Crown Prince Haakon of Norway - US official visit

 

@Tom Hansen / Innovasjon Norge

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway is in California on an official visit.

Today, he spoke at a seminar on offshore wind and green maritime industry at Shack15, San Francisco.  Here is the text of his speech.

"Good morning, everyone!   

It is fantastic to be back in California and back in the Bay Area here in San Francisco. A few years ago I was a student right across the Bay Bridge there, at UC Berkeley. I was very excited about coming to this area, being able to be a student at one of the most impressive universities and in this really vibrant area of the United States. It is fantastic to be back.

One of the first things I did when I came here was to go into the ocean. I had been windsurfing since I was a little kid, and now I wanted to start surfing. Anyone who has gone to Ocean Beach here at five thirty will know that it is brutal, so I had a tough time. It was really difficult to get out there. A lot of paddling and a lot of frustration. 

You know, what happens with surfing is that you have a storm quite far away, and it builds up energy with the water and it brings all this energy - it transports with the waves. And if you time it just right, you are able to harness that energy. And you can get this wonderful feeling of getting a connection to the ocean and with the elements.

And this brings me to today's topic... :)

Because it is harnessing the wind, the power of nature. 

California has some of the best offshore wind potential in the country and is uniquely positioned for the clean energy revolution.  

With its ambitious climate commitments, California has emerged as a global leader in the green transition. The spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and optimism so characteristic of California’s identity is crucial as we address the global climate challenges.   

The aim of today’s conference is to explore how we best can work together to accelerate the green transition.

We will look at how new technology can help to shape a more sustainable future for the maritime industry, with a particular focus on offshore wind, green shipping and sustainable ports.  

California and Norway share a vision of developing clean and green energy solutions that will have positive impacts for the economy and the environment alike. 

Given our deep-water coastlines, we both have a special interest in exploring floating offshore wind power. As a global hub for technological innovation, California is well-positioned to lead the way in advancing and implementing this sophisticated technology. 

In Norway we have found that our experience with building and operating complex offshore installations can be directly transferred and applied to the challenges and opportunities posed by offshore wind projects. We have quite a bit of experience in working with offshore technology in the deep sea in harsh, dark and cold climate. So if we can do it Norway hopefully you can do in most other places as well.

Last summer, I had the pleasure of opening the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm – Hywind Tampen – 90 miles off the coast in the Norwegian North Sea. With eleven floating wind turbines, producing 88 MW of renewable energy, it represents a new chapter in Norway’s history as an energy pioneer. 

The combination of California’s entrepreneurial spirit and Norway’s experience with offshore installations in harsh marine environments provides the framework for a partnership with great potential.

I hope that your shared efforts will pave the way for a wide range of new, forward-looking partnerships. I wish you the best of luck.

Thank you. "

Birthday Boys

 

Both photos ©Belgian Royal Palace – Bas Bogaerts

Next week the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg will pay a State Visit to Belgium.  Today, the Royal Palace in Brussels released two photos of King Philippe of the Belgians, celebrating his birthday, and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg whose birthday is tomorrow.

King Philippe was born in Brussels on April 15, 1960, and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg was born on April 16, 1955 in Luxembourg.  The King and the Grand Duke are first cousins as Philippe's father, King Albert II, and Henri's mother, Princess Josephine Charlotte, were siblings.

Viscount Trematon is dead at the age of 20

April 15, 1928

Viscount Trematon, the son and heir of the Earl of Athlone, Governor-General of South Africa, died at the Lyons Hospital in France, this morning. He was 20 years old.

Lord Trematon, a nephew of Queen Mary, was injured on April 1 in an automobile accident near Lyons. One of his driving companions was killed instantly, and another "escaped unhurt.
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The body of Lord Trematon will be sent to England tomorrow. The accident occurred on a "narrow road near Lyons," when Lord Trematon's car, in "passing another car, ran into a ditch and struck a tree," the New York Times reports. At first, medical reports stated that the young Viscount was seriously ill, "but not mortally injured."

