An heir and a princess for Monaco!

Hooray! HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco has given birth to twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques. Jacques is Monaco's first direct heir since the birth of his own father Prince Albert II in 1958. Congratulations to the princely couple and to all the people of the great Principality of Monaco.

Grimaldi announcement

Finally, an heir for Monaco! (BBC) (Mail) Andrea Casiraghi can relax (or perhaps he's disappointed). In a century when Europe's remaining hereditary monarchies are grappling with the implications of unprecedented lifespans likely to yield increasingly elderly sovereigns, and even elderly heirs, unless abdication (as in the Low Countries) becomes the norm, it may be a refreshing contrast to have an heir 56 years younger than the monarch. Congratulations to Their Serene Highnesses Albert II and Charlene.

Royal weddings in Turkey and Monaco

In a rare marital alliance between two prominent non-European royal families, Prince Muhammad Ali of Egypt, Prince of Sa'id, son of King Fuad II, married Princess Noal Zaher of Afghanistan, granddaughter of King Zahir Shah (and therefore cousin & niece respectively of the two Afghan princes I had met several days earlier), in Istanbul on Friday. In this picture the groom's father, who reigned as an infant 1952-53 and is still for monarchists Egypt's legitimate head of state, escorts his new daughter-in-law and son.

The following day, August 31, Andrea Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline of Monaco (and eventual successor to the throne if his uncle Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene remain childless), married heiress Tatiana Santo Domingo. The couple already have a son, Sacha, born in March, who with his parents' marriage now becomes third in line to the throne.

Congratulations to both couples.

Royalty of the World at Windsor

Front row (L-R): HIM the Emperor of Japan, HM the Queen of the Netherlands, HM the Queen of Denmark, HM the King of the Hellenes, HM the King of Romania, HM the Queen of the United Kingdom, HM the King of Bulgarians, HM the Sultan of Brunei, HM the King of Sweden, HM the King of Swaziland, HSH the Prince of Liechtenstein.

Middle row (L-R): HSH the Prince of Monaco, HRH the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, HM the King of Lesotho, HM the King of the Belgians, HM the King of Norway, HH the Emir of Qatar, HM the King of Jordan, HM the King of Bahrain, HM the Yong di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.

Back row (L-R): HH Prince Nasser Mohamed of Kuwait, HH the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, HRH the Crown Prince of Yugoslavia, HM the King of Tonga, HRH the Crown Prince of Thailand, HRH Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Nayaf of Saudi Arabia.


Apparently that April 22 Telegraph article was much ado about nothing, as the former King of the Hellenes attended the Queen's Diamond Jubilee lunch after all, with no earth-shattering consequences, whatever Greek republicans say, resulting in a wonderful unique photograph (perhaps the most comprehensive ever taken) of most of the world's reigning monarchs.  Other members of the British royal family including the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge joined the Queen in welcoming this illustrious international assembly of royalty to Windsor Castle.  The absence of Queen Sofia and any representative of the royal families of Cambodia, Bhutan, and Oman is to be regretted, though monarchists can rejoice to see not only King Constantine but also the former kings of Romania and Bulgaria and the crown prince of Yugoslavia included.  Discussion however has been dominated by the presence of the controversial Kings of Bahrain and Swaziland, though I doubt most British people really mind nearly as much as noisy troublemakers apparently think they should.  Once again I say the Queen can invite who she likes; it's not as if democratic republican governments never host controversial republican heads of state!

Super Royal Weekend

While I might not be blogging as much as I would otherwise due to being in Vail with the Dallas Symphony, this is quite a weekend for royal news. In Monaco, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene exchanged vows in a glittering outdoor religious ceremony. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge continue to delight enthusiastic loyal crowds in Canada, despite a few noisy spoilsports in Montreal. And voters in Morocco endorsed King Mohammed VI's proposed constitutional reforms, according to which the King (though retaining more power than his European counterparts) will share the responsibilities of government with a prime minister. In three very different countries, royalty are proving abundantly this weekend that monarchy remains relevant and adaptable to the modern world.

Princess Charlene

The Principality of Monaco now has a Consort for the first time in nearly 30 years, with Prince Albert II having married Charlene Wittstock in a civil ceremony at the palace. A religious ceremony will follow tomorrow. Congratulations to Their Serene Highnesses!

The Other Royal Wedding

Meanwhile, the Principality of Monaco is preparing for the wedding of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock this weekend, with no expense being spared. This will be the first wedding of a reigning European sovereign since that of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Silvia Sommerlath in 1976. Miss Wittstock's transition from South African swimmer to Monegasque princess has reportedly not been without obstacles, but that is sure to change should she and the Prince give Monaco her long-awaited heir.

The Quiet Royal Wedding

Like another commoner who married into a reigning royal family this year, South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock has waited a long time for her prince to propose. Her wedding to Prince Albert II of Monaco on July 2 is unlikely to attract as much media attention as April's, but should still be a splendid event for the principality.

