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Official Presentation Of The Monaco Twins : Princess Gabriella of Monaco  And Prince Jacques of Monaco At The Palace Balcony
MONACO - JANUARY 07: Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco pose with Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella on the Balcony of the Monaco Palace on January 7, 2015 in Monaco, Monaco. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Society

Princess Charlotte’s friends in high places

The continent is in the midst of a royal baby boom
By Patricia Treble

For the past decade or so, a royal baby boom seems to have enveloped Europe, and young parents have succeeded to thrones in countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. So if William and Kate go on a continental family holiday, there will be plenty of royal playmates for the kids. Indeed, it’s rare for a few months to pass without a royal gathering of some sort. After all, they are family. (The Swedish king is first cousin of the Danish queen, whose sister is married to the exiled king of Greece, whose own sister is Queen Sofia of Spain—you get the idea.)

While they may have grand titles, it’s often a relaxed time. Back in February, Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit played with Estelle, 3, of Sweden at a Nordic skiing championship. And in mid-April, when royals from across Europe gathered outside Queen Margrethe’s palace in Copenhagen to wish her a happy 75th birthday, her grandson, Prince Vincent, 4, gave a high-five to Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. Who else better understands life under the glare of cameras?

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Here’s more of Maclean’s in-depth coverage of the birth of the second royal baby: