Category Archives: Breaking News!

Breaking News: Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern has died

Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern, one of the four elder sisters of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, died, aged 87, on December 4, 2024, in Majorca, Spain, where she lived. She is the first of the five siblings to die.

Her brother King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden made the following statement:

“With great sadness today I have received the news that my sister, Princess Birgitta, has died. My sister was a colorful and straightforward person who will be deeply missed by me and my family. Together with my entire family today I send my condolences to Princess Birgitta’s children and grandchildren.”

Princess Birgitta Ingeborg Alice of Sweden was born on January 19, 1937, at the Haga Palace in Solna, Sweden. She was the second of the five children and the second of the four daughters of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Her paternal grandparents were King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Her maternal grandparents were Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a grandson of Queen Victoria, and Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein. Sadly, her father Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten died in an airplane crash in 1947, when Princess Birgitta was ten years old.

Princess Birgitta met her future husband, Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern, a fine arts expert, at a cocktail party in Germany in 1959. Their engagement was announced in December 1960. The couple was married in a civil ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden on May 25, 1961. A religious ceremony followed on May 30, 1961, at the parish church of St John The Evangelist at Sigmaringen Castle, the seat of the Princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, in the Swabian Alb region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Because her husband was of princely status, Birgitta retained her royal style and title as Princess of Sweden and was the only one of her sisters to remain an official member of the Swedish Royal House.

Princess Birgitta and Prince Johann Georg had three children:

Prince Carl Christian of Hohenzollern (born 1962), married Nicole Helene Neschitsch, had one son
Princess Désirée of Hohenzollern (born 1963), married (1) Heinrich, Count of Ortenburg, had two sons and one daughter, divorced (2) Eckbert von Bohlen and Halbach, no children
Prince Hubertus of Hohenzollern (born 1966), married Uta Maria König, had one son and one daughter

Princess Birgitta and her husband separated in 1990 but remained married. Prince Johann Georg lived in Munich, Germany while Princess Birgitta lived on the island of Majorca, in Spain. They were occasionally seen together at family functions. Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern died in Munich, Germany on March 2, 2016, following a brief illness at the age of 83.

Read more about the Swedish royal family at Unofficial Royalty: Kingdom of Sweden Index

Breaking News: Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi expecting second child

Photo Credit – https://www.instagram.com/p/CC05fTMH_HJ/ Photograph by Benjamin Wheeler

It was announced today that Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second child early in the new year. His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.

On September 26, 2019, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Princess Beatrice to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Beatrice and Edoardo’s wedding, scheduled for May 29, 2020, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Beatrice and Edoardo were married in a private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, on the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, on July 17, 2020. They have one daughter Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, born 2021. Edoardo has one son from a prior relationship, Christopher Woolf, known as Wolfie, born in 2016.

Breaking News: Return of The King

Let the Hobbits and Wizards know that His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland will return to public duties next Tuesday.

BBC: King Charles to resume public duties after progress in cancer treatment

Breaking News: King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer

Credit – Wikipedia

Buckingham Palace has announced that King Charles III has been diagnosed with “a form of cancer.” Check our daily (except for Saturdays) Royal News Recap for more news on this.

The statement read:

During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer. His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual. The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.

Breaking News: Sarah Ferguson: Duchess of York Diagnosed With Skin Cancer

The Telegraph

From BBC News:

The Duchess of York has been diagnosed with malignant melanoma following the removal of a cancerous mole during treatment for breast cancer.

Sarah Ferguson had several moles removed and analysed while having reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy, her spokesman said.
The duchess “remains in good spirits”, despite it being “distressing” to have another cancer diagnosis.
She is the third royal to announce a medical procedure this week.

BBC: Sarah Ferguson: Duchess of York diagnosed with skin cancer

Breaking News: King Charles III to undergo treatment for prostate condition

Just hours after it was announced that The Princess of Wales had undergone successful abdominal surgery, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III will be treated for a benign prostate condition next week. The statement stresses that it is a benign condition, but the King will undergo a “corrective procedure”. The King’s engagements will be postponed for a brief period of time.

BBC: King Charles to be treated for benign prostate condition

Breaking News: Princess of Wales in hospital following planned surgery

photo: By Ian Jones – Buckingham Palace reception, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131607684

The Princess of Wales has undergone planned abdominal surgery at The London Clinic, a private hospital in central London. A statement from Kensington Palace states that she was admitted yesterday, and that “the surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery.” No further details were given about the Princess’s condition, but stressed that her condition did not involve cancer.

The Princess apologized for having to postpone her scheduled engagements, and the Prince will also be postponing some of his engagements while the Princess is in hospital. The Palace stated they will provide updates only if there is significant information to share.

Watch for more information posted in our Daily News Recap later this evening.

British Monarchy: A statement from Kensington Palace
BBC: Catherine, Princess of Wales, has planned abdominal surgery

Breaking News: Crown Prince Leka II, current claimant to the throne of Albania, and Crown Princess Elia are ending their marriage

Leka and Elia on their wedding day with some of their guests. Front row, left to right: Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco, Empress Farah of Iran, Elia, Leka, Queen Sofía of Spain. Second row, left to right: Alexander, Crown Prince of Serbia, Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Margareta of Romania, Prince Radu of Romania, Nicholas, Prince of Montenegro; Credit – By RoyalblogNL, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122942226

On January 16, 2024, it was announced that Crown Prince Leka II, the current claimant to the defunct throne of Albania, and his wife Crown Princess Elia, the former Elia Zaharia, an Albanian actress and singer, were ending their marriage.

A New Baby in Luxembourg!

Prince Felix with Princess Claire with their two eldest children Princess Amalia and Prince Liam, 2023; Credit – The Grand Ducal Court

Prince Felix of Luxembourg, the second child and the second of the four sons of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, and his wife Princess Claire have announced the birth of their third child, a son, Prince Balthasar Felix Karl of Nassau. Prince Balthasar was born on January 7, 2024 at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. He weighed 3,220 kg/7.1 lbs. and measured 50 cm/19 in. and is seventh in the line of succession to the throne of Luxembourg.

The press release read:

We are happy to announce the birth of our son, born on January 7, 2024 at the Grand-Duchesse Charlotte Maternity Hospital.
The newborn Prince will be named Balthasar Felix Karl.
It weighs 3,220 kg and measures 50 cm.

The baby and Princess Claire are in perfect health.

Félix and Claire
with Amalia and Liam

The couple already had two children:

Princess Amalia Gabriella Maria Teresa of Nassau (born June 15, 2014)
Prince Liam Henri Hartmut of Nassau (born on November 28, 2016)

Read more about the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg at Unofficial Royalty: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Index.

BREAKING NEWS: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark to abdicate, January 14, 2024

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, in her New Year’s Speech, has announced that she will abdicate the throne on January 14, 2024. That day is the 52nd anniversary of her accession, following the death of her father.