Most people think that a royal family must be far removed from a so-called ‘real’ or average family, but in truth most royal families have their own share of glory and at times shame. And by virtue of being ‘Royalty’ they are constantly in the public eye and are expected to conduct themselves differently than an average family. Hence, at times, it turns out that being a ‘Royal’ comes with a huge baggage and the price of wearing the crown is indeed high!
While most of us are more used to thinking about the Royal family of England, when we say the word ‘royal’, there are other significant royal families around the world, which are as famous as the Royal family of England. Take for instance the Royal family of Spain. The Royal family of Spain is headed by King Juan Carlos I of Spain and the Queen Consort HRH Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark. Juan Carlos I of Spain became the king in the year 1975 on the 22nd of November, only two days after the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco died. Incidentally, it was Franco, who had named him as the next head of state in the year 1969. King Juan Carlos I became the first reigning monarch since the year 1931.
King Juan Carlos I of Spain married HRH Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark in the year 1962, on the 14th of May. They got married in the Church of Saint Dennis, in Athens. Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was the daughter of King Paul of Greece and though she was Greek Orthodox, she had to convert to Roman Catholicism so that she could become the queen of Spain and another ceremony (their wedding in the Roman Catholic faith) was conducted in 1962 in Rome at the Pauline Chapel the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
They were blessed with three children – two daughters and a son. Infanta Elena María Isabel Dominica, who is also known as the Duchess of Lugo, was born in the 1963, on the 20th of December. Their second daughter, Infanta Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia, was born in the 1965, on the 13th of June. She is also known as Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. The couple’s only son, Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos, Prince of Asturias, was born on the 30th of January 1968.
The Danish Royal Family, or the Royal family of Denmark, comprises HM Queen Margrethe II and her husband HRH Prince Consort Henrik. The couple’s elder son, TRH Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, Crown Princess Mary, HRH Prince Christian, who is the elder son of TRH Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary. The family also comprises HRH Princess Isabella, who is prince Frederik and Princess Mary’s elder daughter. The prince and the princess’ younger son and younger daughter, HRH Prince Vincent and HRH Princess Josephine are also present. HM Queen Margrethe II and her husband HRH Prince Consort Henrik have a younger son too. He is TRH Prince Joachim. He is married to Princess Marie, who is his second wife.
The prince’s first wife was Alexandra Christina, Countess of Frederiksborg. The Prince has two children with Alexandra Christina, Countess of Frederiksborg, and two children with Princess Marie. His elder son with his first wife is HH Prince Nikolai and his younger son is HH Prince Felix. His children from his second marriage are HH Prince Henrik and HH Princess Athena. The Royal Family of Denmark also comprises three other members – the Queen’s sisters HRH the Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and HM The Queen of the Hellenes and her cousin HH Princess Elisabeth.
The Royal Family of The Netherlands is an independent monarch and the current monarch of the King Willem-Alexander, who ascended to the throne on the 30th of April 2013. He was a student of history at the University of Leiden and was involved in water management in those days. He is married to an economics major Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti, who is now known as Queen Máxima. The Queen sired a daughter, Princess Catharina-Amalia, who was born on the 7th of December, 2003. Their second daughter, Princess Alexia, was born in the year 2005 on the 26th of June. The couple’s third daughter was born on the 10th of April in the year 2007, and is called Princess Ariane.
Queen Rania is the Queen consort of Jordan. She was born in the year 1970, on the 31st of August. Her parents were Palestinian and she was born in Kuwait. She was educated in the New English School in Kuwait and went on to earn her degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo. Though she is the Queen Consort, she has worked for Citibank in marketing, and also worked in Amman, with Apple Inc. She is also a women’s rights activist. She married Abdullah bin Al-Hussein in the year 1993 and has four children. Her first born is Crown Prince Hussein, who was born in the year 1994, on the 28th of June. Her second child is Princess Iman, born on the 27thof September in the year 1996. The couple’s third child is Princess Salma. She was born on the 26th of September 2000. Queen Rania and her husband’s fourth child is Prince Hashem, born on the 30th of January, 2005
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