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 May through August.
May:
The month started off with the King of Thailand releasing several new pictures of his son Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti for his 12th birthday.
Photo: Public Relations Department of Thailand
Our Europe Correspondent, Laura Dekkers, took a tour of the Royal Greenhouses at Laeken in Belgium.
Inside the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken (Photo: Laura Dekkers)
There were two-day celebrations in Oslo for King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th birthdays.
Queen Sonja, King Harald and Prime Minister Erna Solberg. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen.
The Norwegian Royal Family took part in the National Day celebrations.
From the parade in front of the castle. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen.
Infanta SofĂa of Spain received her First Communion.
The abdication law for the Emperor of Japan was approved by the Japanese Cabinet.
Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Nassau and Antonius Willms married in a civil ceremony in Luxembourg.
© Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli / tous droits réservés
King Salman of Saudi Arabia presented US President Trump with the country’s highest civilian honour.
Official White House Photo Shealah Craighead (US Government Work/Public Domain)
June:
Royals celebrated the centennial of Finland in Helsinki.
Royals and guests from Iceland and assemble on the balcony of City Hall. Photo: @Hovikirjeenvaih (Twitter) /hovikirjeenvaihtaja.wordpress.com
New photographs of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden were released ahead of her 40th birthday in July.
The Crown Princess in the living room of Haga Palace. Photo: Erika Gerdemark/Kungahuset.se
The traditional images were released of Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar for Sweden’s National Day.
Photo: Erika Gerdemark, The Royal Court, Sweden
Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark celebrated 50 years of marriage.
Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik onboard the royal yacht to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Photo: © Kongehuset
Princess Margriet made a working visit to Lebanon.
Princess Margriet makes a working visit to SOS Children’s Villages in Lebanon. She does this together with Jan Smit, Ambassador to SOS Children’s Villages. Photo: © SOS Kinderdorpen / Michel Koreman
Prince Nicolas of Sweden turned two.
Kate Gabor, The Royal Court, Sweden (via Princess Madeleine’s Facebook)
The King of Saudi Arabia promoted his son to Crown Prince ahead of his nephew who had been the heir.
The new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Official White House Photo Shealah Craighead
Photos of the Crown Princess Family of Sweden were released for Midsummer.
Erika Gerdemark / Kungahuset.se
The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg celebrated the country’s national day.
© Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli / tous droits réservés
The Princess of Orange, Princess Alexia, and Princess Ariane. Photo: RVD, Jeroen van der Meyde
Crown Princess Margareta of Romania granted Swiss Nationality.
The Crown Princess. By Webphoto.ro CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Crown Prince Couple of Serbia also held a reception for Serbian students in the White Palace.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess were greeted with a great cheer when they arrived at the reception. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen.
July:
Princess Charlene caused controversy for her opposition to killing sharks from the families of shark attack victims.
The Princess of Monaco in 2012. Photo: Brunifia from Flickr via Wikimedia Commons
The Crown Prince Family of Denmark got a new dog, Grace. Grace is related to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s old dog, Ziggy, who died earlier this year at the age of 12.
© Crown Princess Mary/Kongehuset Instagram
Queen Sonja of Norway turned 80, and there were celebrations throughout the country with the biggest party at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
This statue of Queen Sonja on a mountain trip given to the Queen by the Norwegian Tourist Association – It stands in the Castle Park. Here is the Queen together with the artist who made it. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen.
Royal Central also conducted an exclusive interview with the Crown Prince Couple of Serbia. Europe Correspondent, Oskar Aanmoen travelled to the Royal Palace in Belgrade to conduct the interview.
Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine and Royal Central’s Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen in the Blue Salon in the Royal Palace of Belgrade. Photo: © Royal Central
Crown Prince Alexander shows Royal Central’s Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen around in his palace. Photo: © Royal Central
The Dutch Royal Family posed for their annual summer photo call, as well.
© RVD / ANP
King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain went on a state visit to the United Kingdom.
© Casa S.M. el Rey
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden celebrated her birthday in style with a two-day event on the 14th and 15th.
A photo posted to the Swedish Monarchy’s Instagram by Prince Daniel of Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar before the carriage ride through the streets of Stockholm on Friday. Photo: Prince Daniel/Kungahuset Instagram
Prince Henrik of Denmark, the husband of Queen Margrethe, underwent surgery on his right pelvis.
Prince Henrik pictured with Queen Margrethe © Kongehuset
King Willem-Alexander and Queen MĂ¡xima opened National Monument Park MH17.
The Belgian Royal Family celebrated National Day.
@MonarchieBe/Twitter
The Swedish Royal Family released another family photo to celebrate summer.
Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/ The Royal Court, Sweden
Prince Philip of Serbia announced his engagement to Danica Marinkovic.
Photo released by the Royal Palace of Belgrade of Prince Philip and his fiance. Photo: Royal Palace of Belgrade
The Grand Ducal Family had to be evacuated from their holiday home due to surrounding wildfires.
His Majesty meeting Thomas Bach – Head of the Olympic Committee. Photo: Casa SM el Rey
Princess Ingrid Alexandra together with her cousin, Maud Angelica Behn, and her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen
August:
Princess Charlene was named the new patron of Lifesaving Sout Africa.
The Spanish Royal Family held their annual summer photocall.
Model of the glass sarcophagus designed by Bjørn Nørgaard for Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik. A new one will have to be developed just for Her Majesty. © News Ă˜resund – Johan Wessman (CC BY 3.0)
Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia donated sterilisation medical equipment to the value of more than 1.4 million US dollars to hospitals all over Serbia.
The Crown Princess gives toys to children at a hospital in Serbia earlier this year. Photo: Royal Palace Belgrade.
It was revealed that Prince Laurent of Belgium, younger brother to King Philippe, could lose his stipend due to his unapproved attendance by the Belgian government at the commemoration of 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. He later deleted his Twitter account.
Photo: agriflanders (CC BY 2.0)/Flickr
Princess Athena of Denmark attended her very first day of school. There was a meeting with the press outside the home of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie before the school day began for a very shy princess.
Photo: HRH Princess Marie. © Kongehuset
King Abdullah of Jordan represented Her Majesty The Queen at Sandhurst, where his son, Crown Prince Hussein graduated alongside Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg and Prince Wenzel of Liechtenstein. The Grand Ducal Family later released several images from the ceremony to the media.
The Royal Hashemite Court shared this family photo from the Crown Prince’s graduation. Photo: @RHCJO/Twitter
Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess accompanied by LL.AA.RR. Princess Alexandra, Hereditary Grand Duchess, Hereditary Grand Duke, Prince Sebastian, Prince Louis, Princess Claire and Prince Felix. © Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco / Tous droits réservés
Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine had their very first day of school. They posed outside the family home with their parents, Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik.
The twins at school. Photo: Crown Princess Mary
The King and Queen of Spain visited Barcelona and Cambrils after a terror attack that killed at least 13 and injured more than 100.
The King and Queen at Hospital del Mar. © Casa de S.M. el Rey
Princess Alexia of the Netherlands attended her first day in secondary school.
Photo: HM King Willem-Alexander
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark was banned from entering an Australian pub due to him not carrying his I.D.
Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark. Photo: Mogens Engelund via Wikimedia Commons.
An anniversary concert was held for Queen Sonja of Norway.
The Queen had a good view of the performance. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central
Princess Madeleine of Sweden announced that she was expecting her and husband Christopher O’Neill’s third child in March 2018. Unfortunately, it had to be announced earlier than expected due to a leak to the press.
Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill
Photo: Patrick Demarchelier/Royal Court, Sweden
Prince Nikolai celebrated his 18th birthday.
The picture released from the Prince’s birthday celebration. Photo: Kongehuset
The month ended on a high note as Princess Sofia of Sweden gave birth to her second son, Prince Gabriel.
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia are back home at Villa Solbacken with their new little bundle of joy. Photo: Kungahuset.se
