Executives and monarchs from Northern Europe make their way to Berlin.
For a couple of decades, the five Nordic nations of Europe have shared a diplomatic hub in Berlin. To commemorate this milestone, the leaders of these nations are visiting Germany's capital, which also serves as a royal gathering. Almost all of them are scheduled for additional engagements in Germany afterwards.
This unprecedented gathering of Nordic royal family members and government heads is a rarity, except perhaps during grand jubilees or the state funeral of a queen: Key royals from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, along with the presidents of Finland and Iceland, will be gracing Berlin on Monday. The Danish royal couple, Frederik X and Mary, will extend their trip to the German-Danish border area for an additional day.
The main objective of the Nordic countries' visits is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Nordic Embassies in Berlin's Tiergarten. Instead of establishing separate, dispersed representations in the federal capital, these closely connected nations opted to establish a shared diplomatic complex a quarter of a century ago. "Independent yet united" - was the sentiment expressed by the then Danish Queen Margrethe II at the embassy complex's inauguration, her unifying, nearly 230-meter-long green copper band adorning the occasion on October 20, 1999. Since then, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland have grown even more connected. Politically, they are united in their unwavering support of Ukraine, and economically, they actively engage in trade with one another. They have set a common objective to become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030.
Royal Event
Scandinavians share a strong connection with Germany - just as many Germans feel connected to them. Denmark and Germany enjoy a friendly relationship, despite Sweden's lingering problem with gang violence, and Norway is now Germany's leading gas supplier due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Germany's subsequent withdrawal from Russian gas.
These close ties between Northern Europe and the Federal Republic will be celebrated with a grand event, at which Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Berlin's Culture Senator Joe Chialo are also expected to speak. Denmark will be represented in the Nordic Embassies by King Frederik and Queen Mary, Norway and Sweden will each send their Heirs Apparent, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Victoria, along with their partners Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Prince Daniel. From Finland and Iceland, Presidents Alexander Stubb with his wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb and President Halla Tómasdóttir with her husband Björn Skúlasón will attend. In the evening, Federal President Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender will host a dinner at Schloss Bellevue.
Stubb and Steinmeier - and Merkel
For both the Danish royal couple and the Finnish Stubb and Icelandic Tómasdóttir, this trip will be their first visit to Germany. Frederik ascended to the throne in January, following his mother Margrethe's decision to abdicate after 52 years in office. Stubb has been leading Finland since March as its new NATO member, while Tómasdóttir has held her office on Iceland's North Atlantic island since August.
Frederik and Mary will continue their journey to Schleswig-Holstein on Tuesday, visiting the local Danish minority in the border region. Their itinerary includes stops in Kiel, at the former border wall Danewerk near Schleswig, and in Flensburg. The focus will be on cross-border cooperation between Danes and Germans, including the transition to renewable energies.
Stubb also plans to extend his stay in Germany for an extra day. On Tuesday, he will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and former Chancellor Angela Merkel. Both have previously served as heads of government in Europe. Stubb served as Finland's Prime Minister from 2008 to 2015, a period that included the financial and euro crises.
As for the captivating Crown Prince and Crown Princess duos from Sweden and Norway, Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria has proven her proficiency in German - the daughter of King Carl XVI. Gustaf and Queen Silvia born in Heidelberg - demonstrated her language skills during a speech in the Berlin Bundestag for the Day of Mourning nearly a year ago.
Haakon and Mette-Marit visited Berlin just over a year ago. In their homeland of Norway, a cloud has hung over them for months: Investigations are ongoing against Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, due to allegations of violence from former partners. The couple has been relatively quiet regarding the matter.
The European Union, as a strong advocate for international cooperation, has expressed its support for the Nordic countries during their visit to Berlin. This visit, led by key royals and government heads, is also significant for Germany, as it strengthens the bonds between Northern Europe and the Federal Republic.
The European Union, recognizing the importance of diplomatic relations, has often emphasized the value of such multinational gatherings, promoting unity and collaboration among its member states.
