so he was. For the next thirty-six years, Franco remained the country’s unchallenged caudillo, or strongman, and although he declared Spain a monarchy once again, in 1947, he kept the throne empty, leaving Don Juan to languish and fret in neighboring Portugal, even as Franco himself assumed the role of dispenser of noble titles.
In a cruelly Shakespearean twist, Franco asked Don Juan to send him his son, Juan Carlos, who was then ten, to be educated and groomed under Franco’s supervision. In 1969, when Juan Carlos was thirty-one, Franco summoned him and informed the young man of his decision to make him his successor, with the title of King of Spain . (Excerpt from this article)
Juan Carlos met and consulted with Franco many times, standing next to him at ceremonies, publicly supporting his regime, and praising his government. Franco gave full control to Juan Carlos 3 weeks before his death in 1975. Juan Carlo’s position was further legitimized on 1977 when his father formally renounced his claim to the throne.
On paper, Juan Carlos retained fairly extensive reserve powers. He was the guardian of the Constitution and was responsible for ensuring that it was obeyed. In practice, since the passage of the Constitution (and especially since 1982), he took a mostly non-partisan and representative role, acting almost entirely on the advice of the government.
Juan Carlos enjoyed extreme popularity in Spain for many years until multiple scandals (detailed below) were made public about him and his family. As a result, he abdicated the throne on behalf of his son.
Coup D'Etat
Ever since the dictator Francisco Franco had died in 1975, Spain had been changing at the speed of light. Democratic reform was the watchword of the decade, and each reform came one after the other. King Juan Carlos had handed power to parliament and instituted a new constitution. It was all way too fast for Spain's conservatives. According to history.com, it came to a head on February 23, 1981. Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero led 200 members of the civil guard in invading the Cortes, Spain's legislature building. They fired shots in the air and took the parliament hostage.
Spaniards were glued to their television sets for 18 hours as the band of civil guards held the Cortes. King Juan Carlos appealed to the Spanish army to condemn these renegades and affirm their loyalty to the new constitution. The army did and the bandits had to retreat in shame, thus preserving Spain's democracy.
Shooting of Little Brother
In 1956, at age 18, he shot his younger brother Alfonso in the head while the two were playing with a revolver. He has maintained throughout his life that it was an accident, however Alfonso passed away as a result of his injuries.
The financial scandal
Juan Carlos’s daughter, Princess Cristina, is married to Inaki Urdangarin. Urdangarin and his ex-business associate, Diego Torres, were the leading figures in the Nóos Institute, a non-profit that secured no-bid contracts from the regional governments of Valencia and the Balearic Islands using Urdangarin’s influence.Urdangarin and Torres also used their non-profit to divert around €6.2 million from public contracts secured for organizing sports events into private accounts. Urdangarin’s wife, Cristina de Borbón, sat on the board of a company, Aizoon, that was allegedly used to channel part of these funds. She was made to testify in the case, and was ultimately fined for having benefited from her husband’s scheme, but was acquitted of tax fraud complicity.
In June 2018 he was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison; he is currently imprisoned in Ávila.
The hunting trip
In 2012 the King injured himself on an elephant hunting trip in Botswana. At a time when Spainairds were suffering from a lagging economy, this trip was viewed as obscene in terms of expenses and extravagance. Spain’s unemployment was at 23%, and nearly 50% for young workers. To make matters worse, he was the honorary president of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund.
The public was only made aware of the trip because the King was injured and had to be helicoptered from the scene. Even worse - his mistress was there with him.
Abdication
In 2014 Juan Carlos announced his plans to abdicate the throne in favor of his son, Felipe.
Post-Abdication Scandals
More recently, it emerged that Juan Carlos had accepted a previously undeclared “gift” of a hundred million dollars from Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah—allegedly a bribe in return for his help in arranging a lucrative fast-rail-construction contract.
