With The Duchess of Cambridge (a.k.a Princess Catherine) and her sister Philippa 'Pippa' Middleton making headlines lately, I thought a quiz about royal sisters would be a nice challenge. See if you can identify each pair. You may submit your answers using the comments button or e-mail them to princessesreign@gmail.com.
1. The Queen of England and the Empress of Russia
2. Two discarded queens: One gone mad and One who 'lost' two English husbands
3. Queens of Revolution: One who lost her head and one who led a counter-revolution
4. The pair who introduced Rasputin to the Imperial Family
5. Scandalous sisters: One married a playboy but became an HRH and one ran away with the circus.
View Answers
06 May 2011
04 May 2011
Royal Wedding Gowns Answers
In this fashionable quiz, our experts could earn half a point each for correctly naming the designer(s) of the wedding gowns for the following royal brides. Here are the answers.
1. Lady Diana Spencer
The then-little-known-and-now-divorced couple David and Elizabeth Emanuel were shocked to receive a phone call from the newly engaged Diana. It has recently been revealed that they designed two gowns, in case one was discovered by the media. Diana's gown now tours regularly as part of the Diana: A Celebration exhibition. See the dress.
2. Sarah Ferguson
When she married Prince Andrew in 1986, Sarah also chose a little-known designer Lindka Cierach to make her dress, which incorporated bows galore and embroidery and beading that included the couple's initials, their crests, their careers and their love--which took a detour to the divorce courts six years later. They reportedly remain great friends. As for Cierach, recent headlines alleged that Catherine Middleton's mother hired her and then fired her for her own mother-of-the-bride look. See the dress.
3. Letizia Ortiz
News reporter and anchor Letizia Ortiz selected Spanish designer Manuel Pertegaz to create her gown when she married the future King of Spain. Her skirt, train, sleeves and collar of her gown were encrusted with symbols of Spanish heraldry and history. See the dress.
4. Crown Princess Victoria
When she wed in the summer of 2010, Crown Princess Victoria wore an elegantly tailored gown by Swedish designer Par Engsheden. Instead of V-neck front like Letizia, Victoria wore a deep v back. Although her sleek dress was very modern she paid tribute to the past by wearing her mother's wedding veil and the 19th-century cameo tiara that has worn by generations of Swedish royal ladies. See the dress.
5. Charlene Wittstock
Although Charlene has not yet married her prince--the wedding is in July 2011--it has been announced that her designer is Giorgio Armani. As the future princess of a principality nestled between France and Italy, she has made an excellent choice with such an iconic fashion house. In fact, she often wears Armani, however, this particular dress itself has yet to be revealed. (Update: Armani designed Charlene's gown for the religious ceremony; Chanel for the civil ceremony.)
6. Grace Kelly
Who else would an Oscar-winning screen actress turn to when she needs the most important ensemble of her career? A Hollywood wardrobe designer, of course. Grace selected Helen Rose of MGM Studios. The ideal dress of the 1950s, it included a full silk taffeta skirt with a button-up antique Valenciennes lace bodice and a wide sash at the waste. See the dress.
7. Queen Elizabeth II
In post-war Britain, the economy was very tough so women sent their clothing ration coupons to their future queen so that she could have a gown suitable for a princess. Created by a favorite royal designer, Sir Norman Hartnell, who drew inspiration from Botticelli for his petite but shapely client. He brought the seed pearls for the dress through customs from the U.S. but controversy later arose when reports circulated that the silk was produced by enemy silkworms. (Actually, it came from friendly Chinese worms.) Hartnell also created her coronation gown six years later. See the dress.
8. Mary Donaldson
To marry the Danish heir, Australian-born Mary selected Danish designer Uffe Frank. See the gown. The skirt of the gown included long panels that were pinned back to reveal 100-year-old Irish lace. The dress also included Chantilly lace from France and her ensemble included a fan that belonged to the groom's Swedish grandmother and a veil that had been worn when British Princess Margaret of Connaught married the Crown Prince of Sweden in 1905, when Danish Princess Anne-Marie married the King of Greece in 1964, when Greek Princess Alexia married her Spanish husband in 1999 and when several other princesses married. It was truly an international affair. See the dress.
9. Princess Margaret
The gorgeous Princess Margaret used the same designer as her sister: Sir Norman Hartnell, but with their varied personalities and more than 12 years between their weddings, their dresses were in no way similar. Where Elizabeth was ethereal and dripping in embellishment, Margaret was clean lines and stylish simplicity, not a single stitch of embroidery from the high v-neck to the wide skirt and short train. The classic look inspired her daughter-in-law's dress three decades later. See Margaret's dress. See Serena Linley's dress.
10. Maxima Zorreguieta
When Argentinian Maxima married the Dutch heir, she opted not to use a designer from either country, choosing instead to use legendary Italian designer Valentino. Highlights of the gown included a high cowl neck, three-quarter sleeves and lace details down the side of the flared skirt matched by lace along the edge of the train. Maxima must have loved the dress because she continues to wear Valentino quite frequently.See the dress.
BONUS: Catherine Middleton
Quiz takers were asked to hazard a guess as to the identity of this top-secret designer. Our responders decided to be more cautious than the media but they mostly agreed that it would likely be "sleek and modern."
Of course we now know that Catherine's dress was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. I would certainly classify it as a "sleek and modern" re-imagining of the classic princess gowns of Princess Grace and Princess Margaret. Its sweetheart neckline covered in lace with long lace sleeves may inspire bridal fashions to turn away from the current strapless trends.
Photo by Hugh Burnand. From The British Monarchy on Flickr.
1. Lady Diana Spencer
The then-little-known-and-now-divorced couple David and Elizabeth Emanuel were shocked to receive a phone call from the newly engaged Diana. It has recently been revealed that they designed two gowns, in case one was discovered by the media. Diana's gown now tours regularly as part of the Diana: A Celebration exhibition. See the dress.
2. Sarah Ferguson
When she married Prince Andrew in 1986, Sarah also chose a little-known designer Lindka Cierach to make her dress, which incorporated bows galore and embroidery and beading that included the couple's initials, their crests, their careers and their love--which took a detour to the divorce courts six years later. They reportedly remain great friends. As for Cierach, recent headlines alleged that Catherine Middleton's mother hired her and then fired her for her own mother-of-the-bride look. See the dress.
3. Letizia Ortiz
News reporter and anchor Letizia Ortiz selected Spanish designer Manuel Pertegaz to create her gown when she married the future King of Spain. Her skirt, train, sleeves and collar of her gown were encrusted with symbols of Spanish heraldry and history. See the dress.
4. Crown Princess Victoria
When she wed in the summer of 2010, Crown Princess Victoria wore an elegantly tailored gown by Swedish designer Par Engsheden. Instead of V-neck front like Letizia, Victoria wore a deep v back. Although her sleek dress was very modern she paid tribute to the past by wearing her mother's wedding veil and the 19th-century cameo tiara that has worn by generations of Swedish royal ladies. See the dress.
5. Charlene Wittstock
Although Charlene has not yet married her prince--the wedding is in July 2011--it has been announced that her designer is Giorgio Armani. As the future princess of a principality nestled between France and Italy, she has made an excellent choice with such an iconic fashion house. In fact, she often wears Armani, however, this particular dress itself has yet to be revealed. (Update: Armani designed Charlene's gown for the religious ceremony; Chanel for the civil ceremony.)
6. Grace Kelly
Who else would an Oscar-winning screen actress turn to when she needs the most important ensemble of her career? A Hollywood wardrobe designer, of course. Grace selected Helen Rose of MGM Studios. The ideal dress of the 1950s, it included a full silk taffeta skirt with a button-up antique Valenciennes lace bodice and a wide sash at the waste. See the dress.
