On November 10th Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf , his wife Silvia and Hamburg’s Mayor Ole von Beust were seen during a gala in Hamburg. Sweden’s Royal couple visited Germany to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Swedish chamber of commerce in Germany. A video can be seen here (in German).

Click at the image to see a Gallery at Ruhrnachrichten.de

One day later, on November 11th, Queen Silvia attended a congress of her “World Childhood Foundation” at the Swedish Embassy to Germany in Berlin. The Queen’s foundation supports Berlin-based organisations, like a street-working project, aiding children that are victims of sexual abuse.

Today Her Majesty attended an event in Essen in the Ruhr Area. There she attended an award ceremony that also marked the 10th anniversary of the World Childhood Foundation. The Queen watched a children’s rights quiz and handed out certificates to the winners.

Her_Majesty Swedish Royals Awards, Carl XVI Gustaf, Children, Germany, Queen Silvia, World Childhood Foundation

Click on image to see photo at Seeger

On tuesday, the Duchess of Montpensier has appeared in public again for the first time after she fell ill this spring.  The duchess, who was dressed in a black dress with a two string pearl necklace, attended the gala Andre-Charles Boule Exhibition ” A new style for Europe” at the old Opera in Frankfurt (Germany). She was accompanied by one of her sons, the duke of Vendôme. His wife stayed home, as she is in an advanced state of her pregnancy.

Marengo French Royals Duchess of Montpensier, Exhibition, Germany, Health, Prince Jean of France

 HM Queen Margrethe II has paid a visit to one of her foreign patronages, the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment (PWRR), in Germany.

View the image at Daily Echo

During the visit, which took place at the Regiment’s base in Paderborn, the Queen spoke with the soldiers and laid a wreath in memory of soldiers lost during war in recent years. Queen Margrethe was also on hand to view a training ground exercise, in which a simulated casualty received medical treatment for a serious injury.

This is only the second visit HM has made to the PWRR since her installment as its Colonel-in-Chief in 1992, and the British soldiers in the Regiment were overjoyed by her visit. “I feel lucky that after all these years the Queen still has such a large interest in the PWRR and is prepared to take time out of her busy schedule and travel all the way to Germany and visit the battalion,” 29-year-old Corporal Nathanael Wrigglesworth said.

The PWRR was formed in 1992, by the amalgamation of The Queen’s Regiment and The Royal Hampshire Regiment. It was named for Diana, Princess of Wales, who was an Allied Colonel-in-Chief with Queen Margrethe up until her 1996 divorce from HRH the Prince of Wales. The PWRR is currently the most senior English-line infantry regiment, with battalions stationed in Germany, Cyprus and Canterbury.

JessRulz Danish Royals Germany, Margrethe II, Military, Patronage, United Kingdom

Today Queen Silvia of Sweden recieved the ‘Courage Prize’ in Bad Iburg, Germany.

Click at the image to see a gallery

The Queen received the ‘Courage Prize’ for founding the ‘World Childhood Foundation’ in favour of abused and disadvantaged children in Bad Iburg the same day. The prize is endowed with 5,000 Euro. Silvia was awarded by Gerd Schoewing ; Chairman of the ‘Courage’ committee.

Earlier in the day more then 600 people gathered around the city hall, waving with Swedish and German flags, when the Queen of Sweden arrived to sign the golden book of the city.

The ‘Courage Prize’ is awarded since 1996. Queen Silvia is the 14th awardee. A thread about the Prize can be found here.

Her_Majesty Swedish Royals Awards, Germany, Queen Silvia, World Childhood Foundation

Click for the image at the Prince of Asturias Awards website

The last of eight 2009 Prince of Asturias Awards was announced today in Oviedo by D. Vicente Álvarez Areces, President of the Jury. It goes to the city of Berlin, capital of Germany, which this year is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall, symbol of Europe’s reunification of Germany, was for decades the worldwide representation of the Cold War.” With this statement the Jury wants to pay tribute to those who lost their lives or their freedom during the war and also to the millions of citizens who, after the Wall fell, have been capable of constructing, on the scars of the division, an open and creative society, a knot of concord in the heart of Germany and in Europe, which contributes to understanding, coexistence, justice, peace and freedom worldwide.

“The peaceful revolution, which on November 1989 led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequently to the reunification of Germany, has captivated millions of people worldwide, contributing significantly towards the reestablishment of the balance between the East and West,” the jury said in its statement.

Berlin’s candidature has received lot of support letters, one of those from a well known German, Michael Schumacher, 2007 Prince of Asturias Award laureate for Sports. He considers Berlin “a symbol for hope and for overcoming frontiers, and what better compliment can there be. It seems that a very special energy is emerging from out of this town since the wall came down. Everybody who feels it is inspired by it.Berlin’s Mayor Klaus Wowereit said the prize is “an extraordinary honor” and that the city would accept it “in the name of the whole country.”

The next stop for the Prince of Asturias Award will be in Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo on October 23, where the beautiful and touching Presentation Ceremony will take place, presided over by the Prince and Princess of Asturias.

