North Korea

North Korea
The always bombastic and unpredictable North Koreans go hysterical again. This time the country is prepared to "go to war" with South Korea because that country is playing loudspeakers directed at North Korean territory. A headline from a UK paper reads, "More than 50 North Korea submarines 'leave their bases' as war talks with South continue "

Monday, June 4, 2012

A Queen's Diamond Jubilee

How many queens, approximately, are there in the world today? Ask google, Jeeves, Wikipedia, and the answer is ... a dozen. Apparently there are two different types of Queens: Queen Consort, and Queen Regnant. Queens Regnant are queens who have the constitutional power, and are actually the ones who were, at some point, first in line to their throne.

- Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
- Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the Commonwealth.
- Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

Queen Consorts are married to one King or another, and have no power. There are currently 9:

Queen Paola, consort of Albert II of the Belgians
Queen Rania, consort of Abdullah II of Jordan
Queen Silvia, consort of Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Queen Sirikit, consort of Rama IX of Thailand
Queen Sofia, consort of Juan Carlos I of Spain
Queen Sonja, consort of Harald V of Norway
Queen 'Masenate, consort of Letsie III of Lesotho
Empress Michiko, consort of Akihito of Japan
Queen Sylvia, consort of Muwenda Mutebi II of Buganda

Queens, regnant or consort regardless, have many ceremonial duties. Here Queen Sirikit of Thailand is escorting Russian leader Putin into a state dinner ...

At the moment, Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Commonwealth (a very loose grouping of most nations that have some history as a colony of the United Kingdom and keep the connection), is celebrating the 60th year of her reign.


The UK Commonwealth of Nations

Let the celebrations begin - the performers perform, the royal family be seen, the photographers snap, commentators muse, and citizens of all these countries take pride.

Queen Elizabeth, her husband Prince Philip, and a couple wives of her son and grandson respectively

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From the left: the lesser known "royal" Beatrice of York, the well known Kate and her husband William, along with Harry

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Fireworks display

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The finely costumed will.i.am is perhaps performing a salute ...

Next, its the Olympics in London in July!


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1 comment:

Teatree said...

Okay, just in case anyone is wondering about will.i.am gracing the event with his presence, you are not alone.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2155151/Just-From-Olympic-torch-Diamond-Jubilee-US-star-gatecrashed-celebrations.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

June 8, 2012 at 8:04 AM

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