HRH the Prince of Wales asks fashion lovers to look to their wardrobes to save the planet. Photographs by Mario Testino.

It was a great surprise to have been invited by the editor to contribute to one of the defining journals of world fashion—a surprise owing to the fact that I am not entirely sure I fit the description of being “fashionable.” Sometimes there have been those generous enough to call me “well dressed,” but if they knew how much of what I wear is many years, even decades, old….

See more at Vogue.com

Eco-friendly in all aspects of his life

Ever the eco-friendly Prince, Charles decided to install solar panels on his London residence to make it “carbon negative”. His Royal Highness submitted a planning application to Westminster City Council which they have just approved.

The solar panels are a part of Prince Charles’ larger scheme to wholly convert to a green lifestyle. He has installed energy-efficient boilers, converted his Jaguar and Land Rover to run on biodiesel – derived from used cooking oil – and his Aston Martin even runs on fuel made from wine!

A spokesman for Clarence House said that the Prince was very happy that his planning application went through “[...] as next month Clarence House Gardens will be hosting the Start Garden Party to make a difference’, which will showcase various measures people could take to live a more sustainable lifestyle.”

Mandy’s Royalty @ Anglotopia.net

Happy birthday to Princess Lilian of Sweden (95 on August 30th) and Queen Rania of Jordan (40 today).

Funeral of Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon Parma. Video courtesy of RoyalblogNL.

Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon Parma, a branch of the Spanish House of Bourbon, died August 18th in Barcelona. Carlos Hugo was a Carlist pretender to the Spanish throne.

Carlism is a legitimist political movement in Spain which seeks to place the descendants of Infante Carlos, Count of Molina (1788 – 1855) on the Spanish throne. They only recognize the semi-Salic succession law that gave Infante Carlos precedence over King Ferdinand VII’s daughter, Isabella II.

Infante Carlos had been the heir until his brother Ferdinand created his unborn child the next in line to the throne. The baby would be the new heir, regardless of sex, and when it was revealed to be a girl, Carlos and various cadet Bourbon family branches declared her father’s claim invalid and illegal. This dispute over the laws of succession, coupled with disappointment in the loss of Spanish colonies in the Caribbean, fueled the movement.

Prince Carlos Hugo’s father publicly laid claim to the Spanish throne as Javier I in 1952. He was ignored by Spain’s leader at the time, dictator Francisco Franco, who later chose Infante Juan Carlos to be his successor and restore the monarchy. King Juan Carlos rules today, and his son, Crown Prince Felipe, is the next in line to the throne.

Carlist – Wikipedia

Every published report on Tatiana Blatnik says she was born in 1980 and that she’s 29 years old. That means she was born the same year I was, and is even a few months younger (I turned 30 in April).

When I first saw photos of her, I thought she was around Nikolaos’ age. He is 41, and I estimated Tatiana at about 38. Don’t get me wrong, I think she is beautiful and statuesque, but she doesn’t look 29.

Any thoughts?

(Ed. – This was not intended to be rude in any way, I was simply curious to see what other people thought. If I have caused offense, I apologize.)

A royal wedding means gown commentary, and the recent Greek royal nuptials are no exception.

It was a formal wedding but with a relaxed, happy twist that was perfect for their Mediterranean surroundings. Below, the great and the good (along with a few questionable choices thereafter):

The bride, Tatiana – Her wedding dress was an ivory Angel Sanchez gown with lace overlay. It was paired with a matching lace bolero jacket and full-length veil, topped off with a stunning tiara borrowed from her new mother-in-law. This tiara was also worn by Tatiana’s sister-in-law, Princess Marie-Chantal.

Marie of Denmark – a sand-colored gown and a stylish fan finishing the look. Bravo!

Princess Victoria of Sweden – her brilliant warm tangerine gown with empire waist fits and flows elegantly. Perfect!

Princess Letizia – a warm blue gown that wraps in the style of a Greek goddess, with a matching Hellenic column bracelet.

Nikolaos’ cousin, Infanta Cristina, looked splendid but serious in a black and gray floral gown with matching wrap.
The “Oh No!” Brigade:

Princess Madeleine of Sweden – an aqua gown the color of the Mediterranean Sea; a top the style of…a lettuce leaf?

Princess Mary and Princess Maxima – the the light and airy colors flatter Maxima, but the skirt of the gown is too fussy. The color and pattern of Mary’s gown, though it’s an elegant cut, falls flat.

The groom’s brother and sister, Prince Philippos and Princess Theodora – the stylish Philippos looked handsome in his suit. Funny enough, the men’s suits seem too heavy in comparison with the women’s gowns in such sunny, warm weather.

J’adore Theodora’s gown, except for the top. It cuts much too tightly across her bosom, and the bejeweled strap seems out of place.

Nikolaos’ other Spanish cousin, Enfanta Elena, looked much better without her candy pink jacket. The dress is still too dated though, looking like something out of the 1980s. Princess Rosario of Bulgaria kept things much more simple.

Prince Nikolaos and Tatiana Blatnik have tied the knot today, surrounded by family and friends. The wedding took place on the Greek island of Spetses, in the Cathedral of Ayios Nikolaos (Saint Nicholas) church.

Tatiana is now known as Her Royal Highness Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark.

A few people have asked me why the Greek royal family are known as princes/princesses of both Greece and Denmark. This is because King Constantine is a male-line descendant of Christian IX of Denmark, so he and his family retain this title. Constitutional changes, however, removed the Greek royals from the line of Danish succession since they are a lower cadet branch of Denmark’s House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Read more…

Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark is set to marry his fiancee, Tatiana Blatnik, tomorrow afternoon. The wedding is to take place on the Greek island of Spetses.

Nikolaos is the second son of former King Constantine II of Greece and Queen Anne-Marie. He is a close relation to many royals across Europe and is the nephew of two Queens – Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (his mother’s sister) and Queen Sofia of Spain (his father’s sister).

Bride-to-be Tatiana holds a degree in sociology from Georgetown University in Washington. She studied public relations in Switzerland and currently works in the PR office of Diane von Furstenburg.