King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima

This is the "New Year's Reception at the Royal Palace," and Maxima looks GLORIOUS. The back of her coat is a fabulous tweed. Starting the new year off on a glam note.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima

This is another New Year's Reception -- held on the 13th, because apparently the Netherlands will drag out the New Year for weeks! Good for y'all! Again, Maxima looks great. Those gold shoes. YES.

Crown Prince Haakon

This is in Lillehammer, which makes sense, as that's an Olympic venue, and this is a sports gala of some sort. I like to think that Haakon sometimes just jogs around the palace holding the Olympic flame. I would. I would also make my courtiers play the Chariots of Fire theme on the harpsichord for me as I did so, because I would be a demanding and eccentric royal.

Queen Letizia of Spain

Letizia often looks too business-like for my own personal taste, but I think this is swell. That coat is divine.

Queen Mathilde and Queen Rania

Also a good coat on Rania! Lots of metallic shoes on the royals this week: I APPRECIATE that.

Princess Stephanie and Pauline Ducruet

Monaco is always VERY INTO their annual circus event; I am sure there is a reason for their matching scarves. Is there EVER a reason for a royal crop top? Although this one is not particularly outrageous. (Pauline is Stephanie's eldest daughter. Her father was the one who was Stephanie's bodyguard, appointed for what Wiki calls her "her ill-fated tour to promote her record album." He apparently has ALSO released two albums, AND wrote a tell-all, so that's awkward. ALSO, he was married when he and Stephanie got together and they had two kids before Prince Ranier would let them get married, THEN he got caught cheating and claimed it was a set-up but THERE WAS VIDEO and it was NOT a set-up, although he claimed that the woman with whom he was cheating -- who was also, FYI, "Miss Bare Breasts of Belgium 1995" -- had drugged his champagne. THIS IS IS SOME GOOD GOSSIP. Thank you, Wikipedia, for bringing us some surely historically accurate dish on this otherwise grim week.)

Peter Phillips Poses On The Mall

INFORMATIVE CAPTION: "Peter Phillips poses for a photo on The Mall where 10,000 guests will attend The Patron's Lunch to be held on June 12, 2016, which will celebrate his grandmother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's patronage of more than 600 charities and organisation, on the occasion of her 90th birthday." Peter is Anne's eldest, and he seems to, in large part, have escaped the Windsor Balding Gene that has befallen his cousins. (You can totally see the resemblance between him and Wills and Harry, though, facially, yes?) Anyway, good on you, Peter, for organizing a good party for your granny.

Royals Round-Up, January 15th, 2016

Big news! In case you missed it, WILLS CUT HIS HAIR. We have full coverage, of course, here. Additionally, as I think there's a big overlap between people who read this feature and those of you who enjoy Downton Abbey, if you missed our most recent recap in the flurry of the Golden Globes, it is here. And in today's round-up, we've got a nice dose of Maxima, but it's been a light week as everyone slowly crawls back to work (including me). I CAN, however, promise you some excellent Wikipedia-sourced gossip. Elsewhere: -- Tatler rounds up the best royal hair, British edition. -- The Court Jeweller is looking back at historic Norwegian royal weddings, and it's REALLY interesting. This one offers malaria, royal yachts, confusing telegrams, and loads and loads of jewels. -- At the Observer: Gagosian, Qatari Royals Locked in Dispute Over Picasso Sculpture. Tell me more! -- Hello! rounds up all the places that the British royals are going this year. Lots of places, is the short answer, and I look forward to a return to our middle-of-the-night postings. -- On that topic, I love reading about the gifts that the royals collect on these trips. Via People, we learn that 2015 brought them toys, honey butter, and, obviously, a marzipan model of the Brandenburg Gate. -- Our friend at The Duchess Diary reports on rumors that Pippa Middleton has a new boyfriend. -- Over at the Royal Hats blog is a good look at the many hats of the Japanese Imperial Family at their traditional New Year's Lectures. -- The Norwegians have a new official portrait: New family portrait of the Norwegian royals to commemorate King Haralds Silver Jubilee pic.twitter.com/sYr9r0ro2f — Royaltyspeaking (@Royal_talk) January 15, 2016 -- And, finally: The Duchess of Cambridge will be guest-editing The Huffington Post UK for a day in mid-February pic.twitter.com/uCb28Ss9To — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) January 15, 2016 This is in aid of her work with children's mental health charities, and additionally I feel like, somewhere, Kate is noting, "you guys couldn't have picked a better picture of me?!?!?! Someone is fired." (You're welcome to passive-aggressively link to this post at any time, Kate.)