The Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan is right now counting down to the three day royal wedding set to take place starting Thursday. The people of this isolated country have been waiting excitedly since its 31 year old King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck announced back in May that he was getting married, and now the time has come.
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All over Bhutan, photographs of the King with his bride-to-be, 21 year old Jetsun Pema, are decorating buildings and lamp posts. Buttons featuring the couple’s images are on sale, and the people in its capital, Thimpu, are preparing to celebrate in colorful clothes and dances for the next three days.
Meanwhile, the bride, and Queen-to-be, Jetsun Pema, traveled to the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang temple in Dochula where she offered prayers on the eve of her wedding. Once married, Jetsun will be the world’s youngest Queen, and perhaps the most beautiful.
It is said that the couple have known each other for years. In August, the King told villagers that when he was 17, he met a then 7 year old Jetsun during a family picnic in Thimpu. During that time, the future King told the young girl, “When you grow up, if I am single and not married and if you are single and not married, I would like you to be my wife, provided we still feel the same.”
And apparently they do!
King Jigme has been the monarch of this tiny Himalayan country since 2008. His father abdicated in order to bring in a more modern form of government, and this King is mostly a figurehead while his father was an absolute ruler. Despite not having much powers, Jigme is popular with his people due to his laidback, down to earth attitude.
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He is one of 10 children and was educated at Oxford. He is known for liking Elvis, mountain biking and playing basketball, something his wife-to-be also enjoys.
Not much is know about Bhutan’s next Queen, except she is the daughter of a pilot, educated in India and is a college student in Britain, where she studies international relations.
But the Bhutanese have noticed that the two are very much in love. During the period between their engagement announcement and their wedding, the couple went on a tour of the country’s villages. The people saw them openly hold hands.
“He really loves her,” said 16-year-old schoolgirl Jurme Choden as she waited to practise a dance routine for the public celebrations on Saturday. “Wherever he goes he holds her hand. Now young people are starting to copy.”
“I don’t know that much about her, but she’s beautiful,” said Zhung Chuck, a 23-year-old business student. “His Majesty chose the right one.”
Tomorrow morning, according to the most auspicious time by Buddhist monks, the couple will wed at a 17th-century fortress in the ancient capital Punakha. A senior Buddhist cleric will conduct the ceremony. It will be broadcast nationwide.
Don’t expect this wedding to have the same amount of guests as the recent royal weddings in Great Britain and Monaco did. No head of states have been invited, and the wives of Bhutan’s ministers have been left out due to seating issues. This wedding is intended to be purely modest.
See more photos of the preparations here.
King Jigme and the then Queen Jetsun will not emerge in public until Saturday, into a small sports stadium in Thimpu.
As Queen, Jetsun is expected to concentrate on charity work, but also to produce a much needed heir.
“If anything happened to our king, then who would take over the throne?” Tempa Gyeltshen told AFP. “What we are all hoping for is children.”
According to the new constitution, Jetsun will be Jigme’s only wife. His father had four, all sisters.
The great-great-grandson of the last Kaiser married Saturday in an event that sparked German interest in royalty. Prince Georg Friedrich Ferdinand of Prussia wed Princess Sophie of Isenburg in Potsdam, Germany, outside of Berlin at Sanssouci Palace. The couple married in a private civil ceremony on Friday, but Saturday’s religious wedding had many royals – both reigning and non-reigning – in attendance.
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It also attracted the attention of several hundred curious on-lookers who gathered outside the church to get a glimpse of the newlyweds. The ceremony was also aired live on local German television, which is fascinating considering the couple were unknowns in the country until they announced their engagement last year, and plus, Germany abolished the monarchy in 1918.
“People are longing for things they don’t get out of the republic,” says Rolf Seelmann-Eggebert, who will provide live commentary for broadcaster RBB, a public-service broadcaster based in Berlin and Potsdam. In a confusing, fast-changing world, “people are looking for little princes and princesses who are born and will be of some importance for the rest of their life,” he says.
These days, former German royals maintain their titles, even though they have no meaning and work regular jobs. Prince Georg Friedrich, age 35 and Princess Sophie, age 33, both work as consultants in Berlin.
Had the monarchy stayed in Germany, the Prince would be the Kaiser. But now, he is simply the head of the House of Hohenzollern, the family where the Kaisers came from.
Both Georg Friedrich and Sophie have not granted interviews despite the wide interest in their wedding.
The royal guests at the wedding included Princess Sybilla of Luxembourg, Prince Hassan of Jordan, and Prince Laurent of Belgium. The non-reigning royals there included Grand Duchess Maria, claimant to the Romanov throne.
