Thursday, April 14, 2011

Royal event

Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary, Christian, Isabella, and the babies-to-be-named
I am practicing my Danish as I watch the festivities leading up to den kongelige dåb (the royal christening).

The queen's firstborn son married a woman from Tasmania and they have a son and daughter.  Tradition says that the male first-in-line to the throne shall be named alternatively Frederik or Christian.  The queen's son is Frederik and therefore his son is named Christian.  There is not a tradition for the children who follow, but it was still a surprise when Christian's sister was named Isabella, which is not a traditional Danish name or even a royal name.  Frederik's wife gave birth to a boy and girl in January and today is the naming!   Will it be a royal name?  A traditionally Australian name?  Top predictions are for Ingrid and Valdemar.

Queen Margrethe II

A few thoughts
   +the guests look so normal - fancy clothing, but nothing like the Oscars
   +I wonder if any of the service will be in English to allow the Australian guests to understand it (assuming they don't understand Danish)
   +even though the event is not local, bakeries in Roskilde are selling dåbskage (christening cakes)
   +after the service the guests will be taken on a cruise to the palace where the reception is being held
The newly named Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine with their parents and siblings.

2 comments:

  1. I forgot to mention that today the regular city buses have small Danish flags on the front corners.

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  2. Ooh - I love the queen's hat!

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