Not a monarchist, just semi-fascinated at the moment

The Queen and Prince Philip are in Canada for their 22nd royal tour.

(Insert stifled yawn here)

Considering that I'm covering the visit for this blog (and will continue to do so), I just can't rouse myself to feel any true excitement for the tour.

Having an 84 year old woman and her 89 year old husband displaying impressive energy and stamina when it comes to shaking multiple hands and unveiling plaques, just doesn't do it for me. It's something I noticed when Charles and Camilla visited last November. It was the same lack of excitement. Where was the glamour? The youth factor? At minimum, couldn't someone have fallen off a horse?

While it may be nice to have the Queen amongst us if only to compare her likeness to our currency, I have to ask what the point of these visits are? But then again, I had to ask what the point of the recent G20 visits were, an event that could have easily been accomplished by video teleconference equipment (yes, we have the technology!), wasted a billion dollars and led to a small group of anarchists overshadowing peaceful demonstrators with legitimate issues. Unlike the G20 world leaders, who we barely saw, the Queen does not hide behind partitions and cement barriers. We are not strongly encouraged to stay away, leaving the downtown core a ghost town. We are encouraged to come to see a woman who is the last of her kind, to celebrate her visit and to see the Queen of Canada who, as the most well-travelled monarch in history, and has seen and met more of of her subjects than any of her predecessors. While she may not enthusiastically wade into the crowds like the younger generation of royals, shaking all hands proffered, she is here, in the flesh, and visible.

When I look back on her previous visits, the first one in 1951 as Princess Elizabeth, the photos show an excitement to be marvelled at for the wrong reasons. Not to be viewed as the natural consequence of a deferential age but as a questionable response to a young woman far removed from our reality. It was inevitable that those types of reactions would reduce for subsequent royal visits. In the 1970s, when she brought her children, it increased the excitement factor. The photos from Charles and Diana's various visits show the same type of excitement and enthusiasm that was briefly repeated on Andrew and Fergie's 1987 tour, but has not been seen since then. Other royals may come and go, but it's just not the same.

With Charles and Camilla's recent tour, I chalked the lack of enthusiasm up to having the opening act instead of the star of the show perform. I had honestly thought that the Camilla curiosity factor would have increased the interest in the tour; it didn't. The lackluster response for their tour seemed to be an omen for this visit. Except in this case we have the star of the show in attendance. If the people from the 1950s were capable of viewing photos from this tour, they would marvel at our cynicism and in some cases our lack of respect.

At the risk of sounding like a monarchist - which I'm not - I'm glad she's here. I may not appreciate her visits until she's gone and that's a shame. In the future, other royals may come and go, but it just won't be the same.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Tour of Canada 2010 - Day Two

Continuing their stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia, The Queen and Prince Philip visit coincided with the Celebrations marking the Canadian Naval Centenial - 100 years of proud service by the Royal Canadian Navy. The Queen also has a personal interest in the Royal Canadian Navy. She is patron of The Navy League of Canada, The Royal Canadian Naval Association and The Royal Canadian Naval Benevolent Fund.

The Duke of Edinburgh presented a certificate from the World Ship Trust to Canada's most famous and most decorated warship, HMCS Haida. HMCS Haida, a Tribal class warship built in England in 1941 it was Commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy in 1943. The certificate represents the prestigious International Maritime Heritage Award – bestowed on ships considered important to maritime history and heritage and honoring the legacy of those who served in HMCS Haida.

In the afternoon The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada’s largest centre for ocean research. After this visit they board the naval frigate HMSC St John's for the International Fleet Review. This naval pageant featured about 22 foreign ships, each saluting the Queen as she passed by in the HMSC St. John's.

Later on in the day, The Duke of Edinburgh attended a reception with the the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment The Duke of Edinburgh meeting members of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment at Government House. The Duke of Edinburgh acts as Colonel-in-Chief of many units, including the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. This long-serving regiment is the only regular force infantry battalion stationed in Atlantic Canada.