Paty Spanish Royals Berlin Wall, Germany, Prince of Asturias Awards

Continuing with her two-day visit to Germany, HM Queen Margrethe II yesterday was still in Dresden. She and her sister, Princess Benedikte, first attended a luncheon at Eckberg Palace. This was also attended by the Saxon Governor Stanislaw Tillich, and his wife Veronika.

Click to see the Getty Images gallery

The two sisters then opened an art exhibition at the Princes Gallery of Dresden Castle, entitled “With Fortuna Over the Sea. Saxony and Denmark Marriages and Alliances in the Mirror of Art (1548-1709)”. The exhibition, which contains art from the Royal Collection at Rosenborg Castle in Denmark and the State Art Collection in Dresden, is being held to mark the 300th anniversary of King Frederik IV’s month-long visit to Saxony, which took place in 1709. The King visited Augustus II the Strong, the Elector of Saxony between 1694 and 1733.

At the opening, Queen Margrethe and Princess Benedikte also got to met King Christian IV (ruler of Denmark for the period 1588-1648) – in bust form, however.

Click here to read the thread about Margrethe and Benedikte’s visit to Germany.

JessRulz Danish Royals, German Royals Exhibition, Germany, Margrethe II, Official Visit, Princess Benedikte, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

HM Queen Margrethe II is currently on a two-day visit to her southern neighbour, Germany. She arrived earlier today in Berlin, where she was greeted by the German President, Horst Köhler. The pair had a brief meeting before the Queen had her first engagement.

Click to see the Getty Images gallery

A move to Dresden and the city’s Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) was the site of this engagement, and Margrethe was fascinated by the church’s beauty. She spoke with HE Jochen Bohl, the State Bishop of Saxony, and pointed out several items on the church’s ceiling which captured her attention. The Queen was accompanied by the Governor of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich, and his wife Veronika.

Princess Benedikte, the Queen’s younger sister, joined in the visit tonight for a dinner at the Zwinger Art Museum, in honour of Queen Margrethe. This was followed by the duo attending a performance of the ballet Giselle at the Semper Opera.

Queen Margrethe’s visit concludes tomorrow.

Click here to view the thread regarding the visit.

JessRulz Danish Royals, German Royals Germany, Margrethe II, Official Visit, President Köhler, Princess Benedikte, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

HSH Prince Hans-Adam II, the ruling Prince of Liechtenstein, has angered European Jews through comments he made during an interview published this past Monday in the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt.

The 64-year-old Prince stated that it was the tiny alpine nation’s banking secrecy laws which allowed “some Jews to buy their safety during the Holocaust by using money they had deposited in Liechtenstein or Switzerland.” He also claimed that the laws helped citizens of Europe’s former communist countries, and are still “saving the lives” of those currently living in Third-World countries run by “bloodthirsty dictators.”

The comments were escalated by the current feud between Liechtenstein and their northern neighbour, Germany. Germany has been pressuring the government of Liechtenstein to clamp down on their confidential banking laws that it claims allows wealthy Germans to avoid paying taxes. German authorities last year paid a former LGT Group employee (the Liechtenstein national bank owned by the Princely Family) to obtain the names of Germans who are believed to be tax cheats.

Hans-Adam also fired a shot at Germany themselves, stating: “Germany and many other countries have an unbelievable mess with their state finances…Germany should clean up its own act, and think about its past.”

The Prince’s comments were heavily criticised by the German Central Council of Jews; with their General Secretary Stephan Kramer telling Bild newspaper that “the comments are a mockery of the Holocaust and its survivors.” As Liechtenstein was a mainly neutral player in World War II, Kramer claims it is “historically incorrect” for the Prince’s portrayal of Liechtenstein as the “merciful helper of the Jews” to be voiced.

Kramer ended his interview by commenting on the Prince’s reigning status: “His Highness would be better off retiring.”

Information about the Liechtenstein Princely Family can be found in this forum.

JessRulz Liechtenstein Royals Finances, Germany, Hans-Adam II, Holocaust, LGT Group

 HRH Princess Madeleine was yesterday awarded 400,000€ in damages by the Court of Hamburg. The case was against German company the Klambt Group, which owns several tabloid magazines. Those relevant to this case were Frau mit Herz and Welt der Frau.

The Princess was awarded the money, which is believed to be going to a charitable organisation, for the false articles and stories the two magazines ran regarding the Princess’ love life, marriage plans and rumoured pregnancies; totaling 86 articles between 2000 and 2004. The Court delivered the verdict based on the violation of Princess Madeleine’s human rights. The amount set by the Court to be paid by Klambt Group is the highest ever in German history in such a case.

The Court did rule, however, that the magazines did not have to publish retractions or corrections on the false stories, as they were “no longer in the minds of the people.”

JessRulz Swedish Royals Germany, Legal Matters, Media, Princess Madeleine

  HH Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad, chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development held talks with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin. The two discussed educational issues and a common mechanism investment in scientific research. Sheikha Mozah also held talks with German Minister of Economy and Technology where they talked about issues related to education and technology.

Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder, hosted a luncheon in honour of HH Sheikha Mozah at the Kempinski hotel in Berlin. Later on that evening Sheikha Mozah met with Germany’s First Lady Eva Luise Kohler at Bellevue’s Presidential Palace in Berlin.

dazzling Qatar Royals Education, Germany, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser