SOCIETY / BUSINESS

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway must undergo surgery again

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – In early March, the Norwegian Royal Court announced that Crown Prince Haakon had to undergo surgery. The heir to the throne was admitted to hospital for one day for an operation on an exostosis in the ear canal. This week, the Crown Prince Haakon announced himself to the Norwegian News Agency NTB that he will most likely undergo the same surgery again, now on his other ear. The Crown Prince said:

“I am fine. It was not dramatic. It is simply the ear canals that have been clogged, so I had an operation. I must probably do the operation again, on the other ear. One of the things that can aggravate it is to be in cold water. I was doing a lot of wind surfing when I was younger”.

When it will happen, so far, it is not decided, but it may be this autumn. The Crown Prince told NTB the operation is not urgent. An exostosis in the ear canal is a bone outgrowth that can narrow the ear canal and may predispose to ear canal eczema and ear wax accumulation. The cause of such outgrowth appears to be a reaction in the bone tissue due to cooling or constant exposure to cold water in the ear canal. Therefore, the condition occurs especially among swimmers and surfers and is also called “surfer’s ear”. The condition is not in any way dangerous.

It was on March 4 that the royal court release the following statement:

“His Royal Highness The Crown Prince will today, on Monday, March 4, 2019, have a minor surgical intervention for exostosis in the ear canal. The surgical procedure takes place at Rikshospitalet in Oslo. As a result of the intervention, the Crown Prince will have a reduced program for the next two weeks.”

The Crown Prince has been surfing as a hobby for many years, with the Norwegian royal court publishing pictures of the family surfing as recently as 2017. The pictures were from a private holiday the Crown Prince family took in Hoddevik outside of Stadt, in the west of Norway. Some of the images were also from another surfing holiday Crown Prince Haakon had in 2016. In 2017, it was announced that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon was asked to sit on the committee that will plan the European Championships in surfing.

Featured image: The royals on surfing (Fjordlapse Photography / Det kongelige hoff / The Royal Court)

Queen Margrethe to visit Estonia for 800th anniversary of Danish flag

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – Queen Margrethe will pay a visit to Estonia in June, the Royal House announced, in conjunction with the 800th anniversary of the Danish Flag. The Queen will visit Tallinn, the Estonian capital, on 15 June. The capital shares a mythical connection to Denmark and its flag, known as the Dannebrog.

On that date 800 years ago, according to the Royal House, “According to the legend, Dannebrog descended from Heaven and helped the Danish king Valdemar Sejr win the dominion of northern Estonia.” The Danish king gained dominion over the town of Lyndanisse – which is now known as Tallinn (Taani Linn is an Estonian phrase that means ‘the Danish city’).

Queen Margrethe’s visit will coordinate with this anniversary and will also include commemorations for Estonia’s independence, which was marked last year with a visit from Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary.

The Queen will arrive on the royal yacht Dannebrog. During her visit, Queen Margrethe and Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid will open an exhibit at the Kadriorg Castle Art Museum focusing on the Dannebrog.

‘Dannebrog: The Flag That Fell From the Sky’ will feature artwork by Christen Købke, CW Eckersberg and Nicolai Abildgaard that depict this event; and CA Lorentzen’s painting, ‘The Battle of Lyndanisse’, which will be exhibited for the first time outside of Denmark.

Queen Margrethe will also participate in the opening of The Danish Queen’s Garden, the opening of a historical exhibition, and will present research scholarships during her visit.

Further tying into the Dannebrog theme, Queen Margrethe will visit the Frihetspladsen to attend an event for the Danish and Estonian flags and which will feature Danish and Estonian performers.

The Queen and President Kaljulaid will attend a concert at the Estonia Concert Hall, as well as a gala dinner in the Queen’s honour.

Queen Margrethe’s visit will wrap up with a service at Tallinn Cathedral, which was founded in 1219 shortly after the Danish conquest.

