[Mandy]

ROYAL QUICK HITS

A rundown of five hot topics in the royalty world this month.


Whether you support the wedding or not, whether you like Camilla Parker-Bowles or not, a milestone royal occasion will take place in Great Britain this month with the wedding of Prince Charles to his longtime love, Camilla Parker-Bowles. Among the confirmed guests for the royal wedding are Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. To get up to date information on their wedding, please visit http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5349&page=1&pp=20; and for their wedding thread, please visit http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=190317#post190317.


This month the Dutch royal family and the people of Holland mark a special anniversary: the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Queen Beatrix, who has been reigning since April 30, 1980. Many festivities are planned including an open air concert at the Royal Palace in Dam Square, Amsterdam as well an extra special Prinsjesdag with the royal family out in full force. To learn more about the celebrations to mark Queen Beatrix’s 25 years on the throne, please see http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2409.


More royal milestones this month: Queen Margrethe II will celebrate her 65th birthday on April 16; you can see the special thread for this special birthday at http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=190324#post190324. Princess Marie of Liechtenstein will also mark her 65th birthday on April 14. Crown Prince Phillippe will blow out 45 candles on April 15.


After a successful trip to Australia in March, Crown Princess Victoria carries on her rigorous schedule with trips to Denmark to take part in the Hans Christian Andersen Jubilee Celebrations (April 1 to 3), followed by visits to Bangladesh to learn more about Swedish aid, then to Japan to visit Expo-05 for Sweden Day. To learn more about these visits, please visit the Crown Princess Victoria subforum at http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=49.


A very big thank you from The Royal Forums team for all the wonderful contributions of creative and encompassing avatars by various members. We did not expect the enthusiasm for this project but are thrilled to see the dozens of avatars contributed and their usage by members. Until these avatars can (officially) be added to our Avatar Gallery, please view (and select one for your use at the forum) – or to contribute your own avatars – the growing thread at http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=5402


During March, the royal world monitored Prince Rainier III of Monaco’s health crisis closely, and prayed for his recovery and our hearts ached for his family. Is it yet another setback for Prince Rainier as we learn that Prince Albert has assumed Regency of Monaco due to Prince Rainier’s inability to carry out his sovereign functions and duties. See Prince Rainier news thread http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5112&page=16&pp=20


King Harald V of Norway has been admitted to Rikshospitalet in Oslo for planned corrective heart surgery on Friday April 1, 2005. He is expected to remain in the hospital two weeks. Here is the thread to follow King Harald's progress through surgery and recovery http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5380 Crown Prince Haakon is acting Regent while King Harald is on sick leave.


Good news for Queen Beatrix who welcomed her fourth grandchild when her daughter-in-law Mabel delivered her first child, a girl named Luana on March 26th. A special thread can be found here http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...0325#post190325.