Showing posts with label the royal family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the royal family. Show all posts
Sunday, May 15, 2022
Royal Family Drama Threatens to Derail the Queen's Platinum Jubilee | 60 Minutes Australia
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Royals Told: Open Archives on Family Ties to Nazi Regime
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| The Duke and Duchess of Windsor meet with Adolf Hitler in Munich in 1937. |
Buckingham Palace has been urged to disclose documents that would finally reveal the truth about the relationship between the royal family and the Nazi regime of the 1930s.
The Sun’s decision to publish footage of the Queen at six or seven years old performing a Nazi salute, held in the royal archives and hitherto unavailable for public viewing, has triggered concerns that the palace has for years sought to suppress the release of damaging material confirming the links between leading royals and the Third Reich.
Unlike the National Archives, the royal archives, which are known to contain large volumes of correspondence between members of the royal family and Nazi politicians and aristocrats, are not compelled to release material on a regular basis. Now, as that relationship becomes the subject of global debate, historians and MPs have called for the archives to be opened up so that the correspondence can be put into context.
“The royal family can’t suppress their own history for ever,” said Karina Urbach of the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London. “This is censorship. Censorship is not a democratic value. They have to face their past. I’m coming from a country, Germany, where we all have to face our past.” » | Jamie Doward and Tracy McVeigh | Saturday, July 18, 2015
THE GUARDIAN: Salute the Sun for daring to go behind royals’ closed doors: We shouldn’t be questioning the decision to print the pictures of those Nazi salutes – we should ask why it wasn’t done years ago » | Peter Preston | Saturday, July 18, 2015
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Britain's Royal Family Should Cut Costs and Staff, Lawmakers Say
In a report released Tuesday on the finances of Britain’s royal household, members of Parliament criticized the state of disrepair of much of Queen Elizabeth II’s considerable estate, saying that nearly 40% of it was in subpar condition. The boiler in Buckingham Palace hasn’t been overhauled in 60 years and buckets catch water leaking from the roof inside a gallery where priceless artworks are kept, one lawmaker said.
Yet even as urgent home repairs were needed, the world’s most famous extended family spent $74.5 million in 2012-13, going over budget by $3.8 million. The number of people serving them remains unchanged from several years ago. And the household’s rainy-day reserve fund has dwindled to a decidedly less-than-princely sum of $1.7 million. » | Henry Chu | Tuesday, January 28, 2014
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Wanted: an enthusiastic and proactive individual to run the Queen’s bath: A new housekeeper is wanted at Buckingham Palace to look after royal guests, furnishings and art » | Gordon Raynor, Chief Reporter | Friday, January 24, 2014
DAILY EXPRESS: Boomtime Britain as Buckingham Palace goes on a recruiting spree: FOR those who have ever wondered what it would be like to work in Buckingham Palace, they no longer need to dream about such a job as the royal residence is opening it's doors to new employees. » | Kirsty McCormack | Saturday, January 25, 2014
Saturday, February 09, 2013
The Queen’s closest aides face the prospect of a historic public grilling by MPs about whether the Royal Family is providing value for taxpayers’ money.
Parliament’s most powerful watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee, is expected to launch an inquiry later this year into the finances of the Queen and the Royal Family. This follows a change in the law which, for the first time, gives MPs oversight of royal finances.
Such an inquiry will cause trepidation in Buckingham Palace because of the committee’s formidable reputation for lambasting civil servants and government departments if it deems they have misused public funds. Read on and comment » | Oliver Wright | Saturday, February 09, 2013
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The Pacific nation held a national holiday today for the lavish wedding of the 27-year-old prince, Tupouto’a ’Ukukalala, who is first in line to the throne, to 25-year-old Sinaitakala Fakafanua, who is 26th in line.
The celebrations, which included traditional offerings by commoners of roast pork, marked the end of a 100-day mourning period following the sudden death in March of the flamboyant monarch, King George V.
But the marriage — the first of a crown prince in 65 years – has been mired in controversy over the decision to continue the practice of marriage between cousins. » | Jonathan Pearlman in Sydney | Thursday, July 12, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
How does a king who has gone astray apologize to his people? With a contrite expression on the television news and an ostentatious show of humility. "I'm sorry. I was wrong and it won't happen again," the 74-year-old Juan Carlos assured Spaniards in a brief televised statement last Wednesday, looking like a boy whose mother had just caught him committing a prank.
"An unprecedented gesture," a columnist with the Madrid daily El País called the royal words. The people had learned that the king had been hunting elephants in Botswana, because he had broken his hip at night and had to be flown home for surgery. As Spanish citizens learned from the papers, he had reportedly been the guest of a Saudi Arabian magnate, and was accompanied by a German woman, a member of the aristocracy who is said to be very close to him.
The photos of the big game hunter on cover pages, holding his gun as he stood in front of a gray corpse and an ivory hunting trophy, even annoyed Spain's royalists. He was on a luxury safari (at an estimated cost of more than €40,000, or $52,000) at precisely a time when the financial markets are demanding higher and higher risk premiums on Spanish government bonds. It's also a time at which conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy feels compelled to beef up his €27 billion austerity package with another €10 billion in budget cuts to education and healthcare. To make matters worse, the Spanish oil company Repsol is effectively being expropriated in Argentina. In other words, while their head of state was enjoying himself in Africa, his subjects were experiencing one of the worst weeks of the year.
The king's apology represents a sea change. Shouldn't such a weak man have to abdicate? How will the monarchy continue? These are questions that are being discussed in blogs and on talk shows, while newspaper columnists are publicly debating an institution that was considered sacrosanct until recently. » | Helene Zuber | Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, March 05, 2012
CBS NEWS: Dutch Prince Johan Friso, in a coma since he was buried under an avalanche on Feb. 17, was transferred Thursday to a hospital in London.
The palace confirmed the transfer, saying: "Wellington hospital was recommended by experts. Considering his condition, Prince Friso will receive the best possible treatment there." » | Friday, March 02, 2012
ROYAL STATEMENT: HET KONINKLIJK HUIS: His Royal Highness Prince Friso, 1 March 2012, 18.18 »
Related material here and here
Saturday, February 25, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A skiing accident has left Prince Friso of the Netherlands fighting for his life. And his family is now having to face up to their worst fears, write Harriet Alexander, Adam Lusher and Joan Clements.
His life was one which many would envy. A successful London financier, with a beautiful loving wife and two young daughters, Johan Friso seemed to have the world at his feet as he set off on his annual ski holiday.
His wife, Princess Mabel, a highly-respected human rights specialist and CEO of Nelson Mandela's Global Elders group, has been keeping a vigil at his bedside since the accident. His mother, who has reigned for 22 years, has been seen looking tearful outside the hospital in Innsbruck, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses.
And the reorganisation is going to be exceedingly painful and difficult for all concerned.
Prince Friso's doctors have said that he may never regain consciousness after being starved of oxygen for so long. The prince was skiing off-piste in the Lech resort with a childhood friend when the avalanche struck. » | Saturday, February 25, 2012
My comment:
I find this news both extremely sad and very moving. Prince Johan Friso has been in my thoughts ever since the terrible news broke. I have also been following the news direct from Austria about this very unfortunate incident.
One can only imagine how traumatizing this must be for both his wife and Queen Beatrix, his mother; in fact, they must be devastated. My deepest sympathy is with them, and all their family, at this time.
One can only hope that by some miracle the prince will start improving. The outlook, however, appears to be very grim indeed. – © Mark
This comment appears here, too.
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Friday, February 24, 2012
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Johan Friso, the second of Dutch Queen Beatrix's three sons, was buried for 25 minutes before rescuers found him. It then took nearly 50 precious minutes to reanimate the prince after he was pulled from the snow, time that may have cause permanent damage, said Dr. Wolfgang Koller, head of trauma at the Innsbruck hospital where he is being treated.
"It is clear that the oxygen starvation has caused massive brain damage to the patient," Koller said. "At the moment, it cannot be predicted if he will ever regain consciousness."
The 41-yaer-old Friso, who is married and has two young daughters, will be moved later to a rehabilitation clinic for further treatment. But Koller cautioned that it may take years before he awakens from his coma -- if he ever does -- and any recovery from such significant brain damage is a process of "months or even years."
Friso was skiing off-trail in Lech, Austria, despite avalanche warnings, with a childhood friend from the alpine village the Dutch royal family has been visiting each winter for years.
The friend was carrying an avalanche "air bag" and escaped without serious injury. Friso was found with the help of a signaling device he was carrying and flown by helicopter to the Innsbruck Clinic.
But "50 minutes of reanimation is extremely long. You could say too long," Koller said.
The doctor said that due to protocols for minimizing brain damage after such an accident, it had only been possible to conduct an MRI scan of Friso's brain on Thursday.
"We had hoped that the slight cooling of the patient would protect his brain from too serious damage. Unfortunately this hope was not fulfilled," he said.
Friso is in a coma, a state of unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened with external physical or auditory stimulation. There are different levels of unconsciousness and unresponsiveness depending on how much brain function there is. Doctors did not give further details of Friso's diagnosis. » | Associated Press | Friday, February 24, 2012
Related »
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Austrian doctors treating the Prince Johan Friso have said he suffered massive brain damage after being buried by an avalanche last week and may never regain consciousness.
Doctor Wolfgang Koller said on Friday that it took nearly 50 minutes to reanimate the prince, who is the second son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
MRI scans have showed his brain suffered "massive damage" in the avalanche in Lech on Feb. 17 in which he was buried for at last 15 minutes.
Prince Friso, 43, who is married and has two young daughters, will be moved at a later date to a private clinic for further treatment but it may take years before he awakens, if ever. » | Friday, February 24, 2012
Related »
WELT ONLINE: Prinz Johann Friso liegt im Wachkoma: Wien/Innsbruck - Der niederländische Prinz Johan Friso hat bei seinem Lawinenunfall einen schweren Hirnschaden erlitten und bleibt womöglich lebenslang im Wachkoma. Seine Ärzte zweifeln, ob der 43-Jährige je wieder zu Bewusstsein kommt. ¶ Der Sauerstoffmangel habe das Gehirn schwer geschädigt, gaben die Mediziner am Freitag in Innsbruck bekannt. Eine Lawine hatte den zweitältesten Sohn von Königin Beatrix vor einer Woche beim Skifahren in Lech am Arlberg verschüttet. Die Königsfamilie sucht nun nach einer Reha-Klinik. ¶ Das Königshaus bat die Medien, die Privatsphäre der Familie zu respektieren. «Die Angehörigen von Prinz Friso müssen mit der Situation des Prinzen zurecht kommen und ihr Leben neu ordnen», hieß es in einer Mitteilung. Regierungschef Mark Rutte sagte, das ganze Land leide mit der Königsfamilie in diesen «Tagen der Sorge und Trauer». » | dpa | Freitag, 24. Februar 2012
STERN.DE: Wird Prinz Johan Friso jemals wieder aufwachen? : Die Ärzte haben kaum noch Hoffnung: Der niederländische Prinz Johan Friso wird möglicherweise nie wieder aus dem Koma erwachen - 50 Minuten lang stand sein Herz nach seinem Ski-Unfall still. » | DPA/AFP | Freitag, 24. Februar 2012
LE POINT: Le prince Johan Friso ne reprendra peut-être plus jamais connaissance : Le prince Johan Friso d'Orange-Nassau et d'Amsberg, 43 ans, deuxième fils de la reine Beatrix accidenté dans une avalanche en Autriche, ne reprendra peut-être plus jamais connaissance, a annoncé vendredi un médecin de l'hôpital universitaire d'Innsbruck (ouest). ¶ "On ne peut pas dire aujourd'hui avec certitude si le prince Friso reprendra un jour connaissance", a déclaré Wolfgang Koller, responsable de l'unité de soin traumatologique de l'hôpital lors d'une conférence de presse. » | AFP | vendredi 24 février 2012
