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

[Lena]

That´s interesting, Alexandria. I know that you are often at weddings. And always when I read this, I´m very surprised, because I don´t know this from my friends and acquaintances. Ok, I´m a bit younger (23 years and 2 months). They don´t have babies, they aren´t married and they don´t buy houses, they even don´t buy own cars. But maybe that´s a culture thing, I don´t know.
I also was quite surprised, when I saw, how the friends of Victoria started to marry and that all within 3 years. When Martina Gahn is married, then aren´t many friends of Victoria left, who aren´t married. So maybe there´s really a wave (which has started quite early...I´ve thought those upper class girls enjoy their single life until they are thirty or older) And hopefully this wave is catching her. Her situation might be unique, but I though think until a certain point she lives her private life like her friends and doesn´t measure it with "Royal standards"

[GrandDuchess]

Originally Posted by Alisa

With their friends getting married, I wonder if the siblings are thinking about married life for themselves

This is the effect I'm hoping for! :)

But I must say that I'm in the same "boat" as Lena is, I don't have any friends who have gotten married yet or settled down like this, but I'm also younger (soon 22) so I would say that's the main reason. I think there might be a bit of a cultural difference too perhaps, between how marriage is seen in Europe and the US, but in our cases I don't think it's the main factor (it's age in our cases) I do expect that many people in my circles will start settling down in a few years time, and when it happens it will of course have a great effect to the whole circle of friends, and get people to start thinking about the concept of starting a family of their own.

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by GrandDuchess

But I must say that I'm in the same "boat" as Lena is, I don't have any friends who have gotten married yet or settled down like this, but I'm also younger (soon 22) so I would say that's the main reason. I think there might be a bit of a cultural difference too perhaps, between how marriage is seen in Europe and the US, but in our cases I don't think it's the main factor (it's age in our cases) I do expect that many people in my circles will start settling down in a few years time, and when it happens it will of course have a great effect to the whole circle of friends, and get people to start thinking about the concept of starting a family of their own.

Ah, to be 23 again! :p

Maybe it is a cultural thing -- I don't know. Or maybe it is a class thing.

At 23 I would've likely laughed in anyone's face who said that only 2-3 years later my friends would be buying their first homes and settling down at only 25, 26. But a lot can happen in a few years. And when you're older things happen much more quicker -- whether it's because we're more sure of ourself or more stupid I don't know! I think the "wave" too is that when you see your friends settling down you wonder what you're missing out on and just by my own personality, I want the kind of stability and security my friends have with their fiancees and husbands.

Not being in Victoria's particular place, I can't help but think that she would want such stability and security, too, as she has a very big task ahead of her and it would be nice (I think!) to have someone to go through it with, to talk about the challenges, difficulties and frustrations with, and to have someone alongside her.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by GrandDuchess

This is the effect I'm hoping for! :)

That would be great! But you know Daniel has attended quite a few weddings with Victoria so who knows he maybe starting to feel this way...:)

[Lena]

Originally Posted by Alisa

That would be great! But you know Daniel has attended quite a few weddings with Victoria so who knows he maybe starting to feel this way...:)

I´ve a feeling that both (Victoria & Daniel) are persons, who want to marry. And I think for Victoria it´s not just, because she would want to share the royal life with a second person. If this would be something "natural", ppl like prince Albert wouldn´t wait that long or cp Philippe wouldn´t have waited that long either.
I think Victoria is a typical family-person and I guess Daniel is it too. If they can be/have this together is an other thing/question.

[GrandDuchess]

Official Engagements Week 14 (4-10 April)

Monday 4/4

> T.M. The King and Queen
Reception for the Diplomatic Corps
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.M. The King
Precedence: The Secretary General of The Swedish Guide and Scout Council, Johan Strid
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.R.H. Princess Lilian
Attendance at The Sweden-America Foundation’s awarding of scholarships and luncheon
The Swedish Society of Medicine, Stockholm

Tuesday 5/10 – Sunday 10/4

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Official Visit to Japan in connection with “The Swedish National Day” at EXPO 2005 (schedule can be found in the news thread for Victoria)

Tuesday 5/4

> H.M. The King
Audience: The Prime Minister of Hungary, Ferenc Gyurcsany
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

Wednesday 6/4

> H.M. The King
Precedence: The Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, Horace Engdahl
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.R.H. Princess Lilian
Attendance at The Royal Swedish Yacht Club’s fashion show
The Winter Garden, Grand Hôtel, Stockholm

Friday 8/4

> H.M. The King
Board meeting in the Foundation King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50th Birthday Fund
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> T.M. The King and Queen
Luncheon for the President of Chile, Ricardo Lagos Escobar
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

Saturday 9/4

> H.R.H. Prince Carl Philip
Attendance at The Duke’s Day
Lundsbergs Boarding School, Värmland

[Josefine]

thank you for the calander

and i see princess lilian is going strong

[Yennie]

The Kings statement about Pope Johannes Paulus II

http://www.royalcourt.se/aktuellt/ak...800010164.html

[GrandDuchess]

Translation of The King's statement upon The Pope's death (I hope there will be an official English transaltion later on, this is my translation):

Statement by H.M. The King after the notice of The Pope John Paul II’s passing

It is with joy and gratitude the Queen and I remember our many meetings with John Paul II.

