May 2009 Official Picture of the Month Poll

[dazzling]

Welcome to the
May 2009 Official Picture of the Month Poll!

The monthly official polls will highlight the official side of royalty as opposed to the informal side of royalty.

The monthly formal polls will consist of pictures that show a royal on official business.

• gala events such as the Nobel prize ceremonies, state visits, royal ceremonies such as the the Order of the Garter ceremony in Great Britain or the New Years gala for the Knights of the Order of the Elephant in Denmark, Opening of Parliament, coronations, enthronements.
• openings of public events, government buildings, hospitals, christening of ships, official charity work
• family celebrations (such as wedding, christening, or special days such as Victoria Day in Sweden or Queen's Day in the Netherlands, King Harald's 70th birthday) and the balcony shots that accompany them
• among many other official events

We hope by the end of the year to have some really stunning and regal Picture of the Month winners to compete in our 2009 Picture of the Year awards.



The pictures in this poll reflect the official royal events of May. It will close on 30 June 2009. During this time, we ask that NO ONE STATE WHOM THEY'VE VOTED FOR so as not to influence other members as they make their choices. After the poll closes, you can discuss as much as you'd like about which image you voted for and why.




This month, our Picture of the Month representatives had help in selecting their images with a small committee of their choosing. Below, you can see each royal house's representative (in bold) followed by their chosen committee members.

Belgium: - Marengo, stephanievl, LadyLeana

Britain: TheTruth - jcbcode99

Brunei/Malaysia/Dubai/Morocco: Humera - Warren

Denmark: GlitteringTiaras - Jessrulz, Princess Robijn, Madame Royale

Greece: Rhapsodybrat - Odette

Japan: Dragonsfire8, Al_bina

Jordan: Humera - Little_star, salma

Liechtenstein: HRH Kerry

Luxembourg: Jessrulz - grim_lady, kyansaunt20

Monaco: Iceflower - radker18,

Norway: Her_Majesty - Kikkib, Carlota

Spain: Paty - Lula

Sweden: Iceflower, HRH Kerry

The Netherlands: The Watcher, Marengo, Lucien


If you have any ideas or suggestions for future polls you can post them there or contact Empress, Dazzling or LadyK.

Please note that the links in the above poll have been posted in the order in which they were received and do not reflect the opinions of the moderating team.



Enjoy and have fun!
Empress, LadyK & Dazzling

[dazzling]

A.) Monaco

Picture Link
Source: hola.com

Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco - In the presence of brother Andrea Casiraghi and uncle Prince Albert of Monaco (center) Charlotte Casiraghi, daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover, hands out the 2nd place prize to GP's Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello on May 24, 2009 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

B.) Sweden

Picture Link
Source: gp.se

A noisy celebration - King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crownprincess Victoria and Princess Madeleine attended a gala performance celebrating the 10th anniversary of the "World Childhood Foundation" in Goteborg, Sweden, May 18, 2009. The first of 21 salute shots came so unexpectedly that the princesses boggled and then laughed a lot.

C.) Norway

Picture Link
Source: Scanpix

May 17th - National Day : Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway watch a tradional parade at their residence at Skaugum during the National day in Asker.

D.) Japan

Picture Link
Source: EPA/TAMAS KOVACS HUNGARY OUT via ANP

Japan's Prince Akishino (L) and Princess Kiko (R) are seen meeting with a child at International Petoe Institute in Budapest, Hungary, 19 May 2009, on the last day of Akishino's four-day visit to Hungary. Prince Akishino, the second son of Japanese Emperor Akihito, and his wife Princess Kiko, are on a two-week tour of Europe. .

E.) Denmark

Picture Link
Source: DRW's

Crown Princess Mary attending a gala dinner during the Greek State visit to Denmark.

F.) Spain

Picture Link
Source: hola.com

On their 5th wedding anniversary, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia attended the presentation of the Fundation Caja Madrid schoolarships.

G.) Brunei

Picture Link
SOurce: Infofoto

Royal Salute - Two-year old Prince Abdul Muntaqim gives a little salute as he and his mother Crown Princess Sarah watch celebrations marking the 48th anniversary of the Royal Brunei Air Force at the Rimba Air Base.

H.) Dubai

Picture Link
Source: Getty images via Zimbio

Princess Haya watches events with Queen Elizabeth II during the Royal Windsor Horse Show on May 15, 2009.

I.) Jordan

Picture Link
Source: Getty images via Daylife

Four-year old Prince Hashem greets Pope Benedict XVI as his parents King Abdullah II and Queen Rania eagerly look on. Also present to welcome the pontiff upon his arrival at the Royal Palace in Amman were the King and Queen’s three elder children Prince Hussein, Princess Iman and Princess Salma. The visit to the Hashemite Kingdom was the Pope’s first to an Arab nation and lasted from May 8 to 11, 2009.

J.) Morocco

Picture Link
Source: MAP

Lalla Salma attends the opening of the 15th Fez Festival of World Sacred Music on May 29, 2009.

