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Irish Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
These 35 surnames could mean you're related to the Royal Family
Have you ever wondered whether your surname might hint at a connection to royalty? While it might sounds like a bit of fun, some names genuinely do have ties to noble and royal bloodlines - and surprisingly, quite a few of them are found in Ireland. Whether you've always had a sneaking suspicion that your family crest has a regal flair, or you're simply curious about where your roots might lead, exploring your ancestry has never been easier. These days, tracing your linage doesn't require trips to dusty archives or decoding microfilm. Online platforms like MyHeritage let you dig into your family tree from the comfort of your own home. If you're tempted to give it a go, MyHeritage is currently offering Irish users one of its best-ever deals - a DNA kit for just €29 (down from €89) with free shipping and a 30-day free trial of their Complete plan. With this offer, you can discover your origins across over 2,100 global regions, find new relatives through shared DNA, build your family tree and explore 35.8 billion historical records. In a recent roundup, MyHeritage highlighted 35 surnames that could suggest a royal link somewhere in the branches of your family tree. While carrying one of these names doesn't mean you're about to inherit a crown or castle, it might just point you towards some intriguing ancestors. For those in Ireland - where names like Darcy, Talbot and Neville are far from uncommon - this list might strike closer to home than you'd expect. Here are 35 surnames that could suggest you're distantly related to the Royals: Windsor: The current British royal family's surname since 1917. Tudor: The Welsh dynasty that produced monarchs like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Stuart: A Scottish house that ruled England and Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Plantagenet: A royal house that provided England with monarchs from Henry II to Richard III. Capet: The dynasty that ruled France from 987 to 1328. Bourbon: A European royal house that ruled France, Spain, and other territories. Habsburg: A prominent royal house of Europe, known for ruling the Holy Roman Empire. Hanover: The British royal house from George I to Queen Victoria. Valois: A cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty that ruled France. Lancaster: A branch of the Plantagenet dynasty, known for its role in the Wars of the Roses. York: Another Plantagenet branch, also central to the Wars of the Roses. Bruce: A Scottish royal house, with Robert the Bruce being a notable king. de Valois: A French royal house that produced several kings. de Medici: An influential Italian family that produced royalty and popes. Savoy: A royal family that once ruled parts of Italy and France. Orange-Nassau: The Dutch royal family. Oldenburg: A European royal house that includes the current Danish royal family. Glucksburg: A branch of the House of Oldenburg, associated with Danish and Norwegian royalty. Romanov: The last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. Baskerville: A noble family name with historical ties to English aristocracy. Darcy: A surname associated with medieval nobility and landowners in England and Ireland. Neville: A powerful English noble family with significant influence during the medieval period. Percy: An aristocratic English family known for their role in British history. Astley: A noble surname linked to the English peerage. Capell: A distinguished English family with historical ties to the aristocracy. Howard: A prominent aristocratic family in the UK, holding the title of Dukes of Norfolk. Seymour: The family of Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII, with ties to the Dukedom of Somerset. Grey: Associated with Lady Jane Grey, England's nine-day queen. FitzAlan: A powerful medieval family, former Earls of Arundel. Courtenay: A noble family with connections to English and French royalty. Manners: The surname of the Dukes of Rutland, a high-ranking noble family. Russell: Connected to the Dukes of Bedford, an influential aristocratic lineage. Cavendish: The surname of the Dukes of Devonshire, a powerful British noble family. Talbot: A noble family holding the Earldom of Shrewsbury. Spencer: The family name of Princess Diana, tying it to the modern British royal family. Whether you're in it for the family history, the storytelling or just the craic, a bit of digging into the past might lead to some interesting surprises - or at the very least, a good conversation at the next family gathering. Platforms like MyHeritage, and others like Ancestry or 23andMe, make it easier than ever to uncover family history and long-lost connections. You can pick up the MyHeritage DNA kit for just €29, including free shipping and a 30-day Complete plan trial, over on their website now. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
The National
30-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Trump acts like a tinpot Caesar demanding tribute from his vassals
