Mary & Frederik at Luxembourg silver anniversary

This weekend Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary are representing the Danish royal family at the celebration of the silver wedding anniversary of the Luxembourg Grand Ducal couple. The Grand Ducal couple made a state visit to Denmark just after Mary and Frederik were engaged (which made Mary 'official' so she attended) and the couple were guests at Mary's and Frederik's wedding in 2004. A little background on the Luxembourg royal family from the official website (in pdf but 122 pages in English with photos) and from Hello! magazine and Wikipedia - Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg

Friday, June 30. Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik during arrivals for the 25th wedding anniversary of Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa at the Royal Palace in Luxembourg.



Saturday, July 1. Inauguration Musee d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc-Jean (Mudam) by the Grand-Ducal couple and Grand Duke Jean, in the presence of royal guests.



Added: Saturday, July 1. Gala Dinner and dance at the Grand Ducal residence, Slot Berg


Also added: Hello! magazine 'Royals gather for Luxembourg silver wedding party'

And from Billed Bladet:


Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (official site in French)
BBC profile of Luxembourg
Luxembourg Grand Duchy links in English
Languages in Luxembourg 'Luxembourg: a linguistic puzzle'
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on Netty's royalty page
Wikipedia - Prince Louis of Luxembourg about Prince Louis, girlfriend Tessy Anthony and the birth of their child Gabriel this year

Frederik and Mary at re-opening of Glyptotek museum

This evening Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have attended the reopening of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek which is a sculpture museum created by the Carlsberg beer founder Carl Jacobsen (1842-1914). The current museum is based on his collection and has been undergoing a rebuilding and refit since 2003. The artist who will be featured in a special exhibition for the re-opening is Degas in 'Degas and Landscape'.

"Today, the museum houses the largest collection of ancient art in Northern Europe, primarily sculpture, from Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Italy. But during the more than one hundred years of its existence, the museum has also expanded the collection of French and Danish art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Impressionists, Paul Gauguin and Auguste Rodin are particularly well represented." (from the museum's website)



Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek New Carlsberg Sculpture Museum

Added: Hello! magazine 'Mary takes a leaf out of a U.S. First Lady's style book'
The Vancouver Sun 'Royal couple to inaugurate Copenhagen's renovated Glyptotek museum'
Denmark.dk 'Glyptotek Reopens'

Frederik opens 'Solar System' exhibition

Yesterday, June 26, Crown Prince Frederik opened a new permanent exhibition at the Geological Museum in Copenhagen. The exhibition is The Solar System - 'The origin of everything to the beginning of life'

Day two of the Bornholm visit

Allinge
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary greet the crowd in Allinge on the Baltic island of Bornholm.




Visit to the Bornholm Museum of Art


Hasle
Crown Princess Mary holds a smoked fish as Crown Prince Frederik walks next to her as they tour a herring fish smokehouse on the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm. Fresh-smoked herrings are a local delicacy, but herring is also a Danish slang word for 'beautiful women'. The press asked the Crown Prince if he will hold a herring, but he put his arm around Mary and said that she is his herring.
TV 2 article 'Kronprinsens egen sild' (trans. 'Frederik's own herring')



Nexø
Arrival to Nexø with walk through town to the square.



Visit to the Glass and Ceramic school. Here Mary had a go at doing some glass blowing. It wasn't up to the standard of the artists who do their work here, but Mary did manage, um, something which quite amused Frederik.


To the singing of a special song about Bornholm, Crown Prince Frederik and the Crown Princess Mary ended their visit to the Danish island of Bornholm. The Crown Prince sang along with the people.


Added 1: There has been a bit of media coverage on some commercial news programs in Australia featuring Christian's appearance in Bornholm. From Sydney's The Daily Telegraph:

Royal voyage
June 23, 2006

DENMARK'S eight-month-old Prince Christian made a rare public appearance yesterday when his Australian-born mother, Crown Princess Mary, carried him as the young royal family arrived to the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm.
Crown Prince Frederik, Denmark's future king, Mary and Christian appeared on the yacht's rear deck to a cheering crowd as it entered the harbour of Roenne, the main city on Bornholm.
The royals then began a two-day visit to the rocky island of 44,000 inhabitants without their son, who was left in the care of a nanny.
The baby prince, born on October 15, is second in line to be the future king of Denmark. He has so far been absent during many of his parents' official duties.

Added 2: See Madeleine Glindorf's photo gallery from day one on Bornholm (many thanks to Madeleine for some great up-close-and-personal photos)

DR TV Bornholm as with a lot of other reporting of the visit, Prince Christian's appearance was the highlight. (thanks Lotte H)

National Nine News (Australia) 'Prince Christian makes rare appearance' and Yahoo!/Seven News

Also reported in Russia in Pravda and in India in The Hindu News Update Service, also German media reports (Bunte, ZDF, etc)

Added 3: Sydney's The Sun Herald/SMH has this aspect of the visit in today's newspaper too:

Mary shows off her 'little kingaroo'

Hannah Edwards
June 25, 2006

HE'S Crown Princess Mary's bouncing baby boy.
With rosy chubby cheeks and cute potbelly, the robust eight-month-old proved a crowd-pleaser when shown off by his proud parents from the decks of the royal yacht.
Rugged up in a sky-blue knitted jumper, Prince Christian seemed to almost swamp svelte Princess Mary when she held him up for the crowd.
It was one of the young heir's rare public appearances, made after the royal family arrived in the Danish port city of Ronne last week.
The family travelled by boat to the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm for a short visit, where they toured attractions and greeted residents.
Wearing a wide-brimmed ochre felt hat and a smart tailored suit, Tasmanian-born Princess Mary was accompanied by husband Crown Prince Frederik, who was dressed in full naval regalia.
No date for an Australian visit by the royal family has yet been confirmed but some suggest it may take place later this year.
Source: The Sun-Herald

Our comment? Pity the reporter Hannah Edwards, or perhaps the sub-editor? persist with the 'kingaroo' tag, it is rather clunky, yes or no? (you our readers can let us know). But describing Mary's hat as felt? Why go there when you don't really know? The hat is straw. We expect poor, or rather fantasy, journalism from the tabloids, but SMH? Do the research please!