7. Queen Elizabeth II
In post-war Britain, the economy was very tough so women sent their clothing ration coupons to their future queen so that she could have a gown suitable for a princess. Created by a favorite royal designer, Sir Norman Hartnell, who drew inspiration from Botticelli for his petite but shapely client. He brought the seed pearls for the dress through customs from the U.S. but controversy later arose when reports circulated that the silk was produced by enemy silkworms. (Actually, it came from friendly Chinese worms.) Hartnell also created her coronation gown six years later. See the dress.
8. Mary Donaldson
To marry the Danish heir, Australian-born Mary selected Danish designer Uffe Frank. See the gown. The skirt of the gown included long panels that were pinned back to reveal 100-year-old Irish lace. The dress also included Chantilly lace from France and her ensemble included a fan that belonged to the groom's Swedish grandmother and a veil that had been worn when British Princess Margaret of Connaught married the Crown Prince of Sweden in 1905, when Danish Princess Anne-Marie married the King of Greece in 1964, when Greek Princess Alexia married her Spanish husband in 1999 and when several other princesses married. It was truly an international affair. See the dress.
9. Princess Margaret
The gorgeous Princess Margaret used the same designer as her sister: Sir Norman Hartnell, but with their varied personalities and more than 12 years between their weddings, their dresses were in no way similar. Where Elizabeth was ethereal and dripping in embellishment, Margaret was clean lines and stylish simplicity, not a single stitch of embroidery from the high v-neck to the wide skirt and short train. The classic look inspired her daughter-in-law's dress three decades later. See Margaret's dress. See Serena Linley's dress.
10. Maxima Zorreguieta
When Argentinian Maxima married the Dutch heir, she opted not to use a designer from either country, choosing instead to use legendary Italian designer Valentino. Highlights of the gown included a high cowl neck, three-quarter sleeves and lace details down the side of the flared skirt matched by lace along the edge of the train. Maxima must have loved the dress because she continues to wear Valentino quite frequently.See the dress.
BONUS: Catherine Middleton
Quiz takers were asked to hazard a guess as to the identity of this top-secret designer. Our responders decided to be more cautious than the media but they mostly agreed that it would likely be "sleek and modern."
Of course we now know that Catherine's dress was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. I would certainly classify it as a "sleek and modern" re-imagining of the classic princess gowns of Princess Grace and Princess Margaret. Its sweetheart neckline covered in lace with long lace sleeves may inspire bridal fashions to turn away from the current strapless trends.
Photo by Hugh Burnand. From The British Monarchy on Flickr.
10 April 2011
Royal Wedding Gowns
For half a point each, name the designer(s) of the wedding gowns for the following royal brides. You may submit your answers using the comment button or e-mail them to princessesreign@gmail.com.
1. Lady Diana Spencer
2. Sarah Ferguson
3. Letizia Ortiz
4. Crown Princess Victoria
5. Charlene Wittstock
6. Grace Kelly
7. Queen Elizabeth II
8. Mary Donaldson
9. Princess Margaret
10. Maxima Zorreguieta
BONUS: Catherine Middleton (Take a guess; 5 points for correct answers.)
View the Answers
1. Lady Diana Spencer
2. Sarah Ferguson
3. Letizia Ortiz
4. Crown Princess Victoria
5. Charlene Wittstock
6. Grace Kelly
7. Queen Elizabeth II
8. Mary Donaldson
9. Princess Margaret
10. Maxima Zorreguieta
BONUS: Catherine Middleton (Take a guess; 5 points for correct answers.)
View the Answers
Prince Harry Answers
The second son of the Prince of Wales and his late wife, Diana, has attracted a lot of media attention throughout his life. Recent headlines include qualifying as an Apache pilot, serving as his brother's best man at the upcoming royal wedding and making a trek to the North Pole for charity. In this quiz, we asked our experts about this young man who will likely never be king.
1. What is his full name?
Although he has always been called "Harry" by his family and the public, his first name is Henry. Like his brother, father and royal aunt and uncles, he was given four names. His father also registered him with the hyphenated last name that his mother created for her non-royal descendants, although he doesn't use it in his daily life, instead opting to use his father's territorial title as a surname, making him "Harry Wales". His full name is Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor and his style/title is HRH Prince Henry of Wales. When his father becomes king, his title will change to HRH The Prince Henry.
2. What is the name and purpose of the charity he founded with another royal prince and who is his princely partner?
Harry has expressed a deep love of Africa and a keen interest in philanthropy nurtured by both of his parents. These two things combined inspired him to co-found Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who also had lost his charitable and popular mother. Sentebale, which means "forget me not," helps orphans in Lesotho, where so many children have been impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The charity celebrates its fifth anniversary this month.
3. Where did he attend university?
After a gap year that included work missions in Australia and Lesotho and an Argentinian holiday, Harry opted not to attend university, enrolling instead in Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in 2005. He is now an army lieutenant with combat experience, having served in Afghanistan, where his tour was cut short after media reports endangered him and his unit. He recently qualified as an Apache helicopter pilot and may soon be promoted to captain.
4. After the breakdown of his parents' marriage, some people alleged that Prince Charles was not his father. Who did these people claim was his real father?
Many people still continue to claim that he is the natural son of James Hewitt, Diana's riding instructor who became her lover, citing the similar ginger appearance of Hewitt and Prince Harry. These claimants, however, don't seem to accept that Diana's relationship with Hewitt started well after Harry was born--they dispute the start date. They also don't seem to notice the clear physical resemblance between Prince Harry and his royal gandfather Prince Philip at the same age or the fact that red hair is very common in Diana's family: her sister Sarah and brother Charles are both ginger, too.
5. Harry has attracted negative media attention in the past. Identify at least one of the controversies attached to him.
Growing up in the international spotlight is undoubtedly difficult and Harry has certainly had some lapses of judgement that have drawn negative attention. Some of the incidents mentioned by our experts were: getting caught smoking marijuana as a teen, wearing a Nazi uniform to a party, calling someone a "Paki," and saying that he didn't like England. Right now, however, the prince is riding a media high generated by his military accomplishments, his role as best man at his brother's wedding and recent attempt to reach the North Pole in support of the Walking with the Wounded charity.
1. What is his full name?
Although he has always been called "Harry" by his family and the public, his first name is Henry. Like his brother, father and royal aunt and uncles, he was given four names. His father also registered him with the hyphenated last name that his mother created for her non-royal descendants, although he doesn't use it in his daily life, instead opting to use his father's territorial title as a surname, making him "Harry Wales". His full name is Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor and his style/title is HRH Prince Henry of Wales. When his father becomes king, his title will change to HRH The Prince Henry.
2. What is the name and purpose of the charity he founded with another royal prince and who is his princely partner?
Harry has expressed a deep love of Africa and a keen interest in philanthropy nurtured by both of his parents. These two things combined inspired him to co-found Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who also had lost his charitable and popular mother. Sentebale, which means "forget me not," helps orphans in Lesotho, where so many children have been impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The charity celebrates its fifth anniversary this month.
3. Where did he attend university?
After a gap year that included work missions in Australia and Lesotho and an Argentinian holiday, Harry opted not to attend university, enrolling instead in Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in 2005. He is now an army lieutenant with combat experience, having served in Afghanistan, where his tour was cut short after media reports endangered him and his unit. He recently qualified as an Apache helicopter pilot and may soon be promoted to captain.
4. After the breakdown of his parents' marriage, some people alleged that Prince Charles was not his father. Who did these people claim was his real father?
5. Harry has attracted negative media attention in the past. Identify at least one of the controversies attached to him.
Growing up in the international spotlight is undoubtedly difficult and Harry has certainly had some lapses of judgement that have drawn negative attention. Some of the incidents mentioned by our experts were: getting caught smoking marijuana as a teen, wearing a Nazi uniform to a party, calling someone a "Paki," and saying that he didn't like England. Right now, however, the prince is riding a media high generated by his military accomplishments, his role as best man at his brother's wedding and recent attempt to reach the North Pole in support of the Walking with the Wounded charity.
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