Thursday, September 30, 2010

No pants, please!

Royalty used to be reliable to show how one behaves in public. For important public occasions, nothing shows more respect from a lady than to be correctly attired. These days, I am seeing a trend that I would like to see stopped: wearing trousers at an important event.




Click here to see the official pictures of the VIPs at the silver wedding anniversary celebrations of Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia and Crown Princess Katherine, from that great font of royal knowledge, Marlene Koenig: http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2010/09/official-photos.html




The only people not in trousers are the Crown Princess Katherine and the Patriarch.




Trousers and trouser suits seem to reign amongst royal women, especially the commoner women who marry princes. Who can forget Mathilde and Letizia's white trousers at their engagements? I don't care if these trousers were Giorgio Armani, for a formal monumentous events in their respective countries, they grated.




Maxima of the Netherlands and Mary of Denmark's ratio of trousers to dresses/skirts is at least low compared to Letizia. In the eyes of those who declared the Princess of Austurias the winner over Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, La Carla might be trying to compete in this visit to the Elysee Palace by Daniel and Victoria of Sweden http://www.noblesseetroyautes.com/nr01/?p=39064




Royals are ceding how to dress right to the WAGS, beauty pageants, First Lady Michelle, and girls-on-the-go The Sex and the City types. Even ex-royal Sarah Ferguson makes an effort to don a dress or skirt at weddings, funerals, and charity dinners. She understands that trousers is definitely D-List.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Running royal women

Two royals on the run make news - jogging enthusiast the Queen of Jordan and Princess Beatrice of York.

Maybe the Queen got a bit of a run in Central Park, during the visit to the UN where King Abdullah II made a speech about the will to continue peace talks. Certainly Queen Rania got to see the inside of a hospital! The Royal court announced she is recovering from a minor heart surgery!

Princess Beatrice might need to give up her Marlboroughs for good as she fought valiantly to complete a charity marathon raising funds for her mother's foundation.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Prince Daniel, the freshest new consort to a future queen

Daniel Wrestling may have travelled to Paris before but this was the first time since his marriage made him HRH Prince Daniel Wrestling-Bernadotte of Sweden, consort of Crown Princess Victoria.


It has been over a century that a commoner national has married an heiress to the throne. A sovereign of the female persuasion is very rare and she usually married another royal like the Brazilian Crown Princess Isabel with a French Orleans prince.



Henry Stewart who married Mary Queen of Scots in 1565 was not an ordinary commoner. As heir to the Earl of Lennox and grandson of Princess Margaret Tudor, he was in the line of succession to England.



Daniel's situation is rather unique. He is a citizen who got into the Princess's inner circle through employment. As he was the Princess's personal trainer, the King and Queen of Sweden needed some convincing that he was up to the job. They may have found their relationship to be too much like another Daniel's - that Princess Stephanie of Monaco's marriage to her bodyguard, Daniel Ducruet,


Here is hoping Prince Daniel gets more comfortable in his role with the support of his new wife!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Is Sarah Ferguson seen as the British Royal Family's Danny Bonaduce?

I believe some of Sarah Ferguson's issues can be attributed to her struggle to be what she is not.




In her official portraits, she is dressed up and posed as a red-haired Grace Kelly. No teeth showing, ethereal, mysterious, private, inaccessible Princess Grace of Monaco.


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/fergies-love-in-gilded-cage/story-e6frf7m6-1111119001967




http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images/119555/437803.jpg




The real Fergie is readily-accessible raucous earthy woman who lives life out loud - she's Enneagram 7.



http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/m/la_dolce_vita_2_011107/sarah_ferguson_5047357.jpg



Sarah reincarnates the red-head Lucy Ricardo, queen of the sitcom.


http://www.classictvcomedy.com/images/LucilleBall.jpg



http://www.thecinemasource.com/moviesdb/images/I-Love-Lucy-Season-6-DVD%20Lucille-Ball.jpg



A static portrait ill-serves Sarah who is always in motion.





She might find embracing her true nature, and a consistency between her public and private images, as a way to "get on with it".

