Princess Marie travelled back to Denmark from Paris to attend the service in celebration of DanChurchAid’s 100th anniversary.
Her Royal Highness took part in a church service officiated by Bishop Peter Skov-Jakobsen at Our Lady’s Church. The service also saw the presence of Copenhagen’s Boys Choir that sang DanChurchAid’s anniversary song for the first time.
The service was followed by a reception, during which the Princess gave a moving speech about DanChurchAid’s role in the world’s most disadvantaged areas and her personal and emotional connection to all the causes the organisation supports.
Princess Marie spoke about her humanitarian trips to various countries, like Uganda (her last before the pandemic hit), Cambodia (her first travelling experience with DanChurchAid), Ethiopia and Myanmar.
She said: “My experiences with DanChurchAid have given me so much perspective on life and the many opportunities that always exist – even in places and in situations that may immediately seem completely impossible.”
She also spoke with some of the people present for the event, and to them she confessed that her family has been very focused on the tragic situation in Ukraine, following its invasion from Russia.
The Princess explained that she and Prince Joachim have been talking to their children, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena, about the war, and how it’s affecting the humanitarian situation.
Princess Marie became patron of DanChurchAid in 2011, and in 2021 she attended various events to celebrate her ten years as patron of the association.
DanChurchAid was founded in 1922 by a group of people headed by Dr Alfred Theodore Jørgensen, a doctor in theology. Originally named Aid to Europe’s Evangelical Churches, the organisation aims to support people in need, regardless of religion, nationality, or gender.
A special guest presented a posy to Princess Marie: 11-year-old Aline Jordt Landon, the great-granddaughter of Dr Jørgensen.
