Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 3 - 9 July

Here's what Mathilde wore from 3-9 July:

1. Visiting Villa Rose Red, 7 July. Fantastic silhouette for her, though once again I wish it wasn't so matchy-matchy.
2. Yearly family photo opportunity, 8 July. And speaking of matchy-matchy, here's the annual photo op! That Philippe is one good sport.

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 3 - 9 July

Here's what Mathilde wore from 3-9 July:

1. Visiting Villa Rose Red, 7 July. Fantastic silhouette for her, though once again I wish it wasn't so matchy-matchy.
2. Yearly family photo opportunity, 8 July. And speaking of matchy-matchy, here's the annual photo op! That Philippe is one good sport.

Wedding Wednesday: Queen Fabiola's Gown

 HM King Baudouin I of the Belgians and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón

December 15, 1960

Brussels, Belgium

Despite the fact that there are several high-profile royal wedding gowns that I have not yet written about, this is the gown I get the most requests for. And it surprises me, I won't lie, because I generally don't think of Fabiola as a well-known royal. (Perhaps you Fab fans are a small, but vocal, minority.) Nevertheless, the requests are for a gown that has been rightly called a masterpiece, made by a man that was rightly called the king of haute couture, and we always have time for that.

Baudouin wasn't even 21 years old when he became the King of the Belgians in 1951, following the abdication of his controversial father, Leopold III. After years of speculation, he surprised his country by announcing his engagement to Fabiola, a well-born Spanish nurse.

 

Fabiola chose a fellow Spaniard to design her wedding gown: Cristóbal Balenciaga. The design, in theory, was simple: just white silk, tulle, and fur. But the overall effect was regally over the top.

The dress features a high neckline and three-quarter length sleeves with a drop waist and a full skirt. The neckline is trimmed in ermine, which extends back to border the 7 meter (about 22 feet) long train. The skirt is also trimmed in ermine. She accessorized with white silk gloves and the Nine Provinces Tiara to anchor the tulle veil in place. The tiara had been a gift to Baudouin's mother, Astrid, from the Belgian people.

The dress was heavy, and complicated to move. The devoutly Catholic bride had been up most of the night in prayer, and was fasting in order to receive the Eucharist on an empty stomach. As a result, Fabiola was teary and nearly fainted during the course of the four hour wedding. (Yes, four hours: a civil ceremony at the palace, followed by a religious ceremony at the cathedral, with complicated transportation for the guests in between.)

This is a gown that couldn't be replicated today, and not just because any royal bride using ermine would be tarred and feathered in today's politically correct climate. This was a gown for an occasion the likes of which have rarely been seen since. Belgium hadn't had reason for such pageantry in years. It hadn't had a queen, either, since Queen Astrid died in a car crash in 1935. And this gown was fit for a queen; not a princess.

I think people that are big fans of this gown are fans of more than just the cloth; they're fans of the story, too. By all accounts, Baudouin and Fabiola had a genuine love story. They remained a devoted team through the Queen's fertility struggles, including five miscarriages, right up until the King died suddenly of heart failure in 1993. Since they were childless, the throne passed to Baudouin's brother, Albert. As for the gown, Fabiola donated it, and it can now be admired at the Balenciaga museum in Spain.

What do you think: is it a masterpiece?

Photos: fotomarket/Life/balenciaga/ANP

Wedding Wednesday: Queen Fabiola's Gown

 HM King Baudouin I of the Belgians and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón

December 15, 1960

Brussels, Belgium

Despite the fact that there are several high-profile royal wedding gowns that I have not yet written about, this is the gown I get the most requests for. And it surprises me, I won't lie, because I generally don't think of Fabiola as a well-known royal. (Perhaps you Fab fans are a small, but vocal, minority.) Nevertheless, the requests are for a gown that has been rightly called a masterpiece, made by a man that was rightly called the king of haute couture, and we always have time for that.

Baudouin wasn't even 21 years old when he became the King of the Belgians in 1951, following the abdication of his controversial father, Leopold III. After years of speculation, he surprised his country by announcing his engagement to Fabiola, a well-born Spanish nurse.

 

Fabiola chose a fellow Spaniard to design her wedding gown: Cristóbal Balenciaga. The design, in theory, was simple: just white silk, tulle, and fur. But the overall effect was regally over the top.

