Have you ever wondered what King Juan Carlos II of Spain's ringtone sounded like?

It's one of his grandkids' laughter! how cute!

Stephanie of Monaco: Charlene [Wittstock] will make a 'dream' sister-in-law

What a year it is for royal weddings. Not only will 2011 mark the nuptials between William and Kate and Zara and Mike, but also the highly-anticipated marriage of Prince Albert of Monaco and his long-term love Charlene Wittstock.

And one lady particularly thrilled by Albert's long-awaited union is his youngest sibling Princess Stephanie, who this week declared her affection for his striking bride-to-be.

Speaking to Le Parisien newspaper, Stephanie said she and Charlene enjoy "very very good relations", touchingly adding: "I couldn’t dream of a better sister-in-law".

Asked whether she is involved in the upcoming wedding, taking place at the beginning of July, the twice-divorced princess replied: "Well, no, but that's OK."

Albert and Charlene, 32, are "taking care of it all", Stephanie, 45, added. "I am planning on enjoying this great moment of happiness for my country, my brother and for all the Monegasque people.

"I am very happy for them. Like all little sisters, I want to see my brother happy. It’s a demonstration of their love and happiness that I'm seeing, which has been theirs for a little while now."

After a change in date, 52-year-old Albert – the only son of Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier III - and Charlene are set to wed on July 2nd during a civil ceremony, followed by a religious service the following day.

The former South African swimming champion and her prince announced their engagement in June after a four-year courtship.

from Hellomagazine.com

[One photo per day] [7] A little (un)usual photo to end the day

Crown Prince Daniel and Princess Madeleine of Sweden at a recent event. This photo has a usual and unusual vibe to it. I mean, it's very normal & frequent to see these family in a happy mood but it's even better to see Madeleine smiling this way with her brother-in-law after all she has been through. I don't know if the rumors of a new love are true or not, but I hope she is nothing less than happy from now on. Don't we all which the same for ourselves?

New photos of Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway and her family

Little future queen of Norway, Princess Ingrid just celebrated her 7th birthday (already?) and her parents, CP Haakon and Mette-Marit released a couple of photos from their Christmas trip to Turkey, Jordan and India. Some of these photos were taken by the Crown Princes themselves.

[Monaco] Princess Stephanie and daughter Pauline attend the 35th International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo

Pauline has grown into an attractive and poised young lady, much like her cousin Charlotte

In what has become a family tradition, circus-loving Stephanie of Monaco and daughter Pauline were joined by Prince Albert at the 35th International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo – an event founded by the former ruler of the principality Prince Rainier.

Sixteen-year-old Pauline proved she's growing into a real beauty as she and her proud mother brought a touch of royal elegance to the fun

Prince Albert wasn't accompanied by his fiancée Charlene Wittstock on this occasion

photos and text from Hellomagazine.com

[The Netherlands] Crown Princess Maxima graduating with young students in Amsterdam

[Norway] Unique glimpse at royal days from the past

The book focuses on the years when the late Crown Princess Märtha was at the center of attention and when, as author Morten Ole Mørch claims, Norway’s monarchy evolved into a strong institution. Märtha was a Swedish princess and the cousin of her suitor, Norway’s dashing young Crown Prince Olav, father of today’s King Harald V.

There are many photos of today’s king as a little boy, along with his two older sisters, princesses Ragnhild and Astrid. The book, however, concentrates on their mother, Crown Princess Märtha, and, to some degree, her mother-in-law Maud, the British princess who married a Danish prince and eventually, as fate and politics would have it, became queen of Norway while continuing to speak English.

The vast array of photos is accompanied by straightforward biographical history of the royal family members and the times themselves, from the roaring 20s through the 1930s, the war years and the post-war years, when the royals came home from exile in Britain and the United States to a nation suffering after the German occupation but keen to rebuild. There’s a lot of history packed between the covers, including detailed accounts of major events like the death of Queen Maud, and the book is available in English as well as Norwegian, instead of only being in Norwegian with some English summaries or captions.

Prince Harald holding hands with his older sister, during a visit from American students at their family home at Skaugum after the war. PHOTO: Bastion Forlag

Crown Prince Olav and Crown Princess Märtha arriving at her family's summer home in Sweden with their young princesses, Ragnhild and Astri. PHOTO: Bastion Forlag

Queen Maud at her desk in the Royal Palace in Oslo. PHOTO: Bastion Forlag

 King Haakon (from left), Queen Maud, Crown Princess Märtha and Crown Prince Olav on official duties in 1938, just before Maud's death in England later that year. PHOTO: Bastion Forlag

read more @ Newsinenglish.no

[One photo per day] [6] A little unusual photo to end the day

So nice to see her smiling!

[United-Kingdom] "No gifts please!": Kate & William want charity donations

What do you get the couple who seemingly have everything? That may have been the dilemma faced by invitees to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.

Not any more, however. The bride-and-groom to be have apparently decided to dispense with the traditional wedding list – and are instead asking guests to donate to charity.

The couple will accept presents from close friends and family, but are asking all other guests to make a private donation to a cause.

The final details are yet to be decided, but the organisations that will benefit could include one of the 23 charities of which William is patron.

These include homeless charity Centrepoint, The Child Bereavement Charity and the Tusk Trust. They could also include the Starlight children's charity with which Kate is associated.

from Hellomagazine.com

[Sweden] Crown Princess Victoria not pregnant, says royal palace

Photos of Crown Princess Victoria wearing a loose-fitting top on a visit to the United Arab Emirates sent the pregnancy rumour mill into overdrive in Sweden.

But the royal palace has emphatically denied that the future queen is expecting. And, they've added, she will not respond to any questions on the subject for the duration of her foreign trip – which wraps up on Friday.

Reports that Victoria is expecting have been circulating for some time.

It was claimed she declined to drink any alcohol at the recent Nobel gala.

Swedish royal expert Daniel Nyhlen added to the speculation by claiming to have heard from "reliable sources" that the princess was pregnant.

from Hellomagazine.com

Princess Madeleine of Sweden Finds East Village Prince Charming

Last April, Princess Madeleine of Sweden got some bad news. According to a gossip rag, her dashing lawyer fiancé, Jonas Bergstrom, had cheated on her with a 21-year-old Norwegian handball player. Within a few days, Madeleine had ended the relationship of eight years and hopped on a plane to New York to hide out and recover "for a few weeks." (She returned, of course, to witness her elder sister Princess Victoria's glamorous wedding, which was surely a delight for her.) Almost a year later, she's still here — and apparently, she's found her prince charming. Chris O'Neill, a financial adviser and son of socialite Eva O'Neill, has been spotted squiring Madeleine around town. One tourist videotaped the two at the Central Park Boathouse engaging in some light petting. (Literally — she pets his arm. That's it.) According to "Page Six," a source says "she is always happy when she is with him." Neighbors of O'Neill tell the tabloid they've seen the pair "canoodling" at his East Village townhouse.

Does it matter that O'Neill's not a royal himself? Not to the Swedes, apparently. Last summer Crown Princess Victoria married her trainer, Daniel Westling. Her brother, Prince Carl Philip, is reportedly dating a reality-TV star who is also a topless model.

from nymag.com

American mogul makes princess his Swede-heart

An affair between downtown moneyman Christopher O'Neill and his uptown girl -- the gorgeous Princess Madeleine of Sweden -- has become the hottest gossip of Stockholm's long, cold winter.

O'Neill, a 36-year-old millionaire who dispenses financial advice to super-wealthy clients, is "in a love affair" with his 28-year-old Swedish dish, a source close to the couple told The Post.

A Spanish tourist armed with a cellphone took a video of the lovebirds at the Central Park Boathouse that has become an Internet sensation in the Nordic nation. Madeleine, the height of style in a white fur vest, is seen affectionately rubbing O'Neill's arm.

"She is always happy when she is with him," the source said.

Madeleine, a k a the duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland, is the daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

O'Neill's family also has a regal connection -- his mother, Eva, has dated Prince Charles, according the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet.

While Madeleine's romance has flown under the radar here, pictures of O'Neill with gorgeous women -- in one 2008 photo he is seen posing with lingerie model Maryam Abdullina on a yacht -- appear occasionally on society Web sites.

O'Neill did not return phone calls, and no one answered the door at his East Village residence, where neighbors say they've spotted the couple canoodling.

Madeleine made headlines in April by calling off her wedding to lawyer Jonas Bergstrom after he reportedly cheated on her with a 21-year-old co-ed at a ski resort.

Afterward, the scorned royal moved to the Upper East Side.

