One Is Opposed to Discrimination

Userpage icon for supporting gender equality.One is opposed to discrimination: the Queen will sign a charter supporting gender equality and other rights.

The charter includes affirmations on democracy, human rights, international peace and security. It also contains a commitment to “gender equality” and “women’s empowerment”. This is seen as a step forward for gay rights, a huge deal considering that several of the Queen’s Commonwealth nations disapprove of – and strongly punish – homosexuality.

“Women’s empowerment” refers to the endorsement of new legislation ending discrimination against women in the line of succession to the British throne. During the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) last year, the Queen made the move to allow her female heirs equal access to the throne. If the first child for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is a daughter, that child cannot be supplanted by a younger brother.

Without getting dragged into political activism over gay rights, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said that “the Queen, as in all matters, is apolitical but is signing the document in her capacity as head of the Commonwealth.”

 

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Royal News Roundup For 2012!

It’s my Royal News Roundup For 2012! This year was huge. Let’s take a look back at all of the events in the lives of the royals:

January

bullet_pinkJanuary 4: The Duchess of Cambridge announces the first charities she will support. They include The Art Room, The National Portrait Gallery, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice, and Action on Addiction.

bullet_pinkJanuary 14: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark celebrates the 40th anniversary of her accession to the country’s throne – her Ruby Jubilee.

bullet_pinkJanuary 24: Princess Athena is born to HRH Princess Marie and HRH Prince Joachim of Denmark.

February

bullet_pinkFebruary 17: HRH Prince Friso, second son of Queen Beatrix, is hit by an avalanche while on a skiing holiday in Austria. He survives, but remains unconscious.

bullet_pinkFebruary 24: It is announced that Prince Friso has “permanent brain damage and may never regain consciousness,” according to Dr. Wolfgang Koller, head of ICU and Trauma Center, during a press conference at Innsbruck University Hospital in Innsbruck, Austria.

March:

harry-tourbullet_pinkMarch 2: Prince Harry begins his own Diamond Jubilee tour in honor of the Queen. The prince kicks off his tour in Belize, continuing on to the Bahamas and Jamaica. The tour is followed up by a trip to Brazil, during which he promoted a British government to encourage more tourism to Britain.

bullet_pinkMarch 17: On St. Patrick’s day, the Duchess of Cambridge carried out the traditional awarding of shamrocks to the Irish Guards at their base in Aldershot; this was her first solo military engagement.

April:

bullet_pinkApril 21: HM The Queen celebrates her official birthday. She is 86 years old.

bullet_pinkApril 26: It is announced that Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg will marry Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy.

May:

bullet_pinkMay 13: The Queen invests The Duchess of Cornwall with the Insignia of a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

© Royal Household/John SwannellJune – Official Jubilee Celebrations

bullet_pinkJune 2: The Queen attends the Epsom Derby.

bullet_pinkJune 3rd: Big Jubilee Lunch – Inspired by the immensely popular Big Lunch initiative, people across the UK are encouraged to share lunch with neighbors and friends as part of the Jubilee celebrations.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant – Nearly 1,000 boats assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world to parade down the Thames River. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh traveled in the Royal Barge, the centerpiece of the flotilla.

bullet_pinkJune 4: The televised extravaganza, Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, was host to many famous faces British and American alike! It took place right outside the palace, with the stage built around the Victoria Memorial. Millions crammed into the area, and stretched all the way down the Mall.

The Prince of Wales gave a speech honoring his mother at the conclusion of the Jubilee concert. The prince also called upon the public to send good wishes to his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, who was in the hospital for an infection. The crowd roared their support, hoping for the Duke’s return to form.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons: A network of 2,012 Beacons will be lit by communities and individuals throughout the United Kingdom, as well as the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Commonwealth. The Queen herself lights the National Beacon.

bullet_pinkJune 5: The Diamond Jubilee weekend culminated with a service at St Paul’s Cathedral, followed by two receptions, a lunch at Westminster Hall, a Carriage Procession to Buckingham Palace and finally, a Balcony appearance and a RAF flypast.

bullet_pink June 27: The Queen shakes the hand of Martin McGuinness, believed to be a major figure in the IRA at the time of Lord Mountbatten’s execution. It is a huge moment in the history of relations between the Irish Republic and Britain.

July:

bullet_pinkJuly 4: Princess Caroline of Monaco announces the engagement of her eldest son, Andrea, to heiress Tatiana Santo Domingo. Rumors also emerge that Tatiana is pregnant based on her loose-fitting garments.

bullet_pinkJuly 27: The 2012 London Olympics begin. William, Kate, and Harry make dozens of appearances at various sporting events to cheer on Team GB. And as I’m sure you’ll agree, one of the most memorable parts of the Olympics was seeing ‘the Queen’ parachute into the opening ceremony! The Games last until August 12.

bullet_pinkJuly 31: The Queen’s granddaughter Zara wins silver with her equestrian team. The day before, Zara marked her one-year wedding anniversary to Mike Tindall.


August:

bullet_pinkAugust 28: Charlotte Casiraghi and her boyfriend of eight months, Gad Elmaleh, enjoy time together on Princess Caroline’s yacht. It is the family’s annual summer cruise around the Mediterranean.

bullet_pinkAugust 29: The Paralympics kicks off in London, with the British royals cheering them on and the Duchess of Cambridge awarding medals. It lasts until September 9.

September:

bullet_pinkSeptember 11: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge touch down in Singapore to kick off their Far East and South Pacific tour for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

bullet_pinkSeptember 12: The University of Leicester and Leicester City Council, in association with the Richard III Society, join forces to search for the mortal remains of King Richard III. At the press conference, they discuss what they’ve found at the presumed burial site of King Richard (under a car park!). DNA tests will be carried out to determine if it is indeed the Plantagenet king.

bullet_pinkSeptember 13: While the Duke and Duchess conduct their tour, the French magazine “Closer” publishes photographs of the Duchess sun-bathing topless while on holiday at the private Château d’Autet.

bullet_pinkSeptember 15: Spain’s Letizia, Princess of Asturias, turns the big 4-0!

Princess Madeleine of Sweden Engaged

© Kungahuset

October:

bullet_pinkOctober 19: Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg marries Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy.

bullet_pinkOctober 25: The Swedish royal court announces the engagement between Princess Madeleine and her American boyfriend, Christopher O’Neill.

November:

bullet_pinkNovember 19: Prince Friso, who has been in a coma since his skiing accident in February, is showing “signs of limited awareness,” according to the state information service RVD. Doctors are still “gravely concerned” about his recovery.

December:

bullet_pinkDecember 3: The news we’ve all been waiting for – the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant! It was announced after Kate had to be taken to the King Edward VII hospital for hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe version of morning sickness.

bullet_pinkDecember 7: Jacintha Saldanha, a nurse at the hospital where the Duchess is treated for morning sickness, commits suicide. It is said she committed suicide after the ‘humiliation’ of being pranked by two Australian radio DJs pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles. It is determined that Saldanha was not the nurse who gave away information on Kate, she only answered the call and passed it through. Reports emerge that Saldanha had tried to commit suicide twice before.

bullet_pinkDecember 18: The Queen sits in on a Cabinet meeting for the first time, taking a seat between British Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague to observe the weekly discussion of government business. It is said that this visit by the Queen is the first time a sitting monarch has attended a Cabinet meeting in 100 years.

Want to include a royal event or person not seen here? Add it to the comments section below! Happy New year!

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrive in New Zealand

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrive in New Zealand:

Charles and Camilla paid tribute to New Zealand’s fallen soldiers in Auckland on Remembrance Sunday.




They traveled on to the capital, Wellington (Wednesday), where Prince Charles rang in his 64th year. Shouts and songs of “Happy birthday” could be heard ringing through the crowds! Speaking of ringing, the Prince was even given a sneak peek at the brilliant costumes and props for the latest Lord of The Rings movie, “The Hobbit”. The royal couple were accompanied by director Peter Jackson, who created the movie versions of the previous LotR movies in New Zealand.

Charles and Camilla’s Tour In Video (So Far)

Charles and Camilla’s Tour In Video (So Far): The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall began their Pacific tour in Papua New Guinea:

The royal couple traveled on to Australia where they toured the famous “Outback”, viewed cute kangaroos, and got a whip-cracking lesson:

Charles and his Duchess in Adelaide, Australia:

The royals in Tasmania and Sydney:

C and C Kick Off Tour

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have landed in Papua New Guinea, where they begin their tour this week in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Prince Charles and his Duchess are paying a visit to the country, as well as neighboring Australia and New Zealand. They are all Commonwealth countries of which the Queen is head.

About Papua New Guniea

Top ten royals you SHOULD know

Everyone knows Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge. The gorgeous Queen Rania of Jordan ranks high in the royal elite, and Queen Elizabeth II is a legend. Which modern-day royals rank in your top 10? Let’s hear the nominations as we research the hard-working and history-worthy royals across the world.

High-falutin’ fashionista has words for Anne

She’s been known for a few strong opinions of her own, but Britain’s Princess Anne is at the other end of the totem now.

Fashion designer Denise L’Estrange-Corbet took the opportunity to comment on the Princess’ fashion sense during Her Royal Highness’ low-profile visit to New Zealand. Anne was a guest of honor at an event held for New Zealand’s branch of Save the Children, of which the princess has been patron of for over 35 years.

The New Zealand Herald heaped catty scorn on Anne’s outfit, while the paper’s diarist also took a shot at her height! Then Ms. L’Estrange-Corbet delivered the coup de grace:

“She was as boring as ******* bat ****, is what she was,” she reportedly told the newspaper. “The world’s hairdressers at your beck and call and your hair looks like a cottage loaf! And personality minus! No wonder Diana left them all for dead”.

Not spending thousands of pounds a day on an outfit and her hair is probably what endears most of us to Princess Anne. Her straightforward approach and get-down-to-business style is what makes the princess all the more respectable.

My respect for The New Zealand Herald has dropped considerably. Grousing about someone’s hair and height is the epitome of adolescence.

Telegraph – NZ Designer Calls Princess Anne ‘Boring’

William in AU and NZ: A Look Back

With thanks to RoyalBlog.nl, you can see photos of William’s final days in Australia.

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Prince William in New Zealand and Australia