03 « June « 2009 « Royalty in the News

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa Tours Africa as UNICEF Ambassador

Sunday saw the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg begin her week long tour of two African countries as part of her role as UNICEF’s “Eminent Advocate for Children.”

: monarchie.lu

Maria Teresa was in Burundi from Sunday till Wednesday, and will spend Thursday and Friday in Kenya.

On Monday, the Grand Duchess went to projects for the reintegration of child soldiers and young girls who become mothers through rape.

She then later went on to a prison in Bujumbura, Burundi’s capital, to meet with incarcerated women, and to meet with the children they gave birth to while in prison.

In addition, Maria Teresa met with AIDS orphans or children who have the illness.

While she is in Kenya, the Grand Duchess will attend the international conference “Diagnostic to Action – Microfinance in Africa”, organized by the Women’s World Banking. She will also stop by the Dream Center (Drug Resource Enhancement against AIDS and Malnutrition), which is renowned for its work on AIDS treatment.

This visit to Africa also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the International Convention of Children’s Rights.

Prince Charles to Attend D-Day Ceremonies

After a diplomatic tussle over whether Queen Elizabeth II would attend the 65th anniversary of D-Day in France, it was announced Tuesday that her son and heir, Prince Charles, will go.

: AFP

This comes after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown accepted an invitation from France, but did not include the Queen. Her Majesty was said to have been embarrassed when Brown said he had “done his public duty” by accepting an invitation from Sarkozy, but only for him.

United States is said to have intervened, asking for the Queen to be invited. It was said she had not received an invitation to the ceremonies to commemorate the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France.

France has always insisted that it was up to British government to decide on who gets to go.

Despite the defused snafu, there are some Britons who were left with a bad taste in their mouth.

“Obviously the Queen couldn’t go now,” said Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine. “It’s still an insult she wasn’t invited.”

The Daily Mail newspaper had accused France of “typical Gallic ingratitude,” declaring in an editorial that the “D-Day shambles is a betrayal of our history.”

Buckingham Palace denied the Queen was offended, however.

“We would like to reiterate that we have never expressed any sense of anger or frustration at all, and are content with all the arrangements that are planned,” a spokeswoman said.

Queen Elizabeth II served in World War II alongside the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service.

Prince Charles will be alongside French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. President Barack Obama for at least one of the D-Day ceremonies.

New Book Accuses Belgian King of Not Preparing Crown Prince

Belgian royal watcher and journalist, Kathy Pauwels, is set to release a new book to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the King and Queen’s marriage.

: rtbf.be

In that book, there are accusations of King Albert II not preparing his son and heir, Crown Prince Philippe to take over as monarch when the time comes.

Pauwels points out that the King and the Crown Prince are rarely seen in public together, unlike many European royals such as Queen Elizaebeth II and Prince Charles, plus Queen Beatrix and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander.

Philippe is believed to think his father is too controlled by his staff, and that makes him suffer as well.

Pauwels’ book, Albert and Paola: 50 Sweet and Suffering Years, focuses on the long, yet rocky marriage of King Albert and Queen Paola. This July will celebrate their half-century together.

Saudi King Greets President Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama began his Mideast tour Wednesday in Saudi Arabia. There, he was greeted by King Abdullah.

: Reuters

Obama is doing a tour of the region in hopes of improving relations with Muslims and the United States.

“The United States and Saudi Arabia have a long history of friendship. We have a strategic relationship,” Obama said as he visited the monarch’s desert horse farm. The U.S. president called Abdullah wise and gracious, adding: “I am confident that working together that the United States and Saudi Arabia can make progress on a whole host of issues of mutual interest.”

In turn, Abdullah expressed his “best wishes to the friendly American people who are represented by a distinguished man who deserves to be in this position.”

The King and Obama briefly chatted together while drinking Arabic coffee out of small cups during an airport welcoming ceremony at King Khalid Airport in Riyadh.

Abdullah gave the President a gold medallion to wear around his neck.

The two leaders also discussed Mideast issues, such as the possibility of Iran building a nuclear bomb, as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Obama is expected to stay overnight at the King’s horse ranch before heading over to Cairo. There he is to make a speech in hopes of easing tensions between Americans and Muslims.

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