The Royal Family's Current Events - Part 3 (December 2004 - May 2005)

[Lena]

I don´t always want to wake the dogs ("you don´t want, Lena?" ) but what´s thaaaaaat on her right ring finger? It looks pretty big for a self bought, or of a friend or relative given, ring.

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by GrandDuchess

Took her time at the hairdresser? Could you repeat? I agree with Dennis here, her hair looks wild, almost a bit unkept. The rest of the outfit is pure horror, here most of us seem to agree. I think it was very disappointing - and also disturbing - that she didn't have a nicer outfit, now she was outshined by a lot of ladies present at the gala (and isn't the Crown Princess supposed to be the one that glitters?).

The Queen looked wonderful - as she always does. God bless our stylish Queen, she never disappoints. :)

I know I complain copiously around here about Victoria's ponytail but when I see her hair like this (wild as GrandDuchess says, even unruly), I wish for the ponytail back. It was at least (most of the time) sleek and didn't look like she had just been riding around in a convertible with the top down on a super windy day.

And did Victoria and the Queen even attend the same event? Victoria's outfit looks semi-casual (only the material of the shirt makes it dressier than a normal shirt) while the Queen is in a long skirt and a velvet bolero-like jacket. I do hope that they arrived together but separated in this hall and the Queen attended a more formal occasion and Victoria a rock concert or something. Because if they both attended the same event then one of them is either over dressed or under dressed.

The Queen, as GrandDuchess says, does indeed look wonderful and is not disappointing in the least. Her daughter leaves much to be desired at this occasion.

[ursulajohanna]

Lena thanks for posting the pictures from sportgala.

[Dennism]

Originally Posted by Alexandria

I know I complain copiously around here about Victoria's ponytail but when I see her hair like this (wild as GrandDuchess says, even unruly), I wish for the ponytail back. It was at least (most of the time) sleek and didn't look like she had just been riding around in a convertible with the top down on a super windy day.

O, my. Wish for the ponytail to be back. Ha ha ha. Yes, she got caught in the windy conditions outside. Excellent description.

"Hahahaha, I want you to sing that in front of Stockholm palace (maybe the window to HM´s office is opened )"

Yes, I shall.

[GrandDuchess]

Originally Posted by Dennism

God bless our stylish Queen.
Long live our classy Queen
God Bless our Queen.
Perfect in flowing gowns
And in her suits of brown
She is the best around
God Bless our Queen.

King Carl XVI Gustaf should appoint you to Court Singer, and perhaps also Court Poet! :) Wonderful piece, you really should sing it outside Queen Silvia's window - just like Lena suggests!

This is probably the first time I wish for that ponytail to return. Perhaps you could write a prayer or a psalm so that we can all use it to evoke to a higher power for the return of the semi-blessed ponytail

And did Victoria and the Queen even attend the same event? Victoria's outfit looks semi-casual (only the material of the shirt makes it dressier than a normal shirt) while the Queen is in a long skirt and a velvet bolero-like jacket. I do hope that they arrived together but separated in this hall and the Queen attended a more formal occasion and Victoria a rock concert or something. Because if they both attended the same event then one of them is either over dressed or under dressed.

I know, this is just what I thought when I saw them arriving last night. It was the same event - the Swedish Sports Gala in the Globe Arena.

[Josefine]

no gala the 20th due to the events in Asia

Årets första officiella representationsmiddag på Slottet inställd

Mot bakgrund av den tragiska händelsen i Sydostasien har DD.MM. Konungen och Drottningen beslutat att inställa årets första officiella representationsmiddag på Stockholms Slott, som tidigare planerats att äga rum den 20 januari.

[Dennism]

Originally Posted by GrandDuchess

King Carl XVI Gustaf should appoint you to Court Singer, and perhaps also Court Poet! :) Wonderful piece, you really should sing it outside Queen Silvia's window - just like Lena suggests!

This is probably the first time I wish for that ponytail to return. Perhaps you could write a prayer or a psalm so that we can all use it to evoke to a higher power for the return of the semi-blessed ponytail

Ha ha ha. Maybe I shall. Call the Muses to help bring back the famous(or infamous) ponytail once again! I do like that though "Court Singer"...Court Jester seems to be more up my alley though.

[Lena]

IMO here in this picture (from Getty) her hair looks very good...maybe she gave the impression of a "lioness", when she arrived, but here (later) it looks great. IMO a ponytail to this gala event would have been worse, simply too casual, too boring. Of course this hairdo wouldn´t have been something for the posh Nobel prize award or for her wedding day, but I think for a sports gala it works (while glasses should be left at home-even at sport galas)

[mixer2002de]

Originally Posted by Lena

(while glasses should be left at home-even at sport galas)

Maybe she took them with her for security reasons. Otherwise she might be in danger that she would think one of the sportive men is her boyfriend

[Danielle]

Originally Posted by Lena

IMO here in this picture (from Getty) her hair looks very good...maybe she gave the impression of a "lioness", when she arrived, but here (later) it looks great. IMO a ponytail to this gala event would have been worse, simply too casual, too boring. Of course this hairdo wouldn´t have been something for the posh Nobel prize award or for her wedding day, but I think for a sports gala it works (while glasses should be left at home-even at sport galas)

'Lioness' - Ha ha. :) I agree about the ponytail being out of place on this occasion. I personally don't think her hairstyle looks that bad, but it could be better. She still looked nice though.

