Crown Princess Mary Continues a Busy Week in Style

It's been another busy week for Crown Princess Mary of Denmark with engagements focused on areas close to her heart. Mary was invited to present a special award at the DI Summit on Tuesday. The DI prize was awarded to Troldtekt for producing sustainable acoustic panels for the construction industry. The company was applauded for their combination of circular green production and strong economic growth.

The DI Summit noted: "Unfortunately, the corona crisis will leave its mark on the world and Denmark's economy far into the future. 2020 is therefore a year in which we must work to rebuild the economy and create growth, but at the same time maintain our ambitions within the green transition, which is a necessity for us to achieve the ambitious climate goals. And here DI's member companies play a crucial role. Denmark must continue to be at the forefront of the green transition. And we need competitive companies to succeed - both in the short term and in the long term. Therefore, this year the DI Prize goes to a company that has taken an initiative that both contributes to green transformation of society and increases the company's competitiveness, as a crucial step to emerge stronger from the crisis."

Mary delivered a speech praising the efforts of the company and importance of sustainability.

Crown Princess Mary with DI chairman Lars-Peter Søbye, DI's international director Thomas Bustrup and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Mary debuted the first of three fabulous looks, repeating her Prince of Wales checked jumpsuit by Max Mara. The piece is described: "There's a strong '80s element to Max Mara's Spring '19 collection, inspired by pieces in the brand's archive designed by French couturier Anne-Marie Beretta. Made from soft wool, this strong-shouldered jumpsuit features smart details taken from classic suiting, including notched lapels, a chest pocket and pressed creases."

Mary teamed the jumpsuit with her Gianvito Rossi 105 pumps.

Today, Mary paid tribute to seven incredible teachers who have gone the extra mile in these challenging times by presenting the inaugural Education Award on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Research.

The royal court said: "Together with Minister of Education and Research Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, the Crown Princess presented the prizes to the seven winners, who represent all types of higher-education institutions. The education award consists of a personal honor award of DKK 200.000 and DKK 300.000, which will be spent on development activities that create a good and engaging educational environment."

It is hoped the award will encourage more people to consider the teaching profession whilst celebrating excellence in the field.

Mary chose a beautiful dress for the event.

It is the £798 Vilshenko Blush Jerry floral-print silk crepe de chine dress. I adore the print and the pop of vibrant blue which Mary highlighted with her bag, earrings and shoes.

And tonight, Mary was chic in a a black tuxedo suit by Max Mara for the annual Rainbow Awards.

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Mary is a passionate advocate for LGBTI+ rights. During a 2016 speech at the European IDAHO Forum, she spoke of her hopes for "a life of dignity for all" and "a united front in the fight against discrimination". In 2018, Mary was invited to present the honorary award to LGBT Danmark at the Danish Rainbow Awards - becoming the first member of the Royal family to ever attend the awards. She attended again in 2019.

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Mary recently said: "Copenhagen is for everyone. Now that we're hosting WorldPride 2021, we will stop at nothing to make sure that You Are Included."

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A Shimmering Look For Princess Charlene

Evening gala appearances have been few and far between in 2020 - a trend we'll undoubtedly see continuing for the remainder of the year. Last night, royal watchers were treated to a much needed injection of glittering style and glamour at the fourth annual Monte-Carlo gala for planetary health.

Princess Charlene made a shimmering appearance in the divine Jenny Packham Silvie gown. Charlene has perhaps the edgiest style of all the royal ladies. Last night she nailed it in a gown described as "perfect for events with flash photography".

The tulle gown is embellished with "scores of light-catching beads and sequins that are strategically placed to flatter your figure". It's lined in smooth satin for coverage and has a slim silhouette with fluttering sleeves and plunging V-neckline (with thanks to the Royal Couturier for ID work on this).

Charlene's stunning necklace is by Repossi. 

All proceeds from the star-studded evening go to Prince Albert's Foundation. More from the official website:

'While the world is battling the most severe pandemic in decades and experiencing an unprecedented crisis, our lives have drastically changed and an outstanding global solidarity movement is rising.

