Last modified: 11 July 2021
1 June
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has confirmed that he has received his first Covid-19 vaccine.
A few days ago Scarlett-Lauren Sirgue, the fiancée of Prince Louis of Luxembourg, launched her first fashion collection under the name “Scarly”.
Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta died at the San Donato Hospital in Arezzo, Italy, of a heart attack early this morning. He had been in hospital since 27 May for a small operation. He regarded himself the head of the royal house of Italy and since 2006 used the title of Duke of Savoy. He is survived by his second wife Princess Silvia, his children Prince Aimone, Princess Bianca and Princess Mafalda, as well as by eleven grandchildren. He also had an illegimate daughter.
2 June
The British royal court has announced the plans for the long weekend of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. There will be an extended bank holiday from Thursday 2nd June to Sunday 5th June 2022. Trooping the Colour will be held on June 2nd. On June 3rd there will be a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The Queen and members of her family on June 4th will attend the horse races Derby at Epsom Downs. In the evening there will be a platinum party at Buckingham Palace with big stars. The events will end on June 5th with a Big Jubilee Lunch and a Platinum Jubilee Pageant. More events are to be announced.
The Emperor Emeritus Akihito and the Empress Emerita Michiko of Japan have received their first Covid-19 vaccine on 1 June at their residence, the Sento Imperial Palace. Furthermore Prince Hitachi, Princess Hitachi, Princess Nobuko and Princess Takamado have received their first jab at the Imperial Household Hospital.
4 June
In an interview with The Telegraph Magazine the Countess of Wessex has said that they are “still a family no matter what happens”. She confirmed having had a lenghty chat with the Duke of Sussex after the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh in April. The Earl of Wessex joked: “Who is Oprah?” The Countess thinks it is great when people want to pay more attention to what she and her husband are doing, although they are doing what they have done already for years. They also talked about the funeral itself.
The funeral of the Duke of Aosta took place at the abbey church of San Miniato al Monte in Florence, Italy. The service was celebrated by Dom Bernardo Gianni, Prior of the Olivetan Monastery of San Miniato al Monte.
6 June
As part of the National Day celebrations in Sweden King Carl XVI Gustaf opened the exhibition ‘Daisy. Princess Margareta, 1882–1920’, about his paternal grandmother, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. He was accompanied by Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Christina Mrs Magnuson. The exhibition can be visited until 30 September 2021. The celebrations of the National Day were limited due to Covid-19. The King held a speech on television from Logården below the Royal Palace. Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel attended the national day celebration at Skansen during the evening. The celebrations ended with the Army Music Corps’ performance of the Swedish Army’s big tattoo at Logården in the presence of the King and Queen, the Crown Princess couple, the Speaker couple and the Prime Minister couple.
Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced the birth of their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who will be called Lili, on Friday 4 June 2021 at 11.40am at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, USA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well and already back home. She is named after her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales. For the record: Lilibet was the name Elizabeth gave herself as a young child, as she found it hard to pronounce her name. She is called Lilibet by many royals. The name is rare but not unique.
7 June
This summer special displays at Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse will commemorate the life and legacy of the late Duke of Edinburgh. The display at Windsor Castle will open on 24 June, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 23 July. In total more than 150 objects will be on display. Themes will include his early life and naval career, his role as consort and his support for the sovereign at home and abroad.
Japanese government sources say that the country is considering maintaining the current order of imperial succession. At the moment a panel discusses whether female monarchs will be allowed to ascend the throne in the future.
8 June
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark has announced that he will resign as member of the International Olympic Committee. The official resignation will be at the annual IOC-general meeting at the end of July, ahead of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He was a member of the IOC since 2009. In his statement Frederik says: “The decision to resign gives me the opportunity to intensify my work on other important issues, including in relation to Denmark’s position as one of the world’s leading nations in the green agenda, sustainability and innovation.”
“The Bench”, the children’s book by the Duchess of Sussex was published today.