The dress features a high neckline and three-quarter length sleeves with a drop waist and a full skirt. The neckline is trimmed in ermine, which extends back to border the 7 meter (about 22 feet) long train. The skirt is also trimmed in ermine. She accessorized with white silk gloves and the Nine Provinces Tiara to anchor the tulle veil in place. The tiara had been a gift to Baudouin's mother, Astrid, from the Belgian people.

The dress was heavy, and complicated to move. The devoutly Catholic bride had been up most of the night in prayer, and was fasting in order to receive the Eucharist on an empty stomach. As a result, Fabiola was teary and nearly fainted during the course of the four hour wedding. (Yes, four hours: a civil ceremony at the palace, followed by a religious ceremony at the cathedral, with complicated transportation for the guests in between.)

This is a gown that couldn't be replicated today, and not just because any royal bride using ermine would be tarred and feathered in today's politically correct climate. This was a gown for an occasion the likes of which have rarely been seen since. Belgium hadn't had reason for such pageantry in years. It hadn't had a queen, either, since Queen Astrid died in a car crash in 1935. And this gown was fit for a queen; not a princess.

I think people that are big fans of this gown are fans of more than just the cloth; they're fans of the story, too. By all accounts, Baudouin and Fabiola had a genuine love story. They remained a devoted team through the Queen's fertility struggles, including five miscarriages, right up until the King died suddenly of heart failure in 1993. Since they were childless, the throne passed to Baudouin's brother, Albert. As for the gown, Fabiola donated it, and it can now be admired at the Balenciaga museum in Spain.

What do you think: is it a masterpiece?

Photos: fotomarket/Life/balenciaga/ANP

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 26 June - 2 July

Here's what Mathilde wore from 26 June - 2 July:

1. Laying a wreath at the Battle of the Bulge Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery during the economic mission to the U.S., 26 June. What a pretty outfit. Shame about that dish sponge on her head.
2. Visiting the Whittal Pavilion at the Library of Congress, 27 June, a) on Mathilde and b) from Natan. I am required to like this, due to the Fifties flair going on here. We all have our weaknesses, and this is one of mine.
3. At the Flemish League Against Cancer, 30 June, a) full view and b) the top. Oh, no, thankfully I am not required to like this. Massive Natan fail, so shapeless!

4. Arriving in Monaco, 1 July. I think we need more Mathilde in sunglasses. It's sort of...dare I say it...bad ass. (Now there's a way to describe Mathilde that I never thought I'd use.)
5. Attending the concert/reception before the religious wedding, 1 July. Still a Christmas tree, still ruining whatever bad ass cred she just obtained.
6. At the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Monaco, 2 July, a) on Mathilde, and b) the style from Armani Privé.
7. At the evening ball, 2 July. I'd say getting the wedding gown designer to do you up a few pieces for the occasion is a pretty smart move indeed, wouldn't you?

Also, Mathilde did her piece to keep hold of her title of Blingiest Wedding Guest, which we can all appreciate.

Her brooch for the wedding belongs (or belonged, perhaps it was a gift) to Queen Fabiola, and in addition to her standard laurel wreath tiara, she seems to have brought a new necklace to the evening festivities. A+ for magpie effort indeed, especially considering she could have gotten away without a necklace on a gown like that!

Photos: Newscom/Natan/Style.com/Svenskdam/Hola/Bekia

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 26 June - 2 July

Here's what Mathilde wore from 26 June - 2 July:

1. Laying a wreath at the Battle of the Bulge Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery during the economic mission to the U.S., 26 June. What a pretty outfit. Shame about that dish sponge on her head.
2. Visiting the Whittal Pavilion at the Library of Congress, 27 June, a) on Mathilde and b) from Natan. I am required to like this, due to the Fifties flair going on here. We all have our weaknesses, and this is one of mine.
3. At the Flemish League Against Cancer, 30 June, a) full view and b) the top. Oh, no, thankfully I am not required to like this. Massive Natan fail, so shapeless!

