Diamond Wedding Anniversary for the Duke and Duchess of Kent

The Duke and Duchess of Kent on their wedding day.

Today, the Duke and Duchess of Kent mark sixty years of marriage!

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Katharine Worsley on the day of their engagement, March 1961. Photograph (c) Getty Images/Rolls Press/Popperfoto.

The engagement ring of Katharine, Duchess of Kent. Photograph (c) Getty Images/PA Images.

La Duchesse Marina de Kent bras-dessus, bras-dessous avec son fils, le Prince Edward de Kent et sa fiancée Miss Katharine Worsley devant le perron de Kensington's Palace où réside la Duchesse le 9 mars 1961 à Londres, Royaume-Uni. Photo by Keystone-FranceGamma-Rapho via Getty Images.

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, met Katharine Worsley while the duke was based at Catterick Garrison, located near the bride's family's ancestral home, Hovingham Hall. Edward was the eldest son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. Katharine was the only daughter of Sir William Worsley, 4th Baronet, and Joyce Brunner. On 8 March 1961, the engagement of the Duke of Kent to Katharine Worsley was announced at Kensington Palace. Edward gave Katharine an engagement ring consisting of an oval sapphire with round diamonds on either side and mounted in platinum.

England, 8th June 1961, The Duke of Kent is pictured arriving at York Minster for his marriage with Miss Katharine Worsley. Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images.

Holding her bouquet of roses, Miss Katharine Worsley leaves her Hovingham Hall home for York Minster where she will become the Duchess of Kent on her marriage to Duke of Kent. Photo by PA Images via Getty Images.

Miss Katharine Worsley leaves her Hovingham Hall home en route to York Minster where she is to be wed to the Duke of Kent. Photo by PA Images via Getty Images.

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. Photo (c) AFP via Getty Images.

The wedding of Miss Katharine Worsley and the Duke of Kent at York Minster. Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images.

A group picture taken at Hovingham Hall, near York (home of the bride's parents) after the wedding in York Minster of the Duke of Kent and Miss Katharine Worsley. Left to Right: Princess Alexandra of Kent, Mr and Mrs Marcus Worsley; Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent; Oliver Worsley; the Queen; Prince Michael of Kent; Sir William Worsley; Princess Anne; Lady Worsley; Prince Charles; the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother; ; Mr and Mrs John Worsley. The bridal attendants in front are, left to right: pages William Worsley, Edward Becket and Simon Hay; and bridesmaids Katherine Ashley Cooper, Diana Worsley, Sandra Butter, Joanna Fitzroy, the Hon. Jane Spencer, Emily Briggs and Willa Worsley. Photo (c) PA Images via Getty Images.

The couple married on 8 June 1961 at York Minster in York. Edward and Katharine were wed by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of York. Theirs was the first royal wedding to take place in York Minster since that of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault in 1328. 

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester pictured attending the wedding of Miss Katherine Worsley and the Duke of Kent at York Minster. Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images.

 Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Prince Charles are pictured arriving at York Minster for the marriage of Miss Katharine Worsley and the Duke of Kent. Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images.

The guest list was a whos-whos of the British aristocracy and European Gotha. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, attended together with her daughter Princess Alexandra and her son Prince Michael. The Queen Mother was present along with her two daughters and two sons-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh as well as Princess Margaret and Mr Antony Armstrong-Jones. Princess Mary, Princess Royal, and her son and daughter-in-law, the Earl and Countess of Harewood, were on hand. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester together with their eldest son Prince William were also present. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, was also in attendance. Foreign royals who came to witness the union of the Duke and Duchess of Kent included the following: Queen Mother Helen of Romania; Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain; Crown Prince Constantine of Greece and his sister Princess Sophia; Crown Prince Harald of Norway; Princess Margrethe of Denmark; Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, and his son Infante Juan Carlos, Prince of Asturias; Prince Tomislav and Princess Margarita of Yugoslavia; and Fürstin Margarita zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

The Duke of Kent and the bride Katherine Worsley arrive for the reception at Hovingham Hall, the home of the bride's father after their wedding, on June 8, 1961 in York, United Kingdom. Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.

Mr Cyril Brown at work on the 3-tier, 105lb cake which was presented by a well known firm of London caterers for the wedding at York of Miss Katharine Worsley and the Duke of Kent. The cake, which is five feet in height, took two men six weeks to make. Decorated with delicate tracery in sugar, the cake incorporates the couple's new Coat of Arms, hand painted in sugar panels on the base tier. The middle tier bears a St George and the Dragon motif and the Yorkshire rose and the monograms of the bride and groom - E in pale blue and K in pink - appear on the top tier. This is not the official wedding cake. Photo by PA Images via Getty Images.

 The wedding dress of Katharine Worsley. Photo by PA Images via Gtty Images.

Our best wishes to the Duke and Duchess of Kent on their Diamond Wedding Anniversary!

The Funeral of Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta

The coffin of the Duke of Aosta.

Princess Silvia of Savoy, Dowager Duchess of Aosta, aided by one of her granddaughters, leaves the church following the funeral of her husband.

The funeral of Prince Amedeo of Savoy, 5th Duke of Aosta, took place on Friday, 4 June, at the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte in Florence. The presiding celebrant at the funeral mass was Father Bernardo Gianni, Prior of the Olivetan Monastery of San Miniato al Monte. Due to restrictions stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, attendance inside the church was limited to 100 individuals. The family of the late duke were present: Princess Silvia of Savoy, Dowager Duchess of Aosta; Princess Claude d'Orléans; Prince Aimone and Princess Olga of Savoy, Duke and Duchess of Aosta, with their children; Princess Bianca of Savoy, Countess Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga, with her children; and Princess Mafalda of Savoy with her children. 

Prince Umberto of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont, carries the collar of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, which belonged to his grandfather the late Duke of Aosta. 

Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of the Abruzzi, departs the funeral of his grandfather.

Prince Aimone and Princess Olga of Savoy, the new Duke and Duchess of Aosta, leave the funeral together with their daughter Princess Isabella of Savoy.

Members of the Frescobaldi, Corsini, and Guicciardini noble families were in attendance. Representatives of the Unione Monarchica Italiana were present; since 2006, the late Duke of Aosta was considered by many Italian monarchists to be the Head of the Royal House of Savoy. The funeral of Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, may be watched in full at this link: L'ultimo saluto al Principe.

Princess Claude d'Orleans with a granddaughter; Princess Olga of Savoy, Duchess of Aosta, with her son Prince Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi; and Prince Aimone of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, with his daughter Princess Isabella of Savoy (face obscured).

The three eldest grandsons of the late Duke of Aosta: Count Leonardo Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga, Prince Umberto of Savoy, and Nobile Carlo Lombardo di San Chirico.

Princess Mafalda of Savoy looks after the arrangements on top of her father's coffin before it is transported from the church.

A Daughter, Lili, for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their son Archie. At the time of this picture, the Duchess was expecting their daughter Lili. Photograph (c) Misan Harriman.

On Friday, 4 June, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their second child, a daughter. Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on 4 June 2021 at Santa Barbara, California. Lili joins an older brother, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (b.London 6 May 2019). The Duke and Duchess of Sussex married on 19 May 2018 at Windsor. Lili Mountbatten-Windsor is eighth in the line of succession to the British throne. The new arrival is the eleventh great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

The announcement on Lili's birth from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reads as follows:

It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world. Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home. Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales. This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also issued a message of thanks on the website of their charitable organisation Archewell:

On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.

Our congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the British Royal Family on the arrival of Lili!

The 60th Birthday of the Marquis of Milford Haven

A portrait of George, Marquess of Milford Haven.

The painter and copywriter holder is Gillian Erskine-Hill.

Today, the Marquis of Milford Haven celebrates his sixtieth birthday!

The wedding of David, Marquis of Milford Haven, and Janet Bryce.

Born on 6 June 1961 at London, George Ivar Louis Mountbatten was the eldest son of David Mountbatten, 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven (1919-1970) and his second wife Janet Mercedes Bryce (b.1937), who married in 1960. 

Janet, Marchioness of Milford Haven, and her eldest son George at his christening.

George Mountbatten, then Earl of Medina, was christened at St Andrew’s Church, London, on 17 November 1961. George was followed by a younger brother, Lord Ivar Mountbatten (b.1963). George was on the cusp of his ninth birthday when his father David Milford Haven died in 1970 at the age of fifty. 

George and Sarah, Marquis and Marchioness of Milford Haven, at Royal Ascot.

On 8 March 1989 at London, George Mountbatten, 4th Marquis of Milford Haven, married Sarah Georgina Walker (b.1961; married to Andreas Antoniou from 1985-1987), the daughter of George Alfred Walker (1929-2011), a self-made millionaire businessman, and his wife Jean Maureen Hatton (b.1936). The Milford Havens had two children: Lady Tatiana Mountbatten (b.1990), and Henry “Harry” Mountbatten, Earl of Medina (b.1991). After seven years of marriage, George and Sarah Milford Haven divorced in 1996. The following year, 1997, George married Clare Husted Steel (b.1960; married to Nicholas Wentworth-Stanley from 1985-1997).

George and Clare, Marquis and Marchioness of Milford Haven, attend the Cartier Queen's Cup Polo final at Guards Polo Club on June 18, 2017 in Egham, England. Photo (c) David M. Benett/Getty Images.

Many happy returns of the day to Lord Milford Haven!

Family Gathers to Celebrate 81st Birthday of King Constantine II of Greece

 

This week, the family of King Constantine II of Greece came together to celebrate his 81st birthday. In addition to his wife Queen Anne-Marie, the king was joined by his children Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Princess Theodora of Greece. Constantine’s sisters Queen Sofía of Spain and Princess Irene also were on hand to mark this special moment in the life of their brother. Constantine was born on 2 June 1940 at the Psychiko Palace in Psychiko, a suburb of Athens, as the only son of then Crown Prince Paul of Greece and his wife Princess Frederica of Hanover.

Prince Charles-Emmanuel of Bourbon-Parma Turns Sixty

Prince Charles-Emmanuel.

Today, Prince Charles-Emmanuel of Bourbon-Parma celebrates his sixtieth birthday!

Princess Yolande de Broglie-Revel and Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma on their wedding day.

Born on 3 June 1961 at Paris, Prince Charles-Emmanuel Marie Joseph Jacques Hély of Bourbon-Parma was the fifth child and second son of Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma (1926-2018) and Princess Yolande de Broglie-Revel (1928-2014), who married in 1951. Charles-Emmanuel has four older siblings from his parents' marriage: Prince Eric (1953-2021), Princess Inès (1952-1981), Princess Sybil (b.1954), and Princess Victoire (1957-2001). Charles-Emmanuel's parents divorced in 1999. Afterward, his father Michel married long-time companion Princess Maria Pia of Savoy in 2003.

Prince Charles-Emmanuel and Princess Constance on the day of their religious wedding.

On 18 May 1991, Prince Charles-Emmanuel of Bourbon-Parma civilly married Constance de Ravinel (b.Boulogne-Billancourt 18 July 1970). Charles-Emmanuel and Constance celebrated their religious wedding on 25 May 1991 at Dampierre. Constance was the daughter of Baron Yves de Ravinel and his wife Countess Alexe de Castellane. 

Charles-Emmanuel and Constance of Bourbon-Parma with their children.

Prince Charles-Emmanuel and Princess Constance of Bourbon-Parma have had four children during their thirty years of marriage: Prince Amaury (b.1991), Princess Charlotte (b.1993), Princess Elisabeth (b.1996), and Princess Zita (b.1999). 

Many happy returns of the day to Prince Charles-Emmanuel!

The Baptism of Prince Bagrat Bagationi

 

 

On Monday, 31 May, Prince Bagrat Bagrationi was baptised at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. His Eminence Bishop Davit Alaverdeli presided over the service. Prince Bagrat Bagrationi was born on 19 January in Tbilisi, Georgia. The little prince was named after his late paternal grandfather. Bagrat is the first child of Prince Juan Bagration-Mukhransky and his wife Princess Kristine. Prince Bagrat is a great-great-great-grandchild of King Alfonso XII of Spain.