SOCIETY / BUSINESS

King Harald of Norway has confirmed to Norwegian media that the Royal Court is in dialogue about the commercial use of Princess Märtha Louise’s title

NordenBladet – King Harald of Norway has confirmed to Norwegian media that the Royal Court is in dialogue about the commercial use of Princess Märtha Louise’s title. Confirming the dialogue is underway to NRK, His Majesty said, “At the present time, we cannot say how far we have come in the dialogue. But we are trying to get an arrangement.”

The King was questioned on if the commercial use of the title has burdened the Royal Family to which he replied, “No, not really.”

Princess Märtha Louise has come under fire in Norway since she used her title in the marketing of the tour she undertook in Norway and Denmark with her boyfriend, Shaman Durek Verrett, 44, which was called “The Princess and the Shaman”. Mr Verrett is half Norwegian and half African-American and describes himself as a “spiritual guide and gifted healer.”

The Princess, 47, was asked in May if she had plans to give up her title by Norway’s TV2. “That’s not something I am considering,” she responded.

Norwegian editorial newspaper Dagsavisen wrote earlier that month that Princess Märtha Louise was causing “a catastrophe” for the Norwegian Royal Family as well as credibility problems due to her new relationship and her supposed ability to heal and communicate with angels.

Märtha Louise held the style of ‘Royal Highness’ until 2002 when it was removed by her father, after discussions with her, to allow her work with more freedom while owning her own business without the constraints of the ‘HRH’.

Märtha Louise was born on 22 September 1971 as the only daughter and elder child of then-Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja (current King Harald and Queen Sonja). She has a younger brother, Crown Prince Haakon.

In 1990, the Norwegian Constitution was altered to allow for female ascension to the throne beginning for those born after 1990. This means that Märtha Louise did not jump over her brother in the line of succession, but her niece, Princess Ingrid Alexandra was guaranteed a right to ascend the throne ahead of her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus.

Featured image: Princess Märtha Louise (Instagram/@princessmarthalouise)

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Princess Märtha Louise of Norway reveals her new American boyfriend, Shaman Durek Verrett in an Instagram post

Norway: King Harald and Queen Sonja visited the people at Askøy: Water pollution is one of the most serious things we can experience

NordenBladet – Last time the small town of Askøy was visited by royals was in 1611. On Thursday, King Harald and Queen Sonja visited the people at Askøy for a very special reason. To conclude the county tour of Hordaland the royals visited Askøy and the people here who have faced serious problems over the past month.

Two weeks ago, Askøy municipality was hit by water pollution that has affected more than 2,000 people. In total, 16 children and 60 adults from Askøy have been hospitalized. So far, two people are believed to have died as a result of the pollution, a one-year-old child and a 72 year old woman.

“The Queen and I visit you under very special circumstances. Not having clean drinking water is one of the most serious issues we as individuals and as a community can experience. The crisis you have been through and experiencing now puts a whole society to the test”, King Harald told the people of Askøy.

The King and Queen wanted to know more about the water scandal, and had a 20-minute long and closed meeting with a person who was infected, as well as key people who have worked on the case for the past two weeks. Several local residents had come up to welcome the royal couple.

King Harald addressed the situation in his speech, saying: “We have followed what has happened on Askøy, and we feel with you. We can only imagine your insecurity and frustration. We understand your concerns and pain. We realize you hardly have time for our visit. We know how much work and worries lie behind. And that you have other very important things to do. Therefore, we thank you for being her at Askøy, together with you.”

Following the speech by the King, he and the queen travel on to more cheerful events. They went on to visit Herdla museum and Herdla fortress. Herdla is an island north of the municipality, known for its rich birdlife and a nature reserve that includes Herdlevalen and long pebble beaches. This was also something the royals had the opportunity to learn more about. The royal couple saw several exciting cultural features by local children and to conclude the visit the royals took time to become better acquainted with people and organizations on Askøy.

Featured image: The King and Queen speak to the local inhabitants of Askøy. (Sven Gjeruldsen / The Royal Court)

Three-year-old Prince Oscar, Duke of Skåne, visits Skäralid + VIDEO

NordenBladet – Three-year-old Prince Oscar of Sweden, Duke of Skåne, visited Skäralid on Monday, 17 June in Skåne’s Söderåsen’s National Park alongside his parents, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel.

