Lilleprinsesse's Christening - Online Viewing

Lilleprinsesse will be christened tomorrow at Fredensborg Palace Church. Here are a few Danish and Norwegian website which will be airing live online coverage of the event:

TV2 - Will begin broadcasting at 8:30am Danish time
DR - Scroll down till you see "Se prinsessedåb på nettet" on the right side of the page. Click on either "Se prinsessedåb på dr.dk.tv" or "Se dåben fra udlandet her" to watch the broadcast. Will also begin at 8:30am
NRK

And if none of those work, go to this website and scroll down until you see "Denmark" or "Norway". Click on either of these, and then select dr.dk or nrk.no

Pieter-Christiaan out of Hospital

Royalblog.nl reports that Prince Pieter-Christiaan will be let out of hospital today to go home. P-C has been in hospital for a week with a suspected skin infection.

There are also rumors that the christening of P-C's daughter, Emma van Vollenhoven, with wife Princess Anita was schedueled for last weekend, but has been postponed due to P-C's hospitalisation.

Willem-Alexander at Veteran's Day

Prince Willem-Alexander attended Veteran's Day in The Hague yesterday, as he does each year. ANP Photo Gallery here.

Copyright: RVD/ANP

Haakon at European Graduate Programme Competition

Crown Prince Haakon yesterday attended and spoke at the European Graduate Programme Competition 2007 in Oslo.Copyright: Scanpix

Frederik & Mary at 40th Birthday of Peter Heering and Ulrik Trolle

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary attended the joint 40th birthday party of Peter Heering and Ulrik Trolle over the weekend.

The party had a "blue" theme - the carpet guests arrived on was blue, guests wore blue clothes, etc.

Copyright: Billed Bladet

Máxima in Kenya

Princess Máxima is currently in Kenya to attend meetings on accessible finances in her capacity as a member of the UN Advisory Board in the Financial Sector. Here she is pictured with the Kenyan President, Mwai Kibaki.

Máxima at a press conference with the Kenyan Finance Minister, Amos Kimunya.

Copyright: Reuters/Kenyan Presidental House, RVD

Beatrix visits Edam-Volendam and Beemster

Queen Beatrix was yesterday on a working visit to the Dutch towns of Edam-Volendam and Beemster in Noord Holland.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Copyright: RVD/WFA

Beatrix visits Dutch Soldier

Queen Beatrix visited a Dutch soldier who fought in Afghanistan on June 26th. She also spoke to other injured soldiers, the pastor and psychologists during her visit.

Copyright: RVD/AVDD

Frederik & Mary out for a walk with Christian

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary took 19-month-old Prince Christian out for a walk in the gardens surrounding Fredensborg Palace.

Video from Her og Nu

Frederik doesn't look to happy with the paparazzi!

Mette-Marit at Sørlandet Ship Anniversary

Crown Princess Mette-Marit yesterday attended the 80th anniversary of the Full-Rigged Ship Sørlandet. Mette-Marit is the patron of the ship.

Copyright: Scanpix

Guest List for Sonja's 70th Revealed!

Kongehuset.no has revealed the guest list for Queen Sonja's 70th birthday celebrations beginning July 4th. The guests are as following:

Guests on July 4th:
Norway
-TRH the Crown Prince and Princess
-Princess Märtha Louise and Mr Ari Behn
-Princess Ragnhild, Mrs Lorentzen, and Mr Erling S. Lorentzen
-Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, and Mr Johan Martin Ferner
Denmark
-HM the Queen and HRH the Prince Consort
-HRH the Crown Prince
-HE Countess Ruth of Rosenborg
Sweden
-TM the King and Queen
-HRH the Crown Princess
-HH Princess Desireé, Baroness Silfverschiöld, and Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld
-HH Princess Kristine Bernadotte
The Netherlands
-HM the Queen
-HRH Princess Máxima
Luxembourg
-HSH the Grand Duchess
-HSH the Hereditary Grand Duke
-HSH Prince Felix
Belgium
-TRH the Duke and Duchess of Brabant
Other Royal Guests
-HM Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
-Archduke Christian
-Princess Alexandra and Count Jefferson-Friedrich von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
-Lady Elizabeth Shakerley

Guests on the Royal Cruise:
Norway
-TRH the Crown Prince and Princess
-Princess Märtha Louise and Mr Ari Behn
-Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, and Mr Johan Martin Ferner
Denmark
-HM the Queen and HRH the Prince Consort
Sweden
-TM the King and Queen
-HRH the Crown Princess
The Netherlands
-HM the Queen
-HRH Princess Máxima
Spain
-HM the Queen
-HRH Infanta Elena and HE the Duke of Lugo
Luxembourg
-HSH the Grand Duchess
-HSH the Hereditary Grand Duke
-HSH Prince Felix
Belgium
-TRH the Duke and Duchess of Brabant
Other Royal Guests
-HM Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
-Archduke Christian
-Princess Alexandra and Count Jefferson-Friedrich von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth

The guest list is mainly female guests, so Sonja's 70th is going to be a girl's party!

Happy 2nd Birthday Alexia!

Princess Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentien, the second daugher of Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, celebrates today her 2nd birthday!

Born on June 26th, 2005, at the Boronovo Hospital in The Hague, Alexia became the third in line for the Dutch throne. This picture was taken by her father hours after her birth.Alexia partook in her first family photo session the month after her birth, in the grounds of Villa Eikenhorst - her home - with her parents and sister Catharina-Amalia. Alexia was christened on November 19th, 2005, in Wassenaar by J.A.D. van der Boon. Her godparents were: Prince Friso of the Orange-Nassau, Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Juan Zorreguieta, Jonkvrouwe Alexandra Jankovich de Jeszenice and Jonkheer Frans Ferdinand de Beaufort.So, on the occassion of her second birthday, The Three M's blog would like to wish Her Royal Highness a very happy birthday!

Copyright: RVD/The Prince of Orange & ANP

Dutch Photo Session in the Royal Mews

Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Máxima and their three daughters - Amalia, Alexia (the birthday girl!) and Ariane - have completed a photo session celebrating the 2nd birthday of Princess Alexia in the Royal Mews in The Hague.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Added: Royal Press Picture Gallery here

Copyright: RVD & Yord/AP

Máxima at Taskforce Youth Unemployment Project

Princess Máxima yesterday attended the final day of the Taskforce Youth Unemployment Project in The Hague.


PPE Picture Gallery here

Copyright: RVD/ANP

Pieter-Christiaan admitted to Hospital

According to a report from de Verdieping Trouw, Prince Pieter-Christiaan has been admitted into hospital with a skin infection. No further information is known about P-C's condition or when he will be released.

Märtha Louise at Norwegian Grand Prix Horse Jumping

Princess Märtha Louise attended the Norwegian Grand Prix Horse Jumping Tournament on June 24th in Lier, with two of her friends Didrik Vigsnaes and Marianne Ulrichen.

Copyright: Scanpix/Lise Åserud

Friso & Mabel at AmsterdamDinner

Prince Friso and Princess Mabel attended the AmsterdamDinner, to raise money for aids prevention, on June 23rd in Amsterdam.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Copyright: PPE/Edwin Veloo

Willem-Alexander visits Hr.Ms. Rotterdam

Prince Willem-Alexander was in England on June 21st, visiting Hr.Ms. Rotterdam for the last day of the Flag Officers Sea Training.Copyright: RVD/AVDD

Dutch Royals at the Opening of the Lustrum Symposium

Princess Máxima, in her capacity as Chair of the Curatorium, yesterday opened the Lustrum Symposium of the Prince Claus Chair at Noordeinde Palace. Queen Beatrix, Prince Willem-Alexander and Prince Friso were also in attendance.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Added: Máxima's speech:

Your Majesty, Professor Fresco, Dear Chair holders, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I now open this symposium to celebrate the fifth chair holder of the Prince Claus Chair on Development and Equity, on behalf of its Curatorium. A very special welcome to prof. Louise Fresco, who will deliver the key note lecture, and to our five Chair Holders, professors Mansoob Murshed, Amina Mama, Gaspar Rivera-Salgado, Rema Hammami, and Nasira Jabeen. A very special word of thanks to Her Majesty, for her incredible hospitality. It is amazing to be able to celebrate this in your Palace and with your presence. Thank you!
Five years already, time flies. After the passing away of my father in law, Prince Claus, the idea of this Chair arose. Prince Claus was strongly committed to development and equity in North-South relations. Through his work, his travels and his contacts he gained a deep understanding of the opportunities for equitable development. But also a deep understanding of the obstacles to it. His views, and above all his attitude towards people in the developing world became a source of inspiration to many, and still is.
In commemoration and respect for his work, the Utrecht University and the Institute of Social Studies together shaped this chair. The Chair aims to stimulate research and teaching in development and equity by establishing a rotating professorship. The two participating institutions will alternately appoint an outstanding young academic from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean or the Pacific to the Chair.
The Prince Claus Chair was launched in a special academic ceremony in the Dom Church in Utrecht on March 2003. In this same ceremony and in view of the 50th anniversary of ISS, Utrecht University awarded an honorary doctorate to the then President of the Inter-American Development Bank, dr. Enrique V. Iglesias. His work has always focused on the relation between economy and administration on one side and civil society on the other. A person Prins Claus was very fond of.

