Friday, July 09, 2010

a royal visit

There are a hundred thousand Youtubes of (or maybe just someway related to) the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

I particularly like this short one. Queen Sofía of Spain, who, for a royal, has led a most interesting life and is quite photogenic for a 72-year-old dame.

In this video, made yesterday amidst a gaggle of photogs and handlers, she gracefully enters the locker room of the Spanish national team following their defeat of Germany, endures the applause of the players as she applauds them, shakes hands all around and pats a few shoulders, and, with royal aplumb, gives special congratulations to defender Carles Puyol — whose adept header produced the game-winning goal — while he's wet from shower, wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist.



Notice the aplomb of the players who deftly kick debris away from her feet and hers as the makes eye contact with each, shaking his hand, without tripping over the articles of clothing that remain. Note too, as commenters have pointed out, that she gives one a friendly slap on the arm and that she's taller than some of them. There's no strict protocol, just a few moments of congratulation and celebration.

This is Sophia.


{source: wikipedia}

I haven't found a video of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in the Dutch team's locker room, but here are the two queens arriving for a royal wedding held earlier this year. Sophia, as you see, is on the left. They were born in the same year, were brought up under similar circumstances, and, like most of the royal families of Europe, have a common lineage.


{source: picapp.com}

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