Royal Weddings

There is another Royal wedding in the offing, as the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck announced his engagement.

The 31 year old king, who helped usher in democracy in the Buddhist nation, will marry 20-year-old student Jetsun Pema.
In his speech, he said, "As king, it is now time for me to marry. After much thought I have decided that the wedding shall be later this year." (Text: AFP)

"While she is young, she is warm and kind in heart and character," he said of the future queen, who appeared in traditional Bhutanese dress in a joint picture released of the couple.

The Royal wedding of the century took place on April 29, 2011. Britain's Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton, titled the Duchess of Cambridge, tied the knot in what is known to be the perfect fairytale wedding.

Prince William and Kate Middleton will soon have company on the royal wedding calendar. Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday that Zara Phillips, Queen Elizabeth's II's eldest granddaughter, is engaged to her boyfriend, Mike Tindall. Rugby player Mike proposed to Zara at their home in Gloucestershire. No date has been set for the wedding yet.

Zara Phillips, a world equestrian champion, is the daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips. She and her brother, Peter, are among the more low key members of the British Royal Family, and the only ones not to hold any royal titles. Zara has also been voted Sports Personality of the Year by the BBC and is active in charitable causes, mainly related to sporting injuries and children.

The fairytale wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer was the stuff dreams are made off. They married in 1981 in a ceremony that was televised worldwide. 15 years later, it ended in tears and divorce amid rumours of infidelity in the tabloid press

For once, the tabloids seemed to have got it right as Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles after a long and unofficial relationship. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip did not attend their son's 2005 wedding ceremony but did hold a reception for the newlyweds at Windsor Castle

Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning monarch of Britain and the Commonwealth countries, fell in love with Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark when she was only 13. They began to exchange letters and married in 1947. Prince Philip gave up his own titles and was created Duke of Edinburgh. Their wedding was not free of controversy as Prince Philip had German relations with Nazi links. Post-war Britain was still recovering economically and Elizabeth had to use ration coupons to buy material for her wedding dress.

Princess Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar married Maharaja Man Singh of Jaipur in 1940 and became the most famous face of Indian royalty. She made Vogue's Ten Most Beautiful Women list and worked hard to promote education and local crafts in Rajasthan

Recently, the scion of Jodhpur royal family Yuvraj Shivraj married princess Gayatri of Askot according to traditional rituals and attended by Bollywood stars, international A-listers, politicians and corporate honchos.

Erstwhile royals, family members and friends took part in the wedding procession. Seen in this pic Gaj Singh (L), the titular Maharaja of Jodhpur, with former King of Nepal Gayanendra, during the marriage ceremony.

Big Fish: Titular Maharaja of Jodhpur Gaj Singh leads the barat of his son Yuvraj Shivraj to be followed by a dream wedding.

Prince Charming: Shivraj Singh was the knight in shining armour for Askot princess Gaytri Kumari, waiting eagerly for the extravagant ceremony!

No love story could have a happier ending than that of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly who married in 1956. Oscar-winner Grace gave up her movie career to be a full time Princess. The couple had three children but the fairytale was cut tragically short when Princess Grace died in a car accident aged 53.

King Abdullah II of Jordan met Palestinian Rania Al-Yassin at a dinner party in 1993 and married just a few months later. Rania was proclaimed Queen by her husband after he became King – without the proclamation she would have remained a princess consort. She has worked hard to improve education and women's issues and is also considered a fashion icon. King Abdullah is a man of many interests – he loves to sky dive, scuba dive and race in rallies. He is also a Star Trek fan and appeared as an extra in Star Trek: Voyager

All that India loves most came together when screen goddess Sharmila Tagore married cricketer Mansur Ali Khan, Nawab of Pataudi in 1969. Four decades and three children later, the Nawab and his Begum continue to prove that happy endings are not just for the movies.

Fashion designer Prince Egon, of the German House of Furstenberg, married Belgian Diane Halfin in 1969. They had 2 children in quick succession and were divorced 3 years later. Diane von Furstenberg went on to become a fashion designer herself and her career soon eclipsed that of her former husband's.

King Juan Carlos I of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece met on a cruise of the Greek Islands. They married in 1962 after a 8 year courtship. Princess Sophia gave up her Greek title and also had to change her name to it's Spanish variant, Sofia. Juan Carlos became King after the death of Spanish dictator Franco.

Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, married American heiress Marie-Chantal Miller in 1995. They met on a blind date and it was love at first sight for both – the Prince proposed to Marie-Chantal on a ski lift during Christmas at Gstaad in Switzerland. Fashion star MC, as Marie-Chantal is known, wore Valentino for the wedding, with a diamond tiara lent by her mother-in-law Queen Anne Marie of Greece.

Charles-Philippe, Duke of Anjou, married Diana Alvares Pereira de Melo, Duchess of Cadaval, in 2008. Prince Charles-Philippe is involved in environmental issues, particularly a mission to explore solutions to the planet's potable water requirements

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway married journalist and single mother Mette-Marit in 2001. Norway did not instantly approve of it's new Crown Princess, partly because of her status as a single mother and partly because of her involvement with Oslo's rave scene and it's drug sub-culture. Mette-Marit's past has now been largely put to rest though there is still some disapproval of her as Norway's future Queen.

Charles and Andrew's younger brother Prince Edward married PR manager Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, putting an end to rumours that he might be gay. Edward trained as a military man, as is traditional for the British Royals, but later became involved in theatre and television. The couple have weathered many storms – topless pictures of Sophie surfaced just days before the wedding, she was caught making disparaging comments about members of the government in a sting operation and the gay rumours persist, despite the couple's 2 children

Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the son of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly and the current ruler of Monaco. After a long bachelorhood, Prince Albert is now engaged to former South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock. They will marry on July 2 this year.

Yuvraj Karan Singh was regent of Jammu & Kashmir when he married Princess Yasho Rajya Lakshmi of Nepal in 1956. Dr Karan Singh, as he is now, brought his political and administrative abilities to his later career as politician and diplomat, variously serving as Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Health and Education as well as India's Ambassador to USA.

Crown Prince Naruhito, the hier apparent to Japan's Chrysanthemum Throne, married diplomat Masako Owada in 1993. The birth of their daughter, Princess Aiko, sparked off debate on whether Japan's succession laws should be changed to allow women to ascend the throne

Prince Nikolaos of Greece married Tatiana Blatnik in August this year, after a long relationship. Tatiana, formerly an event planner for designer Diane von Furstenberg, is not styled as Princess Tatiana as the Greek Royal House was abolished in 1974.

Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, married Sarah Ferguson in 1986 but their story proved no happier than the Charles-Diana saga. Divorce was the only road to take when Sarah was caught redhanded with another man by the tabloid press. The split was amicable but Sarah continues to embarrass the Royal Family, most recently by being caught on tape offering access to Prince Andrew in exchange for cash

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden married her personal trainer Daniel Westling in June this year. Victoria will become Sweden's 4th Queen when she ascends the throne. The royal couple are hugely popular in Sweden and support for the monarchy increased after their wedding.

Prince Felipe of Spain was linked to many eligible women but finally said goodbye to bachelorhood when he married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano in 2004. Princess Letizia has been married and divorced before but remains popular in Spain because she is independent and cultured and represents the modern woman

Prince Kyril of Preslav, second son of Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, married Spaniard Maria del Rosario Nadal in 1989. Former model Rosario is related to Spanish nobility. Kyril, who once dated Brooke Shields, and Rosario recently announced their decision to live separately but do not intend to divorce.

Princess Margaret, wild child Royal before Sarah Ferguson claimed the title, married photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 despite being in love with another man. Her husband was created Earl of Snowdon and the marriage seemed a happy one but Princess Margaret was soon linked with other men including Mick Jagger, Peter Sellers and David Niven. They divorced after pictures of her holidaying abroad with another man were splashed across the tabloids.

Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, married Argentine Maxima Cerruti in 2002. Prince Willem-Alexander is the heir apparent to the Netherlands' throne. Former investment banker Maxima's father had connections with the Argentine military dictatorship, creating much controversy at the time of their marriage.