Introductory/State Visits to Sweden, Norway, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Germany, Japan: 2024, 2025


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Beautiful pictures, the visit looks like a great success, and all looking so relaxed and happy.
Plus an incredibly beautiful, spectacular landscape! First time for me to learn something about those islands.
From memory. I don't know when the islands were first settled. Presumably, just like the Orkney Islands fishermen may have stayed there for periods. But around the Viking Age, the islands, just like Iceland was settled for real. The Faeroe Islands quickly came under the Norwegian kings, in contrast to Iceland. But the islands in the North Atlantic, were not isolated entities, they were pit stops for traders, raiders and couriers and fishing vessels. And climate wise it was very much a nice place to live. No problem if you are used to live in a Norwegian fjord.
Originally there was little in the way of nationality in the Scandinavian countries back then. You owed your allegiance, if you even did that (in more isolated places), to a local chieftain or earl/jarl who had an overlord somewhere in the shape of a king. And while there was some distinction between the countries, an ethnic Dane could easily serve a Swedish earl. Often that was for a limited time, say a campaign or a trading expedition to Constantinople. At other times it could be for several years. Or for life if you decided to settle in Ireland for example.
The Faeroese and Icelanders speak what is closets to the original Nordic language. (Which explains why I'm able to understand the gist of written Faeroese.) We all spoke pretty much the same language with minor variation/dialects here and there. It was only some 500 years later that Norwegian, Swedish and Danish became distinct but still close related languages and also more central European. We are still in the process of devolving our languages. But in more isolated places (in medieval times that is) like the Faeroe Islands, Iceland and the Orkney Islands (They only came under the English throne, because James I married Christian IV's sister. They incidentally became quite good friends.) retained their Nordic dialects.
After the Viking Age, ships no longer had to hug the coasts or make short travels across the ocean. They were big enough to be true ocean going, so while the Faeroe Islands still remained a convenient pit-stop if need be, but were by now more often bypassed. So their place in the golden age of a North Atlantic trading network pretty much ended. Norway de facto became a province in the Danish realm, and so did Norwegian possessions in Greenland, Iceland, Orkneys and the Faeroe Islands. And over the centuries these possessions became more and more Danish. The administrative language being Danish and they were run by Danish or at least Danish-educated administrators.
They still maintained their distinct culture, probably as a way of dealing with the Danish sovereignty. They were not considered important in Denmark though, which was oriented more to the south, towards Europe than the North Atlantic. During the Viking and medieval times Denmark was the most advanced of the Nordic countries and as such were heavily influenced and did orient itself more towards Europe and England. Hence why there was a Danelaw (Danelagen) in England and a mostly Danish colonization of Normandy, while Norwegians settled in Dublin and Isle of Man and in places along the Scottish coast. Here in the sense that they de facto eventually became subject to the Norwegian and Danish kings. (Sweden moved to the east, but that's another story.)
Time passed. During the late 1600s to the early 1700s, the Faeroese Islands were often raided by North African pirates looking for slaves. (Just as Iceland and the British isles.) Then in 1940 DK was occupied by the Germans. The British soon occupied the Faeroe Islands and also Iceland, which soon became a protectorate of USA instead.. In 1944 Iceland declared independence. There was a seed of something similar on the Faeroe Islands, but then as now the population is way below critical mass for that to be realistic.
But after WWII the independence movement became more vocal and it still is. I can't say how much it means to the Faeroese today, that seems to swing a little according to the political whims on the islands. Just like Greenland the islands are heavily subsidized by Denmark, and just like in Greenland the world tends to end about 50 nautical miles from Torshavn...
Today the islanders are pretty affluent, mainly from fishing, and they cultivate their history and culture, which is great of course.
But it's also a society where you conform or your are out. It is in many ways an isolated community and with that comes a considerable intolerance. - It's not advisable to openly homosexual or trans. Certainly not outside Torshavn. That's the downside of tribal/village mentality. It is also a deeply Christian society. Even down to individual hamlets. Where there may be distinct differences between nearby hamlets. In one they may be mainstream Lutheran in another they may be downright puritan.
The islanders have also, and rightly so IMO, been criticized for their way of beaching and killing pilot whales. Which is done with long knives and according to old traditions. Beforehand it was a necessity to survive and the methods used were what were technically possible. That's not the case any more. The islanders wont starve if they don't kill pilot whales and there are other ways of killing or even rearing pilot whales for food if need be. But here we venture into the realm of cultural identity.
Queen Mary cannot do anything, that's simply not her job. That's a political issue. Even King Frederik's hands are tied due to political concerns. So everybody agree on not raising the issue.
 
