Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik, Current Events 3: August 2010 - January 2013

[dazzling]

Originally Posted by iceflower

___________________


Billed-Bladet has added a nice gallery of pics of Queen Margrethe and Prince
Henrik attending a party of their friend Fritz Schur on January 1st, 2011:


** Stort galleri: Dronning Margrethe til wienerbal ** translation **

Isn't Jan 1st the royal family New Year gala?

[iceflower]

_________________


It is, dazzling, maybe the google translation made a mistake or it's been later
that evening, who knows..

Here's an article about Prince Henrik's involvement in the association for people
suffering from polio. Looks like he recently made a visit concerning that, there
was a book presentation. But the translation once more isn't that good.


** Prins Henrik støttede polioramte ** translation **

[Benedikte]

Billed-Bladet - Margrethe til BILLED-BLADET: Mary har fået sin gave

Queen Margrethe in Bahrain assures that the Princess has received a birthday gift.

I have not called the Crown Princess today, although it is her birthday, but we delivered a gift before we went to Bahrain, told the Queen, as she and Prince Henry today, Saturday, ended their three-day official visit to Bahrain with a news conference.

Both the Queen and Prince Henrik was in Hopla, and when Prince Henry was asked what he thought about the local custom of having four wives, he replied:

- It might not be so crazy, but I am probably too late.

After a hectic day with visits to GPIC, which produces ammonia and methanol, and device manufactured by Haldor Topsoe, Prince Henry was relaxing, while the queen went for a walk in the local souk, the bazaar, where she bought beautiful fabrics and spices to take home.

[Duchess of Durham]

Did anyone else notice Fodselaren Birthe Bruun Rasmussen wore the same dress to the party Jan 1 and Jan 7? I believe in recycling wardrobes like the next girl, but 6 days apart?

I know, I'm being katty. Bad girl, Duchess.

[Muhler]

Excerpts from article in Billed Bladet #06, 2011.
En oase af kærlighed - An oasis of love.
Written by our reporter in Bahrain Annelise Weimann.

Billed Bladet will come up with an extensive coverage of the official visit in the next issue, so this week I'll focus on the pressmeeting. Which is interesting as is shows how QMII is able to dodge potentially controversial issues. - Issues, that is, for those who are looking for issues...

The pressmeeting took place on Mary's birthday.

Q: Have you phoned home to the Crown Princess and congratulated her?
- "Actually, I must admit I haven't. But we did leave presents for her before we went to Bahrain".

Q: Have you been in contact with the CP familiy and heard how the twins are doing?
- "Well, we've just been away for three or four days and the children are after all only a month old. They'll probably do fine without us calling".

Q: But surely a lot of things can happen in three or four days with children that young?
- "There sure can, but no. I don't call home to inquire about the twins. I've never done that with my grandchildren".

Q: So you are not a hen-grandmother, who call home all the time?
- "I may be a hen, but not in that way".

Q: What do you think of Bahrain, Queen Margrethe?
- "The first thing that catch the eye is a developed city with high rise building and a developed roadsystem. At the same time it is for me incredibly exciting to go somewhere where the past is just below the surface of the ground and which at the same time is so immensely old and so very unusual. (*) And the fact that Danish archaeologists (**) have taken part in the excavations for several years, I think is very amusing. (***) I feel pride on behalf of Danish archeologists. They were genuine pioneers here in Bahrain. At the same time I believe it plays a big role for the country to know it has so deep roots".

Q: Do you yet again feel a desire to get involved with archeology and take part in the excavations yourself? (****)
- "The problem with taking part in excavations is that you do absolutely no good at all, if you only take part for two or three days. Then you are either in on it, or in the way. I prefer to stay out of the way".

In Bahrain, the King and his family control most of the executive power, which is of course different from DK and to that QMII said:
- "I think Bahrain is a less closed country than certain other countries and it is my impression that they seek to have a level of democracy, which certain other countries certainly don't have in a similar manner. I believe the King is an extremely responsible man, who is trying to avoid his country getting in serious troubles. I also believe it's an advantage for Bahrain not to have too much of an oil-economy. Everyone really has to work in order to keep the wheels turning. You can't just lean back and let the pumps do the job, like in certain other places".

Q: How do you view/think of the role of women in Bahrain?
- "I think it's pretty open. Women can vote and (they) can be elected for the Parliament and many women work and have a distinguished career. It's not a closed society, compared to other parts of the world".

During the visit QMII was invited to lunch with the King's First Wife, Princess Sabeeka, who live with 75 other women in a palace where men are rarely allowed to enter.

Q: How was the mood at this womens-meeting you attended?
- "You know what, that wasn't a womens-meeting. It was a lunch - for ladies. That sort of things still exists". (*****)

Q: How did you experience it?
- "It was pleasant and easy, because it was very informal. The mood was very free. I spoke with many of the ladies and they all spoke excellent English. So it was very easy to talk. They knew something and they had something to say. It was certainly not a chirp-chirp-ladies-lunch".

