Hello my darlings, I'm sorry that I haven't put you up to date with royal news. I've been very busy these lats three weeks, I've just moved to a new house with a much better room for me and my plants and I'm helping my parents with the decor and organizing everything. Anyway! Without further ado, here's these last weeks' news.

As always, we begin with the UK, who always has fresh news for us.

UK: It has been reported on the morning of Friday the 20th, that the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth's husband, has been hospitalized, he was taken from the Royal Family's residence Sandringham House in Norfolk back to London for a "precautionary measure", the Palace said. Let us remind the Duke is of a very advanced age (actually a longer age for most people) and the inevitable is something we should expect, sadly. 

The Royal family gathered this Wednesday at Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Annual Christmas Luncheon. This is usually where the extended family members gather as an opportunity to be with the Queen, since she spends Christmas with her immediate family only.

Princess Beatrice of York and her husband Edoardo celebrated their engagement at the Chiltren Firehouse Hotel, among guests were the Duchess of Cambridge's brother and sister and their respective partners. The (very dubious, mind you) website of the Daily Mail  has reported the wedding will take place somewhere between the first weeks of June.

The Queen also opened the Parliament twice in such a short period of time, and has kept it "casual" - she didn't wear the State Robes nor the Imperial Crown, which stood by her side - due to this being the traditional week in which she heads to her Winter residence, Sandringham House, and spends Christmas on. Instead, she addressed the Houses of Commons and Lords with the promises of her government for the upcoming year in her normal work clothes. This was a nice opportunity to look at the Cullinan V brooch in such great light. 

Last week the Annual Diplomatic Corps Reception took place at Buckingham Palace and the Duchess of Cambridge attended, but not the Duchess of Sussex, who was earlier this month comfirmed to be away for Christmas with the Duke and both will spend this year's Christmas with her mother in the US. Such a pity, I was so looking forward to see her next to Kate. 

Her Majesty the Queen surprised royal watchers with an unworn emerald necklace featuring cabochon emerald drops. The necklace is probably from the Greville bequest. She paired this stunning piece with my much loved favorite British tiara, the Vladimir tiara. I so would love to do a post about this one but we don't have it stardoll so it would be a bit pointless, as you couldn't immediatly see it and had to look it up.

The Duchess of Cambridge also surprised us by wearing a new gown, with a very flattering design, and paired with with her usual tiara, the Cambridge Lover's knot tiara, the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace which she has worn before once, and the new-to-her Diamond Chandelier earrings from the Diamond Chandelier semi set. With it, she wore the Orders given to her in 2018 and 2919: the Queen Elizabeth II Family Order and the sash of the Royal Victorial Order. 

Now we move briefly to Norway: Amidst releasing official Christmas photos of the Royal Family, King Harold has announced he is stepping back from public life as he is currently ill with an infection. His son and heir Prince Haakon is now acting as regent in his place until he recovers. 

Over in Japan, illness attacks too. The Emerit Empress Michiko was previously reported to suffer from a disease on the heart valves, and has been subjected to two surgeries and was advised to keep an easy and carefree lifestyle from now on for her health's sake. 

This is the time of lots of Official christmas photos from all the Royal families! Keep your eyes out! My favorite so far has been the the Norwegian one. How about yours? 

Have a Merry Christmas my lovely readers!