From memory. I don't know when the islands were first settled. Presumably, just like the Orkney Islands fishermen may have stayed there for periods. But around the Viking Age, the islands, just like Iceland was settled for real. The Faeroe Islands quickly came under the Norwegian kings, in contrast to Iceland. But the islands in the North Atlantic, were not isolated entities, they were pit stops for traders, raiders and couriers and fishing vessels. And climate wise it was very much a nice place to live. No problem if you are used to live in a Norwegian fjord.
Originally there was little in the way of nationality in the Scandinavian countries back then. You owed your allegiance, if you even did that (in more isolated places), to a local chieftain or earl/jarl who had an overlord somewhere in the shape of a king. And while there was some distinction between the countries, an ethnic Dane could easily serve a Swedish earl. Often that was for a limited time, say a campaign or a trading expedition to Constantinople. At other times it could be for several years. Or for life if you decided to settle in Ireland for example.
The Faeroese and Icelanders speak what is closets to the original Nordic language. (Which explains why I'm able to understand the gist of written Faeroese.) We all spoke pretty much the same language with minor variation/dialects here and there. It was only some 500 years later that Norwegian, Swedish and Danish became distinct but still close related languages and also more central European. We are still in the process of devolving our languages. But in more isolated places (in medieval times that is) like the Faeroe Islands, Iceland and the Orkney Islands (They only came under the English throne, because James I married Christian IV's sister. They incidentally became quite good friends.) retained their Nordic dialects.
After the Viking Age, ships no longer had to hug the coasts or make short travels across the ocean. They were big enough to be true ocean going, so while the Faeroe Islands still remained a convenient pit-stop if need be, but were by now more often bypassed. So their place in the golden age of a North Atlantic trading network pretty much ended. Norway de facto became a province in the Danish realm, and so did Norwegian possessions in Greenland, Iceland, Orkneys and the Faeroe Islands. And over the centuries these possessions became more and more Danish. The administrative language being Danish and they were run by Danish or at least Danish-educated administrators.
They still maintained their distinct culture, probably as a way of dealing with the Danish sovereignty. They were not considered important in Denmark though, which was oriented more to the south, towards Europe than the North Atlantic. During the Viking and medieval times Denmark was the most advanced of the Nordic countries and as such were heavily influenced and did orient itself more towards Europe and England. Hence why there was a Danelaw (Danelagen) in England and a mostly Danish colonization of Normandy, while Norwegians settled in Dublin and Isle of Man and in places along the Scottish coast. Here in the sense that they de facto eventually became subject to the Norwegian and Danish kings. (Sweden moved to the east, but that's another story.)
Time passed. During the late 1600s to the early 1700s, the Faeroese Islands were often raided by North African pirates looking for slaves. (Just as Iceland and the British isles.) Then in 1940 DK was occupied by the Germans. The British soon occupied the Faeroe Islands and also Iceland, which soon became a protectorate of USA instead.. In 1944 Iceland declared independence. There was a seed of something similar on the Faeroe Islands, but then as now the population is way below critical mass for that to be realistic.
But after WWII the independence movement became more vocal and it still is. I can't say how much it means to the Faeroese today, that seems to swing a little according to the political whims on the islands. Just like Greenland the islands are heavily subsidized by Denmark, and just like in Greenland the world tends to end about 50 nautical miles from Torshavn...
Today the islanders are pretty affluent, mainly from fishing, and they cultivate their history and culture, which is great of course.
But it's also a society where you conform or your are out. It is in many ways an isolated community and with that comes a considerable intolerance. - It's not advisable to openly homosexual or trans. Certainly not outside Torshavn. That's the downside of tribal/village mentality. It is also a deeply Christian society. Even down to individual hamlets. Where there may be distinct differences between nearby hamlets. In one they may be mainstream Lutheran in another they may be downright puritan.
The islanders have also, and rightly so IMO, been criticized for their way of beaching and killing pilot whales. Which is done with long knives and according to old traditions. Beforehand it was a necessity to survive and the methods used were what were technically possible. That's not the case any more. The islanders wont starve if they don't kill pilot whales and there are other ways of killing or even rearing pilot whales for food if need be. But here we venture into the realm of cultural identity.
Queen Mary cannot do anything, that's simply not her job. That's a political issue. Even King Frederik's hands are tied due to political concerns. So everybody agree on not raising the issue.
Thank you Muhler. This is very interesting.
 
