Today is World AIDS Day. Princess Marie as Patron of AIDS-Fondet usually attends several events on the day in Denmark but she had to stay in Paris this year because of the lockdown. She instead released a video message to mark the day. Read more below.
You can watch Princess Marie’s video message below.
Her speech is in English but I’m still including a transcript below:
“The 1st of December is upon us again. We enter a month of joy and of children’s eyes shining with hope and expectation, all as it should be. But for people across the globe, December 1st also represents a day of memory, of pain and of thoughtfulness. It is World AIDS Day.
On this day, we remember those brutally taken from us by the disease. We are thankful for the important victories won during almost four decades of battling HIV and we remind ourselves of the struggles ahead. We still have no cure for the virus, we still have no vaccine. We still see people with HIV have their mental health broken by stigma and prejudice. So today, the message must be loud and clear: the race continues until we reach the finish line.
As Patron of the Danish AIDS Foundation, I find it especially important that we mark World AIDS Day this year. Another pandemic hit us with tremendous force and consequences and the world’s eyes are understandably fixated on COVID-19. However, we must not allow one pandemic to fuel the fire of another. If we allow that to happen, we will lose lives that could have been saved. We will set back decades of global investments in fighting HIV and AIDS. And perhaps most importantly, we will do so at a moment in time when we’ve never been closer to the goal.
In Denmark, we once again see the number of new HIV infections fall. After years of stagnation, now for the second year in a row fewer people have been infected with HIV bringing us closer to the goal of 0 new infections in Denmark by 2030. Globally we’ve made progress as well. While AIDS still kills girls and young women disproportionately, we do see that our efforts save lives. More people have access to medicine, fewer people die.
Today let’s remind each other of the global injustice that almost 700000 every year from a virus that could have been suppressed with medicine. But let us also remind each other that we have proven through decades: lives can be saved, progress can be made. There is light in the darkness. It is our duty to keep it aglow.”
For the video, Princess Marie wore her Maje grey blazer and her Christine Hvelplund initials necklace.
Last week, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie celebrated their copper wedding anniversary. It is a big anniversary celebrated in Denmark but sadly, the couple could not enjoy all the usual traditions with family and friends because of the pandemic. The Court released a photo to celebrate the anniversary. The photo was taken by Princess Athena in Paris and it looks like we can spot Henrik in the background.
In the photo, Marie wore her Parajumpers coat.
The Court also announced that Queen Margrethe will spend Christmas with Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena at Schackenborg Castle. Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and their children will spend the holiday at Amalienborg Palace.
Princess Marie's Closet 