The Royal Correspondent

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark began their official visit to the United States on October 20, 2011.

This morning Crown Princess Mary was at the United Nations Population Fund headquarters in Manhattan to participate in a meeting with top executives.  Her next stop was another meeting this time at the Harlem Children’s Zone.  Click here and here to view photos.  Click here to watch a video clip.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Frederik was in Boston, Massachusetts to participate in the Connected Health Symposium.  Whilst there he gave a speech during the segment,  Innovating the Healthcare of Tomorrow: Danish Connected Care.  In the afternoon, the crown prince visited Harvard University where he met with various Danish graduate students as well a faculty.   To view photos please here and here.

Photos courtesy of: Daylife/AP/C.Ruttle/S.Senne

On October 19, 2011, the Princess Royal opened the Antarctic photo exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery in London.  This exhibit:

…marks the centenary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to the South Pole, tells a story of heroism, bravery – and ultimately of tragedy, that has mesmerised generations.

It brings together a collection of the photographs presented to King George V by the official photographers from Scott’s expedition of 1910-13 and Ernest Shackleton’s expedition in 1914-16, and unique artefacts, such as the flag given to Scott by Queen Alexandra and taken to the Pole.

To read more about the exhibit as well as to view a photo of the Princess Royal please click here. 

Source: Royalcollection.org.uk

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium are currently in China on an economic mission with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Agency for Foreign Trade in collaboration with the regional trade AWEX, Flanders Investment & Trade and others.  The delegation will spend nine days in China and will visit six cities which include Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, Gungzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai.

Source: La Monarchie Belge

On October 20, 2011, H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden met with South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe at the royal palace in Stockholm.

Mr. Mothlanthe is currently in Sweden as part of the, or rather in the framework of, seventh Bi-national Commission (BNC) meeting. The purpose of the BNC meeting is to deepen and broaden bilateral relations between Sweden and South Africa. Bilateral cooperation and trade between the two countries are also on the BNC agenda.

To view photos please click here. 

Source and photo courtesy of: Kungahuset

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia arrived in Oviedo, Spain on October 20, 2011. Upon their arrival at the Hotel de la Reconquista, the prince and princess were greeted by President of the Principality of Asturias, Francisco Alvarez-Cascos, President of the General Meeting of the Principality of Asturias, Fernando Goñi, the government delegate in the Principality of Asturias, Francisco González Zapico, the mayor of Oviedo, Gabino de Lorenzo, the chairman of the Prince of Asturias, Matias Rodriguez Inciarte, the director of the Prince of Asturias, Teresa Sanjurjo, general secretary of the Prince of Asturias Adolgo Menendez, and the director of the Hotel de la Reconquista, Ramon Braña.

The purpose of the royal couple’s appearance in Oviedo is to prepare for the Prince of Asturias Awards which will be handed out tomorrow October 21, 2011. This important award ceremony honors individuals, groups and/or institutions working in the international arena in the field of “…scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanitarian… “

To watch a video as well as to view photos please click here and here.

Source and photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

On October 20, 2011, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Floriade Flower Festival in Canberra, Australia. Hundreds of locals cheered and waved from the banks of Lake Burley Griffin as the royal couple arrived to the festival by boat. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh also had a chance to tour the grounds of Government House in Canberra this afternoon as well as attend a tree planting ceremony.

Click the links below to watch a video as well as to view photos.

• VIDEO 
• VIDEO 
• Gallery One 
• Gallery Two

Source: ABC Australia

Photo courtesy of: Zimbio/Pool

Their Majesties King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain attended the opening of the Royal Academy Course at the Real Academia Espanola in Madrid on October 18, 2011.  The event was also attended by the President of the Constitutional Court, Pascual Sala, the Minister of Education, Ángel Gabilondo, the director of the Royal Spanish Academy, Jose Manuel Blecua, Under Secretary of Education, Mercedes Lopez Revilla, different directors and presidents of the other Royal Academies, as are the director of the Royal Academy of History, Gonzalo Anes, the director of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Antonio Bonet, president of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, Miguel Angel Alario, President of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, Marcelino Oreja, Marquis de Oreja, President of the Royal Academy of Medicine, Manuel Diaz-Rubio, the President of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation, Landelino Lavilla and the president of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy, Maria Teresa Miras-Portugal, as well as members of the Governing Board of the Royal Spanish Academy.  

During the event His Majesty King Juan Carlos delivered a speech in which he emphasized that the new lecture/course, “Invitation to the Noble studies, Language use, and Language of Art”, would provide “…a new opportunity to reaffirm the continued commitment of the Crown with our Royal Academy, so necessary to continue promoting excellence in the Sciences, Humanities and Arts in our country… ”   Click here to view photos.

On October 19, 2011, Her Majesty Queen Sofia participated in the opening of several new hospital facilities at the Politècnic i Universitari La Fe in Valencia.  During the ceremony, Her Majesty the Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque then toured the facility which aims to become one of the best hospitals in Europe.   

Source and photos courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

Her Majesty Queen Sofia presented the 2011 King James I Awards on October 19, 2011, to distinguished scientists and researchers in the fields of basic research, Economics, Medical Research, Environmental Protection, New Technologies and Entrepreneur, respectively.  The winners were Oscar Marin Parra, Daniel Peña Sánchez de Rivera, Carlos Simon, Sixto Malate, José Alonso, and entrepreneur José Javier Chamorro Rebollo.

 The King Jaime I Awards were created in 1989 by the Generalitat Valenciana and the Valencia Foundation for Advanced Studies, under the honorary presidency of His Majesty the King, with the aim of combining, in studies and research, scientific and business entities to promote research and scientific development in Spain. The prize is worth 100,000 euros, gold medal and diploma. The winners are invited to join the High Consultative Council on Research and Development of the Presidency of the Generalitat Valenciana, created in 1998. Its purpose is to advise the President of the Generalitat Valenciana in research, development and technological innovation, and develop reports, presentations and opinions.

Source and photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja visited the Amundsen Art Exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen, expedition to the South Pole on Tuesday October 18, 2011.

Per the official site for the royal house of Norway:

The anniversary has been marked by a series of events in Norway, in parallel with the celebration of Fridtjof Nansen’s 150th birthday. Amundsen’s journey is marked at the Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport (which is part of the airport’s art and cultural programs), where the exhibition Cold Recall: Reflections of a Polar Explorer opened 10 October. The photos show both the challenges met polar explorers and their ‘daily life’ during the voyage. Much of the material is Amundsen’s own slides, among other things used by him to illustrate his lectures he gave.

King Harald and Queen Sonja visited the exhibition accompanied by Norway’s ambassador to the United States, Wegger Stream. Among the approximately 100 guests at the exhibition was also polar explorers Will Steger, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen.

The exhibition is a collaboration with the Fram Museum.

Source: Kongehuest

Photo courtesy of: BW