First wife of the Shah of Iran has died aged 92



His Imperial Majesty Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Shahanshah Ariyamehr with H.I.H. Princess Fawzia of Egypt, 1st wife of the Shahanshah of Iran.



Princess Fawzia, the first wife of the Shah of Iran and a daughter and sister of Egyptian kings has died aged 92, a member of the Egyptian Royal Family has announced.

Her death was reported on social media by her nephew, King Fuad II, who was Egypt’s King before he was deposed in 1953, when Egypt was deprieved of the Monarchy and declared a republic under the dictatorship of Gamal Abdel Nasser.

“The royal family of Egypt announces to the nation that it is mourning the passing of Her Royal Highness Princess Fawzia Fuad, daughter of His Majesty King Fuad I and sister of His Majesty King Faruk I and aunt of his Majesty King Fuad II and the former Empress of Iran… The funeral procession for Her Royal Highness Princess Fawzia will start after noon prayer on Wednesday.”

Her relatives have said she will be buried in Cairo.

Princess Fawzia became the Queen of Iran after marrying then Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1939, they divorced nine years later. She remarried in Egypt in 1949 to Ismail Chirine, an Egyptian army officer.

Princess Fawzia of Egypt and Colonel Ismail H. Chirine.

Fellow blogger Theodore Harvey found the right words:

As Egypt undergoes yet more turmoil with the military ouster of President Morsi today, one more link to an era when Egyptians enjoyed relative stability and liberty is gone. Egypt and Iran are still paying the price for the ouster of her brother & nephew and husband respectively.

30th Anniversary of King Umberto's passing away

After the Italians elected their 630 deputies and 315 senators for the 17th Parliament of the Italian Republic on 24th/25th February 2013, Euronews commented: 

"The results of the Italian general election are threefold, political gridlock, market jitters and a slap in the face for European austerity.

"The numbers mean that the country faces stalemate in the coming weeks as former foes try to put hostilities to bed in order to govern a country in difficulty."

In a couple of weeks the term of president Napolitano will come to an end and the deputies and senators have to find a replacement of the 87-year-old former Communist deputy.

It is rather ironic that at a time, when Italy does not have a functioning government and is looking for a head of state, Italian Monarchists commemorate the late King Umberto II who died 30 years ago on 18th March 1983 in Switzerland.

Proclamation of King Umberto II on 10th May 1946 under the thundering joy of tenths of thousands of Romans at a balcony of the Quirinale Palace.

After the rigged referendum of 2nd June 1946 the Monarch left Italy to avoid a civil war and bloodshed and went into a life-long exile in Portugal, never to be allowed back to Italy, not to die there and not to be buried in his own country. His body was put to rest in the monastery Hautecombe, France. The Radical Royalist commemorated King Umberto’s accession to the Italian throne on 9th May 1946 and called it La grande tragedia d'Italia - Umberto II.

But King Umberto is not forgotten in Italy, as this graffito shows.

The politicial and economic mess Italy is in at the moment is the right time to reflect how Italy could flourish under a Constitutional Monarchy with an impartial King above the parties, above the politicians and overlook an impartial judicial system.

Never did Italy need a King more urgently than now. Viva King Umberto! Viva Italia!

Queen Paola of the Belgians celebrates her 75th birthday

She may be Europe's least known Queen and she celebrates her 75th birthday today "dans l’intimité" - "in private" as the court announced - without public celebrations. But her Italo-Belgian charm can easily match that of the more famous European Queens.

Queen Paola was born Princess Ruffo di Calabria, on 11th September 1937, at Forte del Marmi in Italy. She is the youngest of seven children of Prince Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, a First World War flying ace, and Countess Luisa Gazelli. Her grandmother on her father's side, Laure Mosselman du Chenoy, was Belgian.

The Queen spent her entire youth in Rome, where she completed her classical secondary education in Latin and Greek.

She married Prince Albert of Belgium on 2 July 1959, whom she met at the coronation of HH Pope John XXIII in October 1958. The couple have three children: Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant (born on 15th April 1960), Princess Astrid (born on 5th June 1962) and Prince Laurent (born on 19th October 1963).

The Constitution did not provide for any particular official role for the Queen. Nevertheless, Belgian queens have always played a role in the public life of the country. So the Queen assists the King in carrying out his functions as Head of State: many visits to institutions, contacts with the population, ceremonies in Belgium and abroad, state visits, audiences with representatives of various groups in society and many cultural and social activities. Towards this end, the Queen pays special attention to her role as hostess.

Apart from her activities in the company of the King, the Queen also devotes time to topics that are close to her heart, mainly in the social and cultural sphere.

Social activities
The Queen deploys the Queen's Charities to offer help to citizens who are struggling to cope with financial hardship in their daily lives and often turn to her as a last resort.

On her own initiative or by invitation, she regularly visits social institutions or medical centres throughout the country. These contacts enable her to keep her finger on the pulse of the people and their needs and requirements and of the many initiatives taken every year in Belgium to help others.

Set up in 1992 the Queen Paola Foundation provides the Queen with an opportunity to focus on the issue of integration and training for young people. The Queen Paola Foundation's activities are primarily based on three themes:

• Meaningful support offered to agencies providing help to young people struggling to be included in the main social networks.
• The Queen Paola Prize for Education (launched in 1997) seeks to highlight and reward innovative schemes undertaken by educationalists from all academic levels and networks. 
• The School of Hope (set up in 1999): this initiative lends support to schools operating in a disadvantaged social and economic environment.