Featured image: JOHANNES JANSSON (CC BY 2.5) VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Fiji asks Crown Prince Haakon for help – against Norway

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – Since the Crown Prince left Fiji, he received a letter from the authorities thanking the Crown Prince for his recent visit to the nation and asking the Crown Prince for help. Earlier this week, the Norwegian Crown Prince visited the country together with the nations of Samoa and Tonga. The tour was to focus on the climate and the sea. Afterwards, he received an open letter from Fiji’s government with criticism of Norwegian oil policy.

The letter stated the following: “As you leave our shores, Your Royal Highness, may we respectfully plead that Norway helps us in the Pacific to retain our proud, rich place in the world, by moving swiftly to eliminate exported emissions and de-escalate fossil fuel extraction.”

The open letter was published in the newspaper “Islands Business” and written by Vice President Seini Nabou of the nation’s largest opposition party, the National Federation Party.

In the letter, it is also written: “While many like me applaud Norway as one of the first industrialised nations to formally ratify the Paris Agreement, we also know that it is also actively involved in further opening up its part of the Arctic for oil and gas exploration. This would essentially undermine the Paris Agreement’s decarbonisation goal.”

The Norwegian Crown Prince cannot respond to a political letter, as he is a non-political figure. In Norway, State Secretary Rikard Gaarder Knutsenin, from the Department of Petroleum and Energy, answered the following on questions from the letter on Norwegian TV station NRK:

“We are not going to answer on an open letter to the Crown Prince. However, like the writer of the letter, the Norwegian government is also concerned with climate. Norway was, as is pointed out in the letter, among the first to ratify the Paris Agreement. It points out that the climate challenge can only be solved through global cooperation. All countries, including Norway, must cut their own emissions.”


Featured image: Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen / Det Kongelige Hoff / The Royal Court
Source: Royalcentral.co.uk

Crown Prince Frederik visits aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – This week, Crown Prince Frederik, heir apparent to the Danish throne, used the Danish Royal House’s Instagram account to show photographs of his time aboard the Danish Navy frigate, Niels Juel, currently sailing in the Mediterranean as part of the carrier group alongside the French Navy’s aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle.

The Crown Prince spent two days onboard the ship, during which time he was informed of the work Danish Defence does; he also saw the air options available with the fighter jets that operate from the deck of the Charles de Gaulle. Whether it is part of a NATO operation or that of a single navy, the floating airfields that are the aircraft carriers are always protected by a number of smaller frigates to ensure them a safe passage to wherever the proposed theatre of operations is, and whatever type of role that may be, including relief work or as they are in the Mediterranean, keeping an eye out for refugees in frail crafts.

Afterwards, he posted on Instagram, in part, “During my visit I have been informed about Niels Juel and Charles de Gaulle’s many tasks. In addition, I have greeted the crews and gained insight into the many complex tasks that the Danish Defence solves in this marine military operation. It has been a great experience.”

During his life, Crown Prince Frederik has served in all three branches of the Danish Armed Services. When it comes to his naval service, it is very impressive, and comments have been made as to how dashing he looked in a camouflage jacket! During his time in the Navy, he trained as a Frogman and qualified to be a member of the Danish equivalent of the US Navy Seals.

The Crown Prince enjoys his time on the water, and not just in the larger boats like the Niels Juel or Charles de Gaulle. He is also a very accomplished sailor and has competed in many regatta’s both European as well as domestic and has finished high up the leader board. He is a keen campaigner for both a healthy lifestyle as well as climate change.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwC4HcqAWvK/

Featured image: Crown Prince Frederik (Instagram/@detdanskekongehus)

Sweden: Crown Princess Victoria opens Baltic Sea Science Center

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – Yesterday Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden opened the Baltic Sea Science Centre in Stockholm’s Skansen Museum where she was welcomed by Anna Björn, Head of Unit at Skansen’s Zoological Department and the Baltic Sea Science Center.

