The Associated Foreign Press (AFP) and the London Telegraph reported today that Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark’s husband Carlos Morales spent more than five hours answering questions before a Spanish judge in connection with an investigation of corruption. Twenty-One people have already been arrested or charged in connection with the investigation.

Click for Photo at Hola

As first reported on this website yesterday, and with much respect to the AFP and London Telegraph, they have made an error in translating the Spanish legal terms in reporting Morales has been “charged.” According to our Spanish readers, Carlos Morales’ status is still “imputado,” which translates closest in English as a “person of interest.” This simply means he remains under investigation. Under Spanish law, Carlos Morales’ status would be changed to “auto,” if he were indeed charged. The press release from the court does not indicate he has been charged.

Continued media speculation about the secret investigation shows that someone close to the investigation is leaking information to the press. Since the speculation is not official, any information on charges continues to be rumor.   As Princes Alexia (and Carlos by marriage) is the paternal niece of Spain’s Queen Sophia and maternal niece of Denmark’s Queen, it is also certain that the media speculation will continue.

Sadly, the continued speculation will certainly dampen Carlos Morales and Princess Alexia’s upcoming tenth anniversary in early July. They have four children and currently live in Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, Canary Islands where the investiagion is taking place.

As the Former King of Greece is still recovering from open heart surgery, it is understandable that the family has had no immediate reaction or comment.  They may also be waiting until the investigation reaches some conclusion.

More information, as available, will be in the current events thread for Princess Alexia and Carlos Morales Quintana.

Author’s Note: Due to the serious nature of the allegations, I continue to chose not to report on the speculation regarding specific charges. The investigation specifics are under confidential seal and only the judge and the investigators know for certain the scope of the specific allegations. Until there is an official announcement from the judge or the police, any reports of specific charges are rumors and speculation.

Sg1Fan Greek Royals Carlos Morales Quintana, Legal Matters, Princess Alexia of Greece

Former King Constantine II’s son-in-law, Carlos Morales Quintana, is under investigation in Spain for bribery and corruption.  Morales Quintana, a Spanish architect from the Canary Islands in Spain, faces up to 4 years in prison if charged and convicted.

Under Spanish law, Morales Quintana is only a “person of interest” in an ongoing investigation. He has not been formally charged in the scandal.  However, his offices have been searched and records have been seized. He has also attended an interogation with the Spanish Police, by appointment, accompanied by an attorney.  Carlos Morales Quintana declined to comment on the investigation when approached outside the police station.

Click for Photo at Hola

Carlos and his wife, Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark, are set to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary on July 9.  They have four children and currently live in Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, Canary Islands.  Princess Alexia is the oldest child of the Former King and Queen of Greece (the former Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark) and is an avid sailor.  She and her husband both participate on the AZUR DE PUIG sailing team in Spain.

Princess Alexia, the niece of both Queen Sophia of Spain and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, was briefly the Crown Princess of Greece prior to her brother Prince Pavlos’ birth. A popular member of the family, she is frequently photographed with her Spanish Royal Cousins and most recently appeared at the First Communion celebrations with them. Carlos has also been a popular figure and was most recently photographed by Spanish photographer David Seri for the May 2009 Binter Canarias magazine.  The interview and photos were conducted just before the news of the investigation broke.

The press in Denmark (where Princes Alexia’s maternal Aunt is the reigning Queen) have reported that Carlos Morales Quintana was arrested and charged, but those reports are believed to be a problem in the translation.

The news could not come at a worse time for the Deposed Greek Royals.  King Constantine is recovering from major open heart surgery.  He has yet to conduct official engagements and was just recently released to recover at home.

More information, as available, will be in the current events thread for Princess Alexia and Carlos Morales Quintana.

Author’s Note: Due to the serious nature of the allegations, I have chosen not to report on the speculation regarding specific charges.  The investigation specifics are under confidential seal and only the judge and the investigators know for certain the scope and what the specific allegations are. Until there is an official announcement from the judge or the police, any reports of specific charges are rumors and speculation.

Sg1Fan Greek Royals Carlos Morales Quintana, Legal Matters, Princess Alexia of Greece

Princess Caroline of Monaco’s husband, Prince Ernst August of Hannover, is currently on trial in Germany for the January 2000 beating of a Kenyan hotel owner.

This trial, a retrial of a 2004 verdict, is expected to last 11 days and may include testimony by Princess Caroline, a witness to the reported beating. Although the reported attack occurred in Kenya, the trial is being held in Germany under special laws for foreigners.

More information from the Associated Press report is available here and discussion of Their Royal Highness’ current events are here.

Sg1Fan German Royals, Monaco Royals Hanover, Legal Matters, Prince Ernst August, Princess Caroline

Greece’s Former King, Constantine II, is now out of the Intensive Care Unit at Wellington Hospital and in a private room according to a message posted to the family’s site.  The June 3 update says the King “ is surrounded by family and is recovering satisfactorily.”

The King is recovering from a scheduled open heart surgery and has had visits from his sisters Queen Sophia of Spain and Princess Irene of Greece.  The Queen’s visit caused quite a bit of press after she chose a budget Ryanair flight for the visit over expensive travel. Photos from the visit are available in the this current events thread.

It is expected that once the King is discharged in the coming week that another bulletin will be posted to the official website from the King’s Office.

Sg1Fan Greek Royals Constantine II, Princess Irene of Greece

Click to see the image from Zimbio

Constantine II, Former King of Greece, is recovering in a London hospital from a successful scheduled heart operation.  An announcement on the family’s website, signed “Anne-Marie R” expresses gratitude for the well wishes and congratulations to the surgical team. “The messages of support, which we have been receiving from Greece and other parts of the world, have touched us all,” she notes.  The announcement also includes a brief progress statement from the Former King’s physician team.