In these uncertain times, there is at least one indisputable certainty: it is time for us to listen to our Planet and refuse to go back to “business as usual”.

Health is our very first human right. Our modern societies rely on healthy ecosystems to support healthy communities, local livelihoods and prosperity. Yet, infection diseases such as Ebola, SARS, Avian influenza and now COVID-19 are on the rise, together with unprecedented levels of deforestation, overfishing and biodiversity loss across the world.

Scientists and experts estimate that more than 70% of all emerging infectious diseases are interlinked with the health of ecosystems. As the Planet warms and the ice thaws, scientists fear that ancient viruses and bacteria locked away for thousands years in glaciers and the permafrost could re-emerge.'

 What do you think of Charlene's look? The bold red lip pulled it all together for me.

Princess Eugenie & Jack Brooksbank Are Expecting A Baby

In heartwarming news, Buckingham Palace confirmed today, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are expecting their first child. In a statement the Palace said: "Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting a baby in early 2021. The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, Mr and Mrs George Brooksbank, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted with the news."

On her Instagram page, Eugenie wrote "Jack and I are so excited for early 2021" with a photo of an adorable pair of baby slippers. 

For the announcement photo, Eugenie wore a ME+EM jewel green silk forever swing dress (with thanks to Caroline Parr).

A huge congratulations to the couple!

Crown Princess Victoria in Checked Suits as Swedish Royals Prepare for Country-Wide Tour

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden enjoyed spending the day with Generation Pep - a non-profit organisation created by the royal couple to ensure all children in the country have the opportunities to live a happy and healthy life.

Generation Pep's multi-layered approach involves not only schools, families and local youth clubs but also advocates at the highest level with politicians and policymakers. At the annual forum for the organisation last year Victoria said: "I don’t think any of you in here lack knowledge of the health situation among Sweden’s children and young people. You’ve heard the numbers and seen the charts. You know that children are moving less and less and that health is becoming more unequal. I also don’t think any of us in here are happy with what it looks like today. I know I’m not, and neither is Prince Daniel."

In Gävle, the couple joined Governor Per Bill and others for a round-table discussion focused on young people's physical health. From there, they travelled to Rapatac to hear about efforts to give children and young people good conditions for a safe and meaningful upbringing.

Victoria's stylish pink checked suit is By Malina. I do love the vibrant colour; Victoria has such an interesting style and often embraces something new. This is a very fresh take on the traditional workwear suit.

Victoria carried a Little Lifner crossbody bag and Ralph Lauren Addington boots.

Earlier this week, it was another checked suit for Victoria, as she and Daniel met representatives from the arts to discuss the difficulties they have been facing since the pandemic began. A royal spokesperson said they were told "about various creative initiatives taken to bring out performing arts to the audience under the prevailing conditions and the industry's preparations for a safe restart".

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They also joined the King and Queen for a virtual meeting with all of Sweden's governors. During the discussion it was announced royal visits and mini-tours to all of the country's twenty-one counties will take place in the coming months. They will be divided among the King and Queen, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, and Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. It's going to be very interesting to see these trips as they happen and the itineraries.

Victoria's second checked suit is also By Malina. The grey checked Rosetta style remains available on the website.

Monaco's Royal Twins Go Back To School

A reader sent me a message on social media with a link to a fabulous photo of Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella returning to school earlier this week. I thought it very aptly summed up the moment so many will be experiencing as their little ones return to normality. It's a snapshot of Gabriella helping her brother before they begin class and catch up with their friends. This is a very brief post sending thoughts to all of you who are breathing a sigh of relief with the school week over and another step on the journey back to normality taken :)

A Busy Week for Queen Letizia as Leonor & Sofia Return to School

It's been another busy week for King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, who carried out a variety of engagements as their daughters returned to school. Like so many countries in Europe, Spain is experiencing a rapid rise in positive Covid-19 cases during what's been coined "the second wave" of the pandemic. This had led to varied restrictions imposed across several regions and has undoubtedly presented difficulties for aides planning itineraries. We've seen a focus on meetings and more low-key visits, obviously planned with these challenges in mind.