The day began with a tour starting in the brewery aquarium, the pike aquarium, the predatory aquarium, the cylinder aquarium and the habitat aquariums.

Next on the agenda was the exhibit “Land og hav” which shows the dependence of man and sea on one another.

Her tour concluded in a lab where she spoke to high school students about what they had learned during their visit to the new centre.

Her Royal Highness then participated in the opening ceremony on the terrace where she said, “This knowledge centre is about the Baltic Sea; about life under the surface of our unique inland sea. But basically, it is just as much about ourselves: about our history, our future and our responsibility for an environment that we are completely dependent on. Just as we are dependent on the Baltic Sea, the Baltic Sea is dependent on us.”

She added that “the Baltic Sea Science Center can play an important role: helping us understand the unique environment that the Baltic Sea is. But also to show, concrete, what we can do to be afraid of it.”

The Crown Princess then opened the doors of the centre with Björn Carlsson.

The Baltic Sea Center contains laboratories, aquariums, exhibit areas, and classrooms.

The museum has said about the centre on their website, “The exhibitions will be created by a special knowledge council consisting of representatives from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Stockholm University, the BalticSea2020 Foundation and Skansen.”

Children under the age of three get in free, and they are open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Featured image: Kungl. Royal Court/Sara Friberg

King Harald V of Norway hands out the King Olav V Cancer Research Prize 2019

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – King Harald V of Norway handed out the prestigious King Olav Vs Cancer Research Prize for 2019 on Tuesday. The award ceremony was in the atrium of Oslo University. King Harald presented the prize which is dedicated in memory of his father on behalf of the Cancer Society in Oslo.

Guest arrived at the ceremony from 12:30 on Tuesday with the ceremony starting soon after the king had arrived at 1pm. The Secretary General of the Cancer Society, Anne Lise Ryel, welcomed King Harald and gave a speech. The speech was followed by a song and music from well-known Norwegian artists.

King Harald then handed over King Olav Vs Cancer Research Prize for 2019 to Professor Anne Simonsen and the Norwegian Breast Cancer Group. It is the first time the prize has been presented to two winners, and the first time a whole professional environment received the prize. After a short speech by the winners, the ceremony was ended with another musical performance.

Anne Simonsen is a professor at the Department of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oslo. She is also co-director at the Center for Cancer Cell Reprogramming. Throughout her impressive career, Simonsen has focused on cellular biological research, especially the cellular mechanisms involved in how cancer occurs. She has developed a research program within the study of autophagy. She publishes very actively and has an obvious potential to make important breakthroughs in cancer research in the future.

The Norwegian Breast Cancer Group is a clinical research environment consisting of 30 doctors and researchers from all over the country who receive the prize for their large, positive significance for former and future breast cancer patients in Norway. In the future, the group will continue to work for better treatment for those affected by breast cancer.

King Olav Vs Cancer Research Prize was created on 29 April 1992 to commemorate King Olav V. The Fund, each year, awards a prize to a cancer researcher, or a group of cancer researchers, who have helped to promote the quality of Norwegian cancer research.

Featured image: His Majesty The King of Norway (Jørgen Gomnæs / The Royal Court)

The ROYAL teenagers who will one day assume the throne

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – Here you´ll find a brief review of  Scandinavian and European royal teenagers who will one day assume the throne.

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium:
Also known as the Duchess of Brabant (the title of the heir to the Belgian throne), Elisabeth will come of age on 25 October. Elisabeth, as the eldest of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde’s four children, is first in line to the throne. Her three younger siblings are Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel, and Princess Eléonore.

Elisabeth currently attends school in Wales at the UWC Atlantic College and is expected to graduate in May 2020. She will one day be Belgium’s first queen regnant.

Prince Christian of Denmark:
He will one day ascend the throne after his father, Crown Prince Frederik. The 13-year-old is the eldest of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s four children. His three younger siblings are Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine. Born on 15 October 2005, he will turn 14 later this year.

