ROYAL PRINCES

ROYAL PRINCES

IS THE GEORGIAN DYNASTIC MARRIAGE OVER?

August 3rd, 2009

In February of this year Georgia celebrated what most called ‘wedding of the century’ for the country: the dynastic marriage of Prince David Bagration-Mukhrani and Princess Anna Bagration-Gruzinsky (see this blog entry).


Less than six months later, however, it appears that not even the most important dynastic considerations can save the marriage. Georgian newspapers report that the couple separated barely a month after their marriage, and it now appears that any hopes of their reconciliation are lost.

Members of the Bagration family declined to comment on the situation in any way. Princess Anna’s mother pronounced the matter ‘a strictly private affair’ and assured the journalists that no member of the family will share any information with the media. Read more…

PRINCE LALLA OF MOROCCO RECEIVES WOMEN WORLD LEADERS' PRIZE

Princess Lalla Meryem received on Thursday in Paris an international trophy awarded by the Women World Leaders Association.The Prize was awarded to the Princess for her quality as Chairwoman of the National Union of Moroccan Women in recognition of her untiring efforts to reinforce the status of Moroccan Arab and African women and her remarkable actions to promote women participation in development and progress.


On this occasion, Chairwoman of Femme Leaders Mondiales Nicole Barbin highlighted the considerable actions devoted by Princess Lalla Meryem both at the national level and at the international scene in her quality as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors.

On her part, Princess Lalla Meryem said in response to the tribute paid to her by the chairwoman of the association Nicole Barbin in presence of eminent figures: “that the award granted to her by the World Women Leaders Association is “a recognition for the daily struggle of Moroccan women for dignity and equality”,”Such a distinction is all the more important as it is granted as today to a country from the South” the Princess Aded that “In all areas women’s struggle is part of their conditions but there is an area where they invest their energy their imagination and their affection that of education of children who will in future take charge of an ever-changing world”.

The Princess received the prize during a Gala dinner held under the high patronage of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy with the attendance notably of top French officials in addition to former Ministers eminent artists and businessmen.

BRITISH ROYAL INVESTITURES

BRITISH ROYAL HONOURS

Anybody can recommend a British national for an honour, which consist of life peerages, knighthoods, appointments to the Order of the British Empire and gallantry awards to servicemen and women and civilians.

Nominations, sent either by government ministers or by members of the public, are divided into subject areas and assessed by eight committees comprising both senior civil servants and independent experts.

Their assessments are passed to a selection committee that produces the list that is submitted to the Queen through the prime minister.

The Queen formally approves the list of recipients. The honours are published in the official Crown newspaper, the London Gazette.

Private nominations, made by individuals or by representatives of organisations to the Cabinet Office, traditionally make up about a quarter of all recommendations.

Honorary awards for foreign nationals are recommended by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Orders for chivalry are made after a personal decision by the Queen.

Life Peers

Life peerages are the only form of peerages regularly created by the Sovereign.

A life peer becomes a baron and sits in the House of Lords on conferment of peerage.

These are titles which they hold only during their lifetime and are not passed to their heirs.

Knights Bachelor

The honour of knighthood comes from the days of medieval chivalry, as does the method used to confer the knighthood: the accolade, or the touch of a sword by the Sovereign.

Although Knights Bachelor do not comprise an order of chivalry, knighthood is a dignity which has its origins in Britain in Saxon times. They are styled "Sir" (except for clergymen who do not receive the accolade) and their wives "Lady".

Women receiving the honour are styled "Dame" but do not receive the accolade.

The Order of the Bath

The Order of the Bath is an order of chivalry and was founded in 1725 for service of the highest calibre. The order has a civil and military division and is awarded in the following ranks: Knight Grand Cross (GCB), Knight Commander (KCB) and Companion (CB).

The Order takes its name from the symbolic bathing which in former times was often part of the preparation of a candidate for knighthood.

Order of St Michael and St George

This Order was founded by King George III in 1818 and is awarded to British subjects who have rendered extraordinary and important services abroad or in the Commonwealth. Ranks in the Order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG), Knight or Dame Commander (KCMG or DCMG) and Companion (CMG).

Order of the Companions Honour

This is awarded for service of conspicuous national importance and is limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name.

