Royal Olympic Update: The End

Oh, sadness. The Olympics are over. Let's take one last long lingering gaze at our royals in their sporting finest before we kiss the Games goodbye (picking up where we left off)...

The end of the Games finally brought appearances from some of the royals you've been longing to see, including Spain. Well, someone had to give the Cambridges a run for their PDA money.

The Spaniards proved to be most enthusiastic Olympic fans. At times, the suspense was just too much to bear: Which one of us will have to take one for the team and wear the aggressively loud Spain shoes???

And he wears them with aplomb. (Disclaimer: they may not have been as concerned with the shoes as I was. Ahem.) The only thing louder than those shoes is the King of Sweden.

Look at this display of royal team spirit, so ferocious the crowd had to take cover and Queen Sil had to bust out her best side-eye. Can you believe it?

I KNOW. I can't believe it either. But they had those obnoxious official Sweden shirts to live up to, and we don't all have hair to hold us when things get rough.

(Side note: Grumpy Spectator #1 in front of Carl Gustaf apparently had no idea the annoying man behind her was the King of Sweden. When they crossed paths again - she, this time, seated a noise-appropriate distance from the royal couple - they exchanged a merry wave.)

Anyway, back to Kate.

She was everywhere, naturally. In addition to, you know, watching sports, she resisted the urge to steal some medals along with Prince Harry, and spent some quality time catching up with Prince Albert. (Why the covered ears, hmm? It's not like Carl Gustaf was in the house.)

Harry made his much anticipated visit to beach volleyball. Obviously, he came for the bikinis and stayed for the cuddles. And HOLD UP: he's either stolen Aunt Anne's ubiquitous shades...or they're becoming a family epidemic {shudder}.

Naturally the Danish (with support from the Greeks) were in this until the bitter end, giving Christian time to take on his sister in the personality stakes by throwing up his own Bolt. 

Just in time for the end, Mette-Marit returned to take one last stab at the title of Most Enthusiastic Royal - kids included for good measure - and Joachim and Marie put in a brief appearance (they also brought their two young ones).

On Sunday night, it was all over. The Closing Ceremony was not just an opportunity for Princess Anne to get one last shot at adorning every single item of her outfit with the Olympic rings, it was a glimpse of Very Serious Harry.

Harry - or Henry, rather, as he was announced which I'm sure confused a large chunk of the audience - was Her Majesty's official representative, meaning he got the big intro and plenty of shots to show us just how seriously he was taking the whole thing. And he didn't check his nails once. (The Queen is already up at Balmoral, if you were wondering.)

And that's the end. Hopefully someone will throw a tiara event soon to put a smile back on my face, but until then, let's reminisce:

What was your favorite Royal Olympic Moment?

Photos: Getty Images/PA/Abaca/London 2012

Royal Olympic Update: Days 9 to 11

Newsflash: the Olympics are still happening. Hey, you can always count on me for the breaking news. Let's catch up to to yesterday (Tuesday) with a few royal highlights, shall we?

Day 9: The Duchess of the Olympics hit up gymnastics, handball (where she seems to have done the wave, which for reasons unknown to me is A Big Royal Story every time it happens) and later athletics with her two princely escorts (Wills and Harry). But the biggest surprise of all was that she missed out on Andy Murray taking home the gold in a Wimbledon rematch. Not to worry, the Duke of Kent was there to pick up her tennis-loving slack.

He's President of the All England Club, and I'm not sure he's left since Wimbledon. Maybe they just keep him there permanently, in case of tennis emergency.

 

On Day 10 Kate enjoyed a spot of sailing alongside trusty Anne and Tim. Those royals, they love them some boats. Good thing nautical fashion treats them well. I believe they caught the Women's Laser Radials race, which probably sounds more bionic than it actually is.

The Oranges were back at the equestrian arena as was Prince Albert and there were giggles. They also got to see all their intrepid poncho-clad cheering pay off in folds as the Dutch show jumping team adorned their amazing orange blazers with a silver medal.

 AND THEN THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR ARRIVED.

That's right folks, Isabella's in town and she's got sassy shoes. (Oh, a uniformed sailor doesn't salute you when you alight from your yacht each morning? How sad for you.)

Everyone gathered to watch Princess Nathalie compete in dressage and also because those royals, they love them some horses (probably even more than boats).

Even with Isabella joining the party, my prize for Best Royal these past couple days has to go to Harry.

First of all, he sported his Bob Marley scarf (given to him by Marley's widow during his trip to Jamaica earlier this year) to watch his buddy Usain Bolt defend his title in the 100m race. This is by far the best use of festive accessories we've seen yet. (Fun fact: Harry is part owner of a racehorse called Usain Colt. Heh.)

And then on Day 11, it was buckets of adorableness between Harry and his cousin Peter Phillips as they watched Britain tear up the velodrome in cycling. There were fist pumps, hugs, and even a few burgeoning tears.

The Yorks were there; Beatrice was loving it, alongside her sister and mother.

