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His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg is on a three day visit to Vietnam. He is in the country to strengthen ties between the two nations.
 Click here to see more photos The Grand Duke was greeted by Truong Tan Sang, the President of Vietnam, at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. After an official welcoming ceremony and inspection of the honor guard, the two heads of state sat down for talks.
Afterward, there was a signing of the understanding on the provision of expertise and technical assistance to the financial sector, capacity building and training. The signing was done by Luxembourg’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, Marie-Josée Jacobs and Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh, with the Grand Duke and President Truong witnessing it.
Later, Henri went to the Bach Mai hospital that benefits from the Handicap International Luxembourg and is supported by his country’s government. The project focuses on those with spinal cord injuries.
In the evening, the Grand Duke was a guest of honor at a dinner banquet at the Government Guest House. During the banquet, he spoke about the close ties between Vietnam and Luxembourg. “Relationships are in the process of moving towards a broader partnership, more balanced and more based on economic cooperation,” Henri said.
He also said that his country is willing to invest in Vietnam, because Luxembourg wants “to become a hub for distribution in Europe of high quality Vietnamese products.”
For the remainder of his stay, Grand Duke Henri will lay a wreath at National Monument of Heroes and Martyrs tomorrow. He will also visit the city of Hue, which is recognized by UNESCO for its World Heritage of Humanity. In Hue, there is an 11th century temple dedicated to Confucius.
Henri will also visit cooperation projects throughout Vietnam during his visit.
Source: Gouvernement.lu, Wort.lu
His Highness Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khaifa al-Thani of Qatar is wrapping up a four nation tour of Eastern Europe. His list of state visits were Macedonia, Poland, Albania and Ukraine. He began on Monday in Macedonia.
 Click here for photo gallery of the tour After arriving in Skopje and going through the welcoming ceremony, the Emir was given the the September Medal by President Gjorge Ivanov, which is the highest Macedonian honor. It was given to the Emir as an appreciation for his efforts to broaden ties with the country and Qatar.
“We highly appreciate the efforts the State of Qatar has been exerting under your wise leadership and your far-sighted vision in areas of peace, cooperation, tolerance, and dialogue in the world,” Ivanov told Hamad.
On Tuesday, His Highness met with the President of the Parliament Trajko Veljanoski, where he discussed cementing Qatari-Macedonian bilateral ties even more. The Emir also was given a tour of Skopje, where he saw the Mustafa Pasha mosque, then toured around the Old Market where he was briefed on its most prominent features and the old shops it includes. Accompanying him on this visit was President Ivanov and the head of the Islamic Religious Community, Reis ul Ulema Sulejman Efendi Rexhepi.
Later that day, the Emir left Macedonia and headed to nearby Albania, where he was greeted by Albanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinas at the Mother Teresa International Airport in Tirana. He was then whisked away to the Presidential Palace and met with President Bamir Topi, plus took part in the welcoming ceremony.
As he did in the previous country, the Emir received Albania’s medal of the highest order – the Iskander Beg. It was given to him for the same reasons as before, which was tightening Qatari-Albanian bilateral ties.
 View more photos at Daylife.com He then later met with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha. The meeting included discussions about more bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Also on Tuesday, Emir Sheikh Hamad met with the Mayor of Tirana, Lulzim Basha. During the meeting, Basha presented the Qatari leader with the honorary Medal of Tirana citizenship.
The next day, Wednesday, Hamad headed for Ukraine. In its capital of Kiev, His Highness met with President Viktor Yanukovych and received military honors for a welcoming ceremony. In the evening, there was a dinner banquet in honor of the Emir.
On Thursday, the Emir met with Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, and the two discussed, once again, cementing bilateral ties. Later in the afternoon, Hamad left Ukraine for Poland. During his flight, he sent a cable to Viktor Yanukovych in which he expressed thanks and appreciation for the hospitality accorded to him and the accompanying delegation during the visit.
In Ukraine, the Emir did not receive any sort of medals.
