Royalty

25th August 2006 16:04:34

Spain's King Juan Carlos met with the Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday (24.08.06).

The royal - who is in Russia for a summer holiday - was personally invited by the president to come to his Bocharov Ruchey residence outside Sochi.

During the televised meeting, Juan Carlos expressed "sympathy and condolences" on behalf of Spain and its government and people over the plane crash of a Russian jet in Ukraine on Tuesday (22.08.06).

Putin thanked the monarch for accepting his invitation, and said: "I recognise that despite the change of government in Spain, relations between our countries remain at a very high level. I am convinced that this largely stems from your attitude to Russia."

Other reports suggest Putin used the meeting to promote the city of Sochi, one of three cities in the running to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The king is an avid sports fan and his opinion of the city may prove invaluable when the issue is raised at the International Olympic Committee.

25th August 2006 13:15:02

Prince Louis of Luxemburg is to marry next month.

The 20-year-old royal announced his plans to tie the knot with fiancée Tessy Antony - who gave birth to their son Gabriel in March this year - earlier this week.

The ceremony is scheduled for September 29 and will take place in the picturesque town of Gilsdorf, where their son was born and baptised.

The prince - who is the son of Duke Henri and Duchess Maria Teresa - was initially criticised for starting a family at such a young age and out of wedlock.

Louis - who is third in line to the throne - also stirred up controversy this week by announcing he will give up his claim to be king after he ties the knot.

Meanwhile, Duke Henri is to pay a state visit to China next month after accepting an invitation from the country's president Hu Jintao.

24th August 2006 08:15:59

Britain's Countess of Wessex is to be guest of honour at the launch of a multi-million pound research study into children's health.

Sophie, the wife of Prince Edward, suffered an ectopic pregnancy in 2001 and is eager to lend her support to 'Born in Bradford'.

The project will observe 10,000 pregnant women and it is hoped the research will help discover the cause of childhood diseases and how to work to improve the health of all babies born in the city.

The first 'Born in Bradford' babies will arrive early next year.

To show her commitment to the study Sophie will attend a special reception for the study at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in October.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman told Bradford's Telegraph and Argus newspaper: "I am delighted that the countess is coming to Bradford because this project involves all communities in the city and it is a groundbreaking initiative. The countess lending it her support can only enhance it still further."

22nd August 2006 20:07:55

Britain's Prince William reportedly lost his temper during a friendly tennis match.

The usually well-mannered prince was playing tennis against a friend at a private estate near the royal Scottish home of Highgrove, when he flew into a rage and unleashed a torrent of foul language

.

A source is quoted by Britain's Daily Express newspaper as saying: "William started cursing up a storm after stroke. Every other word was an expletive."

The witness suggested that rather than being a bad loser William's John McEnroe-like outburst was all part of a clever plan to fool his opponent.

The source added: "It could have just served as a distraction to his opponent, which it seemed to be because William won the match."

22nd August 2006 13:09:40

Denmark's Princes Nikolai and Felix joined their mother on a charity walk in Copenhagen at the weekend.

Princess Alexandra, the ex-wife of Prince Joachim, and the young princes joined a 20,000-strong crowd for the six kilometre fundraising walk, which raises money for Denmark's He

art Association, UNICEF and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Nikolai, six, and Felix, four, are regulars at the event along with their mother, who is renowned for her tremendous humanitarian effort.

Nikolai, who will turn seven next week, gave an interview to a TV crew, while his mother crouched beside him, smiling encouragingly and helping him with his answers.

However, his younger brother, Felix, was too shy to answer questions and chose to suck his thumb hide from the cameras.

18th August 2006 13:15:03

Prince Albert of Monaco visited Mount Rushmore yesterday (17.08.06).

The royal was accompanied by six bodyguards as he visited the world's largest sculpture in South Dakota, in the US.

The four-hour visit included a hike to the top of the 60ft creation - which depicts images of former US Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Albert was said to have been very impressed with the memorial, which attracts over 2 million people every year.

Rushmore Superintendent Gerard Baker was quoted by keoland.com as saying: "Prince Albert showed great interest in the Mount, American Indians and the whole state of South Dakota."

Meanwhile, Albert recently sparked engagement rumours when he showed off his girlfriend at a society ball.

17th August 2006 13:15:02

Britain's Prince Charles earns £200,000 a year from the famous Oval cricket ground.

The prince owns The Oval, which hosts England and Surrey cricket club matches, and its surrounding land because of his title of the Duke of Cornwall and charges the annual rental fee.

In three years time, the prince's income from the international cricket venue will increase enormously when he becomes entitled to 3 per cent of all turnover from the ground because of a new levy.

Charles will be entitled to 3 per cent of ticket sales - which range from £36 to £62 in price - all refreshment sales and even the £1.3 million given by the England and Wales Cricket Board to the ground from the sale of TV rights for international matches.

Last year, The Oval's income was £18 million, of which £540,000 would have gone to the prince if the new levy had already been introduced.

The land became part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate in 1337 when King Edward III set aside a stretch of farmland south of the Thames river to provide income for his son, Edward the 'Black Prince' of Wales.

Rabat August 25, 2006 – His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid was seen working tirelessly all summer long. Today, His Royal Highness received the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed al-Nahayan.

During the televised meeting, Prince Moulay Rachid and Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed al-Nahayan reviewed the Royal Air Forces as a part of official welcome ceremony, before two dignitaries hold official talks.

His Royals Highness, who has a wealth of training, devotion and long years of experience in political role, was the picture of elegance, wearing a dark tailor made suit.

Diplomatic work has became an increasingly important part of the prince's activities, which are founded on impressive academic accomplishments.

Morocco, August 20, 2006 - His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid marked today the fifty-three anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People, a landmark in the country's history, which illustrates the heroic struggle of the Alaouite Throne and Moroccan people against French occupation.

On August 20, 1953 the French colonial authorities exiled Alaouite Royal Family, after the Late King Mohammed V - grandfather of Prince Moulay Rachid - refused to sign decrees consecrating French domination over Morocco.

Prince Moulay Rachid has been heavily involved in spearheading many of the nation's initiatives and projects that contribute the great deal to the development and progress of Morocco.

The Prince has become a pioneer in the effort to promote the dialog among civilization, and has liaised with statesmen to ensure the evolution beyond the boundaries.

His Royal Highness efforts are advocating a continuity of Morocco’s history, society, institution and the monarchy, the core stated by his grandfather the Late King Mohammed V.

Rabat, July 27, 2006 – His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, the heir second in line to the throne, received King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of Kingdom of Asante. Prince Moulay Rachid as a visionary leader spearheads many educational projects that aim to provide deep cross-cultural understanding, despite the challenges.

King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, leader of the Asante (in English: Ashanti), the largest ethnic group in Ghana, wore magnificent traditional robe as he met with His Royal Highness.

The Asante were one of the Akan-speaking people who settled in the forest region of modern Ghana between the 11^th and 13^th centuries. The separate Asante chiefdoms were united by Osei Tutu in the 1670s and in 1696 he took the title of Asantehene (king) and founded the Asante Empire.

Osei Tutu became king in 1999 after the death of Nana Opoku Ware II. Since his ascension in 1999, the king has attempted to revitalize his nation and to use its resources to promote education, health services, industry, and international partnerships and cooperation.

Prince Moulay Rachid’s dear friend Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange and his wife Crown Princess Máxima paid a state visit to the Kingdom of Asante in 2002 on the occasion of 300-year relations between The Netherlands and Ghana. It was Crown Princess's first foreign state visit.