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The fiancee of Monaco’s Prince Albert II sat down with the British magazine, Tatler, to discuss her future as Princess of the tiny principality. In the magazine, Charlene Wittstock revealed a lot that many royal watchers were not expecting.
 REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao For one thing, Ms. Wittstock said she experienced some “jealousy” from Monegasques.
“Of course I’ve been subject to jealousy, but that comes with the territory. Although I have met some wonderful people since I’ve been living in Monaco, I regard them all as acquaintances. I only have two people I consider friends here.”
“The people I mixed with in Monaco didn’t relate to my South African mentality or humor.”
Quite frank for someone who is to marry the sovereign of Monaco next July.
Charlene also told Tatler that she hopes to modernize the principality by opening a Starbucks, and a shoe store from Manolo Blahnik.
She also talked about a rather embarrassing moment when she appeared by Prince Albert’s side at a Red Cross Ball one year.
“I was used to living in a swimsuit and totally clueless about fashion,” Charlene said. “The day of the ball, I had been playing volleyball all day on the beach and didn’t think about getting ready until late in the afternoon.
“I borrowed a green dress from a friend, fixed my hair myself and painted my nails red. I looked like a Christmas tree.”
The issue of Tatler is to appear on British newsstands this week.
Source: Telegraph
 REUTERS/Susana Vera/FILE October 31st marks Spain’s Infanta Leonor’s 5th birthday. Although this is a big milestone for her, there are no official photographs of her. Unlike so many other royal families, the Spanish are chosing to keep Leonor out of the limelight as much as possible. This despite that she would likely succeed her father, Prince Felipe, as Queen of Spain one day.
The Infanta will celebrate her birthday with friends and family at Palacio de la Zarzuela.
To see pics of Leonor through the years, click here!
Source: Europa Press
Taking time away from his agricultural studies at university, Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip gave out the Lilla Barnets Fond children’s fund research grants at the Swedish Society of Medicine in Stockholm on Thursday. Carl Philip is patron of the fund, so it was his duty to give out the awards.
 Stella Pictures The winners for 2010 were: PhD student Elisabeth Stoltz Sjöström, Umeå; Professor Fredrik Serenius, Umeå; PhD student Eva Hell, Stockholm; Professor Jens Schollin, Örebro; Researcher Changlian Zhu, Gothenburg.
The Prince gave a short speech, saying how proud he was that his country has a long history of researching babies and pioneering discoveries into their health and development.
Lilla Barnets Fond supports medical research and the development of care for newborn babies in Sweden.
Source: Swedish Royal Court, Svensk Damtidning
Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal recently told the newspaper Arabian Business that he is against the building of a mosque near Ground Zero, site of the 9/11 attacks in New York. The Prince, one of the world’s wealthiest men, denies any involvement or financing, something some American news outlets reported in recent weeks.
 REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed/FILE “I heard and saw a lot of news about me being associated with it and this is all wrong. We did not finance this thing,” Alwaleed said in an exclusive interview.
“I say that I am against putting the mosque in that particular place. And I’ll tell you why. For two reasons: first of all, those people behind the mosque have to respect, have to appreciate and have to defer to the people of New York, and not try to agitate the wound by saying ‘we need to put the mosque next to the 9/11 site’.
“The wound is still there. Just because the wound is healing you can’t say ‘let’s just go back to where we were pre-9/11′,” he said. “I am against putting the mosque there out of respect for those people who have been wounded over there.”
Prince Alwaleed added: “More importantly, the mosque is not in the best location, the mosque has to be in a dignified location. It can’t be next to a bar or a strip club, or in a neighbourhood that is not really refined and good. The impression I have is that this mosque is just being inserted and squeezed over there. So I am personally against putting the mosque over there…”
“I believe that Christians have the right to build churches where they want and Jews have the right to put synagogues where they want and Muslims have the right to put a mosque where they want. But you have to take care and respect the dignity of those New Yorkers who have been hit badly. Ten years ago is nothing when you talk about history.”
The Prince also said he believes the wounds from 9/11 will take about 30 years to heal.
“For sure, the wounds are so deep. What I’m saying is, it’s been a decade right now, and I would evaluate things at being at a standstill. They did not improve dramatically but they didn’t worsen. You see pockets of deterioration from people who don’t want things to advance,” he said.
“I don’t want to exaggerate and say things are falling apart, they are not. Most governments are pragmatic, most people are logical. There are pockets of extremism in Israel, in the US and in the Muslim world. But we have to fight them with reason, with logic and with compassion. We can’t just say ‘go to hell,’ we cannot do that.”
The full Arabian Business interview will be online by tomorrow, October 31st. Click here to check out the publication’s website.
Source: Arabian Business
Since Thursday, the Norwegian Crown Princely couple have been in New York, mainly to mark the 100th anniversary of the American-Scandinavian Foundation. But Haakon and Mette Marit had so much more on their agenda that there was rarely a spare moment in their two day visit.
 Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images First off, Their Royal Highnesses got busy Thursday morning by meeting with the press. When asked how do they keep their 10 year love alive, Haakon replied jokingly, “take a weekend in New York!”