PARIS MATCH: Le prince Johan Friso. Une vie brisée : L’équipe médicale de l’hôpital d'Innsbruck a indiqué vendredi ne pas avoir la certitude que le prince Johan Friso, victime d’une avalanche vendredi dernier, reprendra connaissance. ¶ «Peut-être trop longtemps». Des mots terribles, tant redoutés. En conférence de presse vendredi après-midi, le Dr Wolfgang Koller, chef du département de traumatologie de l'Hôpital universitaire d'Innsbruck, a brisé le silence. Celui qui enveloppe le dramatique accident dont a été victime le prince Johan Friso d'Orange-Nassau de la famille royale des Pays-Bas. ¶ Le 17 février dernier, le fils cadet de la Reine Beatrix a été emporté par une avalanche. Il évoluait avec un ami en ski hors-piste dans la station de Lech, dans la province autrichienne du Vorarlberg. Transféré en hélicoptère à l'hôpital, il a été admis en soins intensifs dans un état jugé «critique mais stable». » | Lucie Dancoing - Parismatch.com | vendredi 24 février 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Ein Mitglied der niederländischen Königsfamilie ist am Arlberg von einer Lawine verschüttet worden. Offizielle Stellen bestätigen gegenüber der "Presse", dass es sich um Johan Friso handelt, den zweiten Sohn der niederländischen Königin Beatrix. Der 43-Jährige befindet sich in kritischem Zustand, die Ärzte der Innsbrucker Universitätsklinik kämpfen um sein Leben. Die niederländische Königsfamilie befindet sich derzeit auf zweiwöchigen Winterferien in Lech am Arlberg. » | red. | Freitag, 17. Februar 2012
KRONE.AT: Arlberg: Prinz Johan Friso von Lawine verschüttet – Drama um den holländischen Prinzen Johan Friso: Der zweitälteste Sohn von Königin Beatrix ist Freitagmittag am Arlberg von einer Lawine 40 Meter mitgerissen und verschüttet worden. Der Prinz wurde nach 20 Minuten ausgegraben und im Rettungshubschrauber wiederbelebt. In der Universitätsklinik Innsbruck ringt der prominente Patient nun mit dem Tod. » | C. Budin, T. Schrems, G. Krauthackl/red/AG | Freitag, 17. Februar 2012
NZZ ONLINE: Niederländischer Prinz von einer Lawine verschüttet: Sohn von Königin Beatrix gerettet und in stabilem Zustand » | NZZ Online | Freitag, 17. Februar 2012
THE GUARDIAN: Son of Queen Beatrix of Netherlands injured in avalanche: Prince Friso seriously hurt and in intensive care after helicopter rescue from Lech ski resort in Austria » | Associated Press in Vienna | Friday, February 17, 2012
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le prince Johan Friso des Pays-Bas blessé dans une avalanche: Le deuxième fils de la reine Beatrix est dans un état critique après avoir été pris sous une coulée de neige, vendredi dans la station autrichienne de Lech. » | afp/Newsnet | vendredi 17 fébruar 2012
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
He has written to the prime ministers of Commonwealth countries outlining how he wants to change laws dating back centuries, but which are now discriminatory.
In the letter, Mr Cameron says it is “an anomaly” and goes against “gender equality” that women have to take their place behind younger royal males in the line of succession.
He writes: “In the UK, we have found it increasingly difficult to continue to justify two particular aspects of the present rules on the succession to the Crown.
“The first is the rule which says that an elder daughter should take a place in the line of succession behind a younger son. We espouse gender equality in all other aspects of life, and it is an anomaly that in the rules relating to the highest public office we continue to enshrine male superiority.”
Mr Cameron told MPs that he wants to change the rules. As well as ending male primogeniture, the Prime Minister hopes to open the way for members of the Royal Family who marry a Roman Catholic being able to succeed to the Crown. » | Andrew Porter, Political Editor | Wednesday, October 12, 2011
As Cameron is in favour of gay marriage, is he going to get legislation changed so that any gay children of a future monarch can also accede the throne? I mean, Cameron is changing every tradition in sight, so he might as well go the whole hog. This country is finished for anyway. The next thing we'll hear is that a prince has fallen for a Muslimah – burqa-clad, of course – and the prince will have to embrace Islam before marriage. Will this mean, then, that the monarchy will cease to be a Christian monarchy at all? Is Cameron far-seeing enough, I wonder? – © Mark
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Libyan Prince: I’m Ready to Be King » | John W. Miller | Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Prince Mohammed El Senussi (Official Website) »
WIKI: Prince Mohammed El Senussi »
CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE: Prince Mohammed El Senussi’s Personal Message (August 18, 2011) »
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