He was a charismatic person whose eyes shone of human warmth and goodness.

As a Pole, Karyl Wojtyla was well familiar with Sweden and our long common history with Poland. He admired the Holy Birgitta very much, and in 1999 he appointed her as one of Europe’s patron saints. In connection with his visit to Sweden in June 1989 he, among things, visited Vadstena.

Me and my family’s return visit to the Vatican in May 1991 became an unforgettable memory for all five of us.

[elektraking]

Hi Guys,
Here is a great link ! Check it out! I hope you enjoy it!!:)
http://www.ritva.com/fotogalleri.htm

[GrandDuchess]

Official Engagements Week 15 (April 11-17)

Monday 11/4 – Sunday 17/4

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Visit to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Monday 11/4

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at a screening of the film “In the shadow of the violence” and the following discussion
Save the Children, Stockholm

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at the “Nordic Preventive Conference” arranged by the National SMART Association
The Marievik Conference Centre, Stockholm

> H.M. The Queen
Attendance at a seminar in connection to the World Parkinson Day
The Trade and Industry House, Stockholm

> Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson
Attendance at a glass seminar, attendance at the awarding of scholarships from the Bent Juhlin Foundation for Handicraft, Art Industry and Industrial Design and opening of the exhibition “Young Handcrafters – Glass”
Nationalmuseum (the national gallery), Stockholm

Tuesday 12/4

> H.M. The King
Farewell Audience: The Ambassador of Austria to Sweden, Dr. Peter Pramberger
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.M. The Queen
Purchase of the first Majblomma (mayflower) pin of the year
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.M. The King
Annual Meeting and seminar with the Baden Powell Fellows Sweden Chapter
The Bernadotte Library, The Royal Palace of Stockholm

Wednesday 13/4

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at the Parish Evening for the Royal Court Parish
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

Friday 15/4

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at the funeral of H.S.H. Prince Rainier
Monaco-Ville, Monaco

> H.R.H. Prince Carl Philip
Attendance at the opening of a book exhibition
The Royal Academy for the Free Arts, Stockholm

> Princess Christina, Mrs Magnusson
Awarding of “The World’s Children’s Prize for The Rights of The Child”
Gripsholm Castle, Mariefred

Saturday 16/4

> T.M. The King and Queen
Attendance at The Swedish Sailing Union’s 100th Jubilee Banquet
Stockholm

[GrandDuchess]

Official Engagements Week 16 (April 18-24)

Monday 18/4

> H.M. The King
Board meeting with H.M, The King’s Jubilee Fund for Youth in Sweden
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.M. The King
Board meeting in the Foundation King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50th Birthday Fund
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.M. The Queen
Attendance at a press conference with World Childhood Foundation, Telia Sonera AB, representatives from the National Police Board and Netclean Technologies with the occasion to launch a new technical solution to limit the spreading of child pornography on the internet
Volvo Showroom, Stockholm

Tuesday 19/4

> T.M. The King and Queen, H.R.H. The Crown Princess, H.R.H. Princess Lilian, Princess Christina Mrs Magnuson
Luncheon for the Spanish Crown Princely Couple
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Attendance at the inauguration of the Cervantes Institute with the Spanish Crown Princely Couple
Bryggargatan 12, Stockholm

Wednesday 20/4

> H.M. The Queen
Attendance at Silviahemmet’s (the Silvia Home) spring seminar
Silviahemmet, Drottningholm

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Attendance at the closing ceremony for the exhibition Young Scientist arranged by the Swedish Federation of Young Scientists
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm

> H.M. The King
Attendance at the Scout’s spring cleaning
Royal Djurgården, Stockholm

Thursday 21/4

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Inauguration of the Victoria fairway/path
Treriksröset, Norrbotten

> H.M. The King
Audience: The Speaker of the Parliament of Hungary, Katalin Szili
The Royal Palace of Stockholm

Thursday 21 – Friday 22/4

> H.M. The King
Meetings with the Executive Committee of the World Scout Foundation
Rome, Italy

> H.M. The Queen
Meeting with Mentor Foundation
Geneva, Switzerland

Friday 22/4

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Opening of the International Science Festival
Gothenburg

> H.R.H. The Crown Princess
Visit to the Nordic Museum of Watercolour Paintings
Skärhamn, Bohuslän

[GrandDuchess]

The Prince & Princess of Asturias in Stockholm today, here as guests at the Royal Palace where King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia hosted a luncheon. Present at the luncheon were also Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Lilian (and according to the calendar also Princess Christina). All but the last mentioned are in this picture that comes from the website of the Royal Court:

[Lena]

Felipe is visiting Lilliput Nice picture, GrandDuchess. T4p (as yennie would say). Hm, I´ve thought Letizia is 1,67 or 1,68 m tall. I know that Silvia is about 1,63 and here Letizia looks hardly (1-2cm) taller than her.

[GrandDuchess]

The Prince & Princess of Asturias in Stockholm today, here as guests at the Royal Palace where King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia hosted a luncheon. Present at the luncheon were also Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Lilian (and according to the calendar also Princess Christina). Pictures from Fotomarktplatz: