More Diamond Jubilee books

J.H. Haynes & Co. will publish Sixty Glorious Years: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee in February 2012.  The price of the book is £20.00.

In September,Thames & Hudson published  Elizabeth II: A Photographic Portrait (£35.00)

And The Queen's Year by David Oakley.

The Real Elizabeth by Andrew Marr (Henry Holt: $32.00)

Mette-Marit Prinsesse av Folket

Perhaps emboldened by his American university education, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway was determined to marry the woman he loved.   It didn't matter that Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby's first impression was not a successful one.  She was a former party girl, a member of a circle that used drugs and alcohol on a regular basis.  Mette-Marit did not have a university degree ... and she gave birth to a son out of wedlock. 

Hardly the right qualifications for a future consort.  But Haakon made his case to his parents, and then to his country. Many Norwegians were understandably disappointed in Haakon's decision to date and then move in with Mette-Marit and her son.    He persevered, in spite of criticism and condemnation.  

After the engagement was announced, Mette-Marit spoke about her life at a press conference.  More Norwegians warmed to her charm.

The wedding took place on August 25, 2001.  Mette-Marit has been Crown Princess for ten years now.  She has given birth to a daughter,  Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is second in line to the throne, and a son, Prince Sverre Magnus.  She has also taken classes and traveled the world to improve her perspective and learn more about what life will be like as the queen consort of Norway.  

Mette-Marit has not only earned the love and respect of her husband's family, she also has learned the respect of the Norwegian people.  Here in the United States, we do not read a lot about the Norwegian royals, so we do not know what they do on a day to day basis.  Media coverage of the Norwegian royal family is largely confined to Scandinavian newspapers and magazines.

The Crown Princess is -- to say the obvious -- is a success.  To celebrate Mette-Marit's first decade as a member of the Norwegian royal family,  Kagge Forlag has published  Mette-Marit Prinsesse av Folket, 130 page book of photographs by noted photographer Aasta Borte. The text was written by Monica Aafloy Hansen, a journalist with the weekly magazine, Hjemmet.

The photos provide coverage of Mette-Marit's life as a wife and mother, and a Crown Princess carrying out engagements in Norway and abroad, highlighting poverty and AIDs, among other causes.  She is able to use her position as Crown Princess for good.

The book also includes a selection of photos of the Crown Princess attending formal events, wearing gowns and jewels, to royal weddings and other gala affairs.  The text is in Norwegian.  There are no plans for an English-language edition.   The photos are what will sell the book to non-Norwegian readers.

The price of the book is 399.00 Norwegian kroners.

http://www.kagge.no/index.cfm?tmpl=produkt&prodid=987941


This book can be ordered from Tanum, an Oslo-based bookstore with several branches throughout the city.


http://www.tanum.no/

An earlier book, in German, about Mette-Marit:

Princess Sophie of Romania's newest book: A Small Wink from Brittany

HRH Princess Sophie of Romania' long-awaited third bilingual photography book, A Small Wink from Brittany,  is now available.

As poetic as her first two books, this new volume shows you the Brittany she loves from a delightfully enchanting point of view.

The photographs in this book complement each other and take you through the different departments which make up the Brittany of today and of yesterday. You will discover this region through her images much the same way she did close to ten years ago.



www.blurb.comRomania is preciously held in her heart, but Princess Sophie fell under the spell of Brittany and settled there in order to pursue her work which reveals the soul of Brittany as only a Breton artist can. It can be said that she is Breton by adoption.


By opening this book, you will enter the magical world of Breton beauty that Princess Sophie's artistry captures for you."

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2531284


I think A Small Wink from Brittany will make an excellent Christmas present.  HRH Princess Sophie of Romania is a truly gifted photographer

Another new royal wedding book: A Fine Romance

A Fine Romance is by Steve Cooper.  The book was published in Australia by Hardie Grant, which also has a branch in the United Kingdom.

From the Amazon.co.uk blub:  More than just a celebration of the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, A Fine Romance is a sumptuous photographic record of European royal weddings over the last 75 years. These are the unforgettable alliances and love stories that have defined our understanding of modern European royalty. Part one of A Fine Romance is an extraordinarily comprehensive record of historical royal weddings, fairytale brides and handsome princes, from a glamorous and serene Grace Kelly to a blushing and shy Lady Diana Spencer. Part two is a richly illustrated romantic delight, bringing together a stunning collection of images from the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

No US publisher or distribution at this time.

Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee 2012

Of course, there will be a plethora of new books about Queen Elizabeth II, her reign, her family in honor of her 60th anniversary on the throne.  Here are several of the new and upcoming titles:

The Archduke's Secret Family by Daniel A.Willis

In 1996, Dan Willis published The House of Habsburg: The Descendants of Maria Theresia of Austria.  As with many royal genealogies, the book was incomplete as Dan could not contact some of the living descendants.

He was also stumped by one branch, the descendants of Archduke Ernst (1824-1899), a son of Archduke Rainer, who represented one of the many junior lines of the Habsburg dynasty.

Ernst has provided a challenge to royal genealogists.  Dan decided to take up the challenge to answer so many questions.  Did Ernst marry Laura Skublics, and what happened to their children?  Are there descendants living descendants?

The Archduke's Secret Family

The answers to these questions are in Dan's newest book, the superbly terrific The Archduke's Secret Family. 

Ernst and Laura met in a park in Budapest. It was love at first sight for the archduke,  and he was determined to be with Laura.  But Ernst's kinsman, Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, tossed a few obstacles in the archduke's way to keep the lovers separated.  

Laura, who had two children by her first husband, gave Ernst two daughters and two sons.   Tragically, for Ernst and for the children,  Laura died young.   Archduke Ernst could not publicly acknowledge his four children.  In an instant, he became a friend, and the children were raised in a foster family financially supported by Ernst's brother, Rainer.

So did the children ever find out their true roots?  To learn the answer to this question, and see how a dogged, determined royal genealogist managed to overcome several language barriers (Hungarian is not an easy language to learn), make his way through dusty archives and poorly maintained cemeteries,  order The Archduke's Secret Family.  


A little hint:  the book includes family photos and biographical and genealogical details.   Ninety-four pages. 

Another hint:  this book is not sold in bookstores. Dan has made the book available through Amazon.  You can click on the link or the photograph to order the book.


Update: February 5, 2024   The book is now out of print.  Mr, Willis is deceased so no new copies will be published. 

Our Queen by Robert Hardman

Robert Hardman, the Daily Mail's Royal correspondent, is the author of Our Queen, scheduled for publication on October 6.
The publisher is Hutchinson and the price is £20.00.   The book does not have an American publisher at this time.  Americans (and others outside the UK) can order from Amazon.co.uk.   Your US account information works with Amazon.co.uk - and you can be billed in U.S. dollars.    So if you want to order the book, click on the link at the top of this post.   I will earn a few cents (and  mean a few cents) from Amazon products ordered through my links, my stores and my search portals!!!!   

Hardman's earlier book,  A Year with the Queen, is available on Amazon