Princess Benedikte's 75th Birthday Celebrations: April-May 2019


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Trivia based on article in Billed Bladet #18, 2019.
Written by Trine Larsen.

As a special surprise to Benedikte, who is very fond of horses, QMII had arranged for her to be picked up in her apartment at Amalienborg and driven around the square in a carriage with a small escort of Guards Hussars.

192 guests were present. (I have omitted them from the scans below though.) To me they look like a broad selection of not least QMII's friends. Most of those who are not Benedikte's personal friends, would at least know her.

Benedikte wore a dress by Wichmann Couture.
Her brooch was a wedding present from her father. Earrings and necklace was a present from her mother. The necklace is actually split in two, with Queen Anne-Marie owning the other half.

QMII's hair was done by her usual hairdresser Poul Nejlund.

Princesses Alexandra and Nathalie arrived with Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille. He and Alexandra have been sweethearts since 2017 and she now lives at his castle, Egeborg.

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Summary of article in Billed Bladet #18, 2019.
Written by Henrik Salling.

But Benedikte was not only celebrated in Copenhagen. She was also celebrated in Jutland at the historically significant castle of Koldinghus (*)
Here there was an equestrian display in her honor. As a special surprise her daughter Nathalie had brought Benedikte's horse, Digby, out of retirement at Berleburg and did a show with him. Something that moved Benedikte to tears.
A number of close personal friends to Benedikte sat in the pavilion that had been erected for her, including Count Ingolf and Countess Sussie of Rosenborg. Koldinghus is less than an hour by car from where they live, so it wouldn't be that strenuous for Ingolf.
After the horse show Benedikte strolled up to the castle Koldinghus, the route there being flanked by scouts. Benedikte has for most of her life been involved with the scouts here in DK.

Here are a few photos of Koldinghus:
https://www.koldinghus.dk/CustomerD...-2019/koldinghus_noerpol_hires-14_2_17498.jpg
https://louis-hansenfonden.dk/wp-co...k-Christensen-web_2560x1440_acf_cropped-1.jpg
https://vardemuseerne.dk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Koldinghus-1600x600.jpg
Some 700 years old, it's an almost archetypical Baltic castle. Made from red bricks and roofed. Simply to provide protection form wind and weather, but just as much to provide cover for the sentries patrolling the corridor just beneath the roof. Simple but efficient and it could be held with a surprisingly small garrison. 15-25 men in total if need be.

Here she opened an exhibition of her life.
Private photos, dresses she has worn, jewellery - even a small Scout-camp has been set up.

Benedikte expressed her delight with the exhibition and explained that she is in very fine form and is fine with turning 75.

With Benedikte to see the exhibition were her two daughters as well as comtesse Ingrid.

Anyway, see more here: https://app.box.com/s/7htq7o99q8hc1v79f86hse991mplpvbg

(*) Hus, today meaning house, is a medieval Danish word for a large building made of stone, that is not a church or a cloister nor a (royal) barn. But it could mean a large residential house in a town, and there were very few of those in the 1200's! Or as in this case a castle.
Later on castles and fortresses were named "borg" after the German "burg".
 
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