4. Arriving in Monaco, 1 July. I think we need more Mathilde in sunglasses. It's sort of...dare I say it...bad ass. (Now there's a way to describe Mathilde that I never thought I'd use.)
5. Attending the concert/reception before the religious wedding, 1 July. Still a Christmas tree, still ruining whatever bad ass cred she just obtained.
6. At the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Monaco, 2 July, a) on Mathilde, and b) the style from Armani Privé.
7. At the evening ball, 2 July. I'd say getting the wedding gown designer to do you up a few pieces for the occasion is a pretty smart move indeed, wouldn't you?

Also, Mathilde did her piece to keep hold of her title of Blingiest Wedding Guest, which we can all appreciate.

Her brooch for the wedding belongs (or belonged, perhaps it was a gift) to Queen Fabiola, and in addition to her standard laurel wreath tiara, she seems to have brought a new necklace to the evening festivities. A+ for magpie effort indeed, especially considering she could have gotten away without a necklace on a gown like that!

Photos: Newscom/Natan/Style.com/Svenskdam/Hola/Bekia

The Prince and Princess of Monaco's Wedding: The Gentlemen, Part 1

Men, men, manly men, let's do our regular thing and appreciate them in their dashing morning suits and uniforms! Part 1, the men at the religious wedding:

The men and affiliated men of Monaco (I'll work on the name before I put the calendar out), from left to right:

1. Andrea Casiraghi, oldest son of Princess Caroline. Anybody know what Andrea gets up to these days? I know as of last year he was working/interning at the Qatari Embassy in France.
2. Pierre Casiraghi, second son of Princess Caroline. I don't know what he does either. I think he lives in Italy.
3. Alex Dellal, boyfriend of Charlotte Casiraghi, and gallery owner in London.
4. Louis Ducruet, son of Princess Stephanie and the bodyguard.
5. Prince Ernst August (VI) of Hanover, and his brother...
6. Prince Christian of Hanover, sons of Caroline's estranged husband Ernst August (V). Nice that her stepsons came out in support, even though one imagines their father wasn't welcome!

Despite the white shoes being a touch too "elderly golfer", you have to love a tropical white uniform, right? Sweltering soldiers, left to right:

1. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, grumpy-looking as ever. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa blew him a kiss when he came to his seat. Or maybe that was for Silvia...yeah, that seems more likely.
2. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, fresh off a Mediterranean vacation with his parents the King and Queen and his girlfriend, the pin-up.
3. Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, well color-coordinated to his wife, Princess Máxima.
4. The Earl of Wessex, representing Queen Elizabeth.

I bet these men were wishing they had a white uniform instead, outside in that heat. Those that melted, left to right:

1. King Albert II of the Belgians. His sword slipped and bumped wife Queen Paola at one point, and he got a look, I'm telling you. Oh, the perils of the fancy uniform.
2. Prince Philippe of Belgium, looking rather out of place in blue at this black and white uniform party.
3. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, escorting the lovely kiss-blowing Maria Teresa.
4. The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Those poor Lux boys, I think they had it worst for uniform hotness. (Hotness as in overheating, not as in hawtness. That's a different story.)
5. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. I've seen him in a white uniform before, I wonder why he didn't bring that one along? I don't know the rules.

And now for our non-uniformed friends, left to right:

1. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. We should probably just be glad he didn't opt for red trousers to round the look out.
2. Prince Joachim of Denmark. Where are the uniforms, Danish boys?
3. Prince Laurent of Belgium. Yes, he fell down on the red carpet. Must resist the urge to laugh...
4. Prince Daniel of Sweden, gamely sporting a baby blue tie to match his wife's blue outfit.
5. The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein. Alois acts as regent of Liechtenstein for his father Prince Hans-Adam II.
6. Prince Michael of Kent, sort of a surprise attendee.
7. Prince Faisal bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, who was divorced after 20 years of marriage and four kids in 2008 and remarried last year.

And now for some non-ruling house gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Duke of Braganza. Duarte Pio is a claimant to the throne of Portugal.
2. The Duke of Anjou. Louis Alphonse is a claimant to the throne of France.
3. The Count of Paris, a.k.a. Prince Henri of Orléans, a.k.a the Duke of France, is also a claimant to the French throne. So...that's awkward.
4. The Duke of Castro. Prince Carlo is one of two claimants to the head of the House of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, and is married to everybody's favorite over the top Barbie princess, Camilla.
5. The Prince of Naples. Vittorio Emanuele is a claimant to the head of the House of Savoy. At a dinner the night before Felipe and Letizia's wedding, he punched his rival for that title (his cousin Amedeo, who had to be caught from falling over by poor Queen Anne-Marie of Greece). He should probably just be glad he got another royal wedding invitation.
6. The Prince of Venice and Piedmont. Emanuele Filiberto is Vittorio Emanuele's son, lucky him.
   

And the last of the non-ruling gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Margrave of Baden. Maximilian is the Duke of Edinburgh's nephew. First cousin to fellow attendee the Earl of Wessex!
2. The Hereditary Prince of Baden. Bernhard is Maximilian's son.
3. Prince Georg Friederich of Prussia is the head of the house of Hohenzollern. His marriage to Princess Sophie of Isenburg in August of this year will also be a celebration of 950 years of Hohenzollern.
4. Prince Leopold of Bavaria, who used to be a champion race car driver.
5. Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia is one of Queen Elizabeth's godchildren, and was christened in Westminster Abbey.
6. Prince Radu of Romania is married to Crown Princess Margarita.
7. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia is the son of that flamboyant Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna that we've all gotten to know and love in the past few days.

Which gentleman takes your prize for Most Dapper?

And don't miss part 2, the men at the evening ball, here!

Photos: Getty Images/Reuters/Daylife/Newscom

The Prince and Princess of Monaco's Wedding: The Gentlemen, Part 1

Men, men, manly men, let's do our regular thing and appreciate them in their dashing morning suits and uniforms! Part 1, the men at the religious wedding:

The men and affiliated men of Monaco (I'll work on the name before I put the calendar out), from left to right:

1. Andrea Casiraghi, oldest son of Princess Caroline. Anybody know what Andrea gets up to these days? I know as of last year he was working/interning at the Qatari Embassy in France.
2. Pierre Casiraghi, second son of Princess Caroline. I don't know what he does either. I think he lives in Italy.
3. Alex Dellal, boyfriend of Charlotte Casiraghi, and gallery owner in London.
4. Louis Ducruet, son of Princess Stephanie and the bodyguard.
5. Prince Ernst August (VI) of Hanover, and his brother...
6. Prince Christian of Hanover, sons of Caroline's estranged husband Ernst August (V). Nice that her stepsons came out in support, even though one imagines their father wasn't welcome!

Despite the white shoes being a touch too "elderly golfer", you have to love a tropical white uniform, right? Sweltering soldiers, left to right:

1. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, grumpy-looking as ever. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa blew him a kiss when he came to his seat. Or maybe that was for Silvia...yeah, that seems more likely.
2. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, fresh off a Mediterranean vacation with his parents the King and Queen and his girlfriend, the pin-up.
3. Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, well color-coordinated to his wife, Princess Máxima.
4. The Earl of Wessex, representing Queen Elizabeth.

I bet these men were wishing they had a white uniform instead, outside in that heat. Those that melted, left to right:

1. King Albert II of the Belgians. His sword slipped and bumped wife Queen Paola at one point, and he got a look, I'm telling you. Oh, the perils of the fancy uniform.
2. Prince Philippe of Belgium, looking rather out of place in blue at this black and white uniform party.
3. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, escorting the lovely kiss-blowing Maria Teresa.
4. The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Those poor Lux boys, I think they had it worst for uniform hotness. (Hotness as in overheating, not as in hawtness. That's a different story.)
5. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. I've seen him in a white uniform before, I wonder why he didn't bring that one along? I don't know the rules.

And now for our non-uniformed friends, left to right:

1. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. We should probably just be glad he didn't opt for red trousers to round the look out.
2. Prince Joachim of Denmark. Where are the uniforms, Danish boys?
3. Prince Laurent of Belgium. Yes, he fell down on the red carpet. Must resist the urge to laugh...
4. Prince Daniel of Sweden, gamely sporting a baby blue tie to match his wife's blue outfit.
5. The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein. Alois acts as regent of Liechtenstein for his father Prince Hans-Adam II.
6. Prince Michael of Kent, sort of a surprise attendee.
7. Prince Faisal bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, who was divorced after 20 years of marriage and four kids in 2008 and remarried last year.