Lord Athlone is the younger brother of Queen Mary. Six years ago, when Lord Athlone and his wife, Princess Alice, attended Queen Wilhelmina's New Year's reception, there were rumors that their son, Rupert, "might later become the husband of Princess Juliana," then age 11 and four years his junior. It should be noted, however, that Princess Alice and Queen Wilhelmina are first cousins, who are also close friends.

The Times reports that Lord Trematon died at 3 a.m., this morning. He had passed the "night quietly, but continually lost strength owing to the difficulty he experienced in taking nourishment. At 9 p.m., last night, hospital officials announced, "that it was unlikely that he would live through the night."

Princess Alice is the daughter of the late Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, and Princess Helen of Waldeck und Pyrmont, whose sister, Emma, is the mother of Queen Wilhelmina. In 1904, Alice married Prince Alexander of Teck, one of three sons of the late Duke of Teck and Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge. Rupert and his older sister, Mary, were born in Britain but bore the title Prince and Princess of Teck with the rank of Serene Highness. Alice was styled as HRH Princess Alexander of Teck.

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On July 14, 1917, the members of the British Royal Family who were styled by German titles, renounced those titles and were given British peerages. Alexander's older brother, Adolphus, the Duke of Teck, created the  Marquess of Cambridge, and Alexander was created for the Earl of Athlone. His wife, a British princess in her own right, adopted the style of HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone. Princess May and Prince Rupert became Lady May Cambridge and Viscount Trematon.

Lord Trematon's funeral will be held at St. George's Chapel, Windsor.  It will be "of a private nature." He will be buried at Frogmore, where his grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Albany, and the Duke and Duchess of Teck are buried. His uncle, the Marquess of Cambridge is also buried at Frogmore.

There will be no court mourning, according to the Lord Chamberlain.

The King and Queen have sent the following telegram to the Lord Mayor of London's expression of sympathy: "The Queen joins with me in sincerely thanking you, my Lord Mayor, and the citizens of London for your kind message of sympathy in the loss we have sustained by the sad death of our nephew. George R.I."

Rupert Alexander George Augustus Cambridge was sent to Eton, where he was a "wet bob," although he never participated in sports. He was "very popular with his schoolfellows, and developed into a young man of fine physique." Lord Trematon left Eton in 1925, and "went up" to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he "made many friends. He had an "inquiring turn of mind and was keenly interested in wireless and engineering."

Lord Trematon enjoyed riding and was often seen in Windsor Great Park on "his favourite pony." He grew up in the Henry III Tower, Windsor Castle, where his parent lived before Lord Athlone's appointment as Governor-General of South Africa in 1924. Last year, he went out to South Africa to visit his parents, and he was an "excellent shot," he was able to enjoy the "big game shooting." 

On his 19th birthday, he "shot a lion, and buffalo and rhinoceros also fell to his gun."

The "news of his death will be a great shock to all who knew him."

Lord Trematon is survived by his parents, the Earl of Athlone and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, and an older sister, Lady May Helen Emma Cambridge.

Duke of Kent cedes Colonelcy of Scots Guards to the Duke of Edinburgh

 

@Scots Guards

New strife in the Princely House of Leiningen

 

 @Svenja / Castleholic.com 

Is history about to repeat itself?  The latest issue of Bunte includes a fascinating article "Wieder droht in erbitterer Streit ums Erbe," which translates to "There is another inheritance dispute", in the Princely House of Leiningen.

Andreas, the 8th Prince of Leiningen, has announced that his younger son, Prince Hermann, will take over the family businesses, bypassing, the elder son, Hereditary Prince Ferdinand, who will remain the heir to the title.  The Prince has already "entrusted him with important administrative positions," according to Bunte.

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 The 41-year-old Ferdinand is married to Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia.  They have two daughters.  The Hereditary Princess is the Vice President of Deutsche Börse.