Added 4: We sometimes give you links to great photo galleries by Madeleine Glindorf here on the blog (see Added 2 above). TV Bornholm was running a photo competition and Madeleine won! Congratulations Madeleine, a well-deserved win for your terrific photos. From Madeleine's photos we could see what no other media showed, that the family dog Ziggy went along for the trip (so Ziggy obviously has her sea legs!).



Another photographer in the TV Bornholm competition took this photo of Frederik and Mary with Christian at the beginning of day two's activities.

Day one of the Bornholm visit

After arrival on Bornholm on the Dannebrog, Mary and Frederik left little Christian on board and joined the people of Bornholm, who had waited very resiliantly in the early morning rain to receive them. There were greetings, music, receptions, gift-giving and visits. We will keep adding new photos as they come along and we have Day 2 of the official visit to Bornholm still to come.

Arrival and official reception


Walk through the streets of old Rønne to Lakstorvet (The Salmon Square)


Visit to the group home Gartner Parken (The Gardner Park) in Rønne, where Frederik planted a tree as a memorial of the visit


Visit to NCC stone mining company


Reception at Nyker (New Church) - Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary were met by the priest Per Kofoed Munch. They were shown around and told about the history of the church, one of the round churches unique to Bornholm within Denmark.


Visit to Opalsøen (Opal Lake) and dinner for special invited guests.


To see more photos from this event, visit Bornholm Direct photo gallery
Hello! magazine 'Mary and Frederik take their little prince on island visit'
DR 1 (video clip in Danish but you can see the arrival and some of Mary's and Frederik's comings and goings)
Bornholm Direct about the gift of a glass work characteristic of Bornholm
Read about the glass works here Baltic Sea Glass, Bornholm

Frederik, Mary & Christian arrive on the Dannebrog

The Royal Yacht Dannebrog has arrived in Rønne Harbour on the island of Bornholm with Mary holding Christian for a bird's eye view as the Dannebrog docked. The Crown Prince family are in Bornholm for a two-day visit and so far Christian is the star.



TV 2 article
Click on 'Se Også' box 'Kronsprinsparret og prins Christian ankommer til Bornholm' for arrival photo gallery

TV 2 Bornholm news clip around 20 minutes, a fast connection will be good!

B.T. it is all about Prince Christian arriving in Bornholm as for all the Danish media covering the story.

Frederik, Mary and Christian visit Bornholm

A satellite view of Bornholm. The nearest land mass is southern Sweden.

Today is the start of a two-day official visit by Frederik, Mary and Christian to Bornholm, the Danish island in the Baltic with an interesting history. This visit will complete Mary's tour of every part of the Danish realm which began in 2004 after Frederik and Mary were married. After their May 2004 wedding and honeymoon the Crown Prince Couple went on a Summer Cruise of Denmark. Frederik and Mary left Copenhagen on 25 July 2004 on the Royal Yacht Dannebrog and visited Aarhus, Odense, Sønderborg and Graasten. Also in 2004 the Dannebrog took Frederik, Mary, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik around Greenland and then in 2005 around the Faroe Islands.

Aarhus:



Aalborg:


Odense:



Sønderborg:




Graasten:



Greenland:


Faroe Islands 2005:



Bornholm 2006:



Bornholm Direct
Bornholm's New Church Mary and Frederik will visit this church. The information about the church is in English.
Photos of buildings and landscape in Bornholm
Dannebrog - Danish Naval History
About Greenland
Faroe Islands

Much more to come.....

Frederik inaugurates Red Cross home

Yesterday, June 20, Crown Prince Frederik inaugurated a Red Cross Home for the elderly in Sorø in his role as a Dansk Røde Kors/Danish Red Cross commissioner.



Click here to watch the clip from www.tv2east.dk

Mary attends Opthalmology Congress

On Saturday, June 17, Crown Princess Mary attended the opening of the 37th Nordic Opthalmology Congress at the Falkoner Center in Copenhagen. The bouquet given to Mary on her arrival at the Falkoner Centre was made of irises. Good to know opthalmologists have a sense of humour!



for more photos visit Madeleine Glindorf's gallery (thanks Madeleine!)
XXXVII Nordic Congress of Ophthalmology (in English)

Joachim, Alexandra, Nikolai and Felix

Princess Alexandra, Prince Nikolai, Prince Felixand Prince Joachim at Cirkus Arena in Møgeltønder last Thursday.

Now, we are not wanting anyone to get ideas, there is no reconciliation going on here. Prince Joachim, Princess Alexandra, Nikolai and Felix have a tradition of attending this annual circus at the village of Møgeltønder, where Schackenborg Manor is located, as a fundraiser for one of Princess Alexandra's patronages, the Children's Cancer Foundation. As Prince Joachim said in his recent interview with Billed Bladet, he and Marie Cavallier are still seeing each other. There have been reports this last week that Princess Alexandra has finished her relationship with boyfriend Martin Jørgensen. But, as has been emphasised a number of times since their divorce, Joachim and Alexandra are on the best of terms as friends and each supports the other for both their own and their children's happiness. Certainly Nikolai and Felix looked very happy with their popcorn and their front row seats at the circus.



This second photo is from the circus visit this time last year (2005).

B.T. 'Alex and Joachim together at the circus'
B.T. photo gallery click on 'Billedserie' for photo gallery
TV 2 'Cirkus Arena i Møgeltønder' (in Danish)

13 June 2006. Princess Alexandra of Denmark at the opening of the new tropical house at the Odense Zoo.



14 June 2006. Princess Alexandra attended a lunch hosted by the International Rotary Convention at Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Something to know about Denmark.....

