Danish Royal Watchers

Wednesday 30 April 2008

Dear reader

A little note just to let you know there will be a little posting hiatus for the next few days. Sorry the catch up hasn't been quite as fast as hoped but it just can't be helped. But, we will get there and be back on top for upcoming events. See you soon!

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Thursday 24 April 2008

Mary @ Research Day 2008 in Århus

Photo © Valdemar Jørgensen/Jyllands Posten
Crown Princess Mary has attended the opening of Research Day 2008 at the University of Aarhus. This is an annual event which aims to stimulate curiosity for the methods and results of research and science. Throughout Denmark research institutions, municipalities and museums organize events to show the tangible, amusing and down-to-earth side of research. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation promotes Research Day and Crown Princess Mary is the patron. Mary presented the Research Communication Prize for 2008 to Professor Ove K. Pedersen from Copenhagen Business School. The head of the University of Aarhus presented Mary with 500 square metres of rainforest in Ecuador to emphasise the theme of climate for Research Day this year.


Photos © Axel Schütt/AarhusStiftstidende
Århus Stifstidende 'Kronprinsessen lærte fysik - og fik en regnskov' - The Crown Princess learned physics - and got a rain forest
"There she is!", "I can see her well..." whispered two high school students in the third row when Crown Princess Mary ascended the long staircase ...at the University of Aarhus.
The Crown Princess sat right in the front row in front of the stage and had a bit of an untraditional welcome from the rapper Per Vers, who granted permission for the university's principal Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen to speak ...
The afternoon's session was the official opening arrangement for Research Day which is a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
So the science minister Helge Sander was also on the stage.
"Research matters a lot for all of us and we have to take care to explain research so that there is understanding of why a lot of money has to be spent on it," said the minister to 400 people, who were gathered at the lecture room.
Crown Princess Mary is patron for Research Day.
She received a certificate presenting a small piece of rain forest to her and handed over the Research Communication Prize for 2008 to Professor Ove K. Pedersen from Copenhagen Business School.
The award winner is in Washington at present so his daughter Lea Bøttger-Pedersen accepted the bouquet and a cheque for DKK100.000 for him.
Outside the lecture room the Crown Princess got a five minutes physics show from two students from the University of Aarhus, which showed her how water rises when inland ice melts, and then they blew up a nitrogen bomb in the lake outside.
The Crown Princess nodded with interest.
She was particularly busy with the bomb, which consisted of liquid nitrogen in a half litre coke bottle. When liquid nitrogen is heated, it expands 650 times and blows up the container.
That produced an enormous explosion in the lake.
"Thank you very much, it was exciting," Crown Princess Mary said and disappeared upstairs to a reception for specially invited visitors.
Jyllands Posten 'Mary fik egen regnskov i Århus' - Mary got her own rain forest in Århus (by Morten Nystrup)
It isn't only reserved for brother-in-law Prince Joachim to own a piece of earth: Crown Princess Mary became a forest owner during the day's visit in Århus.
As patron of Research Day Crown Princess Mary visited the University of Aarhus today.
During the visit she handed over the Research Communication Prize for 2008.
As a welcome for the Crown Princess the university's principal, Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen presented, the Crown Princess with 500 square meters of rain forest in Ecuador.
This was to emphasise that climate is the theme for the university's activities during Research Day.
Tomorrow, on Friday, their doors are opened to the public to allow people to learn more about the university's research in the climate area...


Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation - front page stories
Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation

Urban.dk 'Kronprinsessen lærte fysik og fik en regnskov'
Aarhus Stiftstidende gallery

TV2 Østjylland NetTV (02:17)

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Prince Joachim & Marie Cavallier @ Roskilde Cathedral

All photos © Kim Rasmussen/Frederiksborg Amts Avis

Prince Joachim and his fiancée Marie Cavallier were visiting Roskilde Cathedral as part of Marie's familiarisation with Denmark last week when there was a little trouble as they left. They were accosted by an unknown man. A film crew is trailing the couple while making a TV show which will focus on Marie which will be broadcast just before their wedding on May 24. They visited the graves of Joachim's grandparents Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid and laid flowers. On their way out, a man called out Joachim's name and chased the royal car as Joachim and Marie left.



From: DagbladetOnline.dk 'Joachim og Marie på besøg i Domkirken'
Prince Joachim and his fiancée, Marie Cavallier had a private visit to Roskilde Cathedral. When the couple left the cathedral an unknown man shouted after the Prince and Marie. A couple of days ago Roskilde Cathedral was contactd by the DRF to arrange a visit from Prince Joachim and his intended, Marie Cavallier.
The visit was part of Marie's introduction to her new role as a Princess of Denmark. The couple had an opportunity to put flowers on the grave of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid.
The Royal couple were recieved by the Dean of Roskilde.
There was a bit of drama when the Royal couple was leaving the Cathedral in the Royal car, Crown 20, as an unknown man started to shout "Joachim". The couple continued towards the car. When the car started the unknown man started running along with the car and followed it for a few yards.
A TV crew followed the couple during their visit to the church as part of the making of a documentary.

