Category: Spain

Royal Rooms
Britain · Denmark · Netherlands · Norway · Spain · Sweden

Royal Rooms

The HandbagLeave a comment

One of the few benefits of the present sequestering is that we get to see much more of the personal working spces of royals. Voyeur that I am, I love this. I know a few of you do, too, if the “guess the photo on the table” game we play whenever we post a photo of HerMaj at an audience is any indication. It’s also interesting to see how difference cultures and different tastes play out in royal decor.

Here’s a sampling of the interior of a few royal studies. You lucked out in that I did not include a photo of me in sweats at my Ikea desk. We’ll stick to the more glamorous people.

Belgium

I wonder, if like many of us, if Philippe is camped out temporarily at the dining room table?

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⁣ ⁣ Skypegesprek met Prof. Marc Van Ranst en het team van het Rega Instituut voor Medisch Onderzoek. Het Rega Instituut is een voortrekker in de strijd tegen infectieziekten.⁣ —————⁣ Conversation par skype avec le Prof. Marc Van Ranst et son équipe de l’Institut de Recherche Médicale Rega. Cet institut est à l’avant-garde de la lutte contre les maladies virales.⁣ —————⁣ Skype conversation with Prof. dr. Marc Van Ranst and his team of the Rega Institute for Medical Research. The Rega Institute is a pioneer in the fight against infectious diseases.⁣ ⁣ #marcvanranst @kuleuven #SamenTegenCorona #EnsembleContreCorona #GemeinsamGegenCorona #TogetherAgainstCorona #Corona #Covid_19 #COVID19 #COVID19BE #CoronaVirus #MonarchieBe #BelgianRoyalPalace

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Britain

The Queen holds her first ever audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson from her study at Windsor. Not too many family photos in view, but I am intrigued by the many porcelain animal sculptures on disply.

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William and Kate are at work,too, in what looks like Kensington Palace offices. I am speculating that it’s not Anmer since they are wearing the clothes they wore for their last appearance in London. Bonus points for guessing the books on Kate’s desk.

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Self-isolation and social distancing can pose huge challenges to our mental health — in recent weeks The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been in regular contact with organisations and patronages to understand the issues they are facing during this difficult time. Last week ☎️ The Duke spoke to @mindcharity CEO Paul Farmer, and The Duchess spoke to Catherine Roche, CEO of @_place2be. Today Public Health England has published new guidance to help support people during the COVID-19 outbreak, and updated its world-leading Every Mind Matters platform, with specific advice on maintaining good mental wellbeing during the outbreak; take a look at our Story or visit the link in our bio 📱 to find out more. Speaking about the new guidance, The Duke and Duchess said: • “It is great to see the mental health sector working together with the NHS to help people keep on top of their mental well-being. • By pulling together and taking simple steps each day, we can all be better prepared for the times ahead”. • The Government has also announced a grant for @MindCharity to help fund their services for people struggling with their mental wellbeing during this time.

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Denmark

Fred at work in his spacious office with the bonkers wallpaper. The entire family did a PSA in the yard, too.

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Jeg har i dag gennem FaceTime været på besøg hos Røde Kors, der har etableret et væsentligt beredskab for at hjælpe danskere, der er berørt af corona. Enten fordi de har spørgsmål eller har brug for hjælp til at handle, hente pakker eller medicin på apoteket. Jeg har mødt de frivillige, der i et callcenter besvarer og hjælper folk, der har spørgsmål om corona. Jeg har også mødt frivillige, der i et hjælpecenter sørger for at få matchet folk, der gerne vil hjælpe andre, der har brug for hjælp. Som dansker er jeg stolt over det store samfundssind, der udvises for tiden. Over 11.500 har meldt sig som frivillige hos Røde Kors. Så hvis man har brug for hjælp og ikke selv kan komme ud, er der hjælp at hente. Røde Kors hjælper, så vi fortsat kan passe på hinanden ved at blive hjemme, men uden at miste kontakten til hinanden. Det er også grunden til, at jeg i dag ikke har besøgt Røde Kors fysisk, men digitalt. #sammenhverforsig 📸 Fotos af H.K.H. Prins Christian og Jacob Dall, Røde Kors©️

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I am so intrigued by the hand sculpture in the background.

