The Royal Correspondent

Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway along with H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway attended the 156th opening of Stortinget (Parliament) in Oslo on October 3, 2011.  During the formal opening, His Majesty King Harald gave a lengthy speech regarding the tragedy in Utøya, economic development, unemployment, and much more:

Respected President, People’s representatives.

I salute the Parliament welcomes the responsibility of working full time and wish that it must be for the benefit of his country.

Attacks 22 July was aimed at Utøya and its ministries, but affected the whole of Norway. The Norwegian people responded to defend the democracy. Out of the pain grew a strong popular desire for unity, openness and participation.

In the most critical hours and days our country has experienced since the Second World War, the people took responsibility for our values ​​and showed the way forward. It strengthens democracy. Meanwhile, the tragedy affect people and society for a long time.

We must therefore continue to mobilize the community. As individuals, participants in voluntary organizations and governments at various levels, we must help to heal wounds and restore confidence.

A whole world has shown compassion for those affected. People all over the world have expressed their admiration for the dignity of the Norwegian people faced with terrorist acts.

The Government will carefully go through both the response in advance of the events 22 July and the handling of the aftermath. The report of 22 July the Commission will be a key contribution. In light of this review, the Government will consider the need for increased resources and possible legislative changes in various areas.

Also in the short term there will be a need for measures to strengthen our security and emergency preparedness. In addition resulted in terror attacks 22 Jul. significant additional costs in several areas. The Government will come back with proposals concerning allocation changes as a result of the attacks 22 July, beyond the proposals already submitted.

Government will balance the need for appropriate security and safe emergency response to a common desire for continued closeness between the Norwegian people and key actors in society.

The overall goal is to follow the popular will of a society marked by more openness, more democracy and more participation. It requires that we act with the prudence, humility and respect that the Norwegian people.

The Government invites the Parliament and the Norwegian people that with democracy and free speech should leave in dignity and security prevail over fear and hatred.

Government policy is based on an ambition that:

• Norway should have the lowest unemployment in Europe and increase value creation in the country,
• we shall defend, renew and improve one of the world’s best welfare societies,
• we should take the lead in the global fight against climate change.

Work for all is a major goal for the Government. There is considerable uncertainty about economic developments and there has been a summer of great turmoil in financial markets.The Government therefore follow developments closely. The best we can do is keep your own house in order, and still pursue a fiscal policy that contributes to stable economic development in both the short and long term.

To read King Harald’s speech in full please click here.

To watch a video as well as to view photos please click the links below:

• Video
• Gallery One 
• Gallery Two 

Photo courtesy of: Kongehuest.no

On October 3, 2011, H.R.H. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg met with former French Resistance fighter, author, BCRA agent, and diplomat Stéphane Hessel, at the palace in Luxembourg.  To view a photo please click here. 

This evening H.R.H.Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume will attend  a panel discussion on Stéphane Hessel’s 2010 booklet, Indignez-vous.  So what is the booklet about you may ask… well:

Hessel argues that the French need to again become outraged, as were those who participated in the Resistance during World War II. Hessel’s reasons for personal outrage include the growing gap between the very rich and the very poor, France’s treatment of its illegal immigrants, the need to establish free press, the need to protect the environment, importance of protecting the French welfare system, and he calls for peaceful and non-violent insurrection.  source

Recently, H.R.H. Princess Caroline of Hanover attended the official opening of “Italian Language and Culture Month” in Monaco.  This celebration, organized by the Italian embassy in Monaco, promotes all things Italian including art, literature, gastronomy, and theatre.

During the opening event Princess Caroline, along with the Italian ambassador to Monaco, Antonio Morabito, watched flag throwers do their thing (sorry I couldn’t think of a better description of what they were doing).  From there the princess, Ambassador Morabito, and hundreds of guests viewed an art exhibit along the Esplanade at the Grimaldi Forum.

On October 2, 2011, H.R.H. Princess Caroline along with H.S.H. Prince Albert II attended the Tribute to Master Yakov Krazberg held at l’Auditorium Rainier III.  During the event the Great Hall of l’Auditorium Rainier III was renamed, Salle Yakov Kreizberg, and a plaque was unveiled in honor of the late conductor who was the musical director of  l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo. To view photos please here and here.

And, finally H.S.H. Princess Stephanie and H.S.H. Prince Albert II presented a check to the foundation, Fight AIDS Monaco.

Courtesy of Palais Princier de Monaco.  

On October 3, 2011, H.R.H. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was in Aalborg to launch her new project, LæseLeg, in conjunction with her private foundation, The Mary Fonden.

The purpose of LæseLeg is to help children communicate, develop their vocabulary and to become better at reading.  According to a press release via the Mary Fonden:

Mary Fonden’s new project gives children an appetite for words and access to community.

Mary Fonden’s new project, LæseLeg is based on a method of dialogic reading aloud to children. This method helps to give children more words and a larger conceptual framework – and thus an easier gateway to social communities.

Mary Fonden’s new project LæseLeg, which is part of the strand ‘Bullying and Welfare’, launched today at the kindergarten Danalien in Aalborg. The aim is to strengthen children’s skills to perceive, recognize, remember and communicate. It opens door to social inclusion and invites you to play and imagination.

‘Lack of words is a big problem for many children. LæseLeg calls for dialogue with children, and so few stories to live on in games and other social rings. Mary Fonden is about, that everyone has the right to belong to. We shall combat social isolation and work targeted for inclusion. With LæseLeg we create even more possibilities: Words and books include and creates joy in the community…’ said Chairman of the Mary Fonden, HRH Crown Princess Mary.

What is LæseLeg?

LæseLeg, developed in close cooperation with experts, is based on the language teaching tool dialogic reading. Dialogic reading has been shown to have a proven good effect against increasing vocabulary and reinforcing children’s communicative skills.

LæseLeg where good children’s books in combination with creative activities are the focal point, is targeted kindergartens. The method is aligned to the tradition of reading aloud, as both parents and educators already know and that is easy to use. By strengthening the children’s appetite for words and books, while strengthening their way into the social community, which is fully in line with Mary Fonden’s basic idea that everyone has the right to belong to. source 

To view photos click the links below:

• Gallery One 
• Gallery Two 
• Gallery Three 
• Gallery Four 

Photo courtesy of: Nordjyske

Fresh from her brief business trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico H.R.H. Princess Maxima was back in Amsterdam this morning to open a new trading floor at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.

To watch a video as well as to view photos please click the links below:

• Video 
• Gallery One 
• Gallery Two 

Photo courtesy of: Svensk Damtidning

On October 2, 2011, H.R.H. Prince Joachim participated in a car race in Silkeborg, Denmark.  The second son of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik came in first place narrowly beating his rival, Lars Bondesson.  The last time Prince Joachim won gold in these races was back in 2009.  To view a photo please click here.

As you know by now Monaco’s newest princess, Charlene, recently attended the Akris S/S 2012 collection in Paris on Sunday night.  During her time in the city of lights the British newspaper, Telegraph, caught up with the former Olympian turned princess whilst at the Paris prêt-à-porter shows.  Here is what she had to say:

Professionial-attention-seekers are drawn to Paris Fashion Week like insecure moths to a paparazzi-flash flame; rap stars (Kanye West launched an atrocious fashion “collection” here on Saturday), film stars (Julianne Moore kept her sunglasses on at Lanvin), and those – like Lindsay Lohan at the West event – who defy all job description, all stew together on the pret-a-porter front row. Celebrities are ten-a-penny here.

The arrival of a bona fide princess, however, is a rare event. And that the surprise royal attendee at the Swiss label Akris’s Spring 2012 show was Princess Charlene of Monaco yesterday meant it was an unmanufactured buzz that zinged down the sweltering benches in the Palais de Chaillot.

For Charlene, Princess of Monaco – who wore a pretty, light bronze Akris dress as she quietly took her place two seats down from Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue, then endured those camera flashes – is both Europe’s most recently minted princess and its most enigmatic.

Before her wedding to Prince Albert II in July, there were reports that she had been suffering nerves. Since her marriage, she has been glimpsed in public only rarely.

Yesterday the princess was here because of her close relationship with the label: she wore an Akris gown to the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, and often consults Albert Kriemler, its owner and designer. As the models emerged to a catwalk split by racing track road markings and the tannoyed roar of Formula One engines revving and roaring, it became clear that this collection was an homage to Monaco’s most famous sporting event: its Grand Prix.

The princess smiled at models in sporty parkas and print dresses that showed a glamorous woman watching the race from Monaco’s Hotel de l’Hermitage, or were striped with an elongated photograph of a speeding vintage race car. The princess’s applause, and that of the rest of the audience too, was very well deserved.

Princess Charlene said that she had been wearing Akris since well before she and Albert were guests at the royal wedding in April. She laughed off rumours that she would like to design clothes herself, and added: “No, but I do know what I like. And if I speak to Albert (Kriemler) about certain things he adapts them for me.”

Her South African accent is as broad as her swimmer’s shoulders.

Are there things she could not wear, I and Telegraph Fashion Editor Lisa Armstrong wondered – for certain dresses in the Akris collection were extremely revealing: “There are certain protocols, and obviously I wouldn’t show too much – it [Monaco] is a Catholic country.”

Would she ever go high street shopping like the Duchess of Cambridge, only recently spotted browsing through Topshop? “I wouldn’t want to compare myself to her.”

Far from being dismissive, this was said with great caution – the new princess has become quickly wise to the press. She went on to praise Akris and this Monaco-themed collection, so we asked whether being its princess is something she anticipates will be a full-time job.

“Of course,” she replied. “I think that would be expected of me in the near future. But I have just taken a bit of a break. I think, like [anyone], I need time to adjust. I just got married.” And for the first time she laughed.

She conceded that learning French is a struggle, but that she’s working at it. “Step by step: it’s coming along but it takes time.”

And then, just as our time was coming to its end, Princess Charlene’s shoulders relaxed, and she seemed to ask us to excuse her nerves. “Honestly I don’t want to be too cut-off. But obviously the press haven’t been really good for us in the past. And that started before the wedding and the sources had come from British [newspapers]. And I was like ‘Why?’ So I’m speaking to the enemy now.”

Princess Charlene, we assured her, you most certainly are not: The Daily Telegraph does not stitch up royalty.

“I’m just learning,” she said, looking around her for the first time at the hoverers around us. We’re surprised, we responded, that she doesn’t have a much larger security detachment. A steely glint entered her eye: “I don’t like that. I’m quite independent.”

Yet how could you ever live a fairly normal life now you are a Grimaldi princess? “I will,” she said with slow and deliberate emphasis, then paused and added: “Do it my way. I think for anyone living in a new country and adapting to a new lifestyle, it’s a different role. I was an Olympic swimmer, I lived in a swimsuit, I lived on tour.”

And she still swims a lot. She loves to watch the Grand Prix too – she added that she loves all sport and can’t wait for London 2012 – and got a thrill in the pit of her stomach the first time she heard those engines revving outside her palace window.

She has been spending a lot of time in the family house, Roc Agel, on the French side of the Monaco border, she said. It was from here that Princess Grace, Charlene’s late grandmother-in-law, was driving when she perished in a road accident 29 years ago. But Princess Charlene’s introduction into the Grimaldi family long postdates that tragedy, and mentioning Roc Agel seemed to lift her spirits a notch higher. By now, in fact, she was indisputably chipper. And it was time to go.

As we got to our feet, she said one more thing. “I think, in general, that it’s all good.” source