Swedish royal family in Denmark for state visit

Crown Princess Mary, Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Victoria, Queen Margrethe, King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia and Prince Henrik together for the official potograph at Fredensborg Palace.

The Swedish Royal Couple and Crown Princess Victoria have arrived in Denmark this morning. They arrived at the North Toll Pier (Toldboden) in Copenhagen Habour in the Swedish war ship Visborg. They were recieved by the Danish royal family, diplomats and politicians. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Ras­mussen was also present. This is the second state visit to Denmark by the present Swedish King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia. After the formal welcome in Copenhagen the two royal families have travelled to Fredensborg Palace. The members of the Danish royal family were the Queen, Prince Henrik, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Joachim, Princess Benedikte and her husband Prince Richard. On the Swedish side it is King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria (who is godmother to Christian). The official program does not include Crown Princess Mary, although it is likely the Swedish royals will see her privately and meet the new little addition to the Crown Prince Family.

Articles:

TV2 article - 'Det svenske kongepar er ankommet'
Politiken - 'Svensk statsbesøg indledt'
Jyllands Posten - 'Svensken er gået i land'
The Local Swedish English language newspaper - 'Swedish royals underline Danish links'
Danish Royal website on the Swedish visit and details of the welcome (in Danish)
Aftonbladet photo gallery from Swedish newspaper of some lovely photos of the welcome at Toldboden

Galleries:

Politiken flash gallery
TV2 photo gallery arrival in Fredensborg
Expressen.se 17 photos
Aftonbladet gallery from Swedish newspaper of some lovely photos of the welcome at Toldboden

Clips:

TV2 video clip (1:15)
Politiken video clip (1:50) arrival in Toldboden
B.T. webcast clip (1:51) arrival at Fredensborg Palace (you can see little Christian in the doorway greeting the guests at the end)
Politiken video clip (1:51) arrival in Fredensborg (see the smile on Frederik's face as he can see Christian in the doorway)




From Jyllands Posten 9 May 2007 - The Swedes have landed.

The cannons boomed from the Sixtus Battery and the Swedish Man O' War HMS Visborg arrived at Toldboden in Copenhagen Harbour at around 9am with King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria onboard.

The royals were sailed ashore in a barge in the cool and windy spring weather.

The royal yacht Dannebrog also took part in the welcome with a salute, with the crew at attention facing HMS Visborg. The royal yacht is moored off Toldboden now (as the season began yesterday).

The Swedish royals were received at the quay by most of the DRF, and also Prince Richard of Berleburg, a rare guest in Denmark. Prince Richard has a special attachment to Sweden. His mother, Princess Margaret was Swedish and Queen Ingrid was his godmother.

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and minister for traffic Flemming Hansen took part in the welcome along with the manager of the state administration in the capital, Bente Flindt Sørensen, vice admiral and deputy defence chief, Tim Sloth Jørgensen, head of the Danish police, Torsten Hesselbjerg and manager for the Copenhagen police, Henne Bech Hansen.

Prior to the arrival of the Swedish guests the Queen inspected a guard of honour from the Royal Life Guard to the tunes of the colour march. A little later it was the Swedish national anthem “Du gamla, du fria, du fjällhöga nord” that was heard, before King Carl Gustaf and his cousin Margrethe inspected the honour guard.

With “Store Krone” (big crown) in the front, a seven-seater Rolls Royce from 1958 and the Daimler limousines following them, the royal families drove with a police escort to Fredensborg Palace. A mounted escort from the Guards Hussars company followed the motorcade on the last stretch to the palace.

Here Carl Gustaf, Silvia and Victoria will stay during the state visit and they will have the opportunity to greet the little new Danish princess and Mary in the Chancellery House. The new mother will not take part in the official program [although we have already seen her in the official photo].

The Crown Prince however will accompany Victoria all the time, and on Friday also the Swedish King, when father and daughter go through a separate program. Queen Silvia will to do without the company of a host on her excursions on that day [Friday].

Not since 1979 has a head of state arrived for an official visit by water. Then it was the British Queen Elizabeth on the royal yacht Britannia. (by Else Boelskifte and kindly translated by Muhler)