Today is the 787th birthday of the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. Since becoming aquainted with matters Danish it has been noted by us that Danes take every opportunity to fly their flag. Perhaps today is an opportunity to understand why this is so. Of course all nations have their national symbols and use them frequently, but it is quite remarkable how integral the Dannebrog is to Danes and Denmark. So, here is a chance to appreciate something of the national founding myth and narrative of Denmark.* Prince Christian's second name is Valdemar, which reflects back to this Danish narrative. Also, among flag flying days are the birthdays of the Royal Family which again reinforces the connection between history, the flag, the royals and the nation:
~ 5 February Crown Princess Mary
~ 16 April Queen Margrethe II
~ 29 April Princess Benedikte
~ 26 May Crown Prince Frederik
~ 7 June Prince Joachim
~ 11 June Prince Henrik
~ 15 October Prince Christian


The official flag of Denmark celebrates 787 years as a national symbol

Flags are flying high across the country today to celebrate the birthday of Denmark's flag. According to the legend, a red and white banner fell from the heavens at a critical point during the Battle of Valdemar on 15 June 1219, resulting in victory.

Although there is no historical record to support the legend, the tale of the Dannebrog, the name given to the flag, has captured the hearts of Danes and has been passed down through generations. While the stories surrounding the birth of the flag are all based on oral tellings, the first written record of the flag exists in a 15th century document.

Old coins and seals from the 13th and 14th century contain images similar to the flag.

The earliest known colourised version of the red and white banner appears in a book, 'Wapenboek Gelre' in the 15th century, although the national coat of arms, which is still used today, was more widely used as a symbol of the country.

The red flag with a white cross can be flown by any citizen, according to the regulations concerning the use of the flag. A swallow tailed version of the flag is flown by the government and various official departments.

While the history of the Dannebrog remains clouded and ambiguous, Danes embrace the 787-year-old legend, claiming to have not only the world's oldest monarchy, but also the world's oldest flag. From The Copenhagen Post

Some links:
The Danish National Flag history, official flag flying days, etc.
Wikipedia - Flag of Denmark
The Dannebrog the 75 year old Royal Yacht bears the name of the flag
The Danish Royal Flags

Dannebrog falling from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse, 15 June, 1219. Painted by Christian August Lorentzen in 1809. Original located on Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark

* To put this in some context, a national narrative is a story of wide acceptance with sacred characteristics and it functions to communicate some fundamental truth. Such a story can apply at different levels, for the individual, family, social group or organisation and the whole of society or culture. Myths contain archetypal symbols (in this case the Dannebrog is equated with history and the nation) and create consciousness and curiosity about origins and destiny. Perhaps a national narrative defines the psychological, sociological or cultural ethos of a nation and gives it distinctiveness which reflects the important concerns of the people and continually creates cultural integrity.

Danish royal roundup # 6

Time for another royal roundup!

A step closer to full cognatic primogeniture

The Treasury and Crown Jewels at Rosenborg Castle

On May 31 the Danish parliament (Folketing) passed the second reading of the bill to alter the order of succession to the first-born child of the monarch or heir apparent regardless of gender. The object of the change in the order of succession is gender equality. As the first born child of Frederik and Mary is a boy, these laws will apply to the children of Crown Prince/King Christian when the time comes. This long constitutional process began while Crown Princess Mary was pregnant with Christian. The law will not change before a third reading, an election and the next parliament will debate it further before a referendum in the next parliamentary term.

The process involves three readings in the current parliament (two now completed), the next election, three readings in the next parliament followed by a referendum. Of course there is no guarantee the election will produce a parliament which has the same views on constitutional change as the current parliament. There are some parties in the parliament which are proposing other changes along with the succession issue. The current government has sought a common approach among major parties for the order of succession to be treated on its own rather than being bundled in with other changes.

The Danish situation historically to the present:
The Constitution was revised in 1953, because King Frederik IX had no son the law of succession to the throne was altered 27 March 1953.
The State religion is the Lutheran Evangelical Church (part II.6 of the Constitution pertaining to the king). Marriage must be with consent of the Parliament for the monarch and of the sovereign with the Council of Ministers for all other eventual heirs (this was the case for Crown Prince Frederik and his proposed marriage to Mary Donaldson).The monarch and heirs must contract a lawful marriage with primogeniture as the type of succession law. In Denmark it was semi-Salic from 1660 to 1853 and Salic from 1853 to 1953.* The currently proposed change will introduce equal primogeniture (or full lineal primogeniture).
*(Note: Salic Law refers to females being entirely excluded from succession. Semi-Salic Law refers to succession to all male dynastic descendents and only resorting to the eldest female dynastic descendent when they are exhausted. Primogeniture means the male children take precedence, older over younger, current in Denmark. Cognatic [absolute] Primogeniture is the right of succession passing to the eldest child of the sovereign, regardless of gender, with females enjoying the same right of succession as males.)

The law will have an impact on succession order if, say, Frederik and Mary go on to have a daughter followed by another son. Under current succession order the son who is the third child would have precedence over the daughter who is the second child. The new law would give the daughter succession after Christian and of course affect Christian's children and all subsequent children born to the monarch or heir to the throne.
Links:
B.T. 'Kronprinsesser ligestilles med kronprinser' (in Danish - Crown princess to be equal with crown prince)
ABC News Online 'Denmark moves toward female succession to throne'
News.com.au 'Danes vote for future Queen'
Order of Succession gives all the definitions of agnatic primogeniture (and Salic Law and its variations), cognatic primgeniture, equal primogeniture (or full lineal primogeniture as in Sweden and proposed for Denmark)
Conditional Consent, Dynastic Rights and the Danish Law of Succession by Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard Dept. of Political Science, University of Aarhus - in English, a little old now, dates from 1998, but discusses some interesting points about the succession rights of Princess Benedikte and her children.
ABC News 'Princess power is on the rise'

On May 31, 2006 Princess Alexandra attended the opening ceremony of a botanic garden in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen.

