Danish Royal Watchers: New Year Courts @ Amalienborg & Christiansborg

Photo © Hanne Juul/Billed Bladet (and various below)

On January 5 the Regent Couple and the Crown Prince Couple received the Supreme Court, the Royal Lifeguards Officer Corps and Guard Hussar Regiment's Officer Corps in Christian VII Palace at Amalienborg, and then later in the morning, they attended the New Year's Court for the Diplomatic Corps serving in Denmark at Christiansborg Palace. This year there is a new senior ambassador who delivered the New Year greeting on behalf of the diplomats in Denmark, Juan Carlos Kreckler of Argentina. The longest serving diplomat traditionally assumes this role on behalf of all the diplomats present. Queen Margrethe gave a short New Year speech for the diplomats in both French and English and then invited everyone to have champagne, canapés and cake to formally bring in the New Year. It is quite a stunning cultural display on this grand occasion, since diplomats wear national dress, where appropriate, and demonstrate in full the cultural diversity and good spirit of the family of nations. Queen Margrethe delivered her speech, first in French (the diplomatic language), and then in English. "I, like many others, look forward to the climate summit to be held in Copenhagen in the autumn and I hope it will forge pathways leading to solutions which are so important for our planet. Apart from that, I wish for progress for your countries, in spite of the financial crisis, which is currently making its mark around the world." Annelise Weimann from Billed Bladet reported that both the Queen and Frederik were suffering colds during the New Year period after catching them at Christmas time at Marselisborg Palace. The Queen had cancelled going to a ball which Prince Henrik went to alone, and Frederik was visibly ill-looking at the court for the Diplomatic Corps, with Mary looking at him with concern a few times.