After the press conference, things got started for the couple by going to the IPI Policy Forum discussing “From Crisis Development: Recovery and the Millennium Development Goals”. The Crown Princess sat in the audience as Haakon participated in a panel along with UNDP leader Helen Clark and Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea.
The panel discussed the implementation of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) in the context of crises such as those seen in Haiti and Pakistan and how the global community can help ensure that goals are met in areas that face major humanitarian challenges.
After that, Haakon met with the United Nations’ Development Program while Mette Marit went to see the exhibition Why Design Now, which has five Norwegian artworks in it, at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.
The couple reunited at another museum, The New Museum, to see the exhibit Free, which focuses on artwork from around the world by non-established artists. By mid-afternoon, they were watching the children’s opera Max and Moritz at the Lower Manhattan Arts Academy. They then went to the Scandinavia House for the opening of the exhibition Nordic Models + Common Grounds. The exhibit displayed the latest in Nordic art, design and architecture, and will be part of the commemoration of the Scandinavia House for its 10th anniversary.
 Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images Early Friday morning, Haakon and Mette Marit visited Ground Zero, the site of the 9/11 attacks. The Norwegian architect group, Snøhetta, are in charge of designing the museum pavilion, which is to be part of the memorial park.
The Crown Prince then went to the exhibition Race to the End of the Earth at the American Museum of Natural History, while his wife did her role as UNAIDS representative at the Cylar House, Housing Works. The House has a medical clinic and treatment center in addition to 36 apartments. The kitchen – the Works Catering – earn money for the project while giving users the house valuable job training. The house is named after one of Housing Works’ founders, Keith D. Cylar, who died of AIDS in 2004.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit were both visiting several of the apartments in the house and the kitchen where she received a briefing on the job training that takes place there.
For lunch, the couple were at the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce Gala Luncheon on the Occasion of the Norwegian-American Trade Award to Snøhetta. The Crown Princess gave a speech as she presented the award:
“One of the main characteristics of Snøhetta is the importance attached two context and landscape, and achieving harmony between two buildings and their surroundings. Close collaboration with artist has been of crucial importance in their wine of projects, and they operate with great success in the interface between art, culture and business. Snøhetta also strives to produce two designs that are eco-friendly, sustainable and of high quality.”
At night, Haakon and Mette Marit finally got around to celebrate the centenary of the American-Scandinavian Foundation.
Sources: Kongehuset.no, Dagbladet, The Royal Forums
On Wednesday, Monaco’s ruler Prince Albert II and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock, went to Japan together where the Prince took part in a couple of function regarding environmental issues. This was the first time the engaged couple went on an official visit together – something Charlene will do a lot of when she becomes a Princess next July.
 AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye In the city of Nagoya, Albert attended a dinner reception hosted by Japan’s Environment Minister Ryu Matsumoto for the ministeral segment of the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The next day, both Albert and Charlene went to the event, “Monaco and Marine Protected Areas” which was on the sidelines of the Conference. Senior officials from nearly 200 countries met to set new goals for 2020 to fight animal and plant extinctions after they missed a goal for a “significant reduction” in losses of biological diversity by 2010.
For Friday, the couple went to Tokyo, where they met with Princess Takamado at the BirdLife International banquet. BirdLife is an international organization for the protection of birds, their habitats and global biodiversity conservation.
It is believed the Prince and his fiancee will meet eventually with Empress Michiko. That may occur on the last day of their trip, Monday, November 1st.
Princess Takamado was born Hisako Tottori. She married Prince Takamado, a cousin of Emperor Akihito, in 1984.
Source: The Royal Forums
On Thursday, Danish Crown Prince Frederik was named the patron of the Greenlandic Christmas Seal Foundation – which is used to support Greeland’s cultural purposes and to sponsor Greenlandic art and crafts. Frederik was at
the Greenland house in Copenhagen for the presentation of this year’s stamp.
 KELD NAVNTOFT/SCANPIX “The Christmas label shows a rallying point and it is the poinsettia, also we see Greenland faces, as shown in warm colors, which give an impression of heat,” said the Crown Prince at the unveiling of the 2010 seal, which was painted by Camilla Nielsen.
Frederik is happy to be a patron of the Greenland Christmas Seal, but can not promise to make the next Christmas seal.
“All of you know that I am very happy for Greenland, and I’m very proud of the people of Greenland and everything related to Greenland. Therefore it is with pleasure that I could take after my mom, but I can not promise that I will get to draw a Christmas seal, but I will support what I do today in all sorts of good ways, ” he added.
Crown Prince Frederik once spent a few months in Greenland, where he is believed to be the most popular Danish royal there.
His wife, Crown Princess Mary, is parton of the The Christmas Seal – the Danish version.
Source: Kronprinsparret, Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa
 REUTERS/Scanpix/Marc Femenia/FILE On December 7th this year, when she turns 7 years old, the Netherlands’ Princess Catharina Amalia will get an airplane named after her. The DC-3 PBA, once flown by her great-grandfather, Prince Bernhard, will be baptized as “Amalia”. KLM CEO Peter Hartman will do the honors.
