Happy Birthday, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands (and happy wedding anniversary too!)

Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands (née Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst; born 25 May 1966 in Leiden, Netherlands) is the wife of Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, the third son of Queen Beatrix. She is part of that crew of crazy and bubbly daughters-in-law the Queen has. 

And it is not only her birthday she has been celebrating: 10 years ago, she married her Prince. The civil marriage was conducted by the mayor of The Hague, Wim Deetman, in the Oude Raadzaal, Javastraat, The Hague, on 17 May 2001. 

The religious wedding took place two days later on 19 May in the Grote of St Jacobskerk, with Reverend Carel ter Linden officiating. I remember watching this wedding on TV5 Monde. I didn't live in France at that time yet, but came a few months after. Time flies!

Was a bit hard to put those rings on. But so cute!

They now have three children: Countess Eloise (born June 8th, 2002), Count Claus-Casimir (born March 21st, 2004) and Countess Leonore (born June 3rd, 2006).

Double birthday in Liechtenstein: second (even if first time-wise, but whatever), Prince Alfons turned 10!

Ahhh, this time, I have some pictures, even if he was just a little guy, but already the cutest. 

Prince Alfons Maria Constantin of Liechtenstein was born on May 18th, 2001, in London, just two days after his dad's 32nd birthday.  In fact, he is the son of Prince Max and Princess Angela of Liechtenstein - yes, the one that drinks something we do not know what it is but that is keeping her really young!

[The Netherlands] [VIDEO] The emotional engagement of Prince Willem-Alexander to Maxima Zorreguieta (2001)

Máxima Zorreguieta met the heir to the Dutch throne, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, in April 1999 in Sevilla, Spain, during the Seville Spring Fair, also known as the "Feria de Abril de Sevilla." This is an important annual event, to which many people from other countries come and dress in typical Spanish Andalusian costume. In an interview, they stated that he introduced himself only as "Alexander," so that she did not know he was a prince. She thought he was joking when he told her he was a Prince. They agreed to meet in New York, where Máxima was working for Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, two weeks later. Their relationship apparently began in New York, but the Princess did not meet the Prince's parents, Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus, for some time.

The couple announced their engagement on March 30th, 2001 after receiving approval from the Dutch parliament (necessary by law for the Prince of Orange to remain heir to the throne). Princess Máxima addressed the nation in fluent Dutch during the directly televised broadcast on the occasion of the engagement. We can hereby see her speaking, after Queen Beatrix and Consort Prince Claus von Amsberg (who was quite ill at the time) addressed the nation.

Princess Máxima and Prince Willem-Alexander were married on February 2nd, 2002 in a civil ceremony in the Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam which was then followed by a religious ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk. They have three daughters, Catharina-Amalia, Alexia and Ariane as of today.