The weather was pretty rough during the night when Danneborg sailed from Torshavn to Soudoroy ( = Southern Island), but it didn't affect Queen Mary. She says she never gets seasick. And King Frederik has sailed in the North Atlantic on a patrol frigate, so he's also used to rough seas.

This is a shorter version of a Faeroese chain-dance.
It's almost hypnotic. Each song consists of about 7.574 verses, and all of a sudden a dull Tuesday is over...
Kidding aside, the video, which is 6 years old, offers a great opportunity to study the details in the national costumes.
may i ask what they are drinking during the video? is it a typical faroese drink?

i was also curious as to the traditional dress. someone mentioned they take long to be made and that is probably why josephine isn't wearing one. i am curious as to how many mary has? does she have one or two she keeps reusing, or a small collection? it is hard to tell as they all appear very similar.
 
may i ask what they are drinking during the video? is it a typical faroese drink?

i was also curious as to the traditional dress. someone mentioned they take long to be made and that is probably why josephine isn't wearing one. i am curious as to how many mary has? does she have one or two she keeps reusing, or a small collection? it is hard to tell as they all appear very similar.
Probably akvavit (schnapps). It's tradition to serve akvavit as a welcoming-drink to guests. Usually served in a rams-horn. Akvavit is around 45 % give or take, so no wonder then CP Mary winched a little if she isn't used to it.
Schnapps keeps the voice smooth. It also makes you a much better singer, especially after several shots. Take it from me. I usually can't sing if my life depended on it, but after a few schanpps I sound like Freddie Mercury - almost. I think.
 
may i ask what they are drinking during the video? is it a typical faroese drink?

i was also curious as to the traditional dress. someone mentioned they take long to be made and that is probably why josephine isn't wearing one. i am curious as to how many mary has? does she have one or two she keeps reusing, or a small collection? it is hard to tell as they all appear very similar.

Thats a good question. I think just one.

From yesterday's dinner

Dinner tonight
 
i was also curious as to the traditional dress. someone mentioned they take long to be made and that is probably why josephine isn't wearing one. i am curious as to how many mary has? does she have one or two she keeps reusing, or a small collection? it is hard to tell as they all appear very similar.
DRF published following Information at the start of the visit:
Mary is wearing the national dress she got in 2005 when she visited the Faroese Islands for the first time. So she probably has only one.
 
King Frederik X visited the URD rehabilitation centre in Hoyvík and learned about the centre’s work in rehabilitation and support for retired people living at home who need help with their daily lives. During the visit, she was given a thorough introduction to the health services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietary advice, which together aim to promote independence, mobility and quality of life among senior citizens. At the same time, Queen Mary visited a public school, which works with the Faroese programme Betri Vinir – a local adaptation of Mary Fonden’s “Freedom from Bullying”.

 
Probably akvavit (schnapps). It's tradition to serve akvavit as a welcoming-drink to guests. Usually served in a rams-horn. Akvavit is around 45 % give or take, so no wonder then CP Mary winched a little if she isn't used to it.
Schnapps keeps the voice smooth. It also makes you a much better singer, especially after several shots. Take it from me. I usually can't sing if my life depended on it, but after a few schanpps I sound like Freddie Mercury - almost. I think.
Thanks again for making me laugh every now and then. Especially since there isn't much humor in today's world. Although this is off topic, I have a question about “Schnapps.” I thought it was actually a German term for a certain type of high-proof alcohol, even though it is spelled with only one “p” in German. I looked it up in the dictionary, and in Danish it's “snaps” or “akvavit.” Oh boy, I hope they didn't drink too much of it, because that really knocks you out!
 
King Frederik X visited the URD rehabilitation centre in Hoyvík and learned about the centre’s work in rehabilitation and support for retired people living at home who need help with their daily lives. During the visit, she was given a thorough introduction to the health services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietary advice, which together aim to promote independence, mobility and quality of life among senior citizens. At the same time, Queen Mary visited a public school, which works with the Faroese programme Betri Vinir – a local adaptation of Mary Fonden’s “Freedom from Bullying”.


Glad we got more info on their two solo engagements.
They were able to meet even more people.

Lovely gallery on the last day.
 
While visiting Skorini, the local mayor gave a speech I suspect some of you will wholeheartedly agree with.
"Your support for research. art and culture has absolutely been noticeable. And not least Your way as a person is something that makes us all like You, regardless of political views
You are first and foremost a person (actually human)and what we all see is a person with the heart in the right place."

Visiting royals are always put to work. This time the hapless Regent Couple were required to plant a tree, near the hamlet of Tvøroyri.
After that they needed a breather, so they sat down on a bench, and just as King Frederik put his arm around his wife, some unromantic and no doubt republican mosquitos attacked them. - What spoilsports, eh!

Thanks again for making me laugh every now and then. Especially since there isn't much humor in today's world. Although this is off topic, I have a question about “Schnapps.” I thought it was actually a German term for a certain type of high-proof alcohol, even though it is spelled with only one “p” in German. I looked it up in the dictionary, and in Danish it's “snaps” or “akvavit.” Oh boy, I hope they didn't drink too much of it, because that really knocks you out!
Thank you for your kind words.
Yes, I used schnapps because it is probably better understood by an international audience than snaps and akvavit. - Even though it would be convenient and no doubt better for world peace and the penguins if everybody understood Danish, only about 7 million people or so actually speak the lingo.
As far as I could tell the bottle looked like a Jägermeister or Gammel Dansk. The first is absolutely drinkable. The other is only drinkable if you are past 65 and your tastebuds have been completely ruined. It tastes like medicine and in a way it is. It is actually often served at retirement homes, because the old ones can actually taste it and it stimulates the blood-flow. And as many of them don't eat much, two shots can make them a little merry...
But... But, surely alcohol is harmful the concerned among you ask. Yeah, but if you are past 75 and half senile, a snaps or two a day won't have time to do much harm.
 
Another nice review video released this evening:




And "a glimpse of life aboard" - nice!



 
It is actually. A genuine behind the scenes photo, showing who King Frederik is. He is both King Frederik in a relaxed moment, obviously feeling at home and confident. He is also Frederik, the man, as always with his hands buried in his pockets.
It's an honest photo. And I like it. - I imagine Queen Mary took it. She caught her husband in a rare moment - for us.
 
From the The oldest jewelery dealer in the Faroe Islands

"We are very pleased and grateful for the trust to design and build a necklace, earrings and bracelet for Queen Mary 👑
Everything is made by hand, in our workshop in Havn 🇫🇴"


It's great seeing the work that goes into these beautiful pieces
 
Stunning! Such beautiful craftsmanship and a one-of-a-kind set. Glad we got up close photos.
 
Silver it seems. The rest of the ornaments of her attire is (and traditionally) made from silver. Both as a way of showing off your wealth and because silver was a more stable currency than coins.
 
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