Danish royal roundup # 16

Prince Joachim has been busy lately, including this visit to a new bazaar in Fyn, see below.

Are we overdue to roundup some royal Danish news? Well let's get to it!

2 March 2007. Prince Henrik met with Tanzania's president, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, for a private audience at Christian IX´s Palace, Amalienborg. Foreign aid/development minister Ulla Tørnæs is on the left.

12 March 2007. Prince Joachim baptized a new rowing boat at the Danish Students Rowing Club. The boat was named Frederik IX after his grandfather, who was an avid member of the club.

12 March 2007 Prince Henrik with captain Lars H. Hansen on arrival on the Vædderen.

14 March 2007. Galathea - In good spirits (he seems to carry them with him!) the Prince Consort on board the Vædderen.

15 March 2007 Galathea 3 - Prince Henrik arrived in St. Thomas and met people in Charlotte Amalie.

24 March 2007 Prince Joachim made a visit to the island of Fyn to officially open a new market called Bazaar Fyn. Prince Joachim was enthusiastic about the new multicultural bazaar and said it is a great initiative.



TV2 Fyn photo gallery
TV2/Fyn video clip (2:18)
TV2 sputnik video clip




24 March 2007 (Saturday) Prince Joachim was at Parken to see Danish boxer Mikkel Kessler win yet another boxing match.

Viking Warrior batters challenger The Copenhagen Post
Kessler keeps WBC, WBA titles

From Billed Bladet (no.13, 1 April 2007) Prince Joachim had a "Colourful breakfast".

“It’s been a long while since I had breakfast, so it’s nice with all these samples,” said Prince Joachim in a fine mood, when he took part in the opening of the 7.000 square-metre big Bazar Fyn in Odense.

At exactly 11am the Mercedes rolled up in front of the new bazaar, where 65 shops with owners, who primarily have a different ethnic background than Danish, offered a colourful array of goods from many parts of the globe.

For two hours the prince had a roundtrip tour to a number of cultures of the world – and not least an opportunity to taste delicacies that normally are not on the menu at Scackenborg.

Among other things he was offered Vietnamese spring rolls, dates, fish and exotic fruits.

The appetite was satisfied and Joachim returned the favour by congratulating the new bazaar, which he called an efficient bridge-builder between peoples, regardless of religious and ethnic origins.

By attending the opening of Bazar Fyn, Prince Joachim emphasized that he supports the ever increasing vigour with which the DRF has thrown themselves into to create positive attention about the large ethnic groups in Denmark.

The Queen has given the nod in several New Year speeches about showing more understanding for foreign cultures in Denmark, and it has clearly made its mark on the rest of the DRF. Mary has visited Vollsmose in Odense and Gellerup near Århus several times. (by Niels Burgos/Billed Bladet and many thanks to Muhler for translation)

A note informs us that Joachim went to see the boxing match Mikkel Kessler, who retained his title. Joachim had a handkerchief in his pocket with the portrait of Mikkel Kessler. We guess he is a big fan!




Her & Nu (no.13, 28 March 2007) carried a story about Prince Henrik and his "Dream vacation with friends".

Prince Henrik went onboard the man-of-war Vædderen on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal in the beginning of March and took part in the Galathea 3 expedition until the ship went to port in Charlotte Amalie at St. Thomas in the former Danish West Indies (Danish territory until 1917 when sold to the USA, now known as the Virgin Islands).

But only a few knew that when Henrik left the ship he sailed to the neighbouring island Tortola, one of the British Virgin Islands, where his old sailor friend and co-author of the royal cook book Ikke altid gåselever (“Not always goose liver”) Jakob Johannsen, was waiting with a big luxury catamaran ready for a six day cruise among the Caribbean islands. The Prince Consort had invited his French cousin Louis Keller and his nephew Guillaume Bardin both with their wives Francoise and Laurence. Jakob Johannsen had brought his seven year old son Adam who is very interested in sailing.

The trip had been arranged in all speed and became a sort of jubilee for a sailing trip the Prince Consort and and Jakob Johannsen made 25 years ago with the then only twelve year old Crown Prince Frederik. And so the itinerary went to some of the old familiar places.

There are very few ports in the area, so the royal catamaran, Princes Pierce, anchored each night in one of the idyllic bays surrounded by coral reefs, and if the crew wanted to get to shore it happened in a small dinghy. And, most meals were enjoyed onboard.

The family from France was in charge of breakfast, while the Prince Consort was the strict chef for lunch and dinner often prepared on the boat’s big barbecue.

On the island of Virgin Gorda the previous chief of court, chamberlain and major general Søren Haslund Christensen and his wife Marianne joined the party. Haslund Christensen is one of those who took the initiative to launch the Galathea 3 Expedition, but just like the Prince Consort had disembarked in St. Thomas.

The guests were celebrated with a dinner in one of the really few fashionable restaurants on the British Virgin Islands, the Bitter End Yacht Club, on one of the outermost north eastern corners of the Caribbean facing the Atlantic.