His recent sojourn to Turnberry, that gilded monument to his vulgarity, was not a diplomatic mission but a thuggish display of extortion, a brazen shakedown of Europe's ruling elites by a man whose grasp of statecraft is as profound as his understanding of basic syntax. Trump, that oafish imbecile, that blustering buffoon, conducts himself not as a statesman but as a swaggering mob boss, squeezing concessions from his subordinates with all the subtlety of a knee-capping enforcer. His meeting with Ursula von der Leyen was less a negotiation than a ritual humiliation, as the European Commission president prostrated herself before the whims of an American imperialist regime that views trade not as mutual exchange but as plunder. READ MORE: Scottish Labour councillor suspended for 'bullying' member of the public The resulting 'deal' is a grotesque farce – Europe, trembling before its mercantile overlord, agrees to higher tariffs, coerced purchases of US goods, and the funnelling of billions into the maw of the American war machine. This is not diplomacy; it is tribute exacted by a gangster. And what of Keir Starmer, that eager supplicant, scurrying to Turnberry to kiss the ring of his transatlantic patron? His obsequiousness was met with the usual Trumpian blend of ignorance and malice – vague platitudes on Ukraine, half-brained mutterings on Gaza, and the usual litany of lies about stolen aid and imaginary victories. Starmer, ever the loyal vassal, could do little but nod along, his own political fortunes tethered to the whims of a man who views international relations as a protection racket. But let us not mistake this for mere farce. The stakes are dire. The European bourgeoisie, though seething at their subjugation, dare not defy their American paymasters, for fear of provoking an all-out trade war – or worse, losing the military backing that sustains their own imperialist ventures in Ukraine. They are trapped in a spiral of their own making, forced to bankroll US arms shipments, to prop up Nato's blood-soaked adventures, all while their own workers face the coming storm of economic devastation. History teaches us that empires built on extortion do not endure. The Roman tax farmers, the Habsburg enforcers, the British East India Company – all eventually crumbled beneath the weight of their own rapacity. Trump's gangster diplomacy is no different. It will end the same way. Alan Hinnrichs Dundee ON Monday, we were informed on BBC Scotland that a celebration had taken place in respect of the 70th anniversary of the opening of the Dounreay nuclear power plant. In attendance was a chap calling himself King Charles and a non-Scottish manager of the site who made me feel squeamish as I listened to his sycophantic fawning over the said King's attendance. Can I just clarify the background to this development back in 1955? The idea of developing nuclear energy at that time was filled with the possibility of a major disaster happening. The year, 1955, was just a decade after the horrific Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedies. Nuclear weapons and power production were issues of dread for the general population. So, if this development was going to happen, where should it go? Obviously, Westminster decided that it should be located as far away from London as possible. Look at your map and you will see that Dounreay is as far from London as you can get without ending up in the Pentland Firth. The residents of Thurso and Wick would be obliterated if anything untoward happened, but they were expendable. In fact, probably most of Scotland would end up the same way. I was a wee boy in a small rural Highland primary school back in the mid-50s. I well remember the gift we were all given at that school. It was a glossy magazine with the front cover showing the impressive Dounreay dome. It was designed at deflecting attention from the dangers and promoting the idea that we were at the cutting edge of technology. I believe all schoolkids up here would have been given a copy too, so that our minds would be shaped to accept this thing that terrified those down south. A few jobs were created for workers at Dounreay but that was insignificant compared to the perceived dangers. Along with the nonsensical Protect And Survive booklet that was distributed at that time regarding saving yourself in the event of a nuclear attack, this magazine that we children received was just government propaganda to influence, lie to and control the population. Officials must have been laughing to themselves as they prepared them. Today, they still use the same methods and our voters are still inclined to believe them. Without truth, what hope is there for Scotland or even society at large? Alasdair Forbes Farr, Inverness-shire THE statement by Keir Starmer that the UK would move to recognise a Palestinian state, if Israel did not agree to a ceasefire and take steps to end the war, is more than a little contradictory given previous statements. The statement noted that Palestinian statehood is the 'inalienable right of the Palestinian people' and the UK Government is committed to delivering a two-state solution, with a 'safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state'. It therefore seems rather odd that, despite a previous commitment to recognising a Palestinian state, this should now come with conditions attached. Alex Orr Edinburgh
CNBC
11-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
The palace, the protests and the red carpet: How OPEC's seminar played out
For centuries, Vienna's romantic Hofburg palace served as a winter residence of the imperial Habsburg dynasty — this week, though, it welcomed Saudi royalty, energy ministers, top CEOs and a slew of analysts traders and more. Here are some highlights: Since 1965, Vienna has housed the headquarters of the OPEC Secretariat — the administrative backbone of the 12-member OPEC alliance of oil producers. The Secretariat is led by a secretary-general — currently, former Kuwaiti official Haitham al-Ghais, who took office for his first three-year term in 2022 and has since been reappointed for a second stint starting Aug. 1, 2025. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the OPEC Secretariat was the humble backdrop of (often) day-long, high-stakes and heated discussions over crude output levels between OPEC producers and their allies, at least twice a year. The Secretariat's home is a cavernous building, where journalists are typically relegated to a basement media room. Sometimes, they're allowed to maraud down cordoned-off areas, hunting for comment as oil ministers of OPEC countries and their allies — collectively known as OPEC+ — arrive. Despite that, even the most nostalgic OPEC journalists will admit that the group's seminar has had a major venue upgrade. The Hofburg palace opened its gates to delegates and media over July 9-10 for a series of sessions focusing on the state of play in the oil market, hydrocarbon investment and the green energy transition. The conference is attended by invitation and accreditation. For the OPEC seminar, the Hofburg palace laid out an interminable red carpet and armed one of its ballrooms-turned-conference halls with larger-than-life high-tech screens playing OPEC's cinematic account of the history of oil. "I'm sure with this event, there are quite a few people who would say, 'Damn it, why I wasn't there?'" Saudi Prince and Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman, the de facto leader of the OPEC alliance, said during special remarks as the conference opened on Wednesday. Acknowledging the Austrian government's willingness to "do its utmost to enable this organization to survive and work and attend to its function, unhindered by … legal concerns and things like that," he stressed: "We are here because your country is beautiful, the city is historic, and more important, the people are welcoming." It turned out, the idyllic charm of Hofburg's sprawling alleyways is no match for a megaphone. By 4:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday, a group of around 30 people, by CNBC's count, had gathered at a respectful distance across the road from the palace to protest the OPEC seminar. A protester briefly leading the chants, who did not want to be identified, said the demonstration was in support of the embattled Gaza enclave, which has been targeted by a retaliatory Israeli military campaign since the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 2023. She pointed CNBC to a series of posts on the stop_opec Instagram account. "Sitting atop plentiful oil resources, Arab regimes yield the power enough to halt Israeli expansion and challenge the West. Yet they choose to fuel U.S. arm sales, and enrich them with real estate, simultaneously fortifying Europe's borders," said one social media post. On the ground, chanting protesters called for an oil embargo and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz – echoing a threat made by Tehran during its 12-day war with Israel last month. Many Arab states — including Hamas supporter Iran – have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause. CNBC has reached out to the OPEC Secretariat for comment over the protests. The who's-who of OPEC Seminar speakers spanned ministers of OPEC countries, their allies, key consumers such as India and Turkey, as well as the CEOs of the biggest names in the industry, including the heads of BP, TotalEnergies, Shell and Saudi Aramco. CNBC tried to intercept several of these delegations. Ministers from heavyweight producers Russia and Iran — who would likely have been swarmed by journalists amid pressures from European and U.S. sanctions — were notably absent. Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad nevertheless delivered opening remarks via videoconference on Wednesday, in a speech which included some rare political comments. He stressed the risks that armed escalations pose to crude markets, mere weeks after his country, OPEC's third-largest producer, was locked in a 12-day war with Israel. "This vital and growing industry needs peace to serve its mission of promoting prosperity at national, regional and global levels; and to promote cooperation and development in a fast changing and ever-complicating world," he said, according to a speech readout. Going into the conference, members of the press can't be begrudged their enthusiasm: OPEC+ — as well as its eight-nation subset who have been carrying out voluntary cuts in crude production — have been increasingly meeting over private videoconference, limiting opportunities for press briefings. At the OPEC seminar, the action doesn't start at the red carpet. Often tipped off on where delegations are staying, journalists frequently stake out hotels, hoping for unguarded comments as ministers make their way to the conference. CNBC's Emma Graham also likened the event to a wedding — no one is getting married, but journalists can once again have a good catch up with their friends who report on the oil market. Otherwise, most OPEC reporting is now done through sourced scoops and probing delegates for market views and indicators ahead of — and during — policy meetings. The next one is due on Aug. 3, between the eight members who have been progressively (and increasingly briskly) unwinding a voluntary 2.2 million-barrels-per-day production cut.
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- The Guardian
Light at the end of the tunnels: classic rail routes through the Alps reopen
The planning of main rail routes through the Alps was shaped by national ambition and rivalries. The opening of Austria's Semmering railway in 1854, the Mont Cenis route (also known as Fréjus) between France and Italy in 1871 and Switzerland's Gotthard tunnel in 1882 defined the broad contours of Alpine railway geography in the late 19th century. But Habsburg planners were keen to secure better links with Adriatic ports, so in 1901 they sketched out a bold plan for the Neue Alpenbahnen (new Alpine railways), of which Austria's Tauern railway was the most important. It opened in 1909. When it closed for rebuilding in November 2024, it was a sharp reminder of how much passengers and freight rely on a handful of key Alpine rail routes. Lose one key Alpine link and the effects of that closure are felt across Europe. The last couple of years have been tough for Alpine rail operators. Landslides, floods and derailment have played havoc on the lines. So three cheers for the more recent good news stories. The important Mont Cenis route reopened this spring, having been shut after a landslide in August 2023 (though there was a wobble last week when another landslide briefly interrupted services). That closure necessitated the cancellation of all high-speed trains between France and Italy. These links have now been restored, allowing travellers this summer to speed from Paris to Turin in just 5hrs 40mins, or from Lyon to Milan in under five hours. Other major Alpine routes welcomed new long-distance trains this summer. On the Brenner route from Austria into Italy, a new seasonal Railjet service now runs from Munich right through to the Adriatic port of Ancona. Since late June, the famous Semmering railway has seen new direct trains from Warsaw to Rijeka which slip by dead of night through the Austrian Alps – 20 hours from the Polish capital to the Croatian coast. Last month also saw the celebrated Gotthard route hosting a new daytime train from Zürich to Pisa, an eight-hour journey that takes in not merely the Alps but also some glorious Ligurian coastal scenery along the way. But the best is yet to come. The Tauern railway will reopen on 14 July. The return of this major rail axis through the Austrian Alps has had a transformative effect on European rail timetables, as many key trans-Alpine train services are restored. Overnight services from Stuttgart and Salzburg to Venice, suspended since last year with the Tauern closure, return from 14 July. So does the Nightjet from Munich to Rome. It is remarkable how the loss of one key rail link can reshape European geography. During the Tauern closure, journeys from Switzerland and southern Germany to Slovenia have been slower. Within Austria, Salzburg and Carinthia will be happily reconnected with the reopening of the railway. Trains will again glide from Salzburg to the lovely Carinthian city of Villach in just 2hrs 32mins, from where there are good onward connections to Slovenia and Italy. The Tauern railway is an old-style main line carrying a mixture of freight and passenger services. It was never designed for high speed and the scenery is too good to rush. So the fact that even the fastest trains average under 50mph is a blessing. The debut southbound passenger train through the restored Tauern tunnel is an Intercity scheduled to leave Salzburg at 06.12 on 14 July. And here's hoping for good (but not too hot) weather on that Monday, as the Tauern railway is at its best on a sunny summer morning. The railway cuts up the Salzach valley from Salzburg, the scenery initially revealing little of the drama that lies ahead. It is only beyond Schwarzach that the hills close in and the railway presses south, with the great wall of the Tauern Alps ahead. The last stop before the Tauern tunnel is Bad Gastein, a remarkable Habsburg-era spa town with belle epoque charm. It is a great spot to break the journey and enjoy the mountain air, or the town's radon-rich spa tradition. Continuing beyond Bad Gastein, the railway plunges into the Tauern tunnel. This is one of the shortest of the great Alpine rail tunnels and there is just seven minutes of darkness before the train emerges into Carinthian sunshine, with the landscape now hinting at a more southern demeanour. I love this stretch, as the railway drops down towards the Möll valley, following the latter down towards the River Drau, which is crossed just after stopping at Spittal. After bridging the Drau, sit on the right for great views of the river, as the railway parallels it downstream to Villach. Here the Drau is just in its infancy; but further down its long course it becomes the Drava and flows east to join the Danube, on the border between Croatia and Serbia. It is a river which has shaped European history, just as the Tauern railway has shaped travel patterns through the Alps. Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, captures the huge sense of relief across the wider European rail industry when he says: 'The Tauern tunnel reopening is so important, as it's a key route for trains from Bavaria to Slovenia. It is also used by travellers heading through the Alps to north-east Italy. The Austrian province of Carinthia becomes so much more accessible again. And the Tauern reopening on 14 July is just the prelude of more good things to come. In December the new Koralm tunnel opens, cutting journey times between Vienna and Klagenfurt, the provincial capital of Carinthia.' Tickets from Salzburg to Villach via the Tauern railway cost from £9 one way (increasing to £13.50 or £18 once £9 tickets are sold out) from Rail Europe. This is a discounted Sparschiene ticket, which needs to be booked in advance. Nicky Gardner is co-author of Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide (18th edition, Hidden Europe, £20.99) available from the Guardian Bookshop
