Madicken

Norwegian news
http://www.aftenposten.no

The Norwegian palace on Monday released the list of godparents for the christening of Princess Ingrid Alexandra on April 17.

six godparents,
Grandfather King Harald
Spain's Crown Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias,
Princess Ingrid Alexandra's aunt Princess Martha Louise,
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik
Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria
the princess' maternal grandmother, Marit Tjessem


Ingrid Alexandras Monogram


made by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

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Mary Donaldson, future Crown Princess of Denmark

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Queen Silvia of Sweden will be interviewed next week on ABC's "Good Morning, America"
she will talk about the World Childhood Foundation

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16/4/2004
Danish royal family appeared at the balcony of the residential palais of Amalienborg to mark Queen Margrethe's birthday.













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Letizia Ortiz - spanish crown prince wedding news..
http://www.hellomagazine.com

16 APRIL 2004
As her May 22 wedding day approaches, former newsreader Letizia Ortiz has been kept busy with preparations for her marriage to Spain's Crown Prince Felipe.

On Thursday, she and her intended, accompanied by their respective mothers, Paloma Roscasolano and Queen Sofia, stopped by Madrid's Almudena cathedral to check on preparations for next month's ceremony. While there they inspected five recently arrived bells, due to ring out after the ceremony.

Coincidently, as the Spanish couple toured the venue for their nuptials, their northern counterparts, Crown Prince Frederik and his Tasmanian-born fiancee Mary Donaldson, were performing the same task in Copenhagen. The Danish couple will tie the knot on May 14.

Later on the same day, Letizia had another very important appointment to keep. Accompanied once more by Queen Sofia and her own mother – but in keeping with tradition, not her husband-to-be – the 31-year-old future bride visited the Barcelona workshop of renowned Spanish couturier Manuel Pertegaz for a fitting of her wedding gown.

Despite immense speculation over its design, details of the dress are a closely guarded secret, with the 87-year-old maestro revealing only that it will be either white or ivory in colour, feature a modest neckline and have long sleeves.

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Oslo, Gardemoen airport, Norway - Crown Prince Haakon went to the airport to welcome Swedish Crown Princess Victoria upon her arrival to the Norwegian capital.

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christening of Princess Ingrid Alexandra on April 17.
the first pictures



Princess Ingrid Alexandra


Princess Ingrid Alexandra, future Queen of Norway, with her mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit and her big brother Marius


the whole family


Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden



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Maud Angelica, the princess cousin





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Joy and wails mark royal christening

Little Princess Ingrid Alexandra was baptized in the chapel inside Norway's Royal Palace on Saturday, wearing the same christening gown that her late great-grandfather, King Olav V, wore in 1903. The three-month-old royal heir didn't seem entirely happy with all the attention.

She entered the chapel calmly, carried by her mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit before around 300 invited guests. But as soon as she was handed over to her father, Crown Prince Haakon, when Mette-Marit stood up to speak, the wailing began.

It continued through most of Oslo Bishop Gunnar Stålsett's sermon, who nonetheless declared it was a day of joy "that awakens warm feelings."

The chapel, recently refurbished to the tune of NOK 4 million, was decorated with the baby princess' own small pink rose, along with pussy willows and other spring flowers. Guests arrived through a floral arch set up outside the palace's main entrance that resembled her mother's wedding bouquet.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra wore the same christening gown that her father's grandfather, King Olav V, wore at his own christening on August 11, 1903. The baby princess, who as Crown Prince Haakon's first-born child stands to take over as reigning queen one day, was named in part after the late king.

He was born in England as a Danish prince, Alexander Edward Christian Frederik, the son of Denmark's Prince Carl and England's Princess Maud. All three of them later formed Norway's royal family when the newly sovereign country voted to establish a monarchy after centuries of Danish and Swedish rule.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra was the first to use King Olav's christening gown, which is made of nearly transparent cotton with lace and narrow silk ribbons. Its cap, however, was new and designed after the style of the time.

The baby princess was carried to the baptismal font by her grandfather King Harald, and she cried all through it. Also present as godmothers were her aunt Princess Martha Louise, her maternal grandmother Marit Tjessem and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Her half-brother Marius, the crown princess' son from an earlier relationship, was also on hand, carrying a candle that the bishop eventually lit and called "Princess Ingrid Alexandra's light."

More than 200 of the christening guests, who included Norway's government ministers and a host of other dignitaries as well as family and friends, were invited to a luncheon at the palace immediately following the ceremony.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english




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the king, the crown prince and the princess...

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http://www.aftenposten.no/english

Respect, privacy urged for royal heir

Oslo Bishop Gunnar Stålsett used his christening sermon for Princess Ingrid Alexandra Saturday to urge respect and the need for a private life for Norway's next royal heir. King Harald and the president of Norway's parliament also supported the baby's parents' earlier calls for the press and public to show consideration.

Stålsett, who also married Crown Prince Haakon and the then-Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, said their new daughter "must be allowed" to experience a childhood and youth "which explores and celebrates the transition to adult life" as others do.

"Only with being able to be who she is, can she one day experience that it's a gift to take on the duties that await," Stålsett said.

The popularity of Norway's monarchy has been under pressure in recent years, following huge budget overruns during refurbishment of the palace and the introduction of controversial new spouses including Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who was a single mother, and Ari Behn, who married Princess Martha Louise. Both were criticized for wild partying and links to drug use, and the media found itself faced with a different sort of royal goings-on to report.

Crown Prince Haakon recently sought an agreement from the press corps on how they would cover his family in the years to come. The Norwegian press, which has grown more critical in its coverage of the royal family in recent years, has generally rejected the appeal.

The bishop thus made an appeal of his own on Saturday, noting that it will ultimately be up to Princess Ingrid Alexandra if she wants to reign as Norway's queen. Assuming the monarchy survives another generation, that is.

"What can we pray for, for an heir to the throne?" Stålsett asked. "A mother's and father's affection. The peoples' affection. God's affection."

King makes appeal, too
King Harald, in welcoming guests to a luncheon following the christening, also signalled his desire that Princess Ingrid Alexandra be allowed to grow up as normally as possible, even though she "landed in a special family." He said it's wrong to assume her life is already mapped out for her, adding that she'll need to "find her place."

He said he and Queen Sonja view the gifts and greetings that have arrived as a sign that many Norwegians support her and thus the monarchy. He said he hopes the public will be a source of strength for the young princess in the years to come, not a hindrance, while repeatedly noting that her birth is historic in that she's Norway's first female heir to the throne.

Jørgen Kosmo, president of the Parliament, made his own appeal as well at the christening lunch. He noted there's little to suggest that the "media world," with its focus on personalities, will "improve" in the future, adding that will create challenges for Ingrid Alexandra.

Kosmo said there's no way of predicting the future of the monarchy. The only certainty, he said, are those challenges ahead.

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Maud Angelica with her father Ari he his married to´Princess Martha Louise


Princess Martha Louise of Norway

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The Australian Ambassador had invited both CP Frederik and Mary to a reception for Australians who are now living in Denmark.

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Copenhagen, Denmark - HRH Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson visiting the residence of the Australian embassador in Denmark

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21 APRIL 2004

Royal football fan Prince Rainier was surrounded by his family on Monday as he watched Monaco FC continue their winning streak, defeating Chelsea at the principality's Louis II stadium.

Princess Stephanie was the only no-show at the Champions League semi-final match, where the 80-year-old Monegasque monarch joined his other two children, Prince Albert and Princess Caroline, to enjoy the proceedings.

Also on hand was Princess Caroline's husband, Prince Ernst of Hanover, who, along with the rest of the clan, donned a red and white Monaco team scarf to show his support for the home team.

It is the second time in two weeks that Prince Rainier, who has been suffering from poor health, has taken his spot in the royal box to root for his squad. Fears for the prince's wellbeing mounted late last year, after he was admitted to a clinic for general fatigue, and soon after spent five days in hospital suffering from flu symptoms.


Princess Caroline