Anne check: she's also loving it! She even got in on some of that Harry cuteness AND THEN MY BRAIN EXPLODED FROM THE AWWWWS.

And that'll bring us up to speed, though we will certainly be behind again by the time this posts. Never ending fun, these Olympics. What are you loving right now?

(By the way, this post stands in for our normal Wedding Wednesday post, since I'm basically married to the Olympics at this point.)

Photos: Getty Images/Bauer Griffin/PA/Reuters

Royal Olympic Update: Days 7 and 8

Andddd we're baaaaack! Back to the Olympics shenanigans, picking up on Day 7 of the fun and games.

The equestrian arena proved to be a popular venue yet again, with the Oranges, Princess Beatrice and boyfriend Dave, and Princess Benedikte in the stands. And yet again they got drenched.

Hmm, let me see here...who wins the medal for rain fashion...shall we put it to a vote?

Royal competitor alert! Princess Nathalie and her horse Digby were up for Team Denmark. Princess Benedikte's daughter, a bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics, competes in dressage.

Cycling was also popular with the Wessexes, Prince Michael, and the Princess Royal, though apparently it wasn't all that impressive. C'mon guys, cheer up, you're at the Olympics!

That's better. (And yes, Michael is wearing a suit. Prince Michael. I don't feel on a first name basis when he's dressed like that...at the Olympics. Loosen up, dude. And yes, Anne is wearing her sunglasses indoors. Does she also wear them at night? One can only hope.)

Those shades have a purpose, you know.

At Field Hockey

Easy to identify, see. Princess Anne will not be overlooked! (She will also not get excited and you can't make her.)

There was plenty of swimming fun to be had by all.

Anne check: still not impressed. But despite Anne's nonchalance, things were downright suspenseful in the Aquatics Centre.

Not even Kate's hair could save her from the agony! (I just assume the locks must have some sort of superpower.)

 

The Danes were there too and they brought snacks, so I'll be sitting with them.

Day 8 brought out even more royals but the main event was Athletics, or Track and Field if you like.

William and Kate, as well as Beatrice, Anne, and Tim, witnessed Team GB truly pick up speed in the medals and produce one of the most inspirational nights of competition yet.

There was plenty more athletic fun on Day 9 and beyond, which is where we will pick up tomorrow.

Photos: AP/Getty Images/Reuters

Royal Olympic Update: Days 4-6

Picking up where we left off with Days 1 & 2 and Day 3...

Friends, we are on official Royal Cuteness Overload Status. Sooooo much goodness, all my tiny brain can handle is a rundown of some of my favorite moments from days 4, 5, and 6. And then you can tell me yours and we'll all take home a gold medal in synchronized awwwws.

First and tops of the list, obviously: a silver medal for Zara Phillips! And one presented by her mother, at that. All together now: awwwww.

(Of course Princess Anne didn't bother abandoning her fug hat for the occasion. The greatest achievement in one's daughter's sporting career is no reason to abandon one's practicality!)

Royals everywhere in the crowd to watch Zara bring it home, of course, including Kate in a super cute outfit which is good for Olympics viewing or for taking a spin on one's yacht, so that's handy.

The Brits were joined by the boys from Sweden - and, man, I know they're all YAY SWEDEN and what have you, but those are some obnoxious shirts - and the Orange team. (And you thought Máxima's utter disregard for her hairstyle would never pay off.)

Speaking of our Máx, she's got some intriguing competition for the title of Most Enthusiastic Royal now.

Look at Char! Just like the rest of the world, she was stunned by swimmer Chad Le Clos overtaking Michael Phelps at the wall and her joy for her fellow South African couldn't be contained. I'm telling you, they just should have put her on Monaco's Olympic team and let her do her thing.

Also enjoying the swimming was Harry. What he lacks in evident enthusiasm, he makes up for in cuteness.

And just to finish us out, we finally have some seriously pumped. The cycling events saw a huge royal turnout - even Daniel and Carl Philip were there - but the headlines belonged, as they do, to the Cambridges. Apparently a PDA from them...

...equals a gold medal in headline-worthiness. Alrighty then.

I could go on and on but I probably still wouldn't hit your faves, so let me turn it over to you: which royals made you smile on days 4, 5 and 6?


Photos: Reuters/Getty Images/AP/Hello/Daily Telegraph

Royal Olympic Update: Day 3

While I had to sadly go back to my real world at work on Monday and abandon my manic daytime Olympics watching streak, the royals kept going, with an extra dose of British in the mix for Royal Olympian Zara Phillips.

A little leftover from day 2, just heat it up in the microwave and it’ll be fine: there was some Wills n’ Becks bromance happening at the football on Sunday night. Yum.

On Monday, the Brits multiplied their family support for Zara Phillips in her second day of Olympic competition, and their unified secret agent sunglasses vibes worked! Miss Z had a faultless cross-country run on High Kingdom.

Princess Anne and Mike Tindall were there as well, around the course I gather, and Anne caught a bit of badminton on day 3 too. (Bonus: it just so happened to be Zara and Mike’s first wedding anniversary. Awwww.) And it looked like Princess Benedikte was once again hanging at the equestrian venue for the show, no doubt sizing things up before Princess Nathalie rides.

Later, the Brothers Wales hit up the men’s gymnastics team final where they celebrated Team GB’s silver medal…and watched as it was downgraded to the bronze after a scoring inquiry from Japan. (Still can’t quite believe that one myself.)

Whilst all caught up in her British pride, Kate later stopped by the reception for the GREAT Campaign, where she brought home a gold medal for Team Updo in the tricky Tiara Hair (Non-Tiara) event. This feat was accomplished while wearing her repeated Roksanda Ilincic dress from last year’s grand tour.

Back to the sporting events, Crown Prince Haakon showed up for a rifle event clearly indicating that the Windsors aren't the only ones that can werk a pair of shades.

The Oranges took in some field hockey, still soaked to the max in their citrus hue. (Don’t miss Willem-Alexander’s

New royal alert! The Swedes have joined in the fun. Crown Princess Victoria cancelled her planned trip to stay in Sweden with Estelle, but Princes Daniel and Carl Philip turned up in time for some handball. Naturally, they were clad in Swedish blue and yellow.

The Luxembourg royals added to their clan too, with Prince Sébastian and future princess Stéphanie attending a reception alongside the rest of the family. They also enjoyed a spot of tennis, as did their Belgian cousins.

And I tell you, the Belgians must have realized they were lagging behind their fellow royals in the shenanigans category, because they turned up the enthusiasm a notch: Mathilde’s not going to let her pals Máxima and Mette-Marit sneak away with the title of Most Enthusiastic Royal, oh no! And even Philippe got in on the action, giving Grand Duke Henri a run for his money when it comes to cuteness with your kids. Bless.

By the way, my friends, there are so many royals (and so much adorableness), there's no way I can be comprehensive in these updates. So feel free to add your own favorite sightings in the comments!

Photos: Getty Images/Wort/Belga/AP/Reuters

Royal Olympic Update: Days 1 and 2

The royals didn’t just come for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, oh no. Some meandered around London pre-Games and most have played the cheerleader in the first two days of heavy competition. Let's take a quick peek at a few of the things our royals have been up to, shall we?

Prior to the Games, William, Harry and Catherine capitalized on Olympic Fever to launch a sporty new initiative for their charity and then donned their official gear to greet the Olympic torch at Buckingham Palace. I like Kate’s dress at the first event, but obviously I like her escorts even better.

Other members of the host royal family have been out and about so far. The Queen paid a quick visit to the Olympic Park on Saturday before heading off for her Balmoral break – you can see those details on my other blog. Charles and Camilla met some cyclists while Mike Tindall checked out the equestrian venue on Saturday. A full royal turnout was in order on Sunday for Zara Phillips’ Olympic debut, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal. Something tells me Anne’s running her own Olympic contest for the number of Olympic-themed pieces of clothing and accessories she can get on at one time. Can she top this upturned cupcake wrapper of a hat in the days to come? Oh, the suspense is just too much. (Yes, that’s Princess Benedikte there, in the middle of the Windsor sandwich. Her daughter Nathalie will be competing in the days to come. Princess Haya could also be spotted around the horse events, only fitting as she is the President of the FEI.)

Benedikte joins a large Danish contingent of Margrethe, Henrik, Frederik, and Mary who are bopping around to as many events as possible and are bunking on their royal yacht which they’ve parked on the Thames. (You know, as you do.)

(Not to be missed as well are Mary’s fun with Charlene and her most excellent shoes from the second day. WANT.)

Hanging out near the rest of the royal crew were the Greek royals. King Constantine (a former Olympic gold medalist himself) and Queen Anne-Marie had their son Philippos with them on the first day.

More former Olympians – Albert and Charlene – have been out and about as expected. A cocktail party shindig yielded a somewhat, erm, interesting dress for Char while yesterday’s poolside gear was far more typical.

Perhaps the most impressive turnout so far comes from Luxembourg, a family full of cuteness like father/daughter cuddles and dads armed with cameras. (The royals: they’re just like us! Their dads make them take family photos in public too!)

Philippe and Mathilde from Belgium have been in London since a bit before the main competitions started with their brood of four little cherubs in tow. They used the opportunity to give their annual family photo call a British backdrop before hitting the events.

The expressive and cuddly Norwegians, Haakon and Mette-Marit, are also in the house in their Team Norway gear. But they have competition in the field of the most enthusiastic royal family, because the Oranges are in the house too.

Not only are Willem-Alexander and Máxima hanging around with their three daughters, they’ve also been spotted bringing Luana and Zaria – daughters of injured Prince Friso and Princess Mabel – along. (Heartwarming.) And, bonus, they ran into their Belgian friends!

The Games are rolling on…days and days of sporty royal sightings remain. Delightful. What's your favorite sighting so far?

Photos: Getty Images/Reuters/Belga/PA