And then we came to the end. After weeks of sunshine, shorts and sandals, the royal summer is beginning to pack its bags and head off for another year. Random royals are starting to appear with tans that clearly weren't acquired in the minstrels' gallery of some dusty castle and we'd now be shocked, if not horrified, to see anyone do a photocall in espardrilles. Yep, summer is saying goodbye and we're saying hello to a busier royal diary. Here are five fun photos to sum up the royal week where summer started to fade....
Autumn means back to school and even when you're second in line to your country's throne that still includes your dad making you roll your eyes. As Princess Alexia, now twelve, got ready for her first day at her new college, her dad took a video and some photos to share on the official Dutch royal social media accounts. OK, dad is King Willem-Alexander but that didn't stop this almost teenager looking, well, very actual teenager as she posed reluctantly for the family album. What's not to love?
This week also saw a return to royal duties for Alexia's mum, Maxima, after a summer where she lost her father, Jorge Zorreguieta. Maxima said a final farewell to her dad a couple of weeks ago but was back on duty to visit the Bartholomeus Guesthouse which provides shelter for those in need and the Buurtgezinnen Foundation which offers support to single parent families. The smile was mega watt but what else do you expect? This is Maxima, royal superstar.
Talking of royal superstars back on duty, here's Queen Margrethe. Denmark's monarch looked carefree and really very happy as she made her first appearance after two weeks in France with a husband who firstly gave a magazine interview in which he said she'd treated him badly over his decision not to be buried with her and who then ended up in hospital with a repeat of a leg complaint that has already given cause for concern. But if you'd missed all of that, you would never have known that Margrethe has had a really tough summer. She was literally glowing as she opened the Aarhus Festival. Keep royally calm and carry on.
Royals do a lot of waving but it's good to see that this most basic of regal staples can take even them by surprise. Princess Madeleine of Sweden looked really very excited indeed to be waving as she attended the European Showjumping Championships in Gothenberg this week. Madeleine also appeared to have a great time doing those other royal favourites including cutting a ribbon and officially declaring the event open. Summers can be very long when you're a mummy to two small children - a day out takes on many layers of extra meaning after weeks of pureed food and kids TV.
King Felipe of Spain returned to Barcelona at the end of the week to take part in a march in memory of those killed in the terrorist attacks in the city and in Cambrils last week. Some estimates put the number marching through the streets to pay their respects at around half a million. Many were holding banners reading 'No Tinc Por' - 'We are not afraid' but there were also posters protesting at the presence of officials including the King and Felipe was booed at one point. It follows a week of debate about Spanish government policy. Felipe ignored the protests, instead taking his place at the front of the march and in so doing, becoming the first Spanish monarch to take part in a popular demonstration.
Photo credit: casareal.es
Photo credit: casareal.es
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