For his final stop, His Highness went to Warsaw where he was greeted by President Bronislaw Komorowski. After the welcoming ceremony, Hamad went on to meet with Bogdan Borusewicz, the Speaker of the Polish Senate, which is part of the Polish Parliament, and later Prime Minister Donald Tusk. For both meetings, bilateral discussions took place.
Tomorrow will be the Emir’s last day on his Eastern European tour.
Source: Qatar News Agency
A trio of Danish royals began a state visit to Russia Tuesday, as a way of tightening bilateral ties between the countries. Queen Margrethe II, Prince Henrik and Crown Prince Frederik traveled to Moscow to begin their four official days in Russia, with three days set aside for a private visit.
 Click here for images of Day 1 at Daylife.com Upon landing in Moscow, the royals were welcomed by Transport Minister Igor Levitin. Queen Margrethe inspected the honor guard before she, her husband and son were taken to the Kremlin, where they met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
It was at the Kremlin that the official welcoming ceremony took place. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave a speech where he talked about Danish-Russian ties.
Later, the Queen and Prince Henrik were given a tour of the Pushkin museum by First Lady Svetlana Medvedeva. This marked the inauguration of the Danish Golden Age exhibition and Thorvaldsen exhibition at the museum.
Crown Prince Frederik also took the time to meet with officials of the 2014 Winter Olympics, which will be held in the Russian town of Sochi. Frederik is a member of the International Olympic Committee.
In the evening, there was a state banquet in honor of the Danish royals and their delegation.
On Wednesday, Her Majesty and Their Royal Highnesses performed the wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Minutes later, Queen Margrethe attended a meeting with the chairman of the Duma, or Parliament. She also met with the President of Federation Council.
 Click here for images of Day 2 In the afternoon, after attending business meetings, seeing a photography exhibit and opening factories, the Danish royal trio met with Vladimir Putin for a little while.
After that, Crown Prince Frederik went to the Skolkovo School of Management, while his parents went to the children’s ward at the Endocrinology Research Center.
Tomorrow, the Queen, Henrik and Frederik will travel north to former capital of Russia – during its imperial days – St. Petersburg. There, they will continue to promote Danish-Russian ties by signing business agreements, tour a factory, a brewery and a shipbuilding yard. They will also visit the Peter and Paul Cathedral to lay a wreath at the tomb of Empress Maria Feodorovna, the Danish princess who became the wife of Tsar Alexander III.
On Saturday, the royals will hold a press conference, discussing their time in Russia.
There is no official word on why Crown Princess Mary did not accompany her husband and in-laws to this state visit.
Source: Kongehuset.de
Jacob Zuma, the President of South Africa, began a two day state visit to Norway Wednesday. He arrived with his one of his wives, Tobeka Zuma, and they were welcomed in Oslo by the royal family. The purpose of Zuma’s visit is to strengthen ties with Norway and convince its business leaders to invest in South Africa.
 Click here for more photos at Daylife.com
The President and his wife spent the first part of Thursday going through the ceremonies that go with Norwegian state visits. There was the playing of the national anthems in Palace Square, followed by a review of the honor guard by Zuma and King Harald V.
The royal hosts and their guests then went inside the palace to pose for the media and exchange gifts. President Zuma gave Their Majesties a small leather stool and three traditional clay pots intended for drinking beer. The King and Queen in return gave Zuma and his wife a book on Norway and a large glass bowl.
Later, the King and Queen Sonja brought the Zumas to the National Monument at Akershus Fortress to lay memorial wreaths. They also took them to Oslo Cathedral and the Nobel Peace Center.
President Zuma then met with Prime Minister Jans Stoltenberg for talks.
In the evening, there was a state gala dinner in honor of the South African President and his delegation. Both King Harald and President Zuma gave speeches touting Norwegian and South African ties.
The next day, while the President met with Norwegian politicians and business leaders, Queen Sonja brought Tobeka Zuma to Ullevål University Hospital, where they met with its cancer treatment team. Mrs Zuma was briefed on how the doctors tackle cancer in Norway, which has seen its survival rate grow by 68%
Trade between South Africa and Norway increased by 21% between 2009 and 2010. Since 2006, the two nations have worked together on environmental issues.
Sources: NRK.no, Oslo universitetssykehus
On Monday, Luxembourg’s Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa began a state visit to Norway. The trip is to last for two days, and it is no different from any other state visit. Meaning, this one is meant to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.
 Click here to see more the state visit Their Royal Highnesses arrived in Oslo in the morning and were greeted by King Harald V and Queen Sonja at Palace Square. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit were also present for the welcoming ceremony, which included national anthems and inspection of the honor guard. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa also took time to greet schoolchildren who were watching the event.
Next came the laying of the wreath at Akershus Fortress, which commemorates the fallen during World War II.
Afterward, Grand Duke Henri met with the Prime Minister and Parliament President Dag Terje Andersen.
During that time, Queen Sonja took the Grand Duchess to the newly restored cabin on Sæter Bygdøy at Oscarhall Palace. They were also given a tour of Seter cottage, and children from Dissimilis entertained the royal women.
In the evening came the state banquet. Princess Martha Louise and Princess Astrid were attendance.
The rest of the itinerary has the King and the Grand Duke meeting with business leaders while the Queen and the Grand Duchess will tour museums and art galleries. Also, the Luxembourg royals will go to Trondheim to see Statoil’s Research Centre.
But there is a question if Maria Teresa will continue with the state visit after today. Her brother, 58 year old Antonio Mestre, is in a coma at a Florida hospital after suffering a heart attack. Supposedly, the Grand Duchess will leave Norway early to go be at her brother’s side.
Source: Kongehuset, Wort.lu
The United States’ President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama began their state visit to the U.K., which is still glowing from its royal wedding nearly a month ago. The House of Windsor was ready to welcome the couple with the grandeur the royals are so well known for.
 Click here for more pics! The Obamas arrived last night due to the Icelandic volcanic ash causing air traffic problems. This morning, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, greeted them at the home of the American ambassador. From there, Mr. and Mrs. Obama went to Buckingham Palace where they were welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
This was the second time the Obamas met the royal couple. The first time was in April 2009, during a G20 meeting in London. That was when Michelle Obama famously put her arm around the Queen.
The highlight for the Obamas had to be meeting the newlywed couple, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. The two had just returned from their 10 day honeymoon in Seychelles, and this was their first official engagement after their historic wedding last month.
 Click here for more photos Catherine chatted with Michelle while William spoke to the President. The four discussed the wedding and the Cambridges’ visit to California in July. Catherine handled her first royal engagement with perfect ease, as though she was born to be a royal.
Later in the evening, Queen Elizabeth II hosted a state dinner, in which about 170 guests attended. They included other members of the House of Windsor, such as Princess Anne, and ambassadors, business leaders, leading academics, prominent nobility and even celebrities from both sides of the Atlantic.
Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson were present, as was Tim Burton, Kevin Spacey and Helena Bonham-Carter – who won rave reviewed for portraying the Queen’s mother in the Oscar winning film “The King’s Speech” this year.
As for the Queen’s speech (  ), she said, “We are here to celebrate the tried, tested and – yes – special relationship between our two countries.”
There was a mishap when President Obama gave his speech. He was quoting Shakespeare when the band began to play “God Save the Queen”. Other than that, this first day of their British state visit was memorable for Barack and Michelle Obama.
Sources: AP, Hello!, Telegraph
This week saw royal watchers, historians and the Irish diaspora closely watch the first state visit by a British monarch to the Republic of Ireland. Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Dublin on Tuesday to mark warming relations between Great Britain and Ireland after centuries of animosity. For years, there was talk of the Queen making such a visit and it finally materialized.
 See more pics from May 17th 2011 here But not everyone was celebrating. Protests and even a bomb threat occurred throughout the visit as plenty of Irish voiced their disdain over a British head of state setting foot in their country. Security in Dublin was unprecedentedly high and there were dozens of arrests. All this showcased that despite closer ties, Ireland and the UK still have healing to do.
