The Danish State Visit to Vietnam ended on Friday,with the royal men once again attending business forums in the morning at the Sheraton Hotel.

TRH Prince Henrik and Crown Prince Frederik once again viewed business stands and attended environmental seminars throughout the morning; while their wives, HM Queen Margrethe II and HRH Crown Princess Mary, paid a visit to the Phasion-Viedam Moulding factory where they were given a tour around the building.

They then moved on to Maersk, a company which produces helmets, in Ho Chi Minh City. The Queen and Crown Princess were introduced to a campaign for children’s regarding them wearing helmets when riding bikes. The duo then headed up to the stage with a group of young children, and assisted them in putting on their white Maersk helmets. And then it was the royal visitors’ turn to try on the helmets – Princess Mary managed to somewhat successfully place her helmet on top of her large brown hat, while Queen Margrethe laughed and passed her helmet on to her daughter-in-law to take back to Denmark, presumably for her two children Christian and Isabella.

The State Visit concluded at 16:00 local time, with a press conference with both Danish and Vietnamese media in the Thao Dien Village. The royal family discussed the visit, and what it was like to go on a state visit together. “It has been lovely, and it has been instructive,” Crown Princess Mary said of accompanying her in-laws to Vietnam. Queen Margrethe quickly agreed, “It’s fun to be two generations together. And instructive – also for an old hand like me.” Prince Henrik, who has no doubt enjoyed showing his family around the country he spent his early childhood in, also spoke highly of the visit and the family’s time together. Crown Prince Frederik was asked what it was like to attend a state visit with his mother and replied, “It’s always good to be able to learn in this subject that I am in right now. To be able to follow my parents in this way. It’s things that I of course put in my backpack.”

The visit concluded officially on Friday, but HM and the Prince Consort will stay on in Vietnam until November 11th. Crown Prince Frederik is off to South Korea on the 10th, for the annual meeting of the International Sailing Federation. It is unknown whether Crown Princess Mary will stay in Vietnam with her in-laws, or head back to Denmark.

JessRulz Danish Royals Margrethe II, Press Conference, Prince Frederik, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Princess Mary, State Visit, Vietnam

Day four of the Danish State Visit to Vietnam saw a change in the program, due to torrential weather and a typhoon in the district of Hue, where the official program was headed.

View the image at Belga

The planned sailing trip from the Thien Mu Pagoda was cancelled as the water levels in the river had risen two meters. The royals also had to alter their transportation to the area. HM Queen Margrethe and HRH Prince Henrik had to double back and have their plane land in a city further south, as they were unable to land in Hue. A bus was then arranged to transport the royal couple to their destination.

A tour of the Minh Manh tomb was made the first event on the agenda, and it gave us some of the funniest pictures of the visit! Images of Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik wearing candy-coloured plastic ponchos to protect themselves from the rain will never be forgotten, as will the picture of Prince Henrik attempting to perform ‘The Falcon’ in the middle of tour (TRH Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary quickly diverted their eyes). Minh Manh was the King of Vietnam from 1820 to 1840.

View the image at Belga

A reception at the Imperial Palace was hosted by the People’s Committee and President Triet at lunch time, which was followed by a tour of the Imperial City inside the Citadel and a lunch in the Duyet Thi Theatre. The afternoon ended with Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik attending the opening of a new extension to the HUDA Brewery.

The state visit concludes tomorrow. Click here to view the thread at TRF.

JessRulz Danish Royals Margrethe II, Prince Frederik, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Princess Mary, State Visit, Vietnam

Compared with the first days of their state visit to Vietnam, the Danish Royal Family enjoyed a much slower pace on day three. HM Queen Margrethe II and HRH Prince Henrik were out and about by brunch, attending a Danish business event.

View the image at Belga

The royal couple visited Danish work-wear company Mascot International’s building in Hai Duong, where they were met by the company’s directors, Michael Grosbøl and Thomas Bo Pedersen. Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik were treated to a guided tour of the factory, before attending the awards ceremony of the Corporate Social Responsibility’s honourable prize. The prize was presented to Thomas Bo Pedersen by the Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee in Hai Duong, Ms Nguyen Thi Mihn.

Some history and culture was next on the agenda, as they visited the Kim Lien Pagoda. The Queen and Prince Consort were received by the pagoda’s head monk, who told them of the history and spiritual meaning of the site. They were told of how the pagoda was part of the Tu Hao Palace, ordered to be built by Princess Tu Hoa, a daughter of King Ly Than Tong of the Ly Dynasty. The King then sent his daughter and her maids to the pagoda to make them understand their societal position.

View the image at Billed Bladet

HM and HRH were then treated to lunch at the Koto Restaurant, where the royals were given a tour of the restaurant and kitchens before being given the opportunity to help the staff make Vietnamese spring rolls. Prince Henrik, who has written many a cookbook, seemed in his element and both he and his wife participated with extreme interest. Queen Margrethe spoke with the press later after the lunch, about Prince Henrik’s connection with Vietnam. “The more I see, the more I sense the world my husband remembers and tells about…I think it’s fascinating to come here, I have thought a lot about my parents-in-law,” she said.

The royal couple retired for the evening, and allowed TRH Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary to take over. The couple attended a rock concert at the Hue Sports Centre, which featured both Danish and Vietnamese artists. Danish rockers The Blue Van were greeted with wild applause by the Crown Prince Couple, who appeared relaxed and enjoyed their evening.

Day four continues tomorrow. View the state visit thread here.

JessRulz Danish Royals Concert, Margrethe II, Prince Frederik, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Princess Mary, State Visit, Vietnam

Day two of the Danish State Visit to Vietnam began early this morning, with TRH Prince Henrik and Crown Prince Frederik awake early to attend a business forum “Denmark and Vietnam – Let’s Do Business” at the Melia Hotel.

View the image at the MoFA Denmark

Prince Henrik awarded the HRH Prince Henrik’s Honorary Medal to Preben Hjortlund, a Danish businessman, during the event which was well attended by the Danish business delegation on the visit. During the forum, the two men visited several stands and attended various seminars on a cleaner environment in the future, business and production technology and airspace products.

HM Queen Margrethe II and HRH Crown Princess Mary meanwhile visited the Ba Trang Phomax/Anna Black Ceramics Factory. The two women participated in painting some ceramic plates and mugs, decorating them and signing their names. Queen Margrethe, being an artist, was much more at ease with painting than her daughter-in-law, even though she did find it a little challenging, eventually resigning and stating “It isn’t great art.” She still managed to finish painting several items though, while Mary was on her first. “My goodness, this is something of a task,” the Princess exclaimed. Queen Margrethe also painted mugs for the Crown Prince and two of her grandchildren, Christian and Isabella.

View the image at Billed Bladet

From there, the duo headed to the a nearby youth theatre where they watched  a performance by the Batida Children’s Theatre. Several Hanoi performers were on hand to perform, as well as ten Batida Denmark dancers. Lunch was served at the Melia Hotel for the royals and the Danish business delegation, where speeches were held by the Queen and Vietnam’s Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung.

Margrethe, Frederik and Mary then attended the opening of the first ever Street Festival in Vietnam. Cultural events are traditionally held indoors, and this is the first to be held outdoors. A reception was hosted at the National History Museum for Danish residents living in Vietnam, as well as the staff and children of the Danish Embassy. All the royals were in attendance, as were various officials accompanying them on the trip.

Queen Margrethe hosted a return banquet for President Triet at the Temple of Literature, beginning at 19:30 local time. Tomorrow’s agenda includes a tour of the Kiem Lien Temple, lunch at the Koto restaurant and a rock concert in the evening. View the State Visit thread here.

JessRulz Danish Royals Margrethe II, Prince Frederik, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Princess Mary, State Visit, Vietnam

An official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam this morning officially began the first state visit to Vietnam by a Danish Head of State.

View the image at ANP

HM Queen Margrethe II, accompanied by TRH the Prince Consort, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, was welcomed by the Vietnamese President Nguyen Minth Triet and a full guard of honour. The President’s wife, First Lady Tran Thi Kim Chi, was also on hand for the welcoming. Despite the sub-tropic climate, the Queen and the President stood under a shaded platform while the remainder of the party stood in the sunshine. It was here, during the national anthems, that Crown Princess Mary was the victim of mother nature – a gust of wind blew her hat straight of her head and into the arms of a nearby official.

View the image at the MoFA Denmark

After regaining her hat, and composure, the Princess joined her family in an audience with the President and First Lady. Queen Margrethe and President Triet had much to discuss, covering a wide variety of topics from Danish-Vietnamese relations, economic issues and culture. A pressing issue was the effect climate change will have on Vietnam. Both the Queen and President highlighted this, with President Triet thanking Denmark for their recent committment to an aid package worth $US40 million to assist Vietnam with climate change. Queen Margrethe also extended an invitation to the President to visit Denmark in the future.

View the image at ANP

From there, it was on to two seperate wreath laying ceremonies. The first was at the Monument for National Heroes and Martyrs, where Vietnamese soldiers assisted in the laying of the wreath for the royals. The second ceremony was at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

While Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik met with Nguyen Phu Trong, the President of the Vietnamese National Assembly, the Crown Prince Couple paid a visit to the Bang and Olufsen store in Hanoi where Crown Prince Frederik helped to launch a new product line called BeoVision 10 to the Asian market. In the early afternoon, Frederik headed off to officially open the new brewery of the Hanoi Beer Company. The Prince was then treated to a tour of the building, followed by a tasting (or two) of the Company’s finest. Read more…

JessRulz Danish Royals Climate Change, Margrethe II, President Triet, Prince Frederik, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Princess Mary, State Visit, Vietnam

The Danish State Visit to Vietnam began in a semi-official capacity this afternoon local time, with HM Queen Margrethe II and the Royal Family spending the day in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital.

