All About Royal Families

Count Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz, the uncle of Queen Mathilde of Belgium has died  on 30 August 2021.  Count Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz was born on 27 November 1933 as the eldest son  of Charles Joseph Marie Ghislain - baron d'Udekem d'Acoz and Suzanne van Outryve d'Ydewalle.  Talbot house in Poperinge He had two younger brothers: Raoul and Patrick (the father of Queen Mathilde).  Count Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz became a lawyer specialized in Lease Law. He also was the former mayor of Poperinge and the President of the Council of  Nobility of Belgium. Only in 2000 he became a Count instead of a baron after the marriage of his  niece Mathilde to then Crown Prince Philippe (Now King Philippe of the Belgians). Count Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz was married to Marie-Madeleine Kervyn d'Oud Mooreghem.  He was accused with fraud. Although he denied everything, he was sentenced later, however he was released from his gult in appeal.  You can see a picture and the an

The  House of Mecklenburg The House of Mecklenburg is a North German dynasty of Slavic origin which ruled until 1918 in the Mecklenburg region. This was one of the longest-ruling families of Europe.  History The family was established by Pribislav, a Slavic prince who converted to Christianity and accepted the suzerainty of Saxon Duke Henri the Lion. The main branch of the house was elevated in 1347 to ducal rank. In the family there were several branches: - Duchy of Mecklenburg; - Lordship of Rostock; - Principality of Schwerin; - County of Schwerin; - Principality of Ratzenburg; - Lordship of Stargard; - Principality of Wenden. Titles and claims to the thrones Sweden The Dukes of Mecklenburg pursued from the 14th. century a claim to  the Swedish throne. The Duke of Mecklenburg was a descendant and the heir of two women whom legends tied to Scandinavian royal houses: * Christina, who was the wife of Henry Borwin II, Lord of Mecklenburg; * Marianna, who was the wife of duke Barnim I of

Is tennis a Royal Hobby or not? Tennis is mentioned in literature as far back as the Middle Ages. In the Second Shepherds' Play (c 1500) shepherds gave three gifts, including a tennis ball, to the newborn Christ. Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur's round table, plays  tennis against a group of 17 giants in the Turke and Gowin (c 1500).  The Medieval form of tennis is termed as real tennis, a game that evolved over three centuries from an earlier ball game played around the 12th. century in  France which involved hitting a ball with a bare and later with a glove. By the 16th. century, the glove had become a racket, the game had moved to an enclosed playing area, and the rules had been stabilized. Real tennis  spread in popularity throughout royalty in Europe, reaching its peak in the 16th. century.  Austria In 1899 Archduke Franz Ferdinand left his watch chain after a tennis party in  Pressburg. In his watch chain there was a portrait of his later wife Sophie.  Forgetting his

Marcus Cocceius Nerva was born on 8 November 30 (his year of birth was disputed) in the village of Narni, 50 kilometres north of Rome.  Family He was the son of Marcus Cocceius Nerva, who was consul during the reign of Caligula and Sergia Plutilla.  Nerva was a member of the Italian nobility rather than one of the elite of  Rome. However the Cocceii were among the most esteemed and prominent political families of the late Republic and the early Empire.  Emperor Not much was known of Nerva before he became an Emperor. However on  18 September 96, Domitian was assassinated and the same day the Senate proclaimed Marcus Cocceius Nerva emperor. This was a remarkable choice. Nerva was old and childless and spent much of his career out of the public light.  Nerva was considered a safe choice precisely because he was old and childless. Furthermore he had close connections with the Flavian dynasty and he had  gained respect from the Senate.  Duty Nerva publicly swore that no senators would be p

Recently I bought from the local library a small but amazing book in Dutch called Diana & Dodi: A love Story. It was written by Rene, the butler and personal assistant from Dodi Al Fayed. He saw the romance between Diana, the Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed blossoming untill their tragic death on 31 August 1997 in Paris. I think most of the people knew Diana, Princess of Wales but who was Dodi (Al) Fayed? Who was Dodi Fayed? Dodi was born in Alexandria, Egypt on 15 April 1955 as the eldest son of  Mohammed Al Fayed and Samira Khashoggi. Dodi studied in Swiss and he served as an attaché at the United Arab Emirates Embassy in London. Later Dodi was a producer for film and movie series. He also worked for his father on Harrod's marketing. In 1986, Dodi married Suzanne Gregard but the couple divorced after a few months.  Only in July 1997 Dodi became romantically involved to Diana, Princess of Wales. My review The tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed shock

Falconry is the hunting of wild animals in their natural habitat and stay by means of a trained bird or prey.  The practice of hunting with a conditioned falconry bird also is called "hawking".  Falconry is an art. It requires long hours, constant devotion, finesse, subtlety and skill.  The falconer must train a bird of prey to fly free, hunt for a human being and then  accept a return to captivity.  Falconry was just not a hobby. It was a lifestyle. Falconers must devote time to their birds each and every day. It must be no surprise that  falconry has a long and royal history just as horse riding. In many countries owning a falcon was and is a status symbol.  Some history of Falconry Medieval sports were chances for men to practice their mental and physical skills. However falconry also was practiced by women.  Royals and Falconry Bahrain Emir Isa bin Salman al Khalifa of Bahrain and his family owned the Sulman Falcon Centre. The royal family can afford their own well-traine