Royal Maundy Coins

Each year during the annual Maundy Thursday Service the Monarch (or their representative) presents Maundy Money to a number of recipients. The Money is divided into 2 purses  

The red purse always contains a £5 and a fifty pence commemorative coin. The white purse contains a set of specially minted silver Maundy coins with the equivalent value in pence to the Monarch’s age. (The coins are usually made up of 1p, 2p, 3p, & 4p coins.)

The £5 peice is usually a coin commemorating some royal event. The fifty pence coin is commemorating some British Event. 

The white purse coin's are usually created for that specific Maundy year. And feature the value of the coin on one side under the crown, and the usually picture of the Monarch on the other. 

King Charles III's Reign

 

Year	£5	50p	Value of White Purse	# of Recipients
2025
2024	Tudor Dragon	200th Anniv of Royal National Life Boat Institution	75p	150
2023	Monarch's 75th Birthday	75th Anniv of Windrush Generation	74p	148

Queen Elizabeth II's Reign

Year	£5	50p	Value of White Purse	# of Recipients
2022	Platinum Jubilee	Platinum Jubilee	96p	192
2021*	Monarch's 95th Birthday	50th Anniversary of Decimal Day	95p	190
2020*		-	94p	188
2010s
2019	200th Anniv of the birth of Queen Victoria	-	93p	186
2018	4 Generations of Royalty	100th Anniv of the Representation of the People Act 1918	92p	184
2017	Centenary of the House of Windsor	375th anniversary of Sir Isaac Newton's birth.	91p	182
2016		-	90p	180
2015		-	89p	172
2014	Queen Anne 300th Anniv of Death	20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow	88p
2013	60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation	-	87p
2012	Diamond Jubilee	-	86p
2011	Prince Phillip's 90th birthday	2012 London Olympics	85p
2010**	-	-	84p
2009		-
2008		-
2007		-
2006		-
2005		-

Note: 

*In 2020 & 2021, the purses and coins were sent out in the mail as the service was canceled due to the pandemic. 

** 800th Royal Maundy Thursday Service

The Rose Ball - Monaco

Embed from Getty Images

The Rose Ball (Bal de la Rose) is held every year in March at the Sale des toiles at Sporting Monte Carlo, in Monaco. The event first held in 1954 to launch the party season in Monaco. Princess Grace got involved in the event in 1957. And for the remainder of her live was involved in planning the event. 

When the Princess Grace Foundation was created in 1964, the ball became a charity event in support of the foundation.

The Rose Hall is hosted by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer. Since 1983, Princess Caroline has presided over the Princess Grace Foundation and Le Bal de la Rose. 

Dress Code:

The dress code is varies slightly year to year depending on the theme. It is usually listed as either "black tie - evening dress" or "Jacket required – Proper attire required" for themes that may depart from the standard black tie. 

Guests:

About 1,000 guests are personally invited by the Royal Family. 

Theme:

The themes changes each year and is usually inspired by a certain type of Music or place. 

When Princess Grace first joined the event, the idea of themes were first introduced with the decision to base each year on a Rose, a Show and a Country. 

Prince Albert II's Reign 

Year	Theme	Artistic Designer	Notes
2026 (70th)	-	-	-
2025	-	-	-
2024 March 23rd	Disco	Christian Louboutin	60th Anniversary of the Princess Grace Foundation
2023	Bollywood		Dress code "Jacket required – Proper attire required"
2022 (66th)	Les Années 20, le retour "The 20s, the return"		Postponed to July due to the Pandemic
2021	Canceled due to Covid
2020	Bollywood	Canceled due to Covid
2019 (65th)	Riviera	Karl Lagerfeld	-
2018	Manhattan		-
2017	Viennese Secession		-
2016	Cuba		-
2015	Art Deco		Princess Charlene was absent due as 3-month old Princess Gabriella was ill
2014 (60th)	Constructivist (Russia)		50th Anniversary of the Princess Grace Foundation
2013	"Bal De La Rose on the Rock"	?	150th Anniversary of Société des Bains de Mer (Host of the event)
2012	Swinging London	?
2011	MO-naco	?	A play off of Mo-Town (Detroit)
2010	Morocco	?	-
2009	Rock 'N' Roll	?	-
2008	Movida (Spain)	?	-
2007	Gypsy	Tony Gatlif.	-
2006	Reggae (Jamaica)	?	-

Prince Rainier III's Reign

Year	Theme	Artistic Designer	Notes
2005	Brazil	-	-
2004	China	-	-
2003	Africa	-	-
2002	Pop	-	-
2001	Desert	-	-
2000	Homage to Fernando Botero.	-	-
1999	Jubilee	Karl Lagerfeld	Prince Rainier's 50th Jubilee
1998	Bains De Mer (In style of Bérard)	-	-
1997	Grimaldi	-	700th Anniversary of Principality
1996	Caribbean	Alfredo Arias	-
1995	Tango		-
1994	Unique "Evocation of the Rose Pavilion of Pavlovsk Palace and the private gardens of the Empress Maria Fedorovna"	-	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-

Back to Monaco - Annual Events

The Diana Award's Legacy Award Ceremony

The Legacy Award are run by the Diana Awards organization to celebrates the next generation of young social activists, honoring 20 outstanding young leaders, visionaries and role models from across the world! 

The Diana Awards is a charity that was founded in 1999, after Princess Diana's death to honor her work. 

Year	Location	Attending	Notes
2024	The Science Museum (London)	Prince William &  Prince Harry (Virtually)	25th Anniversary of the Diana Award organization.
2021	Althorp House	Charles Spencer, Earl Spencer	Prince William met with award winners earlier in the day. & recorded a video for the Award ceremony. Separately, Prince Harry spoke with Award winners virtually.
2019	Royal Naval College	Charles Spencer, Earl Spencer	Prince William met with award winners earlier in the day.
2017 (1st)	St. James's Palace	Prince William & Prince Harry	-

Crown Princess Victoria's Name Day Celebrations

Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

March 12th is the Swedish Name Day for people called "Victoria." Special celebrations are held each year to mark Crown Princess Victoria's name day. Crown Princess Victoria is the only senior royal to have a Special Name Day Celebrations. This was done as her birthday is in the summer while the Royal Family is staying at Solliden Palace on the island of Öland, so there is no public celebrations with Victoria in the capital. 

In Sweden and in many other countries, each day is assigned a name(s). Name Days are celebrated similar to Birthdays. The calendar has a name associated with each day. Originally only martyrs and saints names but not long ago more common names were added. It is like a mini birthday. The traditional coffee and cake and cards from family and close friends but perhaps also a small token gift.

The name day celebration consists of a Military Ceremony in Inner Courtyard of Stockholm Royal Palace. And includes a performance by Army's band, and then greeting members of the Public and Armed Forces. 

Royal Attendance

Year	Crown Princess Victoria	Prince Daniel	Princess Estelle	Prince Oscar	Other/Notes
2020s
2029	-	-	-	-	-
2028	-	-	-	-	-
2027	-	-	-	-	-
2026	-	-	-	-	-
2025	-	-	-	-	-
2024	X	X	X	X
2023	X	X	X	X
2022	X	X	X	X
2021	Canceled as Crown Princess Couple has Covid
2020	Canceled due to Pandemic
2010s
2019	X	X	X	X	-
2018	X	X	X
2017	X	X	X	X	-
2016	Canceled due to Prince Oscar's Birth a few days before
2015	X		X	Not yet Born
2014	X	X	X		-
2013	Canceled due to death of Princess Lillian a few days earlier.
2012	Canceled due to birth of Princess Estelle a few weeks earlier.
2011	X	X	Not yet Born	Not yet Born	-
2010	X	X (Pre-Wedding)			Queen Silvia

Notes:

2015: Prince Daniel was absent due to other commitments that day.

Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

Palace of Holyrood House where Lord High Commissioner stays
Mattias Hill, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The General Assembly of the a Church of Scotland takes place every year and is usually a week long. The Monarch is represented by a Lord High Commissioner or on rare occasion may attend themselves. The Lord High Commissioner is a purely ceremonial role. They represent the Monarch at the Assembly. Usually the position is given to a senior government official from Scotland. On a rare occasion, a working royal is appointed. 

While this position is not directly connected to the Order of Thistle, both positions honor senior officials and public figures from Scotland. And as such, the Lord High Commissioner is often a Knight of the Order of Thistle. 

The Lord High Commissioner is not a permanent position. The person only has that position while they are in Scotland for the General Assembly. When a non-Royal is appointed, often they are re-appointed for a 2nd year following their first. 

Form of Address:

The monarch’s representative is referred to as “His/Her Grace The Lord High Commissioner” during the week they are performing their duties in that role  

A woman could also be referred to as “His Majesty’s Lord Commissioner,” if they request so. (Some woman, like Princess Anne have continued to use the male version of the title.)

Events:

• Ceremony of the Keys at Palace of Holyrood House
• Opening of Church of Scotland’s General Assembly
• Other engagements in Scotland throughout the Week
• Closing of Church of Scotland’s General Assembly

King Charles III's Reign

Year	Person	Notes
2020s
2025	-	-
2024	Prince Edward	2nd time serving May 18th-23rd
2023	Lord Patrick Hodge (Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the UK)	Continued practice of two year terms

Queen Elizabeth II's Reign

Year	Person	Notes
2020s
2022	Lord Patrick Hodge (Knight of Order of Thistle)	-
2021	Prince William (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	1st time serving
2020		Canceled due to Pandemic
2010s
2019	Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch (Knight of Order of Thistle)	-
2018		-
2017	Princess Anne (Lady of the Order of Thistle)	2nd time serving
2016	David Hope, Baron Hope of Craighead (Knight of Order of Thistle)	-
2015		-
2014	Prince Edward (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	1st time serving
2013	James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas	-
2012		-
2011	David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn (Knight of Order of Thistle)	-
2010		-
2000s
2009	George Reid (Later became Knight of the Order of Garter)	-
2008		-
2007	Prince Andrew	1st time serving
2006	James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern (Knight of Order of Thistle)	-
2005		-
2004	David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
2003		-
2002	Queen Elizabeth II attended in Person	2nd time attending Golden Jubilee year
2001	George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie (Knight of Order of Thistle)	-
2000	Prince Charles (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	1st time serving
1990s
1999	Norman Hogg, Baron Hogg of Cumbernauld	-
1998		-
1997	Norman Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden (Knight of Order of Thistle)	-
1996	Princess Anne (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	1st time serving
1995	Lady Marion Fraser (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1994		-
1993	Norman Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1992		-
1991	Donald Ross, Lord Ross	-
1990		-
1980
1989	Sir Iain Mark Tennant (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1988		-
1987	John Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1986		-
1985	Charles Maclean, Baron Maclean (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1984		-
1983	Sir John Gilmour, 3rd Baronet	-
1982		-
1981	Andrew Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1980		-
1970
1979	Willie Ross, Baron Ross of Marnock	-
1978		-
1977	David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1976	Hector MacLennan	-
1975		-
1974	Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1973		-
1972	Ronald Colville, 2nd Baron Clydesmuir (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1971
1970	Peggy Herbison	First Female to hold the position
1960
1969	Queen Elizabeth II attended in Person	1st Time Attending
1968	John Reith, 1st Baron Reith (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1967		-
1966	Harald Leslie, Lord Birsay (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1965		-
1964	Richard O'Connor (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1963	Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1962		-
1961		-
1960	David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1950s
1959	David Charteris, 12th Earl of Wemyss (Later became Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1958	Duke of Hamilton (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1957	Walter Elliot	-
1956		-
1955	Duke of Hamilton (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-
1954		-
1953		-
1952	Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope (Knight of the Order of Thistle)	-

Order of Thistle

St Giles' Cathedral

Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is Scotland's highest honour, and the 2nd highest over of chilvery in the UK. 

Appointments to the Order are entirely the personal gift of Monarch and are not made on the advice of the Prime Minister/ Government. The Order of Thistle has 16 Knights/Ladies, along with any number of Extra Knights (I.e. Royals). Appointments are often announced on St. Andrews Day. 

The Order of Thistle was established in 1687. And like most orders, was originally only given to men. Women invested into the Order:

• First Female Consort - Queen Elizabeth (Later the Queen Mum) in 1937.
• First Non-Royal Female -  Marion Fraser in 1996
• First Non-Consort/Non-Heir Female Royal - Princess Anne in 2000

The Motto of the Order is Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity).

Current Royal Knight/Ladies 

Royal	Year	Age	Occasion
Queen Elizabeth II's Reign
King Charles * (Then Prince Charles)	1977	29	Ahead of 30th Birthday?
Princess Anne	2000	50	50th Birthday?
Prince William	2012	29	Ahead of 30th Birthday?
King Charles III's Reign
Queen Camilla	2023	75	Given on 1st Trooping of King Charles's Reign
Prince Edward	2024	60	60th Birthday
-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-

Notes: 

King Charles became Sovereign of the Order upon his Accession. Princess Anne was the first female Royal (beside Monarch/Consort) to be made a Lady of the Order of Garter. 

Biennial Service

The Order of Thistle Service is held every two years, during the a Monarch's annual Holyrood Week.  The service is held in the Thistle Chapel at St Giles' Cathedral, in Edinburgh Scotland. 

The service is usually attended by all of the knight of the Order. We don't normally see spouses or extended members of the royal family attend, except when a royal is invested into the order. 

Following the Service there is usually a short reception in the Signet Library, and a lunch at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Insignia

derivative work, Artist unknown. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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