Christening of Prince Nicolas of Sweden
So, wee Prince Nicolas of Sweden was christened this weekend, and he looks as thrilled about this turn of events as any baby would. I would like to note that I personally am hugely in favor of any and all royal photos being taken in front of a person waving some kind of feudal standard, also. In other news, I am not entirely sure what Princess Madeleine is wearing?
Christening of Prince Nicolas of Sweden
I actually think I like the dress -- it's dramatic, and a little crazy, but in a good way. (Thanks, Valentino.) But I think that hat tips her slightly over into looking like she's a birthday present.
Christening of Prince Nicolas of Sweden
Crown Princess Victoria looks INCREDIBLY retro here -- I think I could tell you this photo was from 1962, and it would be believable. I love a pillbox hat, actually, and I think her head looks great. I just wonder if this needs one more thing to sort of jazz it up? (Estelle is, as ever, perfection.)
Christening of Prince Nicolas of Sweden
I LOVE this Gucci dress on Princess Sofia, but I also think the styling is weird. I get the IDEA behind the vaguely clashing shoes/hat but I'm not sure I love it in practice. Regardess, a mostly very strong effort from her and -- as many of you have been predicting -- she and C-P are also having a baby of their own, which is very exciting. The Swedes may be creating an army of attractive people to take over the world.
Christening of Prince Nicolas of Sweden
I love this photo. I am sure all the godparents are touching the baby's head for some kind of Religious Christening Reason (I've never been to a christening with this many godparents), but it looks so much like a sports team with hands in before a big game. I hope they all yelled SWEDEN!!!! when they broke.
Queen Maxima
This is a very subdued hat from Maxima as she pops out for "National Renters Day," which is an interesting holiday to have. I would like to be celebrated for renting, too.
Queen Maxima
This is more like it. (Also, she is REALLY coordinated here; even her manicure matches.)
Queen Mathilde
I LOVE this coat. But...
King Philippe And Queen Mathilde Visit Poland
I HATE this hat. Mathilde and Philippe took an official visit to Poland this week and she clearly kinda lost her mind because THIS HAT HIDEOUS. I like to think that King P is trying to communicate, solely using his eyes, that HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
King Philippe And Queen Mathilde Visit Poland
They are visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and I am generally NOT a person who thinks you need to look super somber for an event like that, but this is sort of WACKY in a way that feels tonally curious to me. Like, "bright and cheerful" is one thing, but this sort of tips into "SUPER WHIMSICAL!!" That said, I kind of love that coat.
Queen M and King P Visits Poland
I hear from Order of Splendor that Mathilde is wearing a tiara on her head (obviously) AND as a necklace, and who doesn't love a Double Tiara? That said, I am not that into her Armani dress; does it cut her off weirdly?
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde Visit Poland
This one is better, for me, even if it is tiara-less. I am STILL obsessed with the fact that Mathilde is only 42.
Queen Mathilde Visits Poland
Here, Informative Caption tells me she and Dariusz Stola (Director of The Museum of the History of Polish Jews) are "visiting The Ghetto Heroes Monument and The Museum of the History of Polish Jews," and I think she looks very elegant, although the hat makes her look a bit like a detective?
Wills Visits Cambridge
Meanwhile, over in England, Wills looks handsome in his blue suit while he opens "the School of Pythagoras Archive Centre at St John's College." I assume that archive just has, like, a LOT of theorems.
Wills Attends Child Bereavement UK's 21st Birthday dinner
Informative Caption: "Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Royal Patron of Child Bereavement UK, makes a speech as he attends the charity's 21st Birthday Dinner to honour its work helping families to rebuild their lives after the devastation of child bereavement." He gave a speech that touched, in part, on his mother; she was a supporter of the charity, which was founded by one of her close friends, who is now one of George's godmothers. In (considerably) less serious news, I am not that jazzed about the contrasting lapels on this tux.
Rugby World Cup Reception
QE2 is back to work, and, obviously, what better way to get back into it than by hosting a bunch of handsome Rugby Thighs and their owners in her home?
Prince Harry
"I know, I can't believe she didn't make me shave it, either!"
Rugby World Cup Reception
"Do you think anyone would mind if I just took this home? I want to take it over to Wills and Kate's place in Kensington and see if she'll let me drink beer out of it in front of the kids. No?"
