Zara and Mike Welcome Baby Mia Grace

It was announced on Friday, January 17 that Zara Phillips and her husband Mike Tindall welcomed a baby girl into the family and today, we learn the baby’s name – Mia Grace. While I was on vacation (apologies for not reporting in a timely fashion), The Queen’s fourth great-grandchild was born at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. The couple promptly headed home with their 7lbs 12 oz bundle of joy without revealing the name.

In a statement following the birth, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Captain Mark Phillips and Mike’s parents, Mr Phillip and Mrs Linda Tindall, have been informed and are delighted with the news.“

In a sign of the times, the new dad and former England Rugby sensation took to Twitter to announce the news:

While it seems quite the unconventional way for the royals to announce news on a  new addition to the firm via social media, we ought to remember that Zara is not your average royal. The Princess Royal’s daughter is and Olympic medalist who does not hold an official royal title.

Mia is also not a “typical” name one might select for a royal baby, but I find it quite beautiful. I would also like to note that I share a middle name with young Mia, so how could I not love it? Although I must admit that for me, royals + Mia = The Princess Diaries.

Congratulations to Zara, Mike and little Mia Grace’s grandparents and great-grandparents!

What do you think of the name? How about the announcement via Twitter?

14 Royal Moments to Come in 2014

Although 2013 may have been my favorite royal year to date, there will be no shortage of big events in 2014. To kick off the new year, I take a look at 14 royal moments to watch for in 2014. Some of these we know to be true, others are pure speculation and some are just made up so I could get to the number 14. Kidding, I would not just make things up!

1. Zara and Mike’s Baby

Zara Phillips and her husband Mike Tindall are expecting their first child any day now! Princess Anne’s daughter is due to give birth in January 2014 with her  rugby star husband, whom she married in July 2011. We will soon find out if Prince George will have a boy or girl cousin to grow up with.

2. Prince William Returns to School

We all wondered what the second-in-line would do after leaving the military this year, well.. today we got our answer! Kensington Palace announced that The Duke of Cambridge will become a full-time student at Cambridge University to study agricultural management. The Duke of Cambridge going to Cambridge? You can’t make this stuff up! Prince William will take a 10-week course, averaging 4-5 hours a day, in which he will learn of the issues facing the nation’s rural communities and farming industry. The course will begin in January and keep William quite busy through March.

3. Will Prince Harry Settle Down?

The question that is on every royal watcher’s mind – will Prince Harry pop the question to Cressida Bonas? The duo first stepped out together in the summer of 2012, have been through a Vegas scandal, tour of duty and a year + of speculation.. it seems like the natural next step, right? Not so fast – when has Harry ever been known to do the expected? Only time will tell…

4. Cambridges Down Under

After quite a lot of royal rumblings, it was confirmed this month that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will embark on a tour of Australia and New Zealand in April 2014. Although an official decision will not be made until closer to the date, one can only imagine Prince George will accompany his parents; no way they are leaving him behind for nearly a month of travel. A lovely nod to Prince William’s own first overseas visit with his parents in 1983.

5. Irish State Visit

April 2014 will bring another milestone visit for the monarchy as Ireland’s president is to become the first Irish head of state to make a visit to Britain. President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina accepted an invitation from Her Majesty for a 3-day visit, furthering the demonstration of positive relationship building after The Queen’s own landmark visit to Ireland in May 2011.

6. Prince George’s First Birthday

We spent 22 days of July 2013 watching a door; this year we will all take part in a much more ordinary custom – celebrating a first birthday. HRH Prince George Alexander Louis will turn one-year-old on July 22, 2014. One can only imagine the type of birthday festivities this adorable heir will see. We’re all bound to be invited to the party, right?

7. Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, July 23 – August 3 and it is expected that The Queen will open the games. Her Majesty did mention the international baton relay in her Christmas broadcast, and it is of obvious importance to her as head of the Commonwealth.

8. Prince Harry’s 30th Birthday

Ah yes, thirty glorious years of Prince Harry. He has accomplished so much in his life thus far and this is bound to be another exciting year for him. His twenties saw two tours of duty in Afghanistan, two royal tours overseas, a break-up and a new love. I dare say Prince Harry has will only pick up the pace in his thirties.