And now for some non-ruling house gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Duke of Braganza. Duarte Pio is a claimant to the throne of Portugal.
2. The Duke of Anjou. Louis Alphonse is a claimant to the throne of France.
3. The Count of Paris, a.k.a. Prince Henri of Orléans, a.k.a the Duke of France, is also a claimant to the French throne. So...that's awkward.
4. The Duke of Castro. Prince Carlo is one of two claimants to the head of the House of Bourbon Two-Sicilies, and is married to everybody's favorite over the top Barbie princess, Camilla.
5. The Prince of Naples. Vittorio Emanuele is a claimant to the head of the House of Savoy. At a dinner the night before Felipe and Letizia's wedding, he punched his rival for that title (his cousin Amedeo, who had to be caught from falling over by poor Queen Anne-Marie of Greece). He should probably just be glad he got another royal wedding invitation.
6. The Prince of Venice and Piedmont. Emanuele Filiberto is Vittorio Emanuele's son, lucky him.
   

And the last of the non-ruling gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Margrave of Baden. Maximilian is the Duke of Edinburgh's nephew. First cousin to fellow attendee the Earl of Wessex!
2. The Hereditary Prince of Baden. Bernhard is Maximilian's son.
3. Prince Georg Friederich of Prussia is the head of the house of Hohenzollern. His marriage to Princess Sophie of Isenburg in August of this year will also be a celebration of 950 years of Hohenzollern.
4. Prince Leopold of Bavaria, who used to be a champion race car driver.
5. Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia is one of Queen Elizabeth's godchildren, and was christened in Westminster Abbey.
6. Prince Radu of Romania is married to Crown Princess Margarita.
7. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia is the son of that flamboyant Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna that we've all gotten to know and love in the past few days.

Which gentleman takes your prize for Most Dapper?

And don't miss part 2, the men at the evening ball, here!

Photos: Getty Images/Reuters/Daylife/Newscom

The Prince and Princess of Monaco's Wedding: The Gentlemen, Part 2

What a wedding, huh? Not only do we get a feast of tiaras, we get men in two uniform changes. Just delightful. See part 1, the men in uniforms and morning coats at the religious wedding, here, and here's part 2, the men at the evening ball:

 The contingent with the Monegasque royals, from left to right:

1. Pierre Casiraghi.
2. Andrea Casiraghi. Is it just me, or do the Casiraghi boys usually look more James Bond-ish in their evening wear?
3. Alex Dellal, Charlotte's boyfriend.
4. Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Caroline's stepson. Have not found a picture of his brother Prince Christian from the ball, maybe he didn't attend. It also appears that Stephanie's son Louis wasn't in attendance either.

Father and son acts, left to right:

1. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his son...
2. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, who was clearly in a party mood.
3. King Albert II of the Belgians and his sons...
4. Prince Philippe of Belgium and...
5. Prince Laurent of Belgium, having some sort of weird vest situation.
6. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and his son...
7. The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Guillaume. As you may know, a weakness of mine. (I have a lot of weaknesses).

More princes in evening uniforms and white tie glory, left to right:

1. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and his brother...
2. Prince Joachim of Denmark, both of whom miraculously found their uniforms for the evening portion of the festivities.
3. The Earl of Wessex, demonstrating that one of the problems with those tropical white uniforms is the maitre d' factor.
4. Prince Michael of Kent, another that only brought an evening uniform.
5. Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
6. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.
7. The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, who managed to be photographed while his lovely wife, Sophie, seems to have escaped the cameras. 
8. Prince Daniel of Sweden, a son-in-law supplement to Carl Gustaf and Carl Philip's father-son act.

And now for some non-ruling house gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Duke of Braganza, who is 21 years older than his wife. They have three kids.
2. The Duke of Anjou has three children with his wife Margarita, including twin boys born last year.
3. The Count of Paris is currently married to his second wife; their marriage, not celebrated in the Catholic Church, caused serious tension with his father. (They were later able to marry in the Church after he received an annulment from the first wife.)
4. The Duke of Castro is a godfather to Princess Josephine of Denmark, one of Frederik and Mary's twins.
5. The Prince of Naples. In addition to being part of a royal knockout at the Spanish royal wedding, he also has a significant police record, including an acquittal for charges of unintentional homicide. He's a gem, this one.
6. The Prince of Venice and Piedmont is married to Clotilde Courau, a French actress, who was six months pregnant when they wed.
   

And the last of the non-ruling gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Margrave of Baden has four children with his wife the Margravine, a.k.a. Archduchess Valerie of Austria.
2. The Hereditary Prince of Baden has three children with his wife Stephanie.
3. Prince Georg Friederich of Prussia has known his future bride, Princess Sophie of Isenburg, since childhood.
4. Prince Leopold of Bavaria is Prince Carl Philip's godfather.
5. Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia. His jolly wife Katherine is actually his second wife; he was married and divorced previously.
6. Prince Radu of Romania, a graduate of Bucharest's University of Drama and Film, was once involved with developing the first project in Romania for art therapy for orphans.
7. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia was once intended to study at a Russian naval college, but those plans were abandoned over fears he'd be bullied. 

Any favorites in the eveningwear division?

Photos: Getty Images/Reuters/Daylife/Newscom/Belga

The Prince and Princess of Monaco's Wedding: The Gentlemen, Part 2

What a wedding, huh? Not only do we get a feast of tiaras, we get men in two uniform changes. Just delightful. See part 1, the men in uniforms and morning coats at the religious wedding, here, and here's part 2, the men at the evening ball:

 The contingent with the Monegasque royals, from left to right:

1. Pierre Casiraghi.
2. Andrea Casiraghi. Is it just me, or do the Casiraghi boys usually look more James Bond-ish in their evening wear?
3. Alex Dellal, Charlotte's boyfriend.
4. Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Caroline's stepson. Have not found a picture of his brother Prince Christian from the ball, maybe he didn't attend. It also appears that Stephanie's son Louis wasn't in attendance either.

Father and son acts, left to right:

1. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his son...
2. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, who was clearly in a party mood.
3. King Albert II of the Belgians and his sons...
4. Prince Philippe of Belgium and...
5. Prince Laurent of Belgium, having some sort of weird vest situation.
6. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and his son...
7. The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Guillaume. As you may know, a weakness of mine. (I have a lot of weaknesses).

More princes in evening uniforms and white tie glory, left to right:

1. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and his brother...
2. Prince Joachim of Denmark, both of whom miraculously found their uniforms for the evening portion of the festivities.
3. The Earl of Wessex, demonstrating that one of the problems with those tropical white uniforms is the maitre d' factor.
4. Prince Michael of Kent, another that only brought an evening uniform.
5. Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
6. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.
7. The Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, who managed to be photographed while his lovely wife, Sophie, seems to have escaped the cameras. 
8. Prince Daniel of Sweden, a son-in-law supplement to Carl Gustaf and Carl Philip's father-son act.

And now for some non-ruling house gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Duke of Braganza, who is 21 years older than his wife. They have three kids.
2. The Duke of Anjou has three children with his wife Margarita, including twin boys born last year.
3. The Count of Paris is currently married to his second wife; their marriage, not celebrated in the Catholic Church, caused serious tension with his father. (They were later able to marry in the Church after he received an annulment from the first wife.)
4. The Duke of Castro is a godfather to Princess Josephine of Denmark, one of Frederik and Mary's twins.
5. The Prince of Naples. In addition to being part of a royal knockout at the Spanish royal wedding, he also has a significant police record, including an acquittal for charges of unintentional homicide. He's a gem, this one.
6. The Prince of Venice and Piedmont is married to Clotilde Courau, a French actress, who was six months pregnant when they wed.
   

And the last of the non-ruling gentlemen, left to right:

1. The Margrave of Baden has four children with his wife the Margravine, a.k.a. Archduchess Valerie of Austria.
2. The Hereditary Prince of Baden has three children with his wife Stephanie.
3. Prince Georg Friederich of Prussia has known his future bride, Princess Sophie of Isenburg, since childhood.
4. Prince Leopold of Bavaria is Prince Carl Philip's godfather.
5. Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia. His jolly wife Katherine is actually his second wife; he was married and divorced previously.
6. Prince Radu of Romania, a graduate of Bucharest's University of Drama and Film, was once involved with developing the first project in Romania for art therapy for orphans.
7. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia was once intended to study at a Russian naval college, but those plans were abandoned over fears he'd be bullied. 

Any favorites in the eveningwear division?