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- The Guardian
Light at the end of the tunnels: classic rail routes through the Alps reopen
The planning of main rail routes through the Alps was shaped by national ambition and rivalries. The opening of Austria's Semmering railway in 1854, the Mont Cenis route (also known as Fréjus) between France and Italy in 1871 and Switzerland's Gotthard tunnel in 1882 defined the broad contours of Alpine railway geography in the late 19th century. But Habsburg planners were keen to secure better links with Adriatic ports, so in 1901 they sketched out a bold plan for the Neue Alpenbahnen (new Alpine railways), of which Austria's Tauern railway was the most important. It opened in 1909. When it closed for rebuilding in November 2024, it was a sharp reminder of how much passengers and freight rely on a handful of key Alpine rail routes. Lose one key Alpine link and the effects of that closure are felt across Europe. The last couple of years have been tough for Alpine rail operators. Landslides, floods and derailment have played havoc on the lines. So three cheers for the more recent good news stories. The important Mont Cenis route reopened this spring, having been shut after a landslide in August 2023 (though there was a wobble last week when another landslide briefly interrupted services). That closure necessitated the cancellation of all high-speed trains between France and Italy. These links have now been restored, allowing travellers this summer to speed from Paris to Turin in just 5hrs 40mins, or from Lyon to Milan in under five hours. Other major Alpine routes welcomed new long-distance trains this summer. On the Brenner route from Austria into Italy, a new seasonal Railjet service now runs from Munich right through to the Adriatic port of Ancona. Since late June, the famous Semmering railway has seen new direct trains from Warsaw to Rijeka which slip by dead of night through the Austrian Alps – 20 hours from the Polish capital to the Croatian coast. Last month also saw the celebrated Gotthard route hosting a new daytime train from Zürich to Pisa, an eight-hour journey that takes in not merely the Alps but also some glorious Ligurian coastal scenery along the way. But the best is yet to come. The Tauern railway will reopen on 14 July. The return of this major rail axis through the Austrian Alps has had a transformative effect on European rail timetables, as many key trans-Alpine train services are restored. Overnight services from Stuttgart and Salzburg to Venice, suspended since last year with the Tauern closure, return from 14 July. So does the Nightjet from Munich to Rome. It is remarkable how the loss of one key rail link can reshape European geography. During the Tauern closure, journeys from Switzerland and southern Germany to Slovenia have been slower. Within Austria, Salzburg and Carinthia will be happily reconnected with the reopening of the railway. Trains will again glide from Salzburg to the lovely Carinthian city of Villach in just 2hrs 32mins, from where there are good onward connections to Slovenia and Italy. The Tauern railway is an old-style main line carrying a mixture of freight and passenger services. It was never designed for high speed and the scenery is too good to rush. So the fact that even the fastest trains average under 50mph is a blessing. The debut southbound passenger train through the restored Tauern tunnel is an Intercity scheduled to leave Salzburg at 06.12 on 14 July. And here's hoping for good (but not too hot) weather on that Monday, as the Tauern railway is at its best on a sunny summer morning. The railway cuts up the Salzach valley from Salzburg, the scenery initially revealing little of the drama that lies ahead. It is only beyond Schwarzach that the hills close in and the railway presses south, with the great wall of the Tauern Alps ahead. The last stop before the Tauern tunnel is Bad Gastein, a remarkable Habsburg-era spa town with belle epoque charm. It is a great spot to break the journey and enjoy the mountain air, or the town's radon-rich spa tradition. Continuing beyond Bad Gastein, the railway plunges into the Tauern tunnel. This is one of the shortest of the great Alpine rail tunnels and there is just seven minutes of darkness before the train emerges into Carinthian sunshine, with the landscape now hinting at a more southern demeanour. I love this stretch, as the railway drops down towards the Möll valley, following the latter down towards the River Drau, which is crossed just after stopping at Spittal. After bridging the Drau, sit on the right for great views of the river, as the railway parallels it downstream to Villach. Here the Drau is just in its infancy; but further down its long course it becomes the Drava and flows east to join the Danube, on the border between Croatia and Serbia. It is a river which has shaped European history, just as the Tauern railway has shaped travel patterns through the Alps. Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, captures the huge sense of relief across the wider European rail industry when he says: 'The Tauern tunnel reopening is so important, as it's a key route for trains from Bavaria to Slovenia. It is also used by travellers heading through the Alps to north-east Italy. The Austrian province of Carinthia becomes so much more accessible again. And the Tauern reopening on 14 July is just the prelude of more good things to come. In December the new Koralm tunnel opens, cutting journey times between Vienna and Klagenfurt, the provincial capital of Carinthia.' Tickets from Salzburg to Villach via the Tauern railway cost from £9 one way (increasing to £13.50 or £18 once £9 tickets are sold out) from Rail Europe. This is a discounted Sparschiene ticket, which needs to be booked in advance. Nicky Gardner is co-author of Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide (18th edition, Hidden Europe, £20.99) available from the Guardian Bookshop
