Denmark
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark celebrated her 74th birthday on April 16th 2014 and appeared on the balcony of the Marselisborg Palace in Aaarhus with her family to mark the occasion.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark with her son, Crown Prince Frederik stand with Crown Princess Mary, Prince Christian, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine on the balcony of the Marselisborg Palace on April 16th 2014 - the queen's 74th birthday
Later in the week, Queen Margrethe led the royal family at a ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Dybbol. The queen laid a wreath on the morning of April 18th 2014 with Prince Henrik and Prince Joachim also laying wreaths while Princess Marie paid her respects.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark lays a wreath at the ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Dybbol which took place on April 18th 2014
Later the royals attended a ceremony at Skansen Kong where Queen Margrethe made a speech in which she stressed the importance of remembering all who fell in the battle from both sides. The Queen of Denmark and Prince Henrik later attended an exhibition about the battle and in the evening, Prince Joachim and Princes Marie were guests at a commemorative dinner.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark during the commemorations for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Dybbol on April 18th 2014
United Kingdom
The Queen, as is traditional, handed out Maundy Money on April 17th - Maundy Thursday. The ceremony, which is first thought to have been performed by King John in the 13th century, involves the monarch distributing symbolic coins. This year the service took place at Blackburn Cathedral and the Queen handed out purses to 88 men and 88 women - the number of recipients always matches the monarch's age. The Duke of Edinburgh was also in attendance.
Queen Elizabeth II distributes Maundy Money to pensioners in Blackburn on April 17th 2014
The day before, April 16th 2014, the Queen had held several audiences at Windsor Castle - she is in residence there over Easter. The Queen also received the letters of credentials of the new ambassadors from Montenegro and Eritrea in audiences at the castle.
Windsor Castle in Berkshire - the Queen is in residence there over Easter
On April 15th 2014, the Duchess of Cornwall visited Craithie Opportunity Holidays in Aberdeenshire, near the River Dee. The duchess is patron of the organisation which provides holiday cottages for people with disabilities. She met several of the holidaymakers currently using the houses.
The Duchess of Cornwall meets David Findlay and his son, also called David, during her visit to Craithie Opportunity Holidays in Aberdeenshire on April 15th 2014
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge continued their tour of New Zealand and Australia. On April 13th 2014, the royal couple arrived in Dunedin, New Zealand where they attended a church service and did a walkabout.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are welcomed to Dunedin on April 13th 2014
Later the same day, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took part in a match of Rippa Rugbhy - a non contact version of the sport for children. The couple each coached a team with William's side winning.
The Duchess of Cambridge with some of the children she coached during a Rippa Rugby game in Dunedin on April 13th 2014
William and Kate then visited Amisfield Winery where they tried several wines before ending their day by trying out the famous Shotover Jet whitewater ride in Queenstown.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge get ready to try the Shotover Jet in Queenstown, New Zealand on April 13th 2014
On April 14th 2014, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited Christchurch where they met some of the families who lost loved ones in the earthquake which hit the area in 2011. They also paid their respects at the memorial and saw some of the rebuilding work going on in Christchurch.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meeting families who lost loved ones in the earthquake which hit Christchurch and the surrounding area in 2011 during their visit on April 14th 2014
The couple also visited a New Zealand Air Force memorial and laid roses during their time their. The duke and duchess then did a walkabout with Kate posing for a selfie that quickly went viral on Twitter.
The Duchess does a selfie - Kate in Christchurch on April 14th 2014
The Duke and Duchess of Camridge then went on to an event linked to the World Cricket Cup which will takes place in 2015. They played cricket with the duke bowling too fast at the duchess and being told off as a result.
Kate tells William off after he got carried away during a cricket match in Christchurch on April 14th 2014
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ended their tour of New Zealand on April 16th 2014 with a visit to the country's Police College in Wellington. They laid a wreath in memory of police officers who have died in the line of duty before seeing the work of the college and meeting some of the new police dogs being trained there. The couple and Prince George then left New Zealand for Australia.
Time to say goodbye - William, Kate and George leave New Zealand on April 16th 2014
The Cambridges arrived in Sydney three hours later and were met at the airport by Australia's Governor General and a special guest, Joscelyn Sweeney, who is 22 and who has Down's Syndrome. Joscelyn had been invited to meet the royals and present them with flowers.
Prince George attempts a royal handshake as he meets Joscelyn Sweeney on his arrival in Sydney on April 16th 2014
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge then went on to the centre of Sydney where they visited the Opera House and posed for photos by the famous Harbour Bridge.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on April 16th 2014
The couple ended their day by attending a reception at the Sydney Opera House given by the Governor General of Australia. They were later photographed at their home for the next few days with Prince George.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George after their arrival in Sydney on April 16th 2014
On April 17th 2014, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Blue Mountains west of Sydney and met some of those affected by the bush fires which hit the area in 2013. They started their day in Winmalee where they also met rescue workers and planted a tree to symbolise regeneration.
