Intertwining two blogs

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Anne

Since I started working full time, two years ago, I have had less time to update. Blog Royale has suffered from this, and though I have been limping along – trying to convince myself that I could do this… it is just not happening to the same level of updating that I was when I was in university.

It therefore seemed prudent to take a step back and evaluate how much time would be needed to carry a dedicated royal blog. When I first started writing here, I made the attempt to publish something every day, and I don’t have that kind of time anymore.

I am sad to see the end of Blog Royale, but in the end, there have been major royal Norwegian attendance and events these past two weeks, and I haven’t blogged anything at all about the royal side of things.

Upon reflection, I have decided that I shall only be updating at the main blog – Norwegianne.net, which means that there may be sporadic royal news, discussion topics and book reviews there, instead of here.

Norwegianne.net will be featuring some royal tidbits, recipes, posts about living in Norway, book reviews, and whatever else I have the time and inclination to write about.

Thanks for the time you’ve taken to read here at Blog Royale. It has been great having you along.

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Court circular

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Anne

As I was looking at the court circular yesterday, for the Heir Consort Project, I noticed that the Duchess of Cambridge is still missing as a possible category in the list of royals.

I first noticed it with last month’s entry, but figured it was too soon after the wedding. But shouldn’t she be having some sort of attendance at bigger royal events soon?

Or is not adding her to the list of people one may select a way to hide what she may or may not do?

(Speaking just after throwing stone in the glass house, I am also missing Kate in my categories, for now, but then, she didn’t marry into my firm)

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Ragnhild in Rio

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Anne

Norway’s National Day is over and done, and I am sure you all have seen the pictures of the royal family in Oslo – greeting the parades.

But have you seen this?

Princess Ragnhild celebrating in Rio de Janeiro

For the first time, there were enough Norwegian students in their final year of high school in Rio, to form a group like in Norway: the so-called Russ. These named 80 year old Princess Ragnhild, Honorary Russ of the year, and the picture is from that ceremony.

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Harald fields retirement questions

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Anne

At a press conference at the Norwegian State visit to Slovenia, King Harald was asked whether it was time to retire, now that he has passed 74.

The King, who is known to be in favour of staying on the job, answered.

“As long as I am in shape, I will keep going.” He added that he is currently in no condition that demands retirement.

But it is not just about his age. The fact that Haakon and Mette-Marit have small children is also something that he has taken into account. He wishes for them to be parents a bit longer, and that the mantle of royal responsibility can wait a bit.

His sense of humour is still intact, and he finished the query up with the following comment: “I have a deal with my children that they will give me a hint the day they think I’ve gone completely ’round the bend.”

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Not just problem-free

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Anne

With the news that Prince Christian would be starting school in Gentofte, north of Copenhagen, came some issues. The school is so popular that they have previously turned away children who reside in the area.

An additional place was created for Prince Christian by using the logic that he was “moving to the area”, despite having moved to Amalienborg, which is in a different municipality than Gentofte.

In fact, the municipality has registered him as a Gentofte citizen, leading BT to ponder what his new adress might be.

I suggest Bernstorff Castle, just north of the school. Previously home to several Danish royals, it is currently a conference centre within a huge park. The perfect fake home for a 5 year old.

Back to serious now. I think it is nice that Frederik and Mary wants Christian to go to a public school. The problem is that he is getting beneficial treatment in admission over other children who are really living in the area. It should be possible to find a nice public school for him within the borders of Copenhagen and close by Amalienborg. Or, if going outside Copenhagen’s borders, at least one without a waiting list..

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Heir Consort Project, April 2011

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Anne

April had Easter, thus resulting in a lot less activities. But it also had the royal wedding in the UK, with Camilla, Daniel, Mathilde, Maxima and Letizia being royals in attendence. (Since Camilla is still married to the heir to the throne, I won’t be switching her out for Kate for this project just yet.)

But there have also been a lot of traveling going on. As I have stated before, since royal courts tend to report state visits, official visits, trade missions, etc. in different level of specificity, I have opted for merely counting the days as singular events, rather than detailing all the activities that has gone on.

Siena suggested also adding the data of how many activities these people do – on average per month – per week. I’ve tried to incorporate that, with the last number showing how many activities the person has done, on average a week in the month that has passed.

If you’re interested, I am collating all the events in a GoogleCalendar, from where I tally the final result at the end of the month. I’m happy to share access to that if anyone wants to know.

(I know I miss events, as I usually go by the official calendars, with minor catch-ups from other reports, so I am always happy to be reminded.)

Continue reading →

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New titles for William

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Anne

This morning Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen has conferred new titles onto Prince William.

He now is HRH The Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.

Thus Kate won’t be known as Princess William after the wedding ceremony, but HRH The Duchess of Cambridge. Any notion that the Queen would give her a title in her own right is also, for now at least, out of the window. Ergo, any press reports calling her Princess Catherine or Princess Kate will be wrong ;)

The Dukedom of Cambridge became extinct in 1904 with the death of the grandson of George III and as a Marquessate in 1981.

The addition of Northern Ireland’s Baron Carrickfergus is interesting.

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Christian’s new school

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Anne

The Danish court has announced that Prince Christian will be starting school after the summer. In a break with tradition, he will be attending a public school, instead of Krebs, the private school attended by Nikolai, Felix, Joachim and Frederik.

The school where he’ll enrol in Grade 0, is called Tranegårdsskolen. It is located in Hellerup, a posh suburb north of Copenhagen. It takes about 10-15 minutes by car from Amalienborg.

The school goes from grade 0 to 9. It has about 500 pupils.

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Norwegian Easter

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Anne

Aftenposten reports that King Harald and Queen Sonja will be spending the Easter holidays in Bermuda, most likely visiting a friend there.

While they are away, the Crown Princely family will be rather restricted in their travels. Their exact location is not known, but they have three holiday places to choose from. Their winter cabin in Nore and Uvdal, their summer cottage close by Risør, and the villa in Kristiansand.

Of course, in addition to that, there is the family winter cabin in Sikkilsdalen, as well as the summer place at Mågerø. They’re not wanting for places to vacation in Norway.

No news of what Ari Behn and Princess Märtha Louise and family are doing.

Personally, I will be heading up for the mountains tomorrow. Norwegians are a strange race – once the snow has disappeared in the lowland we chase up to the mountains to be with it as long as possible. (Even when we don’t care much for it…) Anyway, happy Easter.

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The names

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Anne

The boy: Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander
The girl: Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda

Minik and Ivalo are both Greenlandic names.

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