Princess Marie of Denmark has visited AIDS Denmark’s headquarters to take part in a working meeting.
She was welcomed by the foundation’s new Director, Lars Christian Østergreen, who took up the role on May 1st 2021, following on from interim director Line Brøgger Kjærgaard, who served in the position following the resignation of former director Andreas Gylling Æbelø in January of 2021.
During the meeting, Princess Marie heard from members of the Foundation’s Outreach Test team. This group of volunteers conducts tests for HIV-AIDS in the most vulnerable communities of the country.
Her Royal Highness was also informed of the Foundation’s activities related to the 40th anniversary of the world first becoming aware of the HIV-AIDS virus.
Princess Marie has been a patron of AIDS Denmark since 201.
In connection with this patronage, in June of 2016 she became the first member of the Danish Royal Family to attend Copenhagen Pride. Over the last few years, the royal family has shown public support for the LGBTQI+ community, with Crown Princess Mary recently giving a speech about the status of rights in the context of the 2021 Copenhagen Human Rights Forum.
Princess Marie has another engagement four days before the AIDS meeting, when she attended the opening concert of the Schackenborg Music Festival, which was her first patronage.
Princess Marie and her husband, Prince Joachim, have been living in Paris since September of 2020, when the prince took on the role of Military Attaché to the Danish Embassy in France, a position that he is expected to hold for at least three years, while at the same time maintaining his Danish patronages wherever possible. This has meant a return to her native France for Princess Marie, who was born in Paris.