10 June
In an interview with the tv-channels CNN and BBC the Earl of Wessex on the legacy of his late father The Duke of Edinburgh and his Award program. He said that the present family situation is “very sad” and difficult for everyone, and said about the decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to leave as senior royals: “Listen, weirdly we’ve all been there before — we’ve all had excessive intrusion and attention in our lives. And we’ve all dealt with it in slightly different ways, and listen, we wish them the very best of luck. It’s a really hard decision.”
Princess Amalia of the Netherlands, the Princess of Orange, heard today that she has passed her high school final exam cum laude. In the past six years she attended the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague.
The Dutch Golden Carriage has arrived in Amsterdam in time for the exhibition at the Amsterdam Museum. The carriage was lifted in to the central courtyard at the Amsterdam Museum on Wednesday night.
The christening of Prince Julian of Sweden will take place in Drottningholm’s castle church on Saturday 14 August 2021. The baptism is performed by the Supreme Court preacher, Bishop Johan Dalman and the pastor of Kungl. The Court Parish, regular court preacher Michael Bjerkhagen. The baptismal service will not broadcasted live on television.
11 June
Queen Elizabeth II, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and The Duchess of Cambridge attended several engagements on the occasion of the G7 Summit in Cornwall, United Kingdom, today.
In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Rutte the Princess of Orange has announced that she for now will reimburse the apanage she will receive as off 7 December 2021, when she turns 18. She will do so until the end of her studies.
Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands underwent surgery on a cholesteatoma in her left ear at the Leiden University Medical Center.
From Saturday 12 June to Sunday 27 June 2021, the classic royal yacht ‘Piet Hein’ can be admired in the Maritime Museum Haven in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The yacht was the national wedding gift, in 1937, to Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
12 June
Joined by her cousin The Duke of Kent the British Queen Elizabeth II watched the Trooping the Colour parade at the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle. Nearly 275 servicemen and servicewomen, and 70 horses took part in this year’s ceremony. The music by the Household Division can be heard here. Trooping the Colour marked the official 95th birthday of the Queen.
13 June
Queen Elizabeth II received US-President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for tea at Windsor Castle.
Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian of Denmark, as well as the president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and other dignitaries have marked the centennial of the unification of Denmark in 1920. The event was cancelled last year because of Covid-19. King Christian X of Denmark ratified a law that brought the South Jutland region back into Denmark on 15 June 1920, after having been German for 56 years, and toured the area with his family just weeks later. The King himself rode across the old border on a white horse called Malgré Tout. The royals arrived in a horse-drawn carriage at Frederikshøj, south of Kolding and rode over the old border on the same spot as Christian X. The Queen gave a speech and inaugurated a sculpture. They afterwards attended a festive church service at Haderslev Dom Church. Then the Queen visited the new Reunification Park in Aabenraa and appeared on the balcony of the Folkehjem building. In the afternoon she attended a ceremony at Kongeskansen with music and a fly past, and also visited the German Museum North Schleswig in Sønderborg. She afterwards attended a Reunification Party in the Alsion Concert Hall in Sønderborg. In the evening the royals held a dinner at the Royal Yacht Dannebrog in the harbour of Sønderborg.
14 June
Peter and Autumn Phillips have announced that the financial aspects of their divorce have been resolved through agreement. The terms were approved and ordered by the High Court today.
15 June
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands will pay a state visit to Germany from 5 to 7 July. The visit had originally been planned for 2020, but had to be cancelled. The visit to Berlin concludes a series of regional visits they have made to Germany since 2013.
Princess Madeleine and her family have returned to Sweden, the Swedish royal court confirmed. Due to Covid-19 they hadn’t been able to go to Sweden for over a year and a half. The family lives in Florida, USA.
King Philippe of the Belgians received US-President Joe Biden at the royal palace.
16 June
The President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook paid a two-day state visit to Spain. They were received by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the royal palace in Madrid. Unfortunately the state banquet yesterday evening was scaled down a bit, and the Queen did not appear with a tiara on her head.
The Countess of Wessex gave BBC5 presenter Naga Munchetty an interview. She talked about her family, her work and also about the death of her father-in-law the Duke of Edinburgh. You can listen to it here.
Dutch television showed a documentary about the restoration of the Golden Coach.
17 June
For the second year in a row the birthday celebrations of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden will be different from usual. She and her family will gather at Solliden Castle. Victoria will however not meet the public. The family however will attend the Victoria Concert at the Borgholm Castle ruins, where Victoria will present the Victoria Prize to speed skater Nils van der Poel.
As off today the book “Learning by Doing” of the 19-year-old Countess Eloise of Orange-Nassau is available in bookshops. Lots of nice photos, personal information and especially simple recipes. In a personalized bus she drove through the Netherlands to deliver the book personally to some fans.
Soon on Netflix: Young Royals. Worldwide as off July 1.
18 June
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands was heavily criticized. On Thursday evening he visited the most beautiful Orange street, decorated for the European Championships Football. However it turned to be impossible to keep distance, he allowed selfies and accidentally also shook one hand, of a person he had met officially before, as turned out later. He didn’t wear a mask, nor did other people.
22 June
On the evening before Luxembourgs National Day Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie travelled to Esch-sur-Alzette. Surprisingly they came with their son Prince Charles. They laid a wreath at the monument to commemorate the dead. And with their son they opened a new playground.
In Norway it was commemorated that it was 30 years ago since King Harald V. was consecrated in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
It seems Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum of Dubai is free to travel again. With a British friend, who in the past weeks shared some other pictures, she was seen at the airport of Madrid.
23 June
The National Day in Luxembourg once again was scaled down. At 11am Grand Duke Henri appeared for an official ceremony at the Kanounenhiwwel, where he held a speech. Also a new official photo of the Grand Ducal couple was released.
Prince Felix of Denmark has finished his secondary school education. In the last years he visited the Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium. Also today his grandmother Queen Margrethe II changed her residence to Graasten Castle.
24. June
It was announced that Princess Charlène of Monaco has not been seen in public in the past weeks because she is undergoing multiple, complicated procedures after contracting a severe ear, nose, and throat infection in May. Doctors have instructed her not to travel back to Monaco for the time being.
The annual reviews of the Royal Household and the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have been released.
A spokesperson for Alexandra Countess of Frederiksborg, the ex-wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, has confirmed that she had a small facelift recently. The countess is nearly 57. It was said that Alexandra thinks that modern women should stand by their choices and not be embarrassed, admitting they get professional help.
27 June
Princess Flaminia von Hohenzollern married religiously Károly Freiherr von Stipsicz de Ternova at the Stadtpfarrkirche St. Johann in Sigmaringen, Germany. A reception was held at the Castle of Sigmaringen afterwards, followed by a soiree in Krauchenwies. The wedding was originally planned for 4 July 2020, on which date only the civil wedding in Austria could be held. Among the guests were several representants of German nobility and royalty. Some official pictures on Instagram. For a report see here.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and her sisters Princess Benedikte and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece were pictured together at Graasten Castle.
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel have a new summer house built on the island of Värmdö near Stockholm. They have bought a plot of land in 2020. They already have a summer house called Villa Skönvik, on the island of Öland, but they wanted to have one closer to Stockholm too. The new house should be perfect for short weekend trips and holidays. Värmdö also has more space and privacy.
29 June
Plans for the colourful Platinum Jubilee Pageant on 5 June 2022 in London, on the occasion of the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain have been revealed. The event will feature giant marionettes, fantastical beasts, circus performers. It will be an explosion of extraordinary theatre, dance, music, carnival and street art. The parade will have monumental heraldic figures reflecting royal history. That means giant dragons, corgis, ponies and racehorses, and even the Queen herself will run through and fly above the streets on large helium balloons. The royal family is expected to gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Earlier also a competition for young UK artists between 13 and 25 was launched to design an emblem for the jubilee celebrations.
Prince George of Cambridge joined his parents The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the quarter final of England against Germany.
Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day), the yearly opening of parliament in the Netherlands on the third Tuesday in September will likely again take place in a limited format in the Grote of Sint Jacobskerk in The Hague.
30 June
On invitation of the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein today and yesterday took part in the 17th informal meeting of German-speaking heads of state in Potsdam, Germany. Also present were the presidents of Austria and Switzerland.