Recent content by Aotearoagal

She's not actually in Somalia. She's in Ethiopia and Kenya ... she didn't go to Somalia - too dangerous! Can I inspire a bit of positive rivalry? Australia has donated $200 million, as has Turkey... does anyone know how much the Government of Denmark has donated to Somalia?

Maybe Frederik and Mary didn't want to be pressured to pick Christian up on a bicycle! At that distance, they'll need to drive!

Another documentary has just been screened on Australian television, with all the FBI information on Wallis and Edwards' activities during World War II. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother despised Wallis because she was not just a Nazi sympathiser, but an active spy, through her affair with a...

Mary is definitely still breastfeeding. Good on her.

Happy Anniversary, Mary! (Is it today or was it yesterday? Time difference!) Wow - four children in seven years. I hope F & M got away for a special dinner together. Have there been any announcements or celebrations in previous years, or is it all private? I can't remember whether some of the...

It isn't wise to set up an argument over Mary/Marie. You can like Mary without attempting to annoy people who would feel they should leap to Marie's defence. I think they are both an asset to the DRF.

Wasn't Charles and Diana's last trip together, the one to South Korea? I think that trip was at short notice.

I guess you'd combine it? But not count state-owned wealth ...so apanage elements that involved the household maintenance, staff etc I guess is largely benefiting the state/heritage and not the royals themselves. It's probably more complicated than I thought! :smile: I am a tad concerned...

"Relatively poor" means poor in relation to the uber rich royal houses. They are poor cousins to the BRF and the SRF, and certainly poor relative to the middle eastern, Thai and other royals. They are also poor relative to Russian oligarchs and they certainly aren't in the billionaire league, as...

Spain itself isn't wealthier, but the Spanish royals are much, much richer than the Danish royal family, who are regarded as relatively poor.

Thanks for the explanations everyone - but the fact that two generations of the Spanish royals were invited makes me think that it wasn't just protocol. The Spanish royals are the second-to-senior royal house in terms of wealth and influence. I'd say "wealth and influence" were very much a...

They didn't go because they were not invited.

I couldn't disagree more. The emotion was deep and true. Utterly moving. Catherine's dress was in the postwar austerity mode - again, utterly appropriate. The style is early 1950s. Still, I'm glad to see that some posters stick with their opinions. I was wondering how many of the posters who...

How did her height compare with the "Duke of Windsor"? If she was tall, that could be a partial explanation.

Sigh - yes, she was fashionable and chic. But I hope - even while we certainly will be keeping her support for the Nazis, and her husband's treachery during WWII, away from the remainder this thread - I'd like to state that I hope it will never, never be glossed over in people's minds. Yom HaShoah.