Prince Henrik had a surprise for his sailor friend, seven-year-old Adam when they were done sailing around the British Virgin Islands. It was a swim with six playful dolphins in a big pool next to the open sea. And as the big playful child he is, the Prince himself jumped into the water and for an hour and a half the two of them swam with the bright animals while the rest of the crew looked on in awe.

After the swim, the Prince said that it had been completely unreal and at the same time fantastic to swim with and to touch the big and friendly animals in the water, and about the kiss he said:

“It was very loving but it had a bit of fish-breath.”

Then Prince Henrik flew to Paris where, among other things he was to open a Danish exhibition. (author unknown but, of course, kindly translated by Muhler!)

A theme lately! 15 March 2007 Prince Joachim was at the tenth anniversary of the Fjord & Bælt Centre in Kerteminde as its patron.






30 March 2007 Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik visited Rigshospitalet for a special occasion - the 250th anniversary of Rigshospitalet (University Hospital in Copenhagen).



250 years of healing at State Hospital from The Copenhagen Post



The auction house Lauritz has sold two paintings by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in their art sales:
1.Description:
MARGRETHE II, Queen of Denmark. Abstract composition. Watercolour. Signed M 90. 23 x 31 cm. The current owner received this watercolour as a gift from the Queen.
2.Description:
MARGRETHE II, Queen of Denmark. Abstract composition. Watercolour. Signed M 90. 23 x 31 cm. The current owner received this watercolour as a gift from the Queen.



Lauritz.com (auction house)
Sale ended 10 April 2007

And in an update, B.T. has reported the two watercolors of Queen Margrethe painted in 1990 were sold at the internet auction for DKk 82,000 each. This means the paintings have sold for six times what was expected. The spokewoman for the Danish court has stated the Queen does not know who the seller is.

The Copenhagen Post:

A price fit for a queen
11 April 2007

Two watercolours by Queen Margrethe II fetched seven times their assessed value at auction.

One of the nation's most prolific artists surprised experts Tuesday, as two of her abstract watercolours were sold at auction for well above their assessed value.

The two works by Queen Margrethe II were sold by on-line auction house Lauritz.com for DKK 82,000 each. Their estimated value had been DKK 12,000 per work.

Queen Margrethe is an accomplished artist, often designing sets and costumes for theatrical performances. She has also illustrated the Danish translations of JRR Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' series and has a work hanging in the national gallery.

Despite substantially underestimating the value of the works, a representative from Lauritz.com said he was not surprised by the final sale price.

'We expected they would sell high, but not a lot of the queen's works have been put up for sale, so it was hard to estimate a market price,' Lennart Gottlieb told metroXpress newspaper, adding that the high price could be seen as a sign of 'respect' for the queen and her works.

Queen Margrethe does not sell her works, and the two watercolours, signed 'M' and dated 1990, had been a gift to the seller. The buyer chose to remain anonymous, according to the auction house.

Her&Nu's Jan Schmidt (no. 11/2007) reported Crown Princess Mary was one of the guests at the party for actress Ellen Hillingsø's 40th birthday last month held at her parents' home in Charlottenlund.
The actress Ellen Hillingsø has not only starred in everything from dogma movies to TV shows – and last year’s Christmas Calendar “Absalon’s Secret” – but also has the privilege of being a good friend of Crown Princess Mary... And the day was celebrated with a real girls' night surrounded by a close circle of girl friends from the inner circle around Crown Princess Mary and the Danish 'jet set'. (thanks ambiDK!)


(Photos Billed Bladet no.34 2006)



Applications are open for the Prince Christian Fellowship for a Danish researcher to take up a research place at Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI) in Sydney. Currently the VCCRI has eight research programs, 11 science laboratories and three clinical research laboratories. The Institute is an independent research facility which is chaired by Neville Wran (ex-premier of NSW who danced with Mary in Sydney, just as he has once danced with Diana, who also once supported VCCRI) and is a member of the St Vincent's and Mater Health Care Campus. It is currently located in the Garvin Institute but is planning an expansion adjacent to the Garvin with its own new building project currently underway. The Institute is affiliated with the University of New South Wales. The widow of Victor Chang, Mrs Ann Chang, is the patron and Mary is an Honorary Life Governor, among others. See Victor Chang's biography and here for a few details of the tragic story of his untimely death.



9 April 2007. Prince Henrik sails in Mallorca with Tom Carlsen and M. Flindt in the Transbunker Gold Cup at Palma de Mallorca (photos Mick Anderson/POLFOTO)

The photos below have been added here.

14 March 2007. Queen Margrethe used arm crutches due to a recent operation in her knee when she attend the Queen's Watch ceremony in Copenhagen. Royal Guard Tim Thestrup Foss, received Queen Margrethe's award.


And 16 March 2007. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko smiles at Danish Queen Margrethe during an audience at Amalienborg Palace. Yushchenko will end his two day visit in Denmark this afternoon after meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen.


Added: There is a report today in tabloid SE og HØR that Marie Cavallier was at Marselisborg during Easter, that she met with the royal family and made marriage plans. Last week they claimed things were tense between the couple and it was showing on Marie. As always we wait and see....