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Thursday saw Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge have two events to take care of. First, she promoted field hockey then she appeared with her father and stepmother-in-law at a London art gallery. Both engagements were right up her alley as she enjoys both sports and the arts.
 Click here for more of the Duchess playing field hockey Dressed casually, Catherine arrived at London’s Olympic Park to promote the British field hockey team. She along with husband Prince William and brother-in-law Prince Harry are ambassadors for this year’s Summer Olympics and Paralympics. The Duchess was once captain of Marlborough College’s field hockey team, the school she attended.
“I was really looking forward to coming here but now I am here and have discovered I have to play I am not feeling so confident,” she told reporters.
“The last time I played was 2005, maybe. It feels like I haven’t held a stick for ten years. I haven’t played since I stopped so I am really nervous now.”
Luckily, Her Royal Highness scored a goal on her first try and received applause from a crowd of on-lookers.
Earlier, she met physiotherapists and coaches and chatted about training methods, showing her great knowledge of them.
Both the British male and female field hockey teams are ranked fourth in the world, so they are hoping to medal this summer when London hosts the Olympics.
Catherine told the female players: “I really hope to be here, I would love to see you play in the games. Now I have seen the set up and got to see behind the scenes it would be really exciting to come back and see everyone in action. Good luck with everything.”
 Click here for more pics of the royal trio Later in the day, the Duchess joined Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall at Dulwich Picture Gallery to see how children are benefiting from Charles’ Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts.
When the trio arrived, crowds of children chanted, “Kate, Kate, Kate” – which shows the Duchess’ popularity.
Catherine and her father in law joined in with the children in making montages of their faces for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. It was done by use of irons, which Catherine said using one was like “being at home”.
Prince Charles meanwhile struggled with his iron, which his daughter-in-law uprighted after spotting he had left it face down on the table.
Sources: Telegraph, Sky News, BBC News
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit was in Frankfurt, Germany Wednesday to open an exhibition of Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. The exhibit, called “The Modern Eye”, is at Schirn Kunsthalle, and will run from February 9 to May 13.
 Click here to see more at Daylife.com Her Royal Highness toured the exhibit and gave a speech praising Munch, who is probably best known for the haunting painting, “The Scream”.
“We are celebrating a painter who put the individual the center stage,” said the Crown Princess. “Who showed us what it means to be human in all our complexity. A painter who has inspired artists all over the world with his timeless work.
“This 120 years long journey is worth bearing in mind when we look at, and judge, contemporary art.”
Mette-Marit also quoted Munch, by saying: “I do not believe in art that does not force its way to the surface through man’s need two open historical heart. All art, literature and music must be created from the artist’s life blood. Art is our life blood.”
After being shown at Schirn Kunsthalle, this exhibit will move to the Tate Modern in London.
Sources: Kongehuset, Getty Images
While her husband is away in the Falklands, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, made her first public solo engagement by touring the Lucian Freud preview at the National Portrait Gallery. Her Royal Highness, who has a degree in History of Art, became patron of the gallery last month.
 Check out more photos of Catherine's solo engagement here! Catherine saw the artwork set to be put on display and met with the art world’s famed including Freud’s daughters Bella and Esther and the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
She also met Sue Tilly, who posed naked for four Freud portraits. When asked how she would feel having the Duchess see paintings of her in the nude, Tilly, age 54, laughed it off.
“I’m not embarrassed about her seeing me naked – I’m a human being,” she said before the event. “It’s art, you know. Poor woman, I’m sure she’s seen things before.”
The Duchess got rave reviews for her first solo engagement by the gallery’s director.
“The Duchess was extremely attentive and I think really interested in not just the chance to see the full range of Lucian Freud’s work but very interested to see the differences in technique,” said Sandy Nairne.
Catherine’s visit to the National Portrait Gallery comes as St. James Palace confirms that she will sit for her own official portrait soon.
A Palace spokesman said: “The Duchess is happy to do it some time in the future. There haven’t been any decisions about who the artist will be, this is being discussed.”
Sources: Telegraph, Sky News
It was announced shortly after midnight in the United Kingdom that Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, is now the patron of four charities. The organizations range from the arts to addiction.
 Click here to see more pics of the Duchess The first charity Her Royal Highness will be involved in is The Art Room, which gives art lessons to children with emotional and social problems, such as low self esteem and autism. Catherine has a degree in History of Art, so this choice seems natural for her.
Founder and director Juli Beattie said, “We’re absolutely delighted, we’re overwhelmed and thrilled. This is just fantastic, it will raise the profile of the charity and get people to see the work we are doing.”
Another natural choice for her patronage is the National Portrait Gallery in London.
In addition, the Duchess will be involved in Action in Addiction, which Nick Barton said, “It’s not an easy subject for some people but I think this sort of patronage will change that.”
Also to be a place close to her heart is the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. In November, she visited the latter in a low profile manner in order to see if the being patron of the Hospice – known as EACH – was up her alley.
A couple, named Grant and Charlotte Clemence, were supported by EACH when their newborn daughter died of a rare heart condition last May. Mrs. Clemence had this to say about Catherine: “The Duchess showed genuine interest to all the families and staff she met and it really will be a great boost for EACH.”
Finally, she will be a scout volunteer in Anglesey, where she lives with Prince William, who works as a search and rescue pilot. Having been a Girl Scout as a child, Catherine will help out with the local chapter. This is because she and William want to give back to the tiny Welsh island they call home.
“The Duchess has an incredibly busy life, which makes it all the more inspiring that she has chosen to volunteer alongside us,” said UK chief scout Bear Grylls. “I think what’s lovely is that she’s going to feel exactly the way young scouts feel when they first join: a little bit nervous, but that’s what scouting’s all about. You’re part of a big family.”
The Duchess took her time to carefully choose her patronages and reportedly wanted to compliment her husband’s patronages.
Sources: BBC, ITN
In the presence of his family, the Netherlands’ Prince Constantijn gave out the annual Prince Claus Award, which is named after his late father. The Award is given to 11 cultural pioneers in developing countries, more specifically those who inspire change and make a difference.
 Click here to learn more During the ceremony, Constantijn, the youngest son of Queen Beatrix, spoke about his father and how his upbringing influenced him.
“After he had lived under two dictatorships in Germany and the Dominican Republic, he was convinced that people feel obliged to show civil courage,” said the Prince at the presentation at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.
“[P]eople really can make a difference by showing civil courage. This was a kind of mantra for my father.”
“In remembering him, we celebrate today: the courage to speak up, to perform, and express. The Prince Claus Awards provide a stage to acknowledge the exceptional work of organisations and people who make a real difference. They contribute to culture, and through culture. In doing so, they offer – in their own small or grand manner – new pathways for hope and development,” concluded Constantijn.
This year, the main winner of the Prince Claus award was Ntone Edjabe. Born in Cameroon, studied in Nigeria and now lives in South Africa, he is the founder of Chimurenga (Struggle for Freedom) magazine. It is a culture, art and politics publication seen all over Africa. The magazine also focuses on breaking African taboos. Edjabe took home a prize money worth €100,000.
Ten others from countries such as Zimbabwe, Tibet/China, and Kazakhstan have received a prize of €25,000 for their commitment to culture and development.
Sources: De Telegraaf, Prince Claus Fund
Their Majesties, King Jigme Khesar Namgel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema, spent Tuesday in Bhutan’s Dochula pass to observe the first ever Dochula Druk Wangyel festival. The event is meant to honor Bhutan’s fourth King, Jigme Singye, and the Royal Bhutan Army for protecting the Himalayan country.
 Click here for photos at the Queen Jetsun Facebook fan page Standing in the freezing cold, the King and Queen, along with Jigme Singye who stepped down in 2008 for his son, watched as mostly Bhutanese soldiers performed traditional dances steeped in mythology and history.
The festival lasted between four to six hours in a mountain range 3000m above sea level. About 2,000 Bhutanese also gathered to watch the performances.
Wearing masks and colorful clothing, the performers danced and played music. Sometimes the men and the women danced together, which is unusual.
Also at the festival were songs performed in honor of former King Jigme Singye.
The Dochula Druk Wangyel festival will for now on take place twice a year starting in 2012.
To learn more about Dochula Druk Wangyel, go here. To see specatular photos of the dances, click here.
Sources: Kuensel Online, Gelay’s View
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg was on hand to give out the fourth annual Edward Steichen award Thursday. The ceremony took place at the Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, or MUDAM as it is known.
 Click here for original photo This year’s recipient of the award went to 32 year old Polish born artist Maria Loboda, who divides her time between London and Berlin.
Another winner took home a new addition of the Edward Steichen award, called the Resident Edward Steichen, Luxembourg, New York City. It went to Claudia Passeri, who spends her time in Luxembourg and Perugia.
The Edward Steichen award has been given out every two years since 2005 to emerging talent between the ages of 25-35 in the field of contemporary art. The winner is invited to spend six months at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York City.
As for the new award, that is given to someone younger than 35 years old, who also gets to spend time at the International Studio and Curatorial Program, but only for three months instead.
Sources: Wort, Le Quotidien
The Queen of Norway debuts her artistic works at the Jacob Hansen House in Helsingborg Thursday. Attending the event was King Harald V, Crown Prince Haakon and Sweden’s Queen Silvia.
 Click here for more photos at Dagbladet.no The exhibit, “Under Great Pressure” features eight of Queen Sonja’s graphic designs. She teamed up with Kjell Nupen and Ørnulf Opdahl for this project, and created the eight designs based on the duo’s photographs of Svalbard. The Queen is among eighty artists who contributed to this project.
Her Majesty has long had an artsy side, even having a photography exhibit in 2009.
“I am proud,” said King Harald after studying his wife’s art.
Even son Crown Prince Haakon was impressed. “It is very fine work,” he said.
The purpose of this exhibition is to mark the 40th anniversary of the renowned graphic studio Ateljé Larsen. Sonja’s cooperation with Kjell Nupen and Ørnulf Opdahl is to set up an art scholarship in her name. That scholarship will be first distributed in the summer of next year.
Source: Dagbladet, Adressa
On Thursday evening, five Scandinavian royals – and Finland’s President – opened the art exhibition, Luminous Modernism:
Scandinavian Art Comes to America 1912, at the Scandinavian House in New York.
 Click here for image gallery at Daylife.com Norway’s King Harald V and Queen Sonja, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen of Silvia, and Crown Princess Mary were present for the inauguration. All are in New York for tomorrow’s centennial ball for the Scandinavian-American Foundation.
It was Queen Sonja who did the actual ribbon cutting.
The exhibition showcases 48 works by Nordic artists who did modernism style, such as Edvard Munch, Vilhelm Hammershøi,and Anders Zorn. It is a sort of remake of the 1912 exhibit that displayed the modernism painting style. The exhibit will be open to the public on October 25th and will run until February 11, 2012.
“During the 100 years of its existence,” said Edward P. Gallagher, President of The American-Scandinavian Foundation. “The ASF has played a leadership role in promoting American awareness of Nordic culture. In looking back at the 1912 exhibition of Scandinavian modernists, we pay tribute to our founders’ vision and to a pivotal event in the study and appreciation of Nordic art in this country.”
Source: Scandinavia House
Earlier this week, Monaco’s Princess Caroline distributed the Prince Pierre Award in the literature category. The literature award is one part of the annual awards. The Prince Pierre awards include contemporary art and musical composition. Those are given out during other times in the year.
 View the original photo at the Prince's Palace website The winner for 2011 literature award went to writer and journalist Pierre Assouline, who has written numerous biographies and runs a popular blog about literature.
Princess Caroline gave Assouline the award on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, was invited to Monaco’s Palace to meet with Prince Albert II and Caroline. Also in attendance were the members of the Prince Pierre Foundation.
Though the literature award was set up in 1951, the Prince Pierre Foundation was established in 1966 by Prince Rainier III. The late sovereign of Monaco did so in honor of his father who was patron of literature and the arts.
Source: Fondation de Prince Pierre
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