Although not a completely royal story, the royal family was very involved in some of the events of last year's Hans Christian Andersen 2005 bicentennary. A recent report in The Copenhagen Post reveals the Hans Christian Andersen celebrations of last year have produced a financial and cultural benefit for Denmark. This wasn't always obvious last year when the HCA organisation was beset by financial and organisational problems. The whole royal family was involved in many events celebrating the Danish writer's contribution to world literature. Right, Mary at the Thorvaldsen Museum's HCA 2005 exhibit last August.
For context The Age (Melbourne) 'Last appearance'

Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik have already been to their own Arabian-themed party... a couple of decades ago.

We promised we would let you know about Frederik's private birthday celebration if we got any info. Billed Bladet and Her & Nu report the couple and their close friends had an Arabian Nights-themed party at The Chancellery House. Friends who arrived at The Chancellery House included Caroline and Peter Heering, Rikke Juel and her partner Michael, Jeppe and Birgitte Handwerk, Marie-Louise and Jørgen Skeel (and their son and their dog and the children of the other couples too).


Some more from Queen Margrethe's and Prince Henrik's visit to Italy and Greece.


Left, Queen Margrethe looked particularly elegant in Florence on May 14 at a party attended by Sophia Loren.

And, we also add a translation of the Queen's speech at the gala dinner hosted by the Greek president. It highlights some interesting connections between Greece and Denmark.

Speech given by HM The Queen at the state banquet in the Presidential Palace at Athens on May 24 2006
Mr. President, Mrs. Papoulias.

It is with great joy that The Prince Consort and I begin out state visit to Greece today, and we thank you, Mr. President, for your beautiful words to us and to our country, and for the welcome which has been given us. It emphasises the good and close relations between our two countries.
Scarcely two years ago, the Prince Consort and I visited Athens when Greece hosted the Olympic Games, an event which athletes as well as spectators will remember with enthusiasm, not only for the athletic achievements, but equally for the successful hosting of the event.
Denmark and Greece are very different countries in character and position, but they also, in their situations, have similarities which further mutual sympathy and understanding. Both are smaller countries at the fringes of the European continent, and both countries have a geography which orients them towards the sea, which makes it natural for us to see ourselves as merchant and seafaring nations. Those are features which have characterised our countries and peoples from antiquity.
For the traveller who is granted the privilege to arrive in Athens by boat, that is an unforgettable experience. The blue, blue Mediterranean, the rugged shores where each island and each foreland tells of the country’s history from ancient as well as modern times. There is the bay of Piraeus – and there, high above the plain and mist of the modern city, you see a golden chest: the Acropolis “as a gigantic throne above all the wee houses”, as the poet Hans Christian Andersen put it in 1841.
For all of western civilization, Ancient Greece is part of the foundation. Ever since this connection came to the attention of the people of the Renaissance, the thoughts and styles of antiquity have stamped our lives; we have, so to say, grown up surrounded by antiquity’s architectural orders and its philosophical terms, even when we are barely conscious of them. Early in the 19th century, the ancient ideals of freedom and the ideas of the democratic city-state found further nourishment in the Greek Liberation War. Greece was on everybody’s lips; Danish artists now went to Greece, painters and poets described the country, and Danish architects and classical researchers sought to personally familiarise themselves with the places of the ancient culture.
Doubtlessly, they experienced a very different Greece than those [Greeeks] we meet today. But one thing has not changed and seems as breathtaking to any Dane, now as then: that is the light. We Scandinavians who come from many gray days and little sun, picture to ourselves the South in a warm and golden light. But here, we see something new: here the light is white, white and blue like the Greek flag. For a Dane, there is at the same time something strangely familiar about the light above the islands or above Attica, for here as at home, the sea is always near, it is both at our feet and right behind the mountain, and lends its blue glimmer to the shadows, as we know it from our own sea-encircled land.
One of the Danish writers who let themselves be fascinated by Greece was Hans Christian Andersen, whose fairy tales and stories are known and loved in Greece. This was clearly seen in the many events marking the bicentenary of his birth also in this country. Both in his journals and in his great travel book of 1842 A Poet’s Bazaar, he vividly described his stay in Athens. Even at that time, the traffic made quite an impression "… the driving Greeks stand up in the old carriages and go by as if it was a horserace", and, as he writes elsewhere, "it raised the dust horribly, but after all, it was classical dust"!
Some of the Danish architects of his age put their mark on Greece. I am thinking of Christian Hansen who stayed here for eighteen years, and his brother Theophilus Hansen. The works of them both still stamp the image of central Athens: the university, the academy and the national observatory are merely examples. Christian Hansen also left his stamp on his own city as he, after returning in the middle of the 19th century, left his mark with characteristic buildings in Copenhagen, inspired by the Byzantine style he had gotten to know in Greece.
Thus, many contacts between Denmark and Greece had already been made when the Greek national assembly in 1863 made yet another connection by electing my great-grandfather’s brother as king as Georg I. The connections between our countries steadily developed, but not least in the course of the last fifty years, we have seen an almost explosive growth in the communication among our countries. It was not only my own, family-related connections which were strengthened, and amongst other experiences led to me also becoming familiar with the country, but the communication has reached new heights. Greece has become one of the Danes’ preferred travel destinations and welcomes more than 300,000 Danish tourists each year. Neither scientists nor artists hold themselves back, for Greece has in all time been an attractive destination for research and inspiration. It was therefore gratifying that Denmark could found the Danish Institute at Athens in 1992; here, close bonds are formed between Danes and Greeks in a fruitful collaboration. Also financial and commercial progress proceeds, and it is my hope that the discussions between Danish and Greek executives arranged in connection with this state visit will inspire new initiatives to the benefit of both our countries.
Internationally there has been for a long time a close and frictionless relationship between Greece and Denmark. This also has its effect on the broader, international co-operation within the parameters of the United Nations, where our two countries are both at the moment elected as members of the Security Council, and also in NATO. Not least, the relationship makes itself felt within the European Union. Fundamentally, the viability of the progress obtained through international collaboration depends on whether the creation and maintaining of a feeling of mutual understanding and solidarity is successful. In this perspective as well there is reason to be delighted at the ties that have been formed throughout centuries between Greece and Denmark, and at the many new connections created in recent years.