She's since been linked to Paris Hilton's ex, Greek playboy Stavros Niarchos, and to a fellow Swede, Ranger goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

from nypost.com

[United-Kingdom] Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall tipped to marry in Scotland

A white-walled parish church on Edinburgh's Royal Mile could be the setting for a royal wedding.

Canongate Kirk is being tipped as the likely venue for Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall's nuptials after the bride-to-be reportedly made enquiries about getting married there on Saturday July 30.

And it has emerged that the church's minister, Reverend Neil Gardner, has asked another couple to move their own wedding to avoid a clash.

Cherith Harrison and Gregg Walter have apparently relocated their big day to Greyfriars Kirk, and the father of the bride has been quoted as saying they were "quite happy" to step aside for Zara and her groom.

The parish church for the Scottish Parliament and Edinburgh Castle, Canongate Kirk was founded in 1688 and completed in 1691 at the behest of King James VII of Scotland.

The interior features pews and fittings unusually painted in baby blue while the white walls are lined with the flags of local regiments.

A spokesperson for Zara, 29, has insisted nothing has been finalised, and Reverend Gardner said he was unable to comment, but he did add: "I'm sure there will be an announcement."

Princess Anne's daughter is said to be "desperate" to wed in Scotland in the summer. The royal family has strong ties with the country and with Canongate Kirk in particular.

The Queen worships there when she stays at the Palace of Holyroodhouse – the monarch's official residence in Scotland and a probable setting for Zara and Mike's reception (pictured below).

And Princess Anne famously tied the knot with second husband Commander Timothy Laurence in a private ceremony at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral, in 1992. Should Zara marry in Scotland, it will be the first royal wedding there since her mother's.

Rugby star Mike, 32, and Zara announced their engagement in December – five weeks after her cousin Prince William confirmed his plans to wed.

The happy couple have been dating for seven years having met in 2003 during the Rugby World Cup.

from Hellomagazine.com

[Sweden] Poll says that Swedes want king to step down in the next ten years

Nearly two-thirds of Swedes would like to see King Carl XVI Gustaf abdicate and hand the throne over to his daughter Princess Victoria, according to a new poll published on Saturday.

Sixty-three percent of those surveyed by the Aftonbladet newspaper said they would like to see the king make way for the 33-year-old princess within the next 10 years. Only 30 percent said he should reign until his death, while the remaining seven percent did not offer an opinion.

Fifteen percent of the 1,000 respondents said the king should step down as soon as possible, 27 percent said he should go within the next five years and 21 percent within the next decade.

The poll comes after the recent publication of a tell-biography of the king which included details of his affairs with a string of younger women, including Camilla Henemark, the lead singer with the Army of Lovers pop group.

The 64-year-old king acceded to the throne in 1973 when he was just 27.

Other members of the Swedish royal family have also found themselves the target of lurid tabloid reporting in recent months, including Prince Carl Philip who has been romantically linked to a reality TV star.

Princess Madeleine, the younger daughter of King Carl and Queen Silvia, broke off her engagement with her long-time boyfriend in April after it emerged that her fiancee had had an affair with a Norwegian woman.

Her older sister Victoria, who married her former fitness instructor in the summer, is the most popular member of the royal family, according to the poll.

While 56 percent said she was their favourite royal, only eight percent nominated Carl Gustaf.

The monarchy as an institution however remains popular with 74 percent of those surveyed supporting its continuation.

article from the AFP

[Denmark] Crown Princess Mary and husband CP Frederik take the twins home

What a beautiful new double addiction to the family. Is it just me or is Princess Mary REALLY glowing naturally? Congrats to the happy parents. And now they are six...

[United-Kingdom] Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall: the engagement ring & photos

Just weeks after Prince William presented his bride-to-be Kate Middleton to the world, another royal couple were delighted to share their happy news.

On Tuesday Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall made their first public appearance since announcing their engagement – and they couldn't have looked more delighted.

In their typically understated style, the couple were casually dressed as they posed in the snowy gardens of their Gloucestershire home. Zara beamed as she showed off the gorgeous diamond band that sealed their love.

Rather than choosing a family heirloom, as William did, Mike decided to design his own ring for his royal bride-to-be. The beautiful piece of jewellery features a single solitaire diamond in the centre. It sits on tens of pave set diamonds on a split shank or band made of platinum. Experts said it was impossible to tell how much the ring was worth without knowing the quality of the diamonds or the jeweller.