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Wednesday 23 April 2008

Mary @ WHO Euro Immunisation Week in Slovenia

Slovenia's First Lady Barbara Turk and Crown Princess Mary. Photos © rtvslo.si/daylife/Reuter

Today Crown Princess Mary has travelled to Ljubljana in Slovenia to launch the World Health Organisation's European Immunisation Week at Ljubljana Palace with the First Lady of Slovenia, Barbara Miklic Türk. Before the launch Mary visited the Health Centre of Ljubljana-Šiška and the National Institute of Public Health of the Republic of Slovenia, which was founded in 1923 and is concerned with many research efforts in health education, WHO public health work (HIV/AIDS and health prevention), mental health research, participation in various international and national health research and other projects, anti tobacco and alcohol programs, etc. Crown Princess Mary, who is patron to the European Immunization Week, launched the event together with Dr Marc Danzon, WHO Regional Director for Europe, while the event is hosted by the First Lady, Mrs Barbara Miklic Türk, wife of the President of the Republic of Slovenia. Mary and Dr Marc Danzon include addressing members of the diplomatic corps, health officials and the media in their program during the two day visit.





Crown Princess Mary's Speech launching Immunization Week (23 April 2008):

First lady, Regional Director, distinguished guests,
It was with pleasure that I accepted the invitation to say a few words on the occasion of the launch of the European Immunization Week – a week dedicated to strengthening immunization programmes and raising awareness of the benefits of vaccination throughout the European region.
As Patron of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, I am committed, along with many others, to helping improve the health and well-being of the people of the European region. In particular those lacking access to basic medical services.
Immunization saves lives. Apart from safe drinking water, no other health intervention has reduced diseases and mortality as effectively and safely as immunization. No child should suffer from illness, a lifelong disability or die due to vaccine-preventable diseases.
Immunization now reaches over 90% of the children in this region. However, discrepancies in population groups still persist and a large number of unvaccinated children can be found in countries throughout the region. These vulnerable or hard-to-reach children must be reached with life-saving vaccines.
Due to the achievements of immunization, incidences of dangerous vaccine preventable infections have declined leaving weakened fear of these diseases. Furthermore, many health care professionals and parents have no first hand experience with illnesses such as measles, diphtheria and pertussis. As a result, continued advocacy and effective communication on the necessity of immunization remains crucial.
It is the right of every child to grow up healthy, and vaccinated against those diseases that can so easily be controlled. I hope that the countries within the region will act quickly and effectively to ensure that children and adults, especially those in vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups, have access to immunization and basic health services.
The importance of immunization cannot be underestimated. The diversity of the region creates enormous challenges in your efforts to reach your common goal of increasing vaccination coverage. I wish you and the region’s member states every success in achieving that goal.
Good luck and thank you.




Screencaps from clip posted below,

World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe
WHO Immunization in the European Region - aims for vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization
WHO focus on Slovenia
Medical News Blog 'Immunization: The Success Paradox - 33 Countries From Ireland To Tajikistan Take Part In European Immunization Week 2008'

National Institute of Public Health (pdf)
GENDEP research at the National Institute of Public Health (one of the Institute's WHO connected projects on mental health and depression research)
Projects at the National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

Slovenia.info
Slovenia - country info
Slovenia photo gallery
TrekEarth Slovenia photo gallery

24ur.com video clip (01:14) - may be slow to load on slow connections

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Tuesday 22 April 2008

Princess Isabella's birthday photos

Photos © Steen Brogaard/Jyllands Posten

The Crown Prince Couple have released photos to mark Isabella's first birthday. At the moment their site is down, but they will be able to be accessed there. They are once again taken by Steen Brogaard who has taken all the formal photos of Isabella since her birth (at home after her birth, for her grandparent's 40th wedding anniversary, for her christening, the turning out at Amalienborg and now her first birthday).