The little royal was able to visit the playground named after him on the occasion of his christening in May 2016. The playground, “Prince Oscar’s NaturePlay (Prins Oscars Naturlek)” has been open to the public since Easter.

It was built by County Administrative Board in Skåne County with the assistance of private individuals, companies and some of the municipalities in the county.

The park has tools, stations and obstacles that include a tunnel, rope balance, swing, stumps and a large slide. Additionally, it includes facilities for educators at Naturum Söderåsen with new educational elements continuing to be added.

The Prince was able to try out some of the amenities as he was seen hopping on the stumps and walking on the rope balance. His mother even took a turn on the rope in her maxi dress and white sneakers.

Prince Oscar and his parents also took a walk on the trail around Skärdammen where they watched ducks and looked at wildlife. Oscar and Crown Princess Victoria were seen running along the path at one point with Prince Daniel trailing behind.

The Royal Court later released a video and photos from the Crown Princess Family’s visit to Skåne.

His Royal Highness Prince Oscar Carl Olof of Sweden was born on 2 March 2016 Karolinska University Hospital as the younger child and only son of the Crown Princess Couple. His names and title, Duke of Skåne, were announced the following day during a cabinet meeting by his grandfather, King Carl XVI Gustaf.

He has an older sister, Princess Estelle (b. 2012).

Photos: Sara Friberg / Kungl. Royal Court
Source: Kungahuset.se

King Harald of Norway celebrated the Norwegian-American Association’s 100th anniversary

NordenBladet – On Monday afternoon, His Majesty King Harald of Norway celebrated his patronage, the Norwegian-American Association’s 100th anniversary. His Majesty the King was present at the celebration of the Norway-America Association’s 100th anniversary at Akershus Fortress.

Philosopher Henrik Syse held the welcome speech at Akershus Fortress, while Charge d’Affaires from the US, Ann Barrows McConnell spoke on behalf of the US Embassy in Oslo. PhD candidate Camilla Lingjærde briefed on the Norwegian-American Association’s history, while violinist Sarah Chen performed a musical feature.

During the anniversary celebration, this year’s scholarships were awarded, and in September, the association will launch its anniversary book. The book is written by Kjetil Flatin and deals with 100 years of student exchanges between Norway and the United States. The Norwegian-American Association has, over the years, helped thousands of students finance their education. The scholarships that are awarded each year come from different funds and grants that the Norway-America Association administers.

Since 1919, NORAM has awarded more than 5,000 scholarships for studies in the United States and Canada. The Norwegian-American Association is a voluntary organisation that was founded in 1919 by the American-Scandinavian Foundation and Norwegians Worldwide. The organisations wanted to establish a fund that would support and encourage student exchange between Norway and the United States.

King Harald has a very special bond to the USA. He lived in exile there for many years during the Second World War together with his mother and two sisters. One of the notable events he remembers from that time was standing behind President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he was sworn in for his fourth term on the South Portico of the White House in 1945.

King Harald has visited the US many times since the end of the war. The states in the Midwest, especially North Dakota and Minnesota, have a significant number of Norwegian-American residents.

Featured image: His Majesty King Harald of Norway arrives at the celebration. (Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen / The Royal Court)

Denmark: Queen Margrethe hosts gala dinner to celebrate Prince Joachim’s 50th birthday

NordenBladet – On 7 June, Prince Joachim of Denmark celebrated his 50th birthday. In the evening, Queen Margrethe hosted a gala dinner at Christian VIII’s Palace to celebrate her youngest son’s birthday. For the first time, the Queen’s eight grandchildren attended a gala dinner. Only Prince Nikolai had attended an official dinner before, as he is the only one of the Queen’s grandchildren who is over 18.

Other royal guests included Princess Alexandra and her new husband Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille as well as Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana of Greece. Princess Benedikte was not able to be at the dinner as she is attending the Danish Championships in Dressage and Para-Dressage from 7 June to 10 June.

Prince Joachim’s ex-wife Countess Alexandra also attended the dinner as well as close friends of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie such as Charles-Henri Keller, Prince Henrik’s nephew, and Francois Zimeray who isFrance’s former ambassador to Denmark. Prince Joachim’s former private assistant Søren Bo Bojesen and Princess Marie’s former lady-in-waiting Britt Siesbye and her husband Oscar Davidsen Siesbye were also there.

The Prinsens Musikkorps was in charge of the music for the evening and they performed the Prins Joachims March as well as several other classics such as Charles Aznavour’s For Me Formidable, Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon, Nina Simone’s My Baby Just Cares For Me and G.D. Weiss’s Can’t Help Falling In Love With You. On 3 June, Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, and Crown Prince Frederik attended a birthday charity concert reflecting Prince Joachim’s love for music.

To celebrate his birthday, Prince Joachim also gave an exclusive interview to Danish magazine Billed-Bladet. In this interview, he talked about how important his wife and his family is for him and he said he would like his birthday dinner to be a celebration of their family: “I would not be here today and would not have been who I am today if it was not for my wife and children. The five of them are my everything and will always be.”


Photo: Facebook/Det danske kongehus
Featured image: Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena (Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset ©️)

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and Princess Mabel of Orange Nassau attended the Women Deliver Conference

NordenBladet – Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and Princess Mabel of Orange Nassau attended the Women Deliver* Conference this week in Vancouver, Canada. The Conference, held every three years, unites world leaders, experts and activists to discuss issues surrounding gender equality and women’s rights. The theme of this year’s Conference was “Power. Progress. Change.”

“Let’s agree that less bad will never be good enough,” Crown Princess Mary said in a speech on Tuesday about equal rights among genders.

The release of the Equal Measures 2030 2019 Sustainable Development Goals Gender Index coincided with her speech. This Index tracks the state of gender equality in 95% of the world’s women and girls – 129 countries – and the findings are that 40% of them “live in countries failing on gender equality,” according to the Index’s website.

Crown Princess Mary said that “If you cannot see it, you cannot fix it. Data makes the invisible visible. You can’t close the gender gap without closing the data gap, and gaps in data make it difficult to monitor the progress of women and girls.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVo_TlAPwE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Princess Mabel was lauded by the President of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde, the first female Ethiopian president, for her work to end child marriage with the Girls Not Brides campaign.

“My presence here is a direct consequence of the reform agenda that has been implemented in Ethiopia,” said President Zewde.

“Forty per cent of Ethiopian girls are married before the age of 18. This is something terrible.” She continued that she was able to break free of this cycle but that if it’s going to change in her country, “the social norms must change at the base.”

Princess Mabel was active on Twitter throughout the week, tweeting and retweeting speeches and quotes, as well as facts as they were revealed by the speakers.

Women Deliver “champions gender equality and the health and rights of girls and women,” per its official website.

“Our advocacy drives investment – political and financial – in the lives of girls and women worldwide. We harness evidence and unite diverse voices to spark commitment to gender equality. And we get results. Anchored in sexual and reproductive health, we advocate for the rights of girls and women across every aspect of their lives. We know that investing in girls and women will deliver progress for all.”

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* Women Deliver is well-known for hosting global conferences that bring together people from across a multitude of sectors, issues, and cultures. Held every three years, Women Deliver conferences are fueling stations where organizations and individuals leave re-energized, knowledgeable, connected, and challenged to think outside the box.
More details on the Women Deliver 2019 Conference can be found at WD2019.org

Photo: Den Danske Ambassade

Sweden: Princess Madeleine’s husband Chris O’Neill misses National Day festivities

NordenBladet – Christopher O’Neill, the husband of Princess Madeleine of Sweden, has not been able to participate in the National Day* festivities in Sweden today. The father of three was scheduled to attend this year’s celebrations but had to cancel last minute.

Chris O’Neill was supposed to join his wife, Princess Madeleine of Sweden for the National Day festivities at Skansen, central Stockholm this afternoon. After the National Day concert, Chris would also be joining the Royal Family for the reception at the Royal Palace. However, the Swedish Royal Court has taken his name off the calendar.

