In a three-part series, we are taking a look back at some of the most memorable events of the royal year. This series will focus on the royals of mainland Europe and elsewhere, while a separate series will feature the year of the British Royal Family. Take a look below at 2017, from September through December.
September:
Princess Mako’s engagement was officially announced by the Imperial House of Japan.
Princess Mako in 2016. Photo: Monadaisuki (CC BY-SA 4.0)/Wikimedia Commons
The name of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia’s second son was announced as Prince Gabriel Carl Walther, Duke of Darlana. An image was later released taken by his father.
Photo: Prince Carl Philip, The Royal Court, Sweden
Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg has joined the Luxembourg Army.
HRH Prince Sébastian taking his oath. © Cour grand-ducale / Olivier Minaire / Tous droits réservés
Prince Albert was presented the Stroud Award for Freshwater Excellence in Delaware.
His Serene Highness received the award on the 17th of the month. Photo: Courtesy of Monaco Palace
Prince Henrik of Denmark was diagnosed with dementia.
Photo: Steen Brogaard, Kongehuset (The Royal Court).
Crown Prince Haakon together with King Abdullah on his visit to Jordan earlier this year. PHOTO: SAHARA FOREST PROJECT VIA FLICKR
Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia officially opened the SINERGY 2017 Conference.
Photo: Royal Palace Belgrade
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark’s namesake foundation, The Mary Foundation, celebrated its ten year anniversary.
The Crown Prince Couple arrives for the anniversary dinner. Photo: Steen Brogaard / Mary Foundation
Princess Marie of Denmark, as the patron, attended AIDS-Fondet’s fundraiser.
Chris Lykkegaard, AIDS-Fondet ©
Princess Astrid unveiled a bust of grandfather, King Haakon, in London.
Photo: Sven Gjeruldsen, The Royal Court/Det Kongelige Hoff
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg visited the European Central Bank (ECB).
His Royal Highness the Grand Duke receives explanations on the security of the banknotes. © Cour grand-ducale/Luxpress/all rights reserved
Queen Rania of Jordan presented Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with the Global Citizen Award in New York.
In a photo provided by the Office of Her Majesty, Queen Rania stands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after presenting him with the Global Citizen Award. Copyright © 2017, The Royal Hashemite Court
Dutch King and Queen attended Prinsjesdag, the State Opening of Parliament.
The King, Queen, Princess Laurentien and Prince Constantijn on the balcony after the opening. Photo: Roel Wijnants/Flickr
Princess Salma of Jordan turned 17 while her sister, Princess Iman turned 21 just a day apart.
The photo Queen Rania posted for Princesses Iman and Salma’s birthdays. Photo: @QueenRania/Twitter Copyright © 2017, The Royal Hashemite Court
In a historic move, King Salman of Saudi Arabia issued a decree allowing women to drive for the first time in the kingdom. They were the last country to ban women from driving.
DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo. (Released)
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg hosted the 14th gathering of German-speaking heads of state and their spouses.
The Grand Duke and Duchess with the King and Queen of the Belgians. © Cour grand-ducale / Olivier Minaire / tous droits réservés
Queen Letizia presided over the opening of the 2017/2018 Vocational Training Course at Secondary Education Institute Second of Chomón.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey
Lena “Tant Tång” Kautsky shows Their Royal Highnesses plants retrieved from the Baltic Sea. Photo: Kungahuset.se
October:
New photos were released of Queen Máxima and her daughters.
copyright: RVD, photographer: Erwin Olaf
copyright: RVD, photographer: Erwin Olaf
copyright: RVD, photographer: Erwin Olaf
copyright: RVD, photographer: Erwin Olaf
The King of Bhutan featured in the October calendar from Yellow Bhutan.
© Yellow Bhutan
King Felipe VI of Spain delivered an extraordinary address to the nation, in which he criticised Catalonian separatists and vows “to defend the unity” of Spain.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey
The King of Saudi Arabia was left stranded when his golden escalator stopped working while he was disembarking his plane.
King and Queen of Norway, alongside the Crown Prince, attended the state opening of parliament.
Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central
The first set of family photos of newborn Prince Gabriel of Sweden with his parents, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, and older brother, Prince Alexander were released.
Erika Gerdemark/Kungahuset.se
The Norwegian Royal Court released images of the Crown Prince Family surfing ahead of Norway hosting the European Championship of Surfing.