In 2011, the Hereditary Prince was named as Managing Director of Schloss Waldleiningen, a psychosomatic clinic, housed in one of the family properties.  He remained in the position until 2022 when his father removed him from the position.  Bunte reports Prince Andreas was concerned about Ferdinand's management.   

The magazine also states that a debt is the conflict between Andreas and Ferdinand.  I have heard more about the situation. I will use the words alleged or allegedly in reporting this information.

It has been alleged that the Hereditary Prince is concerned about his father's management of the Leiningen portfolio (financial investments, real estate, and forestry.)   Andreas has had to allegedly provide financial infusions to a firm run by his younger son.  

Ferdinand allegedly confronted his father about the financial situation, which led to Andreas dismissing him as managing director of Schloss Waldleiningen.   The Hereditary Prince and his younger brother are also estranged.  

The Hereditary Prince may seek legal action.  He has the support of members of German noble families as many believe his father's actions toward him are "unjustified."

This is not the first time the Leiningen Princely family has been fractured.  In May 1991, Hereditary Prince Karl-Emich, eldest son of Emich, 7th Prince of Leiningen, married Gabriele Thyssen.  This was his second marriage.  His first wife was Princess Margarita of Hohenlohe-Öhringen.  She was killed in a car crash in 1989, five years after their wedding.

Karl-Emich's marriage did not receive his father's approbation.  Shortly before his death in October 1991, the Prince of Leiningen flew to Munich to meet with his lawyers on the airport's runway to change his will and disinherit his eldest son, in favor of his younger son, Prince Andreas, who married Princess Alexandra of Hanover in 1981.   The Princess of Leiningen is the younger sister of Prince Ernst August of Hanover, the de jure King of Hanover, who is also estranged from his eldest son and heir.  

The former Hereditary Prince lost every round in the German courts. He -- and his nephew,  Ferdinand, were raised to take over the family businesses.  Karl-Emich's second marriage ended in divorce in 1998.  A few weeks later, Gabriele, a convert to Islam, became the second wife of the Aga Khan.  

Andreas was recognized as the titular 8th Prince of Leiningen, succeeding his father.  Apparently, family strife can be generational.

a Princely wedding: Leiningen-Hayek

@Linkedin

@linkedin

Princess Cecilia Maria Stephanie of Leiningen and Elie Dimitri Hayek were married on September 2, 2023, in a Lutheran ceremony at Amorbach Abbey in Amorbach.  Their civil wedding place the evening before in the Abbey's refectory.  The civil ceremony was conducted by Amorbach's mayor, Peter Schmitt.

Cecilia is the only child of Prince Karl-Emich, eldest son of the late Emich, 7th Prince of Leiningen, and Princess Margarita of Hohelohe-Öhringen.  She was born on June 10, 1988, in Frankfurt-am-Main.  She was eight months old when her mother was killed in an auto accident in February 1989.

Elie Hayek is the son of Walid Hayek and Nelly Kanaan.  He was born in the  Achrafieh area of East Beirut.  The Hayek family is one of the most prominent families in Achrafieh and used to own most of the land in the area.

The service was conducted in German and French, the latter language for the groom's family.  The groom's uncle sang a Greek Orthodox wedding song during the ceremony. The prayer intercessions were said in different languages by family members. At the end of the ceremony, Elie Dimitri's father gave a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding blessing in Arabic.

The bride's family including her father, Prince Karl-Emich, and her mother's family, were present for the ceremony. Elie Dimitri's parents and other relatives came from Lebanon.

Princess Cecilie attended Schloss Salem, where she graduated in 2007.  She has a BA in Media Management from Macromedia München and recently received her MBA from Steinbeis University.

Elie Dimitri studied at Saint Joseph University of Beirut, earning his bachelor's and master's degrees in Information Technology. 

Cecilie and Elie Dimitri live and work iMunich.  The princess works in direct marketing for MediaMarktSaturn and her husband is a senior business analyst for PagoNxt.