In April 2002, the Queen was made Honorary President of Child Focus, the charity which searches for children who have disappeared, combats sexual abuse and helps the parents concerned. Thanks in particular to her international contacts, the Queen is trying to facilitate the creation of similar operational centres in other countries.

Cultural activities

Having lived a long time in Rome, the Queen soon developed an appreciation of beauty and good taste in all areas:

Heritage

The Queen takes a keen interest in the protection and preservation of Belgium's heritage as a result of the very many visits she pays to gain "on the ground" experience. These include visits to Beguine convents and industrial facilities from the early 19th century. In this connection, the Queens devotes a lot of her time to facilitating the restoration and maintenance of the Royal estates and residencies.

Crafts

The Queen is interested in both new and traditional crafts. She takes every opportunity to encourage the exercise and teaching of craft professions.

  

Contemporary art

The Queen is in constant contact with artistic circles and regularly supports major exhibitions or artistic performances both in Belgium and abroad by her presence or via High Patronage. On the initiative of the Queen, contemporary artists have had the opportunity to design and make original works within the Palace of Brussels.

  

Music

As a result of organising activities in the Palace, attending concerts, particularly those held against the background of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition, and visits to innovative initiatives, the Queen above all aspires to lend support to training and to emerging young professional musicians.

The Royal Family plays a key role in the Queen's life. In common with all grandmothers, the Queen is delighted to spend time in the company of her grandchildren. She is also keen on going on long walks in the forest with the King, as this offers her the opportunity to enjoy the rich variety of natural resources there and the changing seasons.

The Queen is also passionately fond of books, music and travel, particularly in Europe and Africa.

While in India, she visited the "Holy Family Hansenarium", a leprosy hospital in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, founded in 1955 and supported by the Belgian Action Damien.

Fatherly advice

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan advising HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein

 

His Majesty King Abdullah II has sent a letter to HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on the occasion of his 18th birthday on 28th June.

Following is the full text of King Abdullah’s letter to Prince Hussein:

Your Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II May God preserve and protect you, Peace and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you, It is a pleasure to extend to you my Arab Hashemite greetings, expressing my love for you, my satisfaction and pride in you. You are a Hashemite knight whom I have consecrated to the service of his country and loyal people, and the Arab and Islamic nation.

I have chosen to send you this message upon the completion of the 18th year in what will, God willing, be your long life. At such age, you are fit to shoulder the burden of responsibility. May this letter be a beacon that guides you in the days to come as you fulfil your responsibilities and may it show you the way of life and approach to work that you will adopt.

This has been the vision of governance as far as we, the Hashemites, are concerned. It has been passed from generation to generation, starting from our great ancestor, Prophet Mohammad, may peace and God’s blessings be upon him. He taught us and humanity at large that fearing God is the ultimate wisdom and that the pious will always be divinely guided out of their dilemmas. He taught us that those who are modest will be raised to higher status by God and that justice is the cornerstone of governance. We have also learned from the Prophet that mercy, forgiveness and tolerance as personal traits are blessings that God grants only to his good servants, as evident in the holy Koranic verse: "It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee: so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then, when thou hast taken a decision put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him)." Our fathers and grandfathers have followed this path. They have upheld the belief that responsibility is a trust and serving the people is a duty and an honour. They have always believed that a good ruler is the one who sees himself as the servant of his people, even if they see him as their master.

I have learned from your grandfather, the late Al Hussein, God bless his soul, that I should treat each and every fellow Jordanian as a brother, a father or a son. He taught me to respect the elderly, have mercy on the young and the vulnerable and treat all on equal footing when it comes to rights and duties. I was taught to forgive wrongdoers, and work relentlessly to serve the people and their interests and those of the future generations. The relationship between us, the Hashemites, and the faithful Jordanian people has never been one between the ruler and the ruled. Rather, it was founded on cordiality, respect, compassion and solidarity. We have always been one loving family. Jordanians of all backgrounds and origins have seen the most difficult conditions and experiences. Nevertheless, they remained one united and loving family. They have never failed their leadership, nor have they failed to carry out a duty or offer a sacrifice, regardless of its scale. It is our duty to pay back, returning to our people the same love, pride, appreciation and gratitude they have given us.

I have raised you, and I have great faith in you. I am totally confident that you will follow on the path of your father and grandfathers as a man committed to loving your country with a high sense of belonging and devotion to sincere, hard work. I am confident that you will show selflessness, humility, resolve and strong will. You will always follow the guidelines of the Hashemites, reflecting their traits: the good manners and generosity that stem from fear of God in the first place, and then from their love for people, modesty in dealing with them, keenness to serving them and treating them on equal footing.

I am happy and proud of the person you have become now and the one you will be in the future, God willing. You will always have my support and good advice.

May God protect you and grant you success in serving your people and country. I ask Him to render you the source of our hope and optimism, and that of your people and supporters, the members of the one great Jordanian family.

Peace and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

Your father, Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein Amman, June 28, 2012 AD Shaaban 8, 1433H

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Windsor Castle, 24th April 2012

"The Queen wishes me to write and thank you for the kind message which you have sent on the occasion of her eighty-sixth birthday.

