SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

Denmark

Crown Princess Mary spends last day in Finland for working visit

On Thursday, Crown Princess Mary spent her last day in Finland for a working visit. Crown Prince Frederik was supposed to lead the Danish business delegation, but he had to pull out of the trip because of his back surgery. So, Crown Princess Mary went in his place.

After spending her first day in the capital of Helsinki, she joined the Danish Minister for Food and Environment in Turku. They first visited the Finnish shipyard Meyer Turku and the cruise ship Mein Schiff 2. Afterward, they were officially welcomed by the Mayor of Turku Minna Arve at the Forum Marinium. Crown Princess Mary was asked to place an honorary plate in front of the Forum Marinum after which the Crown Princess took part in a lunch with, among others, Finnish Foreign and Development Minister Anne-Mari Virolainen, Forum Marinum’s Managing Director Tapio Maijala and Turku Science Park LTD’s Managing Director Niko Kyynäräinen.

In the afternoon, Crown Princess Mary visited Forum Marinium along with the Mayor of Turku and Forum Marinium’s director. She also met with representatives of several Danish companies such as Kvadrat Nordhavn, DBI and Svend Frederiksen Maskinfabrik.

Crown Princess Mary’s two-day visit ended with a visit to the museum ship Suomen Joutsen / Swan of Finland. The vessel was built in 1902 and had only French and later German owners before the Finnish government acquired the ship in 1930. In Finland, the ship first served as a school vessel for the Finnish Navy and then as a stationary sailor’s school for the Finnish merchant navy. During the visit, the Crown Princess was introduced to the ship’s history and took part in a tour.

During her stay in Finland, Crown Princess Mary received several bouquets of flowers upon her arrival to different events, and two bouquets from the first day were laid to the memory of Danish soldiers fallen in the Finnish Winter War (1939-1940).

This business trip will not be the only one led by Crown Princess Mary this year. Indeed, the Danish Court announced that Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary would lead a Danish business delegation focusing on healthcare, urban & cleantech, and food during a three-day trip to Rome, Italy, from 6th November to 8th November.