All About Royal Families

2026 promises to be a year filled with memorable royal moments, meaningful anniversaries, and stories that connect past and present. From official milestones to personal chapters in royal lifes. In this February 2026 overview brings together the highlights you won’t want to miss. picture of last year Church Service in Brussels Royal diary January 31st. - February 4th: UK: His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will visit the UAE to attend the World Governments Summit 2026 in Dubai.   February 1st: NL: King Willem-Alexander will attend the Men's Cyclocross World Championships in Hulst on Sunday afternoon.  Annette Van Dongen - King Willem Alexander in Hulst February 3rd: UK:  The Princess of Wales will visit textile manufacturers in west Wales, 'to celebrate the heritage, creativity and craftsmanship of Welsh textile manufacturers' February 4th: NL: Princess Beatrix, Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien will attend the opening of the Hollan...

Faith, legend and a deeply rooted Monegasque tradition Hidden between the harbour and the steep rock of Monaco, the Church of Sainte Dévote is one of the Principality’s most meaningful spiritual landmarks. Small in scale yet immense in symbolism, this sanctuary tells a story that has shaped Monaco’s identity for centuries. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the Church of Sainte Dévote myself. Stepping inside, away from the movement of the port and the surrounding city, the atmosphere immediately invites calm and reflection. It is a place where time seems to slow, allowing history, faith, and tradition to speak softly but clearly. Who was Sainte Dévote? Sainte Dévote, also known as Saint Devota, is the patron saint of Monaco and the Patron Saint of the Princely Family of Monaco . According to tradition, she was a young Christian from Corsica who was martyred around the year 303 during Roman persecutions. After her death, her body was placed on a boat, destined for burial elsewhe...

Catherine de’ Medici (1519–1589) remains one of the most fascinating women in French royal history. Born in Florence into the powerful Medici family, she later became Queen of France, wife of King Henry II, and mother of three French kings. Her life story combines royal splendour, political strategy, and enduring tales of mystery that continue to intrigue royal enthusiasts worldwide. Key dates • 13 April 1519 – born in Florence • 1533 – marries Henry, Duke of Orléans • 1547 – becomes Queen Consort of France • 1559 – death of Henry II, Catherine becomes Queen Mother • 24 August 1572 – St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre • 5 January 1589 – death of Catherine de’ Medici in Blois From Florence to the French court Raised in the cultured world of the Italian Renaissance, Catherine married into the Valois dynasty in 1533. When Henry II became king in 1547, she stepped fully into the world of French royalty. After his sudden death in 1559, Catherine emerged as a central political figure, guiding he...

January may seem quiet, but in the world of royalty it marks an important moment of renewal and continuity. As the new year begins, royal families return to duty, reopening diaries and setting priorities for the months ahead. King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset © Royal diary January 1st:. King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark will host their New Years Party. They will be accompanied by Crown Prince Christian, Queen Margrethe, Prince Joachim, Princess Marie and Princess Benedikte.  January 1st.: Prince Hisahito of Japan will attend New Year Receptions. January 6th.: The Pascua Militar is a military ceremony that takes place every 6 January in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace of Madrid. January 8th.: The Prince and Princess of Wales, Joint Patrons, NHS Charities Together, this morning visited Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6. January 11th.:  January 12th: King Carl Gustaf and Crown Princess Victoria will sta...

December has always been a special month in the world of royalty. As the year draws to a close and winter lights begin to sparkle across palaces and capitals, royal families around the globe step into a season filled with tradition, ceremony and moments of connection. From state visits on distant shores to centuries-old constitutional celebrations, from festive concerts to the familiar Christmas broadcasts, December brings together history and present day in a way only monarchies can. Royal diary December 1st till December 3rd.:   King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of The Netherlands will travel to Suriname for an official State Visit.  In early December (often between 3 and 7 December) the Monaco Royal Family traditionally inaugurates the Christmas Village at Port Hercule. In recent years, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène (often with their twins) have taken part in the ceremony. The same period sees major philanthropic events organised under Princess Charlène’s...

Mary Lilian Baels, later known as Princess Lilian of Belgium, Princess of Réthy, was born on November 28, 1916, in Highbury, London. She was one of nine children of Henri Baels, a prominent Belgian politician, and her youth was spent between Belgium and the great finishing schools of France, Switzerland, and Austria. Cultivated, elegant, and multilingual, Lilian had a taste for literature, golf, skiing, and the arts. Her charm and refinement soon brought her into royal circles, where the widowed King Leopold III of Belgium noticed her. The first encounters between Lilian and the king took place at public events and during golf outings, some discreetly arranged by Leopold himself. Lilian Baels is the lady on the right side of the picture Wikipedia When the Second World War broke out and Belgium was invaded, Lilian devoted herself to the Red Cross, transporting wounded Belgian and French soldiers to hospitals. It was against this dramatic backdrop that her life took its most fateful turn...

A queen with an artist’s soul Some royals walk into history as majesties. And some royals reshape it. Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (1876–1965) certainly belongs to the second category; a sovereign defined by empathy, curiosity and an extraordinary cultural legacy. A childhood shaped by art and compassion Elisabeth Gabriele Valérie Marie was born on 25 July 1876 at Possenhofen Castle on the shores of the Starnberger See. Her father, Duke Karl Theodor in Bavaria, was both a member of the Bavarian royal family , the House of Wittelsbach ,  and an acclaimed ophthalmologist; her mother, Infanta Maria José of Portugal, assisted him as a nurse, a rare role for a princess in the 19th century. This early exposure to caregiving and human vulnerability shaped Elisabeth’s lifelong compassion. Surrounded by music, painting and sculpture, she grew up in an environment that nurtured her artistic sensibilities. It was a childhood that prepared her for a future where culture and duty would become ins...

Discover what’s on the royal calendar this month! From state visits and remembrance ceremonies to birthdays and cultural events, November 2025 will be an engaging month for Europe’s royal families and beyond. Here’s a complete look at the royal engagements and birthdays happening this month. This blog will be updated during the month November.  Royal Diary November 1 King Philippe of the Belgians, King of Spain, Queen of Jordan, Queen of Denmark, Prince of Monaco, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Princess Akiko, Princess Sirivannavari, Princess Salma of Jordan, Crown Prince of Oman will attend the opening of the new museum in Cairo, Egypt. All Saint's Day November 6 🇬🇧 The Prince of Wales will represent King Charles III at the #COP30 World Leaders Summit in Belém, Brazil. 🇧🇪 King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians will attend the gala evening of the King Baudouin Foundation’s Antwerp Support Council. November 8 🇬🇧 The National Festival of Remembrance will take place a...

When we think of the French Renaissance court, we often imagine dazzling balls, glittering jewels, and intricate political games. But behind the silks and masks, the court of Catherine de' Medici had a darker, more mystical side and at the heart of it stood one enigmatic figure: Cosimo Ruggeri. Catherine de' Medici and Cosimo Ruggeri From Florence to France Cosimo Ruggeri (sometimes spelled Ruggieri) was born in Florence in the early 1500s, a time when astrology and alchemy were taken quite seriously, especially among Italy’s elite. He was trained in the esoteric arts: astrology, magic, and possibly even poison-making. His talents caught the eye of Catherine de' Medici, the powerful queen consort of France, who herself had grown up in the mystical atmosphere of the Florentine Medici court. By the mid-16th century, Ruggeri had followed Catherine to France and became her trusted astrologer and advisor. Some even whisper he was something more: a magician in her inner circle. T...