A round up of the news from Europe's royal houses for the week ending November 10th 2013...part one...
Norway
King Harald of Norway began his week by laying a wreath in memory of all those who have been killed in service. The ceremony, on Sunday November 3rd 2013, took place at Akershus Fortin Oslo.
King Harald of Norway honours the fallen on Memorial Day on November 3rd 2013
The king and queen left for a state visit to Turkey on November 5th 2013. Their visit, which lasted two days began with King Harald laying a wreath at the Atatürk Mausoleum. The official welcome came from Turkish president, President Abdullah Gül, and his wife before the king met with the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The queen visited Saray Rehabilitation and Care Center and Ankara Sevgi Evleri Nursery School in Istanbul in the afternoon. Later that day, Queen Sonja opened the Munch/Warhol exhibition at the CerModern Museum in Ankara before attending a state dinner with the king in the evening.
King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway at the Munch/ Warhol exhibition in Istanbul which the queen officially opened on November 5th 2013
On November 6th 2013, King Harald and Queen Sonja opened a Turkish-Norwegian business forum on renewable energy before taking a trip to see the Bosphorus and attending a lunch with members of Turkish society. The evening saw them hosting an event featuring Norwegian music and seafood in Istanbul.
Queen Sonja on the second day of the Norwegian monarchs' state visit to Turkey in November 2013
On the last day of their tour, the king opened a Turkish - Norwegian business seminar before the royal couple visited Hagia Sophia and the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the Blue Mosque) in Istanbul. They ended their trip with a lunch hosted by Istanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu and his wife.
The king and queen of Norway on their visit to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul on November 7th 2013
On his return to Norway, the king hosted several audiences on November 11th 2013. He held a farewell meeting with the Saudi Arabian ambassador, Khalid Alnafisee, and on the same day he met the Chief of Army staff with Prince Haakon Magnus also in attendance. The Crown Prince had been appointed Regent while his father was overseas and in that capacity he led the Virke Conference on November 6th 2013 in Oslo which discussed finding leaders of the future for Norway. And on November 7th 2013 he was at another conference in Arendal where he led debate about making everyone a full member of society before opening an exhibition about royal vehicles which will run at the Science Farm, near Stavnanger, in the south west of Norway until early 2014.
The Crown Prince Regent of Norway at the Virke Conference in Oslo on November 6th 2013
At the end of the week it was announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit would undergo surgery in Oslo almost immediately to help alleviate problems with a herniated disc that has led to her withdrawing from public life for over a month. The Crown Prince changed his plans, which had included a trip to America, to be with his wife.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has been out of the spotlight for over a month as she is treated for a herniated disc
Spain
King Juan Carlos is also facing surgery as it was confirmed that the second operation needed to successfully treat the hip replacement that became infected will take place on November 21st 2013 at the Quiron Clinic in Madrid. The king held one audience in the week, on November 6th 2013, when he met representatives from the Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal Foundation at the Pardo Palace in Madrid. The foundation, which works to promote the aims of Israeli society with emphasis on vulnerable groups, had been meeting in Madrid.
King Juan Carlos of Spain with representatives of the Keren Hayesod United Israel Appeal Foundation on November 6th 2013 in Madrid
On November 5th 2013, Queen Sofia was at the Madrid offices of newspaper, ABC, where she presented several awards including a lifetime achievement prize to Antonio Burgos Belinchón. On November 7th 2013, the queen received a prize herself on behalf of the foundation which bears her name. The Queen Sofia Foundation was awarded the 'Espiga de Oro 2013' by the Federation of Food Banks in Spain for its work in helping those who are in need of extra support and need to get in touch with food banks. The queen also gave out several awards on behalf of the organization at the event in Madrid.
Queen Sofia is presented with the 'Espiga de Oro 2013' for her foundation's work to help food banks in Spain on November 7th 2013 in Madrid
The Prince and Princess of Asturias also met journalists this week when they attended the 15th anniversary celebrations for newspaper, La Razon, at its offices in Madrid. But all eyes were on the meeting between Princess Letizia and TV personality, Belen Esteban, with the princess approaching the television star at the event.
TV personality, Belen Esteban, and Princess Letizia at the anniversary celebration for La Razon in Madrid on November 4th 2013
On November 6th 2013, the prince and princess presented the 30th Francisco Cerecedo prize for journalism to Xavier Vidal-Folch at a ceremony at the Ritz Hotel in Madrid.
The prince and princess of Asturias at the Ritz Hotel in Madrid on November 6th 2013
On November 7th 2013, the prince held several military audiences at the Pardo Palace in Madrid where he met a group of brigadier generals and admirals before holding a reception for the National Association of Disabled Military and Civil Guards on the same day. And also on November 7th, he held an audience for members of the Air Academy.
Prince Felipe with members of the Disabled Military and Civil Guards Association of Spain at their audience on November 7th 2013
On November 5th 2013, the Princess of Asturias opened the first International Conference on countering new forms of violence which took place in Madrid. The princess spoke about the importance of education in eradicating all forms of violence. And on November 7th 2013, Princess Letizia presented membership of the Royal Academy of Spain to the novelist and essayist, Carme Riera.
Princess Letizia and Carme Riera at the Royal Academy of Spain on November 7th 2013
The Infanta Elena attended the annual event for a scheme set up to send toys to poorer countries on November 7th 2013 in Madrid. She became patron of he scheme in 2005.
The Infanta Elena at the annual 'One Toy, One Dream' event in Madrid on November 7th 2013
Belgium
King Philippe began his week with a lunch for the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso at the Laeken Palace on November 4th 2013. He held his weekly audience with the Belgian Prime Minister, Elio di Rupo, on the same day at the Royal Palace in Brussels. On November 7th 2013, the king held an audience with Park Geun-Hye, the president of South Korea who was visiting Belgium. He hosted a dinner for the president afterwards.
King Philippe of the Belgians with the President of South Korea, Park Geun-Hye, at the Palace at Laeken on November 7th 2013
On November 6th, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde had made their Joyeuese Entrée into Brussels - their full tour had ended in October 2013. It followed the same format as their other visits and included a meeting with local authorities, a working lunch and a walkabout.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians on their Joyeuese Entrée to Brussels on November 6th 2013
On November 8th, the king and queen paid a short visit to the Netherlands where they met the new monarchs of that country, Willem-Alexander and Maxima, with whom they have enjoyed a close friendship for many years.
The new kings of the Netherlands and the Belgians with their consorts on November 8th 2013
Queen Mathilde visited a programme to help disabled people into the workplace in Liege on November 6th 2013, Le Perron has been running for 50 years and gives assistance to around 80 people every year. On the same day, the king and his sister, Princess Astrid, were at a reception in Brussels for the trade mission to India which will begin on November 23rd 2013. And Prince Laurent and Princess Claire represented the king and queen at the premiere of 'Marina', the new film from Stijn Coninx which was given its first showing in Limbourg on November 4th 2013.
Sweden
King Carl XVI Gustaf began his week with several political meetings and audiences. On November 5th 2013, he held a meeting with the Minister for Financial Markets, Peter Norman, at the Royal Palace in Sweden where they discussed several issues including the housing market. On November 6th, the king and the Crown Princess held a cabinet briefing at the Royal Palace - these take place around four times every year and ministers brief Carl XVI Gustaf about important issues and current legislation.
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his heiress, Crown Princess Victoria, at the cabinet briefing held at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on November 6th 2013
On the same day, the king and the princess attended an advisory council on foreign affairs, again at the Royal Palace. The following day, King Carl XVI Gustaf held a meeting of the organization set up to look after his 50th Birthday Fund for Science, Technology and the Environment, again at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. On the same day, he received the Prime Minister of Turkey at the palace as part of a two day visit to Sweden by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
King Carl XVI Gustaf at his audience with the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on November 7th 2013
On November 8th, the king received the credentials of four new ambassadors to Sweden - Francine Chainaye from Begium, Azerbaijan's Adish Sakit oglu Mammadov, Tran van Hinh of Vietnam and Khalid S. Baomar from Oman.
Francine Chainaye, the new Belgian ambassador to Sweden, arrives at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on November 8th 2013 to present her letters of credentials to King Carl XVI Gustaf
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel paid a two day visit to England which included a private meeting with Elizabeth II on the day of their arrival, November 7th 2013. Earlier that day, the couple had paid a visit to Hackney College in London to learn about apprenticeship programmes before seeing the Tech City in London and going to Google's Campus London. They also visited Level39 which helps find investment for tech companies. The day included a meeting with the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden during her visit to Hackney, London on November 7th 2013
The royal couple were back at Level39 on November 8th 2013 before meeting the mayor of the City of London, Roger Gifford. The day ended in Cambridge where the couple toured Seven Acres, a new residential area created by Skanska. They went on to the University of Cambridge where they learned about the Cambridge Conservation Initiative which aims to protect and promote biodiversity around the city.
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel during their visit to Cambridge on November 8th 2013
Earlier in the week, Prince Daniel had attended the Anders Wall lecture on entrepreneurship at Uppsala University. The event, on November 6th 2013, ended with the prince presenting the Anders Wall scholarship to the student of the year, Kajsa Asplund.
Prince Daniel presents the Anders Wall scholarship to Kajsa Asplund at Uppsala University on November 6th 2013
King Carl XVI Gustaf appointed two court singers - Elin Rombo and Michael Weinus - and a court trumpeter, Lieutenant Colonel Olle Hermanse in a tradition that goes back to 1773. And the royal household also released new photos of Princess Estelle, taken at the end of October.
The princess and the pumpkin - new photos of Estelle of Sweden taken at the Haga Palace in October 2013 were released this week
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