Princess Madeleine travelled to Sweden earlier this week with her youngest daughter, one-year-old, Princess Adrienne. The Princess was in Sweden to launch her children’s book “Stella och hemligheten”. Meanwhile, her husband would continue to work and leave their home in Florida for Sweden with the other two children, Princess Leonore and Prince Nicolas later in the week.

However, Chris had to cancel his plans to fly with the two oldest children to Sweden. Princess Leonore and Prince Nicolas have fallen ill and are, therefore, not able to fly. Both children have a high fever and an inflammation of the middle ear, the Royal Court has confirmed to Expressen.

Christopher, Princess Leonore and Prince Nicolas will travel to Sweden as soon as the children feel better and can make the long flight. Princess Madeleine and the children will spend most of the summer months in Sweden while Chris O’Neill will alternate between his job in Florida and Sweden.

In the past, Chris O’Neill often was unable to make it to the National Day celebrations due to work commitments. This year he had cleared his agenda for the important event, but sadly his plans had to be cancelled.

The husband of Princess Madeleine is scheduled to join the family for the birthday celebrations of Crown Princess Victoria on the 14th of July in Öland, Sweden.

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* National Day of Sweden (Swedish: Sveriges nationaldag) is a national holiday observed in Sweden on 6 June every year. Prior to 1983, the day was celebrated as the Swedish Flag Day (Swedish: Svenska flaggans dag). At that time, the day was renamed the Swedish national day by the Riksdag.

The tradition of celebrating this date began 1916 at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium, in honour of the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523, as this was considered the foundation of modern Sweden.

Some question the validity of this as a national holiday, as it was not observed as a holiday until decades later. However this event does signify the end of the Danish-ruled Kalmar Union, so in a sense it is a marking of Swedish independence, though the event occurred so long ago that it does not have as strong of a presence in the social consciousness as does, for example, the Norwegian Constitution Day, Syttende Mai.

In 2005 it became an official Swedish public holiday, replacing Whit Monday. This change led to fewer days off from work (more working-days) as 6 June will periodically fall on the weekend, unlike Whit Monday, which was always celebrated on a Monday. This has in turn led to complaints from some Swedish unions.

Featured image: Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her husband Chris O’Neill (Bengt Nyman (CC BY 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons)

Sweden: Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar of Sweden wish everyone a happy National Day!

NordenBladet – Today festivities all over Sweden are taking place as the country celebrates Nationaldagen or its National Day*. Of course, the Swedish Royal Family is out in full force to join in the celebrations. Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar have already wished everyone a happy National Day with three new photos, as is the tradition.

On the 6th of June, Sweden celebrates its National Day. On this day the Swedes remember the election of King Gustaf Vasa which is considered the moment on which modern Sweden was founded. On this day, the country officially split from Denmark.

This morning, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar sent everyone their National Day greetings as the Royal Court released three new pictures of the children of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. In the photographs, Princess Estelle can be seen wearing Sweden’s National Costume, designed by her grandmother Queen Silvia.

The images were taken in the gardens of Haga Palace, the home of the Crown Princess Family. The Swedish Royal Family established this new tradition of releasing pictures of the children of Crown Princess Victoria on the morning of the National Day after the birth of Estelle.

This morning, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia opened the gates of the Royal Palace of Stockholm to visitors. In honour of National Day, visitors are able to visit the Palace for free. There are different activities for children; there is music, food and an information stand about the World Childhood Foundation. In the information stand of the WCF, the children’s book of Princess Madeleine, “Stella och hemligheten” was sold. The Princess also signed the copies of the book in the late afternoon.

Meanwhile, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia celebrated National Day in Dalarna. The King and Queen first visited Borlänge, where they were shown around in Alice Lund Textiles and met with the people who had gathered to see them. They ended their visit to Dalarna in Ludvika where they officially welcomed new Swedish citizens during a ceremony with music and speeches. Then, the Royal Couple lunched with invited guests.

In the early afternoon, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel stepped out of their home, Haga Palace to join in the festivities in honour of the National Day with their neighbours. In Haga Park, a big, early summer concert was held with participants of the Royal Opera and school children. The Crown Princess Couple also saw a ballet performance, and the Crown Princess gave a speech.


The King and Queen during the National Day celebrations in Dalarna. (Photo: Sara Friberg, Kungl. Hovstaterna)

Later today, the King, Queen, Crown Princess Couple, Prince Couple and Princess Madeleine will attend the traditional National Day Concert in Skansen. They will arrive by horse and carriage, and it is expected that Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar will join their parents in the carriage.

This evening, the King and Queen will host guests for a reception to end the National Day festivities.


2x Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar at Haga Castle (Photo: Linda Broström, Kungl. Hovstaterna)
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* National Day of Sweden (Swedish: Sveriges nationaldag) is a national holiday observed in Sweden on 6 June every year. Prior to 1983, the day was celebrated as the Swedish Flag Day (Swedish: Svenska flaggans dag). At that time, the day was renamed the Swedish national day by the Riksdag.

The tradition of celebrating this date began 1916 at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium, in honour of the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523, as this was considered the foundation of modern Sweden.

Some question the validity of this as a national holiday, as it was not observed as a holiday until decades later. However this event does signify the end of the Danish-ruled Kalmar Union, so in a sense it is a marking of Swedish independence, though the event occurred so long ago that it does not have as strong of a presence in the social consciousness as does, for example, the Norwegian Constitution Day, Syttende Mai.

In 2005 it became an official Swedish public holiday, replacing Whit Monday. This change led to fewer days off from work (more working-days) as 6 June will periodically fall on the weekend, unlike Whit Monday, which was always celebrated on a Monday. This has in turn led to complaints from some Swedish unions.

Featured image: Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar (Photo: Linda Broström, Kungl. Hovstaterna)

Danish Court announces handing down of Prince Henrik’s patronages

NordenBladet – On 13 May, the Danish Court announced that Prince Joachim had agreed to become Patron of the Orders and Medals Society of Denmark, taking over from Prince Henrik. Prince Henrik had been the patron of the association from 1978 until his death. It aims to promote the study of the history of orders and medals. The Society cooperates with similar societies in Belgium, the UK, Germany, Austria and the USA. In 1977, the association created the Collection of the History of the Order where orders and medals are gathered for study and exhibition use.

This announcement is the third one made by the Court in May regarding Prince Henrik’s patronages. On 1 May, the Court announced that Crown Prince Frederik had agreed to become Patron of Copenhagen Boys’ Choir The Royal Office. Prince Henrik had been Patron of the Choir since 1972, and King Frederik IX had been Patron of the Choir before that. The Copenhagen Boys’ Choir The Royal Office has sung at several events for the Danish Royal Family since its creation in 1924, including at the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary in 2004. The choir is affiliated with Sankt Annæ Gymnasium where 180 boys aged 9-14 train in the choir as part of their regular schooling. The choir also includes 30 professional male singers aged 20-50.

On 2 May, it was announced that Princess Marie had accepted to take over two of Prince Henrik’s patronages as well as a position of Honorary President. Princess Marie being French-born made her the most adequate family member to take over Prince Henrik’s patronages related to France, so it is no surprise that the three patronages announced for the Princess are focusing on relations between France and Denmark. She is now the Patron of Alliance Française in Denmark which works to promote interest in French language and culture as well as of Le Souvenir Français – Den Danske Komité which aims to maintain French soldiers’ graves in France and abroad.

Princess Marie was also announced as the new Honorary President of the Danish Section of the Lycée International of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. Margrethe Rønnow, the Director of the Danish Section, shared an exclusive statement with Royal Central’s Europe Correspondent Heaven LeeMiller saying: “The Danish Section is very honoured that Princess Marie is named as Honorary President of The Danish Section of Lycée International. Prince Henrik was since 1989 Honorary President of The Danish Section, and we are very happy that Princess Marie has accepted to take over this patronage. We hope that this will help us to develop the good relations and collaborations between Denmark and France.”

Before these announcements, Crown Prince Frederik had already taken over the patronages of the Red Cross and the Danish Hunters Association from Prince Henrik while Crown Princess Mary took over the Hubertus Hunt’s Honorary Prize and the Copenhagen Zoo patronages.

Featured image: Prince Henrik of Denmark (Erik Christensen, Porkeri (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons)