All About Royal Families

On 25 October 2026, Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant, celebrates her 25th birthday! As the eldest daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Princess Elisabeth has a very special place in Belgian royal history. One day, she is expected to become the first reigning Queen of the Belgians. But who is the young princess behind the royal title? From her international education and military training to her love of music and sports, there is much more to discover about Belgium's future queen. Let's celebrate her birthday with 10 fascinating facts about Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium! 1. A princess born in Brussels Princess Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène was born on 25 October 2001 at the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht, Brussels. She is the first child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, who were then Duke and Duchess of Brabant. Elisabeth has three younger siblings: Prince Gabriel, born in 2003, Prince Emmanuel, born in 2005, and Princess Eléonore, born...

October will be a fascinating month for royal watchers, with state visits, royal birthdays, historic commemorations and several exhibitions that bring royal history back to life. From Belgium and the Netherlands to Scandinavia, Spain and the United Kingdom, the royal calendar is once again filled with engagements. October is also an important month for the younger generation of European royals, with the birthdays of Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Crown Prince Christian of Denmark and Princess Leonor of Spain. For me, this month will have an extra touch of royal history. I will be travelling to Paris myself, following in the footsteps of Marie Antoinette and Napoleon and discovering some of the places where their stories unfolded.  So, let us take a look at the royal highlights, birthdays, anniversaries, books and exhibitions to watch in October 2026. Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium and Prince Emmanuel of Belgium Royal diary Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October 1st: BE:...

Norway has one of the most fascinating royal histories in Europe. The death of King Harald V in August 2026 and the accession of his son, King Haakon VIII, made me curious to look beyond the events of today and discover more about the royal history behind Norway's modern monarchy. Long before Haakon VIII became King of Norway, the country was ruled by Viking kings, medieval dynasties and monarchs from Denmark and Sweden. Names such as Harald, Olav and Haakon have appeared throughout that history. And perhaps that is what makes the Norwegian monarchy so fascinating: behind the Royal Family we know today lies a royal story that stretches back more than a thousand years. So, let's travel back in time and discover how Norway went from Viking kings to the modern monarchy of King Haakon VIII. The Viking kings of Norway The traditional story of the Norwegian monarchy begins with Harald Fairhair. He is remembered as the first king to unite Norway, traditionally after the Battle of Hafr...