Queen Elizabeth hosted this week’s State Visit by the President of India Pratibha Patil and her husband Dr Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat. The 3-day visit began on October 27, 2009 with a welcome ceremony at Windsor Castle. A carriage procession through the streets of Windsor, a private lunch with the Queen and an inspection of the Honour Guard were all part of that first day.

A State Banquet was held in St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle, with Queen Elizabeth wearing her Burmese Ruby Tiara for the occasion. The Royal Channel released this video of the banquet, showing the pomp and formality of such a dinner. You can see that in a video here.

The State Visit by India ended yesterday, with the launch of the XIX Commonwealth Games through the Queen’s Baton Relay, followed by the farewell ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Discussion of the State Visit can be found on the Royal Forums here. Merry Royals has some photos posted here, here and here.

Maricar British Royals Commonwealth Games, Elizabeth II, India, President Patil, Queen's Baton Relay, State Visit

A car crash, which is being seen as a deliberate attack, disrupted the celebrations of the Dutch Queen’s Day on April 30, 2009 in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and her family were on an open-top bus during the motorcade, when a black car broke through the police fences and hit several parade watchers. The car, which was going at full-speed, then crashed into a memorial on the sidewalk, just yards from where the Queen’s bus was moving slowly. The incident happened so quickly that many of the s pectators didn’t have much time to react. Reports say that four people were killed and many others injured.

The Dutch royal family were quickly removed from the site. None of them were injured, but all were shocked at what happened. A visibly shaken Queen Beatrix released a statement a few hours after the incident.

Maricar Dutch Royals Koninginnedag, Koninginnedag 2009 Tragedy, National Day, Queen Beatrix

 The young Windsors sweep the top three positions in the latest ranking of the hottest young royals by Forbes.

Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry are #1 and #2, followed by their cousin Zara Phillips. The list is compiled according to the royals’ “international Web and media presence and family wealth”, and is limited to those who are 18 to 25 years old.

The hottest young royals of 2009 are:

1. Prince William, United Kingdom

2. Prince Harry, United Kingdom

3. Zara Phillips, United Kingdom

4. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Dubai

5. Princess Beatrice, United Kingdom

6. Princess Sirivannavari, Thailand

7. Princess Eugenie, United Kingdom

8. Andrea Casiraghi, Monaco

9. Charlotte Casiraghi, Monaco

10. Prince Azim, Brunei

Maricar British Royals Prince Harry, Prince William, Zara Phillips

 Princess Eugenie is apparently finding it harder to quit smoking than she thought it would be. The young princess was seen lighting up as she wandered the shops of Sydney this week.

The princess is on her gap year after earning top grades in her classes. She is on vacation in Australia with a group of friends, looking just like any other student on break, except for her ever-present bodyguard.

Princess Eugenie has vowed early this year to kick her ‘smelly’ habit. She made the promise as a new year’s resolution. However, it’s clearly not as easy to fulfill as it was to make.

Maricar British Royals Australia, Princess Eugenie

On February 22, 2009, Princess Anne attended a memorial service in Australia in honor of the victims of the bushfires. The Princess Royal read a message written by Queen Elizabeth, which you can watch in this video:

Princess Anne also visited some of the affected areas during her visit to the country.

Maricar British Royals Princess Anne, Princess Royal

The first liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Russia was opened in Sakhalin today, February 18, 2009.

Present at the opening ceremony were Britain’s Prince Andrew, Japan’s Prime Minister Taro Aso , Russia’s President Dmitry  Medvedev, and the Netherlands’ Economics Minister Maria van der Hoeven.

The Duke of York is the U.K.’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. The LNG project was a collaboration between the Russia, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Japan. The plant includes drilling platforms, a processing facility, and more than 1000 miles of pipelines. It is expected to place Sakhalin Island on the global energy map, producing as much as 9.6 million metric tons of natural gas annually. Photos at Getty; forum discussion at this thread.

Maricar British Royals Duke of York, Prince Andrew, Russia

Princess Anne attended two openings today, February 17, 2009.

The Princess Royal was at Dundee for the official opening of The Brae center. The center is the first riding school that caters specifically to the handicapped. Princess Anne, who is the patron of the Riding for the Disabled Association, and an accomplished horsewoman, is keen to support such facilities and services. She toured the £500,000 facility, which provides rehabilitation and therapy for those with learning or physical disabilities.

Princess Anne also opened the Minerva Health Centre in Deepdale, Preston. The facility was built in conjunction with the Preston North End Football Club. It will provide treatment for long-term conditions as well as resources to encourage healthy living. The Princess also attended the Preston North End Ball after the opening.

sources: Evening Telegraph; Lancashire Evening Post; Court Circular

Maricar British Royals Princess Anne, Princess Royal

Sarah Ferguson has been flying back and forth across the pond to attend to her businesses and her personal life. While the Duchess of York has carved out a life for herself in New York, she has also maintained significant ties in the London. Her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are in the U.K., along with their father, Prince Andrew.

The Duchess has other reasons to visit London frequently. Among them is boyfriend Geir Frantzen, the Norwegian head of Findus frozen foods. The couple, who have been dating for a couple of years, were seen leaving the China Tang restaurant in London last night. Photos at Zimbio.

Maricar British Royals Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson