Queen Máxima Sends Video Message for the G20 GPFI 2022 Symposium

LIVE: Streaming Video on YouTube’s The Royal Channel

The Royal Channel on YouTube is hosting a live video feed of Prince William’s wedding to Catherine Middleton courtesy of the BBC.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden Weds Daniel Westling

Amidst much pomp and circumstance, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wedded Daniel Westling at Stockholm Catheral today. The grand affair took place at 3:30 pm (local time). The bride wore a cream-coloured duchess silk satin wedding dress; the design created by Pär Engsheden. Its train was almost five metres long and the shoes were covered with the same fabric of the dress. Victoria had on her head a cameo tiara. According to the Swedish Royal Court website, it was a tradition that started with Princess Birgitta in 1961 upon her marriage to Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern. Queen Silvia, Victoria’s mother, donned the tiara for her wedding to King Carl XVI Gustaf on June 19, 1976. The ornate lace veil which was attached to the back of Victoria’s hairstyle originally belong to Queen Sofia, wife of Oskar II of Sweden. The crown princess carried a wedding bouquet of white flowers consisting of lily of the valley, rose, phalaenopsis orchid, peony, clematis, cosmos, wax flower, sweet pea, dicentra formosa, Mårbacka pelargonium, Amazon lily, gardenia, azalea, bleeding heart and the traditional myrtle from Sofiero.

Her bridesmaids wore white silk organza dresses with white ballet slippers and carried lilies of the valley in their bouquets. In keeping with a Bernadotte family tradition, the page boys wore sailor suits.

The groom wore a black tuxedo with white tie.

Archbishop Anders Wejryd officiated over the wedding ceremony.

Upon his marriage to Crown Princess Victoria, Daniel Westling became His Royal Highness Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland. His father-in-law, King Carl XVI Gustaf, bestowed upon him Knight of the Order of the Seraphim after the wedding.

Excerpts from the wedding ceremony of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling can be read here.

The entire wedding ceremony speech by Archbishop Anders Wejryd can be read here.

A Stv.se video of the wedding ceremony can be viewed here.

Photo: Henrik Montgomery, Scanpix

Countess of Wessex Tours HMS Daring

The Countess of Wessex toured the HMS Daring on July 23rd in Portsmouth for its Commissioning Day. She is the sponsor of the warship. The countess first launched the elite T45 Destroyer at the BAE Systems’ shipyard in Scotstoun on February 1, 2006.

Below is The Royal Channel’s YouTube video clip of the Countess of Wessex’s visit on Commissioning Day of the HMS Daring.

The Princes’ Charities Forum Converges in the Lake District

Prince William partook of some charity work in the Lake District on July 24th. The three charities involved with his visit were Centrepoint, Mountain Rescue England and Wales and WellChild; they are affiliated with the Princes’ Charities Forum. The forum gives the groups the opportunity to concurrently work together.

Below is The Royal Channel’s YouTube video clip of Prince William’s visit to the Lake District on July 24th.

Prince William Praises Skill Force

Yesterday, The Royal Channel featured an exclusive clip of Prince William speaking about the charity Skill Force and his reason for accepting the role of Patron. He appeared at the Tower of London for a Skill Force event on July 6th.

Below is The Royal Channel’s YouTube exclusive clip of Prince William discussing the charity Skill Force.

Queen’s Day Tragedy in Apeldoorn

Queen’s Day celebrations in the Netherlands came to an abrupt halt today when a car demolished police barricades and careened into a throng of people at the cordoned off intersection of Jachtlaan and Amersfoortseweg. The crowd was waiting for the appearance of Queen Beatrix and her family. The Dutch royals saw the tragedy unfold as they turned onto Zwolseweg headed toward the Palais Het Loo in an open-air bus. The Prince of Orange and his wife, Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, watched in horror as the car crumpled against the fence of a large monument called “De Naald” (The Needle) right in front of them. Willem put his arm around Máxima as she covered in mouth in disbelief.

The queen issued a video statement via her website sending her condolences for those killed and injured in the tragedy.

Below is a BBC news clip reporting on the tragedy in Apeldoorn.

The NOS article, “Vijfde dode na aanslag Koninginnedag Apeldoorn,” and video clips of the tragedy in Apeldoorn can be viewed here.

Photo: REUTERS

Crown Princess Victoria Displays Engagement Ring at Photo-Op

Yesterday morning, Crown Princess Victoria officially announced her intent to marry Daniel Westling after receiving consent from her father and the Swedish government. The media was then invited to Princess Sibylla’s Apartment at the Royal Palace in Stockholm later in the afternoon for a photo opportunity with the newly engaged couple. Victoria and Daniel fielded some questions from reporters and the princess demurely displayed her diamond solitaire engagement ring. The wedding is planned for the summer of 2010.Part I of the Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling engagement photo opportunity can be viewed here.

Part II of the Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling engagement photo opportunity can be viewed here. Photos: REUTERS

Queen Elizabeth II’s 2008 Christmas Speech

Queen Elizabeth II’s annual Christmas speech focussed on the selfless service of those who have helped the nation or community. Some of the footage featured during her address included Prince Charles as a toddler whilst she recognized his charity work and his sixtieth birthday. At the close of her speech, the queen reminded her audience that it is better to serve and give in order to achieve contentment and happiness in one’s life by saying: “I hope that, like me, you will be comforted by the example of Jesus of Nazareth who, often in circumstances of great adversity, managed to live an outgoing, unselfish and sacrificial life. Countless millions of people around the world continue to celebrate his birthday at Christmas, inspired by his teaching. He makes it clear that genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving than receiving; more in serving than in being served.I hope that the Christmas message will encourage and sustain you too, now and in the coming year.”

Below is The Royal Channel’s YouTube video of Queen Elizabeth II’s 2008 Christmas speech.


Below is the entire text of Queen Elizabeth II's 2008 Christmas speech.

“Christmas is a time for celebration, but this year it is a more sombre occasion for many. Some of those things which could once have been taken for granted suddenly seem less certain and, naturally, give rise to feelings of insecurity.”

“People are touched by events which have their roots far across the world. Whether it is the global economy or violence in a distant land, the effects can be keenly felt at home. Once again, many of our service men and women are serving on operations in common cause to bring peace and security to troubled places.”

“In this ninetieth year since the end of the First World War, the last survivors recently commemorated the service and enormous sacrifice of their own generation. Their successors in theatres such as Iraq and Afghanistan are still to be found in harm’s way in the service of others. For their loved ones, the worry will never cease until they are safely home.”

“In such times as these we can all learn some lessons from the past. We might begin to see things in a new perspective. And certainly, we begin to ask ourselves where it is that we can find lasting happiness.”

“Over the years, those who have seemed to me to be the most happy, contented and fulfilled have always been the people who have lived the most outgoing and unselfish lives; the kind of people who are generous with their talents or their time. There are those who use their prosperity or good fortune for the benefit of others whether they number among the great philanthropists or are people who, with whatever they have, simply have a desire to help those less fortunate than themselves.”

“What they offer comes in the form of what can easily be recognised as service to the nation or service to the wider community. As often as not however, their unselfishness is a simply-taken-for-granted part of the life of their family or neighbourhood.”

“They tend to have some sense that life itself is full of blessings, and is a precious gift for which we should be thankful. When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”

“I think we have a huge amount to learn from individuals such as these. And what I believe many of us share with them is a source of strength and peace of mind in our families and friends. Indeed, Prince Philip and I can reflect on the blessing, comfort and support we have gained from our own family in this special year for our son, The Prince of Wales.”

“Sixty years ago, he was baptised here in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace. As parents and grandparents, we feel great pride in seeing our family make their own unique contributions to society. Through his charities, The Prince of Wales has worked to support young people and other causes for the benefit of the wider community, and now his sons are following in his footsteps.”

“At Christmas, we feel very fortunate to have our family around us. But for many of you, this Christmas will mean separation from loved ones and perhaps reflection on the memories of those no longer with us.”

“I hope that, like me, you will be comforted by the example of Jesus of Nazareth who, often in circumstances of great adversity, managed to live an outgoing, unselfish and sacrificial life. Countless millions of people around the world continue to celebrate his birthday at Christmas, inspired by his teaching. He makes it clear that genuine human happiness and satisfaction lie more in giving than receiving; more in serving than in being served.”

“We can surely be grateful that, two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, so many of us are able to draw inspiration from his life and message, and to find in him a source of strength and courage. I hope that the Christmas message will encourage and sustain you too, now and in the coming year.”

“I wish you all a very happy Christmas.”

The Duchess Of Gloucester Visits Troops in Iraq

On Saturday, December 13th, the Duchess of Gloucester visited British troops in Basra, Iraq. The duchess is the holder of several honorary military appointments. She is an honorary Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Army Dental Corps and an honorary Deputy Colonel-in-Chief of the Adjutant General's Corps. Below is The Royal Channel’s YouTube video highlight of her Iraq visit.

Queen Rania Continues Cultural Dialogue With New Video

The latest video from Queen Rania’s YouTube website takes an historical approach on innovations that emerged from the Middle East.

Below is the YouTube video clip “How’d that get here?”

A Glimpse into Svalbard with the Royal Trio

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark completed their tour of Svalbard yesterday. A short video clip from B.T. TV which features some candid moments with the royal trio in Svalbard can be seen here.

Photo: REUTERS

Queen Rania Gives Instructions to Effectively Dispel Stereotypes

Two weeks ago, Queen Rania of Jordan showed a humourous side to fighting sterotypes in the following link. This week, she gives instructions to creating YouTube clips to dispel stereotypes in the ongoing effort to increase dialogue amongst the YouTube community. The queen believes in those willing to make the effort and produce video clips which fight against negative stereotypes “can open people’s minds” and “can create change.”

Below is Queen Rania’s YouTube video How to break it down.

Queen Rania Corrects More Assumptions concerning Arabs and Muslims

Queen Rania released another YouTube video yesterday to correct some assumptions that all Muslims are Arabs and that Arabs and Muslims equal terror and war. As the queen concluded her video, she announced that the project was worth it because she was glad to know that for some YouTubers like Harvey, he had made ten friends from Jordan.

Below is Queen Rania’s YouTube video "Arab = Muslim = Terror = War"?

Queen Rania Presents View of Arab Women in the Workplace

Queen Rania of Jordan’s latest video presents a view of Arab women in the workplace. The queen regards their accomplishments as attainable and some even groundbreaking by saying, “pilot or plumber, mother or minister, many Arab women do have choices and they are making them. We still have a long way to go, but let’s not forget how far we’ve come.”

Below is the clip of Queen Rania’s video See what Arab women are up to... YOUTUBE EXCLUSIVE.

Queen Rania Grateful for YouTube Dialogue

Yesterday, Queen Rania of Jordan expressed her gratitude regarding the dialogue amongst YouTubers in a new video called "Queen Rania Responds". As the comments have been flooding in, the queen said, “I am very pleased with the responses and the reactions that I received from you all. So thank you YouTubers for taking the time to share your thoughts with me." The queen was longanimous in regards to the adverse criticism and said, “some of the input I received was very positive; others were quite critical, but that is okay because debate is part of the dialogue. We don’t always have to agree to get along so please keep the feedback coming in.”

The glamourous queen in the past week has received well over a million views to her YouTube Exclusive video: Send Me Your Stereotypes.

Below is the YouTube video: Queen Rania Responds.

Queen Rania Encourages Dialogue Amongst YouTubers

Queen Rania of Jordan wants your stereotypes. Today, she initiated on YouTube an exclusive video to encourage dialogue amongst the YouTuber community and dispel common misconceptions of the Middle East. The queen expressed her desire to oppugn stereotypes and said, “in a world where it’s so easy to connect to one another, we still remain very much disconnected. There’s a whole world of wonder out there that we cannot appreciate with stereotypes…I want people to know the real Arab world – to see it unedited, unscripted and unfiltered – to see the personal side of my region – to know the places and faces and rituals and culture that shape the part of the world I call home.” YouTube’s community will be permitted to exchange comments concerning stereotypes until International Youth Day on August 12th. The queen’s goal is to dissolve the myths surrounding her culture and promote global cultural awareness without stereotypes.

Below is Queen Rania’s YouTube Exclusive: Send Me Your Stereotypes.



For more information on Queen Rania’s YouTube initiative, visit her official YouTube website.

Crown Prince of Japan Turns Forty-Eight

The Imperial Household Agency has released some new photos and a video clip to mark the forty-eighth birthday of Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan. The prince was born on February 23, 1960. His Investiture as Crown Prince was held on his birthday in 1991. The prince is a 1982 graduate of Gakushuin University. In September 1991, the University of Oxford bestowed upon him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. He married Masako Owada on June 9, 1993. His daughter, Princess Aiko, was born on December 1, 2001.Amongst his many official duties, the prince has held the post of Honorary Vice-President of the Japanese Red Cross Society since 1994. Last November, he was named the President of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation.
Naruhito is an avid tennis player and an accomplished violist. Some of his favourite diversions include mountaineering, jogging and skiing.

A video clip from the Imperial Household Agency website of Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako and Princess Aiko can be seen here.

The Press Conference by His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince on the Occasion of His Birthday can be read here.

Photos: The Imperial Household Agency

4th Birthday for Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway

Today, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway celebrated her fourth birthday. She has already displayed quite a comic personality when she distorted her face with her tiny hands before the cameras at a photocall on Skaugum Estate last September.

To mark the felicitous occasion, the Kongehuset released some photos and video of the little princess, who is the heir to the Norwegian throne after her father Crown Prince Haakon.

Photos: Knut Kollandsrud

Recommended Reading: The Royalist

For the past two years, the editor of The Royalist, Joanne Leyland, has been entertaining royal watchers with her tantalizing news stories, superb photos and exclusive video clips. She embarked on her amazing adventure with her first caption Camilla Prepares to Enter 'Dianaland' on September 30, 2005.

Congratulations, Joanne, for another year of brilliant articles!