King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark are on their first State Visit to Finland on March 4th and 5th. The State Visit comes following their State Visit to Sweden, State Visit to Norway, an extensive Tour of Greenland, a State Visit from Iceland, and a visit to Germany after the Accession of King Frederik X last year upon the Abdication of Queen Margrethe II.

Ahead of the State Visit, the King Frederik X and Queen Mary visited Saariselkä in Inari, in Finnish Lapland with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb.

The state visit to Finland starts tomorrow, but already today we have enjoyed the magical Finnish landscape in Saariselkä in Lapland.

Together with the Presidential couple, we have experienced the Finnish nature as it should be with cross-country skiing under our feet. We are looking forward to starting the official visit tomorrow and getting close to some of all that Finland has to offer in the coming days.

King Frederik X and Queen Mary were officially welcomed by President Alexander Stubb and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki where there was an exchange of honours and gifts.

Queen Mary and the First Lady visited Helsinki New Children’s Hospital while the King and the President attended a discussion between the Danish and Finish delegations and a signing ceremony in the Hall of Mirrors, a “Memorandum of Understanding” on defense cooperation.

The President and First Lady joined King Frederik X and Queen Mary for an official lunch at the City Hall before a visit to the Finnish Riksdag and a meeting with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo at Kesäranta Residence. Later, the King and Queen visited the Merihaka civil defence shelter and attended a wreath-laying at Hietaniemi Cemetery.

In the evening, President Alexander Stubb and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb hosted a State Banquet for King Frederik X and Queen Mary at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, with speeches by both the King and President.

Queen Mary is wearing Queen Caroline Amalie’s two hundred year-old Gold Tiara with Princess Vilhelmine Marie’s Bracelet and the Earrings and Brooch from Countess Danne’s Parure from the Danish Crown Jewels.

The tiara was created around 1820 for Caroline Amalie, who was married to Christian VIII, the regent of Denmark from 1839 to 1848. The 11 set gems were collected by her husband during the couple’s trip to Italy in 1819-1821, where they visited Rome and the ancient excavations in Pompeii, among other places. The jewelry reflects the classicist taste of the time and was intended for everyday use rather than the more showy diamond jewelry.

Princess Vilhelmine Marie’s bracelet was acquired by the later Frederik VII during a trip in 1828, shortly before his wedding to the Princess. The bracelet, made of gold and decorated with semi-precious stones from the Vesuvius area, was presented in a box with the romantic French inscription: “C’est du sommet du Vésuve enflammé que mon cœur vole à toi. Le 24 Avril 1828.” (“It is from the summit of the flaming Vesuvius that my heart flies to you. April 24, 1828”).

After the divorce in 1837, Vilhelmine Marie kept the bracelet, and it later became part of the Royal Collection. It is customary for the royals to use jewelry from the Royal Collection. And the Queen’s choice of these historic pieces marks a rare display of the Royal House’s cultural heritage. Both pieces of jewelry have become part of the Royal Collection through inheritance and gift, where they are part of the museum’s distinguished collection. The bracelet is normally exhibited in the Treasury under Rosenborg Castle, where the diadem will also be on display once the state visit to Finland has concluded.

Jewellery set of gold with citrines, amethysts, pearls and diamonds. Belonged to Countess Danner, possibly a birthday present from Frederik VII, 1860. Made by court jeweller J. Diderichsen.

The Jewels of the Queens of Denmark

The Danish Emerald Parure

The Danish Pearl Poiré Tiara

The Danish Ruby Parure

Danish Diamond Bandeau

Wedding Tiara

Diamond Necklace Tiara

Midnight Tiara

Danish Diamond Rivière