Orders of the British Empire

King George V in 1917 created these honours during World War 1 to reward services to the war effort by civilians at home and servicemen in support positions.
The orders are now awarded mainly to civilians and service personnel for public service or other distinctions and has a military and a civil division. Ranks in the Order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE) and Member (MBE).
Royal Victorian Order

By 1896, prime ministers and governments had increased their influence over the distribution of awards and had gained almost total control of the system. Therefore, Queen Victoria instituted The Royal Victorian Order as a personal award for services performed on her behalf.

Today this honour is still awarded in recognition of services to the royal family. The ranks are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCVO), Knight or Dame Commander (KCVO or DCVO), Commander (CVO), Lieutenant (LVO) and Member (MVO).

Royal Victorian Medal

Associated with the Royal Victorian Order is the Royal Victorian Medal which has three grades: gold, silver and bronze. The circular medal is attached to the ribbon of the Order.

More than one grade may be held by the same person and the medal may be worn along with the insignia of the Order itself.

Royal Red Cross

Founded in 1883 by Queen Victoria, The award is confined to the Nursing Services. Those awarded the First Class are designated "Members" (RRC): those awarded the Second Class are designated "Associates" (ARRC).

It is said that the suggestion for the founding of this decoration was made to Queen Victoria by Miss Florence Nightingale.

Queen's Police Medal

This is awarded for distinguished service to the police force.

Queen's Fire Service Medal

This honour is given to firefighters who have displayed conspicuous devotion to duty.

REMEMBERING GRACE KELLY

Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John Brendan Kelly, Sr. (or Jack Kelly), the son of Irish immigrants, and Margaret Katherine Majer Kelly, daughter of German immigrants.

Jack Kelly was a triple Olympic-gold-medal-winning sculler. Jack Kelly had a brick business was the largest on the East Coast and was a self-made millionaire. Two of Grace Kelly's uncles (her father's brothers) were well known in the arts: vaudevillian Walter Kelly and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright George Kelly.

Grace Kelly attended the prestigious Ravenhill Academy, and Kelly modeled fashions at local social events with her mother and sisters. When she was twelve, she played a lead role in a play produced by the Old Academy Players in East Falls, called Don't Feed the Animals. During high school, Kelly acted and danced, graduating from Stevens School, a small private school in Germantown, Philadelphia, in May 1947.

To her mother’s dismay, Kelly decided to pursue a career in the theater. She was performing in Colorado’s Elitch Gardens when she was offered a starring role opposite Gary Cooper in High Noon. According to Kelly’s biographer Wendy Leigh, at age 22 Kelly had been romanced by both Cooper and director Fred Zinnemann. High Noon was a popular film of the 1950s.

Grace Kelly’s Filmography

Year 1951
Film Fourteen Hours
Role Louise Ann Fuller
Director Henry Hathaway
Co-stars Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, Barbara Bel Geddes

Year 1952
Film High Noon
Role Amy Fowler Kane
Director Fred Zinnemann
Co-stars Gary Cooper, Katy Jurado, Lloyd Bridges, Thomas Mitchell

Year 1953
Film Mogambo
Role Linda Nordley
Director John Ford
Co-stars Clark Gable, Ava Gardner

Year 1953
Film Dial M for MurderRole Margot Mary Wendice
Director Alfred Hitchcock
Co-stars Ray Milland, Bob Cummings, John Williams

Year 1953
Film Rear WindowRole Lisa Carol Fremont
Director Alfred Hitchcock
Co-stars James Stewart, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr

Year 1954
Film The Country Girl
Role Georgie Elgin
Director George Seaton
Co-stars Bing Crosby, William Holden

Year 1954
Film Green Fire
Role Catherine Knowland
Co-stars Andrew Marton Stewart Granger

Year 1954
Film The Bridges at Toko-Ri
Role Nancy Brubaker
Director Mark Robson
Co-stars William Holden, Fredric March, Mickey Rooney, Earl Holliman

Year 1955
Film To Catch a Thief
Role Frances Stevens
Director Alfred Hitchcock
Co-star Cary Grant

Year 1956
Film The Swan
Role Princess Alexandra
Director Charles Vidor
Co-star Alec Guinness

Year 1956
Film High Society
Role Tracy Samantha Lord
Director Charles Walters
Co-stars Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm

Kelly headed the U.S. delegation at the Cannes Film Festival in April 1955. While there, she was invited to a photo session at the Palace of Monaco with Prince Rainier III. Kelly finally met the prince in Monaco after a series of delays and complications.

After returning to America, Kelly began work on The Swan, in which she portrayed a princess. Meanwhile, she was privately beginning a correspondence with Rainier. In December, Rainier came to America on a trip officially designated as a tour, although it was rumoured that Rainier was seeking a wife.

A 1918 treaty with France stated that if Rainier did not produce an heir, Monaco would revert to France. At a press conference in the United States, Rainier was asked if he was pursuing a wife, to which he answered "No." Then he was asked, "If you were pursuing a wife, what kind would you like?" Rainier smiled and answered, "I don't know — the best."

Prince Rainier met up with Grace Kelly and her family, and after three days, the prince proposed. Kelly accepted and preparations began for "The Wedding of the Century." The religious wedding was set for April 19, 1956.

The wedding of the century

Kelly's wedding was a 40-minute civil ceremony that took place in the Palace Throne Room of Monaco on April 18, 1956, and was broadcast across Europe. To cap the ceremony, the 142 official titles (counterparts of Rainier's) that Kelly acquired in the union were formally recited. The event concluded the following day with the church ceremony at Monaco's Saint Nicholas Cathedral.

Kelly's wedding dress was designed by MGM's Academy Award-winning Helen Rose, was worked on for six weeks by three dozen seamstresses. The 600 guests included Hollywood stars David Niven and his wife Hjördis, Gloria Swanson, Ava Gardner, the crowned head Aga Khan, and Conrad Hilton. Frank Sinatra initially accepted an invitation but at the last minute decided otherwise, afraid of upstaging the bride on her wedding day.

Queen Elizabeth II flatly refused to attend on the grounds of there being "too many movie stars." The ceremony was watched by an estimated 30 million people on television. The prince and princess left that night for their seven-week Mediterranean cruise honeymoon on Rainier's yacht, Deo Juvante II.
Children

Princess Grace had three children:
Hereditary Princess Caroline Louise Marguerite, born January 23, 1957, and now heiress presumptive to the throne of Monaco; Albert II, Prince of Monaco, born March 14, 1958, current ruler of the Principality of Monaco; and Princess Stéphanie Marie Elisabeth, born February 1, 1965.

Princess Grace

As princess, Kelly was active in improving the arts institutions of Monaco, and eventually the Princess Grace Foundation was formed to support local artisans. She was one of the first celebrities to support and speak on behalf of La Leche League, an organization that advocates breastfeeding; she planned a yearly Christmas party for local orphans, and dedicated a Garden Club that reflected her love of flowers.

In 1981, the Prince and Princess celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

On September 13, 1982, while driving with her daughter Stéphanie to Monaco from their country home, Princess Grace suffered a stroke, which caused her to drive her Rover P6 off the serpentine road down a mountainside. Princess Grace was still alive after the accident, but had suffered serious injuries and was unconscious. She died the following day at the Monaco Hospital (now Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace – The Princess Grace Hospital Centre in English – in 1958), having never regained consciousness.

Legacy

The Princess Grace Foundation was founded in 1964 to help those with special needs that are not met by ordinary social services. In 1983, following Princess Grace's death, Caroline, Princess of Hanover became the President of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. Albert II, Prince of Monaco is Vice-President.

FREDERIK AND MARY OF DENMARK: 5TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

The Danish Crown Prince and Crown Princess has released these official photos to mark their 5th wedding anniversary.

Their wedding anniversary was on the 14th of May 2009, and it was relatively low key with little coverage by the Danish press. The couple celebrated at their home.

A spokesperson for the couple stated that there were no public activities planned to mark their wedding anniversary.

These newly released photos of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess and their children show warmth and happiness in contrast to a new book by Trine Villemann claiming that the couple were experiencing marriage problems and they had spent over their $4 million budget.

Also some of the spotlight was taken away from their wedding anniversary and focused on Prince Joachim and Princess Marie's first baby, a son who was born on May the 4th.