Royal weddings from the past - King Harald V and Queen Sonja (1968)

Crown Prince Harald got engaged to Sonja Haraldsen in March 1968. They had been dating for nine years, although this had been kept secret because of opposition to her non-royal status. The Crown Prince made it clear to his father, then King Olav V, that he would remain unmarried for life unless he could marry her. This would in effect have put an end to the rule of his family and probably to the monarchy in Norway; he was the sole heir to the throne. Faced with having to choose one of his relatives from the Danish Royal Family, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein or even the Grand Dukes of Oldenburg as his new heir in place of his son, Olav V consulted the government for advice and the result was that the couple were wed on August 29th, 1968, at Oslo Domkirke in Oslo. She thus acquired the style of Royal Highness and the title of Crown Princess of Norway. To watch the video of their wedding, click here.

[Norway] King Harald and Queen Sonja's wedding on August 29th, 1968 (after a 9-year secret courtship)

Like mother like son #5: Belgian Crown Princess Mathilde and her son, prince Gabriel

It's undeniable: prince Gabriel has his mother's eyes, doesn't he? Do you see any further resemblances between mother and son?

Prince Gabriel Boudewijn Karel Maria was born on August 20th, 2003, meaning he just turned 7. He is Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde's second son.

All these kids are growing up so fast! we will have a lot of wedding in twenty years! (what the heck am I saying?)

[Denmark] Go Prince Nicolai, it's your birthday!

Last week, the Danish Royal Family reunited to celebrate prince Nicolai 11th birthday. And what a pleasant surprise it was to see how well Alexandra and Joachim deal with each other after their divorce in 2005. The birthday was celebrated at Alexandra's place, where she lives with her husband, Martin Jörgensen. Princess Marie attended with little prince Henrik, Queen Margrethe, Crown Prince Frederik, his wife Mary and daughter Isabella (as for the photos, because I guess there were other guests left unphotographed).
Reminder: prince Nicolai William Alexander Frederik was born on August 28th, 1999

Queen Rania of Jordan (@queenrania) turned 40 this week #1 > her youth

As I told you here a couple of days ago, it was Queen Rania's 40th birthday. Let's do a little retrospective on her life, shall we?

A gifted student, Rania was born in Kuwait as the second of three children to a Palestinian paediatrician. The family fled to Jordan following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Her brother Majdi has said their upbringing was "boring in its normalcy" – but that is just what allows the Queen to connect so successfully with her people. "I understand where they are coming from," she says. "I am a product of this society and I can relate to them." Rania went to the New English School in Jabriya Kuwait, before reading Business Administration at the American University in Cairo and moving back to Jordan to take on high profile marketing jobs at Citibank and Apple. Shortly afterwards, however, her life was set to change forever...

[Fashion] Tatiana's wedding gown

A ravishing blonde in the mould of Grace Kelly, Prince Nikolaos of Greece's wife Tatiana didn't need much to look special. But her gown, a traditional yet sophisticated design from New York-based Venezuelan maestro Angel Sanchez, transformed her into a truly radiant bride, drawing gasps from onlookers as she arrived by horse-drawn carriage. Created from 40 metres of French Chantilly lace, the strapless dress featured a moulded bodice that showed off her slender waist, before falling to her feet and finishing in a sweeping train. Luckily, the designer was on hand personally to help her down and arrange her full-length veil. Covering her shoulders was a bolero in the same material that she took off for the reception. Her honey blonde locks had been fashioned into elaborate coils at the nape of her neck. The chic hairdo set off a tiara she'd been lent by her mother-in-law, Queen Anne-Marie. A family heirloom, the magnificent headpiece was also worn by Crown Prince Pavlov's wife Marie-Chantal at their 1995 wedding. It started life as a brooch that belonged to Queen Victoria of Sweden's daughter Ingrid, who married into the Danish royal family in 1935. Queen Ingrid then bequeathed the piece to her daughter Anne-Marie. Completing the fairytale look was a pair of diamond drop earrings. With such eye-catching jewellery, Tatiana wisely kept her make-up simple and accessorised with that unmistakeable sign of a newlywed – a dazzling smile.

from Hellomagazine.com

Nikolaos and Tatiana's wedding: a little and last post to summarize it all!