Zara said that it came as a complete surprise when Mike asked her to marry him on Monday at their home.

She said: "I was really shocked when Mike proposed but I am very happy", while he added: "I am delighted that Zara has agreed to marry me. We are both very excited about the next stage in our lives together."

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh also spoke of their "delight" at the happy news.

On the subject as to whether Mike had asked Captain Phillips for Zara's hand in marriage, a spokesman said it was a "private matter". But seeing as Mike has admitted to being a "traditional bloke" in past interviews, it's highly likely he asked permission.

There's still no word on where or when the couple will tie the knot, but it seems likely they will do it next year, meaning there'll be two British royal weddings in 2011.

Possible venues include St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle – where Zara's brother Peter Phillips married Autumn Kelly. And the Queen is expected to offer a venue for the reception, such as Frogmore.

from Hellomagazine.com

No slick long blow-dried hair, no Issa dress, no suit for the groom, no special room. They did the photo shoot in the snow, sticking to their style of life and I can only appreciate and respect them for that!

New family photo for Jordan's royal family - stunning picture of King Abdullah II, Queen Rania and their kin

Aren't they beautiful and stylish? 

(and wasn't King Abdullah's height just a tiny bit photoshopped?)

In order, from left to right: Princess Iman (born on September 27th, 1996), Crown Prince Hussein (born on June 28th, 1994), Queen Rania (born on August 30th, 1970), King Abdullah II (born on January 30th, 1962), little Prince Hashem (born on January 30th, 2005 - same day as his father, just 43 years after) and Princess Salma (born on September 26th, 2000).

[Denmark] Crown Prince Frederik gives us more details on newborn twins

Crown Princess Mary gave birth to two healthy children this morning at Rigshospitalet.

The first child delivered, a son, was born at 10:30 weighing 2674 grams and measuring 47 centimeters.

The second child, a girl, was delivered 26 minutes later weighing 2554 grams and measuring 46 centimetres. Both reportedly have dark hair.

While the kingdom has been left guessing about the genders since it was announced in August that the Australian-born Mary, 38, was expecting twins, the closest members of the royal family were aware of their genders, according the crown prince.

No names have been mentioned for the twins yet, but Frederik, 42, noting that today is also Elvis Presley’s birthday, joked “we can call one of them Elvis for now”.

The twins are the third and fourth children for the royal couple. Their first, Prince Christian, was born in 2005 and is second in line to the throne after his father. Princess Isabella was born in 2007 and is third in line.

As is the case with most multiple births, mother, father and the two newborns will remain in the hospital for up to seven days.

from The Copenhagen Post Online

Flash news: Denmark's princess gives birth to twins

Danish media say Denmark's Crown Princess Mary has given birth to twins. National news agency Ritzau says the 38-year-old princess, who was admitted to the Rigshospitalet hospital in Copenhagen early Saturday, has given birth to a boy and a girl.
Tasmanian-born Mary married Crown Prince Frederik in 2004. The couple already have two children, 5-year-old Christian and 3-year-old Isabella.
There was no immediate confirmation from the royal palace.

from the Washington Post

Check out my royal news preview for 2011

I am not a psychic nor do I mean to be one. But I am an avid royal-watcher (have you noticed?) and I am looking forward for this year full of excitement. This is what I think will happen and I will be happy to check it all out in 11 months to see what came true and through and what fell short.

Belgium

Well, as much as I really like the Brabants, I do not see nothing new happening in this family. Everybody is more or less well married, full of kids and they have enough political problems to deal with already. Might be a quiet year for Belgian monarchy. 

Denmark

Oh yeahhhhhhhhhh! babies, two babies on the way! maybe three (if princess Marie is pregnant sometime during the year?). How excited are we about those twins? will it be a boy and a girl? two boys? two girls? what will be the names? I am very excited. It can happen anytime soon. It can be happening now, as you read this!

Liechtenstein

Well, they are like that side to each family that never call or give news. Therefore, we do not know much about them and they do not know much about us. But we hope they are still alive and well and if we get to get any news, we hope they will be full of joy.

Luxembourg

What could possibly happen in Luxembourg in the future?

Monaco

This will be a big year for Monaco. The eternal-bachelor Prince Albert II is finally getting married to his beautiful South African goddess, Charlene Wittstock. She already looks like a princess, making us, royal watchers, damn proud.

