Author: The Handbag

I have been following royalty since the Diana/Fergie days. My favorite royal, sartorially speaking, is Queen Letizia, followed closely by that ageless scamp, Princess Astrid of Norway. I love following the less followed in the royal world. My general duties here in Handbagland are the Bits & Bobs and whatever Random Royaling arises.
Random Royaling – Cams Glams it Up
Britain

Random Royaling – Cams Glams it Up

The HandbagLeave a comment

I have been waiting to write that post title for a while now ; ).

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall attended the World Premiere and Royal Performance of “1917”. This deep v neck velvet gown is very luxurious but there are elements that puzzle me. What is the napkin on her shoulder? Is the scarf/shawl reversible? Does it really belong with this ensemble?

Embed from Getty Images

Regardless of my misgivings, the velvet is beautiful and Cams always looks great with black against her silver hair. This appearance and her usual jewel game is making me long for the long gone days of tiaras at movie premieres. (Please send us the name of your colorist, Camilla! Please?)

Are you a fan of Cams in black velvet? Let us know below!

Random Royaling – On Tour with Denmark and Sweden
Denmark · Sweden

Random Royaling – On Tour with Denmark and Sweden

The HandbagLeave a comment

Mary is visiting Indonesia and Silvia and Carl Gustaf are touring India, which gives us a whole bunch of stuff to talk about.

Mary’s visit has been jam-packed with activities and she has been floral-ed up. Let’s take a peek and see if she managed to vanquish floral fatigue.

As everyone knows, the Crown Princess has a serious portfolio of interests, and this visit includes sessions on humanitarian crisis management, gender-based violence and a visit to a women’s health clinic. She wore a blue floral Michael Kors maxi dress to the day activities (more photos and information at UFOnomore).

View this post on Instagram

På min rejse i Indonesien sammen med udviklingsminister Rasmus Prehn har vi følgeskab af Natalia Kanem, der er eksekutivdirektør i FN’s Befolkningsfond (UNFPA), som jeg har været protektor for siden 2010. Hun er en vigtig aktør og en ildsjæl inden for pigers og kvinders rettigheder, og jeg har det privilegium at følge hendes globale arbejde på tætteste hold. Vores program giver os alle indblik i det arbejde, som UNFPA sammen med blandt andre Danmark udretter. Et godt eksempel på arbejdet er vores besøg i morges hos en indonesisk forening for jordemødre, hvor UNFPA er med til støtte initiativer med uddannelse af jordemødre, så flere af dem kan være opmærksomme på risikoen forbundet med graviditet og fødsel, især blandt teenagemødre og kvinder, der er omskåret. Helt konkret er UNFPA med til at opgradere jordemoderuddannelsen, og så går fonden i dialog med religiøse ledere.

A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS (@detdanskekongehus) on

In the evening, Mary was the guest of honor at the dinner honoring 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. She chose her Etro print dress for the event.

View this post on Instagram

🇩🇰🇲🇨 På midten af hovedøen Java i Indonesien ligger det kendte tempelkompleks Borobudur, og ved foden af dette kulturelle nationalikon blev 70-året for de diplomatiske forbindelser mellem Danmark og Indonesien indledt her til aften. Det skete ved en middag, hvor H.K.H. Kronprinsessen var æresgæst og holdt tale. I 2020 er det 70 år siden, at de to lande indgik diplomatiske forbindelser, og ved middagen, der var arrangeret af den danske ambassade i Indonesien, var der sammensat en dansk-indonesisk menu af kokken Per Thøstesen. Som underholdning opførte den danske balletdanser Alban Lendorf blandt andet en pas de deux sammen med den indonesiske balletdanser Wenny Halim. Hun har studeret ballet i Danmark, og således var også underholdningen et mix af danske og indonesiske traditioner. Kronprinsessen vil i morgen besøge Borobudur, som Hendes Majestæt Dronningen og Prins Henrik også besøgte sammen under det danske statsbesøg i Indonesien i 2015.

A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS (@detdanskekongehus) on

For a visit to the beautiful Temple of Borobudur, Mary sported practical Chloe ballet flats and a Zimmerman floral skirt, toning down the sea of floral by pairing it with a white shirt.