K.) Luxembourg

Picture Link
Source: Cour grand-ducale/Carlo Hummel

Caption: The Grand Ducal Family (from left to right: Prince Sebastien, Princess Alexandra, Prince Felix, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Grand Duke Henri, Tessy and Noah de Nassau, Prince Louis and Gabriel de Nassau) appear on the balcony of the Palais Grand Ducale as part of the Closing of the Octave of Our Lady of Luxembourg on May 17th.

L.) The Netherlands

Picture Link
Source: fotopresidencia.cl

Pieter van Vollenhoven, Princess Margriet, President Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Queen Beatrix and Princess Maxima pose during the official photo shoot in Palace Noordeinde, on May 25, 2009.

M.) Belgium

Picture Link
Source: Belga

28/05/2009 Brussels, Princess Mathilde of Belgium and her daughter princess Elisabeth receive flowers at the annual Queen Elisabeth Music Competition.

N.) Great Britain

Picture Link
Source: Hello Magazine

Prince Harry playing polo during his visit to New York, May 29th 2009

[Marsel]

It was very hard to choose one picture from a selection of so many good ones. I was particularly torn between two pictures, both special in their own way. In the end, I chose the one that seemed most special to me for various reasons, although I wish I had not one but at least two votes.

[LadyK]

As a reminder, please do not say who you voted for until the poll is closed. Any post telling who you voted for will be deleted.

[MelinaB.]

That was another amazing poll.It was hard to choose indeed!

[Sladjica]

hmmm how can i vote? :-)

[principessa]

Dear Poll creater: Thank you for your great work. Every time its so hard to choose the favourite.

[White Princess]

I guess it's not too hard to guess my choise.

[Marsel]

Congratulations to Sweden for winning the picture of the Month Poll.
(I hope I'm not wrong in my assumption that the poll is already closed and we can state the winners and who we voted for).

That was the picture I voted for as well - it is a marvellous picture of the Swedish Royal Family. The special allure of the picture is undoubtedly Crown Princess Victoria; it's nice to see her so happy, even giggly, especially soon after her engagement announcement.

[Her_Majesty]

Originally Posted by Marsel

(I hope I'm not wrong in my assumption that the poll is already closed and we can state the winners and who we voted for).

Yes, right!

The winners of the Poll:

1)The Royal Family of Sweden

2)Princess Mary of Denmark

3)Sverre Magnus and Ingrid Alexandra of Norway

Thanks alot for your votes everyone!

[susan alicia]

I voted for Belgium

[Marsel]

Originally Posted by susan alicia

I voted for Belgium

That was indeed a very tender picture of Princess Mathilde and Elizabeth.

If I had a second choice, however, I would have voted either for the Dutch picture (it's very ceremonial and also features a rare appearance of Princess Margriet in a Picture of a Month poll), or the Jordanian one (which is both a very warm picture and a powerful message of tolerance). The Norwegian and Luxembourgian pictures were lovely, as were pretty much all the pictures submitted for this poll.

[royals-royce]

Jeez, I can not believe Ingrid-Alexandra and Sverre of Norway lost to Mary of Denmark and the Swedes... the world is coming to an end.

[Lilla]

Originally Posted by California

the world is coming to an end.

Really .........when?

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by California

Jeez, I can not believe Ingrid-Alexandra and Sverre of Norway lost to Mary of Denmark and the Swedes... the world is coming to an end.

Well, some people who voted were probably bearing in mind that this is an official poll, and the criterion shouldn't be cuteness of kids or tenderness of loving looks, it should be royals doing royal things.

[susan alicia]

but then you might as well leave the cute kids out of the competion?

Originally Posted by Elspeth

Well, some people who voted were probably bearing in mind that this is an official poll, and the criterion shouldn't be cuteness of kids or tenderness of loving looks, it should be royals doing royal things.

[Her_Majesty]

Originally Posted by susan alicia

but then you might as well leave the cute kids out of the competion?

We always have a few pictures of Royal children in the official polls.

Why not? As long as they are part of an official engagement (which doesn't happen often).

In this case:
Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus were part of the official celebrations of the Norwegian National Day. Cute photo taken a very offial event. I see no reason not to include pictures of kids at official events.

[Lilla]

Originally Posted by susan alicia

but then you might as well leave the cute kids out of the competion?

I take the world comming to an end very seriously . Cute kids being there or not...........I have packed my suitcase!! Right now I am on my way to the North Pole!

[Marsel]

Originally Posted by Lilla

I take the world comming to an end very seriously . Cute kids being there or not...........I have packed my suitcase!! Right now I am on my way to the North Pole!

I hate to break it to you, but North Pole is still part of the World.

I think the picture of the month committees are doing a very good choosing the pictures; sometimes the winning pictures feature kids, sometimes they focus on the more official roles of the Royal Families, but all of them are unique and special in some way.

[lumutqueen]

I'm really glad that Mary came second. I wish she had come first but oh well