King Charles and Queen Camilla

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Today, King Charles and Queen Camilla celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary. They were married in a civil ceremony at Windsor's Guildhall, followed by a Service of Blessing at St. George's Chapel and a reception at Windsor Castle.

The link will take you to a History Extra article I wrote in 2022.

https://archive.ph/Ubn81

 

Mass for Fernando Gómez-Acebo

 

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were guests at a Mass tribute for his late cousin, Fernando Gómez-Acebo y Borbon.  The service was held at Iglesia Catedral de las Fuerzas Armadas.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia,  Infanta Elena and her two children, Felipe Juan Froilán and Victoria Federica de Marichalar, Infanta Cristina,  Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Hernani with her husband, Carlos Zurita and children, Alfonso and Maria Zurita,  Don Luis Alfonso de Borbon y Franco,  Princess Carla of Bulgaria and her son, Prince Mirko were also at the service.

Don Fernando's widow, Nadia Halamandari, and their son Nicolas Gómez-Acebo y Halamandari and at least two of his siblings, Don Beltran (and his wife, Andrea Pascual) and Doña Simonetta attended the Roman Catholic mass. 

Don Fernando died on March 1.  He was the youngest of five children of the late Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz, and Don Luis Gómez-Acebo y Duque de Estrada, 2nd Viscount of La Torre.   

The photos do not have embedding codes for blogs.  I cannot use Getty's photos on Royal Musings.

Here is the link to the photos for your perusal.

https://www.gettyimages.com/search/2/image?events=776129050&family=editorial&sort=newest

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2024/03/qvd-fernando-gomez-acebo-de-borbon-1974.html

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2024/03/remembering-don-fernando-gomez-acebo.html

Another huge Milestone: 23 million

 

Royal Musings has reached 23 million visitors since July 2008.  I am gobsmacked by this.  On behalf of  Harper Lee and Fleur Victoria, Thank you to my readers and visitors.  I am chuffed beyond belief.

I am the light of Mommy's life.

Fleur is already planning another article

Mountbatten's great-grandson kidnapped in Corsica

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Frederick Knatchbull, a great-grandson of the late Earl Mountbatten of Burma, has been "reportedly kidnapped by mobsters" in Corsica, according to The Sun.   This is a misleading headline as this alleged kidnapping did not happen recently.  The kidnapping took place during filming in Corsica, not in the last few days.

According to the Sun on Sunday, cast members were worried about what happened. "There were five burly men. They were intimidating and hostile and locked the doors of the 4x4 with Freddy inside. No one could get hold of him for ages."

One person connected with the program said: "It was hugely worrying because he’s the youngest but it all ended up OK.

"We had no idea what was going on and whether it was linked to money or he’d just said the wrong thing in French.

"It’s been kept under lock and key ever since."

 Neither The Sun nor the Daily Mail have reported the complete story.  We know Who, What, and Where, but not the How and Why parts. More information should come out in the next few days. 

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Freddy, a reality TV show Made in Chelsea member, is the elder son of former Curzon Cinema's CEO Hon. Philip Knatchbull and his second wife, Wendy Leach.  He has a younger brother, John, and two older half-sisters, Daisy and Phoebe. Daisy is the only child from Philip's first marriage to Atlanta Cowan.  Phoebe is Wendy's child from a previous relationship.  She was adopted by Philip,  the third son of Patricia, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and John, 7th Lord Brabourne.

 The Sun reports Freddy "was locked in a 4x4 by gang members,"  and taken away. Other members of the cast descended "into panic.

Last November, after Freddy joined the cast of Made in Chelsea, he was profiled by The Times.  He was asked if he was posh.  

"Oh my God, yes!  One hundred percent.  I've had a very posh upbringing and I'm not ashamed to say that,  You've just got to own it.  Tatler called me the king of SW3.  I'm going to take that."