Mr. President,
as a politician, you have through your entire life been committed to the struggle for freedom and democracy. You have taken part in decisions which have been crucial for the welfare of your country. By virtue of your prestigious office, you are still contributing to the promotion of respect for your country, for her people and her both old and living culture.

Wishing for continuous happiness and prosperity for Greece and the Greek people, I raise my glass in order to propose a toast, with the Prince Consort, to the President of the Hellenic Republic and Mrs. Papoulias.

(Many thanks to Lasse for this translation - it allows we non-Danish speakers to understand how the Queen handled the diplomacy of this sensitive visit)


The Queen giving her speech at the gala in Athens and Prince Henrik at the Greek-Danish Business Forum:

State Council
Crown Prince Frederik presided over the State Council at Christiansborg Palace on Wednesday June 7, 2006. It is likely Frederik has also taken over the Queen's fortnightly audiences with ordinary Danes since her knee surgery, among various regent duties he is helping with.

As we have already reported, Prince Henrik is in Thailand representing the Queen for the 60th anniversary of the succession of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
11 June 2006. Danish Prince Consort Henrik is greeted by Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in Bangkok. Royalty from around the world are heading to Bangkok for the celebrations of Thai king's 60th year on the throne, during which they will witness a series of rituals steeped in ancient tradition, including a rarely seen parade of 52 carved and gilded ceremonial barges paddled by more than 2,000 chanting oarsmen.



12 June 2006. Denmark's Prince Consort arrives at the river city for shopping during his site seeing tour in Bangkok. Kings and queens, sultans and princes from 25 countries gathered in Thailand to celebrate 60 years on the throne for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-serving monarch. The highlight for the world's royals, after attending a reception for the king in Bangkok's marble palace, is a royal barge procession, a centuries-old ritual held only once every few years.

12 June 2006. Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, right, is congratulated by Prince Henrik of Denmark at the the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok. The representatives of 25 royal houses from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Thailand's Asian neighbors trooped into the elaborate century-old hall to convey their best wishes on the 60th anniversary of the 78-year-old king's accession to the throne.

The Danish Prince Consort and his wife gave very personal gifts to the King of Thailand according to Udland Jyllands-Posten, one was a painting done by Queen Margrethe and also a sculpture made by Prince Henrik (who is a very competent sculptor). And apparently the 72nd birthday of Prince Henrik was marked at a reception in the Royal Danish Embassy in Bangkok during his visit. See photos here (thanks for the info and link Martin C at SRMB). Prince Henrik will continue on a private visit to Bhutan after leaving Thailand. Henrik has visited a Danish-owned factory, Ecco Thailand, where he received a pair of the factory-produced shoes as a gift. See the report about the Ecco visit here at ScandAsia.dk.

Billed Bladet (in Danish) 'All congratulate the king'
Also see Thai photo gallery where there are lots of high quality photos of the Thai royal events.


Prince Joachim gave Billed Bladet an interview when he was in LA which was featured in last week's issue. It provided no real news but also from his side no stepping back from the fact he is happy and 'things' should take time in a natural way (referring not so obliquely to Marie Cavallier). Not to be outdone on the Joachim front, B.T. reports on Danish skin care entrepeneur Ole Henriksen's account of the Danish film community's party when Joachim was in LA recently. Henriksen claims all the women at the party thought Joachim was by far the most attractive gentleman at the event, no doubt helped by his princely and single status.


Billed Bladet reports there could be some significance, i.e.: confirmation of a serious relationship, between Prince Gustav and Carina Axelsson, who was present at last weekend's family wedding. Gustav is Benedikte's son and heir to the title and estate of his father. Carina Axelsson attended the wedding and the reception, denoting a kind of acceptance of her into the family. We will see.


Billed Bladet gives an account of the Queen's return to Fredensborg from Århus in a rather long ambulance trip (around three hours drive). Last week the magazine reported the Queen's grandson visited his grandmother in hospital. On Sunday June 4 Frederik, Mary and Christian made the long drive from Fredensborg to Århus hospital to visit the Queen after her surgery. After the visit and with Mary driving, they slipped out the back of the hospital and stopped off at nearby Marselisborg (where they had been for the Queen's birthday for Easter) to attend to Christian, and maybe themselves, before making the return trip to Fredensborg.

Some nice news for Queen Margrethe. Her beloved daschund Célimène died last December and Prince Henrik is giving her a new puppy for her birthday. The gift is a little belated because the puppy, from Lis Christensen's kennel in Sydsjælland, was not born yet. The Queen has chosen the puppy from four in the litter, which have the same progeny as Henrik's dog Evita.

There is a little bit of 'breaking news', although at the moment it is still very much in the gossip/rumour pigeonhole until we have more substantiated reports. In case it does have substance, we'll mention it. TV 2 is reporting that the relationship between Princess Alexandra and cameraman Martin Jørgensen is over and that he has moved out of her house in Copenhagen. We will report further on the substance and veracity of this when it emerges.

Frederik and Mary at opening of Rotary congress

Yesterday, Sunday June 11, Frederik and Mary took part in the opening ceremony for the annual convention of Rotary International at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen.