As the sun dipped low over the hills on the picturesque island of Spetses, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, for years one of Europe's most eligible bachelors, promised to love and honour events planner Tatiana Blatnik in a ceremony that mixed pomp with traditional touches. A cheer went up from the crowd as Nikolaos, 40, the third of King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie's five children, arrived at the whitewashed monastery of Ayios Nikolaos, flanked by his mother. Constantine was deposed in 1974 – but it was clear from the hundreds of enthusiastic well wishers clamouring to greet the groom that the family still has a hold on the public imagination. Also lending an aura of royal glamour to the occasion was the dazzling array of distinguished guests, decked out in full evening attire. Expectant Princess Mary, her blossoming figure swathed in a pretty patterned gown, represented the Danish royal family, along with her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe, who is Anne-Marie's sister – making her the groom's aunt. Nikolaos' aunt on his father's side, Queen Sofia of Spain attended with her children. Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria and her new husband Prince Daniel, just back from their own honeymoon a few weeks ago were also in the congregation. Of course, though, the bride was the one everyone wanted to see. Sweeping up to the monastery in the horse-drawn carriage customary on the island, Tatiana, who works for Diane von Furstenberg, more than lived up to the expectations. Every inch the princess, Nikolaos' bride was breathtaking in an ivory Angel Sanchez gown with a chantilly lace overlay, teamed with a matching bolero and full-length veil. Completing the regal but feminine look was a pair of diamond drop earrings and the antique corsage tiara, lent by her new mother-in-law. Since her own father sadly passed away when she was small, the 29-year-old was escorted up the aisle by her stepfather Attilio Brillembourg. Once inside the elegant blonde received a wedding band to complement a stunning engagement ring, topped with a sapphire that was given to Nikolaos by his mother, who received it from her own parents, King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. Having arrived Ms Tatiana Blatnik she left HRH Princess Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark. But the applause that rang out from the throngs when she received a passionate kiss from her groom appeared to be prompted as much by the sight of a couple deeply in love as by thoughts of their status.

from Hellomagazine.com

Queen Rania of Jordan turns... 40 today!

And yes, I confirmed it, she was born on August 31st, 1970. Means the youngest reigning Queen in the world is now 40 years old. But let's be honest: she looks 25-30!

All the best for Queen Rania, her family and several humanitarian endeavors!

[United-Kingdom] Zara and Peter open up on life with their mother as Princess Anne celebrates 60th birthday

Princess Anne – only daughter of the Queen, mother to Zara and Peter Philips, former European Eventing champion, charity patron and a pillar of the British monarchy. What most people don't know is that she has another side to her; one that loves to dance and is not adverse to using underhand tactics to give her son's rugby team a winning edge. In celebration of her milestone 60th birthday on August 15, the Princess Royal has given a special interview to the BBC in which she - and her two children - share revealing insights into her life. It is the first time that Peter – whose wife Autumn is soon to make Anne a grandmother – and Zara have given a joint interview. In one anecdote, brother and sister recall how their mother apparently let one of her dogs loose during a local rugby match to 'tactically' help Peter's team win. And, according to her son, she jumped up and down screaming "start, start" when Zara didn’t hear the bell at the Eventing World Championships in 2006 – Zara went on to win and was crowned Sports Personality of the Year, 35 years after her mum achieved the same feat. "I look at her and just think if I was going to be a mother, that's what I would want to be like," says Anne's proud 29-year-old daughter. "I would like to be as good a mother as she has been to us."

"Her advice generally about life has been invaluable," adds Peter – Anne chose to give neither child a title. "Whenever we may have got slightly above our station she'd be the first one to bring us back down to earth."

"When she's in an environment of people that she knows, whether it be her organisations or family, friends, she definitely relaxes a lot more and is great fun and is always the one laughing the loudest."

"She loves a good dance," adds Zara. "She is good on her feet." As for the princess, who will spend her birthday on Sunday with husband Vice-Admiral Tim Laurence, she says turning 60 and becoming a grandmother in December, doesn't mean she is going to slow down. "Look at the members of my family who are considerably older than me and tell me whether you think they have set an example which suggests that I might," she says. "Unlikely."

from Hellomagazine.com

Wedding in a Greek Island aka paradise for Tatiana and Nikolaos of Greece

[Nikolaos of Greece and Tatiana's wedding] ... and finally, the bride and groom, Tatiana and Nikolaos

Tatiana and her step-father, Atilio Brillembourg (who is QUITE good looking by the way)

The dress is stunning, isn't it?

And of course, let's seal it all with a well deserved kiss! ;)

[Nikolaos of Greece and Tatiana's wedding] Atilio and Marie-Blanche Brillembourg, Tatiana Blatnik's mother

Atilio Brillembourg and Marie-Blanche Brillembourg, step father and mother of the bride, Tatiana Blatnik

I dunno who this is (can anyone help? Tatiana Blatnik's brother maybe?) Thanks, Jas!

Boris, Tatiana's brother and her mother, Marie-Blanche

[Nikolaos of Greece and Tatiana's pre-wedding] The bride and groom

Tatiana & Nikolaos

They look so happy, I love photos like this one!

[United-Kingdom] Autumn in bloom: first look at Peter Phillips' expectant wife's tiny baby bump

It was the smallest of swellings, but there it was all the same – the beginnings of a baby bump just starting to show underneath Autumn Phillips' jacket. The Canada-born royal strolled hand-in-hand with her husband Peter Phillips as they joined the rest of the British royal family returning from their ten-day Scottish cruise. It was the first time the couple had been photographed in public since announcing the happy news they will welcome their first child.

Autumn and Peter were with the Queen, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Princess Anne among others as the party disembarked from the Hebridean Princess at Scrabster in Caithness.

Making a rare public appearance were also the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn.

Prince Charles was unable to go on the trip, which was chartered by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to celebrate Princess Anne's 60th birthday on August 15 and the Duke of York's 50th, which fell in February. Instead, Charles met the party and accompanied them to the nearby Castle of Mey, home of the late Queen Mother, where he hosted a luncheon.

from Hellomagazine.com