Photos © Steen Brogaard/colourpress/bunte

From Billed Bladet 'Prinsesse med temperament' – Princess with temperament (by Anna Johannesen)
Even though Princess Isabella is still a bit unstable on her legs, she will make her way to the cake on Monday, because the Royal Family’s youngest member is a firm little – and very charming – lady.
"She is ready but still a little heavy," Crown Prince Frederik said when he carried his little daughter in his arms during their skiing vacation in February. Today, the young Isabella is still a little unstable on her legs, but she can crawl. Therefore, it won’t be hard for her to reach the birthday table on Monday to blow out her first birthday cake candle, just like her big brother, Christian, did when he turned one.
Nobody, not even the Crown Prince Couple themselves, knew that Mary was expecting a little girl, so when the news was released on April 21 last year, both the Royal Family and most of the country were thrilled. And this was because Denmark had finally gotten a little princess. She was born at 4.02 in the afternoon and an hour and a half later Frederik stood in the vestibule of Rigshospitalet and told how his little daughter was 50 centimetres long and weighed 3,350 grams.
The colour of the newborn’s eyes was discussed keenly. Were they going to be brown like Mary’s or blue like Frederik’s, but when the little Princess was christened a few months later, there was no doubt. Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe, as she was named, has the prettiest, big, blue eyes.
Isabella’s playmate
The Crown Prince Couple love being with their children. Those are the best hours of the day, and therefore, Frederik and Mary take the young ones with them whenever possible. Crown Princess Mary has wanted to breastfeed her children, so both Christian and Isabella have been “out and about” since they were very young. In Isabella's case, this meant that she has already been in Croatia, the U.S. and Romania as well as a lot of places in Denmark before her first birthday. The first time she was out, the trip went to Tåsinge, where the two month old baby slept safely in her carrier while her mom and dad and Christian was at a christening in the church at Valdemar’s Castle.
At the christening with the Handwerk family in the beginning of February, Isabella had gotten big enough to be in her dad’s arms with a straight back and red cheeks, wearing a frilled shirt and dark brown dress. The little Palma, as the Handwerk baby was baptised, will be one of Isabella’s young playmates in the future.
During the Crown Prince Couple’s visit to New York and Romania, it was only Mary and Frederik, the nanny and the security guards who saw Princess Isabella. An official visit is most importantly about having the Crown Prince Couple in the spotlight, while a family trip is something different. So when Frederik and Mary went on a cruise last summer in Croatia together with some of their friends, both Christian and Isabella were photographed.
When it comes to taking pictures of their own children, Frederik and Mary aren’t any different to other parents. Both Christian and Isabella have frequently been recorded on video from the moment they opened their eyes for the first time in the delivery room at Rigshospitalet up until now.
If you ask the Crown Prince Couple themselves, they think that they’ve been “very lucky” with their two kids. Frederik himself has described Christian as “a happy little romping boy”, but that at age one and a half, he could also sit perfectly still for nearly an hour probably amazed most of those who watched him in Fredensborg Castle Church at Isabella’s christening.
"Isabella would never have been able to do that. She would have run around in the church. That’s for sure," said someone very close to the Crown Prince Couple.
The fact that Isabella has a stronger tempererament than her older brother has is something Mary agrees on.
"Isabella can be extremely happy but she can also be extremely angry," said Mary, when her little daughter was eight months old, but during the skiing vacation in Switzerland in February, she softened her quote a little.
"Isabella’s temperament is not as powerful as it was when she was very young. I think she is a bit more calm now," said Crown Princess Mary, while she was sitting in the snow, holding her little daughter. And Isabella, who was covered in mittens and a hat and a pink snowsuit, didn’t say a thing.
Shares the diaper changes and the playing
Prince Christian began in the local day nursery Queen Louise’s Children's House in Fredensborg when he was a year and a half old, and shortly after Isabella was born, she was signed up for a spot at the same place.
"It is always nice to be prepared," as Crown Prince Frederik has said. At the moment, Isabella is still taken care of and played with at home in the Chancellery House, where the Crown Prince Couple share both the diaper changes and the nightly supervision as well as the playing on the floor, swinging in the garden and rides in the stroller with the family’s dog, Ziggy, running next to it.
Crown Princess Mary has had to prepare for the birthday on Monday on her own. Frederik is sailing in the World Championships in Farr40 in Florida at the moment, and as it doesn’t end until Saturday, he won’t be able to celebrate his mother’s birthday today either [was published on Queen Margrethe's birthday].
But when Isabella wakes up Monday morning, her dad is back home again. Then she will be celebrated with flags and cake and perhaps grandmother, who lives at Fredensborg Castle again now, and who will drop by with a gift for her youngest grandchild. (many thanks for translation ambiDK!)

B.T. 'Isabellas store dag' - Isabella's big day
Billed Bladet Isabella gallery

Another correction! A kind reader (thanks!) has let us know that Isabella is wearing clothes from Bonpoint Paris, but the cardigan is indeed from Marie Chantal's collection. Please see this. (and thanks Ayvee, how could I have doubted you!)

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Monday 21 April 2008

Frederik., Mary & Christian @ Farr 40 in Miami


Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian and Crown Princess Mary celebrate a good championship after the last day of sailing in the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in Miami Beach on April 19, 2008. Nanoq came into port after the last day of racing having achieved fourth place overall, the boat's best result in the Farr 40 World Championships ever. Good to see Frederik is using zinc cream for sun safety (the heavy duty sunscreen)!

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