All this year-in-review stuff really got me thinking about posts of Christmas past. (No Jacob Marley did not come and haunt me…) Here’s one of my favs:

Watch on, dear friends. It’s the Agamemnon, the 1954 cruise which brought together all the European princes and princesses of marrying age.

courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

I believe it was organized by Queen Frederika of Greece, seen left in dazzling emeralds. Maybe it was just the allure of a paid cruise in the sun but it was a who’s-who of the royal heirs.

Alas the video link was discontinued!

Did it work? It’s where King Juan Carlos of Spain first met Sophia of Greece, back then she was “just” a princess and still spelled her name with a “ph” instead of an “f,” in the Spanish style. Spelling aside, I assume Sofía’s royal momma was pleased as her party was now a verified success.

Vintage copy of “HOLA!” magazine, which actually predated its English cousin-periodical “Hello!”

Alas, we are sad that youtube took away the footage of the cruise itself, at least we can enjoy the wedding, presented by RTEV in cheesy, nostalgic documentary form.

[f you don’t speak Spanish, just fast-forward to the procession.]

So there, I’ve proven myself wrong and written about the Spanish Monarch, especially the king. How do you like that?