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Prince William was out and about Monday, performing two engagements in two English cities.
 - AP
The first was a visit to London’s Whitechapel Gallery, where the prince opened a new center. The other was to the Kingshurst Sporting FC in Birmingham, where as president of the Football Association, William met with young football players.
At Whitechapel, Prince William took the time to make a few jokes in his opening speech.
“Before I start, I would like to admit something
“I am actually…Banksy. I thought that this would be a good forum to bring it out.
“Any autographs I will do later.”
Prince William was referring to a mysterious graffiti artist in London who has been wowing people with his or her art, but has not left any sort of identity.
After his speech, and opening the new contemporary art center at Whitechapel, William went on to an art class at the gallery where young children were working on their artwork. The Prince chatted with the youngsters and took the time to show his own art skills as well.
 - AP
Later in the day, William traveled north to Birmingham. It was there he met with more young people, this time 100 schoolchildren who play football.
Upon greeting 11 year old Lorna Bradnock, the Prince offered a high-five instead of the traditional handshake. Bradnock happily accepted.
Along with Prince William, Aston Villa star Ashley Young was there to meet the kids. The point of the twosome’s visit was to highlight improving coaching techniques.
When asked whether he or William had been more star struck as they toured pitches at the site, Young replied: “I think it was me – it’s not every day you get to meet a prince.
“It was an honor to meet him – he’s such a down-to-earth guy and the nerves soon went after the first conversation that we had.”
One of the children’s grandfather, named Tony White, also had praises for the man who will one day be king.
“The kids will remember something like this forever. It’s important that people like him get involved – it really makes a big impression on the kids.”
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was in the southwestern part of Sweden Wednesday, to inaugurate a new breeding facility for Norden’s Ark.
 - ANP
Nordern’s is foundation focused on saving wildlife and endangered species through breeding and reproduction programs, as well as research and studies.
This time, the Ark was getting ready to work on birds, and Victoria was there to help them get started.
In a brief speech, the Crown Princess talked about the important work Nodern’s Ark does and how it is necessary to save the world’s animals. Because, “when they are gone they are gone forever,” said Victoria.
One threatened species of birds is the mountain goose. Norden’s will have fifteen to breed from.
“Thanks to the new breeding facility, we believe that Nordens Ark will make a sustained and valuable contribution, so that we can see the mountain geese fly freely in the north of Sweden, “says Lena M Lindén, CEO of Nordens Ark.
Crown Princess Mary was all smiles Monday. And why not? Her sister in law Princess Marie had delivered a healthy baby boy, and a playmate for her own two children. 
But even so, Mary still had to do her royal duties, and there were two of them.
The first one took place at Gavno castle, where thousands of fuschia colored tulips were named by the Crown Princess herself.
And what did she name them? After herself, of course!
Mary participated in the baptismal service of the new flower, and allowed photographers to snap away at her looking at her selfnamed tulip.
Later on, Mary went the State Museum of Art for meeting “The Art of Saving a Mother,” held by the Foreign Ministry and the People of the UN.
The event was about how thousands of women in the third world die everyday in child birth.
How ironic to attend such a seminar on day such as this!
Anyway, Mary was greeted with congratulations for her new nephew. She told those in attendance that it was Prince Joachim who told her and husband Frederik of the little prince’s arrival.
As patron of the Danish Cancer Association/Society, it is up to Crown Princess Mary to promote to Danes a healthy lifestyle to prevent any form of cancer. 
Tuesday saw her at the Technological Institure in Tastrup where the Association promoted skin cancer awareness as summer approaches.
The campaign “Turn Down the Sun Between 12 & 15″, is the third time the Crown Princess got involved in such a campaign. It urges Danes to protect themselves from the sun with, among other things, clothes.
The campaign’s kickoff included a fashion show that had attire which have UV rays protection, such as bikinis and sleeveless dresses.
“If the Danes want to stay long hours outside in the sun, where it may be difficult with sunscreen or shade, arises the need for clothes that have a guaranteed UV protective effect. We see it already with the UV suits, as many children get on if they are on the beach, “says Anja Philip, who heads the Cancer Society.
Friday saw Prince William have not one but two engagements! 
The first was for the completion of the 750,000 machine made by JCB. The Prince went to the company’s headquarters in Staffordshire, and was greeted by hundreds of cheering schoolchildren waving the Union Jack.
William then went inside and had a look around the plant. He had a chance to sit on the milestone machine and joked, “I won’t drive it away. This is my own personal one.”
The Prince also discussed the recession with the company leaders. He expressed sympathy for the employees, some of whom now have to work a four day schedule.
Later in the day, Prince William had a chance to remember two friends who were killed in the line of duty at the National Memorial Arboretum, also in Staffordshire.
Second Lieutenant Jo Dyer and Major Lex Roberts were both killed in action in 2007. William and Dyer were cadets at Sandhurst together, while Roberts was the Prince’s platoon commander.
William gave a short speech in support of the appeal aimed at raising a further Pounds eight million for the memorial.
Saturday saw Denmark’s Crown Princess Mary at not one but two events in separate parts of the country. 
The first engagement was at Legoland in Jutland. The second was at Aarhus where she opened an exhibition regarding 100 years of evening wear.
First to Legoland, where the Crown Princess met with children dressed in pirate costumes. The “pirates” unveiled a treasure chest filled with donations for the Christmas Seal House, a foundation Mary is a patron of. The money will go to fight childhood obesity in Denmark.
Mary even got a chance to have fun on the rides in Legoland.
Later on, the Princess traveled about two hours north to Aarhus, for the exhibition “Evening Wear 1909 – 2009.” No stranger to eveningwear herself, Mary was an obvious choice to cut the ribbon to the exhibit.
During the opening, she gave a speech about clothing through the years.
“Tuxedo is different. It depends on the event, and the identity of the person wearing it, and often also by the weather. The Tuxedo is the formal and the informal. The stylish and colored. There are large and small. And there’s Tuxedo for men and women.
“Through all times, there is shown no doubt that it is in women’s Tuxedo, we find the greatest creativity and variation. I’ve looked at some sly collection of festive costumes in the pictures and am happy to look at them in reality.”
Afterwards, Crown Princess Mary took a look at more of the eveningwear on display.
The second in line to the British throne congratulated 216 new policemen and women at the Metropolitan Police training college in Hendon, north London. 
Prince William told the new recruits Friday reminded him of his days at Sandhurst. “I have to say it is all a little too fresh in my mind – from being on your side of the fence at Sandhurst – for my knees not to be knocking very slightly every time I look at you.
“I must say though that you have done yourselves, and all your instructors, …. with your immaculate smartness and bearing on parade.”
The Prince wished them the “very best” for their future careers.
The day went well for William – until he inspected a horse. Unfortunately for the Prince, the horse sneezed on him. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson joked that the cash-strapped force would not be able to pay for William’s suit to be cleaned.
Later on, the Prince hosted a dinner that evening on the HMS Victory in Portsmouth.
This inspection comes after recent criticism that the 26 year-old Prince does not do enough royal duties and engagements compared to his father, Prince Charles, when he was 26.
William is currently training in the RAF as a rescue helicopter pilot.
Princess Marie displayed her Danish language skills by giving her first speech in the notoriously difficult language.
She did it at Copenhagen’s National Museum for the “Images of the Future” exhibition.
The exhibition is based on what the world would look like in 30 years, in terms of climate and environmental changes.
The Princess spoke slowly but quietly. As she did, pictures of the world in 30 years were being shown behind her. Those pictures were done by school and college students in Denmark.
In her speech, Marie said that the images can help to inspire climate summit taking place in Copenhagen later this year.
In her first public solo visit since 2006, Crown Princess Masako went to a Tokyo department store to see an exhibition. This visit may be the start of more engagements done by the Princess, who’s been suffering from a stress induced illness since 2003. 
Appearing fresh and upbeat, Masako received a tour of the exhibition – which showcases inventions made by housewives.
Smiling and laughing, the 45 year old Masako saw gadgets ranging from butter knives to devices to help disabled people write.
The Crown Princess, who married Crown Princes Naruhito in 1993, has been largely absent from public duties for over five years.
Pressures to deliver a male heir and adjusting to royal life were part of her breakdown.
Recently, however Masako has taking on more royal duties. In November, she greeted visiting royals from Spain and the United Kingdom.
In January, she played a large role in greeting well-wishers for New Year’s celebrations.
Her husband, Naruhito, has been very supportive of Masako, and has asked for the public the understand his wife’s situation.
Just days after cancelling several engagements, the Emperor of Japan was back doing official duties in Tokyo Monday. He gave out an award for the International Prize for Biology to George David Tilman of the United States. 
Last week, Emperor Akihito cancelled three days of duties due to an irregular pulse and chest aches. The Emperor, who turns 75 of December 23rd, underwent tests. Doctors said he was free to carry about his engagements over the weekend.
Akihito appeared with Empress Michiko at the Ueno Arena to present the award to the Minnesota University professor.
‘‘I’d like you to further contribute to biology and hope your research results will be widely exploited in society,’’ the Emperor said at the ceremony.
Akihito suffered from prostate cancer in 2003.
He ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989 after the death of his father, Hirohito, the Emperor during World War II.
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