"Her Majesty greatly appreciates your thought for her at this time, and I am to thank you very much for your loyalty and continuing support in this, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee year."

65 years ago: King Christian X is dead - Long live King Frederik IX

At the beginning of this year, the Danish people celebrated the 40th anniversary of Queen Margrethe II as Queen of Denmark.


However, there is another significant anniversary to be commemorated. To this day 65 years ago the present Queen’s grandfather, King Christian X, died and her father ascended the Danish throne as King Frederik IX.

King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine.

King Christian (*26th September 1870) was not only King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947, but was also the only official King of Iceland (1918 – 1944). During the German occupation King Christian X remained in Denmark and became to the Danish people a visible symbol of the national cause.

Iceland’s Act of Union with Denmark recognized the island as a fully sovereign state united with Denmark under a common king on 1st December 1918. The Kingdom of Iceland established its own flag and asked that Denmark represent its foreign affairs and defense interests.
King Christian's Icelandic Royal Standard 1920.

On 18th June 1936 King Christian X of Denmark and of Iceland, arrived in Reykjavik on board the royal yacht Dannebrog with Queen Alexandrine, and their younger son, Prince Knud and his wife, Princess Caroline Mathilde. It was a holiday for the Reykjavik's 33,000 residents. Virtually every resident was at the harbor when the Dannebrog dropped anchor. The King addressed his subjects in Icelandic. The official delegation of reception was headed by Iceland's Prime Minister, Herman Jonasson, 35, who might have been the world's youngest Prime Minister at that time. During the US occupation of Iceland the union between the two countries was declared dissolved and a republic was proclaimed.

On 20th April 1947, King Christian X died, and his eldest son, Crown Prince Frederick (*11th March 1899 - +14th January 1972), succeeded to the throne.


He was proclaimed King Frederik IX from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace by Prime Minister Knud Kristensen. He remained Denmark’s popular King until his death on 14th January 1972.

Tongan King fare welled

This Tuesday, the Tongan people laid their monarch to rest. The body of His Majesty King George Tupou V was placed on a large wooden bier at noon after lying in a casket in the throne room of his palace where locals observed an overnight vigil.

The pall bearers, who according to an official programme for the funeral number 1,000, were drawn from former students of Tonga's Tupou College and villages throughout the country's main island of Tongatapu.

The Free Wesleyan Church bell began to toll as a Tonga Defence Services detachment led the procession as a guard of honour, followed by royal musicians, officiating clergy and church leaders and then the royal bier.



In 2006 a memorial service was held for the late King's father, His Majesty King Tupou IV and a surprising hymn was sung: Austria's Imperial Anthem, "Gott erhalte" in Tongan. (The German republics took Haydn's hymn and transformed it into their national anthem.)



The following message was sent by The Queen to King Tupou VI of Tonga:

It is with great sadness that I learnt of the death of your brother, His Majesty King George Tupou V. King George was a true statesman who served his country with distinction.

On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, Prince Philip and I wish to convey to your family and to the people of the Kingdom of Tonga our deepest sympathy at this sad time.

ELIZABETH R

His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester represented the Queen at the funeral of King George Tupou V.

Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee address

The Queen's address to both Houses of Parliament, 20th March 2012

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,

I am most grateful for your Loyal Addresses and the generous words of the Lord Speaker and Mr. Speaker.

This great institution has been at the heart of the country and the lives of our people throughout its history. As Parliamentarians, you share with your forebears a fundamental role in the laws and decisions of your own age. Parliament has survived as an unshakeable cornerstone of our constitution and our way of life.

History links monarchs and Parliament, a connecting thread from one period to the next. So, in an era when the regular, worthy rhythm of life is less eye-catching than doing something extraordinary, I am reassured that I am merely the second Sovereign to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee.

As today, it was my privilege to address you during my Silver and Golden Jubilees. Many of you were present ten years ago and some of you will recall the occasion in 1977. Since my Accession, I have been a regular visitor to the Palace of Westminster and, at the last count, have had the pleasurable duty of treating with twelve Prime Ministers.

Over such a period, one can observe that the experience of venerable old age can be a mighty guide but not a prerequisite for success in public office. I am therefore very pleased to be addressing many younger Parliamentarians and also those bringing such a wide range of background and experience to your vital, national work.

During these years as your Queen, the support of my family has, across the generations, been beyond measure. Prince Philip is, I believe, well-known for declining compliments of any kind. But throughout he has been a constant strength and guide. He and I are very proud and grateful that The Prince of Wales and other members of our family are travelling on my behalf in this Diamond Jubilee year to visit all the Commonwealth Realms and a number of other Commonwealth countries.

These overseas tours are a reminder of our close affinity with the Commonwealth, encompassing about one-third of the world’s population. My own association with the Commonwealth has taught me that the most important contact between nations is usually contact between its peoples. An organisation dedicated to certain values, the Commonwealth has flourished and grown by successfully promoting and protecting that contact.

At home, Prince Philip and I will be visiting towns and cities up and down the land. It is my sincere hope that the Diamond Jubilee will be an opportunity for people to come together in a spirit of neighbourliness and celebration of their own communities.

We also hope to celebrate the professional and voluntary service given by millions of people across the country who are working for the public good. They are a source of vital support to the welfare and wellbeing of others, often unseen or overlooked.

And as we reflect upon public service, let us again be mindful of the remarkable sacrifice and courage of our Armed Forces. Much may indeed have changed these past sixty years but the valour of those who risk their lives for the defence and freedom of us all remains undimmed.

The happy relationship I have enjoyed with Parliament has extended well beyond the more than three and a half thousand Bills I have signed into law. I am therefore very touched by the magnificent gift before me, generously subscribed by many of you. Should this beautiful window cause just a little extra colour to shine down upon this ancient place, I should gladly settle for that.

We are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance which created it. I have been privileged to witness some of that history and, with the support of my family, rededicate myself to the service of our great country and its people now and in the years to come.

This was the monarch's sixth address to both Houses of Parliament. She gave similar speeches in celebration of her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and Silver Jubilee 25 years earlier in 1977.

The Speakers of both houses lauded the Queen's dedication to her subjects. Introducing the Queen ahead of her address to Parliament to mark her Diamond Jubilee, the House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, praised the monarch for "sixty years of stability. Sixty years of security. Sixty years of certainty. Sixty years of sacrifice. Sixty years of service."

The Lord Speaker, Baroness Frances D'Souza of Wychwood in the County of Oxfordshire, who is also President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, stressed the Monarch's dedication the the Commonwealth.

Lord Speaker addresses Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Most Gracious Sovereign,

We, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, are assembled here today to celebrate sixty years of Your reign. We record with warmth and affection our appreciation of Your dedicated service to Your people, and Your unequalled sense of public duty over the years - service and duty to which You have only recently, and so movingly, re-dedicated Yourself.

We celebrate too Your stewardship of Your high office. You have personified continuity and stability while ensuring that Your role has evolved imperceptibly, with the result that the Monarchy is as integral a part of our national life today as it was 60 years ago.

We rejoice in this Jubilee and we give thanks for all that it represents.

At the same time, we record our gratitude for the support which You have received throughout Your reign from His Royal Highness Prince Philip, for in this year of jubilee we celebrate his service too.

This is one of the first of many celebrations to be held up and down the land. In the coming months You and the Duke will travel widely throughout the Kingdom. But today You have come to Parliament, the constitutional heart of the nation, and granted us the privilege of being the first of Your people formally to honour Your Jubilee. And where better to begin the celebrations than here, in the splendour of Westminster Hall - a hall of kings and queens for almost a millennium.

While this Hall has seen many historic events, few are permanently commemorated. So we look forward with great anticipation to the unveiling of the stained glass window which members of both Houses have commissioned in honour of this day. When placed in the window above the great doors, Your Coat of Arms and Royal Cypher will bathe the Hall in colour and be seen daily by members and staff as they walk through to their offices—and by the many thousands of visitors we receive here weekly, from both home and abroad.

For we must remember that Your Jubilee will be celebrated with joy in Your other realms and territories, and throughout the rest of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth as we know it today is of course one of the great achievements of Your reign and under Your leadership continues to flourish, with a membership of 54 countries. It is still growing. It is a tremendous force for good in the world and we are aware of its special personal significance to You.

Many of us present here today take an active part in the work of the United Kingdom Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. We work to share our experiences, to learn from one another, and to promote democracy. But our efforts are as nothing compared with those of Your Majesty in the service of Your beloved Commonwealth. Over the years You have visited all but two Commonwealth countries—some, many times—and attended all Heads of Government meetings since 1997. We look on with admiration and pride at the triumphs of some of Your recent tours and it is significant that members of the Royal Family are representing You this year at the Jubilee celebrations being held in all those lands in which You are Head of State.

Your Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled give thanks for this Your Diamond Jubilee. We look forward to the years to come and we pray that You and Your realms may enjoy the peace, plenty and prosperity that have so distinguished Your reign.

During the event a Diamond Jubilee window - a gift from the members of both Houses - was unveiled to mark the monarch's 60-year reign. It will be installed above the North Door of Westminster Hall later this year.

Her Majesty's Commonwealth Day Message 2012

Monday,12th March is Commonwealth Day 2012.

As Head of the Commonwealth Her Majesty sent this message to the Commonwealth nations:

One of the great benefits of today’s technology-based world is the range of opportunities it offers to understand and appreciate how others live: we can see, hear and enter into the experience of people in communities and circumstances far removed from our own.

A remarkable insight we gain from such windows on the world is that, however different outward appearances may be, we share a great deal in common.

Our circumstances and surroundings may vary enormously, for example in the food we eat and the clothes we wear, but we share one humanity, and this draws us all together. The joys of celebration and sympathy of sadness may be expressed differently but they are felt in the same way the world over.

How we express our identities reveals both a rich diversity and many common threads. Through the creative genius of artists - whether they be writers, actors, film-makers, dancers or musicians - we can see both the range of our cultures and the elements of our shared humanity.

“Connecting Cultures”, our Commonwealth theme this year, encourages us to consider the special opportunities we have, as members of this unique gathering of nations, to celebrate an extraordinary cultural tapestry that reflects our many individual and collective identities. The Commonwealth treasures and respects this wealth of diversity.

Connecting cultures is more, however, than observing others and the ways in which they express themselves. This year, our Commonwealth focus seeks to explore how we can share and strengthen the bond of Commonwealth citizenship we already enjoy by using our cultural connections to help bring us even closer together, as family and friends across the globe.

