This Week in Princesses

JULY 5, 2010

The three little Dutch princesses were pretty in pink during a photo call in the Netherlands. Notice how big sis Catharina-Amalia is keeping Alexia (right) and Ariane in line. Good thing she's a natural-born leader since she's destined to be queen one day.

Princess Caroline of Hanover (right), brother Prince Albert II of Monaco and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock boogied down at an open-air concert. Young Charlene looks almost dull next to Caroline's bright and patterned ensemble.



JULY 6, 2010

Queen Elizabeth II laid a wreath at Ground Zero during her lightning trip to New York City. She also popped over to deliver a speech at the United Nations, before jetting back home. She reportedly didn't stay longer in order to save expenses.

Were Crown Princess Maxima and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands texting the scores during the World Cup semi-finals? Or, booking their reservations to return to South Africa for the final match?

Princess Camilla of Sicily attended the Giorgio Armani Prive show in Paris. Her husband is the claimant to the Sicilian throne.


JULY 7, 2010

Crown Princess Letizia of Spain made a new friend at an event for the San Federico Association at Zarzuela Palace.

Queen Sofia showed her Spanish red and yellow at the World Cup semi-finals. Her son and daughter-in-law will be there for the final match between Spain and The Netherlands.


JULY 8, 2010

Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium and her husband, Crown Prince Philippe, took their four little ones to a farm where youngsters can learn about life on a farm.

The Duchess of Cornwall looked comfy at this flower show. She almost looks like she walked there in her housecoat and slippers.


JULY 9, 2010

Okay, technically she's not a princess, but Autumn Phillips is married to Queen Elizabeth II's oldest grandson, Peter Phillips, AND they announced on July 9 that she is expecting the queen's first great-grandchild in December. (Photo from August 2007)

The Kiss of Death

From the room next door, 18-year-old Princess Alice could hear her beloved father’s ragged and uneven breathing. She had moved her own bed to this chamber so that she could be by his side in seconds whenever he needed her. For two weeks, Alice had been Prince Albert’s chief care giver; mopping his fevered brow, changing his linens, following after him when he was strong enough to take a few steps. Never hearty, Albert was left with little energy or will to fight off typhoid.

Quietly and tenderly, young Alice saw to his every need and, when she heard the death rattle in his throat, she personally went to bring her mother, Queen Victoria, to say good-bye. On Dec. 14, Prince Albert passed away with the loyal Alice at his side. As Victoria lost herself in the dramatic realization of all she had lost, Alice shifted her care to her mother, nursing her through the early, violent stages of a grief that would ultimately last for almost 40 years. Alice also became Victoria’s unofficial secretary for the next several months—until her own wedding, a marriage pre-approved by her late father, took her to her new home in the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt in Germany.

Alice quickly started her own family; five daughters and two sons arrived at fairly regular intervals. Unlike her mother, Alice was a natural and devoted mom. She even breastfed her children—much to Victoria’s disgust.

But Alice’s loving-kindness extended well beyond her own family. She began visiting the homes of the poor and offering her assistance, sometimes without her benefactors even knowing who she was. “I feel the want of going about and doing the little good that is in my power,” the newlywed princess wrote home.

Alice actively supported and visited hospitals, often caring for the sick and injured herself. When war pushed its way into Hesse-Darmstadt, she spent the last few days of her third pregnancy making bandages for the wounded. A friend of the famous Florence Nightingale, Alice created an institute to train nurses using Nightingale’s modern nursing techniques.

Unafraid to personally nurse soldiers and the most destitute of the poor, Alice naturally waited upon her own children whenever they were ill. When her oldest daughter was stricken with diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial disease, in early November 1878, Alice automatically looked after her, careful always to avoid personal contact for fear of infection. One by one, each child became ill, except Elizabeth the future martyred saint of the Russian Orthodox Church. Even her husband contracted the dreadful disease. Alice tirelessly nursed them all and, one by one, they each recovered.

Each except the youngest, four-year-old Mary. The swelling in little Mary’s throat and mouth continued to grow until the tiny princess finally suffocated to death on Nov. 15. Her devastated mother barely allowed herself time to grieve as she continued to fight for the rest of her family’s survival. “The pain is beyond words,” she telegraphed to Queen Victoria.

The tragic news was kept from the other patients for a couple of weeks until 10-year-old Prince Ernest Louis, now past the worst danger, asked about his little sister. Alice broke the news to him as gently as she could. When the broken-hearted little boy began to cry, Alice hugged him and kissed him tenderly.

It was her last act of kindness. The disease struck the exhausted princess with virulence. On Dec. 14, exactly 17 years after she heard the death rattle in her father’s throat, Alice drew her final breath.

A mournful Victoria, who had sent her own doctor racing to Alice’s side, wrote “that this…sweet child…should be called back to her father on the very anniversary of his death seems almost incredible and most mysterious.”

Ever mindful of that dreadful anniversary, Alice’s last words were, “Dear Papa.” She was 35.

This Week in Princesses

This week was an intercontinental week for royal ladies as the English queen headed to North America and the Belgian queen visited Africa. Back in Europe, it was a quieter week for everyone but the Spanish ladies.

June 28

Tiny Princess Letizia of Spain shows off her figure in this form-fitting dress. Some royal watchers this week have been worrying whether she is too slim.


June 29

Queen Elizabeth II seems as charmed by Prince Philip as she was when she first fell in love with him more than 70 years ago. It's adorable to see octogenarians in love! This was Day 2 of their North American visit. This week they were in Canada, next week it's the U.S.A.

June 30

King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium have spent the week in the Democratic Republic of Congo, celebrating that nation's 50th anniversary since its independence from Belgium.

July 1

This is more like it. How can someone so petite look like she has legs a mile/kilometre long? Princess Letizia of Spain's standard high heels and straight-legged trousers certainly help.

Queen Elizabeth II dressed patriotically to celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa. Notice the maple leaf pin? She is, after all, Queen of Canada, too.

July 2

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent looking snazzy at the All England Tennis Championships. The prince is a dead ringer for his granddad, King George V--and, therefore, he also looks like Grampy's cousin, Tsar Nicholas II.

Was it take your son to work day in Spain? Queen Sofia was joined by Prince Felipe at the Barcelona School of Business to meet Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.