The Duke of Cambridge, patron of the Fields in Trust, recently recorded a video message regarding this charity which seeks to “… protect outdoor recreational spaces in communities all across the country…” To learn more about the Fields in Trust please visit their official website here.
On October 15, 2011, The Prince of Wales, Duke of Rothesay (as he is known in Scotland) unveiled a statue commemorating the Gordon Highlanders regiment. Click here to watch a video news clip.
Source: Royal.gov.uk
On October 18, 2011, Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain participated in the UNICEF conference held at the Hotel Westin Palace in Madrid. Per the official website for the royal house, Casa de Su Majestad el Rey:
During the event Her Majesty Queen Sofia was accompanied by Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodriguez Ramos, president of the Spanish Committee for UNICEF, Consuelo Crespo and the Board and representatives of UNICEF Spain.
The Queen was in charge of opening the session and gave the floor in turn to the president of UNICEF, the head of UNICEF Immunization in Afghanistan, Carmen Garrigós, UNICEF Representative in Liberia, Isabel Crowley, UNICEF Representative in the Dominican Republic, Maria Jesus Conde, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and UNICEF Executive Director Spain, Paloma Escudero. After the round of speeches proceeded to the projection of an institutional video from UNICEF.
UNICEF aims to ensure that they meet the children’s rights to health, education and protection worldwide. It is the leading international organization working to promote child rights and make real changes in the lives of millions of children. Its work is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the treaty most widely ratified human rights in the world.
Since the end of the Spanish Civil War until the mid-1940s, Spain experienced a very difficult time. The infant mortality rate was 142 deaths per 1,000 births vivos.Debido this situation, Spain requested the assistance of UNICEF. In 1954 in New York signed an agreement between UNICEF and Spain to meet the needs of children in our country. The first aid program, the plan ASA (American Social Assistance), starts that year and is sending millions of kilos of milk powder, essential for growing children.
On April 12, 1961, a group of people aware of the needs of children and UNICEF’s work created the Association of Friends of UNICEF, which was financed through the sale of Christmas cards. In 1964, delegations had the cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, thanks to the 240 partners of UNICEF Spain
UNICEF Spain is one of 36 national committees that contribute to the work of United Nations Fund for Children. Today, with the support of 242,000 members, along with donors, companies and public administrations. In these 50 years, UNICEF Spain has contributed more than 516 million euros to change the lives of thousands of children. source
To view photos from the conference please click here.
Source and photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey
On October 18, 2011, His Majesty King Albert II of Belgium was at the Plaza Hotel in Brussels to attend the 100th anniversary of the Conseil de Physique Solvay. During the event — organized by the International Institutes of Physics and Chemistry Solvay — the king participated in an academic meeting alongside many notable physicists as well as past Nobel Prize winners.
Click here to view photos from the event.
Source: La Monarchie Belge
At the Villa Paloma: Nouveau Musée National de Monaco there is a new exhibition entitled, 3 Expositions + 1 Film: Heritage in Monaco, which tells the story of the history of the principality through rare photographs as well as documents. Princess Caroline is a highlight of the exhibition in which several portraits are on display of the princess by famed artists such as the late Helmut Newton, designer and photographer Karl Lagerfeld, Francesco Vezzoli, and many more.
3 Expositions + 1 Film: Heritage in Monaco runs through January 8, 2012 at the Villa Paloma. To view photos please click here. To learn more about the exhibition please click here.
H.R.H. The Hereditary Grand Duke Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg is currently in China as part of an economic delegation. According to the Cour Grand-Ducale de Luxembourg Prince Guillaume along with Jeannot Krecké, the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, will visit various cities including Shanghai and Chongqing. This afternoon, the prince visited the company, Huawei Technology, in Shenzhen.
To view photos please click here.
Courtesy of the Cour Grand-Ducale de Luxembourg
It has been confirmed that T.S.H.s Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco will visit Toronto, Canada where they will officially open the exhibition, Grace Kelly: From Movie Star to Princess, on November 2, 2011 (open to the public on November 4).
The exhibition, based on the Grimaldi Forum’s The Grace Kelly Years, will be held at the Toronto International Film Festival’s Bell Lightbox. Director and CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival, Piers Handling, noted:
It is an honour to welcome members of The Monegasque Princely family to TIFF Bell Lightbox. Grace Kelly: From Movie Star to Princess is a tribute to the life and style of one of the world’s most beloved stars and to have Prince Albert and Princess Charlène open the exhibition is a great privilege.
After the opening there will be a gala reception in honor of the prince and princess of Monaco.
Meanwhile, the princely couple are still in Auckland, New Zealand enjoying the 2011 Rugby World Cup. But, it is not all fun and games for the prince and princess. The Palais Princier de Monaco announced that H.S.H. Prince Albert II will participate in various official functions whilst in lovely New Zealand including an official meeting with the prime minister, Mr. John Key. Discussions will include the:
…development of economic links between the two countries and the initiative relating to the protection of cetaceans, in areas located beyond the “Permanent Protection of Cetaceans on the High Seas” jurisdiction introduced by the Principality.
Prince Albert II is expected to attend the New Zealand Olympic Committee centenary dinner on October 20. The princely couple will also visit Christchurch where:
…the prince will visit the engineering firm ‘Scott Industry’ and the Antarctic Research Institute. An in-depth scientific partnership is planned between this agency, which aims to improve multi-disciplinary research into the Antarctic and the Prince’s Foundation.
Come next weekend, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene will attend the 2011 Rugby World Cup finals.
Courtesy of the Palais Princier de Monaco. 🙂
On Saturday October 15, 2011, T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias attened the 60th Premio Planeta de Novela and gala dinner, held at the Palau dels Congressos de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain.
The royal couple awarded the top prize to Spanish writer, Javier Moro, for his novel El Imperio ere too (The Empire, it’s you) based on “… the life of Brazil’s first Emperor Dom Pedro I (1798-1834), who backed the nationalist cause against imperial power Portugal.”
To view photos please click here. To watch a video clip please click here.
Photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey
The Royal Correspondent 