The Former King, as expected, is recovering in the Intensive Care Unit at Wellington Hospital without any cardioventillatory support. No release date information was provided.

Further information, when available will be posted in this current events thread.

Sg1Fan Greek Royals Constantine II, Queen Anne-Marie, Surgery

The roar of practice races through the streets of Monaco and high priced tickets mean the beginning of the F1 Grand Prix de Monaco is near.  This year’s 67th Grand Prix, is scheduled to officially begin today.

Click photo for more at ABACA Press.

To start the events, Monaco’s sporting mad Prince hosted his annual pre-F1 soccer match in Monaco’s Louis II Stadium.  The friendly match pits members of the F1 racing teams as “Nazionale Piloti” against the Prince’s “Star Team.”  The game is played to benefit AMADE, an organization which special ties to the Monaco ruling family, as it was first organized by Princess Grace. Princess Caroline currently heads the organization but was unable to attend the event.

Team Nazionale Piloti, in Black and White checked flag uniforms included Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Giancarlo Fisichella, Sebastien Bourdais, Jarno Trulli and Nico Rosberg. Both teams were cheered on the sidelines by Monaco’s Princess Stephanie.

Current, updated photos and information about the Monaco F1 Grand Prix will be available in this thread throughout the Grand Prix.

Sg1Fan Monaco Royals AMADE, Grand Prix, Prince Albert II, Princess Stephanie, Soccer

Click photo for gallery at IBL

Her Royal Highness The Princess of Hanover (Princess Caroline of Monaco) was in Paris on May 14 to preside over the annual gathering of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.  The Annual Meeting, convened by the UN Director-General, brings together a large number of international personalities, from the worlds of art, film, music, literature, charity and public affairs.

Her Royal Highness has been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 2003 and uses her role in the forum to promote education and training for young women.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945. Its stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the UN Charter.

More information on Her Royal Highness’ current events can be found in this thread.

Sg1Fan German Royals, Monaco Royals Hanover, Princess Caroline, UNESCO, United Nations

Although Princess Charlotte of Monaco never ruled the tiny Principality, she became the transition branch of the family in a journey that began on this day in 1911. In 1911, Monaco’s Hereditary Prince remained heirless and the crown was poised to be passed to a distant German relative (Wilhelm, 2nd Duke of Urach who later became King of Lithuania).  In a surprise announcement, Prince Louis’ father, Prince Albert I announced his approval for his son, then Hereditary Prince Louis II, to legitimize his only child.  With that, Louis II’s only child, Charlotte Louise Juliette Louvet, rose from poverty in Algeria to become a Princess with accession rights.

Princess Charlotte Painting by László

Her Serene Highness Princess Charlotte was born in Constantine, Algeria on September 30, 1898 to Marie Juliette Louve and then Hereditary Prince Louis of Monaco who was serving as a member of the French Foreign Legion in the region.  Marie Louve’s background is a matter of disagreement by historians as is how and where Princess Charlotte lived prior to 1911.

The 1911 adoption was challenged several times by relatives and found to be in violation of prior constitutional rules.  In response, a change of the Monaco Constitution was made in 1918 with a repeated adoption following in 1919 (some historians still consider this last adoption unconstitutional).  After the second announcement  in 1919, she officially gained the title Her Serene Highness Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, the title of Hereditary Princess of Monaco and the surname Grimaldi. Read more…

Sg1Fan Historical Royals, Monaco Royals Adoption, Princess Charlotte

After reading an article about the high rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Monaco, Princess Stephanie took action and has made it her mission to inform others about the disease through her foundation Fight Aids Monaco. Although better known as the rebel Princess, Princess Stephanie works internationally to fight the disease as a UN AIDS Special Representative.  She made a rare public appearance today in Carpentras, France as President of the Monaco organization to lay the corner stone for the ‘Maison de Vie’ – literally “House of Life” in English.

Click photo for more at Belga.

The ‘Maison de Vie,’ part of the Fight AIDS Monaco project, is being built to house people suffering from HIV/AIDS and is scheduled to be completed and functional within a year. The site will include two buildings with ample ground space for gardens and walking trails.   The addition will add living space for 28 adults and children to complement the Fight AIDS Monaco’s large office complex located at Villa Pasteur, 11 Bd Charles III in Monaco.

Audio of Radio Monaco interviews with the Princess on the topic are available here.

Information on Princess Stephanie’s current work with Fight Aids Monaco can be found in this thread.

Sg1Fan Monaco Royals Fight AIDS Monaco, HIV/AIDS, Patronage, Princess Stephanie

Click to see photo and article at London Telegraph

Monaco’s 51 year old sovereign is only 4 years into his reign and he is already facing a “mutiny” in the face of mounting criticism of the his behavior.  In the reign of Prince Albert II’s father, Prince Rainier III it was very rare to see public criticism of the sovereign but the Prince’s government and the people of Monaco seem to be concerned about their Prince’s priorities. When reporters came looking for information, people would often walk away and refuse to be interviewed.

Today’s London Telegraph shows just how different times are.  The article notes that citizens dislike that the Prince ”treats Monaco like his holiday home…He pops in for a few weeks, then dashes off on another long jaunt.” While the Prince does seem to take more holidays than his father some allowance must be made for the fact that Prince Rainier III was ill and unable to travel for much of the latter part of his reign.  For the most part, his travels do bring good press and tourists to Monaco. Read more…

Sg1Fan Monaco Royals European Union, Prince Albert II, Public Opinion