Photo by Marc. (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
So the Olympics are like a big shiny thing that has kept me from getting things done. Errands have gone unrun, tasks have been put aside, blog posts have not been written. So I give you a link drop to see what some royals have been up to these last two weeks. (I am so sad that the Olympics end tomorrow. I could seriously watch this stuff year-round, but then I’d probably never be productive again.)
Many of Europe’s royals often show up at the Olympics to cheer on their nation’s teams. A few – like Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Prince Albert of Monaco – are members of the International Olympic Committee, and have enjoyed the awesome job of handing out the medals, but mostly the royals have been in the stands. (A woman from my hometown won a gold medal in Women’s Eight Rowing, and narrowly missed out on receiving her medal from Frederik… he just had to only present medals to the Lightweight Men’s Four who received their medals just before her. Whatever.)
Here are Willem-Alexander and Maxima, Prince and Princess of Orange, and their daughters at the Women’s Swimming 4x100m relay, where the Dutch team won silver. The Oranges (kitted out in the Dutch national color) are pretty exuberant fans, and the Dutch relay team showed their appreciation by tossing their bouquets to the royals.
Here are Albert and Charlene of Monaco, also at the swimming venue, cheering on Charlene’s friend Chad le Clos of South Africa, who won gold in the 200m butterfly (Charlene is herself an Olympian who swam for South Africa at the Sydney Olympics). This may be the most animated I have ever seen Charlene.
William, Kate, and Harry have been all over the Games in their roles as ambassadors for the London Games, cheering on Team GB. Kate especially has been wearing her emotions on her face… It’s been nice to see her so “real,” after about a year and a half of only seeing her composed “royal” face. (Also, I have to include this picture of Harry being adorable.)
And of course, here is the most-talked-about royal moment of the Games… when Queen Elizabeth II “parachuted” into the Olympic Stadium with James Bond, as played by Daniel Craig. (I apologize for what passes as commentary in the clip. NBC has made my List these past two weeks.)
But this has to be the pièce de résistance… King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden watching the Swedish Men’s Handball Team play… apparently His Majesty is a big handball fan. Who knew? (The article also features Queen Margrethe of Denmark and Crown Prince Frederik’s family, as the Danish handball team was playing Sweden, and a cameo by William, Kate, and Harry.)