For more photos visit Bella Center's gallery

Links:
Rotary International's 2006 Convention - in Copenhagen and Malmö
Bella Center
The Copenhagen Post 'Bridging the Øresund - and the world'
TV 2 'Frederik og Mary åbnede kongres'

Frederik & Mary at family wedding in Germany

Last Saturday, June 10, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary were guests at the wedding of Prince Philipp von Hessen and Laetitia Bechtolf along with many other royals. Prince Philipp von Hessen and Laetitia Bechtolf married in the Schlosskirche in Panker just over the border from Denmark in Germany. The bridegroom is the nephew of Princess Benedikte's husband Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, so there was a strong family contingent of Benedikte, Richard, Gustav, Nathalie, Alexandra and her husband Jefferson. Also there were other Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg family members and Princess Caroline of Monaco and her husband Prince Ernst August of Hanover. The bride is a niece of a well known designer from Hamburg.

Happy birthday Prince Henrik!

Photo © Klaus Møller

Today it is a happy birthday wish to Prince Henrik who is 72 years old!
Henrik was born Henri Marie Jean André Count de Laborde de Monpezat on 11 June, 1934 in Talence, Gironde, France, the son of Count André de Laborde de Monpezat (d. 1998) and Countess Renée de Monpezat, born Doursennot (d. 2002). According to information published on the Danish Royal website there will be no formal celebration, in fact Prince Henrik has already left Denmark to attend the 60th anniversary accession celebrations of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand.

Prince Henrik was in the diplomatic service from 1962 within the Asia Department of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and from 1963 to 1967 as a Secretary to the French Embassy in London he was in the right place at the right time to meet Margrethe, who was studying in London (also in the right place in the right time!). Prince Henrik operates the wine estate Château de Cayx in Cahors in France and exports wine from the estate worldwide. Prince Henrik speaks French (of course!), Danish (some say not so well, but perhaps some of the criticism has been unfair), English, Chinese and Vietnamese. Check out Henrik's publications and you can see he is not just a 'pretty face'. Next year Henrik and Margrethe will celebrate 40 years of marriage.

In an interview with Billed Bladet last year for his 71st birthday Henrik said he still plays tennis, sails and rides and thinks it important to stay active. He said friends are very important to him and he treasures them as he gets older. Prince Henrik said he would like to have many grandchildren and joked that as he has just two sons he canot expect more than a dozen! He said as you get older marriage changes and you understand each other in a different way. It is important to support the other partner and feel good about being together. Being able to talk and communicate is important and he feels he has this with the Queen. He discussed his books about poetry and cooking and also said how Chateau de Cayx is his sanctuary for relaxing and enjoying nature.

Currently Prince Henrik is protector for 75 organisations and as well as promoting these organisations he visits them at least once each year. Henrik is also president of five organisations, chairman for four foundations and an honorary member of 48 organisations.

Happy anniversary Queen Margrethe & Prince Henrik!

Today is the 39th wedding anniversary of the Queen and the Prince Consort.
Henrik became HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark on his marriage to Margrethe, the Heir Apparent, on 10 June, 1967. Henrik and Margrethe married in Holmens Kirke (the naval church in Copenhagen near Christiansborg) and went on to Fredensborg Palace for their wedding festivities. With a new knee the Queen and Prince Henrik should be able to trip the light fantastic for a long time to come!

Mary opens new psychiatric hospital

Today Crown Princess Mary, as patron for the Danish Mental Health Fund and for The Danish Association for Mental Health, opened a new psychiatric hospital facility in the town of Helsingør. Mary spent time after the formalities talking to residents.



related links:
Danish Mental Health Fund
Danish Association for Mental Health
Helsingor.dk

Mary presents wood industry design prize

Yesterday morning, June 8, Crown Princess Mary presented the prize in the design competition for furniture of the future conducted by the Wood Employers Federation at the Munkebjerg Hotel in Vejle. Mary has had a connection with the globalisation project of the Confederation of Danish Industries through various events since 2004.

Links:
JydskeVestkysten (in Danish - 'Mary gav priser til designere')
TV SYD (in Danish - 'Kronprinsessen hædrer ny dansk stol' includes the prize winner Claus Bjerre and his design)
Dansk Industri press release in Danish about the 34-year-old Copenhagen prize winner
TV SYD video clip and the direct clip TV SYD
Added: Velje Amts Folkeblad 'Mary og møblerne' (in Danish)
(Many thanks to Lotte H.!)

Christian's new monogram

Left, combined monogram of Frederik and Mary.

Today the website of The Crown Prince and The Crown Princess revealed the new monogram of Prince Christian, designed by his grandmother the Queen. It appears to be a teal colour and has intertwined 'C's' as his father's has intertwined 'F's'.

You can see the mongrams of the Danish monarchs here. (Source: The Royal Library)

So young and Christian is already a mix of the traditional and the new. The monogram is traditional and symbolic of his birthright and you might remember he has his own domain name (see our post A new web baby!) which is definitely a sign of something new.

Below, the monograms of Frederik, Mary and Christian.

Frederik presents CP Frederik foundation grants

©Steen Brogaard

Today, Crown Prince Frederik presented the "His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik’s Foundation" grants in Christian VIII's palace, Amalienborg. The purpose of the foundation is to provide financial support for scientific expeditions, especially to foreign parts of the world including Greenland and the Faeroe Islands. Areas of sport and social achievement are also considered for grants. This year there were 18 recipients from various fields.

for more photos, visit Steen Brogaard's website
This year's recipients

Happy birthday Prince Joachim!

Today is Prince Joachim's 37th birthday, so many happy returns for him. Of course Prince Joachim is travelling (Beijing, see earlier post) so his boys may have to wish him a happy birthday by phone.

