All About Royal Families

September brings the royal families back into the spotlight after the quieter summer weeks, and this year the month begins with a particularly historic moment in Norway. From King Haakon VIII taking the Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution to Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands and the opening of the Swedish parliamentary year, September 2026 promises plenty of royal tradition and ceremony. Here are some of the royal highlights to watch this September. Royal Diary September 1st: NOR: His Majesty King Haakon VIII will take the Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution in the Storting Chamber at 1 pm.  September 1st - September 2nd: BE The King and Queen attend the 22nd informal meeting of the heads of state of the German-speaking countries - The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg will attend this meeting too.  September 5th: UK: The Braemar Gathering - Held at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, this premier Highland Games event features pipe bands, h...

On 24 August 1838, Prince Philippe, Count of Paris, was born at the Tuileries Palace in Paris. As the eldest son of Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, and Duchess Hélène of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, he was born into the heart of the French royal family. His grandfather was King Louis Philippe I of the French, who had been on the throne since 1830. A French prince with Belgian family ties Philippe's father, Ferdinand Philippe, was the eldest son of King Louis Philippe and Queen Marie Amélie. His younger sister Louise Marie of Orléans had married Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians, in 1832. Belgium's first queen was therefore Philippe's aunt. This also made Philippe a first cousin of Louise's children, including the future King Leopold II, Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and Princess Charlotte, who would later become Empress of Mexico. The French and Belgian royal families were not simply neighbouring dynasties. They were close family. Philippe's future chang...

In Belgium, trains are such a familiar part of everyday life that we rarely stop to think about the history travelling with us. We take the train to work, to school, for a day out or perhaps to begin a journey abroad. Yet those railway tracks tell a story stretching back almost two centuries. And in 2026, there is an extra reason to look back. The National Railway Company of Belgium,better known as NMBS/SNCB, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. For me, this anniversary has a personal connection too. I am an avid train traveller myself and whenever possible, I love discovering places by rail. But there is another reason why this anniversary deserves a place on All About Royal Families: Belgian railway history also has a fascinating royal side. A century on the rails Belgium has always been a railway pioneer. As early as 1835, the first public railway on the European continent connected Brussels with Mechelen. The NMBS/SNCF itself was established in 1926, taking over the railway lines ...