In the evening the couple attended a Celebration of Nova Scotia at the Cunard Centre, overlooking the Halifax port.  The evening celebrates Nova Scotians who have made significant contributions to their communities, province and country. These include recipients of the province’s highest honour – the Order of Nova Scotia – as well as the unsung heroes, who work quietly to make their communities better. During the event they were treated to performances by Nova Scotia musicians, dancers and singers. As well a performance by DRUM! a group of artists from Canada's Aboriginal, Black, Celtic and Acadian communities.
© Marilyn Braun 2010

All images via PicApp

The Royal Tour of Canada 2010 - Day One

The Queen and Prince Philip have arrived in Canada to begin their 22nd Canadian Royal Tour!

Arriving on a rainy day in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Queen carried a clear umbrella; a deliberate choice to allow people to view her despite the weather conditions. The couple are welcomed  by officials, including the Hon Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and the Queen's personal flag is raised to signify the presence of the Queen of Canada.

Their visit starts with an official welcome ceremony to Canada and Nova Scotia, in the Garrison grounds at the foot of the Halifax Citadel Hill, a national symbol of Halifax's role as a major naval station in the British empire and in Canada's development from colony to nation. In attendance at this welcome ceremony is Prime Minister Stephen Harper, The Governor General Michaëlle Jean, and other prominent Canadian's and dignitaries. After the Prime Minister's speech, the Queen addressed the crowd:

"My mother once said that this country feels like a home away from home for the Queen. I'm delighted to be back among you all. Canadians have by their own endeavours built a society that is widely admired across the world," she said. "I am very proud of this country. Thank you for your welcome. It is very good to be home."

The Queen and Prince Philip paid a visit to a Mi'kmaq festival, and unveiled a plaque, rededicating Government House, the restored residence of Nova Scotia's lieutenant-governor — the oldest official residence in Canada, which had undergone a three-year renovation. 

The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, Her Honour the Honourable Mayann E. Francis, presented The Queen with the ceremonial Royal Key, made of gilt-sterling silver and engraved with The Queen’s Royal Cypher. This presentation of the key, to be returned at the end of the tour, begins a new tradition at Government House. The Royal Key will also be presented to future Lieutenant Governors and important visitors who stay at Government House.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

All images via PicApp

This Week in Princesses

If it wasn't for the major announcement of Prince Albert II of Monaco's engagement to Charlene Wittstock, this week's news would have been devoted entirely to sporting events--World Cup, Wimbledon, polo, show jumping, etc. On the whole, princesses seem to be sports mad.

June 22

Prince Albert III of Monaco announced his engagement to Rhodesian-born South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock just days after taking her with him to Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden’s wedding. The day after the announcement it emerged that he had called her dad permission just minutes before a World Cup match, causing the future father-in-law some frustration. The wedding will take place in the summer of 2011. For more on the engagement, read my post The Next Princess: The Long-Awaited Engagement.

June 23

The royal family of the grand duchy of Luxembourg celebrated their tiny country’s national day. The young royals lined up in a row from left are Prince Guillaume, Princess Alexandra, Prince Louis and his wife Princess Tessy, and Prince Sebastien. Both princesses look a little severe for their tender ages: Alexandra is 19 and Tessy is 24.

Every little princess deserves her own balcony. Ten-year-old Princess Alexandra of Hanover enjoyed some time to herself on the balcony of her uncle’s palace in Monaco. The daughter of Prince Ernest of Hanover and Princess Caroline of Monaco, this Alexandra is the granddaughter of Princess Grace, previously the American screen goddess Grace Kelly.

Camilla Duchess of Cornwall was present for a large homecoming event honoring service members who have returned home from Afghanistan.

Princess Eugenie of York started an internship at Christies, the famous auction house this week. On Day 3 of the new job, her outfit is adorable, but the bag seems out of proportion. Was she planning to smuggle some artwork home or did she bring lunch for everyone?

June 24

On Thursday, Princess Caroline of Monaco was on hand to cheer on her older daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi at the 15th Monte Carlo International Jumping Competition. Charlotte’s father, Caroline’s second husband Stefano Casiraghi, was tragically killed in speedboat accident when she was very young.

In South Africa, Princess Takamado of Japan attended the World Cup match between Japan and Denmark. Her late husband, Prince Takamado, was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito. Since his death in 2002, this Cambridge graduate has raised three daughters alone and has continued to play an important role in representing Japan, especially abroad. Before her marriage, she was Hisako Tottori.

The brightly outfitted Queen of England picked up some pointers from her first cousin, the Duke of Kent, at a Wimbledon match. In this photo, the Duke looks remarkably like the queen’s oldest son, the Prince of Wales. The strong resemblance may be because the Duke, as a son of Princess Marina of Greece, is also second cousins with Prince Philip, a former Greek prince. Perhaps Prince Charles will look exactly like this in another decade.

June 25

The next day at the show jumping event, Princess Caroline developed a double case of puppy love.

June 26

Princess Beatrice of York and her boyfriend Dave Clark turned out at a reception in New York City to support her cousin Prince Harry of Wales’ African charity, Sentebale. Harry spent the weekend in New York promoting the charity and building connections between the British and American armies. He also threw out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game.

The Royal Report for Sunday June 27, 2010 - Princes William and Harry, two brothers, two different destinies

In a recent joint trip to South Africa, Prince William and Prince Harry revealed their hopes and dreams for the future. Amongst Harry's: to be a ‘professional surfer’, ‘wildlife photographer’ and to live in Africa. William said that his ambition was to be 'happy, lucky, strong, caring, and a ‘successful pilot’. With their respective roles as future king and spare, which one of them has a greater chance of seeing their dreams become a reality?

Listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada No 178 28 June 2010

Blogs mentioned

British Royal Wedding

From My Royal Collection

Tiaras - A History of Splendour by Geoffrey C. Munn

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday July 4, 2010 at 9:00PM EST (North America).

The topic will be: In honor of the Queen and Prince Philip's 24th royal tour of Canada, a look back at their royal visits to Canada.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Next Princess: The Long-Awaited Engagement

The oldest living playboy prince has at last been put to pasture. After decades of speculation about his sexual orientation, at least two illegitimate children and what seemed like hundreds of supermodel girlfriends, the late Princess Grace's son, Prince Albert has finally announced his engagement to Charlene Wittstock. He is 52; she is 20 years younger.

Charlene Lynette Woodstock was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and so will be the first African-born woman to marry a major European prince. (Apologies to Prince Harry's Zimbabwe-born girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, but it looks like Charlene will beat you to the altar. Of course, rumors are rampant that Chelsy and Harry have split up again.) The daughter of swim coach, Charlene started young as a competitive swimmer. She earned South Africa's championship in the women's 50-meter backstroke and swam on the country's Olympic team in 2000 in Sydney, where she earned a highly respectable fifth-place finish.

The couple reportedly met during a swimming event in Monaco and she quickly became his constant companion. Speculation about their relationship first arose when they were seen together at the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Olympic Winter games. (The prince is also an Olympian, having competed in bobsled for his country, and he has served on the International Olympic Committee for 25 years.) In the last four years, they have attended numerous public events together including many casual athletic outings. More importantly, Charlene has accompanied him to official events in Monaco, like the annual Rose Ball and the Princess Grace Awards Gala, and to royal events, like last weekend's royal wedding in Sweden, where she was seated behind him.

Charlene will be the first princess consort of Monaco since Princess Grace's tragic death in 1982. Any children she has with Albert will supplant her sister-in-law, Princess Caroline, in the line of succession. Albert's father, Prince Rainier III, changed the laws of succession in 2002--because of concerns that Albert would never have a legitimate child--making it possible for siblings, not just children, to succeed the reigning prince. Therefore, Caroline has been Hereditary Princess of Monaco since Albert succeeded in 2005. She will lose this title the moment he has a legitimate child. She briefly held the title as an infant and lost it when Albert was born and he became the Hereditary Prince.

Despite the possible change in her position, Caroline seems not to mind. Both she and her sister Princess Stephanie have reportedly coached Charlene for her new role.

No wedding date has been announced, but protocol reportedly calls for at least six months of engagement. A winter wedding perhaps? In the meantime, she can use those breaststroke muscles to support the weight of her massive engagement ring.

Swedish Royal Wedding Report

Unlike other royal weddings, the Swedish royal wedding coverage had the distinction that I didn't have a clue what the commentators were saying. Given that I'm in Canada and I have a link to watch the event online, I'm not complaining!

Despite this, you could arguably say that royal weddings have the distinction of being universal events and this one is no exception. From the Swedish public lining the streets, some imaginatively painting their faces in blue and yellow to the distinguished and royal guests in evening dress, to the stirring music, this event transcends the language barrier by the pagentry of it. And incidently was the first royal wedding since 2008, when Denmark's Prince Joachim wed Marie Cavallier of France.

Arriving by a Rolls-Royce, the Princess entered the Stockholm cathedral on the arm of her father the King, with her attendants leading the way. The pages wore sailor suits, a Bernadotte tradition.The bridesmaids wore  full-length pearl white dresses in silk organza with short sleeves and roll collars. On their feet white ballet slippers. The King and the Princess walked to the half-way point in the cathedral where the groom awaited to lead her to the altar. The groom, clearly emotional at the sight of his bride, bowed to the king and the couple briefly kissed before proceeding to the altar where the ceremony would begin.

Wearing her mother's wedding veil and the traditional cameo tiara, the bride and groom were emotional as they exchanged vows and rings. The brides dress, designed by Pär Engsheden was simple and unadorned. It is made of cream-coloured duchess silk satin, with short sleeves and a turned-out collar, which follows the rounded neckline. The dress has a v-shaped back with covered buttons. The sash at the waist is buttoned up at the back. The train is edged with a border, fastened at the waist, and has the same shape as the veil. The train is almost five metres long (about 16 feet). Her shoes matched the material of her dress and her bouquet consisted of lily of the valley, rose, phalaenopsis orchid, peony, clematis, cosmos, wax flower, sweet pea, dicentra formosa, Mårbacka pelargonium, Amazon lily, gardenia, azalea, bleeding heart and the traditional myrtle from Sofiero. All the flowers were white, and the bouquet was tied into a free teardrop shape.

During the ceremony the couple looked visibly moved. After the ceremony, the Crown Princess and the new Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland stood at the entrance to the cathedral, sharing a kiss, both relieved that the ceremony is completed as they awaited the arrival of the Parade Barouche from the Royal Mews to begin their cortège. It is the same barouche that was used by The King and Queen at their wedding exactly 34 years ago to the day.

The horse-drawn cortège travelled through the streets of Stockholm to the Royal Barge Vasaorden, rowed by eighteen cadets from the Naval College, taking them through Stockholm Bay, thronging with Swedish and foreign warships, flying their flags high and saluting the Crown Princess Couple with a 21-gun salute. After their arrival at Logården the couple enjoyed a choral tribute at the foot of Lejonbacken, before beginning their wedding banquet in the Hall of State at the Royal Palace in Stockholdm Sweden's finest ceremonial hall.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

All photos via PicApp website

The Princess Angela of Liechtenstein Non-Issue

One of the most commented posts on this blog is What's the deal with Princess Angela of Liechtenstein? Two years later, I still have yet to answer that question for myself, therefore I've come to the conclusion that Princess Angela marrying into the Liechtenstein family is a non-issue. Reading the comments, there are people who do think otherwise, so I'm revisiting the topic.

Currently the only black princess in a reigning European house, Princess Angela is married to Prince Maximillian of Liechtenstein; the second son of the reigning Prince Hans-Adam II. To give you an idea of just how small Liechsteinstein is, with an area of 160 sq. km/61.8 sq miles. it is the fourth smallest state in Europe, after Vatican City, Monaco, and San Marino. To put Liechsteinstein's size into some context, Monaco is about the size of central park in New York City. Liechsteinstein is only a bit larger than Manhattan. While Liechsteinstein and New York City may be comparable in size they are hardly comparable in their position on the world stage.

People wonder why they haven't heard more about Princess Angela? Some see it as racial, and some, like me, had no clue about her until I was emailed with a request to write an article. Lest anyone read something into this, there are lots of minor royals who I'm not aware of, including her. However, always up to a challenge I immediately dived in and started trying to write a royal profile about her. But I found that other than a Wikipedia article, and a discussion board debating whether she's black enough, there was little about her personally. The information that was out there consisted of complaints about why no one had heard more about her. Which I found rather interesting and thus inspired my original article.

My first reaction to these comments is: So? Princess Angela has married into a minor royal family who is not on the world stage like the British royal family. But yet there are people who choose to ignore that they're a private family, Liechtenstein is a global pin-prick, or that they're a low-key couple.  No, that can't be it - The media can't get over that a prince would have chosen a commoner black woman, people are uncomfortable with interracial relationships, and that to see it as anything less than racial, is 'naive'. Perhaps, but has it ever occured to anyone that she is not interesting enough to warrant more coverage? She could be a perfectly wonderful person but once you get past the color of her skin and who she is married to, what else is there to say? She's already broken the non-existent glass-ceiling for royal diversity, what else do you want?

Now having said that, I still think problem lies in who she has married and the family she married into. Despite her husband's position as the second son, he is not even remotely comparable to Prince Harry. I guarantee that if a black woman were to marry/date Prince William or Prince Harry, it would definately get media coverage and become a race issue. The intense focus would make it racist. Because then it's not about her as a person, it's about her skin color. Of course, in this PC age, we can't come right out and say that but it would be the elephant in the room. Now who would be complaining?

Again, if you're not satisfied with the coverage she's getting, go out, track her down and get an interview, write a book, make a movie, hold a parade, or continue on the path of least resistance and continue complaining.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

This Week in Princesses

Midsummer has arrived and the number of high-profile royal events was unbelievable. Here’s just a tasting of the princesses who popped out of their palaces this week.

June 14

What a way to start the week! Felipe and Letizia of Spain attended an event at El Prado Museum and were seated in front of the incredible painting, “Las Meninas,” by Velazquéz, who painted himself into the scene. The central figure is Infanta Margarita Teresa, daughter of King Felipe IV and future wife of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. I wouldn’t have behaved well at this event—I would have felt compelled to run my chair around!

At an art event of another sort, Infanta Elena of Spain showed she is not afraid of a little sartorial splendor; she often choosing colorful ensembles. Check out the stripes on those high heels—her legs look super long at this event for children who won a painting competition.

June 15

Felipe and Letizia of Spain looked serious and already tired at this ceremony in Spain. Maybe they had a bit of pre-travel jet lag considering that in the next two days, they would fly to South Africa and then to Sweden. How do you pack for that?

June 16

Felipe and Letizia of Spain made a quick trip to South Africa to attend the World Cup match between Spain and Switzerland. (Is it just me, or did Americans go World Cup Crazy for the first time EVER this year?)

When she’s not riding horse, Princess Haya of Jordan can still be found at equestrian events. On Wednesday, she presented one of the trophies at Royal Ascot in England.

The Swedish royal family attended many events in advance of Saturday’s royal wedding. Here, they are arriving for a reception on a historic ship. Queen Silvia’s bright yellow jacket stands out between her more soberly clad daughters, Princess Madeleine and Crown Princess Victoria.

June 17

Princess Haya of Jordan looked summery and delightful throughout the week of Royal Ascot. Her companion on Ladies Day, Prince Edward’s wife Sophie of Wessex, may be patterned and be-feathered, but she still looks dowdy next to her Middle Eastern friend.

The Princess Royal and her niece, Princess Beatrice of York, arrived from Windsor Castle by carriage at Ascot. It looks like Aunt Anne may be offering Bea some advice.

The Norwegian royal family took their yacht for the short trip from Oslo to Stockholm for the Swedish royal wedding. The entire family came along for the festivities. Here, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, kisses her mommy, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, goodbye as her aunt, Princess Martha Louise, looks on.


June 18

Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling opened gifts at a reception in their honor hosted by the city of Stockholm. Just what do you get a future queen for a wedding present? Apparently, apple trees and wine.

With her marriage to Prince Ernst of Hanover reportedly on the rocks, Princess Caroline of Monaco might be expected to look a little world-weary. Of course, this wasn’t a cheerful occasion either; she was attending the International Day of the Refugee.

Rarely seen in American coverage, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg is actually from the Western hemisphere—she is Cuban. She has five children with Grand Duke Henri, here arriving for the Swedish government’s dinner in honor of Crown Princess Victoria’s wedding.

Most of the Greek royal family arrived together. Did Princess Alexia and her mom, Queen Anne-Marie, coordinate their beautiful red gowns? If so, it looks like Prince Nikolaos’ fiancée, Tatiana Blatnik, did not get the memo.

The arrival of the honored couple had a bit more drama, as Daniel Westling cheerfully mucked in to arrange his fiancee’s train so that Crown Princess Victoria would look spectacular in photos. Ironically, this photo is probably the most used one from the event.

Here’s another one of those touchy-feely moments between Felipe and Letizia of Spain as they arrived for the gala concert in Stockholm the night before the big wedding.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden looked gorgeous (as usual) as she arrived on the arm of her big brother Prince Carl Philip for the concert in their sister’s honor. Their own weddings will be much less spectacular since they won’t be national occasions.

June 19

Of course, the top event of the week was the actual wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her long-time beau (and former fitness trainer) Daniel Westling, now Prince Daniel. Their gorgeous day included a lovely ceremony attended by royalty around the world (see some of the guests), a carriage ride and boat tour through Copenhagen, a grand feast and dancing into the wee hours. Throughout it all, their love for each other was apparent and touching.

One of my favorite images of the day. This one shows three of the world’s most glamorous royal couples, dressed to the hilt, caught in a “just like the rest of us” moment. Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Haakon of Norway look on as Frederick of Denmark uses a point-and-shoot camera to take a snap of their wives, Mary, Maxima and Mette-Marit, all in a row.

And, here’s the big picture. The bridal couple surrounded by their families and all of the royals who attended. If you click on this photo, you can actually read some of the names. The photo includes at least 10 current kings and queens and at least 16 future ones. (You’d think they could have found a prettier place to take the picture.)

June 20

All the princesses slept off the busy week.

Prince William and Prince Harry vs the vuvuzelas

During the England vs Algeria FIFA World Cup match in South Africa, the following conversation takes place through the buzzing of the ubiquitious blowing of vuvuzelas:

Spectator One: Did you hear that William and Harry are here today?

Spectator Two: (stops blowing his vuvuzela) WHAT?

Spectator One: WILLIAM AND HARRY ARE AT THE MATCH TODAY

Spectator Two: WHO?

Spectator One: PRINCES WILLIAM AND HARRY ARE HERE TODAY

Spectator Two: ARE YOU SURE? I DON'T SEE THEM

Spectator One: THEY'RE THE ONES NOT BLOWING VUVUZELAS



© Marilyn Braun 2010

The Royal Report for Sunday June 20th, 2010 - A Celebration of Prince William and Kate MIddleton's Love

On this episode: : Prince William once stated that he wouldn't consider getting married until he was at least 28. Given that he is turning 28 on June 21st, speculation will no doubt intensify about his relationship with Kate Middleton. On this episode, a celebration of Prince William and Kate Middleton's love.

You can listen to the episode here

Publications mentioned

OK Magazine - June 21, 2010 - Kate and William - The next big royal wedding

Hello! Canada Weekly No 176 14 June 2010

Hello! Canada Weekly No 177 21 June 2010

From My Royal Collection

The Face of Monarchy - British royalty portrayed - by Richard Ormond

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday June 27, 2010 - 9:00PM EST (North America).

The topic will be: Prince William and Prince Harry - Two brothers, two different destinies.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Princesses Aplenty: The Swedish Royal Wedding Pics

Today's gorgeous and moving royal wedding between Crown Princess Victoria and her longtime love, Daniel Westling, was beautifully broadcast online by SVT (http://svt.se). Here's a quick view of some of the stunning princesses (and their tiaras!) at the event.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. She was a single mother with connections to the drug culture when he married her. Now she is the well-respected mother of the future Queen of Norway, Princess Ingrid Alexandra (center), who was one of the bridesmaids.

Haakon's sister, Princess Martha Louise, and her commoner husband, Ari Behn, who, unlike today's groom, did not become a prince when he married his princess. Like Victoria, Martha Louise is the oldest child with a younger brother. When Victoria was a toddler Sweden changed the law so that royal daughters had equal rights with brothers so that the oldest child, whatever its gender, is the heir. Norway didn't change its similar law until Martha Louise and Haakon were already grown, so to prevent depriving Haakon of his expected crown, the law was made to apply only to children born after the law passed.

The Prince and Princess of Orange. Princess Maxima was born in Argentina and she met her prince, the future King of the Netherlands, in Spain. Her own parents, however, weren't invited to her wedding because of her father's ties to an Argentinian junta. Maxima has three beautiful girls; the oldest, Princess Catharina Amalia (center), was a bridesmaid.

Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark. He met his Australian bride in a bar during the Sydney Olympics. Their son, Prince Christian, was in the bridal party.

The Prince and Princess of the Asturias. Felipe had a whirlwind romance with Letizia, a former television journalist. Many people were stunned when they announced their engagement because there had been no hint of a royal romance.

Felipe's sister, Infanta Cristina of Spain and her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, now the Duke of Palma de Mallorca. He was a professional handball player who met his princess at the Atlanta Olympics.

Meanwhile the oldest child of the Spanish king, Infanta Elena, arrived wearing either 1) an homage to her Spanish homeland or 2) a jacket borrowed at the last minute from the only bullfighter in Sweden.

The Duke and Duchess of Brabant, future King and Queen of Belgium. Mathilde was a speech therapist from a noble Belgian family but her engagement was also a bit of a surprise because he was nearly 40 and people had thought he would never marry. They now have four children.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex. For some reason, the higher members of the British royal family doesn't attend these types of events the way the other royal families do. Instead, they dispatched the Prince Edward (#7 in the succession) and his wife, Sophie. These two actually met while he was officially on duty for a charitable event--she was a public relations agent involved in the event.

The next royal wedding is likely to be between Prince Nicholas of Greece and Tatiana Blatnik. They announced their engagement late last year and released some engagement photos but have not yet released any details. He is first cousins with Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark on his mother's side and with Prince Felipe of Spain on his father's side.

The bride's mother and sister. Half-Brazilian, half-German Queen Silvia met the king at the Munich Olympics in 1972. Princess Madeleine has been taking a break from the spotlight during the last several weeks following the breakup of her own engagement. (Her fiancee was revealed to be cheating on this gorgeous girl!) Nevertheless, Madeleine's pride and love for her sister were apparent all day.

The little bridal attendants. Prince Christian of Denmark is the smaller boy in the back. In front of him, holding hands with each other, are Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway (darker hair) and Princess Catharina Amalia of the Netherlands.

The royal bridal couple. Upon the marriage, he became His Royal Highness Prince Daniel, the Duke of Vastergotland. He also received his first knighthood, the Royal of Order of the Seraphim. After the newlyweds walked up the aisle but before they left the church, he put on the light blue sash and bejewelled star of the order.