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Scotland saw its first royal wedding in almost 20 years when Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest granddaughter, Zara Phillips, married rugby player Mike Tindall at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. The House of Windsor all turned up for this low-key ceremony in which no cameras were allowed inside.
 Click here for original article at the Daily Mail But there were plenty outside along with the small but cheering crowds. Those gathered cheered for the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, louder than for Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who were married only three months earlier.
Charles and Camilla were attendance, as were Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, whom were dressed more favorably according to critics than they were at William and Catherine’s wedding on April 29th.
And of course the mother of the bride, Princess Anne, was there, smiling broadly as her youngest child tied the knot.
Zara’s bridal gown was designed by one of her grandmother’s favorite designers, Stewart Parvin. She also wore Jimmy Choo shoes and the Greek Meander tiara.
She was escorted down the aisle by her father, Anne’s first husband, Captain Mark Phillips.
 View gallery at Daylife.com The doors were closed during the ceremony, but when it was all over, Mike and Zara emerged arm in arm and shared a kiss for the crowds.
After the nuptials, the newlyweds, their friends and family, went to Holyroodhouse – the Queen’s residence in Edinburgh – for the reception.
Zara reportedly will keep her maiden name since she is a competitive equestrian. This is breaking with royal tradition as members of the royal family have always taken the surname of their spouses.
The last royal wedding in Scotland was in 1992 when Princess Anne married her second husband, Tim Laurence.
Source: BBC, Daily Mail
The second son of Belgium’s Princess Astrid and Archduke Lorenz was promoted to the rank of officer in the Belgian navy Friday.
 Click here for more at Zimbio.com Prince Joachim, age 19, celebrated with his family during a ceremony aboard the ship, Godetia.
“He may now as an officer on duty be at the bridge for all ships of the Belgian Navy,” said Peter Degraer, commander of the nautical school. “Prince Joachim was an excellent student. His language is very good. If the prince wants, he can possibly offer in the civilian shipping, because there are valid certificates.”
Born in December 9th 1991, Joachim is the third child of Astrid and Lorenz. His siblings include Prince Amedeo (who is a reserve officer in the Belgian army), Princess Maria Laura, and two younger sisters: Princesses Luisa Maria and Laetitia. He is styled as HRH and HIH – because his father is a member of the Austria-Este royal household. Joachim’s titles include: Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Imperial of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia, Prince of Modena.
He is ninth in line to the Belgian throne.
Sources: Het Nieuwsblad, Wikipedia
Earlier this week, the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, donated $1 million to help the people of Somalia, who are suffering from famine as a result of drought.
 Click here for more photos Abdullah Al Maatouq, the President of the International Islamic Charitable Organisation (IICO), praised the Emir for his donation.
“His Highness the Emir has stressed his commitment to alleviate the severe suffering of the people of Somalia and his confirmation of the importance of providing them with the necessary support and emergency relief to avoid more victims,” he said, quoted by Kuwait News Agency (Kuna).
“His Highness the Emir has directed the IICO to organise a public campaign in coordination with similar organisations and charities in Kuwait to collect donations for the benefit of the victims in Somalia who suffer from severe drought.”
On Tuesday, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon called Sheikh Sabah and thanked him for his efforts. In response, the Emir told Ban that his country will continue to help the people in the Horn of Africa. He also expressed his wish to see the international community to step up in their efforts.
Source: Gulf News, Qatar News Agency
King Bhumibol Adulyadej has declared a 100 day period of mourning for his cousin, Princess Bejaratana, who passed away Wednesday afternoon at the age of 85. The Princess, who was the only child of King Vajiravudh, Rama VI, and Queen Suvadhana, died of septicemia at Siriraj Hospital.
 Learn more about Princess Bejaratana here When she was born on November 24th 1925, her father was seriously ill and died within 24 hours after her birth. It was her uncle, King Prajadhipok, Rama VII, who named her.
Bejaratana was educated in Thai and British schools during her childhood. She was an accomplished musician who could play a tune after hearing it only once. But the Princess would not return to Thailand until 1959 at age 34.
When she did, she settled in the Ruenrudi Villa on Sukhumvit and began working on projects set up by her father and grandmother. Bejaratana worked with Chulalongkorn University, Silpakorn University, Vajiravudh College, Vajira Hospital, the Sanam Chan Palace Restoration Project and the Mrigadayavan Palace Foundation, as well as the Thai Red Cross.
The Princess never married or had any children.
On Friday, King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit held the bathing rites at the Sala Sahathai Samakhomat the Palace. During the ceremony, the urn carrying Bejaratana’s ashes was placed at the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall and will stay there for the 100 day mourning period.
The Thai government has also declared a 15 day mourning period in which flags will lowered half-mast.
Source: Bangkok Post
On Tuesday, the future King of Norway was at the World Islamic Mission Mosque in Oslo to mourn the victims of the dual terror attacks in Oslo and on Utøya island. Crown Prince Haakon accompanied the Foreign Minister, Bishop Ole Kristian Kvarme and the mayor of the city, Fabian Stang, that night and although he didn’t make any speeches, his presence spoke volumes to those in the packed mosque.
 View images at Daylife here. “76 Lives were lost in this tragic act,” said Imam Najeeb Naz, who had greeted Haakon and the others. “Cynical killings of young people with a future ahead of them. The unthinkable became reality. These lives have been lost in vain. An already good and harmonious Norwegian society, we will do even better.”
“Today, an entire people, across all the lines a modern society: geography, generation, politics, religion – come together. Not to get all the answers, but to draw strength,” said Minister Jonas Gahr Store, who also quoted passages from the Qu’ran.
Store pointed out that Norway was constantly changing and that could not be stopped. He emphasized the country’s stance on democracy and tolerance.
Ironically, the mosque is across the street from the prison where Anders Behring Breivik, the man who committed the dual terror attacks, is being held.
On Friday, the Norwegian Royal Court published on its website the numerous condolences sent to King Harald V from around the world. To read the condolence letters (some in English), click here.
Source: AP
 Click here for the original Hello! article The estranged husband of Monaco’s Princess Caroline is being hospitalized in Spain. Reportedly, Prince Ernst August of Hannover, age 57, is ill with pancreatitis, a condition brought on by heavy drinking. The Prince once suffered from the disease back in 2005.
That episode prevented Ernst from attending the funeral of his father-in-law, Prince Rainier III, the late sovereign of Monaco. At the time, Ernst said he will give up his wild ways.
“I don’t want (to die) yet. My daughter is only five years old,” he said of the now 12 year old Princess Alexandra.
Although married in 1999, Prince Ernst and Princess Caroline have been seen together in over two years. Early last year, the Prince was photographed kissing another woman while vacationing in Thailand. He also did not attend the wedding of Caroline’s brother, Prince Albert II earlier this month.
So far, there are no plans for Ernst and Caroline to divorce.
Sources: Hello!, Monsters and Critics
On Wednesday, Spain’s Princess Letizia stopped by Handisport, an not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping the handicapped integrate socially through sports. Handisport is located in Llucmjaor on Mallorca, one of the Balearic islands.
 Check out more images here. Dressed in a flowing chiffon salmon dress, Letizia was welcomed by the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Carlos Delgado plus the President of the Foundation Handisport, Cristina Martin, the founder of the Foundation, Rafael Winckelmann, and the mayor of Llucmajor, Joan Jaume Mulet.
The Princess was then introduced to a couple of those who have benefited from Handisport. One of them was European golf champion for disabled persons Sebastian Lorente of Spain. He demonstrated for Letizia how he is able to stand by the use of a machine and therefore play golf.
Established in 2006, Handisport seeks to make sports available for everyone, including those with mental and physical disabilities.
Letizia is also on Mallorca to begin the annual summer vacation with the rest of the Spanish royal family. Already Queen Sofia and Infanta Elena are there, and Infanta Cristina and her family will arrive tomorrow. Letizia’s husband, Prince Felipe, is currently in Peru for the presidential inauguration but he will come to Mallorca later this week along with King Juan Carlos.
Source: El Mundo, ¡Hola!
As a sign of solidarity with their fellow Scandinavians, the people of Denmark officially remembered Wednesday the victims of the dual attacks in Norway. A memorial service was held at Copenhagen Cathedral in which Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary were in attendance. Originally, the plan was to hold the service at a Norwegian Seaman’s Church, but that was too small for the many people who wanted to come.
 View gallery of the memorial service here None of the royals spoke during the mass, but Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen did. He said: “At one moment it can feel as though everything we know, being torn away below us. Our faith in the good in people. Our hope for a life of joy, optimism and love for our family and loved ones. Our ideal of an open, secure and democratic society. The attacks on 22 July in Norway was such a moment. My heart froze to ice.
“Norway is in mourning. And today we take care with Norway.”
Rasmussen went on to talk about how the Danes show compassion towards Norway, their “brother country” as the Prime Minister put it. “We see the attack as an attack on our brothers and sisters – as an attack on ourselves,” he explained.
During the service, Frederik and Mary got teary-eyed. Even the Norwegian ambassador to Denmark got emotional.
Today’s mass came just as news of a Danish woman, Hanne Anette Balch Fjalestad, was confirmed as one of the victims of the Utøya shootings. Her daughter was also on the island, but survived.
The total of deaths from the dual attacks by a far-right fanatic stands now at 76.
Sources: The Royal Forums
Monegasque royal newlyweds are suing the French magazine L’Express for publishing stories “incorrect facts about their private life” in the days leading up to their wedding earlier this month.
 Click here for more pics The magazine published stories on its website, saying Charlene Wittstock – now Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene – tried to flee Monaco a few days before her lavish nuptials. She supposedly learned that Prince Albert II might have fathered another child out of wedlock.
According to L’Express, Charlene’s passport was confiscated by officials when she tried to board a one way flight to her home of South Africa.
Although the reports were rejected by the Prince and many high ranking officials in Monaco, they were picked up by numerous news outlets.
Even on the day of her civil wedding, Charlene denied the rumors, claiming that it was nothing but “vicious gossip and empty rumours”.
“It’s all lies,” she said to Vogue magazine.
Her father, Michael Wittstock, has denied the stories. “I am so disappointed that people believe in this nonsense,” he said.
The reason for the lawsuit is because, as the couple claimed, the magazine “gave credibility to these unfounded rumors by publishing them. “
On the day of their religious ceremony, however, the Palace admitted that Prince Albert was to undergo a paternity test. Whether that test actually took place is not yet known.
Source: Sky News, Independent (South Africa), Royal News Examiner
On Monday, tens of thousands of Norwegians marched for unity and held a rose vigil in response to the dual terror attacks on Friday. In Oslo alone, 150,000 people took to the streets along with government officials and members of Norway’s royal family.
 For more photos, click here Crown Prince Haakon was part of the Oslo march and he spoke ”of a street being filled with love,”
He added: ”We have the power to meet hate with togetherness. We have chosen what we stand for.”
Earlier in the day, King Harald V and Queen Sonja joined Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg for a moment of silence at Oslo University.
The Norwegian royals have been very active in supporting and grieving with the nation, but it has not been very easy for one member.
Haakon’s wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has a connection to the shootings on Utøya island. Her step-brother, Trond Berntsen, was among the dozens killed by Anders Behring Breivik. Berntsen, age 51, was an off duty policeman who was working as a security guard for the Labor Party summer camp on Utøya. It is believed he was the second person Breivik shot.
Source: AP, Telegraph
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