From the very beginning, we have been very fortunate with excellent candidates. We started with dr. Mansoob Murshed, an economist from Bangladesh, who works in the field of trade and freedom as well as that of peace and conflict management. We then had the honour of having dr. Amina Mama, from Nigerian/South African background, who was appointed for her contribution to the academic field of African Culture and its relationship to development. In 2004-2005 we had dr. Gaspar Rivera-Salgado with us, a sociologist from Mexico, who had contributed already significantly to academic research on indigenous rights and migration, particularly in Latin America and the United States. Last year dr. Rema Hammami, from Palestinian background, was our Chairholder. She was appointed for her contribution to peace and co-existence in the Palestinian Territories. And this year we have the pleasure to have in our midst dr. Nasira Jabeen, from Pakistan, who is an expert on the possibilities and constraints of good governance as a concept in the developing world.
To all five we say ‘Thank you’, thank you for being such excellent representatives of the Prince Claus Chair in Development and Equity. You have been willing to leave your own country, your university, your family and friends to come to the Netherlands. You have engaged in education and research and you have participated in publications, lectures, seminars, etc. And you have also contributed to outreach activities. To take one example, dr. Rivera-Salgado was involved in a project on Human Rights and Migration, in which pupils from secondary schools studied the theme from different angles, and presented the results to experts and to each other at a concluding seminar in Utrecht.
Ladies and gentlemen, the variety in backgrounds and academic expertise reflects the complexity of development and equity. It also reflects the necessity of contributions from different disciplines to gain a more profound insight into ways and means through which development and equity can be encouraged. The Curatorium hopes that the activities of the Prince Claus Chair contribute to this goal.
Personally, I am delighted to be part of this process. To be able to give a platform to these talented people in Europe means more opportunity for us to learn from them and their ideas. I hope in consequence that our Chairholders will therefore become stronger voices in their regions of origin. As Prins Claus said in one of his 23 statements at the ISS ‘freedom of speech as an essential element in any form of democracy and therefore a prerequisite for true development’. With all my heart, I wish that we continue to support these academics as just one way for us to contribute to development in the strong belief that people develop themselves within their own cultural environment.

Copyright: RVD/ANP

Frederik at Frogman Corps 50th Anniversary

Yesterday, Crown Prince Frederik attended the 50th Anniversary of the Danish Naval Frogman Crops. Frederik was a Frogman in 1995, where he received the nickname "Pingo".

Beatrix at Domus Medica opening

Queen Beatrix was today at the opening of the Domus Medica building, a meeting place for professionals in the care sector, in Utrecht.


PPE Picture Gallery here

Copyright: RVD/WPA

Lilleprinsesse Christening Update

Lilleprinsesse will be christened on July 1st, two Saturdays from now, at the Fredensborg Palace Church. The christening is expected to be smaller than that of her older brother Christian's, which was held in Copenhagen.

Two guests have already been confirmed for the event (apart from the Danish Royal Family of course!), TRH the Crown Prince and Princess of Norway. Haakon and Mette-Marit are good friends of Frederik and Mary's, and both are godparents to Prince Christian.

Added: royalcourt.se has also confirmed that HRH Crown Princess Victoria will be attending the christening. Victoria is another of Christian's godparents.

Photo Session for Alexia's 2nd Birthday

According to RTL Boulevard, there will be a photo session at Villa Eikenhorst on Tuesday June 26th, to celebrate Princess Alexia's 2nd birthday.