He spoke to writer Julia Llewellyn Smith who asked him: "What was the poshest thing he's done?"

"That's such a good question. Lots of stuff, I mean, obviously I've met the King and Queen.  The first time I met the King I forgot to bow.  I just shook his hand.  I was 12.  I realized ten minutes later and was like, Oh, sh*t."

Freddy is one of three cast members who live in Chelsea.  "And that's because I live with my parents.  When I move out I'll be in Peckham but I'll still be having a good time." 

He attended Garden House School before heading to Ludgrove and Radley College, an all-boys boarding school in Oxfordshire.  

"I didn't like it was single-sex, but my parents knew I wouldn't work if there were girls in the class and they were right. I'm not really a school guy to be honest, but I got through it," Freddy told The Times.

He was accepted at Newcastle University but dropped out after two terms after he had been "scouted by Select Model Management while walking down Oxford Street."  

"I wasn't going to use a sociology degree. I just wanted to grab this opportunity and go with it." 

Frederick Michael Hubert Knatchbull was born on June 6, 2003, at the Portland Hospital, London.  The Times profile incorrectly states he was born at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.  He was born in the Portland Hospital.

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In September 2023, he was profiled by Tatler magazine. He spoke about his great-grandfather, Louis, 1st Earl Mountbatten.  "I can't say too much, but from what I was told, he had the most amazing life -- that filters down through to my parents, aunts, uncles, and us.  We all feel very connected to his legacy.  And, of course, he was very inspirational.  He was a great man."

https://www.selectmodel.com/london/model/freddy-knatchbull

 Victoria - Alice - Victoria - Louis - Patricia - Philip - Freddy

Victoria - Edward -George - Albert - Elizabeth - Charles

Freddy Knatchbull and King Charles III are fourth cousins once removed.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/27162659/freddy-knatchbull-made-in-chelsea-kidnap/

Madrid's Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida marries Teresa Urquijo y Moreno, a Borbon descendant

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April 6, 2024

José Luis Martínez-Almeida y Navasqües married Teresa Urquijo y Moreno earlier today in Madrid at the Sagrado Corazon y San Francisco de Borja church.  Mr. Martinez-Almeida is the mayor of Madrid. 

The couple got engaged at Christmas but waited until January to officially announce their engagement. 

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The wedding guests included politicians, celebrities, and members of the Spanish and the Bourbon-Two-Sicilies royal families as the bride is the granddaughter of HRH Princess Teresa Maria Francisca Dorothea of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Salerno, and her husband, Don Iñigo Moreno y Arteaga, Marqués de Laserna.   Teresa is the daughter of Beatriz Moreno y Borbon and Don Lucas Urquijo Fernández de Araoz.  

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Teresa was born on October 8, 1996, in Madrid.  For the last four and a half years, she has worked as a financial analyst at Merlin Properties, an international real estate investment company.  She received a double degree in Law and Business Administration from the Universidad Pontificia Comillas. 

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Don José-Luis Martínez-Almeida was first elected as Madrid's Mayor in 2019. He received his law degree from the Universidad Pontificia Comillas in 1998.  He was born in Madrid on April 17, 1975.  

A member of the People's Party, Don Luis has served on the Madrid City Council since 2015 and is also a State Lawyer.

It's only April and this wedding has been described as "Madrid's Glamorous Wedding of the Year.

 Former King Juan Carlos I of Spain attended the wedding with his two daughters, Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo and Infanta Cristina, and three grandchildren, Froilan and Victoria Federica  Marichalar y Borbón and Juan Valentin Urdangarín y Borbón.  

Queen Sofia did not attend the service but joined her husband and family at the reception at the Finca El Canto de la Cruz, purchased in 1991 by the bride's grandparents, Princess Teresa and Don Iñigo.  The reception was catered by the Madrid restaurant, Lhardy, favored by members of the Spanish royal family since Queen Isabel II.

More than 500 guests attended the wedding and then traveled 45 minutes to the reception.  

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The "high-necked, long-sleeved lace"  silver lame wedding gown was first worn by Teresa's grandmother, Princess Teresa when she married  Don Íñigo Moreno de Arteaga in 1961.  Thirty-four years later, Beatriz Moreno y Borbon wore the gown at her wedding. The original gown was designed by "the legendary couturier Pedro Rodríguez", and altered twice, first by Eduardo Ladrón de Guevara, and for Teresa's wedding, by Navascués, a wedding design firm owned by a relative of the groom.

Beatriz Moreno y de Borbon

Don José-Luis's grandfather, Pablo Martínez-Almeida, was the late Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona's close advisor.  His father, the late, Rafael Martínez-Almeida, also had a good relationship with the Count of Barcelona.

Princess Teresa and King Juan Carlos are second cousins through King Alfonso XII of Spain.

Alfonso XII - Alfonso XIII - Juan, Count of Barcelona - Juan Carlos

Alfonso XII - Maria de las Mercedes - Alfonso, Duke of Calabria - Teresa - Beatriz - Teresa

The former King and Princess Teresa have a half-first-cousin relationship through the late Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two-Sicilies, Infante of Spain, Duke of Calabria.  He was married twice.  His first wife was Maria de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, elder sister of King Alfonso XIII.  After she died in childbirth, he married Princess Louise of Orléans.

Carlos, Duke of Calabria - Alfonso (Mercedes' son)  -  Princess Teresa

Carlos. Duke of Calabria -  Mercedes (Louise's daughter) - King Juan Carlos

Lady Marina and Nico -- what is the next step?

 

@Lady Marina Windsor/Instagram

In the past few years, Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor has attended many weddings.   But could her own wedding be in the not-to-distant future?  In April 2023,  Emily Prescott, a Daily Mail correspondent, was the first to write about the burgeoning relationship between Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor and Nico Macauley.  Marina, the second of three children of the Earl and Countess of St Andrews, had posted a photo of herself and Nico embracing on her Instagram account in early April.  The photo was taken on the occasion of Nico's 30th birthday.

[Lady Marina removed the photo shortly after the Mail's article.]

Fast forward to April 2023, and Lady Marina has posted several new photos of Nico, which were taken earlier during a visit to Cornwall in March 2023.  They joined Marina's brother and sister, Lord Downpatrick and Lady Amelia Windsor, and other family members.

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 Lady Marina-Charlotte Alexandra Katharine Helen Windsor was born on September 30, 1992, at the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. She grew up in Cambridge with her parents, George, the Earl of St. Andrews, and Sylvana Tomaselli.  The Canadian-born Countess of St. Andrews is known professionally as Dr. Sylvana Tomaselli.  She is a Fellow, Affiliated Lecturer & Sir Harry Hinsley Lecturer, at St. John's College at Cambridge University.

On January 21, 1993, Marina was baptized by Rev. William Booth, Sub Dean of Her Majesty's Chapels Royal, in the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace.  Her godparents were Lady Ralph Kerr, Mrs. Luke Nunneley, Mr. William Hanbury-Tenison, and Mr. Sasha Poklewski-Koziell.   

Marina was named for her great-grandmother, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, who married Prince George, Duke of Kent, fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary.

She attended St Mary's School, Ascot, a Roman Catholic boarding school. In 2008, she ceased to be in the line of succession when she was confirmed in a Roman Catholic service. She was 25th in line to the throne at the time of her confirmation.  Five years earlier,  Lord Downpatrick, then a student at Eton,  was confirmed in the Roman Catholic church.   Lady Amelia, who also attended St, Mary's, chose to be confirmed in the Anglican Church. 

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Lady Marina "looked every inch a future catwalk star" when she and her brother and sister modeled for Tatler Magazine in 2010.  "We did it for Hardy Amies.  We owed them a lot because they had done so much for our family."

A year later, she decided she was not interested in modeling. 