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.
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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.
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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.
The cousin of the King of Jordan got married Friday in a ceremony attended by Arab and European royals alike. Prince Rashid Al Hassan, the son of King Abdullah II’s uncle, 31 year old Prince El Hassan, married Zeina Shabban, age 23 and a former athlete. The couple got engaged about a year ago.
The ceremony took place at Basman Palace in the presence of the King, Queen Rania, Prince El Hassan and his wife, Princess Sarvath, plus the bride’s extended family.
Royals in attendance were King Hamad of Bahrain, Queen Sofia of Spain, Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The groom’s father was once heir to the Hashemite Kingdom for decades. But in 1999, on his deathbed, Prince Hassan’s brother, King Hussein, changed the succession and gave the throne to his son, Abdullah. If King Hussein had not made that historic change. Prince Rashid would be heir to the Jordanian throne now, and Princess Zeina, the next Queen.
After many years of bachelorhood, Monaco’s Prince Albert II married longtime girlfriend Charlene Wittstock. The couple married twice – once in a civil ceremony, the other religious. Royals, heads of state, celebrities and other dignitaries attended the nuptials and the Monegasque people happily celebrated that their sovereign Prince finally tied the knot.
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But with the weddings came a dark cloud of possible scandal. In the days leading up to the event, it was widely reported that Charlene tried to escape to her home of South Africa upon learning that her fiancé might have fathered a child out of wedlock. Supposedly, Ms. Wittstock was stopped at an airport in Nice and had her passport confiscated.
The reports were brushed off simply as rumors, and Albert and Charlene even appeared in public the day the story broke, hand in hand through the streets of the tiny principality.
Even the bride-to-be told Vogue magazine on Friday that the rumors were just that.
“It is a shame that those rumors came at such a bad time, but I think they were timed to sabotage such a happy occasion. They are categorical lies. I won’t dignify them with any response other than to say that the photographs of me and Albert in love and getting married will speak louder than any vicious gossip and empty rumors.”
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Hours later, Charlene sat in the throne room of the palace where she and Albert were married in a civil ceremony. Wearing a pale blue dress suit designed by Giorgio Armani, Charlene Wittstock became Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco as she said “Oui” meaning that she will take Prince Albert II as her husband.
After the short and intimate ceremony, the newlyweds went out onto the balcony, where they waved to the crowds below. Those crowds were watching the event on large screens outside of the palace.
At one point, the Prince and his new Princess leaned in for a kiss which delighted the crowds. However, the photo of the kiss showed Albert with his eyes open and Charlene almost cringing.
In the evening, Their Serene Highnesses attended a concert by French musician Jean Michel Jarre. The couple appeared on stage to thank the people of Monaco for their support.
At 5pm on Saturday, came the religious nuptials, being held at the palace courtyard. Many Monegasques gathered outside to the palace once again to watch not only the wedding on giant screens, but also to see the guests arrive. Sport honorees and entertainment legends were among those invited, as well as some heads of state including Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France. Royalty in the attendance included the King and Queen of Belgium, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Britain’s Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg. Each guest received cheers as they walked up the red carpet to the courtyard.
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But the biggest cheers were for the bride, Princess Charlene. Wearing a Giorgio Armani gown made with 40,000 Swarovski crystals and 20,000 mother of pearl teardrops, plus a 19th century diamond headpiece, the new Princess was escorted down the aisle by her father. Eyes downcast and barely smiling, Charlene gave watchers an impression of being shy and serious.
Inside the courtyard was the 90 minute long Roman Catholic ceremony conducted by Bishop Bernard Barsi. Bible readings were done by Prince Albert’s two eldest nieces, Pauline Ducruet and Charlotte Casiraghi. Songs were sung by Andrea Bocelli and Pumeza Matshikiza of South Africa. During the wedding, Albert and Charlene exchanged glances, winks and smiles, but overall appeared somber.
Once the signing of the registration was complete, the Prince and Princess walked out of the courtyard and past the Monegasque people who tossed flower petals at them. The newlyweds then got into a Lexus which took them to the Sainte Devote, where Charlene laid her bouquet in honor of Monaco’s patron saint.
The festivities lasted well into night as Prince Albert and Princess Charlene celebrated with their friends and family about their new lives together.
But its doesn’t look like that is off to a good start. Within hours of the religious wedding, palace officials in Monaco confirmed that Prince Albert will take a paternity test to determine if he did father a child out of wedlock with another woman. If he did, it will be the third child he produced. He already is the biological father to Jazmin Grace, an American teenager, and Alexandre Costa, the 6 year old son of a Togolese flight attendant. Neither of those children can claim Monaco’s throne as they are illegitimate.
