The Royal Dispatch
Princess Catherine's return and a glamorous state visit
Happy weekend, Royal Clubbers, it’s Millie here with the latest edition of The Royal Dispatch. If you missed the last one, you can catch up here.
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It’s been a very busy week for our royals here in the UK as they hosted the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher for a glamorous state dinner. Elsewhere in Europe, the Monaco and Belgium royal families have been out and about too.
Before we go into the royal pictures of the week, it’s time for some royal history.
On this day in royal history, 8 December 1542, Mary, Queen of Scots was born, and just six days later she would become queen upon the death of her father.
Mary’s life is well-charted, both by the history books and popular culture. She married three times, and was imprisoned for 19 long years by her sister, Queen Elizabeth I, before she was accused of treason and executed in 1587.
While Mary’s life may have been cut short, the British monarchy continues through her line, as Queen Elizabeth never married and Mary’s son James became King of England and Scotland.
Perhaps the most dramatic moment in Mary’s life was catalysed in 1565 when she married her second cousin Henry, Lord Darnley. He was young, and by all accounts spoiled and arrogant. Their marriage deteriorated quickly, although she did fall pregnant. She was also close with her secretary, David Riccio, and rumours abounded that it was he who had fathered her unborn child.
Lord Darnley was used against Mary, his jealousy exploited by Scottish nobles who sought to turn the unstable royal marriage in their favour.
At 8 o'clock on Saturday, 9 March 1566, in the Palace of Holyrood House, Mary, Riccio and a few other courtiers were in her supper room when Darnley’s aides, Lords Morton, Lindsay and Ruthven burst in and demanded Mary hand over her secretary.
Six months pregnant, Mary stood between the attackers and Riccio, one of whom pointed a gun at her stomach. Unable to save him, Mary could do nothing as he was dragged from the room, through the royal bedchamber to the audience chamber where he was stabbed 57 times, thrown down the stairs and his body stripped of his clothes and jewels.
It was a shocking moment that turned the tide of Mary’s life forever.
For more royal scandals and romances, don’t forget to catch up on Isabelle’s newsletter, The Royal Romantic, which pulls back the curtain on some of the best royal romances.
This week’s scintillating read is focused on the romance between George VI and Maria Fitzherbert, and you can read it here.
Take a look at the highlights from the week below and scroll to the end for next week’s royal diary…
Best Royal Pictures of the Week
King of Thailand
King Maha Vajiralongkorn inspected a guard of honour during a Trooping the Colour parade by the Thai Royal Guards to mark his 72nd birthday celebrations on Tuesday at the Dusit Palace in Bangkok.
Monaco royals
Princess Charlene and Prince Albert had two little helpers as they attended the inauguration of the 'Place Princesse Gabriella' in the new 'Mareterra' district in Monaco on Wednesday.
The new “eco district” includes a swimming pool named after Princess Charlene, as well as a square named after the nine-year-old Princess Gabriella and a promenade named after her older brother Prince Jacques.
King Charles
The King and the emir shared a toast before the start of the state banquet, hailing the "profound, personal and historic" ties between Qatar and the UK. There were several members of the royal family in attendance, including the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal.
Belgian royals
It was an opportunity to dress in their finest for the King and Queen of Belgium, as they welcomed the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, for a gala diner at the Royal Castle of Laeken on Tuesday in Brussels.
Queen Camilla
The Queen stunned in Dior for a visit to the French ambassador’s residence on Wednesday. Despite being on the road to recovery from pneumonia, Queen Camilla was all smiles as she posed next to the First Lady of France Brigitte Macron, as part of celebrations for the Entente Littéraire Prize Ceremony, an award for young adult books translated into French and English.
Queen Letizia
Spain’s queen brought her usual style and elegance on her royal duties this week as she arrived in Madrid to support a campaign for universal accessibility awareness on disability day.
Prince William and Princess Catherine
The Prince and Princess of Wales made a rare joint appearance Horse Guards Parade during the state visit of the Emir of Qatar and his wife. Princess Catherine’s presence there is part of her phased return to royal duties.
Royal Diary: What’s coming up this week?
We might be on the run-up to Christmas, but the royals will be as busy as ever ahead of the festive holidays.
The King will be handing out some very significant and poignant awards this week, while the Duchess of Edinburgh will be supporting some of her dearest patronages.
There's also an overseas trip for one senior royal and find out why we've dubbed 10 December as Tiara Tuesday.