• Mary taking a page out of Marie's book – or my post? LOL! http://t.co/SgQY4loV & http://t.co/3KgWUzWQ #
• I just have to say (looking at this photo, anyway): who was she fooling? Freckled arms and a cheesy wig!? http://t.co/KtIVGVE4 #
• Check out my new list on @klout, featuring @anglotopia and @kikkerlandnyc! http://t.co/cdy2B2m9 #


• Who wore it better? Queen Beatrix: http://t.co/pT3PtgEH or HM QEII in Abu Dhabi: http://t.co/DKdt6Vjp #
• Dom Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza: In Defense of Regional and Local Products and Traditional Trade – http://t.co/IsAB9HWs #
• Wow, fascinating. Can't wait to read it. RT @louiseghislaine: Wallis Simpson biography demolishes image http://t.co/UiqXuT4k… #
• Interesting pose – Prince Christian of Denmark reveals painting: http://t.co/QL1g98nm #
• Leeds lands vital grant to save its golden hoard: http://t.co/2koKamfd #
• Kate through the decades. http://t.co/xs7D1GnU I still can't decide who she looks like. Maybe Michael, but definitely not Carole… hmm #
• Smells like communism? RT @BBCBreaking Ed Miliband calls for UK economy "Where rewards are more fairly shared" http://t.co/gRz55M5c #
• Happy birthday, Kate! It's going to be one hell of an interesting decade! *glasses clink* #
• The most disturbing image for royalty in 2011: Diana at 50, with Kate – http://t.co/r1xj6gC4 Tina Brown+Newsweek = whackadoodle. #nutter #
• "My Royals" blog: Danish twins birthday http://t.co/YRMvmCRg and Dutch Royals in UAE: http://t.co/Ov6LwXoq #
• Sandringham body ID: Missing Latvian girl: http://t.co/tJDfLAfa #royalnews #
• Maxima is stunning here. Definitely needs to repeat this look: http://t.co/QZPxKiEk via @kemalnagdy #
• Jordan's Princess Haya has a baby boy: http://t.co/88GImCZg #
• Love Cecil: http://t.co/yfzDkzSq #royal #photography #

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As of this month, Sir Peter Westmacott is Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America. Sir Peter replaces Nigel Sheinwald, Ambassador since October 2007. [Read Sheinwald's departing words]

Westmacott was born in the village of Edington, Somerset in the South West of England in December 1950. He was educated at New College Oxford. He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1972, and has extensive experience abroad with postings in Tehran, Brussels, Ankara, and Paris.

The new ambassador also has royal connections: in 1990, he was made Deputy Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales. Three years later, Westmacott was sent to Washington as a Counsellor. Later postings included Director for the Americas in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Deputy Under Secretary of State.

In 2002, Westmacott was appointed Ambassador to Turkey, where he served until 2006. The following year he was appointed as the Ambassador to France where he served until this month.

As I reported in my Anglotopia column, The Duchess of Cambridge is now patron of several worthy organizations:

The Art Room – Learning and achieving through Art. A charity that provides art as therapy to children in Oxford and Islington.

Action on Addiction – working across the addiction field in research, prevention, treatment, professional education, support for families and children.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices – EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The National Portrait Gallery – As well as the permanent displays, the Gallery has a diverse and ever-changing programme of exhibitions and events which promote an appreciation of portraiture in all forms, and an energetic learning and outreach programme.

Note: In addition, The Duchess of Cambridge is to become a volunteer in the Scout Association, volunteering time privately with groups in north Wales and elsewhere as opportunity arises.

From The Prince of Wales official website.

Great choices! These are very fortunate organizations, indeed.

• Hear hear! :) Three cheers! RT @royalinsight: Do you agree that #2012 will be an amazing #royal year? #
• The Wisdom Of Queens http://t.co/u4Qo9ABA #


• #FF @orderofsplendor @palaceprincess @royalcorrespond @royalobserver9 @TheRoyalFanzine @the_monarchist @royalreview @ryltychronicles #
• #FF @victoriaarbiter @scandalwomen @kikkerlandnyc @Royal_beans @royalkatedebate @royaltyonline @allthingsroyal @royaluniverse @kemalnagdy #

Read more…

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012Some Rights Reserved

The Wisdom Of Queens

Sally Bedell Smith writes for TIME magazine:

Few remember now, but the regally wrinkled Queen Elizabeth II was once called the World’s Sweetheart. Trained for her role from birth by her parents and various tutors, she walked onto the world stage at age 25 fully equipped to do honor to her post. Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, entered the spotlight without a lifetime of preparation, but she seems open to learning how to play her part.

During Elizabeth’s 60 years on the throne–the longest reign in the 1,000-year history of the British monarchy, save for Queen Victoria’s–she has evolved from ingenue to wise grandmother …

From this week’s issue of TIME, on newsstands January 6th. [Read more]

Crown Princess Mary must have scored major brownie points with her mother-in-law, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II.

The Queen is known for her beehive-inspired bouffants (as seen on the royal website). Princess Mary was photographed sporting her own brand of beehive for the annual New Year’s banquet, as reported by the blog The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor.

Mary’s hairdo was surmounted by a diamond and ruby tiara in the form of leaves and berries. It was a tiara once worn by Queen Ingrid of Denmark, Margrethe’s mother.

Image via Wikipedia

It’s 2012, and there are royal babies on the way!

HRH Princess Marie, wife of Denmark’s Prince Joachim, is expecting her second child later this January. The baby will be Queen Margrethe’s eighth grandchild.

In Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria (left) and her husband, Prince Daniel, are expecting their first child this March. Their baby will be the first grandchild for King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

In England, Autumn Phillips, wife of the Queen’s eldest grandson, Peter, is expecting her second child in late spring/early summer. Autumn and Peter’s first child, Savannah, was born in December 2010. Little Savannah is the first great-grandchild of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

Of course, the world is awaiting the announcement of a pregnancy from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Some expect it to be any day, some think an announcement may come later. No matter when it happens, we will be very happy for Prince William and his bride, Catherine.

The Duke and Duchess married in their late twenties and Catherine – who turns 30 this month – has taken time to fit into royal life. This is quite the opposite situation of William’s mother, the late Princess of Wales. Diana had just turned 20 years old at the time of her wedding to Prince Charles, and she gave birth to William the following year.

I wish Wills and Kate the best, and no matter when they choose to have a child, it will be a very lucky baby, indeed.