Christian was the first member of the Danish Royal Family to attend a public school. He is enrolled at Tranegårdskolen with his three younger siblings.


Prince Christian of Denmark, Photo: Kongehuset/Franne Voigt

Princess Amalia of the Netherlands:
Born Princess Catharina-Amalia, her title since her father’s ascension to the Dutch throne is the Princess of Orange. The eldest of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima’s three daughters, she has gone by Amalia since birth. Her two younger siblings are Princesses Alexia and Ariane. Her father once joked that his three daughters “The A-Team” all had names beginning with an ‘a’ to keep their “triple-A rating.” She will celebrate her Sweet 16 in December.

She currently attends Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague.


Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands (middle), Photo: © RVD – Albert Nieboer/Royal House of The Netherlands

Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway:
Born on 21 January 2004, Princess Ingrid Alexandra is the elder child and only daughter of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. Her grandfather, King Harald is currently on the throne. She has one younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus and one older half-brother from her mother’s previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby.

The 15-year-old is attending the private Oslo International School where she undertakes courses in English to improve her skills in the language in preparation for her future role. She will be Norway’s second female monarch.


Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, Photo: Julia Naglestad/Det kongelige hoff

Princess Leonor of Spain:
Leonor, who as heir holds the title Princess of Asturias, is the elder daughter of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. Her younger sister is Infanta Sofía.

The 13-year-old is only heir presumptive to the Spanish throne because if her parents were to have a boy, she would be bumped down to second in line as Spain still operates under male-preference cognatic primogeniture.

Turning 14 on 31 October, Leonor will be Spain’s first queen regnant since the 1800s when Queen Isabella II was on the throne.

Featured image: Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway. (Photo Julia Naglestad / Det kongelige hoff)
Source: Royal central

King and Queen of Sweden to make State Visit to Ireland

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – It has been announced from Stockholm that the Swedish King and Queen will pay a State Visit to Ireland next month at the invitation of the Irish President, Michael D Higgins.

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will be joined by representatives of the Swedish government including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Margot Wallström, Minister for Energy and Digital Development Anders Ygeman. Alongside the official talks, there will also be meetings between Irish businesses and a delegation organised by Business Sweden.

The visit, which is scheduled to take place between the 22nd and 24th May, is intended to strengthen the already strong ties between the two countries with a series of seminars, bilateral talks and cultural events. The agenda for the visit has not be released as yet, but it is envisaged it will cover digital development, sustainability, health and literature as well as increased cooperation through both the EU, UN and NATO.

This will not be the first time the King and Queen of Sweden have visited the Republic of Ireland. In April 1992 they were invited to Dublin by the then President Mary Robinson. There have also been Irish visits to Sweden. In 2012, the then Minister for Small Business, John Perry, TD, led a delegation from Enterprise Ireland to Stockholm at an event organised by the Irish Embassy. He spoke not only of the success of some Irish companies in exporting to Sweden, but also the strong links that had been established between Irish companies and successful Swedish companies including as Ericsson, Volvo and IKEA.

Once the itinerary of this new State Visit has been released, the information will be on Royal Central as with many of the State Visits that are being planned across the globe. And we will, of course, bring you the latest news when Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia arrive in Ireland in May.

Featured image: H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf; H.M. Queen Silvia (Kungahuset.se/Peter Knutson)

Sweden: Illness forces Prince Daniel to cancel events

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – The Royal Court confirmed to Swedish media late Wednesday evening that Prince Daniel is sick and has to cancel several events. On Tuesday, Prince Daniel attended his annual entrepreneurial day, and he seemed in good health. On Wednesday, Prince Daniel should have been present at the organisation, Friends’ event against bullying at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm; however, he had to cancel at the last minute.

The meeting Prince Daniel was to attend on Wednesday, with sixty representatives from business and civil society, was to discuss issues about measures and preventive measures against bullying.

The Swedish Royal Court has confirmed to the Swedish newspaper, Expressen that the Prince is sick. “The Prince had to cancel because of illness”, said Ulrika Näsholm, Information Secretary for the Royal Court, to the Swedish newspaper. Ulrika Näsholm also said: “The Prince could not participate in this arrangement unfortunately”.

The Royal Court indirectly confirmed that the sickness is not serious and that no other events are expected to be impacted by the Prince’s illness. The Swedish media did ask if there were any events in the coming days that are threatened. The Royal Court replied: “Not what I know, but it was today (Wednesday) he had to cancel his presence at this event. Unfortunately, I have no information, but the Prince had to cancel because of illness”.

The next event planned for Prince Daniel is, according to the Royal Court’s calendar, a visit to the Football Association in Solna on 24 April.

Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland is a Swedish prince and member of the Swedish Royal Family. He is the husband of Crown Princess Victoria.

Featured image: The Royal Court, Sweden /Erika Gerdemark

Head of Information of the Royal Court, Margareta Thorgren to Expressen.se: No official celebrations planned for Prince Carl Philip’s 40th birthday

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet – When Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria turned 40 in July 2017, it was marked with official festivities across Stockholm. But her brother, Prince Carl Philip, will be marking the occasion in a more low-key manner.

“There will be no official celebration of Prince Carl’s 40th birthday,” said Head of Information of the Royal Court, Margareta Thorgren, to Expressen.se, adding that the prince has chosen to celebrate his birthday privately.

Carl Philip was actually born as the country’s Crown Prince, but the laws of succession were changed on 1 January 1980. Then, Sweden officially recognised absolute primogeniture, meaning first-born females could now be heirs. This bumped the seven-month-old prince down the line and made his older sister, Victoria, heir to the Swedish throne.

As such, Crown Princess Victoria celebrated her milestone birthday in style with public celebrations and even her own hashtag: #Kronprinsessan40. The two-day birthday festivities included a service of thanksgiving attended by the Royal Court and government officials, a special reception, a 21-gun salute, carriage procession, and a concert.

When Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria turned 40 in July 2017, it was marked with official festivities across Stockholm. But her brother, Prince Carl Philip, will be marking the occasion in a more low-key manner.

“There will be no official celebration of Prince Carl’s 40th birthday,” said Head of Information of the Royal Court, Margareta Thorgren, to Expressen, adding that the prince has chosen to celebrate his birthday privately.

Carl Philip was actually born as the country’s Crown Prince, but the laws of succession were changed on 1 January 1980. Then, Sweden officially recognised absolute primogeniture, meaning first-born females could now be heirs. This bumped the seven-month-old prince down the line and made his older sister, Victoria, heir to the Swedish throne.

As such, Crown Princess Victoria celebrated her milestone birthday in style with public celebrations and even her own hashtag: #Kronprinsessan40. The two-day birthday festivities included a service of thanksgiving attended by the Royal Court and government officials, a special reception, a 21-gun salute, carriage procession, and a concert.

Since Prince Carl Philip is not the heir, this level of public celebration doesn’t exactly make sense, but surely well wishes for the Prince will pour in on social media as they did for Crown Princess Victoria.

“I think you can expect a party for friends and family of course, but much more toned than when Victoria turned 40 years,” said Swedish newspaper Expressen‘s royal columnist Karin Lennmor. “If you compare with the Crown Princess Victoria where it really was a big hit, Prince Carl Philip’s birthday will be a bit calmer.”

It might depend on your definition of “calmer.” According to weekly women’s magazine Svensk Damtidning, he ended his 25th birthday party with a trip to A&E when he slid down the staircase of Tullgarn Palace on a silver tray. One can only hope the Prince continues the merriment into his fourth decade.

Featured image: Sweden´s Prince Carl Philip with wife Princess Sofia (NordenBladet)
Source: royalcentral.co.uk

1...202122...33Page 21 of 33