royals
Princess Aiko makes her debut in a traditional New Year’s greeting
© ASSOCIATED PRESS / Tomohiro Ohsumi / Picture Alliance
News about the royals in the GALA ticker: Princess Aiko greets the Japanese imperial family for the first time on New Year’s Day from the balcony +++ Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia enjoy the rural idyll +++ Count Nikolai and Count Felix are now rid of their prince titles.
Royal News 2023 in the GALA ticker
January 2, 2023
Princess Aiko greets the Japanese imperial family for the first time from the balcony on New Year’s Day
It is not only the first time in three years that the Japanese imperial family has personally sent its New Year’s greetings to the people. The tradition had to be canceled for three years due to the corona pandemic. Princess Aiko, 21, who celebrated her majority in 2021, also makes her debut and is allowed to wave for the first time from the balcony of the Chowa Den Palace in Tokyo.
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko on January 2, 2022 in Tokyo, Japan.
© ASSOCIATED PRESS / Tomohiro Ohsumi / Picture Alliance
Thousands made their way to Tokyo on Monday January 2nd to attend the traditional performance of the imperial family. “After three years, I am very happy to celebrate the New Year with all of you,” says Emperor Naruhito, 62, behind a glass pane and a protective mask to the people, according to the news agency “Kyodo News”. He wished “that this year will be a peaceful and good year for all of you.” The 7,300 or so visitors who flocked to the palace to also see Princess Aiko’s first New Year’s greeting were selected by drawing lots.
The Japanese imperial family is personally sending New Year’s greetings for the first time since 2019.
© ASSOCIATED PRESS / Tomohiro Ohsumi / Picture Alliance
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia start the new year in a rural idyll
Prince Carl Philip, 43, and Princess Sofia, 38, spent the Christmas holidays with their three sons Prince Alexander, 6, Prince Gabriel, 5, and Prince Julian, 1, with Sofia’s parents Marie, 65, and Erik Hellqvist, 73, in their hometown Älvdalen – five hours drive from Stockholm. And from one rural idyll it went to the next at the turn of the year: According to the newspaper “Svensk Damtidning”, the Swedish royals celebrated the turn of the year in Storlien in the province of Jämtland.
Here, the royal family has already spent a number of pleasant hours in the wintry nature, skiing or warming up in the estate of King Carl Gustaf, 76, and Queen Silvia, 79. As old family photos show, Carl Philip used to let off steam in the popular ski resort when he was a child. And he and his family had ended up in this special area on New Year’s Eve. A beautiful family tradition that the prince now wants to share with his children.
Queen Silvia, King Carl Gustaf, Princess Victoria, Princess Madeleine and Prince Carl Philip on a skiing holiday in Storlien
© Dana Press
Count Nikolai and Count Felix celebrated a new year without the title of prince
Prince Joachim’s children, 53, start the year as counts and countess. Following the decision of their grandmother,Queen Margrethe, 82, Nikolai, 23, and Felix, 20, as well as their half-siblings Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, have not been allowed to continue using their prince and princess titles since January 1, but are henceforth Counts and Comptesses of Monpezat. Before the dawn of this new chapter, Nikolai and Felix celebrated one last time as princes on New Year’s Eve.
“Prince Nikolai is celebrating with friends in Denmark and Prince Felix is celebrating with good friends abroad,” her mother’s spokeswoman, Countess Alexandra, 58, told Billed Bladet. According to the magazine, Nikolai is said to have had his girlfriend Benedikte Thoustrup by his side on his last evening as a prince.
Royal news from the past week
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Sources used: kyodonews.net, Dana Press, svenskdam.se