07 « July « 2009 « Royalty in the News

Felipe & Letizia Honor Military Graduates

Yaphong News Agency

Monday and Tuesday saw the Prince and Princess of Asturias attend two separate military graduation ceremonies – one for the Air Force (Monday), the other for the Navy (Tuesday). The events might have brought back some memories for Crown Prince Felipe, who himself served in those military fields for his training to be King.

On Monday, Felipe and Letizia went to San Javier to the Air General Academy. The two, along with several officers of the Air Force, watched the 150 graduates parade in front of them.

Then the Crown Prince promoted each of the now military pilots, including 35 women. Later on, a couple of students laid a wreath at a memorial for the fallen pilots.

It was a rather hot day Monday. Some of the students and other attendants got dizzy, and the Princess of Asturias used a fan from time to time.

: Terra Noticias

Over two hours later, the ceremony ended with each of the officers approaching Felipe and saying the same words he once said a new pilot, “Break ranks!”

Afterward, there was a reception at the Spanish Social Club, where Felipe and Letizia drank wine and mingled with the graduates and their families.

The next day, the Crown Prince and Princess went to the square of Weapon of the Subofficials’ School of the Navy in Cadiz, for the delivery of Royal Offices to the Promotion LXXI.

Once again, Felipe personally awarded each of the new graduates after watching them parade in front of him and his wife. There was a laying of a wreath for those who fell during combat.

Belgian King & Queen Visit Romania

Tuesday, the King and Queen of Belgium arrived in Romania for the start of their three day state visit there. King Albert II and Queen Paola were greeted by President Traian Basescu and First Lady Maria Basescu.

: Reuters

There was a welcoming ceremony in Bucharest, in which the King and Basescu stood on a platform, watching a military guard. Their wives stood off to the side of the platform.

Later, the two heads of state went to hold talks together at Cotroceni Palace. The King then met with the Prime Minister, Emil Boc, plus the heads of two chambers of Parliament.

While that was going on, Queen Paola was taken to the “Village Museum” in Bucharest by First Lady Maria Basescu. The two women saw traditional Romanian arts and culture, with singing and dancing, and painting of ceramics. The performers were dressed in traditional costume.

Tomorrow, King Albert will attend a Belgian-Romanian economic forum, as well as visit some Romanian cultural sites.

Thursday will see the royals go to Sibiu, in central Romania, to witness more of the country’s culture.

Romania has been seeing its fair share of royalty stopping by this year. Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Prince Albert II of Monaco came by separately in April. In May, Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko of Japan made their visit.

Scandinavian Royals Celebrate Lithuania’s Millenium

Reuters

Two Kings and two Queens came together Monday to mark the Millenium of the Name Lithuania. The celebrations, which commemorates the birth of the Baltic country, brought together heads of state and leaders from the former Soviet Union and the Baltic region.

King Harald V of Norway, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, were the royals in attendance for the anniversary. They watched a military parade, the raising of the Lithuanian flag in Daukanto Square, and attended a service at Vilnius Cathedral.

During the afternoon, the monarchs and the other leaders watched a concert at Vingio Park. Afterward, there was a simple gala reception at the Presidential Palace.

It was a thousand years ago that a nun wrote “Litua,” on her hand. With that, as Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus said in a speech, a nation was born. “The emergence of the name of Lithuania witnesses the historical beginnings of a political community and national self-awareness.”

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