Farfar Henrik wished a Happy Birthday by his Grandchildren

  June 11, 2009 at 8:32 pm by

June 11th is the 75th birthday of Prince Henrik, and the celebrations kick-started yesterday with a lunch and a concert. Earlier this morning, the Crown Prince Couple and their two children gathered outside Fredensborg Palace to begin celebrating once more.

View the image at Billed-Bladet

Here, the group waited for Henrik to appear in one of the palace windows. The birthday boy opened the window accompanied by Queen Margrethe II, and smiled and waved broadly to the small crowd. Christian and Isabella waved Danish flags and played with the gravel while there, before the group sang Henrik a birthday song.

At around lunchtime, the royal family gathered once more (and so did the rain!) for a military parade outside Fredensborg Palace. Prince Henrik was surrounded by four of his five grandchildren (Prince Joachim and Princess Marie’s month-old son stayed indoors) for the parade, and Prince Christian got a stern talking-to by his dad after he was spotted climbing on a lamp post. Princes Nikolai and Felix, Joachim’s eldest sons, did not follow in their cousin’s footsteps, behaving like perfect gentlemen in their matching grey suits.

The Berleburg relatives also joined the family on the steps, as did Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, who flew in from Stockholm for the parade and luncheon which was held at Fredensborg Palace’s Orangery. The majority of the royal party were wearing new commemorative medals, a silver medallion hanging on blue ribbon emblazoned with Prince Henrik’s monogram.

A gala banquet followed in the evening at the palace, where Queen Sonja (in her lovely yellow gown and “Star Wars” tiara) and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway joined in the festivities. Crown Princess Mary pleased royal watchers by wearing a new tiara set, designed by Charlotte Lynggaard and which is currently on display in an exhibition entitled “Queen of Jewels, Jewel of Queens” at Rosenborg Palace. Mary’s sister-in-law Princess Marie also shocked royal watchers, turning up in a gown which was not her signature colour purple! The same cannot be said for the birthday boy however, Henrik arriving at his gala in his favourite purple tuxedo.

The royal ate, drank and danced into the night. Wine was provided by Prince Henrik’s vineyard at his chateau in France, Château de Cayx. Queen Margrethe II made a speech to her husband on the occasion of his birthday, quoting poetry written by Henrik. She told of how proud she and Henrik are of their sons, and their now five grandchildren. “Seeing you as grandfather is something quite special. ‘Grandpapa, Grandpapa’ they shout and crash into you. It was one of the first things they said…and how proud you were to hear it,” Margrethe said, also mentioning how Henrik will often make his grandchildren pancakes in the kitchen with the cooks.

The Danish monarch ended her speech by asking all the guests to stand and offer a toast to her husband, “My Henri.”

Read all about Henrik’s birthday celebrations here.

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