Thursday 28 March 2024

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£550pValue of
White Purse
# of
Recipients
2025



2024Tudor Dragon200th Anniv of Royal National Life Boat Institution75p150
2023Monarch's 75th Birthday75th Anniv of Windrush Generation74p 148


Queen Elizabeth II's Reign

Year£550pValue of
White Purse
# of
Recipients
2022Platinum Jubilee Platinum Jubilee
96p 192
2021*Monarch's 95th Birthday50th Anniversary of Decimal Day95p 190
2020*
-94p 188
2010s
2019200th Anniv of the
birth of Queen Victoria
-93p 186
20184 Generations of Royalty100th Anniv of the Representation
of the People Act 1918
92p 184
2017Centenary of the
House of Windsor
 375th anniversary of Sir Isaac Newton's birth.91p 182
2016
-90p 180
2015
-89p 172
2014Queen Anne
300th Anniv of Death
20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow88p
2013 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation-87p
2012Diamond Jubilee -86p
2011Prince Phillip's 90th birthday2012 London Olympics85p
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

Thursday 21 March 2024

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
DiscoChristian 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)
RivieraKarl 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 GypsyTony 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 JubileeKarl Lagerfeld Prince Rainier's 50th Jubilee
1998 Bains De Mer
(In style of Bérard)
- -
1997 Grimaldi- 700th Anniversary of Principality
1996 CaribbeanAlfredo Arias -
1995 Tango -
1994 Unique
"Evocation of the Rose Pavilion of Pavlovsk Palace and the private gardens of the Empress Maria Fedorovna"
- -
- -- -
- -- -
- -- -
- -- -
- -- -
- -- -