To support this theme, a special song has been composed for the Commonwealth, ‘Stronger as One’. There are any number of ways in which that single piece of music alone can be played or sung anywhere in the Commonwealth. And by sharing the same music with our own personal interpretations and contributions, the wonderful human attribute of imagination is nourished, and we gain insights of understanding and appreciation of others.

The Commonwealth offers a pathway for this greater understanding and the opportunity to expand upon our shared experiences in a wider world. A world in which paths to mutual respect and common cause may also be explored and which can draw us together, stronger and better than before.

Queen Elizabeth attended the Commonwealth Day Observance at Westminster Abbey, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Countess of Wessex.

This Monday is a public holiday in Victoria (as well as in the ACT and Tasmania): Labor Day, and it usually coincides with the annual Commonwealth Day. This holiday is to commemorate the granting of the eight-hour working day for Victorians. It also recognizes workers’ contributions towards the nation’s economy. 12th March also happens to be Commonwealth Day and this year's theme that has been agreed by the Queen is Connecting Cultures.

The King of Tonga received by the Pope


Vatican City, 24 February 2012 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received His Majesty Siaosi Tupou V, King of Tonga. The King subsequently went on to meet with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

The cordial discussions dwelt on various aspects of the country's social and economic life, as well as on the positive contribution the Catholic Church makes in various sectors of society, and her activities of human promotion. There followed an exchange of opinions on the international situation, with particular reference to the Pacific island States.

Good news from Greece

There was a time, not so long ago, when news from Greece were joyful:


Arrival of HRHPrincess Anne-Marie of Denmark in her new homecountry.



Their Majesties' wedding on 18th September 1964 was the first televised royal wedding in Greece. This wedding was watched by millions of people around the world and was international headline news. All of Athens seemed to celebrate the wedding. Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou attended the wedding in good spirits. King Constantine II publicly heralded the prime minister as a replacement father figure in the wake of his father’s death. King Pavlos I had died on 6th March 1964.

The US magazine Time knew this about the Royal Wedding:

"Weddings are, so to speak, expensive propositions. In Athens, Finance Minister Constantine Mitsotakis announced that the marriage of Greece's King Constantine, 24, to Denmark's Princess Anne-Marie, 18, cost the treasury $303,000, including $183,300 spent on wedding gifts.

However, an issue of 2,000,000 commemorative 30-drachma pieces will net a profit of $1,063,000, leaving the wily Greeks with $760,000 to play around with, or possibly use as a dowry for Crown Princess Irene."

A very apt comment by a French Royalist
Ces vues nous rappellent que la dynastie et le peuple grec faisaient qu'un à l'époque et que la Grèce pouvait montrer au monde sa puissance et sa prospérité. Quel dommage que le jeune couple royal n'est pas pu gouverner plus longtemps leur royaume. Peut-être aujourd'hui il n'y aurait pas la crise et le chaos qui se passe actuellement en Grèce. Si les Grecs voient ces photos, ils doivent se rappeler du bon vieux temps. Espérons que dans quelques années, le roi Constantin ou un de ses descendants pourra remonter sur le trône grec.

And of course this is still true: The Hellenic Republic is losing its sovereignty

Official Diamond Jubilee portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, photographed in the Centre Room of Buckingham Palace, overlooking The Victoria Memorial Statue

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee message in full

Today, as I mark 60 years as your Queen, I am writing to thank you for the wonderful support and encouragement that you have given to me and Prince Philip over these years and to tell you how deeply moved we have been to receive so many kind messages about the Diamond Jubilee.

In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign and which my family and I look forward to seeing in many forms as we travel throughout the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.

I hope also that this Jubilee year will be a time to give thanks for the great advances that have been made since 1952 and to look forward to the future with clear head and warm heart as we join together in our celebrations.

I send my sincere good wishes to you all.

ELIZABETH R.

King Abdullah II of Jordan turns 50 today

His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, The King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, celebrates his 50th birthday this 30th January.

The following biography is from the King's official website and gives the best insight into his life:

The 41st-generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), His Majesty King Abdullah II assumed his constitutional powers as monarch on 7th February 1999.

Following the leadership legacy of his father, the late King Hussein, King Abdullah has made the welfare of Jordan’s people the cornerstone of his policies for national development, regional peace and global coexistence. The King’s special concern for the future of Jordan’s young people has put youth engagement, education and opportunity at the top of his agenda. At home, he has paired economic reforms with political liberalisation and an innovative program of national development. He has overseen sweeping educational reforms, which today are energising Jordan's private sector and preparing Jordan's youth for global competitiveness and leadership.

To provide real solutions to Jordan’s pressing economic needs, King Abdullah ushered in a new era of structural reform and modernisation, integration with the world economy and globalisation. The King has worked to bring together the public and private sectors – both domestic and global – through large-scale joint initiatives aimed at meeting the urgent challenges of job creation, opportunity for Jordan's young population and poverty alleviation. King Abdullah personally championed Jordan's accession to the World Trade Organisation, presided over Jordan’s becoming the first Arab country to sign a free trade agreement with the United States and has forged new bilateral and multilateral economic alliances with countries from Asia to Latin America.

In diplomatic affairs, King Abdullah has been the voice of Jordan’s progressive policies to expand global justice and cooperation. Taking up the historical role of the Hashemite Family, he has championed the rights, achievements and values of Muslims worldwide. In 2004, he worked with leading Islamic scholars to release the Amman Message, reaching a global audience with Islam's guiding principles of peace, tolerance and dialogue among faiths.

