On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence attended a special service in remembrance of the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
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On Thursday, March 31, 2022, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited the set of EastEnders at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, England.
EastEnders debuted on BBC One on February 19, 1985, and immediately became a hit with viewers. The show, created by Ms. Julia Smith and Mr. Tony Holland, is set in, “…Albert Square in the East End of London in the fictional borough of Walford the program follows the stories of local residents and their families as they go about their daily lives.”
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On Saturday, April 2, 2022, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex released a message on the occasion of World Autism Day.
The Countess of Wessex has been Patron of the National Autistic Society in the United Kingdom since August of 2003.
For more information about the National Autistic Society and the work they do please visit their official website here.
On Saturday, April 2, 2022, Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg renewed her support and commitment to the Fondation Autisme Luxembourg on the occasion of World Autism Day.
The lovely Grand Duchess Maria Teresa has been High Patron of the Fondation Autisme Luxembourg since 2018.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Fondation Autisme Luxembourg and the work they do please visit their official website here.
His Royal Highness Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg was in Paris, France on Thursday, March 31, 2022, to participate in a meeting with the Business Club France-Luxembourg (BCFL).
Established in 2015, the BCFL gathers over 350 French and Luxembourgish companies and entrepreneurs from “…all sectors of activity. Its objective is to facilitate networking, partnerships, and synergies between economic players in the two countries…” notes the Cour Grand-Ducale in a press release.
During yesterday’s important gathering, which was held at the home of the Ambassador of Luxembourg in France, Her Excellency Mrs. Martine Schommer, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume gave an uplifting speech whereupon he stated, “…your economic activity does not take a break. You live daily relations between Luxembourg and France, you even embody a part of this essential economic relationship between two neighboring and friendly countries.”
While Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway was meeting with Ukrainian refugees at the Caritas Norge in Oslo, her son, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway was visiting the town of Kirkenes. The town, located in the Sør-Varanger municipality in the far northeastern region of Norway, borders Finland and Russia.
According to the Norwegian royal court, the purpose of today’s visit was to “…meet the locals and hear how it feels to live close to the border with Russia after the country’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine.”
The day began with a:
“…visit to the Barents Secretariat, where the mayor of Kirkenes, Lena Norum Bergeng, and head of the Barents Secretariat, Lars Georg Fordal, told how Russia’s warfare affects the city’s population, cooperation and friendship across borders, and business. At the same time, they experience that there is a good community in Kirkenes regardless of nationality.
The mayor of Kirkenes said that many Russians live in the city, and that everyone knows someone from Russia. They are friends, neighbors, spouses and colleagues. In addition, you are used to traveling freely across the border to shop, visit friends, maintain business cooperation and go on holiday. Both she and the other representatives who were present at the meeting emphasized that there are now many in the city who feel great sadness that cooperation across the border is now not possible.
The head of the Barents Secretariat said that their goal is to create mutual understanding between Russia and Norway, by sharing knowledge and building networks and financing cooperation projects. But after Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, virtually all cooperation between Norway and Russia has stopped.
After the briefing, the Crown Prince took a walk through a snow-covered center, and had lunch at Go’biten patisserie with six of the city’s residents: Nils Edvard Olsen, Vegard Kristiansen, Matvey Shchetnev, Nina Karin Skogan, Maria Alexeeva and Ingrid Valan. Together they talked about how they experience living and living close to the Russian border.
At the Basen youth club, the Crown Prince met several local young people from the Youth Council, and was shown around by the unit leader for culture, Harald Sørensen. The young people told about the offer at the newly opened club; and spent particularly good time in the new E-sports room.
The day ended at the city’s ice hockey field, which is the home field of Kirkenes Puckers. The ice hockey club is led by William Sjøstrand. He was born in Murmansk and moved to Norway when he was 30 years old. His family has Norwegian roots and is referred to as Kolanordmenn. He now leads the city’s ice hockey team and is one of the initiators behind the amateur league Barents Hockey League, known to many through the NRK series Puckers. The league facilitates a number of matches between teams from Norway, Finland and Russia.”
On Friday, April 1, 2022, Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway visited with various Ukrainian refugees at the Caritas Norge in Oslo, Norway.
Caritas Norge was founded in 1952 as Norsk Katolsk Flyktninghjelp (Norwegian Catholic Help for refugees) by the Catholic Church in Norway. In 1964, its current name was adopted. Today Caritas Norge is run as an independent humanitarian foundation.
During today’s visit, Her Majesty met with women and children who had to flee their homeland due to the ongoing war with Russia. According to the Norwegian royal court, Her Majesty was also briefed on the work Caritas Norge does in Ukraine and on refugees who are currently on their way to Norway. In speaking with the press regarding Caritas Norge’s humanitarian work Her Majesty said, “…I am very impressed with this organization – what they do and how they work in both Ukraine and here in Norway.
When asked about how the Ukrainian refugees are adjusting to life in Norway and the conflict in their homeland Her Majesty noted that:
“…they are very happy to be safe. One thing is to be safe – another thing is to have a home. That home is not here. It’s just for now. Even if you do the best you can, the Queen told the press after the visit – and added. Everyone hopes and wishes that this cruel war will soon end – in one way or another. It made a strong impression to meet those who have experienced this cruel in the war in Ukraine, said Queen Sonja who herself has experienced war up close. I myself am quite old, so I also experienced the war. I hear the plane alarm, and you go down to the basement. There’s something ticking back. And it hurts a lot for these people to have this all the time over them.”
In Ukraine, more than 3,500 Caritas employees and volunteers provide food, water and hygiene items, and children are protected and cared for in the best possible way. They also provide shelter and transportation.
Already in the first month of the war, Caritas has helped more than 350,000 people in Ukraine, and tens of thousands of refugees have received help in the recipient countries Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, says Secretary General Martha Rubiano Skretteberg.
If you’re interested in learning more about Caritas Norge and the wonderful work they do around the world please visit their official website here.
Photos courtesy of the Norwegian Royal Court/S.Lysberg Solum
The Royal Correspondent 