King Frederik of Denmark and Queen Mary of Denmark hosted a banquet to celebrate the arrival of Icelandic President Halla Tomasdottir and her husband Bjorn Skulason, who arrived for a visit on 8 October. The Icelandic President and her husband were invited to a state dinner at Christiansborg Palace, which was also attended by Princess Benedicta and representatives of the Danish and Icelandic government, culture and sport. The Danish royal couple had already hosted high-profile guests in January since Frederick’s reign began. The dinner occurred just days after 52-year-old Queen Mary returned from a four-day official visit to Brazil, which focused on the topics of health and combating violence against women.
Frederick wore a military uniform for the occasion, while Mary looked elegant in a sequin-embroidered navy blue dress by Jesper Høvring and a Pearl Poire tiara, which she first appeared in back in May during her state visit to Norway. The diamond tiara was commissioned by King Frederick William III of Prussia as a wedding gift for his daughter Princess Louise on the occasion of her marriage to Prince Frederick of the Netherlands in 1825. The jewellery was then inherited by Princess Louise’s daughter Queen Louise of Sweden before passing to her daughter Louise, who was Queen of Denmark from 1906 to 1912.
The royal couple were met by a guard of honour as they made their way to the Knight’s Hall at Christiansborg Palace. Mary first wore fashion designer Jesper Hövring’s creation to the Bambi Awards in Berlin in October 2014, and the dress has been altered many times since. She last wore the dress to her son Crown Prince Christian’s 18th birthday dinner in October last year. The couple was joined by Frederick’s aunt Princess Benedicta, who looked elegant in a lavender gown and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe tiara.
Guests were treated to an exquisite three-course dinner, which included North Sea cod with pickled beetroot as an appetiser, while the main course was chicken ballotine from Grasten with a variety of root vegetables from the garden of Fredensborg Castle. In his address, Frederik paid tribute to Denmark’s close ties with Iceland.
Both Icelanders and Danes, like the rest of the Nordic countries, live in strong democratic societies. We are surrounded by the same values, have similar goals and want to be leaders when it comes to solving national and global problems. For the same reason, we take great pleasure in leaning on and helping each other as we take new steps to make our future greener, healthier and safer,’ the King said.
He also extended warmest wishes on behalf of his mother Queen Margrethe, who last month suffered a neck injury and broke her left arm after a fall.
