Two (Three) Happy Queens

Here the newest additions to my collection. It must at least have been a year ago that I acquired Queen Silvia of Sweden (in the middle). On Sunday a friend gave me Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain as a gift. And I decided to buy Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands myself, after I found out she is still available. My mother isn’t happy, as I always have to put them away when she comes – the waving hands (there are solar cells in their handbags) make too much noise. I honestly hardly hear it anymore myself. Silvia and Elizabeth are products by Kikkerland.com. They have several versions of the Queen, including a special 90th birthday edition. Queen Beatrix was issued in 2013 on the occasion of her abdication, and was fabricated by a Dutch company called “Buro Glimlach”. I bought mine at The Tin Star Company. If you want to have one, just search for Solar Queen and the name in a search engine, as prices can be different.

Accidentally two of these Queens were in the news this week. Queen Silvia of Sweden became a grandmother for the fifth time. A baby boy was born to Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia at Danderyds Hospital on 19 April at 6.25 (statement)/6.28 (Carl Philip). The gender wasn’t immediately announced, but was announced by the happy father during a short press conference later in the evening. Mother and child are doing fine and left hospital already the next day. The only picture we got to see thus far is the one of the parents leaving the hospital with their newborn son. Not much to see though. The name and title were announced in a Council of State on 21 April at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. He will be known as His Royal Higness Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland. A Te Deum will be held in the palace church in Stockholm on 22 April. I am sure a photo will follow somewhere in the coming days.

Anyway the most important birthday girl of the week was of course Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, who today, 21 April, turned 90 years old. Can you imagine? You really wouldn’t say if you’d see her. She still looks so good and healthy, the same can be said of her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who will even turn 95 on 10 June (although his skin clearly shows he is old). And they’re still have more than enough engagements. Yesterday and today they (especially the Queen of course) were celebrated in Windsor, where they’re staying these days. A private party with the family seems to take place this evening. Big celebrations – going on for days – will take place in May and June. I hope to see as much of it as possible on television. Long live the Queen (and the Duke)!

By the way, also Queen Beatrix, at 78, is still going strong. She today attended the Four Freedom Awards.