Royal Weddings 2011

This year's most publicized royal wedding may have already taken place (SymphonyNow interviews conductor Christopher Warren-Green, who conducted the orchestra at the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last month). However, there is no need for royalists to sink into anticlimactic post-nuptial doldrums, for at least three other major royal marriages are yet to be celebrated this year, even if the American media is unlikely to pay them quite as much attention. Prince Albert II of Monaco (whose engagement was announced a year in advance) will marry South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock in July. As previously reported, in the most dynastically traditional of all of these unions Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia (head of the House of Hohenzollern and therefore rightful King of Prussia and German Emperor) will marry Princess Sophie of Isenburg in August. Finally, the world's youngest head of state King Jigme Khesar Wangchuk of Bhutan, 31, has announced his engagement to Jetsun Pema; they will marry in October.

Just as 2008 was a year of coronations, 2011 is shaping up to be a great year for royal weddings. Congratulations to all four couples and their countries. I'm sure all monarchists will join me in hoping that they all enjoy happy and fruitful unions--and also that Germans will wake up from their long republican nightmare and formally acclaim Georg Friedrich and Sophie as their Monarch and Consort!

American Royalty

Prompted by a query from an American monarchist, I suppose this is as good a place as any for a list of American women who have married into royal families. (Men of course generally cannot obtain royal titles by marriage, unless they marry a female sovereign; no American man has ever done this.)

Elizabeth Patterson (1785-1879) married Napoleon's brother Jerome Bonaparte (1784-1860), later King of Westphalia, in 1803; the marriage was annulled in 1805, but they had a son who founded an American line of Bonapartes that flourished (with some distinction) until 1945.

Alice Heine (1858-1925) married Prince Albert I of Monaco (1848-1922) in 1889; they separated in 1902 but never divorced.

None May "Nancy" Stewart Worthington Leeds (1878-1923), a wealthy widow, married Prince Christopher of Greece (1888-1940), youngest son of King George I, in 1920; she was granted the title "Princess Anastasia of Greece." Her son from her first marriage, William B Leeds, then married into royalty as well, wedding his new stepfather's niece Princess Xenia of Russia.

Wallis Warfield Simpson (1896-1986) married the former King Edward VIII (1894-1972), who had famously abdicated the British throne for her, in 1937, becoming the Duchess of Windsor.

Grace Kelly (1929-1982) married Albert I's great-grandson Prince Rainier III of Monaco (1923-2005) in 1956.

Hope Cooke (b 1940) married Palden Thondup Namgyal (1923-1982), the last King of Sikkim (1963-75) in 1963. Sikkim was annexed by India in 1975 and they divorced in 1980.

Lisa Halaby (b 1951) married King Hussein of Jordan (1935-1999) in 1978, becoming Queen Noor.

Marie-Chantal Miller (b 1968) married Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece (b 1967) in 1995.

"Scandal-Ridden" Monarchies?

Canadian publication Maclean's irreverently profiles Europe's surviving monarchies. Writer Patricia Treble exaggerates the importance of various "scandals" and (as RadicalRoyalist points out) ignores the rather more serious problems plaguing republics such as Germany's, but concludes that monarchies are "good fun" and acknowledges that republics are no cheaper. Serious monarchists, however, are likely to regret that "good fun" is the extent to which modern monarchies are all too often appreciated, and may be forgiven for wondering if the marital decisions of younger royalty might indeed have something to do with it.

Prince of Monaco engaged

Over the years Monegasques might have been forgiven for wondering if their Prince (who has two illegitimate children) would ever marry, but their doubts have finally been laid to rest with the announcement of the engagement of HSH Prince Albert II, 52, to former Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock, 32. I wish them a happy and fruitful marriage and hope that the future princess in giving Monaco its first consort since 1982 will prove a worthy successor to Albert's beloved mother Grace. Mad for Monaco has more.

Prince Albert at the Poles

In a rare interview, Prince Albert II of Monaco discussed his passion for the environment, expeditions to the North and South Poles, and the pressure to marry.

The Big Question

Prompted by rumors of an imminent abdication in the Netherlands, The Independent ponders the future of European monarchy.

Royal Parade

Parade magazine introduces its readers to contemporary royalty, focusing (in a charming interview) on TRH Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and concluding, albeit sort of halfheartedly by this blog's standards, that countries with monarchies should probably keep them, even if they are "outdated." Supplements include a quiz (I got 20/20) and a photo gallery of British, Jordanian, and Monégasque royalty.

Forbes: Hottest Royals

Forbes identifies the world's twenty "Hottest Young Royals." Apparently a related E! TV special will air at 9 PM EDT on June 6. I'm sorry that no representatives of the generation of European Catholic royalty born in the 1980s (Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, the Habsburgs, etc.) were included; apparently they weren't considered to have enough "international Web and media presence."