9. Beatrice – Princess Bride?

Her older cousin is not the only royal facing engagement speculation as the new year approaches. The royal rumor mill is flying with talk of Princess Beatrice walking down the aisle with longtime boyfriend Dave Clark.

10. A Banner Year for Britain

We can expect to see royal attendance in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games this coming summer, but I would count on participation in a number of other top events hitting Britain throughout the year. In 2014, Britain will also be home to the Ryder Cup, the passing of the Tour de France and world travelers will flock to Scotland for Homecoming. The year also marks the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare and the centenary of World War I.

11. Her Majesty Takes Flight at Heathrow

June 4, 2014 will mark the opening of the new Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport. Now, what does this have to do with the royals? Earlier this year Heathrow announced the terminal will be named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, being called ‘Terminal 2 – The Queen’s Terminal.’ Her Majesty opened the original Terminal 2 in 1955, and recently opened Terminal 5 in 2008; one can gather that she or a member of her family will be present for this dedication as well. Please note – I am just guessing here!

12. Baby Cambridge Number 2?

We’re all thinking it, but only some of us are saying it. This is of course, not a guarantee, however I would not be surprised if we have a pregnancy announcement from Kensington Palace by year’s end. As Prince George turns one this summer and both William and Catherine have siblings about that close in age, it is not out of the question that they would hope for a sibling for him sooner rather than later.

13. Prince Charles Steps Up to the Plate

Although we saw quite a lot of this from the first-in-line to the throne in 2013, Prince Charles is sure to continue to take on greater responsibility on behalf of his mother. This year saw The Prince of Wales visiting Sri Lanka to take his mother’s role at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, and with The Queen marking her 88th birthday this April, it is likely his role will only increase with time.

14. The Year of Prince Harry

My love for Prince Harry aside, any royal watcher may have to admit that all signs point to Harry in 2014. Will he put a ring on it? I’m a bit sick of all this Cressida engagement talk and it hasn’t even happened yet! Another tour of duty? A third overseas tour? (Please yes!) Or perhaps a promotion? Captain Wales is on the brink of reaching the minimum requirement for a bump to major. At this point, your guess for Harry’s happenings are as good as mine.. but we all know that whatever happens, it won’t be boring.

What are your royal predictions for 2014? 

Happy New Year!

America For The Win!

It’s the first day post-Olympics and if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling pretty sad today – as if something is missing from your life. No, I’m not just talking about Ryan Lochte in a swimsuit taking over your TV.

Sometimes the best cure for a hangover is to get up and keep on drinking. So, to cure your London 2012 blues, here are my top ten favorite moments from the past two weeks.

#1 – TEAM USA

I could spend an entire post on the accomplishments of Team USA during the Olympics, 104 of them to be exact, but since most of my readers are Team GB I will refrain. Team USA took over London, heading for Heathrow this morning with more medals than any other nation. From Gabby Douglas and the Fab Five to David Boudia and Serena Williams, the Americans leaped, dove, served, swam and ran their way into the history books. At the end of it all, 255 American athletes stood on the podium, claiming 26 gold medals. AMERICA FOR THE WIN!

#2 – USA Swimming & Michael Phelps

I can exclusively report the following breaking news: Michael Phelps was raised by mermaids. 

PA

Okay, clearly that’s not actually true, but he seriously came from some special gene pool. During his final Olympics (cue the crying), Michael Phelps claimed his 22nd medal and title of most decorated Olympian in history. USA Swimming as a whole kicked serious fin; from my favorite Olympian Ryan Lochte to the adorable Missy Franklin (who apparently I need to fight for Prince Harry), both the men and women had an almost constant presence on the podium in the aquatic center. Must be something in the water over here…

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#3 – The Duke & Duchess of PDA

Just when you thought Will and Kate could not get any cuter, this happened:

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For all of those who say the royals never show affection/emotion I say.. welcome to Club Cambridge. The first week of the Olympics saw the world’s most popular couple showing constant displays of affection and excitement before Kate and her perfect hair took over with almost daily appearances when Will returned to work. The Duchess of Cambridge takes gold for best facial expressions of the Olympics.

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#4 – Prince Harry

SO much Prince Harry throughout the Olympics, I can’t even deal. Everywhere he went – and he went A LOT of places – Prince Hottie lived up to his nickname. He laughed, he cried, he made us all swoon. Thank you International Olympic Committee for gifting London with the 2012 Games and allowing us to have fourteen days of hotness. I’m pretty sure I hit a decibel I didn’t know existed when he made his way into the Closing Ceremony, looking like some sort of blue suited god.

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Bauer Griffin

#5 – People of the World, SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!

Viva Forever! I feel badly for anyone who didn’t have the pleasure of growing up with the Spice Girls in their lives. Thank you Baby, Ginger, Posh, Scary and Sporty for reuniting- we missed you. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to break out my Spice World VHS.

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#6 – Usain Bolt, Raised by Cheetahs

How could you not love Usain Bolt? Crazy stat: Three gold medals in under 40 seconds. If I’m ever caught in a burning build/getting mugged/running from a bear, I want this guy by my side. Partly for comic relief, mostly for the running thing.

Reuters

#7 – Queen by Day, Bond Girl by Night

Gotta hand it to Queen Elizabeth II for making her acting debut alongside James Bond. Don’t ever accuse her of being old and stuffy again.

#8 – Andy Murray

In what may be the quickest redemption the tennis world has ever seen, Andy Murray overtook Roger Federer to win gold on centre court at Wimbledon just one month after the Swiss tennis star claimed the Grand Slam title. It was one of those classic moments that only the Olympics can bring.

London 2012

#9 – Boris Johnson

I went back and forth about adding London’s colorful mayor to my list of top moments, but after NBC captured the perfect shot of him spicing up his life during the Closing Ceremony, he made the final cut. Even before the Games officially got underway, Johnson had us laughing with his tour of the Olympic Village. Then, he went and got himself stuck on a zipline. Thanks for the laughs, Boris.

NBC News

#10 – London

It is no secret that a big reason I was overly excited for this Olympics was the host city. As predicted, London did not disappoint. The images from around Great Britain that flooded my television, Twitter timeline and newspapers were breathtaking. The British certainly know how to throw a celebration and this was one the world will be talking about for a while. I was pretty let down when I turned on the news this morning to once again be flooded by shots of the New Jersey Turnpike and Hudson River. Give me back the Thames and Big Ben!

As David Cameron put it – Britain delivered.

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Congratulations on a successful Olympics, London!

The Olympics: So Many Activities My Head is Spinning

As predicted, I have been completely glued to the Olympics since Friday night – I think my family, friends and coworkers are slightly concerned. Shedding a tiny tear after yesterday’s big swim from the American men was probably the breaking point for everyone. Yea, I just admitted that. #SorryImNotSorry

Trying to keep up with blogging about the Games would be like trying to catch Michael Phelps on the final 50 of that 4×200 relay yesterday – never going to happen. So, I’m just going to have fun with it. On another note, I’m finding it pretty difficult to get super excited about royal watching because Team USA is absolutely killing it and that’s more exciting than anything.

However, a big congratulations to Zara Phillips and Team GB on yesterday’s silver medal in equestrian eventing. The first royal to win a medal at the Olympics – that’s a pretty big deal! What made it even more special – her mother and former Olympian, Princess Anne, presented the medals.

BBC/AP

As suspected, Zara’s family came out to support her on all competition days. Yes, William and Kate held hands and looked lovingly into each other’s eyes. They’re a married couple – isn’t that expected? It was certainly adorable..but headline grabbing? Not sold on that one.

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Oh, and Prince Harry was there too. Looking swoon-worhty as usual.

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Then, Team GB’s most regal ambassadors stopped by the Olympic Village, causing more excitement than when Ryan Lochte walks around shirtless.

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Stuffed Kangaroo, file under things I’d never thought I’d see Prince Harry playing with. It does appear to be a blonde kangaroo, though..

In between spending some quality time with horses and kangaroos, The Duchess of Cambridge got her glam on and headed to attend the United Kingdom’s Creative Industries Reception at the Royal Academy of Arts. Kate recycled the dove grey Roksanda Illincic dress she wore last summer in Los Angeles. This time, she represented ‘Team Up-Do.’On an unrelated note, whenever I see Kate with her hair up this MadTV skit immediately runs through my mind. “You think a lotta men can’t handle the regalness of an up-do?” Bottom line – she looked STUNNING…

But not as stunning as these guys…

AP/NBC

As someone who grew up in a swim cap and goggles, I can never tear myself away from competitive swimming..National Championships, World Championships..year round I watch it all with extreme enthusiasm. That being said, there is abolsutely no sporting event I enjoy more than Olympic swimming.

Team USA has been kicking fin in the pool since Saturday, but Tuesday brought the best moment of the Olympics, care of USA Swimming – Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian ever. With the help of Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer and Ricky Berens, Phelps landed his 19th Olympic medal – a gold in the Men’s 4×200 relay.

That’s how America gets things done.

Congratulations Michael & TEAM USA!

Put Me in Coach, I’m Ready to Play!

As if the Summer Olympics were not exciting enough, the International Olympic Committee honored London with hosting duties this year. Then, as if of two weeks of non-stop television coverage of my favorite city in the world wasn’t enough, the young royals stepped up to the plate as Team GB Olympic Ambassadors. Bottom line, if I could take two weeks off from work to do nothing but watch the Games..I would. Okay, if I’m wishing for things just give me a first class ticket to London with VIP passes to all of the main events.

So, if Aladdin’s magic lamp appeared on my front porch today and Genie sent me off to London, what events would I want complete access to? Lucky for me, William, Catherine and Harry made that decision very easy as the palace released the complete list of the events they will be attending yesterday.

To kick things off, Queen Elizabeth II will officially open the 2012 Summer Olympic Games at Friday’s opening ceremony, accompanied by senior members of the firm. This would actually be the perfect occasion for William to wear his signature navy suit and maroon tie that he wears 99% of the time. (Sorry Will!) I am also really hoping to see Kate in red – what do you think?

Over the next couple of weeks, the three musketeers will be actively participating in all aspects of the Games, from attending sporting events to meeting athletes and behind-the-scenes workers in the Olympic Village. If you’re looking to catch a glimpse of the young royals, look no further than the following itinerary:

Prince Harry

• 30 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich, men’s 10m diving and visit Team GB House

• 31 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich and awarding of medals, visit the Athletes’ Village

• 2 August –  School Games reception at Clarence House

• 3 August –  Equestrian, Greenwich

• 5 August –  Athletics and men’s 100m final, Olympic Park

• 8 August –  Beach Volleyball, Horseguards Parade

• 9 August – Team GB visit. Athletics, Olympic Park

• 12 August –  Closing Ceremony

Prince William

• 28 July/29 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich

• 29 July – Team GB Football at Wembley

• 30 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich and visit Team GB House

• 31 July – Equestrian events at Greenwich and awarding of medals, visit the Athletes’ Village

• 2 – August Tennis at Wimbledon

• 3 – August Equestrian dressage, Greenwich. Swimming, Olympic Park

• 5 – August Athletics including men’s 100m final at Olympic Park

Catherine

• 30 July – Equestrian events, Greenwich. Reception at The Royal Academy of Arts

• 2 August –  Tennis at Wimbledon

• 3 August –  Swimming at Olympic Park

• 4 August – Hockey at Olympic Park

• 5 August – Athletics at Olympic Park and Gymnastics and visit Team GB House

• 6 August –  Sailing, Weymouth.

• 9 August – Synchronised Swimming, Olympic Park

• 11 August – Men’s 10m Diving, Olympic Park.

• 12 August – Closing Ceremony

As you can see, you are bound to catch Princes William and Harry and Duchess Catherine on almost any given day throughout the Olympics. Although Harry and Catherine will be among the family members in attendance for the closing ceremony and at this point, William will not.

 Prince Charles and his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall, will also take part in the sporting festivities at the end of July, including cycling, badminton and equestrian.

Don’t forget – Zara Phillips will be competing as part of Team GB’s equestrian team, so you will also see her mother, Princess Anne, showing her support.

 Of course, all royal appearances are subject to change. Prince Harry could always end up whisking away the losing pair at women’s volleyball on a romantic getaway and never returning. William could decide to jump back in the pool and try to make it as a professional water polo player. Kate could pick up a hockey stick and trade in royal life for the chance at gold. One out of the three has the potential to actually happen.

And if we are all very lucky, maybe there will be a repeat of my favorite royal moment of 2012.

 

Chris Jackson, Getty Images