In the footsteps of the late King Hussein, King Abdullah renewed a firm commitment to peace in the region on the basis of the two-state solution and the establishment of a viable, independent and geographically contiguous Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, living in peace alongside Israel, in accordance with UN resolutions and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

King Abdullah is the eldest son of His Majesty King Hussein Bin Talal (1935-1999) and Her Royal Highness Princess Muna Al Hussein. Born in Amman on 30th January 1962, he is the namesake of King Abdullah I, his great-grandfather, the founder of modern Jordan.

King Abdullah began his education at the Islamic Educational College in Amman. He later attended St. Edmund's School in Surrey, England, and concluded his high school education at Deerfield Academy in the United States. Later, he pursued advanced studies at Pembroke College, Oxford, and Georgetown University.

The young prince was a man of action on the athletic field and the training ground. In 1980, he enrolled in the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst (UK) and was commissioned as second lieutenant in 1981. He served in the British Army in the 13/18th Royal Hussars Regiment, with duties as a reconnaissance troop leader in the United Kingdom and Germany.

In 1985, then-Prince Abdullah returned to Jordan to serve in the armed forces (Armoured Corps, 3rd Division). Rising through the ranks to lieutenant-colonel, he attended advanced military courses in both Jordan and the UK. Among other duties, he served on attachment to the Special Forces and qualified as a Cobra attack helicopter pilot. After service as commander of the 2nd Armoured Battalion, 40th Armoured Brigade, he was named deputy commander, Jordanian Special Forces, in January 1993.

In November 1993, Prince Abdullah became commander of Jordan's Special Forces. In 1996, he was given the task of reorganising the Special Forces and other elite units into the new Special Operations Command (SOCOM). In 1998, as SOCOM commander, he was promoted to the rank of major general.

In his off-duty hours, the Prince became well known for his interest in land, sea and air sports, including free-fall parachuting. He shared his father's passion for cars and motorcycles and became a Jordan National Rally champion. Today, he continues to enjoy aquatic sports, including boating and scuba diving. During his time in the military, King Abdullah also developed an interest in ancient weapons and today, he maintains a world-class collection of military artefacts.

King Abdullah’s service in the army was always a source of personal pride and his respect for those who serve their nation has been a conspicuous quality of his leadership. Today, the King describes Jordan's armed forces as the “foremost symbol of honour, bravery, sacrifice and belonging."

During his years as an army officer, then-Prince Abdullah was regularly dispatched on official diplomatic and military missions. He also frequently served his country in the capacity of regent in King Hussein's absence.


In 1993, then-Prince Abdullah met Rania Al-Yassin. Six months later, the couple were engaged and they married on 10th June 1993. As a princess, Queen Rania began the powerful social work and advocacy which she continues to this day. The Royal Couple's first child, Prince Hussein, the Crown Prince, was born on 28th June 1994. Since then, they have had three more children: Princess Iman (27th September 1996); Princess Salma (26th September 2000); and Prince Hashem (30th January 2005).

Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!

Official Medal to commemorate King Michael of Romania's 90th birthday

For the first time, since he was forced to go into exile in 1947, an official jubilee medal has been struck with the head of King Michael of Romania's (Regele Mihai I) . The present Romanian authorities made this possible to commemorate the Monarch's 90th birthday on 25th October.

The Jubilee Medal was presented to His Majesty on 3rd October at the National Bank of Romania by Mugur Isarescu, Governor of National Bank of Romania.

The Jubilee Medal was launched in collaboration with the National Bank of Romania, to stress the link between sovereignty and currency, according to Article 88 of the Constitution of 1923, and was issued in the name of King. The last two coins bearing His Majesty's image were issued in 1947, with values of 10,000, and 5 lei [before and after stabilization of the currency].


Like coins, His Majesty's Jubilee Medal on the front bears the King's profile and the reverse is the Great Arms of Romania. It is made of unvarnished gold "tombac nepatinat", and was created by Mr. Cristian Ciornei [design] and Vasile Gabor [model].

In another move to celebrate Regele Mihai's landmark birthday, the Romanian Parliament decided to invite the King Michael to attend a formal sitting on his birthday. The decision was taken with 203 votes "for", three votes "against" and 46 abstentions. The abstentions came from the Liberal-Democrats and were meant as a protest against Romanian president Traian Băsescu's insulting remarks on King Michael.

The president is embattled after his plans to reorganize Romanian territory were refused by opposition parties and an ethnic Hungarian party whose support the government needs to survive.

King Michael is one of the few surviving World War II leaders and had good relations with the Jewish community when he was King, nevertheless Traian Băsescu accused the Monarch of being responsible for the Holocaust in Romania, and called him "a Russian lackey".

Ion Caramitru: What did we achieve without monarchy?
Meanwhile famous actor Ion Caramitru believes that King Michael was the only personality capable of restoring morality in the country and speaks about the toxicity of “turncoat communists” and of the former secret police officers who got into business. In an interview with ‘Adevarul,’ the manager of the Bucharest National Theatre says he did not abandon his attitude of social militant, though he stays away from politics today. Caramitru still believes in the political principles of Christian Democracy to restore the monarchy and increase the respect for religion.