If the Prince really did cheat on Charlene and father a child, many royal watchers will wonder if Charlene will grin and bear it or leave for South Africa as she originally intended.
This weekend, Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, niece of the Queen of Denmark, married her longtime love, Alexander Johannsmann during a religious ceremony at the castle of Bad Berleburg in Germany.
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The couple had already tied the knot in a civil ceremony in May 2010 and are the proud parents of a son, Konstantin who is nearly a year old.
Their wedding was attended by their friends and family, who included the Danish royal house and the Greek royals. The latter turned up because Princess Nathalie’s other aunt, Anne Marie is the former Queen of Greece. Nathalie herself is the youngest daughter of Princess Benedikte, the middle sister of Queen Margrethe II and Queen Anne Marie.
Wearing a gown designed by Danish couturier Henrik Hviid and the Khedive of Egypt Cartier Tiara, the bride was all smiles as she and Alexander emerged from the church after the hour long ceremony. The wedding party and guests then attended the reception at the castle.
Princess Nathalie competes in horse dressing and has won many awards for her participation. Alexander Johannsmann’s family runs a company that provides horses for such competition. Along the way, Nathalie and Alexander met and fell in love.
There’s another royal wedding in the works for 2011, and this time its in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. But this one would be low-key according to King Jigme Khesar Wangchuk, as he told parliament Friday of his intentions to marry commoner Jetsun Pema in October.
“The wedding will be in accordance with age-old tradition, to seek the blessings of our guardian deities,” the King said. “I ask the government not to make any plans for a grand celebration. The happiness of my beloved father and the blessings of our people will give me the greatest joy and happiness.”
21 year old Jetsun Pema is described by King Jigme as “warm and kind in heart and character”. She has been educated in India and in the U.K. Reports say Jetsun enjoys basketball, painting and the fine arts.
31 year-old King Jigme Khesar was crowned in 2008 after his father abdicated to usher in a new era in Bhutan where democracy is still something new. Same goes for electricity, television and the Internet in this isolated country, bordering Nepal, China and India.
Because his father had four wives, it is a wonder if King Jigme Khesar will polygamous as well. Or in keeping with the new era in Bhutan, will he keep only one wife?
In an event royal watchers have been waiting for years, Britain’s Prince William married his university sweetheart, Catherine Middleton on Friday at the historic Westminster Abbey. The wedding was watched by 2 billion around the world, both on television and on the Internet. This was one royal occasion that did not disappoint.
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Guests began to arrive at the Abbey two hours before the ceremony began, with the men dressed in morning suits while the women wore simple dresses and (many) wild hats.
Prince William left Clarence House with his brother and best man, Prince Harry at around 10am local time. Dressed in a red Irish Guards uniform, the Prince looked relaxed and excited for his big day. Once getting to the Abbey, he and Harry waited in the wings while many other guests arrived, including his in-laws, the Middleton family and the royal family.
Catherine Middleton left Goring Hotel under a canopy to hide her top secret dress. But once inside the Rolls Royce, it was clear just how beautiful her gown was. Reminiscent of Grace Kelly when she wed the Prince of Monaco in 1956, the wedding dress had lacy sleeves and bodice representing the floral of the four areas of the United Kingdom – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. When she arrived at the Abbey and stepped out of the car, Catherine unveiled the dress for the world to see.
See more pics of Catherine arriving here
It was designed by Sarah Burton for the Alexander McQueen label. This moment was clearly monumental in the world of both royalty and fashion, and has made Sarah Burton a household name.
Besides the gown, Catherine also wore the Cartier tiara, on loan from Queen Elizabeth II.
Escorted by her father Michael through the Abbey, Catherine looked poised even if she was blushing a bit.
At the altar, Prince William had his back turned, preparing himself to be surprised by what his bride looked like. Catherine intended to surprise him today.
And she did. When she made it to his side, the Prince said, “You look beautiful”.
He also joked her father, saying “We’re supposed to have just a small family affair.”
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The recitation of vows went off without a hitch. The only ring given was to Catherine from William, who never intended to wear a ring.
The ceremony included a reading from the Bible by the bride’s brother, James. Several hymns were played, and within an hour, William and his new wife emerged from signing the registration beaming and happily in love. Catherine from now on is Her Royal Highness, and she and her husband are to be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The couple elegantly walked out of Westminster Abbey and into an open air carriage, which took them through the streets of London. Thousands cheered for the newlyweds, who warmly waved to them. The carriage took them to Buckingham Palace.
