Beyond the United Kingdom -- a royal rundown

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

The United Kingdom isn’t the only kingdom out there. As Queen Elizabeth II is feted this weekend in a Diamond Jubilee marking 60 years on the throne, here are some other monarchs from around the globe and what they’ve been up to.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej: The deeply revered 84-year-old king of Thailand has little direct power, but offending him can land Thais in jail. Critics complain that the lese-majeste law -- meaning ‘injured majesty’ -- undercuts free expression. Royalists see the law as an important way to uphold his dignity.

King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz al Saud: The elderly king heads the Sunni Muslim royal family that gives Saudi Arabia its name. His attempts to loosen the religious lock on Saudi life have been crimped by religious fundamentalists. Despite steps toward reform, such as giving women the right to vote, the kingdom has continued to be criticized for human rights abuses under his rule.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia: The Spanish royals have had a difficult year. The king was scolded for going on an elephant hunt. His grandson shot himself in the foot. And his son-in-law was named as a suspect in a corruption case. As the country grapples with economic woes, some Spaniards are asking why they should have a monarch at all.

King Hamed ibn Isa Khalifa: For more than a year, the Sunni monarch of Bahrain has been confronted with protests agitating for greater democracy. The ongoing unrest threatened to overshadow the Formula 1 races earlier this year as the king argued that reforms were already underway.

Emperor Akihito: The emperor has no formal political sway, but his imperial role still has symbolic power in Japan. Before the princess gave birth to a boy six years ago, the absence of young male heirs nearly caused a succession crisis and revived debate over whether women should be allowed to take the throne.

Prince Albert: When the Monaco monarch got married last year, his nuptials got an unfortunate nickname -- ‘the other wedding.’ Just weeks after Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot, Prince Albert II married Charlene Wittstock in the European principality.

King Abdullah II and Queen Rania: The Jordanian monarchs have weathered criticism for extravagance and faced demands to stop corruption, but the protests have been less heated than in other countries rocked by the ‘Arab Spring.’

King Mswati III: The king of Swaziland holds absolute power in this landlocked southern African country and has faced growing anger over financial woes, especially in light of his own extravagance. Earlier this year, Swazi officials said a new law was in the works to punish people who insult the king online.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck: The Bhutan monarch is an Oxford graduate who loves Elvis Presley. He has said his wedding last year will be his only one, a break from the polygamous past of the royal family. (His father wedded four sisters.)

Crown Prince Haakon: Though King Harald V is the reigning monarch in Norway, it was his son who grabbed headlines by marrying a single mother with a wild past more than a decade ago, stirring up talk about whether Norway really wanted such down-to-earth royals.

ALSO:

Eurozone unemployment rate remains at record high [Map]

Cambodia killing of anti-logging crusader stirs up suspicions

Rights groups slam death-by-stoning sentence for Sudanese woman

-- Emily Alpert in Los Angeles