“I am sad! For the last 20 years, King Michael I has been in the country… The monarchy could have become perfectly stable during all these years and we could have banished communism forever, by annulling the abdication of 1947, when the King was rudely forced to leave the country. The return to monarchy would have put an end to this fight over the first position in the state, for a president who has discretionary powers. This semi-absolute power could divert the state to other ends, while monarchy secures the first position in the states only in a symbolic manner… Monarchy was the only principle capable of restoring morality in the country. Without it, what did we do? We have the same communists, now turncoats, and the former secret police officers who got into business and obtained revolutionist’s certificates. The infamous people controlling us in the past are doing the same today. The country is dying and everything was stolen,” Ion Caramitru said.

Jubilee Woods for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

With HRH The Princess Royal as Patron, the Jubilee Woods project is set to create hundreds of new woods, transforming our landscape in a generation and making a real and meaningful difference for many years to come.

Together, communities, schools, companies and landowners will plant a total of 6 million trees, creating hundreds of Jubilee Woods and copses.

What's more, 60 very special Diamond Woods of at least 60 acres will also be planted – each representing a year of Her Majesty's reign.

We hope friends, neighbours and families will come together to plant thousands of individual trees in their gardens or backyards, too – each taking the chance to mark this moment in history in a way that will stay with them forever.

The Woodland Trust can offer landowners help and advice every step of the way.

A living, breathing legacy and the ultimate tribute to Her Majesty, each Diamond Wood will support our best-loved birds and wildlife and feature in a beautiful commemorative booklet, which the Woodland Trust will present to The Queen at the completion of the project.
Sites should ideally be around 60 acres and planting will commence from autumn 2011 until the close of 2012.

Unfortunately this project appeals to British landowners only, however, the idea is fascinating and should be adopted in Australia. This continents needs more trees.

Württemberg's 'secret King' 75

This 1st August Duke Carl, Württemberg’s „secret king“, celebrates his 75th birthday. He is a most respected person and keeps in close contact with the government and the elected representatives of the country and with the premiers/governors/heads of government (Ministerpräsidenten) of Baden-Württemberg, as the former Kingdom and state of Württemberg was amalgamated with Baden and Hohenzollern (the origin of Germany’s Imperial Family) in 1952.


Duke Carl is the fifth of six children of Duke Philipp (II.) Albrecht of Württemberg (né Stuttgart 14th November 1893 - + Ravensburg 15th April 1975) and his second wife, Duchess Rosa of Württemberg, née Arch Duchess of Austria-Toskana (née Parsch/Salzburg 22nd September 1906 - + Friedrichshafen 17th September 1983). After studying law in Tübingen, Duke Carl took up a leading position in the administration (Hofkammer) of the assets of the Royal House of Württemberg. After his father’s death he assumed the position as head of the family and moved to Altshausen, where the royal family has resided since 1919.

The Castle of Altshausen near Lake Constance.

Sometimes he refers to himself as the country’s “most feared donation collector”. He is patron of 27 charity organisations, among others of Herzenssache, a charity organisation to support children in need. His old alma mater of the Tübingen University (founded in 1477 by his ancestor Duke Eberhard I.) made him an honorary senator, the Catholic diocese of Rottenburg honoured him with the Max-Müller-Medal for his work as 1st Chairman of the Catholic School Association. He also received the Große Verdienstkreuz (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany). In 1991 Duke Carl founded the Ludwig-Uhland-Preis, a literature prize. The prize is awarded to those who have contributed to the understanding of the literature of Württemberg.


On 21st July 1960, he married Princess Diane of France (born in Petrópolis, Brazil, 24th March 1940), the daughter of Henri Comte de Paris (1908–1999, claimant to the French throne and Chef de la Famille de France), his wife, Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza (1911–2003). They have four sons and two daughters, plus numerous grandchildren.



When in 1918 revolutionaries forced the German Monarchs to leave their thrones, King Wilhelm II of Württemberg was the last to abdicate. On 30th November 1918 he sent his Scheidegruß (Farewell Greetings) to the people of Württemberg. With his death in 1921 the protestant branch of the Royal House of Württemberg died out in the male line.


People in the state's capital Stuttgart resisting the destruction of their main railway station used images of King Wilhelm II of Württemberg to show their anger.


Duke Carl's grandfather, Duke Albrecht of Württemberg (né Wien 23rd Dec. 1865 - + Altshausen 29th Oct. 1939), was heir presumptive during the time of the Monarchy and became head of the Württemberg Royal Family and de jure King of Württemberg. He belonged to a junior branch that had converted to Catholicism.


Duke Carl of Württemberg has never made a secret of the fact that he is in favour of a Constitutional Monarchy and has said so in several interviews, like this one with the Südwestdeutscher Rundfunk (SWR) in 2006:



From the Southern hemisphere go the heartiest birthday greetings to the "secret King" of Württemberg. Long May he live!

In Ireland the Queen wore her favourite Australian jewellery

The Irish Independent:

"Later, she reverted to a buttercream, V-necked, double-breasted coat featuring a four-button detail at the waist and ruffle detail on cuff and pockets. She wore a patterned dress and a matching hat. After relying on black accessories earlier, the queen switched to cream for her handbag, gloves and shoes.

Few could take their eyes off her sparkling diamond brooch, known as the Australian wattle brooch, a gift from a Commonwealth tour 56 years ago.

It is a personal favourite when the queen wears this uplifting colour; and the yellow diamonds, representing the Australian wattle flower, are backed by blue-white diamonds in the form of mimosa leaves.

The brooch also incorporates diamonds in the form of the blossom of the tea tree with, at the centre, a large white diamond. It was designed by Paul Schneller from Budapest, Hungary, and was a gift from the government and people of Australia."

9th May 1946:
Accession of King Umberto II of Italy

Today 65 years ago King Umberto II ascended to the Italian throne. He succeeded his father, King Vittorio Emanuele who had abdicated in his favour.

The Italian cabinet approved Crown Prince Umberto's assumption of the throne on 10th May 1946, and it decided that King Umberto could approve decrees "up until the referendum date". He was able to sign as Umberto II, King of Italy, but the Cabinet ordered the elimination of the phrase "By the grace of God and the will of people." Right from the beginning of his reign the socialists ridiculed King Umberto as the King of May.

Nevertheless King Umberto appeared eight times on the palace balcony to acknowledge the acclaim of an estimated 10,000 cheering Romans
.

The referendum on the Italian Monarchy was held on 2nd and 3rd June 1946. For details see Wikipedia.

Although the official result that declared a republican victory has been highly doubtful, King Umberto decided to leave the country to avoid civil war. He settled in Cascais, Portugal. The republican constitution not only exiled King Umberto but forbade all male members of the House of Savoy from setting foot in Italy thereafter. This harsh order condemned the exiled King to die abroad.


King Umberto lived 37 of his 79 years in exile. He is buried in the Abbey of Hautecombe, France, which was founded by the Savoys. Thousands of Italians paid their last respect to their King. The only official Italian representative was the Italian consul from Lyon.

Emperor Akihito of Japan
addressed the nation

In a rare televised address to the nation His Majesty Emperor Akihito of Japan on 16th March expressed his concern for the survivors of the tsunami and thanked the rescue teams working under difficult conditions in the north.

Emperor Akihito said that he was “deeply worried” about the ongoing nuclear crisis at several stricken reactors. The address was the first taped video message by a Japanese emperor.


His Majesty's message were his first public comments since the earthquake and tsunami struck northern Japan and underscored the urgency of multiple crises confronting the country.

Before the Emperor’s address, the crisis took another turn for the worse. Authorities said a containment vessel in a second reactor unit at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan might have ruptured and appeared to be releasing radioactive steam.

A Message from His Majesty The Emperor (16th March 2011)

I am deeply saddened by the devastating situation in the areas hit by the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake, an unprecedented 9.0-magnitude earthquake, which struck Japan on March 11th. The number of casualties claimed by the quake and the ensuing tsunami continues to rise by the day, and we do not yet know how many people have lost their lives. I am praying that the safety of as many people as possible will be confirmed. My other grave concern now is the serious and unpredictable condition of the affected nuclear power plant. I earnestly hope that through the all-out efforts of all those concerned, further deterioration of the situation will be averted.

Relief operations are now under way with the government mobilizing all its capabilities, but, in the bitter cold, many people who were forced to evacuate are facing extremely difficult living conditions due to shortages of food, drinking water and fuel. I can only hope that by making every effort to promptly implement relief for evacuees, their conditions will improve, even if only gradually, and that their hope for eventual reconstruction will be rekindled. I would like to let you know how deeply touched I am by the courage of those victims who have survived this catastrophe and who, by bracing themselves, are demonstrating their determination to live on.

I wish to express my appreciation to the members of the Self-Defense Forces, the police, the fire department, the Japan Coast Guard and other central and local governments and related institutions, as well as people who have come from overseas for relief operations and the members of various domestic relief organizations, for engaging in relief activity round the clock, defying the danger of recurring aftershocks. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to them.

I have been receiving, by cable, messages of sympathy from the heads of state of countries around the world, and it was mentioned in many of those messages that the thoughts of the peoples of those countries are with the victims of the disaster. These messages I would like to convey to the people in the afflicted regions.

I have been told that many overseas media are reporting that, in the midst of deep sorrow, the Japanese people are responding to the situation in a remarkably orderly manner, and helping each other without losing composure. It is my heartfelt hope that the people will continue to work hand in hand, treating each other with compassion, in order to overcome these trying times.

I believe it extremely important for us all to share with the victims as much as possible, in whatever way we can, their hardship in the coming days. It is my sincere hope that those who have been affected by the disaster will never give up hope and take good care of themselves as they live through the days ahead, and that each and every Japanese will continue to care for the afflicted areas and the people for years to come and, together with the afflicted, watch over and support their path to recovery.

Queen Beatrix in Oman for a private visit


Protests in the Sultanate of Oman could not deter Queen Beatrix, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Maxima to go pay a visit to Sultan Qaboos bin Said despite criticism from the Dutch parliament.


The Dutch Monarch arrived Tuesday afternoon and was greeted by Vice Premier Fahid bin Mahmoud al Said and Culture and Heritage Minister Haitham bin Tariq al Said and were driven to the royal palace at Bait al Barak to meet the Sultan for dinner.

NOS correspondent Marieke de Vries, reporting from Oman:



Protests led to the Queen Beatrix’s official state visit being postponed and downgraded to a private dinner. The decision to go ahead with the arrangement was made to safeguard a major defence contract, reported on Monday. Oman has placed an order worth hundreds of millions of euros with Dutch shipyard Damen Schelde for the construction of four naval vessels.