View this post on Instagram

Majestætisk toner templet Borobudur frem på en bakketop på hovedøen Java i Indonesien. I morges, før dagens programpunkter begyndte, besøgte H.K.H. Kronprinsessen det historiske monument, der stammer fra det 8. og 9. århundrede. Templet er verdens største buddhistiske tempel og består af fem firkantede terrasser med tre cirkulære platforme. I flere hundrede år var templet gemt væk under vulkansk aske, men i 1814, da Java var under britisk kontrol, besluttede en guvernør at undersøge, hvor det mystiske tempel befandt sig. På den tid eksisterede templet kun gennem historier og legender fra de lokale beboere. Men efter to måneders søgen, og efter at have fældet træer og gravet en masse jord væk, fandt et hold på 200 mænd endelig Borobudur. Monumentet blev restaureret med UNESCOs hjælp i 1970’erne, og siden er stedet blevet besøgt af folk fra hele verden. I 2015 besøgte H.M. Dronningen og Prins Henrik Borobudur, og i dag var det så Kronprinsessen.

A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS (@detdanskekongehus) on

For a lunch at the Sultan’s palace, it was time for a Beulah London dress with a Peter Pan collar. Although not a floral, it is quite pattern-y and fits in with the theme of the trip sartorially.

View this post on Instagram

🇩🇰🇲🇨 I dag har H.K.H. Kronprinsessen besøgt regionen Yogyakarta i Indonesien, der er det eneste tilbageværende monarki og sultanat i landet. På Kraton Palace havde Sultan Hamengku Buxono X og Dronning Ratu Hemas således inviteret Kronprinsessen på en frokost. Besøget i regionen fandt sted i anledning af Hendes Kongelige Højheds rejse i Indonesien sammen med udviklingsminister Rasmus Prehn. Dagens program i Yogyakarta startede med et besøg på et offentligt sundhedscenter, der er et eksempel på en generel forbedring af Indonesiens sundhedsdækning. FN’s Befolkningsfond (UNFPA), som Kronprinsessen er protektor for, samarbejder med myndigheder og forskningsinstitutioner om at undersøge, hvordan graviditets- og fødselsydelser og den generelle adgang til prævention fungerer i praksis. I den forbindelse deltog Hendes Kongelige Højhed og ministeren under besøget i en dialog om pigers og kvinders seksuelle og reproduktive sundhed og rettigheder. Som det sidste punkt på rejsen til Indonesien mødte Kronprinsessen sammen med udviklingsministeren indonesiske religiøse ledere. Omdrejningspunktet for mødet var en dialog om familieplanlægning. FN’s Befolkningsfond sætter ind gennem blandt andet ekspertbistand til religiøse rådgivere for at forbedre mænds viden om familieplanlægning.

A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS (@detdanskekongehus) on

Sil’s last tour received short shrift around here because so many other royals were touring at the same time. Let’s do a deep dive on her current excursion to India with her King escort.

Their arrival made news because the King carried his own bag! He explained that he often does so, and seemed surprised that it was a noted activity.

The President of India hosted a banquet the first night, and we can catch a glimpse of Silvia in red lace during the proceedings.

View this post on Instagram

🇸🇪🇮🇳 Under statsbesökets första kväll stod president Ram Nath Kovind, @presidentofindia, och fru Savita Kovind värd för en bankett i presidentens officiella residens Rashtrapi Bhavan. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Innan middagen träffades Kungaparet, presidenten och den svenska delegationen för ett möte om Sveriges och Indiens bilaterala relationer. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Vid middagen höll Kungen ett tal: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ”Our first day here in Delhi has been both eventful and rewarding. We have got a taste of this vibrant and colourful city and we are very much looking forward to the rest of our visit in your interesting and enchanting country.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #swedenindiasambandh @swedeninindia ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📷: Sveriges ambassad i New Delhi 🎥: Margareta Thorgren/Kungl. Hovstaterna

A post shared by Kungahuset (@kungahuset) on

The Queen wore a couple of lovely suits for her daytime events, as she often does. The scarf over the red suit is a lovely shot of color, and probably kept her warm as well. The jacket with stripes is slightly longer than her usual style, and is a nice way to mix things up without mixing them up too much.

View this post on Instagram

🇸🇪🇮🇳 På förmiddagen besökte Drottningen sjukhuset AIIMS som är en av Indiens ledande offentliga medicinska anläggninar. Drottningen deltog där i en diskussion om äldreomsorg och demens och höll ett tal där hon bland annat sa: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ”Sweden and India differ in many ways. But both our countries face the challenges of an ageing population. Every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Today, around 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia. This number is expected to reach more than 130 million in 2050. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This makes dementia one of the largest, most complex and challenging health issues facing humanity today.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sverige och Indien har ett samarbete, MoU, inom hälso- och sjukvård sedan tio år tillbaka. Dagens samtal på AIIM avslutar ett årslångt program för inkommande och utgående besök mellan länderna. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #swedenindiasambandh @swedeninindia ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📷: Sveriges ambassad, New Delhi

A post shared by Kungahuset (@kungahuset) on

We can’t get through a royal tour without some lace and the blue dress supplies it. It is a terrific color for her though, and she accessorizes with a brooch like the pro she is.