[GrandDuchess]

Official Engagements Week 4 (January 24-30)

Monday 24/1

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at UNICEF’s support concert for children in the catastrophe area
Hovet Arena, Stockholm

Tuesday 25/1

> H.M. The Queen
Awarding of scholarships from the foundation Queen Silvia’s Jubilee Fund for Research on Children and Handicap
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.M. The King
Opening of the Swedish Skiing Championships
Hudiksvall

Wednesday 26/1

> H.M. The King
Attendance at the Swedish Skiing Championships
Hudiksvall

> H.R.H. Princess Madeleine
Visit to Linköping’s University Hospital on behalf of the “My Big Day” organisation

Thursday 27/1

> T.M. The King and Queen
Visit to SIDA (The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) to study Swedish aid to developing countries
The SIDA building, Stockholm

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau on occasion of the commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp
Poland

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at a service to commemorate the Holocaust
The Large Synagogue, Stockholm

Friday 28/1

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Attendance at the premiere of Peer Gynt
The Royal Opera, Stockholm

> H.R.H. Princess Lilian
Attendance and awarding of medals during the Solemn Gathering of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry
The Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm

Saturday 29/1

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at a concert to support the people struck by the catastrophe in South East Asia
The Stockholm Cathedral, Stockholm

[Lena]

Thanks for posting the calendar, GrandDuchess...seems to be an interesting week.

[mixer2002de]

Seems as Vicky will be busy at the end of the week.

[Dennism]

Here is a translation of an article in the Expressen today.

King to travel to Thailand to thank the Thai People.

The King´s travel itinerary stretches itself later this spring from Nairobi to Haparanda. His approaching trip to Thailand is to thank the Thai people for their effort in connection with the tsunami. The dates of which in February the two leaders have not decided yet. In Kenya´s capital in March, he will take a look at an UN´s program on the environment and in Haparanda(next to the Finnish border way at the top of Gulf of Bothnia), he will open a monument in remembrance to the 70,000 Finnish children who were sent to Sweden during WW2.

Crown Princess Victoria:) will be taking a row of foreign trips, two of which are really far or long. In March, she will be going to Australia for Swedish Style, a Swedish advertising campaign. Only a month later, she will be going to Bangladesh to study a Swedish program that deals with Aid Assistance activities, assistance with Aid.(I assume with SIDA since they have an office in Dhaka and maybe the Swedish branch of Save the Children as well).

Princess Madeleine will open in the middle of Februrary an exhibition suitably called "Princesses in the Royal Armory".(Sounds exciting).

On Friday, the press chief Ann-Christine Jernberg released the program for the first half of the year for the Royal House. Of the family members who are most successful and most duty bound, the Royal Couple and Crown Princess Victoria take the cake. The younger members of the family, Carl Philip and Madeleine, have only up to now, a few engagements on the program(which makes sense because of their schoolwork).

The Royal Couple are dedicating themselves a number of days in the first half-year to 3 different themes. It begins with a discussion on depression in the area of Assistance development policy and questions on the various things that SIDA(Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) works on. In February the theme of the day will be on future energy usage and then in March, it will be about how Sweden will be governed in the future. That does not mean that the King will suggest that the Constitution be studied(and hope for some future changes like Regent gets to name national holidays, for example, Ponytail Day or National Skiing Day perhaps:))but that they will merely look at the role of the bodies of government in communities and how they can or should act.

There aren´t any state visits in the first half of the year. But on June 10, they will go to Norway to attend the opening of the Svinesundsbron(bridge to connect a part of Norway with a part of Sweden. It goes over a fjord). Also there is awareness of the loss 100 years ago of the reign of the Bernadottes over the neighboring country. The first national day to be a holiday(June 6, 2005), will find the family celebrating the 400th anniversary of Mariefred Palace as well as the whole family participating in the celebration at Skansen once again.

[loving silvia and carl gustaf]

I thought the royal couple were going to Argentina soon?

[Lena]

Originally Posted by loving silvia and carl gustaf

I thought the royal couple were going to Argentina soon?

Yes, me too!

Thank you so much for the translation, Dennis. Well done (and I like your little side notes).

Hm, looks as if we can forget the idea of a high class Royal wedding in 2005 (well, prince Albert of Monaco could surprise us...but I wouldn´t bet on him). Or do you remember, that any of the young crown princes has made a long trip abroad in his engagement time, and has either taken his fiancée with him or she has studied and waited at home?? If Victoria would marry in late summer, April is (almost) the latest date/month to announce an engagement, but in April she will be in Bangladesh.

[Dennism]

Originally Posted by Lena

Yes, me too!

Thank you so much for the translation, Dennis. Well done (and I like your little side notes)..

You´re welcome. I had forgotten about Argentina. I wonder about that then.