Fjordlapse Photography, Det kongelige hoff
The Spanish Royal Family celebrated Spain’s national day.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía at the 2017 events for Spain’s National Day. © Casa de S.M. el Rey
Prince Philip of Serbia married Danica Marinkovic.
Copyright © Royal Palace Belgrade
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway broke her leg after falling off her horse.
Photo: Cathrine Wessel, The Royal Court
Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway unveiled two new sculptures in Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s Sculpture Park.
Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central
Royals from all over the world attended the royal cremation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (or Rama IX) of Thailand.
Queen Sofía represented the Spanish Royal Family. © Casa de SM el Rey
Queen Rania of Jordan visited Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Copyright © 2017, The Royal Hashemite Court
Copyright © 2017, The Royal Hashemite Court
King Harald of Norway conducted a visit to the two villages of Rælingen and Enebakk.
Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden took part in her third walk throughout Sweden.
Photo: Raphael Stecksén, Royal Court, Sweden
Princess Stéphanie of Monaco becomes godmother of….an elephant.
Princess Stephanie. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
Princess Haya bint Al Hussein joined Twitter.
UN Photo/Mark Garten
Princess Marie and children with autism spend the afternoon in Tivoli Park.
© Torben Plank / Tivoli
November:
The first official solo photograph of Leonor, Princess of Asturias was released.
© Casa de SM el Rey/ Francisco Gómez
Crown Princess Mary unveiled 2017 Danish Christmas stamp.
© Kongehuset/Instagram
Ten Saudi princes were detained by an anti-corruption body.
Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau received the World Without AIDS Award.
Photo: RVD, Jeroen van der Meyde
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium travelled on a state visit to India.
Photo: Libois Corenthin, FPS Foreign Affairs
Photo: Libois Corenthin, FPS Foreign Affairs
It was announced that King Michael of Romania’s “general state of health has worsened considerably.”
King Michael of Romania by Emanuel Stoica via Flickr
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway visited Ethiopia.
Crown Princess Mette Marit and Crown Prince Haakon during their meeting with the Norwegian trade delegation to Ethiopia. Photo: Kjetil S. Bergmann, Innovation Norway via Flickr.
Princess Charlene apologised to the families of the victims of shark attacks. In the middle of the month, she also shared several candid snaps of her twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, on Instagram.
The Princess captioned the photos, “Our first haircut.” Photo by HSH Princess Charlene/ @hshprincesscharlene via Instagram
©Anthony Ghnassia/BHV Marais
Queen Rania of Jordan travelled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to speak at the Misk Global Forum (MGF).
Copyright © 2017, The Royal Hashemite Court
King Philippe travelled to an elementary school, “as a father, not as King” to read to children.
Photo: Lars Koopmans (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons
Crown Princess Mary hosted the annual Christmas reception for the Mary Foundation.
Photo: Steen Brogaard/Mary Foundation
December:
Prince Gabriel of Sweden was christened on the first day of the month in the Royal Chapel of Drottningholm Palace.
Erika Gerdemark / Kungahuset.se
On 5 December, King Michael of Romania died in Geneva. His funeral service was held on 16 December, and he was buried later that day.
The Norwegian and Swedish royals attend the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo and other Nobel prizes in Stockholm.
Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill are pictured in a new official portrait taken at the Nobels. (P: Kungahuset.se)
The Spanish Royal Family released their Christmas card.
© Casa de SM el Rey
© Casa de SM el Rey
The Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg released new official photos of the Grand Duke and Duchess.
© Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco / tous droits réservés.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended traditional St. Lucia celebrations.
Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central.
Crown Prince Haakon serving pastries to the elderly. Crown Princess Mette-Marit in the background. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central.
Crown Princess Victoria and her two children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar accepted the Christmas trees at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
© H Garlöv/Kungahuset.se
The Crown Princess Family of Sweden released their traditional Christmas video.
Photo: Raphael Stecksén, Royal Court, Sweden
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco revealed their 2017 Christmas card.
© Photo: Vanessa Von Zitzewitz / Prince Palace
© Photo: Vanessa Von Zitzewitz / Prince Palace
Many of the European monarchs delivered their Christmas Eve and Christmas Day speeches. You can read about their addresses by clicking on their names: Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Felipe of Spain, King Philippe of Belgium, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Elizabeth II.
King Felipe during his Christmas speech. © Casa de SM el Rey