Embed from Getty Images

What do you think of the touring company’s styles?

Random Royaling – 20 Year Anniversary
Belgium

Random Royaling – 20 Year Anniversary

The HandbagLeave a comment

Happy 20th anniversary to King Philippe and Queen Mathilde!

Courtesy of an eagle-eyed Handbagger, here is a video retrospective of their relationship. Yes, it’s a bit on the cheesy-sweet side, but the glimpses of their baby faces and the beginnings of their Kingly/Queenly royal style are worth it, I promise you.

Do you recognize these two young people in the photo below? Neither do the Hofdames, and there is some debate among us whether this is even Mathilde, but Getty images assures us it is an early photo of their relationship. What do you think?

Embed from Getty Images

1999 – Engagement casual, and a slightly more formal appearance later in the year.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Hanging with Fabulous Queen Fabiola – a relationship that was reported to be very important to all involved.

Embed from Getty Images

2005 – Young family life.

Embed from Getty Images

2006 – With their two oldest. Tils is channeling her wild side in leather.

Embed from Getty Images

2006 – Click through for some hair ornament action!

Embed from Getty Images

2014 – Let’s face it, royaling can be weird and I assume draining, too. It’s good to have a friend.

Embed from Getty Images

2016 – Royal Goofballs!

Embed from Getty Images

2017 – King and Queen – with Tils sporting full-on Natan.

Embed from Getty Images

While we are on the subject of Mathilde, we’ll add her latest outing here. She attended an event at UCL Louvain-La-Neuve university wearing a Natan ensemble.

Embed from Getty Images

Let’s celebrate them! Post your favorite Philippe and Tils photos.

Random Royaling – NATO Reception
Britain

Random Royaling – NATO Reception

The HandbagLeave a comment

The Queen hosted a reception ahead of the NATO alliance summit, to mark the organizations 70th anniversary. As always, we are focusing on the sartorial aspects and leaving the politics to other pages.

I find the fashion of both the First Lady and Her Majesty fascinating. The First Lady is wearing a dramatic yellow cape from Maison Valentino, and what appears to be a contrasting purple dress. Her Majesty is wearing a flowered silk dress, which is expected, and a interesting chiffon scarf, which is less expected. The scarf is secured with The Queen Mother’s Palm Leaf brooch.

Embed from Getty Images

Always the center of it all!

Embed from Getty Images

Unfortunately, the only photos available to us of the Duchess of Cambridge are head shots, so we can’t dissect the dress. On the fortunate side, we get a good shot of the beautiful Diamond Pendant earrings on loan from the Queen.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

The Duchess of Cornwall continues to delight me. Not only does she find the handsomest men to chat with, she surprises with a dress in a red hue she doesn’t often wear.

Embed from Getty Images

The Princess Royal was there, and again, we don’t have access to anything other than head shots. She is capably holding her own with one of the most powerful women on earth, as we would expect.

Embed from Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also attended. Princess Alexandra was slated to be there, but I didn’t find any photos of her, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex did not attend due to an illness in the family.

We did get to revisit a few of the women we have seen in these pages previously. I know around we always like an Agata sighting, and she was her sleek and composed self. We also got a glimpse of Emine Erdogen, the wife of the President of Turkey.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Dressing for diplomacy, how did they do?

Random Royaling – Max and the Horizontal Line
Netherlands

Random Royaling – Max and the Horizontal Line

The HandbagLeave a comment

Queen Maxima has worn a couple of outfits lately that make me think she just loves bodice details on the horizontal.

The two frayed edge horizontal bands on this repeat Claes Iversen have symmetry in their favor. I might have liked the ensemble but for the belt, which was just an element too much for me. Still, this remains a subdued outing for Max’s visit to a union anniversary.

Embed from Getty Images

Accompanied by Wax and Oma, Max posed with the American conductor John Adams at the Erasmus Prize award ceremony in a more festive version of the same. Claes Iversen calls this their “Colorfull” dress, and, well, it is. Lots going on in the horizontal here – fringe, ribbons, and something I would call modified rick rack. She was on theme all week!

Embed from Getty Images

I don’t know – am I wrong? Is this just enough horizontal decoration? Too much? You tell me.