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In an interview marking his 46th birthday, Japan’s Prince Akishino made some controversial remarks about the age limits of Emperors.
 View more images of Prince Akishino & family here He said having a retirement age for monarchs is “one idea” and “discussions should be held including at what age to draw the line.”
“When you pass a certain age, it gradually becomes difficult for people to do various things,” said Akishino, who’s father, Emperor Akihito, will turn 78 in late December.
Under the 1947 Imperial House Law, a male who is a descendant of an Emperor would ascend to the Chrysanthemum throne upon the Emperor’s death.
Akishino’s comments have led many to wonder if there is a crisis going on within the imperial family. According to the Daily Yomiuri, many of the Prince’s comments reflected the beliefs held by many among members of the royals and senior officials of the Imperial Household Agency.
These remarks come just days after it was announced there will be dynastic changes to the family, particularly allowing princesses to maintain their titles after marrying commoners.
Sources: Inside Japan Tours, Daily Yomiuri
The Queen of Jordan spoke Wednesday about the need for education at the Opening Ceremony of the Fourth High Level forum on Aid Effectiveness in the South Korean port city of Busan.
 Click here to learn more “We are in a constant continuum of change which is altering the context of development,” said Queen Rania while stressing the need for smart aid towards education.
“Education is more than a right; its a resource,” she said. “It can combat almost every global humanitarian challenge today.”
The Queen went on to say how 67 million children worldwide are unable to attend classes, there are too few teachers and outdated curricula, and many students graduate without the skills needed for a fast changing world.
Rania also highlighted that women need to be encouraged because they “contributed more to global GDP than either new technologies or the emerging economies of China and India.”
Also on Wednesday, Her Majesty visited a teacher’s college and an elementary school in Busan. Kim Sang-young, president of Busan National University of Education, told her about the admissions process, training courses and operations.
Queen Rania was certainly impressed by the South Korean system. “Korea is a prime example of how the power of education can transform a nation,” she told Kim.
“We, Jordan, are facing similar challenges that Korea experienced decades ago. I strongly believe that the single most important element in education is the quality of the teachers.”
She also expressed her envy over how popular and competitive it is to be licensed teacher in the country, whereas in Jordan, teaching is not too many students’ desire.
The Queen was in South Korea for the 4th High-Level International Forum on Aid Effectiveness. She was one of the VIP guests along with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.N. Secretary General Ban ki-moon, and for British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Sources: Petra, Korea Times
Crown Prince Leka of Albania passed away Wednesday at a hospital in Tirana. He was 72 years old.
 Check out the Albanian Royal Family website here He was admitted to the Mother Teresa Hospital last week for heart and lung problems and went into a coma soon after.
Leka was the only son of King Ahmet Zogu, who reigned between 1928 and 1939, and Queen Geraldine.
Just days after his birth, Leka’s family was forced to flee Albania when Italy invaded. The Crown Prince would spend 63 years living in exile in Europe and Africa.
He was crowned King Leka I by the Albanian diaspora at the Bristol hotel in Paris in 1961, the year his father died.
Leka returned to his country in 1993 after the fall of communism but was prevented to stay. He tried again in 1997, this time to re-establish the monarchy by force, which failed. He would return permanently in 2002.
Albania’s Prime Minister Sali Berisha declared this coming Saturday as a national day of mourning and the Crown Prince’s funeral will have “royal attributes”.
“His active efforts and role to topple the communist system and, during transition, to heighten Albania’s national values and promote the integrating process remain alive in the nation’s memory,” said Albania’s President Bamir Topi.
Leka is survived by his son, Leka born in 1982, who works for the Albanian foreign ministry.
Source: AFP, AP
On Tuesday, the royals of the Netherlands welcomed President Amadou Toumani Touré of Mali to their country. The president and his wife, Lobbo Traore, are on a three day state visit. It comes within days of news of a Dutchman being kidnapped in Mali.
 Click here for more images President Touré mentioned the kidnapping in his speech during the state banquet at the Royal Palace Noordeinde at The Hague. He told the Dutch people that he is “terribly sorry that this happened”. He also promised to help the situation.
Her Majesty Queen Beatrix thanked Touré for his apology, saying “I appreciate very much that you personally spoken in response to your horror over the terrible incident.”
She added, “We all hope for a good outcome.”
The Dutch national, who’s name is unknown, was abducted at a restaurant in Timbuktu along with two others, a Swede and a South African.
Before the state banquet, the President and his wife were received by Queen Beatrix during a welcoming ceremony. Later on, Touré met with members of Parliament and even gave a speech discussing the economic developments of Mali.
Sources: De Telegraaf, Eerstekamer, NOS
Crown Princess Mette-Marit revealed she did not complete her management studies at the Norwegian School of Management in Oslo. The news came from a two-part documentary about her which aired on Norwegian television over the weekend.
 See more photos of Mette-Marit here In the documentary, the Crown Princess claimed she was too busy to complete her master’s degree.
“The program has been so easy until now,” Mette-Marit said on the program. “I have trained myself not to be so good and that not everything had to be perfect, and I think that really is a bit good for me.”
Royal watcher Kjell Arne Totland has been speaking to the Norwegian media, saying he is not surprised the future Queen gave up on her studies.
“It was too difficult to combine studies with work as a Princess and a normal family life. I know that these studies has meant a lot to Mette-Marit and understand that she was upset because she has not been able to complete as planned. Maybe that was why she had to take a timeout in the fall?” Totland said, referring to the private world tour Mette-Marit took with her family in late 2010.
“It is after all a great respect of what she has accomplished and achieved in recent years,” Totland pointed out. “And who knows? Maybe she will take it up again later? I think it is great for Mette-Marit to be able to see the positive and come to the realization that no one can overcome all.”
As of now, there is no word if the Crown Princess would ever continue with her studies.
Sources: TV2, Seher
 Click here for original article Tuesday saw the eldest grandchild of the Emperor and Empress of Japan take part in a duck hunt in Chiba prefecture.
20 year old Princess Mako joined her parents, Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, in showing ambassadors from 11 countries this traditional Japanese event. It was among her first royal duties as an adult member of the imperial family.
The way duck hunting goes is the person catches a wild duck with their own hands and then sets it free.
Although Princess Mako is slowly being added to the schedule for imperial duties, she won’t be full time royal until she completes her studies at the International Christian I University in April 2012.
Source: 47news.jp
 Click here for more photos at Daylife.com The government of Kuwait submitted its resignation to its ruler, Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah Monday, after facing pressure from the opposition over corruption accusations.
“We decided to submit our resignation to comply with the national interest and due to the danger the situation had reached,” the state television channel reported Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah as saying.
However, the government will continue as caretakers until a new one is formed, though there is no deadline yet.
This announcement comes less than two weeks after protesters broke into Parliament, demanding for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser, the nephew of the Emir.
Protests over the corruption scandals in the government have been going since before this year’s Arab Spring, but this time it has intensified.
With the announcement that the government will stay on, the demonstrators held a night vigil near Parliament.
“We hope that the next step is dissolving the parliament, because a quarter of the members were referred to the prosecutor over corruption allegations,” Islamist opposition lawmaker Dhaifallah Buramia said, according to Reuters.
The Prime Minister has been questioned by the government over corruption charges before. Tuesday he was scheduled to appear for another round of questioning, but it is unknown if that meeting will take place. Sheikh Nasser is being accused of accepting bribes from members of Parliament, and his removal has been demanded for the past two years.
Kuwait is facing a stalled economy and its people are watching Qatar and the United Arab Emirates develop in wealth in recent years.
Despite the disgruntled attitude among Kuwaitis, there is no call to remove the royal family or ban the monarchy.
Source: AP, Gulf News, Reuters
Fresh off his week long official visit to Australia, Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik is now on a three day visit to Vietnam. His Royal Highness is there to mark 40 years of diplomacy between the two countries.
 View more photos here Monday saw Frederik meet with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan in Hanoi.
For the next few days, he will oversee the signing of agreements between Denmark and Vietnam, particularly in the areas of climate, environment and green technology.
The Crown Prince will also promote Danish culture. Tomorrow, he will attend a performance of August Bournonville’s classic ballet ‘La Ventana’ at the opera house. Later in the evening, he will watch a badminton tournament between Danish player Peter Gade and Vietnam’s Nguyen Tien Minh.
The last time Frederik has been to Vietnam was two years when he, his parents, and his wife spent about a week promoting bilateral ties. It is not fully known why Crown Princess Mary did not accompany her husband on this trip.
Source: Politiken
 Click here for more images The Netherlands’ Princess Maxima was on hand to give this year’s Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund Prize 2011 at the Muziekgebouw
in Amsterdam Monday. This year’s winner was famed Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn.
The ceremony had Coldplay’s Chris Martin and U2 frontman Bono performing for their friend, who has frequently photographed and even directed some of U2′s music videos. Corbijn has also photographed David Bowie, Tom Waits and Miles Davis. In addition, he has directed two movies: Control (2007) and The American (2010).
The reason why Corbijn won this award was because the Prize saw him as “an important, image makers and image-maker of the popular culture of his generation”.
The Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund Prize promote culture in the Netherlands and gives €75,000 to its annual winners.
Sources: RTL, ANP
 Click here for more photos This past Thursday saw the Emperor of Japan be discharged from the University of Tokyo hospital, nearly three weeks after he was admitted for fever, cold and symptoms of bronchitis.
77 year old Emperor Akihito thanked the doctors, nurses and staff who took care of him before being driven to the Palace with Empress Michiko.
His Majesty will not return to royal duties any time soon. He will be resting for about a week.
Grand Steward Shingo Haketa said the Imperial Household Agency “should consider (the emperor’s) health more than ever, but there also are important duties and finding the right balance will be another issue.”
During Akihito’s hospitalization, his son and heir, Crown Prince Naruhito often stood in for him for engagements.
Source: Mainichi Daily
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