It is time again for the Winter Olympics in Beijing this year. The Opening Ceremony is on 4 February and the Olympics end on 20 February.
Many royals are members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and usually participate at the annual meetings ahead of the Opening Ceremony. Royal Central is taking a look at the royal members of the IOC.
The Princess Royal: Britain’s hardest working royal has held a position in the IOC since 1988. An equestrian Olympian for Great Britain, Princess Anne competed in the 1976 Olympic Games. She holds numerous sports administrative positions in the United Kingdom and abroad.
The IOC listed her history with the organisation as follows, “Member as IF representative of the Eligibility Commission (1990-1994); Chair of the following Commissions: Nominations (2014-2015), IOC Members Election (2015-).”
Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan: Brother to Jordan’s King Abdullah, His Royal Highness became a member of the IOC in 2010. He has participated in football, volleyball, wrestling, motorsports; the Prince won a gold medal in 1978 in the Interstate Championships. Prince Feisal has held numerous administrative positions in sports, as well, including being the President of the Jordan Olympic Committee from 2003 to present.
Princess Nora of Liechtenstein: Her Serene Highness became a member of the IOC in 1984; she served as the President of the Liechtenstein Olympic Committee from 1982-1992. She has been the President of the Special Olympics Liechtenstein since 2002 and has held numerous other positions in the IOC.
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg: Practising swimming, sailing, skiing, water-skiing, tennis throughout his life, he entered the IOC in 1998. Additionally, the Grand Duke is a member of the board of the Luxembourg National Olympic Committee and a member of the Olympic Solidarity Commission.
Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck of Bhutan: The Prince is the younger brother of Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel and has been a member of the IOC since 2018. He practises archery, basketball, football, cycling and shooting and was on an A-League basketball team in his home country. He has also been the President of the Bhutan Olympic Committee since 2008.
Prince Albert of Monaco: The Sovereign Prince of Monaco has been a member of the IOC since 1985 and practised rowing, football, handball, judo, swimming, tennis, equestrian, squash, golf, windsurfing, fencing, volleyball, bobsleigh and skiing throughout his life. His Serene Highness is also a five-time Olympian, competing in bobsleigh in the 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002 Olympic Games. He has held or is currently holding several sports administrative positions, which include being the President of the Monaco National Olympic Committee since 1994 and a member of the Honorary Board of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar: His Highness became a member in 2002 and practised football, tennis, swimming, falconry. He was also the President of the National Olympic Committee of Qatar from 2000 to 2015.
Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud (Saudi Arabia): Joining the IOC in 2020, the Princess is also the Saudi Ambassador to the United States of America. She practises skiing and has been a member of the IOC’s Women in Sport Commission since 2018. She also is a board member of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, Chair of the Saudi Arabia Special Olympics, and board member of the Saudi Sport for All Federation.
Honorary royal members of the IOC are King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, King Constantine of Greece, Prince Tunku Imran (Malaysia) and Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.