Máxima speaks at High Level Inclusion Congress

Princess Máxima spoke yesterday at the High Level Inclusion Congress in London, in her capacity as a UN Advisory Board Member in the Financial Sector.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Added: Royal Press Picture Gallery here

Máxima's speech:

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be able to address this special group of people today. I would like to thank my hosts DFID and the Treasury, for inviting me and allowing me to share some thoughts with you as a member of the UN Advisors groups on Inclusive Financial Sectors.
Ladies and gentlemen, by now, research has convincingly shown that a sound financial sector is an essential part of the development process. Financial development and improving access to finance not only accelerates economic growth, but also reduces poverty and income inequality.
Access to a wide variety of financial services and products, such as loans, savings, insurance products and remittances can be a powerful tool to generate income, build capital and protect people against risk. However, as we all know, world financial systems are still not inclusive today. Well over two billion people do not have access to basic financial services and we are here to change that.
Having said that, I must stress that microfinance is not THE solution to the poverty problem. Nor is a small loan always the best way to help a person without resources. Grants and other types of direct support are sometimes better solutions. This is important to remember in the determination of development policies.
The Advisors to the Year of Microcredit, recommended in 2005 that the UN should appoint a group of experts to see the work they had begun through to completion. As a result, the UN Advisors Group on Inclusive Financial Sectors was established last June. This advisory group is formed by a broad international group of experts from private and public sector, practitioners, NGO’s, donors and academia.
The key role of the Advisors Group is to advise and guide the UN and its member states on building financial sectors that enable wide access to a diverse range of financial services. Our Advisors group aims also to support, not replace existing initiatives. I am therefore inviting all individuals, organisations and governments to work with us and share their concerns, experiences and solutions. In this field, as in many others, combining and coordinating efforts is key to increase effectivity…and that is probably one of our main tasks.
For me, it is reassuring to see that the Advisors Group, with its broad and diverse composition – some of them here present - did not waste a lot of time agreeing on the direction we wanted to go. We developed plain and simple Key Messages for governments, regulators, development partners and the private sector. I’ll quickly take you through these Key Messages displayed on the screen.
For Governments, we feel that their key role is to create a helpful policy environment to allow for the development of a financial system that enables all citizens to buy the financial services they need. Governments should resist the temptation of becoming finance providers themselves. No government scheme has ever reached true sustainability and efficiency, and certainly has not assured greater access. There are however great examples of enabling governments, providing the right environment and removing obstacles. One of those obstacles is interest rates ceilings. We strongly advise governments to invest in a level playing field and consumer education rather than imposing an artificial interest rate. It does not solve the problem, rather destroys the solution.
From Regulators we ask that they establish an enabling environment with the appropriate regulatory framework where a diverse range of institutions can provide financial products and services and where technological innovations can be fostered. Regulators must keep pace with the innovations in the microfinance industry. Sometimes, cutting the red tape is more useful than trying to regulate a moving target like this new financial industry.
For Development Partners, the key message is “do no harm.” Their key role is to provide appropriate interventions without crowding out the local private sector. Donors should find their niche in supporting technological development, or go out to those remote areas where the private sector cannot go. Their participation is to ensure that the financial sector becomes strong, competitive and sustainable. Capacity building is key!
And to the Private Sector participants, we say: if we want to reach scale in a sustainable manner, we have to think outside the box about innovative partnerships and collaborations. Local banks have a major task here and can be supported by multinational companies. I have seen many examples of innovative partnerships around the world. In Brazil, banks are working together with pharmacies and lotteries to expand local presence. In South Africa, banks have partnered with supermarkets to facilitate financial transactions. In the Philippines and Kenya, mobile phones are extensively used for banking, Mexico uses cement distributors, etc. So, a wide variety of private sector participants should be engaged in inclusive financial sectors. Not only direct providers of financial services, but also telecom, technology, rural organizations, retailers, and other companies that support the financial services industries.
Like I said before, it is crucial that regulators closely follow these innovations in the sector. Laws and regulations should allow for original partnerships and unexpected models to grow.
One last thing I want to draw your attention to is the following key message: what is not measured cannot be managed. World Bank research has gathered empirical evidence that suggest financial sector deepening reduces poverty. That is good news, indeed very good news, but we can do more. We really need in-depth financial data to determine the right interventions and substantiate the right policy choices. With reliable and fundamental data we can make a case for businesses to get involved, for governments to stick to the right path and for funders to keep investing in financial sectors.
On behalf of my fellow Advisors to the UN, I ask you, gathered here, to challenge yourself and join us on that extra mile to inclusive finance. We need to make a dent in poverty and help reach the Millennium Development Goals that we all have set together.
Thank you very much.

