All About Royal Families

On 5 February 2016 Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck was born at Lingkana Palace, Thimphu, Bhutan. Family His parents are King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and his wife, Queen Jetsun Pema. He is a member of the House of Wangchuck.  His name was announced on 16 April 2016. In 2019 he received a younger brother who was named:  Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, Duty In honor of his birth, 108,000 trees were planted by thousands of volunteers in Bhutan. In 2017, in honor of his first birthday, a new damselfly species was named after the crown prince, Megalestes gyalsey. Bhutan Bhutan is oficially known as the Kingdom of Bhutan. It is a landlocked country in the Eastern Himalayas, located between China and India in the geographical subregion of Southern Asia.  It is a mountainous country. Bhutan is known as "Druk Yul," or "Land of the Thunder Dragon".  Nepal and Bangladesh are located near Bhutan but do not share a land border.   The country has a population of over...

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...

Giorgio Armani is an Italian fashion designer born on 11 July 1934. He formed his  company Armani in 1975. By 2001, Armani was the most successful Italian fashion designer.  Source picture: Book Cover Giorgio Armani was born in the northern Italian town of Piacenza, where he was raised with his older brother Sergio and his younger sister Rosanna by their mother Maria Raimondi and father Ugo Armani. During the secondary school at the liceo Scientifico Leonardo Da Vinci in Milan,  Armani aspired to a career in medicine, particularly after reading A.J Cronin's  The Citadel. He enrolled in the Department of Medicine at the University of Milan. But he left after three years and in 1953 he joined the army. Due to his medical  background, he was assigned to the Military Hospital in Verona.  Finally he opted luckily for another career path. After the army, Armani found a job as a window dresser at La Rinascente, a department store in Milan in 1957. He went on to be...

In 2014, president Xi Jinping of China and his wife Peng Liyuan opened the new panda pavillion in Pairi Daiza in Brugelette. T hey were on an official visit to Belgium.  King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Mathilde accompanied them.  On 11 July 2015, King Philippe of Belgium, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and  their children: Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eléonore visited Pairi Daiza. More about the royal visit on this link .  It took a while but on 17 august 2020, during my staycation, I finally could visit Pairi Daiza. It is a wonderful park with amazing gardens and buildings, however it was way too busy. Especially during Covid-19 time.  Pairi Daiza also has a very nice and long royal history. History In 1148, the Abbot of Clairvaux, Bernard (who became later Saint Bernard) sent  twelve monks to Cambron after an invitation of Anselm of Trazegnies, who had offered them land at the edge of the river Dender.  After th...

From 30 March 2014 till 1 April 2014, President Xi Jinping from China and his wife, Peng Liyuan, a former singer, made an official State Visit to Belgium. At the airport of Zaventem the presidential couple of China was welcomed by Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo (PS). After a short salutation they went to the Royal Palace of Brussels for an audience with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians. At the square in front of the Palace, 300 people were waiting to see a glimpse of the Presidential Couple of China, among them a lot of Belgians with a Chinese background. There were traditional Chince dances and flags of both countries. King Philippe of Belgium and President Xi Jinping of China In the "Salon du Vase" at the Royal Palace of Brussels, President Xi Jinping received the Grand Cardon of the Order of Leopold from King Philippe of Belgium. After the meeting at the Royal Palace of Brussels, the  royal escort on horse guided the presidential co...