Below are great links to the images of the bride and groom, families, sweet wedding moments, and guests. Enjoy!
CNN – Royal Wedding “Unveiled”
August 28, 2010
Funeral of Prince Carlos Hugo, arrival at Steccata
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.
August 1, 2010
New Slideshow: Victoria’s World
For better viewing, visit my SlideShare profile to download this presentation:
Victoria's World
View more presentations from M.L. Littlefield.
July 1, 2010
Princess Letizia: It’s a small world
Spain’s Princess Letizia was looking decidedly thin at the wedding of Victoria of Sweden.
Letizia donned an eye-catching red gown for the pre-nuptial celebrations the night before. Her arms were sinewy and her body mass index seemed as though it would barely register on a scale.
Since marrying Prince Felipe of Spain in 2004, Letizia has undergone several changes in her appearance. The most recent was her nasal surgery, described as a necessity for a deviated septum. The bridge of her nose, which once sported a natural bump, was shaved completely straight. Her shoes were also designed to make her look different – though stylish, they have platforms on the bottom to make Letizia appear several inches taller.
The most drastic change is her weight: it seems to have dropped substantially, a worrying sign. Letizia is a petite woman and probably doesn’t weigh much to begin with, but her bones are starting to become noticeable.
Has becoming a Princess caused Letizia extreme stress over her appearance? She was a very high-profile person as a news journalist on Spanish television, but as the wife of the heir to the throne, she naturally has a different kind of responsibility and an image to maintain. Has it all proved to be too much?
June 27, 2010
Wedding Jewelry: The good, the bad, the sparkly
My final post before vacation focused on the royal jewels that might be seen at Crown Princess Victoria’s wedding. The royal women certainly did not disappoint; everything sparkled and looked magnificent.
I saw some tiaras that were amazing as well as amazingly out of place. Let’s check it out, but a word to the wise: this post is picture-laden. It may take a moment to load.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
The Cuban-born lovely usually wears beautiful jewels that fit her appearance, but in this instance, the tiara was too big. It seemed to weigh too heavily for someone as petite as Maria Teresa.
According to Royal Magazin, the origin of this Empire Diamant tiara is not known. The tiara’s design of laurel leaves dates to around the mid of the 19th century. It had been worn by Grand Duke Henri’s mother, Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte.
Princess Birgitta of Sweden
Crown Princess Victoria’s aunt Birgitta was seen wearing the Nine-Prong Diamond tiara, also known as Queen Sophie’s Diamond Tiara.
Queen Sophie’s tiara was put forward as a possibility for Queen Silvia, the mother of the bride (below).
Instead, Her Majesty opted for the Braganca Diamond Tiara. This tiara once belonged to Empress Amalie of Brazil, whose sister was Queen Josephine of Sweden. After her death, it was inherited by Josephine and became a fixture among the jewels of the Swedish Royal Family. Interestingly, Queen Silvia’s mother Alice was Brazilian.
This easily rivals the Luxembourg Empire Diamant tiara above, but because Silvia’s hair has more body, it seems to compliment the tiara rather than allow it to overshadow her.
Her suite of jewelry was the Pink Topaz set worn by Queen Louise of Sweden (Lord Mountbatten’s sister). It was originally the wedding gift of the Russian Tsar Paul to his daughter, who married a German Grand Duke. Their daughter, Augusta, married the infamous Kaiser. It was Augusta’s granddaughter, Victoria, who would bring the suite into the Bernadotte dynasty when she married Prince Gustav of Sweden.
Princess Madeleine of Sweden
The sister of the bride sported the Connaught Diamond Tiara, a delicate looped headpiece that was simple and elegant.
The Connaught once belonged to Princess Margaret of Connaught. It was a wedding gift from her parents, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Duchess Louise Margarete (formerly of Prussia). Margaret, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, married the future King Gustav Adolf in 1905.
Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands
Maxima wore a very sparkly yet subtle tiara to the nuptials.
The Diamond Bandeau Tiara has adorned the heads of Dutch queens and princesses for generations. It is made up of twenty-seven large diamonds set on a platinum band.
Princess Mabel of the Netherlands
Mabel’s nutty “trouser gown” detracted from her headpiece, but if you did happen to notice it, you’ll recognize that it is the very same tiara she wore on her wedding day to Queen Beatrix’s son Prince Friso.
Thanks to Mad Hattery, I discovered that Mabel’s tiara is the second setting of the Mellerio Sapphire Tiara. It is topped with 11 large diamonds that look like lollipops.
I don’t know what possessed her to wear the outfit that she did, but the color was nice anyway!
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
Mette Marit chose to wear Queen Maud’s Pearl tiara to highlight her elegant bone structure and eye-catching platinum locks. This tiara was also worn by Mette Marit’s sister-in-law, Princess Martha-Louise for her wedding to Ari Behn.
While Martha-Louise wore the tiara high on her head, the Crown Princess (above) tilted the prongs back, creating the illusion of a smaller headpiece.
This tiara came down from Queen Maud of Norway, a sister of King George V of Great Britain. She had married Prince Charles of Denmark, who had been presented with the opportunity to become King of Norway. He accepted, and they became Queen Maud and King Haakon.
Princess Martha-Louise wore the Norwegian Amethyst Necklace Tiara. Like many royal tiaras, it is easily converted into a necklace and has matching earrings. The tiara was a gift to her mother Queen Sonja from King Harald.
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
The Danish Crown Princess wore Queen Ingrid’s Ruby Parure Tiara. It is a tiara frequently worn by Mary, and completely apropos for this wedding: inherited by Queen Luise of Sweden, she eventually passed it to her daughter, the future Queen Louise of Denmark, as a wedding present.
Many thanks to The Immense Glitter of Two Danish Royal Weddings, Royal Jewels and Royal Magazin (again)!
Queen Rania of Jordan
Queen Rania wore a converted bracelet as her headpiece. Her gown was elegant but her hair was slightly messy. The small tiara gets lost in Rania’s beehive.
June 10, 2010
Wedding Day Jewels: What Will They Wear?
Since her engagement last February, Crown Princess Victoria has been waist-deep in wedding business: choosing her gown, flowers, and most importantly, her jewels.
Many details have not been made public yet, but one important tidbit we do know is that Victoria has chosen the Cameo tiara as her headpiece. One of the oldest jewels in the Swedish royal family’s collection, the Cameo tiara was worn by the princess’s mother, Silvia, when she married King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Owned by the French Empress Josephine, it was inherited by her granddaughter and namesake, Duchess Josephine of Leuchtenberg, who brought it to Sweden when she married the future King Oscar I. It has been passed down by the Bernadotte dynasty ever since.
We know what Victoria will be wearing for a tiara, but what about the other royal women attending the ceremony? What cascades of jewels will be adorning regal heads – and gowns – across Europe?
More:
Princess Madeleine Possibilities
Princess Madeleine, sister of the bride, is often seen wearing this piece. This is called the Modern diamond fringe tiara, a tenth anniversary gift to Queen Silvia from King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Madeleine wore the Aquamarine bandeau tiara to the wedding of Princess Martha-Louise of Norway and again to the wedding of Danish Crown Prince Frederik. It is simple, and a very pretty color. It looks like it would easily get lost in Madde’s mane of hair!
The princess may very well wear a Diamond Button Tiara. Both Madeleine and Crown Princess Victoria often wear the Four Button tiara and the Six Button tiara, which look more like small diamond sunflowers.
Princess Mathilde possibility:
During the state visit of Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski, Princess Mathilde of Belgium wore the Laurel Wreath tiara, a Roman-esque crown of diamond laurel leaves. It is beautiful and unique, and definitely one to consider.
Princess Maxima Possibilities:
Shimmering on Maxima is part of the Dutch Emerald Parure Tiara. Where are the emeralds in this tiara, you ask? Why, it can be worn with these monster pearl spikes, or with the original emeralds. Either way, Maxima will carry it off beautifully.
Here, Maxima wears the Diamond Bandeau tiara, with diamonds as big as silver dollars! It is simple and elegant, more of a headband with huge gems than a traditional tiara. I’m a sucker for sparkle, though, and this tiara works! [ED. I uploaded this photo of Maxima during the Dutch State visit to Germany in 2011. This is the best photo I could find after PicApp shut down]
Some Queen Silvia possibilities:
Queen Silvia, mother of the bride, is seen here during the Gala dinner for the Nobel Foundation Prize in 2007. This tiara, known as Queen Sophie’s Nine-Prong Diamond Tiara, is pointy but gorgeous!
Silvia could sweep in decked out in an amazing sapphire parure. The Queen could wear either of these tiaras and she would be spectacular.
Silvia wears so many tiaras, it’s hard to guess which one she will arrive in until the actual wedding day!
(Source: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Entertainment)
Princess Martha-Louise Possibilities:
Princess Martha-Louise of Norway could arrive in her own wedding tiara, a slender, pearl-spiked number that was the perfect topping to a gorgeous wedding gown.
She could also wear the dazzling amethyst tiara, which can be converted into a necklace (seen here on her sister-in-law, Mette Marit © kongehuset.no).
Mette Marit could also arrive in this tiara, or she might wear her delicate wedding tiara (the Diamond Daisy Tiara).
No matter who wears what, they will all look gorgeous! I can’t wait for the big day!
[Sources: royal-magazin and the now defunct Royal Dutch Jewels]
January 23, 2010
Stand Out Style: A look at Letizia’s shoes
When your husband is 6’5″, you may feel a bit dwarfed. So what do you do? Spain’s Princess Letizia knows.
Letizia, a former newsreader, married Prince Felipe of Spain on May 22, 2004. Since then, the already elegant Leti has had her image honed to perfection. That includes even making the height ratio attractive.
To close the gap in their height difference, special shoes are designed for Her Royal Highness to maximize her stature. In the photo below – during a visit with the Sarkozys – you will notice that the princess’ shoes have ‘boosters’ on them:
A pair of black boosters:
(January 7, 2010 – Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Europe)
Sleek gray:
A Handsome Pair:
The darker colors look more stylish than the lighter colors. I wouldn’t mind wearing a pair in deep navy blue, myself. To the rest of the ladies in the audience: would you wear these shoes?
Where it all started: 
New at RoyaltyNow! Prince Albert; Victoria of Sweden; What would Diana be like now?
Royal Updates for July 2010.
Prince Albert gets engaged to Charlene Wittstock, and Princess Victoria of Sweden marries her Daniel. What the heck would Diana be like today, had she lived? What’s up with Crown Princess Letizia of Spain? Welcome to the latest edition of RoyaltyNow! Click here to view the latest!