Out and About: Royal invasion of the USA
Throughout October, royals from around the world converged on the United States - privvy to luke warm receptions and almost no local media coverage.
Most Americans are aware that Britain's Prince Harry is in our midst - spending 6 weeks in military training exercises (and royal-bachelor-exploits) in Arizona and California. But other royals, like Prince Haakon and Prince Daniel, have hardly made a ripple upon arriving in the States.
Prince Harry arrived at the beginning of the month, and will head back to the UK before Christmas. Since he entered the land of the free, he's made the papers pretty much every weekend, complete with blurry photos and trashy tell-alls which make it seem like he's on an extended vacation, rather than partaking in strenuous military training.
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway is also in Calfornia this month, for the opening of the 2011 Transatlantic Science Week (TSW). As an older and much wiser Prince, Haakon has kept any raucous behavior behind closed doors. Crown Prince Haakon is no stranger to California, having received his BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley. While in California, Haakon also met with a number of companies, including Apple, and Norwegian software company, Meltwater.
On the other side of the country, Prince Daniel of Sweden made his first solo trip to the USA - having to leave behind his pregnant wife, Crown Princess Victoria. He'll be in the US until November 2, traveling to Delaware, Washington DC, and New York City. Prince Daniel is in the United States to highlight communities' historic ties to Sweden.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark made their second official trip to the United States this month as well. Their five day visit to Washington DC celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Danish Embassy in the US capital. The couple visited Arlington National Cemetary to honor Danish soldiers who died during WWII, and attended a number of functions aimed at promoting healthy living.
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia attended the American Scandinavian ball on October 21st in New York City, along with Norway's King Harald V and Queen Sonja. King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia went on to attended the Norden Club's 100-year anniversary in Jamestown, New York, while King Harald and Queen Sonja began their trip a week earlier to visit Norwegian-American communities in Minnesota and Iowa.
The Norden Club was formed in 1911 by a group of Swedish business and civic leaders to celebrate their Swedish culture and heritage. King Carl Gustaf accepted an honorary membership in the Norden Club during his last visit to Jamestown in 1976. The royal couple will only be in Jamestown for a few hours, and will not make any public appearances.