Saturday 11 January 2014

Royal round up, week ending January 11th 2014

A round up of all the news from the royal houses of Europe for the week ending January 11th 2014...


Spain


The Spanish monarchy was hit with more trouble this week when it was announced that the Infanta Cristina is now, once again, a formal suspect in investigations into tax fraud and money laundering and has been called to appear in court on March 8th 2014.  The Infanta's husband, Inaki Urdangarin, has been under investigation for financial irregularities for over a year.  Both deny any wrongdoing.  


The Infanta Cristina of Spain is due to appear in court on March 8th 2014

The week had begun with Queen Sofia attending a concert by the Orchestra of Recycled Instruments on January 5th 2014 - she had visited their workshop the day before.  The following day, the Spanish royals had attended the traditional Pascua Militar.  And King Juan Carlos I made his first appearance outside his home for several months as he led the event at the Royal Palace in  Madrid.  The king was using crutches but stood for the ceremony.  Afterwards, he gave his traditional speech as Queen Sofia and the Prince and Princess of Asturias looked on.


King Juan Carlos of Spain, Queen Sofia and the Prince and Princess of Asturias at the reception following the Pascua Militar on January 6th 2014

Prince Felipe held several audiences on January 8th 2014 at the Zarzuela Palace.  He met representatives from the Eduardo Toerrja Foundation which promotes architecture and engineering and members of the International Institute of Political Sciences.  On the same day he was joined by the Princess of Asturias for audiences with the Association of Sports Press in Spain and 'Self', an association aiming to ensure advertising is fair and legal.


The Prince and Princess of Asturias with members of the organisation 'Self' which aims to ensure advertising is fair and legal at an audience on January 8th 2014 at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid

Also on January 8th 2014, Prince Felipe joined King Juan Carlos at a meeting with Japan's Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid.


The king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, greets Japan's Foreign Minister ahead of a meeting.  Prince Felipe was also in attendance at the event on January 8th 2014

There were more audience for Prince Felipe on January 9th at the Zarzuela Palace, starting with the Spanish Association of European Business and Innovation and moving on to members of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Confederation of Managers and Executives.  The Prince and Princess of Asturias held an audience on the same day, at the Zarzuela, with the Spanish Federation of Blood Donors.  On January 10th, Princess Letizia held a meeting with the board of the Spanish Federation for Rare Diseases, an organisation she ha worked closely with for a long time.


Princess Letizia arriving at the headquarters of the Spanish Federation for Rare Diseases in Madrid ahead of the meeting she held with its board on January 10th 2014

There were two arts events during the week.  On January 10th 2014, Prince Felipe presented the Bartolome de las Casas prize to the Latin American Film and Communication Coordinator of Indigenous Peoples in a ceremony at the Zarzeula Palace.  The organisation helps indigenous people tell their own stories through film as well as using different media tools to help people get more out of society.  And on January 8th 2014, Queen Sofia attended the premiere of the film 'Vicente Ferrer' about the Spanish missionary who went to India in 1952 and worked for many years helping poorer people there.  The premiere took place in Madrid.


Queen Sofia talks to Imanol Arias of TVE3 which helped make the film about Vicente Ferrer which received a royal premiere on January 8th 2014 in Madrid

United Kingdom


Kate, Duchess of Cambridge turned 32 on January 9th 2014 but celebrated her first birthday as a mother in private.  Earlier in the week, the Duke of Cambridge had begun his studies at Cambridge University.  Prince William arrived in the city on January 6th 2014 after taking the train from London.  He will spend ten weeks learning agricultural management in preparation for one day taking over the Duchy of Cornwall estate when his father's accession makes him heir to the throne.


The Duke of Cambridge arrives in the city on January 6th 2014 at the start of a ten week course on agriculture management.  He will take many of his tutorials at St John's College.

On January 7th, the Princess Royal attended the annual Oxford Farming Conference at the Examination Schools in the city - she is its president.  And on January 8th, accompanied by her husband Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, the princess visited the London Boat Show at Earl's Court.  Princess Anne was there in her capacity as President of the Royal Yachting Association.  In the evening, the princess held a dinner at St James' Palace for the Gordonstoun Plus Campaign of which she is patron.  The Countess of Wessex held several meetings for some of her charities through the week.  And the Duchess of Gloucester received representatives of two of her charities in the week.

Denmark


The Danish Royal Family, led by Queen Margrethe II, completed the last part of the traditional three days of receptions offered for the New Year that began on January 1st 2014.  On January 6th 2014, the queen and Prince Henrik accompanied by Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary welcomed Supreme Court judges, the Royal Guard and the Royal Officers Corps at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.


Margrethe II, Prince Henrik with the Crown Prince and Princess at the New Year's reception held at the Amalienborg Palace on January 6th 2014

On January 7th 2014, the queen and her consort arrived at the Christansborg Palace in Copenhagen in the Golden Coach for a reception for the Diplomatic Corps.  During the day they also welcomed Officers from Defence and Emergency Management and representatives from national organisations.  The Crown Prince and Princess were also present.  


Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and her consort, Prince Henrik, in the Golden Coach on their way to a reception for the Diplomatic Corps at the Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen on January 7th 2014

On January 9th 2014, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik attended the funeral of Countess Anne Dorte of Rosenburg, the widow of the queen's cousin, Count Christian Rosenburg.  The countess died on January 2nd 2014.  Until the laws of succession were changed in 1953 to allow women to succeeed, Count Christian was third in line to the throne and Margrethe had no dynastic rights.  The count gave up his claim to the throne years after the change to marry Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen.  


The three daughters of Countess Anne Dorte of Rosenburg - Josephine, Camilla and Feodora - prepare to greet Queen Margrethe II of Denmark at their mother's funeral on January 9th 2014

Crown Princess Mary began a three day visit to Myanmar on January 10th 2014.  The princess visited Rakhine state for work with the Danish Refugee Council and went to Yangon where she visited a Danish initiative to help women with HIV and AIDS.


Crown Princess Mary of Denmark began a three day tour of Myanmar on January 10th 2014

The twins of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary turned three on January 8th 2014.  Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine celebrated privately but the royal household did release official photos to mark the occasion.

 Princess Josephine takes charge of her birthday photo session with twin, Prince Vincent

Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine in one of the official photographs released to mark their third birthdays on January 8th 2014


Sweden


It was another quiet week for the Swedish royal family as they brought their Christmas and New Year celebrations to an end.  On January 9th 2014, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia held a reception for the governors of all Sweden's counties and provinces at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.  The king was presented with a book by the governors as a memento of the royal couple's tour of Sweden through 2013 to mark Carl XVI Gustaf's 40th jubilee as monarch.


King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden meeting the governors of Sweden's counties and provinces on January 9th 2014 at the Royal Palace, Stockholm


Norway


The Crown Princess of Norway made several public appearances in the week after spending the last months of 2013 recovering from an operation on a herniated disc.  On January 8th Crown Prince Haakon Magnus and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended the opening of the annual conference of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise in Telemark where they heard speakers and debates on education, skills and labour.  And on January 9th 2014, the royal couple were at the Magi Day, an event held for several years to mark the end of Christmas and provide an opportunity to discuss issues important in Norwegian Society.  This year's event, at Skaugum, brought together seventy young leaders to discuss widsom and multiculturalism.


The Crown Prince and Princess of Norway at the Magi Day event on January 9th 2014 in Skaugum where they led debates for young leaders from around Norway

The king of Norway held several audiences through the week as he resumed his agenda after the Christmas break.  On January 6th 2014, at the Royal Palace in Oslo, King Harald met the Chief of the National Guard and then representatives from the Norwegian Academy of Science.  On the same day he met Professor Svein Friis and appointed him a knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav, an honour that was bestowed on Erik Fossum by Harald on January 10th 2014.  Aso on January 10th, again at the Royal Palace, the king of Norway held his regular meeting with the country's prime minister and the Council of State - Crown Prince Haakon was also at the second meeting.  King Harald was joined by Queen Sonia for a meeting with the secretary general.


Belgium


The Belgian royal week ended with the traditional New Year reception, hosted for the first time by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.  The couple welcomed many European representatives to the Royal Palace in Brussels on January 10th 2014.


King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians at the New Year reception they held at the Royal Palace in Brussels on January 10th 2014

On January 7th, King Philippe held a meeting at the Royal Palace in Brussels with politicians from around Belgium focusing on youth employment and increasing education opportunities.


Philippe, King of the Belgians at a meeting about youth employment he hosted at the Royal Palace in Brussels on January 7th 2014

The king had a series of audiences in the week.  On January 6th he held his regular meeting with Belgium's Prime Minister, Elio di Rupo, at the Royal Palace.  On January 8th, the king had separate meetings with Belgian politicians and dignitaries and on January 9th he had his first meetings with foreign ambassadors of 2014 when he welcomed the representatives of Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Malta, Kosovo and Ethiopia.  


The Netherlands


The king of the Netherlands also held his first meetings with ambassadors to his country this week, receiving the letters of credentials from the representatives of Qatar, Turkey and Chad on January 8th at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague.  The following day, January 9th 2014, King Willem-Alexander was at the 1813 Square in The Hague to begin the celebrations marking 200 years of the Dutch Royal Army.  The king inspected troops and took the salute before being presented with a book marking the anniversary.


King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands inspects troops at an event marking the 200th anniversary of the Dutch Royal Army on January 9th 2014 in The Hague

On the evening of January 9th, Princess Beatrix attended a musical spectacular for the anniversary which took place at the Royal Theatre in The Hague.


Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands arriving at the Royal Theatre, The Hague for a concert marking the start of celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Dutch Royal Army

And on January 9th 2014, Queen Maxima visited a music initiative in Haarlem for children to help them learn to play different instruments and maintain what they have learned.


Queen Maxima of the Netherlands sees work on an initiative to teach children music in Haarlem during her visit of January 8th 2014

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