Even so, Queen Elizabeth was welcomed by those who didn’t mind having the British monarch on Irish soil. One of the first things she did was lay a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance with Irish President Mary McAleese, who is credited with making this state visit possible.
“I think it is an extraordinary moment in Irish history, a phenomenal sign and signal of the success of the peace process and absolutely the right moment for us to welcome (the queen) onto Irish soil,” McAleese told RTE television.
The Garden of Remembrance commemorates those who fought for Irish freedom and having the Queen laying a wreath there was a sensitive moment.
She said nothing and didn’t show any emotion when a band played the British and Irish national anthems at the Garden.
Later on, she and husband Prince Philip visited Trinity College, where they met with several students taking a break from finals. The couple also received a tour of the College and saw the Book of Kells, a 9th century Biblical manuscript.
 See more pics from May 18th 2011 here Wednesday saw more visits to sensitive but poignant spots. The Queen was shown around Croke Park Stadium, where in 1920, British forces shot dead 14 people.
Later in the evening, during the state dinner, Queen Elizabeth II addressed the pain many Irish feel about British treatment over the decades. Dressed in a white gown with shamrocks sewn on and a golden harp sewn on her left shoulder, she opened her speech in Irish Gaelic: “A hUachtarain agus a chairde” – which means President and friends.
“Together we have much to celebrate: the ties between our people, the shared values, and the economic, business and cultural links that make us so much more than just neighbours, that make us firm friends and equal partners.
“Madam President, speaking here in Dublin Castle it is impossible to ignore the weight of history, as it was yesterday when you and I laid wreaths at the Garden of Remembrance.
“Indeed, so much of this visit reminds us of the complexity of our history, its many layers and traditions, but also the importance of forbearance and conciliation. Of being able to bow to the past, but not be bound by it.”
The Queen went on to mention Northern Ireland and the peace relations since 1998.
“What were once only hopes for the future have now come to pass; it is almost exactly 13 years since the overwhelming majority of people in Ireland and Northern Ireland voted in favour of the agreement signed on Good Friday 1998, paving the way for Northern Ireland to become the exciting and inspirational place that it is today.
“I applaud the work of all those involved in the peace process, and of all those who support and nurture peace, including members of the police, the gardai, and the other emergency services, and those who work in the communities, the churches and charitable bodies like Co-operation Ireland.”
She then talked about the close ties between the two countries, more than the political links as she closed her speech.
“There are other stories written daily across these islands which do not find their voice in solemn pages of history books, or newspaper headlines, but which are at the heart of our shared narrative. Many British families have members who live in this country, as many Irish families have close relatives in the United Kingdom.
“These families share the two islands; they have visited each other and have come home to each other over the years. They are the ordinary people who yearned for the peace and understanding we now have between our two nations and between the communities within those two nations; a living testament to how much in common we have.”
“These ties of family, friendship and affection are our most precious resource. They are the lifeblood of the partnership across these islands, a golden thread that runs through all our joint successes so far, and all we will go on to achieve.
“They are a reminder that we have much to do together to build a future for all our grandchildren: the kind of future our grandparents could only dream of.
“So we celebrate together the widespread spirit of goodwill and deep mutual understanding that has served to make the relationship more harmonious, close as good neighbours should always be.”
During the speech, President McAleese mouthed the word, “wow” several times. The Queen’s speech was praised by many prominent Irish, such as Peter Sheridan, chief executive of the peace-building charity Co-Operation Ireland. “Somehow when you focus on the future that the Queen and the President pointed to, the dark, horrible past takes on a new perspective.”
 See more pics from May 19th 2011 here Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, who runs the most vocal party in Northern Ireland for independence from Britain, had this to say.
“Queen Elizabeth’s acknowledgment that the relationship between Britain and Ireland has not been entirely benign is a gross understatement. This will be forgiven if the future policy of her government is about building an entirely new future based on genuine equality, and mutual respect.”
The next day, the Queen’s final day of her state visit, saw her in Tully where she visited Ireland’s Horse Valley. There, the Queen and Prince Philip saw up close the best of Irish horses.