Earlier this week, Felipe and Leitzia stepped out for the annual Cooperators Day, which honours those working tirelessly in the fight against global poverty and for sustainable human development. Due to the aforementioned restrictions, the event was scaled back with just eight representatives from a number of organisations joining the King and Queen.

The director of NGO Action Against Hunger in Lebanon, Beatriz Navarro, spoke to the couple about the 125 aid workers who have lost their lives this year and the multitude of issues facing the most vulnerable due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, a nurse from Mozambique, Maria José Castro, discussed the situation in the country. Letizia was particularly interested to speak to her as she visited Mozambique last year with the Spanish Cooperation as part of rural community development efforts. Letizia stressed the importance of cooperation in the months ahead.

King Felipe said: "I am aware that many of you are suffering a worsening of the already harsh and precarious living conditions as a result of COVID-19. I want in particular to convey our concern and solidarity to those people who are displaced with your families, who are being affected by these exceptional circumstances, and to those others who are separated from your loved ones by the limitation in the movement of people imposed by the pandemic."

Queen Letizia repeated a navy and white tweed midi ZARA dress she debuted last year. I remember when she wore this there was a great deal of surprise the dress was on sale for £20. It looks a much more expensive piece owing to the cut - with off-the-shoulder design and a frayed hem. Letizia accessorised with Caroline Herrera shoes and accessories.

In her role as honorary president of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, yesterday Letizia held a meeting with several experts on research in the field. 

During 2019, the Spanish Association Against Cancer has assisted 318,264 people affected by the disease. A royal spokesperson noted: "The organisation has been the reference entity in the fight against cancer for 66 years. It dedicates its efforts to showing the reality of cancer in Spain, detecting areas for improvement and starting a process of social transformation that allows a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to cancer." Letizia heard about several grants to fund research for the coming months.

Letizia's striking floral dress is the Massimo Dutti Cupro style.

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And this morning the Queen was photographed dropping Leonor and Sofia off for school.

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Shortly after these images were taken, it was confirmed a pupil in Leonor's class had tested positive for the virus. Both Leonor and Sofia will have to quarantine for two weeks. It underscores the challenges and uncertainty ahead as students all over the world return to school. 

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Crown Princess Mary Attends UN Conference "A Decade of Action"

In addition to her role and duties as Crown Princess of Denmark, Mary has worked closely with the United Nations for over a decade. In 2010, she became a patron of the United Nations Population Fund and has served as a member of the task force on the international conference on population and development, which has seen her undertake trips all over the world. Mary is a passionate advocate for the UN and a respected spokesperson on women and girls, sexual and reproductive rights, and youth and humanitarian issues.

Queen Máxima Celebrates Music Table Day & Meets Carers & Their Loved Ones

It's another busy week for Queen Máxima as she dives into the autumn schedule. Today, the Queen attended a school concert to mark Music Table Day which encourages those from across the education sector.

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The Duchess of Cornwall Visits Rifles as Regiment's Colonel-In-Chief

The Duchess of Cornwall has carried out her first official engagement as colonel-in-chief of 1st Battalion, the Rifles since she succeeded Prince Philip in the role in July. It marks the beginning of the autumn schedule for the British royals, as they undertake a programme of events with measures such as social distancing and a very limited press pack in attendance.

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Crown Princess Mary in Periwinkle Blue Dress & Connaught Sapphire Brooch for Flag Day

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess of Mary of Denmark attended events marking this year's Flag Day.

It's Back to Business for Queen Máxima

Following the traditional summer break, the royals are back in action this week as they commence a packed autumn programme of engagements in very different circumstances compared to previous years. Yesterday, Queen Máxima stepped out in a very stylish white suit to visit a community centre in Rotterdam supporting the elderly.

Elegant New Portraits Mark Queen Rania's 50th Birthday

A series of elegant new portraits were released by the Royal Court to officially mark Queen Rania's 50th birthday. The Queen recently told Hola! she has "never really been big on birthdays. Some people find this hard to believe, but my absolute least favourite thing is to be the centre of attention." It's a very special day for the Queen who has undoubtedly been showered with gifts and best wishes today.