This might also be the year we see Princess Caroline finally getting a divorce after so many public appearances without her husband, Prince Ernst of Hannover. Hope they do not keep that quiet so that is does not cause a turmoil: it already is a turmoil!

I do not see any engagements for now. Caroline's three older kids, the Casiraghi gang, are all dating seriously for years but still young and enjoying life and its bliss.

The Netherlands

Well, I think the same as of the Brabants for the Oranje. They are all set, married and working a lot to make the world a better place. I do not think any new pregnancies will be announced this year. It will be a year of growth, but not in quantity but as of quality for the Dutch.

Norway

I do not see either Mette-Marit or Martha-Louise being pregnant this year. The first is working hard alongside her husband to promote their country, their family (their youtube channel is a success) and Martha-Louise is too busy talking to angels (and defending herself on the matter).

Spain

There has been much speculation on whether King Juan Carlos resigns or not and makes his son - Crown Prince Felipe - King. I really don't know about this. I know his health is failing on him but I do not know how ready Felipe (or Spain) is ready to be made King this promptly. Time will tell. As for kids, I don't think Letizia will be pregnant again this year. Or ever again.

And I think it would be nice to see Infanta Elena move on with her love life. But thing is that she is one of the most discreet women in the world. Even if something was going on, she would preserve herself from the hassle of spotlight.

Sweden

Could Victoria get pregnant this year, pretty please? Oh well, I would understand if she did not, as she seems to be enjoying her marriage like a young teen. And I am happy for her. But I hope a pregnancy comes along in 2011 or early 2012. Wouldn't we be ecstatic?

As for Madeleine, I hope she finds a new true love and can feel better and free to be back to Sweden on a normal basis, as she now "ran away" to New York to overcome her terrible break. I wish nothing but the best to her. Becoming more like her sister (physically) is also happening. Did you notice that?

As for Carl Orlando Bloom Philip, will he try to make his girlfriend, Sofia Hellqvist into a more... royal material? let's see what happens. I am excited!

United-Kingdom

Dear oh dear, this might be better than 1981. 30 years after, we finally have a wedding we are really looking VERY forward to. It will be massive, lavish but not too much and just a festival of happy tears, I feel it already. Let's not "overtalk" about it (at least, I know I won't on RO), just a constant stream of news without overdoing it. We want to be happy about the news and not vomit about William and Kate, do we agree?

I think this year can be Harry's. I mean, he is just THE bachelor, the free spirit, the grounded boy, the humanitarian, the man. The best man. His brother's best man, per se. He can grow a few years older this year. And I am pretty much looking forward to that.

And we also have the queen's Jubilee. But who could really only focus on it while we are longing for such a big wedding?

Prince Harry in Berlin during first Germany trip

With his brother Prince William off the market, Prince Harry is one of Europe's most desirable young bachelors.

Little wonder then, that he found himself with a female admirer as he was honoured for his charity work in Germany at the weekend.

The third-in-line appeared to have hit it off with 21-year-old German actress Sophia Thomalla at Saturday night's gala Ein Herz Fuer Kinder (A Heart For Children) in Berlin

He also seemed to have made an impression on 14-year-old Aset Makhamaenva, and the feeling was mutual. The flame-haired royal was impressed at the youngster's spirit after she had tragically lost one of her parents

But the Prince had to use all his charms to get a smile out of little three-year-old Ziosia Novak, who was brought to the special reception before the gala by her mother Justyna Gorzna

The 26-year-old was presented with a golden heart award by Bettina Wulff, the wife of German president Christian Wulff. It honoured the charity work he does for youngsters, particularly his orphan charity Sentebale

In his acceptance speech he told the crowd: "from the bottom of my heart, vielen dank [thank you very much]'.

"But compared to so many people who devote their whole lives to restoring hope to children around the world, I have done very little.

"So, as far as I'm concerned, I am receiving your award on their behalf, not mine"

Harry also visited the Brandenburg Gate during his first official visit to Germany

And he stopped off at a remaining part of the Berlin Wall to pay tribute to those killed trying to flee communist East Germany

Harry laid a wreath at a memorial in the Bernauer Strasse district

It was accompanied by a hand-written message that read: "For all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of freedom. Harry"

from Hellomagazine.com