The DC-3 aircraft was the favorite of Prince Bernhard, who was the consort to Queen Juliana and the father the current monarch, Queen Beatrix. The plane was owned between 1947 and 1961 as a government unit. Afterward, it was treated as a training aircraft.
Twenty years after the device was removed from the flight, Prince Bernhard nurtured a wish that the plane went back into the air. He also spoke with the foundation on which the unit would get the name of Amalia.
The Princess, who is second in line to throne behind her father, Prince Willem-Alexander, was born almost exactly a year before Bernhard died in 2004.
Catharina-Amalia already has a wind farm named after her, near the North Sea.
Sources: De Gelderlander, The Royal Forums blog
On Tuesday, King Harald V and Queen Sonja made the first Norwegian state visit to the Slovak Republic since its 1993 establishment. Their Majesties arrived at Bratislava’s presidential palace in the morning, and were received by President Ivan Gašparovič and Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová, whom gave them a traditional Slovakian gift: bread and salt. After the welcoming ceremony, things got down to business.
 SAMUEL KUBANI/AFP/Getty Images Inside the palace, the King and the President discussed bilateral ties between their countries, such as sustainable development and greater cooperation in business and culture. There was then a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Iveta Radičová, before Harald met with the President of Parliament, Richard Sulík.
While this was taking place, Queen Sonja visited the art center Danubiana Meulensteen, where she saw work by the Slovak artist Jozef Jankovic. She also was given a tour of the sculpture park around the art gallery.
The Queen received another art tour when Silvia Gašparovičovás hosted her at an official lunch in Erdödypalasset. The palace also houses an art gallery, which Sonja got a tour of.
Later in the day, the King and Queen reunited when the monarchs were given a tour of Old Bratislava by the capital’s mayor, Andrej Ďurkovský and his wife Frantiska. They saw the city’s old architecture, institutions and landmark sculptures.
In the evening came the state dinner.
The next day, King Harald opened a Norwegian-Slovak Seminar on corporate social responsibility in the morning. He quoted the Norwegian writer, Bjørn Bjørnson to start off the seminar, which brought together policy makers, organizations and businesses from both countries.
“‘Good deeds save the world’, said Bjørnson. This is a good starting point for today’s conference, Which goodwill explore how corporate social responsibility and social dialogue can benefit bothering businesses and society.” said King Harald.
 REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa While that was going on, Queen Sonja visited Gaudeamussenteret, which is a program for disabled children that has received, financial support from Norway through the EEA.
The Queen met the children in their classrooms, where they showed her various forms of needlework. Queen Sonja was also given a tour of the hydrotherapy center where she met children and participants from the Paralympics.
King Harald and Queen Sonja met up again later in the day to tour Modra in the Malokarpatská wine region, plus the Zoya Museum, which has a large permanent exhibition of Andy Warhol.
In the afternoon, the royal couple attended a reception for the Norwegian business delegation at the Hotel Borik.
Later in the evening, both the King and Queen, President Ivan Gašparovič and Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová were guests at a reception organized by the Norwegian Embassy at Hotel Crowne Plaza. They were entertained by the Norwegian Valkyrie Allstars’ interpretation of Norwegian traditional music.
Source: Kongehuset.no
Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, the ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates of the UAE, passed away Wednesday at the age of 92. He was buried on the same day, according to Muslim tradition. All over the United Arab Emirates, flags are to be flown at half-mast for a week.
 REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah Born in 1929, the Sheikh inherited the emirate in 1948, and paid close attention to developing Ras Al Khaimah, the fourth largest of the UAE’s sheikhdoms. One area Saqr worked the most on was education, believing that would be key to development. In 1960, he had set up 10 schools, five each for boys and girls.
The Sheikh also set up an industrial training center 1969, by which time the number of schools had risen to 27, with around 6,000 male and female students. He also opened several hospitals, and maintained good relations with the rest of the UAE and beyond.
When oil was discovered in Ras Al Khaimah, he said: “We hope, in three years, to achieve what other countries have achieved in ten years, and we will not rely in our development mainly on oil.”
Sheikh Saqr was known for his “modesty, vision, wisdom and generosity” according to Gulf News.
 REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah Saqr has been succeeded by his fourth son, Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi. Born in 1956, Saud earned a degree in economics and political science from the University of Michigan in the United States. He was appointed Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah in June 2003.
There is some concern over the future of Ras Al Khaimah, which is considered to be the least stable of the emirates. For instance, Sheikh Saud became Crown Prince after his older half brother, Sheikh Khalid was deposed by decree. Since then Khalid has campaigned to regain his position, though analysts say its unlikely.
“I don’t foresee any real problems, I think the issue has been settled. The authorities in Abu Dhabi and at a federation level will not allow any sign of friction or instability,” Emirati politics professor Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said.
UAE blogger Ahmed Mansour, who hails from Ras Al Khaimah, agreed.
“This is just a continuation of what has been going on since 2003,” he said.
“Abu Dhabi has been supporting Sheikh Saud from the start and they stood by him during the events of 2003. Nothing has changed in terms of the reasons behind this support.”
Still, military tanks were seen around both Sheikh Khalid’s and Saud’s palace on Wednesday.
Sources: Gulf News, Reuters Canada
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