Copyright: RVD/WPA & Royal Press

Máxima Returns to Work!

Princess Máxima will return to official duties tomorrow, after taking three months maternity leave after the birth of Princess Ariane. The Princess shall address the High Level Inclusion Congress, in her capacity as member of the UN Advisory Board in the financial sector. The congress will take place in London. Photos will be posted as soon as they are available!

Märtha-Louise at Dressage for Riders with Disabilities

Princess Märtha-Louise attended a dressage event for riders with disabilities yesterday in Kristiansand.

Copyright: Kongehuset/Eric Schrøder

Mette-Marit & Haakon at Pavlos of Greece's 40th Birthday Bash

Some time over the weekend, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon attended birthday celebrations of Greek Crown Prince Pavlos, who this month hits the big 4-0. Also in attendance were Spanish Infantas Elena and Cristina with their husbands, Jamie and Iñaki; Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar and designer Valentino. Copyright: Hola! & RBP Press

Added:

Danish Royals at Christening of Josephine Fleming

Various members of the Danish Royal Family were in attendance on Saturday June 16th at the christening of Josephine Margaretha Victoria Fleming, the daughter of Rory David & Caroline Fleming. Those in attendance were Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary, Prince Christian, Prince Joachim with Marie Cavallier, Prince Gustav with Carina Axelsson, Countess Alexandra and Martin Jørgensen. Crown Princess Mary was the baby's godmother.

Copyright: Kaspar Wenstrup

Haakon at 164th anniversary of Edvard Grieg

On the 15th of June, Crown Prince Haakon attended the 164th anniversary of composer Edvard Grieg at Oslo's National Library, where he delivered a speech. Copyright: Bjorn Sigurdson/ANP

Kongehuset.dk adds New French Section

Kongehuset.dk, the website of the Danish Royal Family, has been updated to add a new French section.

Could this be because of a possible future engagement between Prince Joachim and the French-born Marie Cavallier? Or is it just a long overdue tribute to Prince Consort Henrik?

Thank-You from Willem-Alexander & Máxima

What has been dubbed the "Wassenaar Surprise" was revealed yesterday, at 0:01 Dutch time. The surprise? A lovely new photo of little Princess Ariane with her parents, and a thank-you note from Willem-Alexander & Máxima.

Read the thank-you note (in Dutch) here

A translation of the thank-you:
"The continuous stream of wonderful flowers, beautiful drawings, sweet cadeaus, personal letters and well-wishings we might receive from so many since the birth of Ariane was heartwarming. The enormous amount makes it necessary to express, on behalf of Ariane, our gratitude to You in this way, despite the fact we would like to have done it in a more personal manner.After an advanced start with the for us so trusted team from Bronovo Hospital, three weeks later Ariane appeared to have a virus and various bacterias. To our deep concern she needed to be admitted in Leyden Universitary Medical Center. Thanks to adequate action and excellent handling, also for the parents, the tide could be turned quickly and we are very grateful towards the nursing staff and the doctors. After a few days in the hospital we could, intensely happy, enclose Ariane again amidst our family, fully recovered and blossoming as before.This short but so heavy period in the yet still so short life of Ariane caused a new flood of sweet and heartwarming reactions which have been a great support for us. Your sympathy has touched us so deeply and we feel an intense gratitude for that."

Copyright: RVD

Surprise from Wassenaar!

According to royalblog.nl, the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima will give us a surprise from Wassenaar on Wednesday! Could it be a possible photo-session with all three Orange princesses? Stay tuned...

Margrethe & Henrik with their Grandchildren

Denmark's Queen Margrethe II & Prince Consort Henrik today celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary! To mark the occassion, they released pictures of themselves with their four grandchildren: Princes Nikolai, Felix and Christian; and the as-yet-unnamed Lilleprinsesse
Copyright: Kongehuset

Welcome to the Three M's Blog!

Welcome! The Three M's Blog is a focus on three of Europe's "M" Crown Princesses - Mary of Denmark, Máxima of the Netherlands and Mette-Marit of Norway - and their respective royal houses!