Check out Jacob Holdt's Joachim in Bolivia for CARE and Joachim for CARE in Bolivia 2
DR 1 Prince Joachim of Danmark
Care Danmark - Joachim is patron and Joachim photo gallery for Care in Vietnam
Hello! magazine 'Joachim holidays in France with mystery friend' (the first story in English about Marie Cavallier, before it was known who she was, of course)
To celebrate his birthday, here are some photos of Prince Joachim with Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix at Schackenborg Manor last year at a Hans Christian Andersen 2005 bicentenary event. Also a couple of other photos and the first photos of Joachim with Marie Cavallier in summer 2005 (just in case this happens to be significant!)

Queen Margrethe's knee surgery

A search has produced a photo of the now replaced knee!

Update! According to a new press release by Lord Chamberlain Ove Ullerup Queen Margrethe has been released from hospital and is at Fredensborg. She is doing very well and may even be able to participate in some activities later in the summer. As mentioned in the Billed Bladet article already mentioned, the Queen is having physiotherapy everyday.

In a press release the Danish court's Lord Chamberlain Ove Ullerup has given an update on Queen Margrethe's knee surgery: Hendes Majestæt Dronningen opereret. A translation of the press release:

Her Majesty The Queen Has Undergone Surgery

Amalienborg, June 1st 2006

Her Majesty The Queen underwent surgery this morning on Thursday the 1st of June at the surgical knee sector of orthopaedic surgical ward E, Århus Hospital.

The operation was conducted by consultant Anders Odgaard, M.D., and an artificial knee joint was inserted. The operation was successful and lasted an hour.

It is expected that Her Majesty The Queen will be able to be discharged within a week, whereupon The Queen will take up residence at Fredensborg Castle.

In the light of the operation, some of The Queen's scheduled engagements within the next 1-2 months will be cancelled. Others will be carried out with the participation of His Royal Highness The Prince Consort or His Royal Highness The Crown Prince.

A press conference about the operation with consultant Anders Odgaard, M.D., and the team of doctors is convened at Århus Hospital, Tage-Hansens Gade, today at 14.30. The press conference will take place in the hospital's hotel.

Ove Ullerup
Lord Chamberlain

(Many thanks, again, to Lasse for his translation.)

DR 1 video clip in Danish, shows the press conference with the Queen's surgeons.

Billed Bladet describes the Queen's knee operation as miracle surgery because of a new procedure used at Århus Hospial. The story says the Queen took small steps in her room the same day after her surgery. The Queen is doing daily exercises to rehabilitate and recover from the surgery. Her recovery will continue at Fredensborg.

We wish Queen Margrethe a successful recuperation and look forward to seing her pain-free smile again soon!

Prince Joachim in California

As we previously reported, Prince Joachim has been visiting California promoting innovative Danish businesses and the culture of Danish cinema. Prince Joachim leaves Los Angeles and goes to Beijing next up.

Prince Joachim at the first annual Danish Film Festival in Los Angeles. Presented by Danish Film Fest LA, The Royal Danish Embassy, and American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. June 3 2006



Prince Joachim arrives at the Gala event for the First Annual Danish Film Festival Bergamot Station Los Angeles, CA. June 3 2006


for more photos, visit the Danish Film Fest's gallery

On energy and innovation

Report from The Stanford Daily:
Danish prince pays royal visit

By Cassie Harvey
Friday, 2 June, 2006

While U.S. politicians and analysts clamor for renewable energy in the wake of skyrocketing oil prices, the Royal Highness Prince Joachim of Denmark took action yesterday by visiting Stanford to promote the launch of the Innovation Center Denmark — a bridge firm for developing alternative energy sources.
The prince and his delegation met with University President John Hennessy and faculty to listen in on presentations given by Prof. Franklin Orr, director of the Global Climate and Energy Project, and Rosamond Naylor, senior fellow at the Institute for International Studies. The presentations addressed issues ranging from greenhouse gas emissions to new energy technologies.
Located in Palo Alto, the Innovation Center Denmark aims to wed Danish ideas and firms with the Silicon Valley’s lucrative business potential. Jointly funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Science and Technology, the Center opens at an opportune time as concerns over conflict in the Middle East, high gas prices and global warming have led President George W. Bush to call for non-traditional energy sources.
“In a U.S. market eagerly looking for fossil fuel alternatives, Denmark has something to offer,” stated the Royal Danish Embassy in a press release.
Its remarkable energy revolution — progressing from 99 percent dependent on foreign oil to completely independent, as well as 20 percent wind powered, in only 32 years — certainly shows Denmark has much to offer in terms of energy models for the U.S. The country is also a net exporter of energy, providing 40 percent of the world’s wind energy. The 1973 oil embargo served as a wake up call that motivated Danish officials to develop alternative energy technologies.
“[Denmark] leads the way in using renewables in the energy mix,” Orr said. “They use lots of wind and biomass [materials].”
Harnessing this knowledge is only one of the goals of the new Center. Marianne Toftegaard Poulson, the Center’s director, envisions the Center as an intermediary between Danish-based companies and those in the Silicon Valley.
“The opening of the center really creates a win-win situation,” Poulson said. “Denmark has a lot to offer and the Silicon Valley area is a perfect market for the kind of technologies Denmark specializes in.”
Poulson also said she hopes the Center will foster strong ties with the Stanford community.
“University officials have been very receptive,” she said. “I view the Center as building bridges. Hopefully, by working closely with the University we can create more opportunities for exchange between the two countries, making it easier for researchers and students from both countries to spend time working or studying in Denmark and Silicon Valley respectively.”
Orr, who previously collaborated with students and faculty from the Technical University of Denmark, reflected on the positive experience and high quality research conducted.
“They’ve sent very capable PhD students,” Orr said. “I’ve had two absolutely terrific post docs.”
The grand opening of Innovation Center Denmark will take place this afternoon. Approximately 400 guests have been invited. Prince Joachim will then head to Los Angeles, where he will stay for two days before flying to Beijing.The Stanford Daily