Queen Elizabeth II
This is, per Informative Caption, "Mrs Mary Chokani, who accompanied Mr Kena Mphonda, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Malawi, before he presents his Letters of credence." I would like to point out that her dress is LOVELY and actually is distracting QE2 from the Matter of the Rug. (Mrs Chokani's curtsying form is also basically perfect.)
QE2:II
"Yes, yes. They were supposed to just install Spanish tile in whilst I was gone. NO ONE LISTENS TO US."
The Queen Meets Livestock
I appreciate that the Queen's first week back involved hot athletes, her rug, and smiling at livestock. This seems so RIGHT.
Princess Anne
"I'll get you later, you BASTARD," Princess Anne is obviously thinking. "I just have to be able to PROVE IT."
Ahem. In reality, Anne is in Belgium for, per our old buddy Informative Caption, "the celebrations of the Edith Cavell death centenary. Edith Cavell was a British nurse killed a hundred years ago by Germans during WWI. [S]he is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without discrimination, and helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during the First World War, for which she was arrested. She was subsequently court-martialed, found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot by a German firing squad. Her execution received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage." DUDE. That is a story. Someone make that movie!
Camilla at The Man Booker Prize Presention
Back in London, Camilla got to go present the Man Booker Prize.
Camilla and Marlon James
And here she is with the winner, Marlon James, who won for A Brief History of Seven Killings. I love how delighted they both seem to be -- I mean, of course he would be delighted, as he just won the Man Booker! -- and also that hair tie matches Camilla's wrap.
Camilla
Camilla also announced this week that she is making the fight against rape and sexual abuse one of her main causes. (The Telegraph has a good piece about why this is rather ground-breaking; Camilla herself also wrote an Op Ed about the issue.) Good on you, Camilla.
The Countess Of Wessex
Sophie popped out of the house to visit a horse sanctuary, in a kind of great coat but kind of horrible boots.
Spanish Royals Attend National Day Military Parade 2015
Over in Spain, it was National Day, and with that holiday comes a military parade and King Felipe in a uniform, which I thought some of you might want to see.
I looked up National Day because I wanted to figure out if there was an American equivalent, and it was quite interesting. Per that unassailable source of truth, Wikipedia, it was basically originally a celebration of Columbus, BUT! "On October 7, 1987, the name was changed to Fiesta Nacional, and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Day on December 6. Spain's "national day" had moved around several times during the various regime changes of the 20th century; establishing it on the day of the international Columbus celebration was part of a compromise between conservatives, who wanted to emphasize the status of the monarchy and Spain's history, and Republicans, who wanted to commemorate Spain's burgeoning democracy with an official holiday. The change in name had the effect of removing all reference to Spain's historical colonialism, and even its ties to Latin America. Since 2000, October 12 has also been Spain's Day of the Armed Forces, celebrated each year with a military parade in Madrid. To commemorate it, there is a parade led by the military (usually held in Madrid) and presided over by the Spanish king, who is the head of state, since Spain is politically organized as a constitutional monarchy. The prime minister of Spain (Presidente del Gobierno) has also a special role in the ceremony, only second to that of the king.... Other than this, however, the holiday is not widely or enthusiastically celebrated in Spain; there are no other large-scale patriotic parades, marches, or other events, save in regional capitals, and the observation is generally overshadowed by the feast day of Our Lady of the Pillar, the patroness of Spain's Civil Guard, whose feast day falls on this date." Fascinating. I love learning about other country's holidays. (When I was a kid, I had a book about Christmas Around the World, which I read ALL THE TIME.)
The Spanish Royal Family
This event also, traditionally, brings with it a moment where it looks like Letizia is going to tell her daughters that they better behave, or SO HELP HER, there WILL be hell to pay.
Letizia and Felipe
For the next National Day event, Felipe took off his uniform (boo) and Letizia took off her coat, which I appreciate, because that way we can see her dress. Obviously, they're both worried that the other left the Sno-Cone machine whirring away unattended.
Queen Letizia
I have cape envy.
Queen Noor
And, back in the US, Queen Noor -- who we don't see out much -- attended the premiere of Suffragette in New York. She was born an American -- she had to renounce her citizenship to marry the King of Jordan -- and since his death, she divides her time between DC (her hometown), London, and Jordan. Women in Jordan were not given the right to vote until 1974, which was just four years before her marriage. She must have lead an extremely interesting life; I know she published her memoirs about ten years ago, but you have to wonder how frank they truly are given her position. I always want a REAL tell-all, don't you?