About an hour after arriving there, the Duke and Duchess walked out onto the balcony. Within minutes, they gave what Britons and the whole world was waiting for – a kiss.
The couple gave each other a warm peck – a far cry from the awkward kiss Prince Charles and Princess Diana exchanged in 1981.
But one kiss was not enough. The crowds outside Buckingham Palace cheered “one more kiss!”, and indeed William and Catherine did to a roar of cheers.
A reception was held at Buckingham Palace for many of the nearly 2,000 guests at the wedding. Later in the day, William and Catherine emerged from the Palace in an open aired sports car with the words “Just Wed” on the back. The Prince drove the car through London to Clarence House, where his father is holding a dinner reception – this time for the friends and family of the couple.
For that reception, Catherine changed into a strapless white gown with a jeweled belt – also designed by Sarah Burton.
After all this, Prince William and Catherine will head off to their honeymoon.
The preparations are done, the rehearsals are complete, and Prince William and Catherine Middleton said their farewells to each other before they see each other again tomorrow at their epic wedding at Westminster Abbey.
While Wednesday was reported to be the final rehearsal at the medieval venue, the truth is that one was final for Prince William. Catherine, on the other hand, had one last run through this morning at the Abbey with soon-to-be brother-in-law Prince Harry and a few of her bridal party.
Afterward, she and Harry rode through the streets of London with the people who are already camped out for their spot along the procession route cheering for her.
Catherine went to Clarence House where she and William said their final good-byes until tomorrow. Then Catherine rode to Goring Hotel, where her family is staying for the night. Looking happy and every bit the princess, she waved to the crowds gathered outside the hotel. That is where the bride will leave for her wedding tomorrow.
To make sure no one sees what her much anticipated wedding dress will look like, a large canopy has been placed over the entrance of Goring Hotel so Catherine could enter the Rolls-Royce Phantom VI transporting her to the Abbey. Then when she steps out, the world will finally see what the bride’s dress will look like.
Also today, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, made a surprise visit to those camped out along The Mall. She told them, “We’re all ready for tomorrow – its wonderful and all very exciting!”
“There’s a great atmosphere out here and it’s so nice to meet people and see how the celebrations are getting underway.”
Today, the wedding program was unveiled, featuring the songs to be sung and admitting that no, Catherine will not vow to obey her husband.
The program also had a message from the bride and groom, telling the world a deep heart thank you for their support during the days leading up to the wedding.
Whatever happens tomorrow, it is sure to be a loving, romantic occasion.
I know its early, but…three cheers for William and Catherine!
UPDATE: Hours before his nuptials, Prince William made an impromptu walkabout to greet the crowds waiting along the procession route. The Prince shook hands and posed for pictures. Supposedly, he said he was concerned about the crowd camping out overnight.
Saturday revealed the official guest list for next Friday’s wedding between Prince William and Catherine Middleton. As expected, dozens of royals from many other countries are said to be attending. Here is the list of those royals:
The Prince and Princess of the Asturias
The Crown Prince of Bahrain
Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium
The Sultan of Brunei and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha
King Simeon II and Queen Margarita of Bulgraria
The Queen of Denmark
King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes
Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and Prince Constantine of Greece
Sheikh Ahmad Hmoud Al-Sabah of Kuwait
Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso and Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho
The Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia
Prince Albert II of Monaco and Miss Charlene Wittstock
Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco
The Crown Prince and Princess of The Netherlands
The King and Queen of Norway
Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman
The Emir of The State of Qatar and Sheika Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned
King Michael I of Romania and Crown Princess Margarita
Prince Mohamed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Princess Fadwa bint Khalid bin Abdullah bin Abdulrahman
The Queen of Spain
The King of Swaziland
The Crown Princess of Sweden and The Duke of Vastergotland
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
The King of Tonga
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Yugoslavia
The Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia
As impressive as the list is, royals from two countries have been glaringly left off the list. Jordanian royalty such as King Abdullah II, Queen Rania or even Queen Noor are not attending the wedding. Also, royals from the tiny Alpine principality of Liechtenstein are not coming.
Other guests include members of the Church of England, Parliament and the Commonwealth leaders.
There are several guests who are neither royal nor dignitary, though some may consider them to be dignitaries in their fields. Football star David Beckham is coming, as is singers Joss Stone and Elton John, journalists Ben Fogle and Tom Bradby, director Guy Ritchie, and Mario Testino who photographed William and Catherine’s official engagement photos.
To see the complete list of the guests, click here.
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