Finland 100: June 1, 2017

[An Ard Ri]

Here's a short video of Queen Margrethe II, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, King Harald V and Queen Sonja arriving at the Gala Dinner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj45ivAk4kY

[LadyFinn]

Here is a video of the guests arriving to the banquet from finnish MTV News.
VIDEO_ Pukuloistoa presidentinlinnassa kuninkaallisten illallisella – Jenni Haukio sädehti jäänsinisessä - Kotimaa - Uutiset - MTV.fi

It has been great to look how president Niinistö and mrs Haukio take care of queen Margrethe, with such a respect.

Iltasanomat writes about the jewellery Jenni Haukio wore today.
The materials (gem beryls) worth around 32 000-42 000 euros were donated by a stone hobbyist. An anonymous man found the stones from Luumäki's Kännätsalo quarry in 1988 and has since kept them in his safe. By the end of 2015, he contacted jewelery designer Heli Kauhanen and asked her to design a jewel in honor of the 100th anniversary of Finland's independence.
- He said that the safe is not their place. He wanted it to be used in a dignified way, Kauhanen tells about the motifs of the donor.
Kauhanen had even before worked for the man and could not refuse of this unique task.
- It is a great honor for me to be asked, and that gift is so valuable to the institution. I started designing on the terms of the stone, with a blue-green and bright shade, Kauhanen says.
Gemstones donated by a gentleman are a rare aquamarine colored gem beryl, in addition to which to the jewelery has been used with palladium-blended gold panned from the Lemmenjoki river.
In the design phase, Kauhanen also made met the first holder of the jewellery, Mrs. Haukio.
- I had several sketches, and she picked a few, with them I continued. It was great to work with her, she was really friendly and understood well what the project is about, Kauhanen describes.
Jenni Haukio säkenöi illallisilla kymmenien tuhansien eurojen jalokivikorussa – lahjoitus lahtelaiselta mysteerimieheltä - Kuninkaalliset - Ilta-Sanomat

[HereditaryPrincess]

Thank you, LadyFinn for providing us with news and information of the events. It's always nice to see mixed royals together.

Happy anniversary to Finland! I'd love to visit the country one day; it seems like such a beautiful place.

[Katrianna]

A big Thank You Lady Finn for all of your coverage. Your photo and video links as well as additional explanations are super.

[LadyFinn]

The official photos of the Day at the Flickr of The Office of the President.
Pohjoismaiden valtionpäämiehet 2017 _ Flickr

Short video of the arrivals to the dinner and taking the group photo
Suomen edustuskoru Jenni Haukion kaulassa _ Uutisvideot _ TV _ Areena _ yle.fi

The swedish royal court's article
Kungaparet vid firandet av Finland 100 år - Sveriges Kungahus

Finland 100 brought Nordic heads of state together - Suomi 100
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzrxhsh3r6/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUy0kQPhJ34/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzfeIWDOAp/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUztRg-g-ie/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzlXntg...-by=anna_lehti
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUz6IrYj34u/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUz_EKShtt8/

Arrivals to the Presidential Palace for the banquet
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzs1gpD...en-by=tepi_vee
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzqsLpj...en-by=tepi_vee
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzreMij...en-by=tepi_vee
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzr7FYD...en-by=tepi_vee
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzqG5dj...en-by=tepi_vee
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUzpYeYD...en-by=tepi_vee

Photos of some of the guests, among them Antero Vartia, the Member of the Parliament, whose mother is from Iceland. He speaks icelandic too.
http://is.mediadelivery.io/img/1920/...16fc2d99cc.jpg
Pukuloistoa harvinaisella juhlaillallisella_ Jenni Haukion yllä kierrätyspuku, myös toinen vieras yllätti Linnan juhlista tutussa asussa - Kuninkaalliset - Ilta-Sanomat

[maria-olivia]

Why no Collar for the Queen of Norway ?

[An Ard Ri]

Here are some additional photos of the Nordic Heads of State visit Helsink from earlier yesterday.

PPE Agency

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

Why no Collar for the Queen of Norway ?

Like I have written previously on this thread, there seems to have been made a change of policy of giving the Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose to the spouses of regents after Martti Ahtisaari became president in 1994. Queen Sonja became queen in 1991, and president Ahtisaari made a state visit to Norway in 1994, but he didn't give the collar of the Order to queen Sonja, and not to queen Paola when he visited Belgium in 1996 and gave the Order with the Collar to king Albert. President Tarja Halonen didn't give the collar to the spouses of the regents either, and president Niinistö hasn't given them either.

Queen Silvia got the Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose in 1982, when president Mauno Koivisto made a state visit to Sweden.

Photo of king Carl Gustaf talking with mrs Jenni Haukio at the dinner.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DBQdU-7XUAEuz2p.jpg

[maria-olivia]

Thank you LadyFinn.

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Thanks for your posts, LadyFinn!

Regret that I spent time going through Finnish media yesterday (which I don't know anything about) to find information and videos when I could only have gone to this thread.

King Harald is as I have said many times in other threads a bit frail, but both he, Queen Sonja and the other royals looked to be in great spirits yesterday.

I know that several posters here have written (in other posts) that Queen Margrethe is a bit unsteady on her feet when she's in full gala, but I'm actually impressed with how fast she still walks when she's in daytime outfits (especially when you think about the problems/pain she has) - watch here from 17:30:
Pukuloistoa kuninkaallisten vierailulla - Jenni Haukio ihastutti kellohelmaisessa kesämekossa - Viihde - MTV.fi

And watch when she walks up the stairs (just amazing) from 16:10:
100-vuotiaan Suomen onnittelupäivä | TV | Areena | yle.fi

And Norway's beloved King walked arm in arm with Queen Sonja:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DBPvYNQXcAEdfM_.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DBQQdluW0AAnloc.jpg

[loonytick]

The Finnish necklace is really lovely and unique. Am I correct in understanding it's made of Finnish metal and stone? That seems quite appropriate for a piece of state jewelry in a republic.

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by loonytick

The Finnish necklace is really lovely and unique. Am I correct in understanding it's made of Finnish metal and stone? That seems quite appropriate for a piece of state jewelry in a republic.

Yes, both the gold and the stones have been found in Finland.

Here is a nice album from the events taken by a freelance photographer. It shows also queen Margrethe leaving Dannebrog in the morning and king Harald and queen Sonja leaving Norge.
Suomi 100_ Kuninkaalliset Helsingissä (01.06.17) _ Facebook

[Muhler]

Here is a BB video focusing on QMII: VIDEO: Dronning Margrethe forsvandt før fest i Finland - se her hvorhen | BILLED-BLADET
I'm a little surprised at the prominent role QMII has had at this event. Even though she is the monarch with the longest service behind her.
In the video we can even hear the Danish royal anthem. - AFAIK there were not that many Danes who went to Finland in time to do much fighting back in 1939, so I'm a little puzzled.

As for QMII walking fast. She has said on several occasions that she can only walk fast, due to her back problems, while PH can only walk slowly due to his problems. Back problems manifest themselves in the weirdest way I guess.

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

Yes, both the gold and the stones have been found in Finland.

Here is a nice album from the events taken by a freelance photographer. It shows also queen Margrethe leaving Dannebrog in the morning and king Harald and queen Sonja leaving Norge.
Suomi 100_ Kuninkaalliset Helsingissä (01.06.17) _ Facebook

Norge and Dannebrog are two seriously beautiful and ever elegant ambassadors for our countries.

[Minister of Court]

Originally Posted by Muhler

I'm a little surprised at the prominent role QMII has had at this event. Even though she is the monarch with the longest service behind her.
In the video we can even hear the Danish royal anthem. - AFAIK there were not that many Danes who went to Finland in time to do much fighting back in 1939, so I'm a little puzzled.

She was the longest-serving head of state present, thus her position as "a guest of honour". Everything was dictated by the order of precendence, similarly to the 70th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day in France in 2014 when Queen Margrethe was given predence right after Queen Elizabeth owing to her years of service, even though the Danes played a comparatively small part in the campaign. Also, with Margrethe being without a spouse it was only natural that the President of Finland and Mrs Haukio accompanied her.

And these celebrations had very little to do with the war of 1939 (or 1941-1945 for that matter). It was more of a celebration of Nordic cooperation and friendhship which goes much farther back than 1939.

But all in all, it was a real honour and a pleasure to have Her Majesty in Finland!

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Originally Posted by Muhler

As for QMII walking fast. She has said on several occasions that she can only walk fast, due to her back problems, while PH can only walk slowly due to his problems. Back problems manifest themselves in the weirdest way I guess.

Yes, but I still think it's impressive, also the way she walks in stairs.

Many also say that she looks frail, something I disagree with, especially when you take her problems into consideration.

Originally Posted by Muhler

Norge and Dannebrog are two seriously beautiful and ever elegant ambassadors for our countries.

I fully agree! They are my favourite ships together with the beautiful former Hurtigruten vessel MS Nordstjernen from 1956 who in 2012 was protected as a national heritage in Norway.

Here are 3 pictures of Norge:
http://www.kongehuset.no/aim/kongehu...et:quality=100

http://www.kongehuset.no/aim/kongehu...et:quality=100

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ipet_Norge.jpg

I am so glad that King Olav decided that the Royal Yacht was to be rebuilt after the fire in 1985.

A picture of MS Nordstjernen as well - taken not long ago:
http://1.vgc.no/drpublish/images/art...90/2297791.jpg