The Duke of Cambridge plants a tree while his wife looks on during their visit to Winmalee on April 17th 2014
They then went to some of the most famous viewpoints in the Blue Mountains and saw some team building abseiling exercises with the Duke of Cambridge standing very close to the edge of a cliff at one point.
Don't stand so close to....the Duke of Cambridge gets a bit too near the edge of a steep cliff during his visit to the Blue Mountains on April 17th 2014
On April 18th 2014, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were back in Sydney where they began their day with a visit to the Royal Easter Show. They saw exhibitions of sheep shearing and displays of arts, crafts and produce.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge see a sheep shearing demonstration at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on April 18th 2014
Later that day, the royal couple visited the Bear Cottage Children's Hospice - one of just two children's hospices in Australia. The duchess made her only speech of the tour and spoke about the importance of good quality care for children with life limiting illnesses. William and Kate played with some of children, met their parents and took part in some singing.
Kate plays with children at Bear Cottage on April 18th 2014
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ended their day with a visit to Manly Beach where they saw a surfing life saving display and Kate tried a Baywatch style run along the sand.
Kate does Baywatch - the Duchess of Cambridge during her visit to Manly Beach in Sydney on April 18th 2014
On April 19th 2014, the royal tour moved to Brisbane where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Air Base at Amberley and tried out the cockpit of a plane and met personnel as well as planting a tree in the memorial garden.
The Duchess of Cambridge tries out the cockpit of a plane at the Air Base in Amberley on April 19th 2014
The couple attended a civic reception in Brisbane for people from Queensland and then did a walkabout with one of the biggest crowds of the whole tour.
The Duchess of Cambridge during her walkabout in Brisbane on April 19th 2014
The Princess Royal had one engagement in the week when, on April 16th 2014, she visited the 15th Signal Regiment in Dorset - she is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Corps of Signals.
Sweden
On April 16th 2014, it was announced that Princess Leonore of Sweden will be baptised in the chapel of the Drottinghom Palace on June 8th 2014 - her parents' first wedding anniversary. The princess, whose full name is Leonore Lilian Maria, was born in New York in February this year.
King Carl XVI Gustaf began his week by presenting the medals awarded by the Swedish Anthropology Society at a ceremony in the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
Princess Leonore of Sweden who will be christened on June 8th 2014
King Carl XVI Gustaf began his week by presenting the medals awarded by the Swedish Anthropology Society at a ceremony in the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
The King of Sweden with Professor Compton James Tucker and Professor Guorun Gisladottir who were awarded medals by the Swedish Anthropology Society in a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on April 14th 2014
On April 15th 2014, Carl XVI Gustaf chaired a meeting of the board of the King's Jubilee Fund for Youth which was set up to mark his 50th birthday by the Swedish Scout and Guide Movement and the Swedish Lions organisation. The meeting took place at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
The King of Sweden chairs a board meeting of his Jubilee Fund for Youth on April 15th 2014
Also on April 15th, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel visited a project in Tensta which helps immigrants to learn Swedish on their arrival. The SFI Training Initiative aims to help people moving to Sweden to get jobs and join their local communities as quickly as possible.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden meets two of the students using the SFI Teaching programme in Tensta which she visited on April 15th 2014
On April 16th 2014, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Estelle visited the Skansen Aquarium in Stockholm where they opened an exhibition about jungle frogs. The princesses met several of the frogs featured in the exhibition which aims to ensure the survival of some rare breeds of frogs.
Princess Victoria and Princess Estelle meeting a frog as they opened an exhibition about the animals in Stockholm on April 16th 2014
Spain
King Juan Carlos of Spain made his first overseas visit since undergoing two operations at the end of 2013. On April 13th 2014, the king arrived in the United Arab Emirates for a three day visit which began at the Zayed Grand Mosque where Juan Carlos paid his respects at the tomb of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE.
King Juan Carlos of Spain arrives at the Zayed Grand Mosque on April 13th 2014
On April 14th 2014, King Juan Carlos held several meetings linked to business and investment and made a speech at one of them about the importance of strategic investment for Spain. The king then attended a lunch given in his honour by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. In the afternoon, the king was present as a cultural co-operation pact was signed.
King Juan Carlos of Spain with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on April 14th 2014
On April 15th 2014, King Juan Carlos visited the new financial centre of Abu Dhabi and toured the facilities as well as hearing about the projects going on there.
King Juan Carlos of Spain visits the new financial centre of Abu Dhabi on April 15th 2014
Later on April 15th 2014, the King of Spain travelled to Kuwait for a two day visit. He was given an official welcome by the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
King Juan Carlos of Spain on his arrival in Kuwait on April 15th 2014
Later the same day, the king held an audience with the Prime Minister of Kuwait, the Deputy Prime Minister and the President of the National Assembly. Later, the king presented the Emir of Kuwait with a digitised version of around 2,000 documents held in the library of El Escorial, outside Madrid, and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding covering transport infrastructure. In the evening of April 15th 2014, King Juan Carlos was guest at a state dinner held in his honour by the Emir of Kuwait.
The King of Spain and the Emir of Kuwait on April 15th 2014
The king ended his visit on April 16th 2014 by attending a Spanish-Kuwait business meeting in which he gave a speech encouraging further economic ties between the two countries.
King Juan Carlos gives a speech at a Spanish-Kuwaiti business meeting on April 16th 2014 during his visit to Kuwait
King Juan Carlos returned to Spain on April 16th to attend the final of the King's Cup football tournament in Valencia which was won by Real Madrid. The king presented the cup.
Iker Casillas receives the King's Cup from Juan Carlos of Spain after Real Madrid beat Barcelona on April 16th 2014
On April 12th 2014, Queen Sofia attended a performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Cathedral in Toledo. The event was held as part of the ongoing programme marking the 400th anniversary of the death of El Greco.
Queen Sofia sits in the front row during a performance of Verdi's Requiem in Toledo Cathedral on April 12th 2014
On April 14th 2014, Queen Sofia attended a benefit concert held in the Cathedral in Palma de Mallorca and organised by the 'Proyecto Hombre' in the Baleares which works to prevent drug misuse and help those who have become addicted to drugs.
Queen Sofia of Spain arriving at a concert in the Cathedral in Mallorca on April 14th 2014
Netherlands
King Willem-Alexander was at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague on April 14th 2014 where he officially set the first of two bee hives that will operate at the palace.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands gets close to the bees who will live in the new hives at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague on April 14th 2014
Later the same day, the king received the President of the Federal Council of Germany in an audience at the Noordeinde Palace which was also attended by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. On April 15th 2014, the Dutch king opened the seaweed centre of the Royal Dutch Institute for Sea Research on the island of Texel.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands opens the seaweed centre on Texel on April 15th 2014
On April 14th 2014, Queen Maxima attended a PTA meeting on financial education at a school in Almere in the east of the Netherlands - the country's newest city.
Queen Maxima at a meeting about financial education in Almere on April 14th 2014
On April 15th 2014, the queen visited the Neighbourhood Market in Breedeweg in Groesbeek to meet the winners of an Orange Fund Social Initiative Award. The market was chosen for its work to encourage people with and without disabilities to work together to make their village sustainable and to promote local produce.
Queen Maxima at the market in Breedeweg which she visited on April 15th 2014
Also on April 15th 2014, the queen received the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, during a courtesy visit he paid. Later the same day, Queen Maxima was in Alphen aan den Rijn in the central Netherlands, where she opened a facility for people living with cancer. The Yellow Linde will offer listening services and a chance for people and their families to talk about cancer.
Queen Maxima opens the Yellow Linde facility on April 15th 2014
On April 16th 2014, Princess Magriet was at the Hotel New York in Rotterdam where she was presented with the first copy of 'The Dutch Merchant Navy in Wartime'. And on April 17th 2014, the princess opened a confernce in Utrecht called 'Power to the People' and which looked at the involvement of the community in disaster relief.
Monaco
On April 17th 2014, Prince Albert opened the 'Top Marques' exhibition at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco which showcases some of the most exclusive cars in the world.
Prince Albert of Monaco opens the 'Top Marques' exhibition in Monaco on April 17th 2014
On April 15th 2014, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene met a beach volleyball team run by the Carabiniers of Monaco at a special event.
Albert and Charlene of Monaco with the beach volleyball team of the Carabiniers of Monaco on April 15th 2014
On April 12th 2014, Princess Charlene had attended a tennis tournament organised by Natalia Vodianova in Monaco as part of the Love Ball which raises money for the Naked Heart Foundation. During the week, Hola magazine published an exclusive interview with the princess in which she spoke of her life in Monaco and her hopes for the future as well as showing, for the first time, a tiara called 'The Ocean Tiara' which was made especially for her as a gift from her husband.
Princess Charlene of Monaco on the cover of Hola magazine
The royal families of Norway and Belgium had quiet weeks, enjoying the holidays over the Easter period.
No comments:
Post a Comment