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 "She told the Daily Telegraph: "I'm very interested in diplomacy.  It's very hard to get into the UN -- there is a lot of competition -- so I'll have to work very hard."

Lady Marina did not go to Oxford to study diplomacy.  She graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a Master of Arts with Honours in French and Portuguese.

She worked for three years at Big Give, before joining the Blue Marine Foundation in March 2023, as Events Manager.   Lady Marina described Blue Marine Foundation as a "fantastic ocean conservation charity with an amazing and dedicated team working hard to protect our oceans and seas in lots of ways from securing  Marine Protected Areas to Oyster Restoration to campaigning against overfishing."

Marina lived in Notting Hill for several years with her sister, Lady Amelia.  In 2023, it was reported she was living with her paternal grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Kent in their home, Wren Cottage at Kensington Palace.

https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/about/people/

Nico Julian Macauley is the elder of two sons of the late William Francis Macauley and Nicola Janet Thompson, in April 1993.  He was educated at Ampleforth, a Roman Catholic boarding school for boys, before graduating from Newcastle University in 2016, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management.    Since June 2022, Nico has been an Account Executive with Zscaler, a "leader in cybersecurity and zero trust digital transformation."   The firm's headquarters is in San Jose-California.  Nico's position covers the United Kingdom and Ireland.

His paternal grandfather, William Perine Macauley owned the Ballyward Stud in Manor Kilbride Co. Wicklow, until the 1970s.   Macauley was a horse trainer. His stud farm had"a long history of producing National Hunt winners."

Nico's paternal grandmother, Hon. Diana Berry, was the daughter of the 1st Viscount Camrose.

Balmoral Castle to be open to the public

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 Balmoral Castle was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852.  Since then, the grounds have been open to the public during the summer before the Royal Family arrives.  This year the grounds, gardens and exhibitions at Balmoral will be open to the public from May 4th until August 11th. 

The Castle will also be open to the public for limited tours.  

From the Balmoral Castle website: "For the first time since the castle was completed in 1855, we have been granted permission to take you on a private tour with our experienced guides.   They will take you on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle.

You will learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family. Travel through time from the purchase of the Balmoral by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through to present day, where you can see how rooms within the Castle are used today by their Majesties  The King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

You will see why Balmoral is such a special place - the much-loved and celebrated Highland home of the Royal Family"

The exclusive tours will be available from 1st July until 4th August and are restricted to 10 people per tour.

The tour prices are :   

Castle Interior Tour £100.00

Castle Interior Tour with Afternoon Tea £150.00  (Adult-only experience)

https://www.balmoralcastle.com/tickets.htm

More Photos from Easter

A special thank you to Ken Stone for his super photos of King Charles III and Queen Camilla and other members of the Royal Family leaving St George's Chapel after attending the Easter Mattins service. A limited number of members of the public are allowed into the castle grounds.  The King and Queen and other royals usually walk from Windsor Castle to the chapel.  Today, all arrived and departed by car.  

The King and Queen did an impromptu walk-about greeting members of the public.  This does not usually happen on Easter Sunday.  

@Ken Stone  all photos 

These photos were taken by another friend, Ken Stone 

@all photos Ken Stone

The King and Queen celebrate Easter at Windsor

 

@Katrina Warne (all photos)

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the Easter service today at St. George's Chapel.  They were accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, their son, Earl of Wessex, and the Princess Royal with her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.  The Duke of York and his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York were also at the service.

These photos were taken by a dear friend Katrina Warne who went to Windsor to see the King and other family members.

She shook hands with the King and Queen.  She told the King "I hope that you get better soon Your Majesty." The King responded: “I’m doing my best."

I have spotted  Katrina in several photos.  So happy for her!!!!!!

The King and Queen spent about 10 minutes shaking hands and talking with people in the crowd.  The King would not have made a beeline for the crowd if his doctor had not given him the green light to mingle. A cautious that Charles' cancer treatment is working.

@Katrina Warne