- More about Bahrain next week.

(*) Traces of an almost unknown civillisation are being unearthed in that part of the Arabian peninsula these years.

(**) The involvement of Danish explorers and now archaeolgists working in this part of the world goes back to the 1700's.

(***) Morsomt or pudsigt = amusing, is a typical expression for QMII. Comparable to "fantastic" among younger members of the DRF.

(****) QMII has more than once stated that if she wasn't a queen , she would have become an archeologist. She also took part in excavations in Egypt when she was young. - That fact was mentioned in a popular song from that period: Det er ikke til at se, hvis man ikke lige ved det. - Ask fasterB for more details.

(*****) Another wonderful retort from QMII
I'd say that at any given pressmeeting QMII supply half the combined brain capacity.

[iceflower]

__________________


Queen Margrethe has attended the opening of the exhibition "Preben Hornung.
A modern master" in Nivå, February 12, 2011.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 **

** sn.dk: Dronningen og den moderne mester ** sn.dk gallery **

[Muhler]

Summary of articles in Billed Bladet #6 & 7.
All written by Annelise Weimann.

As you may know, the political situation in Bahrain has become very dramatic within the past few days.
Bahrain became a monarchy eight years ago, with King Hamad as the head of state and his uncle, Khalifa, as Prime Minister. It appears the current anger is mostly directed at the PM.
The royal family is Sunni, while the majority of the population are Shia Muslims.
The royal family as well as the Sunnis in general are those who control the most important offices.
To complicate things even further, there is a huge US base in Bahrain a well.

Anyway, QMII and PH went on at official visit (*) there and it was a pretty standard visit, lasting a few days. QMII was recieved at a pretty magnificently adorned palace by King Hamad.
An honor guard from various units was lined up and was inspected by QMII and King Hamad. QMII stopped and bowed her head in front of the colour of each unit, something that is apparantly not used in Bahrain, but which was appreciated by the hosts.

QMII and PH also met members of the government as well as members of both chambers of the Parliament.
Women are certainly not an unusual sight in holding offices in Bahrain.

Orders were exchanged. ing Hamad recieved the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog and QMII recieved King Hamas Al Nahda's Order, while Prince Henrik recieved the Order of Bahrain, First Class.

After the initial formalities it was time for the visit to all sorts of cultural sights, this being very much a promotional tour for DK, or a goodwill tour if you will. A number of major Danish businesses have considerable activities in Bahrain.
That included a visit to GPIC, where a slightly surprised Prince Henrik was presented with a boquet of flowers, as was QMII. PH quietly handed his bouquet on to his adjutant. (**)
At the visit to the national Museum the Regent Couple were presented with a hand carved camel, a rocking-camel for the grandchildren.
PH went to a horse race. An endurance race going on for more than 120 kilometers, something that interested PH a lot.
King Hamad has four wives and QMII went to a lunch with the First Wife, Princess Sabeeka in a palace for women, a lunch for ladies, as QMII later put it.

Now, it wasn't all work. QMII, who was visibly delighted and completely lost to the rest of the world visited the 4.000 year old ruins of the old capital of Bahrain (***) and the just as old Barbar Temple.
The ruins may have been the location of Paradise as described in the Bible.
These remains of an old culture, known as Dilmun, were actually discovered by a Danish Archeologist in 1954, more or less by chance. He, P.V. Glob discovered he had set up camp on top of the old old capital, which until then had been assumed were tombs placed there by neighbouring cultures.
QMII said: "I feel a great pride on behalf of the Danish archeologists. I think they have had a very big significanse indeed here. It's important what they have discovered and done and it's wonderful pioneering work".
Q: Have you ever met professor Glob?
QMII: "Yes, indeed. He was a very well-known man within the profession. But I've never studied under him, because he became rigsanitikvar (****) the same year I began to study archeology at Aarhus University".

QMII also visited two 4.000 year old royal tombs, which fascinated her.

(*) Not a state visit.

(**) Interestingly, their adjutants were local. I've never seen that before and I don't understand why the Regent Couple were not accompanied by Danish adjutants.

(***) In recent years a number of archeological excavations at this part of the Arabian Peninsula have unearthed a number of pretty sofisticated cultures.
It's interesting to speculate as to whether these cultures were established as a result of the much more benign climate there, which was the result of the Ice Age. And when that ended, it did after all take some time before the climate changed radically and the water level rose enough for these cultures to end.
It would be interesting to learn what can be discovered under the seabed in the Persian Gulf.

(****) Archivist of the Realm. Not the lowest office you can have!

[Muhler]

As a follow up on the Bahrain visit:

The government, mainly the Foreign Minister, Lene Espersen, are getting some heat in Parliament for the, shall we say, bad timing of the official visit of the Regent Couple to Bahrain.
In view of the heavy handed approach of the government of Bahrain towards demonstrators, the Danish government has renounced the methods used by the government in dealing with the opposition. Thus putting the Regent Couple in an akward position. Not least since QMII at the press meeting praised King Hamad for being in touch with the people - and presenting him with the Grand Cross of the Order of Danneborg.
Thus embarrassing QMII.

The Foreign Minister is being criticised for being caught with their pants down, bad timing and for giving poor advise to the Regent Couple.
Lene Espersen, who was recently ousted as part chairman of the Conservatives, thereby continues a long track record of unfortunate dispositions.

Okay, in all fairness, what is going on in the Middle East right now is probably a surprise to many more than just the Danish Foreign Ministry. And the methods used by the government of Bahrain were perhaps also difficult to predict.
It's after all not the first time the Regent Couple has been involved in turmoil when visiting the Middle East. When they visited Egypt many years ago, the Regent Couple was basically evacuated home in a hurry due to sudden unrest. Unfortunately QMII tripped when she was boarding the plane.

[Sternchen]

Well, I guess we now know why Fred is Regent

Margrethe is in Norway

http://www.ppe-agency.com/500px/Mar2011/PPE11030360.jpg

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?s...03-2011%20Oslo

http://www.billedbladet.dk/Kongelige...i%20Norge.aspx

[iceflower]

___________________


And Prince Henrik is in France!


Prince Henrik presenting the new biography he wrote with Danish journalist
Stephanie Surrugue "Enegænger – portræt af en prins" in the Danish House
in Paris, on March 3, 2011.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** belga **


** Prins Henrik presenterade bok medan frun tittade på skid-VM **

[Marika86]

Prince Henrik is visiting French Guiana in South America as the president of the Danish WWF. March 07, 2011

PPE Agency Jutland

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Marika86

Prince Henrik is visiting French Guiana in South America as the president of the Danish WWF. March 07, 2011

PPE Agency Jutland

always a good way to energize marriage by taking separate vacations!

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #10, 2011.
Henrik i gode hænder - Henrik in safe hands.
Written by Anna Johannesen.

Prince Henrik is in French Guyana right now, you know, the Ariane rockets and all that.

And even though he is there to look at turtles among other creatures in his capacity as president of WWF, he has also had time to walk in the carnival procession through the town of Cayenne.

As I write this and look at the picture in the article I can safely state, that while Henrik was in "normal" clothes and the rest were dressed up, the carnival certainly did not become less colorful because he walked in the parade!

Those among you who were mesmerized by Frederik's red pants when the twins were born ain't seen anything yet!

Henrik will return to DK on Sunday.

[Viv]

Originally Posted by Muhler

As I write this and look at the picture in the article I can safely state, that while Henrik was in "normal" clothes and the rest were dressed up, the carnival certainly did not become less colorful because he walked in the parade!

Prince Henrik notwithstanding, the parade was not as colourful and spectacular as RIO though!

Viv

[iceflower]

_________________


Here's a picture gallery of Queen Margrethe's recent skiing vacation:


** Se billederne af dronning Margrethe på ski **

[Muhler]

Solskinsdronningen – The sunshine queen.
Excerpts from interview in Billed Bladet #10, 2011.
Interviewer: Annelise Weimann.

The 71 year old QMII is currently on her annual skiing holiday in Gausdal in Norway. Together with her LiW, Annette de Scheel, and a Norwegian female friend, Eleonora Sibbern, and two anonymous gentleman from PET and the Norwegian security police.

QM: “I ski every day, a nice little trip for three-four hours. Yesterday we managed five, but it’s not like in the old days, where we went really far”.

Q: How is your shape?
QM: “Oh, it could be worse. But the times when we went from cabin to cabin and brought at lunch pack with us are over. That I always had in the bottom-slapper”. (A bag).

QM: “Isn’t it beautiful here? Let’s walk a bit further, so that we can enjoy the beautiful view. We are fortunate with the weather; it’s been good since I arrived”.

They are close to a mountain called: Skeikampen.

Q: Have you ever been up there?
QM: “Yes, for many of the Lords years ago, (*) when we were children. I was almost fourteen and my sisters were correspondingly younger. Back then there was no ski lift, but we did reach the summit. We didn’t think it was strenuous, it was just exiting”.

Q: Were you here with your parents?
QM: “Father didn’t ski and mother was only up here a couple of times. We were sent up here along with our nannies and mother’s LiW, Awa Armfeldt, who died a couple of years ago. She was familiar with Norway and thought Skeikampen would be a good place to ski. It was in 1954 that we were here the first time, it’s really incredible. And fun to think about”.

Q: How is your health?
QM: “Excellent”.

Q: You no longer have problems with your knees?
QM: “Nope, I don’t notice them at all. Imagine, after having skied that long, I don’t notice I’ve got them. It’s probably four years ago that I had my surgery and ever since I’ve been fine. I have to think a long way back, in order to remember how it was, when I had problems with my knees”.

Q: How do you stay fit, when you don’t ski?
QM: “I’m so fortunate as to live in some big houses with many stairs, and I walk up and down the stairs many times during the day. And from October to May I attend ballet (lessons) once a week. But I’m not a kind of exercise geek, you could hardly say that”.

Q: Will your friend, Queen Sonja come up here?
QM: “Yes, we are going to meet at some point. She is skiing like I don’t know what. She’s not born with skis on, I rather believe the skis were born on her”!

(I’ve omitted a part of QMII telling about how she introduced Frederik and Joachim to skiing, but that they prefer alpine skiing. And also why QMII see absolutely no reason to change her ski suit, why, it’s hardly worn)!

Q: Next month your twin-grandchildren are going to be christened. Do you know their names?
QM: “No, I do not. I didn’t want to ask. I don’t find that courteous. I don’t even know whether they have made up their minds. They should be allowed to keep that to themselves”.

Q: Will you be told about the names, prior to the christening?
QM: “Yes, I’m certain of that. I’ve been told the other times and from both sides”.

Q: How are the twins?
QMII: “They are sweet, really sweet”.

Q: Is there a difference between them, apart from being a boy and a girl?
QM: “Yes, I think so, you can tell from the pictures as well. They are not like two identical little eggs. They each have their own little looks and they are also different internally. They are after all very new, but their mother says, she can feel a distinct difference in how they react and behave. That’s very funny”. (**)

Q: Is it different to have twin-grandchildren? (***)
QM: “Not for me. But I can tell how much it means for the family it afflicts, if I may say so. There is after all twice as much all the time; it’s very strenuous. I have the impression that it’s sleeping, eating, breastfeeding. Sleeping, eating, breastfeeding”.

Q: Are Prince Christian and Princess Isabella jealous?
QM: “Not at all. They find it exciting with the little boy and the little girl. They are very proud of them and their parents are very good at showing the children that they don’t take the back seat just because twins have arrived”.

Q: Princess Isabella has started to attend dancing (lessons)?
QM: “Yes, she has something she has to do, and which she finds funny. And the Crown Prince is taking so good care of his big boy. It’s very good and both children are fine”.

Q: “Do you see them regularly?
QM: “Yes, but we don’t see each other every other day. We are all very busy. I also believe that when you have two children to breastfeed at the same time, you shouldn’t have your mother-in-law knocking on your doors all the time, or whoever it is. I think it’s pretty strenuous to have twins and one shouldn’t be there at all hours”.

Q: You have had many official travels this year and you have just been to Bahrain. Have you regretted going there?
QM: “Nom I certainly couldn’t. I’m after all not psychic. The situation was simply not how it became later on. Hindsight is, as you know, the highest form of wisdom. You can of course say that it was very unfortunate that events went the way they did, but when we planned the trip and went, there was no reason to believe that we shouldn’t go. It would have been most discourteous if one had said that due to unrest in Egypt, we couldn’t go to Bahrain. Try take a look on map of the world, to see how far there is from one place to another”.

QMII: Also talks about the advantages of sailing with Dannebrog during the summer cruise this year: “(Having) Dannebrog on the journey makes a huge difference. When we come onboard after long days schedule, there may be something in the evening as well, you feel at home at once. You sleep in your own bed, have your own cupboard, where the things are and you know what way to turn the taps in the bathroom, to get the right temperature. When you change from hotel to hotel, you almost need a drivers license for the fittings in the bathroom each time”.

QMII also went to Holmekollen to watch the world skiing championships, along with the Norwegian Regent Couple and the CP-couples from Norway and Sweden.

(*) An expression. Used to emphasize how long ago it is. It has no longer any connection with religion. Not for several centuries.

(**) One of QMII’s favorite expressions.

(***) QMII must have been in a good mood, she has been known to squash a question like that before. – Of course twins are different!

[Marika86]

Prince Henrik is visiting French Guiana in South America as the president of the Danish WWF. March 11, 2011

PPE Agency Jutland

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by Muhler

That’s very funny”. (**)

(**) One of QMII’s favorite expressions.

Oh yes I can actually hear her say: Det er (meget) morsomt

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Marika86

Prince Henrik is visiting French Guiana in South America as the president of the Danish WWF. March 07, 2011

PPE Agency Jutland

correct link
PPE Agency

[camelot23ca]

Thanks for translating that, Muhler. I'm impressed by how fit Queen Margrethe is even after the knee replacements. Nice that she can still get out and do something she enjoys so much.