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When I think of Belgium, I think of Tintin, the EU, and lots of arguing about who should speak what language.

The Belgian royals are a lovely family, but they are not usually on my radar. They are pretty quiet – at least here in America – compared to their counterparts.

In Britain, we’ve seen Prince William sending the media into a frenzy over whom he will marry; in Holland, the traditional ‘Queen’s Day’ ended in drama when a crazed man drove his car through the crowds; and in Sweden, the Crown Princess is about to set a record when she marries next year – the only Queen regnant to take a commoner husband and grant him the HRH title.

Lately, however, I’ve seen that the Belgian royals are full of character and crazy events. We don’t always get to see the funny, dramatic, or casual side to the lives of Royalty until that one crowning moment.

That moment came when Belgium’s dowager Queen Fabiola was threatened with death by an anonymous nut. They claimed that they would shoot to kill during Belgium’s National Day celebrations, the fatal blow to be delivered with a crossbow.

I don’t know about you, but I would take that threat seriously. I’d consider attending said celebration with a bullet-proof vest and some chain mail. Under armor. Or maybe I wouldn’t turn up at all.

Not Queen Fabiola.

This feisty Queen Mum of België decided to dress in normal attire, with the typical royal chapeau and… an apple.

The surrounding members of her family were seen chuckling as Fabiola brandished the apple. She waved it to and fro, as if to say, Where are you, William Tell? You might, at this juncture, expect a white-gloved thumb to the nose and a quiet “Neener neener”.

Queen Fabiola is full of surprises, and brazenly brave to boot. My hat is definitely off to her!

Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife, Crown Princess Maxima, are wondering what to do about the media when it comes to their personal lives.

The pair are usually quite good at staying below the photographers’ radar at home in Holland. The Dutch press is also restricted to the types of photos it can publish, too.

The media agreed last week that in exchange for a photo session at the Wassenaar beach, they would then abstain from taking pictures during the princely vacation in Argentina. Now, however, several different Dutch media outlets have provided published pictures of a vacationing Princess Maxima and her family, in breach of the Dutch Media code.

All bets were off in Argentina, where the European law banning photographers from snapping personal family holidays has gone unheeded. Several shots have been sold to various Spanish-language magazines and newspapers as well as major magazines like Hola! and Hello! These magazines are on sale in the Netherlands, which causes the problem with the Dutch Media code, although the magazines’ Dutch equivalents do not carry the photos at all.

What a Royal headache!

News Summary Royalblog.nl: Dutch papers break ban on royal pics.

Prince Joachim of Denmark and his wife, Princess Marie, have christened their new son Henrik.

Joachim’s father is also named Prince Henrik. The former Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, a French-born count, married Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 1967. Princess Marie also hails from France.

The baby’s full name, Henrik Carl Joachim Alain, is in honor of the men of his family: Prince Henrik; Carl (Marie’s brother Charles); Prince Joachim; and Alain, Marie’s father.

Many congratulations to the Danish royals and many best wishes for one of the cutest royal babies in Europe!

UPDATE:

See photos of the christening.

The logo for the christening, remade from Joachim and Marie’s wedding logo:

Source: New Danish prince named Henrik in christening ceremony – Monsters and Critics

If you’re an expatriate Briton living in the United States, I’d like to ask you a few questions.

This series of questions will be used for my blog, The British American Group. I want everyone to share why they came here, what they miss about Britain, etc.

The next installment will involve American expatriates to Britain, with the same questions.

I feel this will bring lots of insight, and most of all, it will be a good way for people to network and share experiences.

What made you decide to move to America?

Will you be moving back home?

Thanks everyone!

RoyaltyNow! presents Prince Harry in NYC, the Belgian Royals, Prince Charles’ 40th anniversary, and more! Majesty Magazine Review for July 2009 – http://royaltynow.podcastpeople.com/posts/33626.

Willem-Alexander and Máxima take their daughters to the beach, with 90 photographers, reporters and cameramen in tow.

The beach is located in Wassenaar, a town in the western Netherlands.

Thanks to RoyalBlog.nl: Photo © GPD AP Cynthia Boll