On energy

From Inside Bay Area.com
Danish prince talks of 'energy independence'

By Douglas Fischer, Staff Writer

STANFORD — Tired of $3.60 gasoline? Danish Crown Prince Joachim has some advice:
Sacrifice, save, and sweat the small stuff.
After the 1973 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' oil embargo, the Danes — 99 percent dependent on imported energy at the time — set out to free themselves from foreign oil. Today the country is the only exporter of energy in Europe, producing 55 percent more power than it needs. Renewable fuels — wind, solar, waste — generates 15 percent of that, and the country is almost completely "energy independent."
Thursday Prince Joachim and his delegation toured Stanford University, meeting with scientists working on ways to solve the world's daunting energy needs in the next century.
Those scientists, affiliated with the university's Global Climate and Energy Project, spent the morning tutoring the prince, 36, on ways society might someday warm the home, power the TV and ward off global warming.
It was a dazzling display of American ingenuity: Nanoprobe arrays that pluck off the extra electron or two cells generate during photosynthesis, advance membrane reactions to produce carbon-free hydrogen, genetically engineered cellulose to increase biomass yield.
There are some hitches, however. None of that works on a commercial scale. And Denmark didn't use any of it en route to energy independence.
Rather, said Danish officials accompanying the prince, such freedom came from small things: toilets with two buttons — one for a big flush, one for a little; highly insulated houses; a switch years ago to compact fluorescent bulbs; high energy taxes; wind.
"America has always been a leader," the prince said. "Now we're reaching a point where comfort has allowed America to not develop.
"But need and competition has brought change to Europe."
Of course, 85 percent of Denmark's power still comes from oil and natural gas. But the trend is steadily — if slowly — moving away from that.
In 1979, when Three Mile Island almost lost its nuclear core and much of the world turned from nuclear power, Denmark turned to wind, said Danish Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen, who accompanied the Prince.
Today Denmark is a global leader in wind turbines.
But big breakthroughs didn't turn Denmark into an energy exporter, said Petersen.
"You want that big breakthrough. That's wonderful if it succeeds," he said. "But sometimes lots of small steps need to be taken."
Lynn Orr, director of Stanford's climate and energy project, brooks no qualm over wind power. Or conservation. Americans certainly have plenty to conserve, and can even make money doing so, he said.
Yet when you look globally, when you follow trendlines out 50 years, Orr said, you quickly realize the numbers are far too huge for any one approach.
Two billion people on the planet today are just trying to get energy, let alone conserve it, he said.
China, to meet energy needs, is adding 1,000 megawatts of new coal-fired generation a week.
Worldwide people derive the same amount of energy by burning wood — five zeta-joules, or power enough to keep the city of Berkeley lit until the sun burns out — as by burning oil.
And in 50 years, the energy needs of humans on this planet are expected to double.
"There's no silver bullet here," Orr said of the high-tech solutions his group is exploring. "We need all of these things plus probably 20 more."
But if it's such a pressing problem, asked Petersen, why did Stanford University — one of the nation's premier research institutions — only start the Global Climate and Energy Project three years ago?
Orr didn't have an answer to that. Inside Bay Area.com

Danish cinema

From Danish Film Fest Los Angeles 2006
"Thumbs up"!

by Mathilde Moyell Juul

Those were the words from HRH Prince Joachim of Denmark on his visit to the Danish Film Fest : LA last night. The third night of screenings was a tribute to director Susanne Bier, showing 'Open Hearts' and 'Brothers' at the Aero Theatre. Once again it was an evening with the best of Danish film that also included a big gala event hosted by the Danish Embassy in honour of the prince's visit to California. In his speech, Prince Joachim said he was "honoured" and "extremely happy" to be the patron of the Danish Festival: "It's great, but also odd to be in Hollywood celebrating Dogme, the one film movement that goes against everything Hollywood stands for".

Ironic, as exactly this evening showed that Danish filmmakers aren't afraid to take their talent to the big American screen - Susanne Bier is currently working on two projects with Dreamworks, starring Oscar winners Halle Berry and Benicio del Toro. Last mentioned also paid the Aero Theatre a visit last night for 'Brothers' and the two panel discussions with Bier herself, writer Anders Thomas Jensen and actors Mads Mikkelsen and Ulrich Thomsen.

The Fest continued at the The Bergamont Theatre in Santa Monica, the setting of the big gala reception. In true Hollywood style with red carpet, spots and flashlights, over 300 people with a Danish/American connection were celebrating with HRH Prince Joachim, the cream of Danish film and Hollywood residents such as cinematographer Mikael Salomon, beauty guru Ole Henriksen and actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

A great night celebrating a unique festival and making evident that the borders between the States and Denmark are becoming less visible. Tonight, Sunday, the festival rounds up with Lars von Trier's 'The Idiots' and his and Jørgen Leth's 'Five Obstructions'. Jørgen Leth will be there to present this film and his older work 'The Perfect Human' as well as answering questions from LA Weekly film critic Scott Foundras.

Next leg of Prince Joachim's trip is Beijing.

Added: Billed Bladet reports on Joachim's Film Fest experience in LA. Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen was there, he is currently filming the new James Bond film Casino Royale. He is playing the baddie Le Chiffre!

Frederik visits Vennelyst exhibition

Today Crown Prince Frederik, as patron, attended the opening of SE's exhibition 'Vennelyst' in Frederiksberg Park.

SE is an association of 64 furniture manufactures and architects, and this year's exhibition focuses on the bold and the welcoming.




for more photos, visit Madeleine Glindorf's gallery
S E - in English
'Vennelyst' exhibiton
Added: Hello! magazine 'Frederik shows off his chippie knowledge'