Royal Wedding Guests

We are now less than two weeks away from the *big day* and the royal guest list is starting to take shape. Not quite everyone expected has confirmed yet (I would wag a finger but modern royals who must please the public do tend to have rather rigid schedules). Flags and decorations are being prepared, flowers arranged and setting up for the entertainment is well underway. Here is a look at what we know so far about the many royals expected to attend the Princely Wedding:

Possibly the largest presence will be the Swedes, which should come as no surprise as the Sovereign Prince is very good friends with the Swedish Royal Family. From the ranks of the House of Bernadotte, Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Phillip and Princess Madeleine are all expected to attend. It will be a family affair for Sweden. It is not yet known if the King and Queen of Sweden will have much company of equal rank with the Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg having not yet confirmed. There is little doubt though that the House of Nassau will be represented in some way. Their Majesties King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians might show up but so far only Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde, Duke and Duchess of Brabant have confirmed.

From the House of Windsor, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Edward and Princess Sophie, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, will be representing the United Kingdom, as they did at the enthronement of Prince Albert II as Sovereign Prince of Monaco. There will also be many royal heirs present such as Their Royal Highnesses Willem-Alexander and Maxima, the Prince and Princess of Orange from the Netherlands, Their Royal Highnesses Felipe and Letizia the Prince and Princess of the Asturias from Spain, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark who will also be joined by Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark.

In the "not quite a sovereign" but effectively so category we have fellow micro-monarchie royals His Serene Highness Prince Alois and Her Royal Highness Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein and in the "royals without thrones" category we have Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Braganza from Portugal, Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Castro from the former Kingdom of the Two-Sicilies and, representing the former Royal Family of the protecting country of France Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Vendôme are expected to attend. None of the German royals have confirmed as yet nor have any from the Balkan countries though most expect some to attend, most probably the Crown Prince and Princess of Serbia. In any event, the royals will be out in force for the Princely Wedding and those providing the television coverage have hinted that the visiting royals will be given a little more attention this time around than they were at the royal wedding in London. I certainly hope that will be the case.