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“Jeg har en appel til alle: Corona-virus er en farlig gæst. Den spreder sig som ringe i vandet, og det går stærkt. Én person kan smitte mange – endda uden selv at føle sig syg, og smitten går videre rundt til endnu flere, en lang og skræmmende kæde. I den kæde vil mennesker dø. Et barn kan miste sin bedstemor, en datter sin far, en hustru sin mand. Venner vil pludselig ikke være der mere. Det er den kæde, vi skal bryde, og som vi kan bryde. Det kan kun ske, når vi alle tænker os om og gør det samme på samme tid – og i rette tid. Myndighedernes råd er egentlig ret enkle: Vask hænder. Hold afstand. Undgå fysisk kontakt. Bliv hjemme.” Læs hele Hendes Majestæt Dronningens tale til befolkningen på Kongehusets hjemmeside. 📸 Kim Refslund, DR ©

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The Netherlands

If you take even a cursory tour through Getty, you’ll see that WAX has been energized by this virus, and has been everywhere (six feet from everyone). He is great at this kinging business. It’s almost a shame to show him sitting, but this is a royal room post, so here we are. Who is in that photo behind him?

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Norway

My favorite interiors are in this country. We featured Haakon yesterday in his office, but I think he likes to move around the palace. It looks like he is in the living room here, but correct me if you think I am wrong. He keeps up the sartorial standards, anyway. It’s also a good time to peek back at Harald in the best office ever.

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«Arbeidet dere på sykehusene gjør er utrolig viktig for oss alle sammen. Det er en fellesinnsats i helsesektoren nå som det står respekt av. På vegne av alle oss andre i samfunnet, så vil jeg si at vi setter veldig pris på den innsatsen dere gjør», sa Kronprins Haakon i et videomøte med ansatte ved Haukeland universitetssykehus i dag. Administrerende direktør Eivind Hansen ledet møtet fra Bergen. ⁣ ⁣ Tidligere i dag deltok Kronprinsen også i et videomøte med rundt 150 av de ansatte i Folkehelseinstituttet. Gruppen orienterte om status for norske smittetilfeller, tiltak og råd. «Med den kunnskapen som dere har, sammen med handlekraft, er jeg sikker på at vi kommer gjennom dette på den beste måten vi kan», sa Kronprinsen. ⁣ ⁣ Foto: Aleksander Valestrand, Anne Taule og Katrine Sunde / Haukeland universitetssykehus og Det kongelige hoff.⁣ ⁣ #kongehuset #kronprinshaakon #crownprincehaakon

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Spain

We focused on the people yesterday, but today we’ll pull back so you can take in the room. In particular, look at that great carpet. I hope Iselen can clue us in on which palace we are gazing upon.

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Sweden

I hope one of our Swedish community members can identify which palace Victoria and Daniel are in here, because this is a great room for an audience. I am mentally moving everyone several feet apart in my mind, though. This was back a couple of weeks ago.

Ah, better. Victoria works in her office with some light and scrolly wallpaper behind.

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Såväl privat, offentlig som ideell sektor påverkas av coronakrisen. Runtom i Sverige arbetar människor dag och natt för att vårda sjuka och minska smittspridningen. Många känner oro för framtiden, blandat med oro för nära och kära. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Under förra veckan började Kronprinsessan och Prins Daniel att ringa runt till ett stort antal svenska organisationer och företag för att informera sig om läget. Under telefon- och videosamtalen, som fortsatte under gårdagen, framför Kronprinsessparet samtidigt sina hälsningar till alla de medarbetare och medlemmar som berörs av coronakrisen – och som bidrar med viktiga insatser för att mildra dess effekter. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸: Victor Ericsson/Kungl. Hovstaterna

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Carl Gustaf and Silvia are isolating as well. Do you think the white horse placed against the dark painting was deliberate?

Carl and Sofia have lovely light-filled workspaces, too.

How would you sequester like a royal?
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The Royal Response, Part II
Belgium · Bhutan · Britain · Denmark · Netherlands · Norway · Spain · Sweden

The Royal Response, Part II

The HandbagLeave a comment

For the most part, the royals are not attending their usual activities. A new world is emerging and some of the world’s oldest and most traditional institutions are stepping up to the challenge.

Belgium

Mathilde encourages young people to read during quarantine, I approve that message and the bright yellow she is sporting.

The Duchess of Brabant has returned home and the family is reunited. The family continues their efforts to keep loneliness at bay for thos seniors confined to care centers by making breakfast and phone calls.

Bhutan

Jetsun Pema sends us a lovely message from her mountain country.

Britain

Both the Cambridge and Wessex families clapped for the NHS workers who have been toiling on the front lines of the pandemic.

Camilla, who continues to grow and grow in my estimation, has a message for those who are isolated and at risk of domestic violence.

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“This is a hard time for everyone, as we are all asked to stay at home to stay safe. But for some of you it is even harder, because home is not a safe place. I can only imagine that being asked to stay there could feel very isolating and frightening for you and your family. It may mean spending more time with the person who is harming you. If this is your situation, or you are worried about someone else, I want you to know that you are not alone. Even if you cannot leave your home, you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline or contact one of the domestic abuse charities. Please stay safe and get help.” – The Duchess of Cornwall . ☎️📞 If you are in immediate danger, please call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, please call one of the following 24 hour helplines: England: 0808 2000 247 Northern Ireland: 0808 802 1414 Scotland: 0800 027 1234 Wales: 0808 8010 800 Charity @safelives_ have an online resource that provides information about staying safe during COVID-19 – you can read it by following the link in our bio. @RefugeCharity @womens_aid #EveryonesProblem 📸 PA

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Denmark

The Royal Run has been postponed, but it will happen in due time.

Norway

Haakon has been working while in isolation, and I chose this particular photo because I love that he does NOT lower his sartorial standards on Zoom.

The Netherlands

Maxima paid a visit to a plant nursery, lending the royal support to a company who has seen their business plummet during the crisis. I applaud the Namaste greeting, and the social distancing on display.

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Spain

Felipe and Letizia have lent support to charities supporting relief efforts through video conferencing. Letizia was fortunately not diagnosed with the virus, and has returned to work.

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Sweden

The Swedish royals have stepped up to provide support to organizations still open and servicing customers. While the King and Queen remain isolated, Sofia and Carl have visited grocery stores, and Victoria and Daniel completed a series of visits, including one to a military field hospital.

As we have been doing so sucessfully, normal commenting rules apply. As always, keep you and yours safe and healthy. Our community is our strength.

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Royal News – King Felipe’s Conundrum
Spain

Royal News – King Felipe’s Conundrum

Iselen

Two weeks ago Sunday, the Spanish Royal House released a statement announcing that King Felipe had renounced his personal inheritance from his father, Juan Carlos. It was an attempt by Felipe to distance himself, and, more importantly, the institution, from allegations of financial impropriety.

We don’t document drama here, but this development will affect the functioning of the Spanish royal family going forward. Since the majority of reports are in Spanish, it’s hard for most of us to understand the nuances of the announcement. Iselen has provided us a summary in English of the developments to date, and the attached is her translation on the situation. It is still an ongoing situation, so things will continue to unfold. We are providing this for your information, but closing comments on this post because the discussion has the potential to lead to areas that might be hard to moderate within our guidelines.

Note from Iselen: This information is public and it comes from reliable sources, testimonies of the persons concerned, the State Attorney General in Spain and the Switzerland Attorney who’s in charge of investigations, plus final court decisions.

The Spanish Royal House doesn’t have a foundation or crown jewels, they all belong to Juan Carlos apart from those which are Queen Sofia’s personal possessions, even the Joyas de Pasar. We’ve been noticing for a few years that Queen Letizia was wearing some Sofia’s personal jewels, important earrings and other items. We hope that the jewels have already been handed to their future owners after paying the legal donation taxes or, maybe, they’ve established a crown foundation. So don’t worry, Felipe is giving up all JC’s inheritance except sparkling stuff (Keep your fingers crossed!).

For a detailed account, download the attachedDownload
Brothers
Belgium · Bhutan · Britain · Denmark · Spain · Sweden

Brothers

OrangeChiaLeave a comment

We’ve visited Brothers & Sisters and discussed Sisters. Today, let’s wrap up and take a look at photos of royal brothers.

Spain

Here we have Alfonso and Juan Carlos, as cute as can be.

Belgium

Albert and Baudoin, sons of Leopold III.

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Britain

The four sons of King George: Edward, Albert, George, and Henry.

Sweden

Here we have the three sons of of Gustaf V: Gustaf VI Adolf, Wilhelm and Erik.

Bhutan

The current King Jigme Khesar is shown on the bottom left of the photo. The other four brothers are Jigyel, Ugyen, Jigme Dorji, and Khamsum, all sons of Jigme Singye on the far right.

Denmark

Nikolai, Felix and Henri, sons of Joachim.

What other royal brother photos come to mind? Show us your favorites in the comments.

The Royal Response (And a Royal Baby Boy)
Belgium · Britain · Denmark · Netherlands · Norway · Spain · Sweden

The Royal Response (And a Royal Baby Boy)

The HandbagLeave a comment

One of the core roles of a consitutional monarch is to be a statesman, and to provide steady support in times of crisis. The coronavirus has brought out the best in our monarchs, as you will see below.

Alas, there are three unfortunate updates: The Japanese state visit to the UK has been postponed, the Spanish state visit to the U.S. has been cancelled, and Princess Beatrice has scaled back her wedding reception.

Note: We’ll leave the post open for comments, but let’s keep them focused on the royal responses, and not on or personal stories or discussion on how governments are handling the crisis. Everyone has been great about this so far, and we want to maintain that. We have to keep our comments focused on royals because of the limited time we have to moderate them. Thanks!

Bhutan

The good news first: It’s a royal baby boy for the King and Queen, and a brother for the Gyalsey. They added a thoughtful message for the Bhutanese people and all of us.

Belgium

King Philippe laid out a serious message to the people of Belgium.

Britain

Her Majesty the Queen has issued the following message.

Prince William recorded an appeal for the National Emergencies Trust, to raise funds for those who need help during the crisis.

Spain

King Felipe addressed the Spanish people. To see the recording, click here.

Monaco

Unfortunately, Prince Albert has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. He is being treated at the facility named for his mother, the Princess Grace Hospital. He recorded this message a few days prior to his diagnosis.

https://www.facebook.com/palaismonaco/videos/145277026784775/

The Netherlands

King Willem-Alexander’s family came out to support care workers and other essential personnel – very touching and very nice to see the whole famly.

Denmark

Queen Margrethe was forthright and stately, in her usual fashion. “It is the chain we must break and all will break.” The text in English here.

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“Jeg har en appel til alle: Corona-virus er en farlig gæst. Den spreder sig som ringe i vandet, og det går stærkt. Én person kan smitte mange – endda uden selv at føle sig syg, og smitten går videre rundt til endnu flere, en lang og skræmmende kæde. I den kæde vil mennesker dø. Et barn kan miste sin bedstemor, en datter sin far, en hustru sin mand. Venner vil pludselig ikke være der mere. Det er den kæde, vi skal bryde, og som vi kan bryde. Det kan kun ske, når vi alle tænker os om og gør det samme på samme tid – og i rette tid. Myndighedernes råd er egentlig ret enkle: Vask hænder. Hold afstand. Undgå fysisk kontakt. Bliv hjemme.” Læs hele Hendes Majestæt Dronningens tale til befolkningen på Kongehusets hjemmeside. 📸 Kim Refslund, DR ©

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Sweden

King Carl Gustav emphasized joint responsibility.

Norway

King Harald, in a setting so Norwegian it could be used in a movie, addressed his nation.

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