View the image at VN Express

Queen Margrethe and HRH Prince Henrik, the Prince Consort, arrived in Vietnam earlier in the day and were welcomed at the Noi Bai National Airport with a guard of honour. This was followed by the first of several cycle tours in traditional rickshaws through Hanoi. The couple were joined by TRH Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary for a visit to the Prince Consort’s childhood home, which lies on Phan Dinh Phung.

The de Laborde de Monpezat family bought the house in 1928, and lived in Vietnam for five years before returning to France (Henrik later returned to Vietnam in the early 1950s to attend secondary school). HRH was very excited to return to the house and show his family where he grew up. One particular spot was a pagoda located on the property which was a favourite hunt of Henrik’s. “I am very happy to show both Hanoi and the house [to my family],” Prince Henrik told Danish media.

View the image at Belga

After the visit to the house, Henrik and Frederik visited St Joseph’s Cathedral, where they were met by Father Luong. The purpose of the visit was for Prince Henrik to erect a plaque in honour of his paternal grandfather, Henri de Laborde de Monpezat,who was a prominent member of the Colonial Supreme Council in Hanoi and an active entrepreneur (the family had several business holdings in Vietnam, many of which disappeared during the war). The grave of Prince Henrik’s grandfather, who died in 1929, also went missing during the war, and the Prince Consort wanted a way to commemorate him – thus the plaque. Crown Prince Frederik assisted his father in installing the plaque, and said it was a “great experience to witness his father’s past.” A video of the day’s events can be viewed here at TV2.

In the evening, a reception was hosted by the Danish Ambassador to Vietnam, Peter Lysholt Hansen, at his residence in Hanoi. The Ambassador’s wife (who is Vietnamese), Ha Thi Bich Lien, and the couple’s six-year-old son Khoi also attended the reception. Khoi was even on hand to present the Queen and Crown Princess with bouquets upon their arrival.

The state visit begins officially tomorrow, with the official welcoming ceremony by President Nguyen Minth Triet at the Presidential Palace. The visit runs until November 6th. View the TRF thread for the state visit here.

JessRulz Danish Royals Margrethe II, Prince Frederik, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Princess Mary, State Visit, Vietnam

Click here to see the photo at ANP

 The Imperial Household Agency disclosed recently that it intends to lessen the burden on Emperor Akihito of Japan by reducing his duties throughout the year. Last December, the emperor was diagnosed with arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and inflammation in his stomach and duodenum. His condition was said to be caused by stress, and in the following days, several of the emperor´s engagements had to be cancelled, for instance, his annual news conference, customarily held prior to his Dec. 23 birthday. The emperor soon resumed his duties, but the Imperial Household Agency announced in February that it intended to reduce his workload throughout the year. Still, it might fairly be doubted how much of this announcement was owing to wishful thinking on the part of the Imperial Household members. There were rumours leaked that say that there has been a “tug of war” ongoing between the emperor–who regards his duties as important–and agency officials, who wanted to lighten his workload out of concerns for his health.

In any case, taking a look at the emperor´s activities during the last days, one might easily receive the impression that there has someone been defeated in this “war” – and that it has not been His Majesty: After his return from a few days holiday with Prince Akishino and his family at the imperial farm in Tochigi (the empress had not been able to accompany him, owing to a ligament injury in her left knee), the emperor held a press conference on occasion of the imperial wedding anniversary. He underwent all the festivities that were scheduled to mark the imperial couple´s golden wedding anniversary on April 10, including the evening party, a private family dinner, visits with government officials and a tea party at the imperial palace, hosting 101 couples who were also celebrating their golden anniversaries this year.

Read more…

ChiaraC Japanese Royals Emperor Akihito, Imperial Household Agency, Vietnam

It was confirmed earlier this week that Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik will pay a state visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in November.

Upon invitation from HE President Nguyen Minh Triet, the Queen and Prince Henrik will be accompanied by Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary for the five-day visit; beginning on November 2.

The four will return to Denmark on November 9, following a three-day unofficial program/vacation.

Read the official press release here, and view the TRF thread here.

JessRulz Danish Royals Margrethe II, President Triet, Prince Frederik, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Princess Mary, State Visit, Vietnam

 Malaysian King Sultan Tuanku Mizan and Queen Tuanku Nur Zahirah will start a state visit to Vietnam starting March 12 -15, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The visit is being made by the invitation of Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.

dazzling Malaysian Royals King Sultan, Queen Tuanku, State Visit, Vietnam

 During his official visit to Vietnam, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan visited a Japanese school in Ho Chi Minh City. The Crown Prince inspected an English conversation lesson for second-year elementary school children and an integrated studies class for first-year junior high school students on Friday (see image).

The friendly contact between the Vietnam and Japan is no matter of course: in 1991, the two countries re-established diplomatic relations. Before that date, Japan had imposed economic restrictions upon Vietnam as it had strongly opposed the Soviet-backed Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in December 1978. Today, Japan is the single biggest country donor to Vietnam. It has pledged $US890 million in aid for the country this year, 6.5 percent higher than the 2006 level of $US835.6 million.

Read more…

ChiaraC Japanese Royals Official Visit, Prince Naruhito, Vietnam