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Is Prince Harry the 21st century version of Prince George, Duke of Kent?

The British press is agog with the late night appearances of Prince Harry, hitting the town at the hot spots in London.


From the look on his face, he accepts the end of his relationship with Chelsy Davey means freedom from commitment to her. Newly-single, he is ready to not just Play the field, he wants to plough it.

Get ready, the leap-before-he-looks Harry is already making full use of his liberty and may get back into Enneagram 7 mode (remember the costume party in which he wore a German WW II uniform?). Like aunt Sarah Ferguson (Enneagram 7), Harry has his charity too with financial issues. Going back to his grandmother, The Queen's late uncle, Prince George, Duke of Kent, Harry shares a penchant for recreational drugs (the infamous marijuana episode), clubbing, and a liking for exotic women.

Prince Harry has stated an intention to live in Africa - maybe Albert of Monaco's Charlene can play Frederika of Hanover, Queen of the Hellenes in this?

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Jordan's King Abdullah takes his message of peace outside the box... To the Jon Stewart show

His Majesty has always been a man of the street so it should be no surprise he took his ideas for Middle East peace to the street via the Jon Stewart show.

In the years before his father, the late King Hussein, appointed him crown prince in 1999, Abdullah was known for sipping full from la copa de vida. A real action man, he flew planes, threw himself into his career in the Jordanian military, and genuinely was a good bloke among the troops. He did not marry until his 30s until he got it out of his system and ready to settle down with Rania. He even had a walkon role in a Star Trek The Next Generation episode you can catch on youtube! Word is that Abdullah even hosted a mini-Trek convention in Jordan.

As King, Abdullah has been outted checking out the services of his government in a variety of disguises. Now in New York with Queen Rania, Abdullah II (Enneagram 3?) is constantly searching to reach out. He has found a truly creative way to get your attention!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Inspiration for Princes Harry and William and the women they marry

This generation of young royals can see how this generation of filmmakers view the institution of monarchy. With Colin Firth as George VI, The King's Speech won the People's Choice Award as the most popular film at tIff, the Toronto International Film Festival, they get excellent production values on screen as well.



More importantly, they can see how choice of spouse can make the rest of your life. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon enhanced her husband. Wallis Simpson (enneagram 7?) helped the man who wasn't comfortable as a monarch find a way out.



Take note, Harry and William...

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Three Little Oranges... Like Three Little Danishes?

Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange looks to have an easy-going relationship with his three daughters. After playing the field, he seems to have settled in to a happy marriage with Maxima, his version of the late Princess Ingrid of Sweden, the well-respected consort of the late Frederik of Denmark.



The late king unabashedly enjoyed his home life with his OWN three daughters, Margrethe, Benedikte, and Anne-Marie. In a documentary on Queen Ingrid, her three daughters speak fondly of their peaceful childhood in Denmark. It appears that the king was a wonderful father to all three of his heiresses.

In the delightful photos of Amalia, Alexia, and Ariana, with Alexander at their first real official duty, it appears history may happily repeat itself. Should little Ariana end up like Anne-Marie with a sovereign spouse going into exile, her Enneagream 4ish father and mother Maxima will similarly welcome her back to The Netherlands.

Three Little Oranges... Like Three Little Danishes?

Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange looks to have an easy-going relationship with his three daughters. After playing the field, he seems to have settled in to a happy marriage with Maxima, his version of the late Princess Ingrid of Sweden, the well-respected consort of the late Frederik of Denmark.



The late king unabashedly enjoyed his home life with his OWN three daughters, Margrethe, Benedikte, and Anne-Marie. In a documentary on Queen Ingrid, her three daughters speak fondly of their peaceful childhood in Denmark. It appears that the king was a wonderful father to all three of his heiresses.

In the delightful photos of Amalia, Alexia, and Ariana, with Alexander at their first real official duty, it appears history may happily repeat itself. Should little Ariana end up like Anne-Marie with a sovereign spouse going into exile, her Enneagream 4ish father and mother Maxima will similarly welcome her back to The Netherlands.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Princess Marie of Denmark takes her chic to Rio de Janeiro

Once again the loyal Princess Marie ensures that the spotlight is on the royal couple. In her fashions that do not scream, she is focused on making her adopted country shine, and not grandstanding.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Prince Charles-Philippe will be away for a couple months...

The eldest son of THR le Comte et la Comtesse d'Evreux will be spending a couple months in Club Fed a la francaise.



The very personable Prince Charles-Philippe may be the royal who most exhibits Enneagram 3 behaviour. Not born royal, the raised-in-Spain Charles-Philippe has steadily gained a higher social profile than the male scion of the other sons of the late Comte de Paris and his superb consort, Princesse Isabelle d'Orleans-Braganca. Despite not being made a royal til his 20s, the Prince made up for it. Allied with his uncle, the head of the house, Charles-Philippe was conferred the royal title of Duc d'Anjou.



With this added cache, the Prince has followed with a strong social media presence, conducts goodwill tours, and supports charitable work, including the reconstruction of the Chateau St Cloud. He is probably the first HRH to appear on a reality show - Sarah Ferguson doesn't count...!



Looking better as he gets older (like Prince Pavlos), Charles-Philippe seems genuinely happy as a married man. When Diana Duchess de Cadaval married him in Evora, the romantic wedding in Portugal even made Hello! As ex-military men, the Prince is used to being in uniform so his stay at Club Feb won't be onerous in that respect!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Elena and Anne - two no-nonsense Princesses who share an Enneagram affinity

The Spanish press are agog with comments about Infanta Elena's version of Princess Anne's "Naff Off" to the intrusive media.

Protecting her daughter while on horseback, the equestrienne Infanta made her intentions Muy Clara. Like her British counterpart, the Princess Royal, Elena is a horse woman and divorced with a first-born son and daughter. She goes her own way in terms of fashion as well.

Anne shows definite characteristics of an Eight (Save the Children and other duties that have her a reputation for slogging through work) which is something people see in the Infanta.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

At last, the film world recognizes the Nine king, Bertie, AKA George VI

The King's Speech officially had its big screen launch at The Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) with its stars, Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, receiving accolades including Oscar buzz.




About time that this shy royal "headlined". Bertie, Duke of York, was often portrayed as a second stringer in popular culture - such as the celebrated mini-series Edward & Mrs Simpson and the one with Jane Seymour as Wallis. Even in Bertie & Elizabeth, he had to share billing. He now gets his due... And this hardworking royal quietly got on with it, in his self-effacing Nine way.




Striving to deal with his speech impediment showed his pattern of grit - as Duke of York, he founded an annual camp to bring boys of all walks of life together, and poured himself into royal duties. Most agree his wisest move entailed recognizing his need for a partner and ally, someone mature who would appreciate his lifestyle. He found his Steve Ballmer in Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Unlike his grandson Andrew Duke of York, Bertie knew his life partner would not be impressed nor easily daunted by the trappings of royalty nor would her "breath of fresh air" stick out like a sore thumb. His Duchess had the common sense to not give up on his therapy - as charmingly depicted by Helena Botham Carter.



The revisionary look at George VI is enhanced by Colin Firth (BBC's Mr Darcy and from the movie version of Mamma Mia) - fitting choice as the good-looking Bertie once played in Wimbledon. The other actor in this "bromance" is Geoffrey Rush as Australian speech therapist Sir Lionel Logue.



Maybe Elizabeth II, who famously declined to watch Helen Mirren's portrayal of HM in the controversial movie "The Queen", will attend the UK premiere of this take on her father's personal bravery!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Princesses attend the ballet together... And the Spanish press cheer on this show of unity

Princess Letizia wears a Cheshire cat smile, fully aware her perfect makeup and striking blue asymmetric top will look good on the covers of la prensa rosa... Whereas sister-in-law Infanta Elena (Enneagram 6) pastes on her best "ambushed royal" smile with a protective arm around her daughter Vitoria...

Is it true the gossipmongers were tipped of that the rumoured warring Borbon women were attending a ballet voluntarily? Well, you can guess it wasn't by the King and Queen's eldest daughter!