BELGIUM: Frederick, Prince of Denmark and Mary Elisabeth, Princess of Denmark visit EU institutions

Frederik, Prince of Denmark, and Mary Elisabeth, Princess of Denmark, visited EU institutions today in order to learn more about the European Union and its processes. Those visited included Javier Solana, EU High Representative at the European Council. After meeting with Danish Commissioner in charge of Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel, the Prince and Princess also met other commissioners for lunch. Danish Commissioner Boel escorted the Prince and Princess to meet European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. Finally Prince Frederik and Princess Mary Elizabeth were welcomed at the European Parliament by EP Vice President Alejo Vidal-Quadras and the EP Secretary General Julian Priestly. Then they visited the hemicycle, where the main business of Parliament is conducted, and accepted an invitation to a reception by Danish MEPs. Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess announced the pregnancy of Crown Princess Mary last month (October). It is expected that the birth will take place at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen (Copenhagen University Hospital) in the beginning of May, 2007. Denmark hopes Australian-born Princess Mary's second child is a girl. Newspapers in Copenhagen have reported a groundswell of support for the royal couple and that most Danes were hoping for a little princess. Speculation about a pregnancy surfaced last month (October) when Princess Mary suffered what appeared to be morning sickness at a function in Russia. The last Danish princess born was Queen Margerethe's sister, Princess Benedikte, in 1944. Princess Mary has said she wants a big family. She, Prince Frederik and their son, who recently celebrated his first birthday, will make a private visit to her family in Tasmania in the coming weeks.

ITN Source | November 7, 2006

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