Further roiling the public, one of Juan Carlos’s former lovers, a Danish-born events organizer named Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein—who had accompanied him on his Botswana safari—has acknowledged that Juan Carlos had given her, some years ago, sixty-five million euros (worth about eighty-four million dollars at the time). This “gift” is believed to have come out of the funds given to Juan Carlos by King Abdullah.
The latest bombshell shaking the royal house involves secret audio recordings of princess Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, a German aristocrat living in Monte Carlo who for years has been romantically linked to the 80-year-old former king and now accuses him of using her name to buy property in Morocco, of accumulating a secret fortune hidden in several Swiss bank accounts under the name of one of his cousins, Alvaro d'Orleans Bourbon, of using fake cut-outs to commit tax fraud and of taking millions in commissions on state contracts.
As a result, the current King Felipe announced he would renounce his personal inheritance from his father and that his father would no longer receive a royal allowance. Afterwards, Juan Carlos vanished.
Exile
In August of this year (2020), Juan Carlos sent a public letter to King Felipe VI, saying that he would be leaving the country due to “the public repercussions that certain past events in [his] private life are generating.” Later reports speculated that he had either gone to Portugal, where his father, Don Juan de Borbón, lived in exile for part of his life, or to the Dominican Republic, which he has visited multiple times. It’s a sign that the figurehead of Spanish democracy understands that he has endangered his legacy—and the monarchy itself.
It has not been published where Juan Carlos is currently living, however photos have been obtained that appear to show Juan Carlos disembarking a plane in Abu Dhabi.
Update 1/8/22: Rumors are that the King is considering a return to the country.
Read more from the New York Times (from 1/5/22): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/27/world/europe/spain-king-juan-carlos.html
Read more:
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/08/juan-carlos-former-king-why-is-he-in-exile
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51902673
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53415781
Marriage:
Juan Carlos married Princess Sofia of Greece and Denmark, daughter of the King of Greece in 1962. In an effort for young, suitable European royals to meet and mingle (and also to boost tourism in Greece), Sophia’s mother arranged a Mediterranean cruise on the Greek yacht Agamemnon in 1954. Several teenaged and twenty-something royals were invited on the trip touring a handful of Greek islands. Juan Carlos and Sofia were among the young royals on the cruise.
They met up at additional weddings and events over the next several years, and were officially reunited in Rome at the 1960 Olympic Games. The Greek royal family held a dinner for the Spanish guests onboard their ship, Polemistis. Following the Olympics, Juan Carlos and his family were invited to spend Christmas 1960 in Greece.
In 1961, Sofia traveled to the UK to attend the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. Juan Carlos was picked to serve as her escort. Following the wedding, Juan Carlos spent the summer of 1961 in Greece and the two announced their engagement in 1961.
Due to Juan Carlos’ uneasy position in Spain, an Athens wedding was planned for May, the beginning of the tourist season in Greece. The celebrations involved 4 ½ months of nearly round-the-clock preparation headed by Colonel Dimitri Levidis, Grand Marshal of the Greek royal court.
Their marriage has never been a happy one and Juan Carlos is known to have had multiple affairs. Though the King is in exile, they remain married, however it is known that they have lived largely separate lives for many years.
Their wedding and more
You can see him giving a speech in English here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4FJczB_aco
Queen Sofia (b. 1938)
Sofia is the eldest child of King Paul of Greece, and is the daughter, sister, wife, and mother of a King. She was educated at a boarding school in Germany, then studied childcare, music, and archeology in Athens. She was a reserve member of Greece’s gold medal winning sailing team at the 1960 Olympic games.
Sofia is now immensely popular in Spain. She is known to quietly endure the monarchy’s trials, putting her own professional obligations ahead of anything else. This was not, however, always the case. Throughout her reign she has been regarded with skepticism because of her foreign background and mediocre Spanish skills.
In 2008, Queen Sofía shared some of her political ideology during an interview with journalist Pilar Urbano. One of them was her belief that same-sex marriage should not be called marriage. "If those persons want to live together, dress up as bride and groom and get married, they can do so, but that should not be called marriage because it is not," the queen is quoted as saying in Urbano's book.
Her controversial comments about same-sex marriage particularly elicited outrage among liberal groups, and the Royal Palace quickly shared an apology but qualified it by implying she had been misquoted.
Though her husband is in exile, Sofia has remained in Spain and continues to undertake official duties on behalf of her son, the King. She is a vital weapon in Felipe VI’s battle to shore up the popularity of a monarchy hit by scandal and now, suggestions from some politicians that it might have seen better days. Consistently one of the most admired members of the Spanish Royal Family, the enduring affection and respect that Queen Sofía inspires will be needed by her son as he faces a turbulent future for the monarchy.
She speaks Greek, English, German and Spanish.
See her giving a speech in English
King Felipe VI (b. 1968)
Ascended the throne in 2014 upon the abdication of his father. He is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces. He attended high school in Canada and studied at the Autonomous University of Madrid. He completed his academic studies by obtaining a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree from Georgetown, where he was the roommate of his cousin Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece.
From 1985-1993 he spent time completing his military training.
Felipe speaks Spanish, Catalan, French, English, and Greek.
He was a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team at the Barcelona games in 1992 and was the Spanish team’s flag bearer.
Marriage:
The exact details around how Felipe and Letizia met are unknown, however it is reported that they met at a dinner party in 2003. They dated in secret for more than a year before surprising the public with their engagement in 2003.The two were married in 2004 in Madrid.
More on the wedding, more here
Watch their wedding (it POURED rain)
See Felipe meet Barack Obama (in English)
Author's Note: Google photos of Felipe. You won't be sorry.
Queen Letizia (b. 1972)
Letizia was born in Spain, the daughter of a journalist and registered nurse. She completed a bachelor’s degree in journalism as well as a master’s degree in audiovisual journalism. She worked as the evening anchor of the TVE evening news, the most viewed newscast in Spain. She reported from Washington DC in 2000 on the presidential elections, 2001 from Ground Zero, and 2003 from Iraq.
She was actually married once before Felipe to a writer and high school teacher after dating for almost 10 years. Their marriage lasted one year.
Letizia is far from Spain’s most popular member of the royal family. There was a public spat with her mother-in-law, and it made news when she scolded Felipe for interrupting her during their engagement interview.
She is known for her fashion and beauty. In 2008 she underwent surgery on her nose to “correct a respiratory problem”, however afterwards her nose was notably different.
She has really struggled with her popularity in Spain: https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2018/04/09/inenglish/1523267249_296328.html and https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jun/17/unpopular-princess-letizia-faces-hurdles-in-becomi/
Author's Note: I feel like I gave a negative impression of Letizia here, but to be honest it's a bit hard to find information about her/her personality. I would love someone who is more familiar to fill us all in.
Watch her speak in English here
Felipe and Letizia have two daughters:
Crown Princess Leonor, Princess of Asturias (b. 2005)
Leonor is heir presumptive to the throne of Spain. She does not go by Crown Princess, but rather by Princess of Asturias, the title given to the heirs in Spain (like Prince of Wales in the UK). The Spanish monarchy operates under a system of male-preference cognatic primogeniture, meaning if Felipe were to have a male heir he would replace Leonor in the line of succession. Felipe and Letizia appear to be done having children, however.
In 2018, she was invested by her father with the Order of the Golden Fleece, the most senior order in Spain and the highest award the King can bestow. She is one of only 4 females to be inducted into it.
The other 3 women are Queen Elizabeth, Princess Beatrix, and Queen Margrethe of Denmark (no big deal!!!)
See the proud father/daughter moment here.
In 2019, at age 14, she gave a speech in both English and Spanish at the Princess of Asturias Awards Ceremony. (such poise!!)
Another speech (her proud parents *I'm crying*!!)
She currently attends school in Wales.
Infanta Sofia (b. 2007)
Sofia is the second daughter of the King and Queen. She is a student in Madrid.
See photos of the family from Spain’s National Day on 10/12. https://twitter.com/CasaReal/status/1315601785382416384?s=20
Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (b. 1963)
Elena is the eldest child of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia, however because Spain operates under male-preference cognatic primogeniture, her younger brother Felipe is King of Spain.
She married Jamie de Marichalar y Saenz de Tejada in Seville and has two children:
Felipe (b. 1998)
Victoria (b. 2000)
Elena and Jamie divorced in 2009. She undertakes engagements on behalf of her brother, the King.
Infanta Cristina, (stripped of title Duchess of Palma de Mallorca) (b. 1965)
Cristina was born in Madrid, the younger daughter of the King and Queen. She is a sailor and competed in the 1988 summer Olympics. She completed a degree in political science from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, then an MA in international relations from New York University in 1990. She then worked at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
She speaks Spanish, Catalan, English, French, and Greek.
Cristina married handball player Inaki Urdangarin in Barcelona in 1997. They have four children:
Juan Valentín (born 29 September 1999),
Pablo Nicolás Sebastián (born 6 December 2000),
Miguel (born 30 April 2002),
Irene (born 5 June 2005).
I talked about this above, but she and her husband were investigated and tried for fraud for their ties to a corruption scandal involving a company they owned. Cristina was acquitted, however her husband is currently serving a prison sentence.
Because of the scandal, her brother officially stripped her of her title in 2015. Her right of succession and the royal title of Infanta were unaffected.
Read more about the scandal here
Jewels
https://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2017/07/the-top-ten-spanish-royal-tiaras.html
Vacation
Random note but the Spanish royals vacation in Palma de Mallorca for the summer each year and always produce some of my favorite family photos.
See some here, here, here, or just google them.
A Monarchy in Trouble
Though Felipe and his mother, Queen Sofia, are well-liked, support for the monarchy in Spain has always been thin at best. Coupled with all of the scandals discussed above, Felipe is tasked with saving a monarchy that at times is extremely unpopular with the public. He has had to publicly distance himself from his father, his sister, and other family friends involved in these scandals. This has eroded the appearance of family unity in the monarchy.
From an article:
Despite his attractive family and relative youth, Felipe has struggled to maintain the level of popularity he had heading into his current position. As head of state and commander in chief of the armed forces as well as king, he looks all-powerful on paper, but like many other royals his role is more figurehead than policy-maker. Spain's monarch is looked to for guidance and leadership, though, and he can certainly still be blamed when things go wrong.
Felipe, who in 2015 cut his own salary by almost 20 percent as the country continued to pull itself out of its recession, received a four-minute ovation after delivering his annual address marking the opening of Spain's new legislative session in February, in which he said that the opposing parties that have formed the current coalition government must come together, that "the time has come for words, for arguments and for reasoning, from a position of mutual respect."
To add to his troubles, Catalonia has been trying to split from Spain and gain independence for quite sometime, and Catalonian’s do not want a monarchy. In fact, they recently passed a non-binding motion condemning the monarchy in the wake of Juan Carlos’s departure from Spain. The proposal “Catalonia is a republic and does not want a king” was passed by 69 votes in favor and 65 against. In a recent article out of Catalonia, less than 15% of Catalans prefer having a king to a republic.
As a result, Felipe and Letizia have been pulling out all of the stops to present a united family front and a strong monarchy to the public - they have been undertaking public engagements more often, invited the press into their home, and we’re seeing more and more of their two daughters in an attempt to improve their favorability in Spain.
From 2019 - https://www.forbes.com/sites/ceciliarodriguez/2020/06/09/spanish-monarchy-under-fire/#7910b8d41b26
From 2020 - https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/13/is-spanish-spain-juan-carlos-corruption-royal-family-finished/
My fav Leti looks
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