In the evening, Her Majesty relaxed a little at the Dublin Convention Center for some music, fashion and theatre. She saw a fashion show, traditional Irish dancing, and some performers by Westlife, the Chieftains and Mary Bryne. When the Queen walked out on stage, she received a standing ovation by the 2,000 guests in the audience.
With her Irish visit done, many could say this was one of the 85 year old monarch’s most poignant engagements ever – and she pulled it off. By speaking Irish, showing sensitivity to the past and hope for the future, Queen Elizabeth II likely built a bridge between Ireland and Great Britain. Hopefully, nothing will destroy what she did this week.
Sources: AFP, Irish Times, Telegraph, RTE
On Wednesday, the President and First Lady of South Korea arrived Denmark to begin a two day state visit to the country. Lee Myung-bak and First Lady Kim Yoon-ok were welcomed at Copenhagen Airport by Queen Margrethe II and the rest of the Danish royal family – minus Crown Princess Mary for unknown reasons.
 Click here for more pics of the state dinner After inspecting the honor guard, the South Korean first couple and the royals headed to the palace to begin the state visit. It included a laying of wreaths at the Monument Jutlandia and the official opening of the Global Green Growth Institute by both President Lee and Crown Prince Frederik.
In the evening, the Danish royals gathered for a state dinner at Fredensborg Palace. This time, Crown Princess Mary was present. The event included speeches by the Queen and the President. Both praised each other’s countries and the relations between the two.
It was also during her speech that Her Majesty revealed that Frederik and Mary will go on an official visit to South Korea in 2012. The exact time is not known.
Thursday saw more of President Lee learning more about Denmark’s eco-friendly industries, such as the inauguration of the Korean-Danish Green Growth Alliance and seeing Danish electrical cars.
In the evening, the President and First Lady Kim Yoon-OK held an honorary dinner for their Danish hosts. Later on, they returned to their country.
Source: Kongehuset.dk
Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Sweden, began a state visit to Poland Wednesday, at the invitation of President Bronislaw Komorowski. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia traveled to Warsaw with Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson and Minister Cathy Elmsäter-Sword, plus many members of Sweden’s business sector.
Following a welcoming ceremony, the King and President Komorowski met for talks on such issues as political, economic and cultural relations between the two countries. Poland takes over as EU president starting July 1st, so that topic might have come up.
After the talks came the laying of a wreath in a ceremony at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. That was followed by lunch with the presidential couple.
Thursday will see the King and Queen take a tour of the Marie Curie Museum. Curie was born in Warsaw, and this year marks her 100th anniversary of receiving the Nobel Prize in chemistry.
King Carl Gustaf will later take part in a conference on sustainable urban design and green energy along with Poland’s environment minister and representatives of Polish and Swedish industry. While that will be going on, Queen Silvia and First Lady Anna Komorowska will visit the Foundation “Nobody’s Children”, which works to support vulnerable children and young people, including through projects for online safety. Protecting children from sexual predators matters a lot to Silvia, and this would be a function she would be interested in.
On Friday, the King and Queen will head to o southwestern Poland and the cities of Wroclaw and Swidnica to see historical landmarks linked between Poland and Sweden. They will also see the construction of a stadium in Wroclaw for next year’s European Football Championship, plus businesses with Swedish links.
After that, Carl and Silvia will return to Stockholm.
Source: regeringen.se
The Emir of Qatar and his wife are on a two day state visit to Spain in order to strengthen economic ties. Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned arrived in Madrid in the late morning and were greeted by the Spanish royal family. After a welcoming ceremony and posing for the media, the guests and their hosts lunched at Zarzuela Palace.
A state dinner is set for this evening in honor of the Qatari royals.
During the next two days, the Emir is expected to sign several economic agreement with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero. Spain is looking to boost its battered economy by investing in oil rich Qatar.
Among the hopeful investments are construction opportunities for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which Qatar will be hosting.
While the Emir will be doing all this, Queen Sofia will be escorting Sheikha Mozah for a visit to the Alzheimer’s Foundation on Tuesday.
Sources: AFP, Casa Real
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