Foreign Royals in London, Pre-Opening Ceremony Olympics 2012


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King Constantine and Queen Anne Marie visited the Athletes Village at the London 2012 Olympic Games site in Stratford today.
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Infanta Pilar of Spain at the Olympic Village,her daughter Doña Simoneta Gómez Acebo accompanied her mother to London.


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Prince Philippe, Princess Mathilde and their children in London, United Kingdom, on the occasion of the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympic Games

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Can I ask why did Frederik do a torch run in London today? I realize he is a member of the IOC but I was under the impression that typically when the torch reached the host country, the only people who did the run were basically from the host country. For example, while the torch left Greece and China and traveled the world, there were other nationalities represented but once it hit the UK, I think it was only UK citizens who would carry from that moment.

Or am I wrong? Either way it was nice to see him I just would have expected someone else. I mean its not like I expected Princess Anne to carry the torch, but hey why not Princess Anne. She is a former Olympian!
 
I was about to ask the same question, Zonk. While there have been some non-Brits carrying the torch, it's tended to be people who, while not from the UK have a close relationship with the nation. Will.i.am carried the torch, but he's on The Voice UK and recently donated £500,000 to the Prince's Trust.

Frederik is a complete unknown in the UK, and I'm unaware of any particular close relationship with our nation. I mean, Prince Harry has put his life in harm's way and served on the front line in Afghanistan wearing the Queen's uniform, if they were looking for a prince surely that would've been a better choice? Or maybe the security constraints made that impossible?
 
Zonk said:
I was under the impression that typically when the torch reached the host country, the only people who did the run were basically from the host country.
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Prince Frederik carried the torch in 1994 at the winter Olympics in Lillehammer, he passed the torch to Prince Haakon of Norway who subsequently lit the olympic cauldron.

Whilst I agree Princess Anne and Prince Harry could have carried the torch, I am sure the notion came into being at some point and was either rejected or ignored. I thought it would have been nice to see Harry carry the torch out of BP this evening but alas it didn't.

We've had many people carry the torch who shouldn't have during its route through the United Kingdom, Will.i.am being one, singers Paloma Faith who ran a short route in platform heels this week and Eliza Doolittle, actor Rupert Grint aka Ron Weasley, rappers named Labrinth and Dizzie Rascal, several chefs have run different stages including Jamie Oliver, Sport Spice aka Mel C, Jedward ran in Dublin to name but a few who IMO don't represent this country in anyway to be truly proud of. We have real hero's, shouldn't they have been more represented?

Although I was surprised to learn that actors Sir Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy ran stages.
 
Well, finnish ice hockey player Saku Koivu, who is also a member of the Athletes' Commission of the IOC, carried the torch on Tuesday in London.
 
You could argue about whether Rupert Grint or Paloma Faith should've been allowed to carry the torch, but at least they were British, and part of the arts scene in Britain on top of that. The crowds will have known who they were and reacted accordingly. Frederik has no profile here, and has no connection to Britain that I'm aware of, apart from being a distant relative of the royal family. Just an odd choice.
 
No odder in my opinion than all those I listed, even Rupert and Paloma. In all fairness, why would you turn down an opportunity to run with the Olympic Torch wherever it's going. Using members of the IOC not from the UK has highlighted even further, whether intentional or not, that the Olympics is a world event, "we're all in this together", for better or worse perhaps.
 
But London 2012 specifically decided to make the torch relay a primarily British event. Apart from the silly dalliance to Dublin, the torch has been in the UK the whole time, unlike during other Olympics where it's gone all over the world.

I'm not saying Frederik should've turned it down, simply that he was a strange choice in the first place. Neither British, nor a sportsman and with no personal link to the UK. There are just so, so many better candidates for the honour in my opinion.
 
EIIR said:
But London 2012 specifically decided to make the torch relay a primarily British event. Apart from the silly dalliance to Dublin, the torch has been in the UK the whole time, unlike during other Olympics where it's gone all over the world.

I'm not saying Frederik should've turned it down, simply that he was a strange choice in the first place. Neither British, nor a sportsman and with no personal link to the UK. There are just so, so many better candidates for the honour in my opinion.
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Depending upon your definition of sportsman, in Olympic terms he isn't as he hasn't competed in a games nor won any medals, but he's definitely a sportsman. Just because it's been in the UK, doesn't mean it cannot be a world event, as evident from the runners who have carried the torch. Like I said no odder than picking Will.i.am who was born in LA, has done nothing except host a reality tv show that flopped, produced some rather catchy songs and happened to donate quite a bit of money only days after or before he ran with the torch. At least Frederik represents the IOC.
 
The discussion of Frederick carrying the Olympic torch made me wonder something.

Not knowing the layout of London at all, I was wondering just how close the torch relay came to where Friso is in the hospital. It would have been nice to see something such as the torch pausing for a moment there as kind of a gesture from the Dutch athletes that he's being remembered.

Maybe I'm way off base but its a thought I had.
 
A lot of the torch relay has been a complete nonsense. Through Oxfordshire where I lived 32 out of the 72 torch bearers were people brought over from the states by Cocoa-cola. At least Frederick has a slight connect.
 
Lumutqueen said:
Depending upon your definition of sportsman, in Olympic terms he isn't as he hasn't competed in a games nor won any medals, but he's definitely a sportsman. Just because it's been in the UK, doesn't mean it cannot be a world event, as evident from the runners who have carried the torch. Like I said no odder than picking Will.i.am who was born in LA, has done nothing except host a reality tv show that flopped, produced some rather catchy songs and happened to donate quite a bit of money only days after or before he ran with the torch. At least Frederik represents the IOC.
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i agree.
I've been following the torch relay online BBC - Olympic Torch Relay - Live Relay

and it seemed like today and other days, IOC members have run with the torch.
the olympics are an international event and the torch runners would surely bring a little bit of press in their home countries. get people excited.

that plus, Frederik as an IOC member has worked a lot in events that features sports and the youth and healthy life choices. i know in denmark he has attended some school olympic events.
 
I understand that Frederick is a royal IOC member but other royal ICO members such as Prince Albert of Monaco or Willem-Alexander havnt carried the torch so why the difference made??

The torch relay should have been for local people who did community work or exceptional deeds etc NO celebrities etc especially those with no revelance to our counrty ... ie Will.I.Am
 
PrincessofEurope said:
I understand that Frederick is a royal IOC member but other royal ICO members such as Prince Albert of Monaco or Willem-Alexander havnt carried the torch so why the difference made??
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Maybe because Frederik is himself an avid sportsman? Boating, cycling marathons, running, tennis etc.

Just a thought.
 
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The royal yacht Dannebrog has arrived in London: Billed-Bladet - Dannebrog på plads i London

Prince Henrik was onboard as you may notice....

Dannebrog will stay in London through out the Olympics and as such she will serve as residence for the various members of the DRF who will attend the Olympic games at various points.

However, while she is there the ship is also used for other things than a floating hotel. Saturday QMII and PH will host a reception for business leaders onboard, so it isn't all fun and games.
 
Just saw that Prince Henrik was interviewed by TV2 and he said he was very excited for the Olympics and was looking forward to all the sport that happens on and in the water and for the handball and football games, if I remember correctly.
 
I am in london for the Olympics and went today to have a walk around canary wharf where the super yatchs are docked for the Olympics. My surprise when I saw the dannebrog between them! I took a picture for you as I thought you may enjoy it :)
 

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