Photos: Getty Images/Reuters/Daylife/Newscom/Belga

The Prince and Princess of Monaco's Wedding: The Tiaras

Oh, bliss! There hasn't been this much bling on parade since Crown Princess Victoria got hitched last year, and I have been longing for a good show ever since. With many due thanks to Al and Char, let's dive in:

Left to Right: Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Paola of the Belgians, Queen Silvia of Sweden

Strange to include Charlene with the sovereign consorts now, isn't it? She's moving on up, but not in bling...yet. This is a new piece, the Diamond Foam Tiara, and a stretch to call it a tiara methinks. Paola is sporting her bandeau tiara which once belonged to Queen Elisabeth, and Queen Silvia wore the Nine Prong Tiara. I can never decide if that one is a little too comical, or just jolly enough, if that makes any sense. (Probably not.)

L to R: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway

Victoria wore the Baden Fringe Tiara, which is one of the pieces that made me love fringe tiaras. It frames her like a halo! Mary wore her wedding tiara without the pearls she had added last time, so now we know that she has indeed made a convertible piece (well played, Your Royal Highness). Máxima wore the aquamarine parure, Mathilde wore her laurel wreath (the only tiara she has, poor love), and Mette-Marit wore the same diamond daisy tiara she wore at her own wedding.

L to R: Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Princess Marie of Denmark, Princess Claire of Belgium, the Countess of Wessex

Like the ladies above, Madeleine wore one of her favorite and most frequently worn pieces: Sweden's modern fringe tiara. I love how this one just seems to float, with no real connection between the diamonds or the wearer's head. Marie's wedding tiara (also her only one) has the same effect. Tiara magic! Princess Claire wore the diamond and pearl tiara that she debuted at the Swedish royal wedding. Many people wondered if the piece was a loan at the time, since the Belgians aren't so prone to adding to their jewel collection, but now it looks like it's hers to have and to hold. And the Countess of Wessex joined the ranks of the ladies paying nostalgic tributes to their own bridal days by wearing her wedding tiara.

L to R: Princess Astrid of Belgium, Princess Caroline of Hanover (and Monaco), Princess Michael of Kent

Princess Astrid is married to Prince Lorenz, the Archduke of Austria-Este, and this is a tiara from his side of the family: the Savoy-Aosta tiara. It's lovely, though that picture of Astrid is not (many apologies to HRH!). Caroline wore a sapphire necklace in her hair in tiara fashion, perhaps because so many of the family's other tiaras are on display? (And one doesn't know how she feels about wearing her husband's family tiaras nowadays - Ernst was notably absent from all of the wedding festivities.) And Princess Michael, who has quite an impressive collection, showed off her jewel creativity by wearing diamond daisy brooches in her hair. The pieces were inherited from her late mother-in-law, Princess Marina.

L to R: Crown Princess Margarita of Romania, Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia, the Duchess of Braganza, the Duchess of Castro, the Hereditary Princess of Baden

Representing the non-ruling houses, Margarita wore the same Greek key motif tiara she wore at the Swedish royal wedding, and Maria Vladimirovna wore a tremendously grand kokoshnik. (I can't help but wonder if that's all real? I have doubts.) The Duchess of Braganza's tiara looks like it could also be a necklace, and is quite modest. The Duchess of Castro's tiara is made of diamonds and rubies in a dragonfly motif, which might creep me out a bit. (Bugs!) And the Hereditary Princess of Baden is wearing some kind of brooch/button affair that I know nothing about.

UPDATE: A few last tiara pictures have popped up!

L to R: the Margravine of Baden, the Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein (circled), Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg

The Margravine of Baden wore a diamond and ruby tiara in a wreath motif, which strikes me as almost a cross between Mathilde's laurel wreath tiara and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece's ruby wreath tiara. Sophie of Liechtenstein has still managed to avoid photographers, but here at least we can see the magnificent Liechtenstein Fringe Tiara, which is one majorly tall and sparkly fringe (she also wore it to Crown Princess Victoria's wedding). And Maria Teresa dipped into her amazing collection and pulled out her favorite, Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide's Tiara, as well as a diamond and sapphire necklace that can also be worn as a tiara.

Delicious, isn't it? Can we have more parties like this? Who do we need to talk to about this?

(See the gowns on these ladies right here!)

Do you have a favorite?

Photos: Newscom/Svenskdam