New Year Reception for Diplomatic Corps, Copenhagen

Is it weird that I like this photo because Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik both look extremely attractive AND vaguely irritated? Something about that speaks to me.

New Year's reception, Copenhagen, Denmark

MUCH cheerier here, at theor annual New Year's reception. Mary's dress is DIVINE.

Prince Joachim and Princess Marie

This tiara is stellar but the dress is a snooze, I'm afraid. More importantly: I looked at this for a long time before I realized that Joachim's hat is topped with some kind of flappy doohickey and a bird is NOT landing on his head.

New Year Reception for Diplomatic Corps, Copenhagen

Queen Margrethe is SO CLOSE to just dramatically dropping her fur coat on the ground behind herself, insouciently and glamorously, yet also matter-of-factly, in the manner of this great moment from Aretha Franklin.

New Year's reception

Queen Margrethe wears a ballgown and she wears a fur to this event, PERIOD.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko

Empress Michiko is so extremely elegant and pretty. She's 84 year old, and her Wiki is very interesting. She was a commoner and her mother-in-law HATED HER and was really mean to her -- like drove her into a depression that make her unable to speak for seven months -- but the public loves (and loved) her. The Japanese Imperial Family is so interesting to me -- as we've talked about here before, if you're a woman in the family and you marry a non-royal man, you have to give up your place in the family, but...they're like literally running out of people, and this rule is going to render them obsolete if they don't change it. 

Crown Princess Masako

This is cozy and festive. Informative Caption reminds me that "Masako will become Japan's new empress as her husband, Crown Prince Naruhito, succeeds Akihito as the nation's new emperor on May 1." That is going to be VERY INTERESTING. She has ALSO had a lot of psychological problems and depression and anxiety and used to basically never leave the house, so it's so nice to see her looking so well and happy here. (There was also an amazing Blind Item last year that implied that Queen Maxima was going to help Masako leave her husband, which clearly hasn't happened, but I'm glad she seems to be doing well.)

Prince Oscar

My favorite Grumpy Old Man Baby, Prince Oscar, came out in a baby suit for his grandmother Queen Silvia's 75th birthday shindig. AND RESENTED IT.

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Oscar

I suspect that's a good skirt. (I did not see a pic of Princess Estelle, but I assume she was there.)

Carl Philip, Sofia, and the kidlets

Look at that cozy baby hat!

Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill and kiddies

Can SOMEONE come out of this palace and grab this princess's bags?!?!?!

Queen Elizabeth II attends St Mary Magdalene Church

The Informative Caption on this photo was UNUSUALLY Informative. Ahem: "New anti-terrorist measures have been put in place around the Queen's residence in Sandringham in Norfolk, while she spends the holiday season there. Special anti-truck-ram barriers have now been built at the four roads which lead to the Royal estate. The three-foot-high modular barriers can very quickly be moved across the roads by police to prevent vehicles from getting through if necessary. They have been designed by Belgium company, Pitagone, which specialises in threat management and anti-terror, and can stop trucks weighing up to 7.5 tons and travelling at up to 48km/h. The special barriers are fully adjustable and can be used on all types of terrain and, because of their modular design, they can be built very quickly. The barriers were all on stand-by today (Sun) as the Queen and other members of the Royal family attended the weekly Sunday service at Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate." Thanks for letting us know????

Queen Elizabeth II attends church w. Sophie

"Let's wear our FEATHERY hats today, Sophie!"

Her Majesty's Christmas Address

LOTS of wedding and cozy family pics on display here (rightly). I love that black and white of the Queen and Philip with some child or another. She looks so happy! This room is, as ever, highly understated.

Princess Anne

"ONE OF YOU HERE HAS COMMITTED A CRIME."

Royals Round-Up, January 4th, 2019

The first of the year!