Stamps of Denmark: Princess Benedikte's 70th Birthday (2014)

29 April, 1944 was a happy day at a time otherwise characterised by the darkness of war. at amalienborg Palace, Crown Princess Ingrid gave birth to the family’s second child, who was christened Bene- dikte astrid Ingeborg Ingrid.
This year, HrH Princess Benedikte celebrates her 70th birthday. Post Danmark marks this milestone birthday by issuing a stamp which shows the princess with Danish guides and scouts. according to the wishes of Princess Benedikte, who is well-known for her involvement in the guide and scout movement, the stamp will be sold in a strip of five stamps with a surcharge to raise funds for Danish guides and scouts. The surcharge will be distributed between the Danish Guide and Scout association, the KFuM Scouts of Denmark, the Green Girl Guides of Denmark, the Danish Baptists’ Scout as- sociation and the Danish Scout association of Southern Schleswig.
THE JOYFUL HOPE
“The joyful hope” was the phrase used by the Danish broadsheet Berlingske Tidende to hail the royal family’s new arrival in its editorial the day following the princess’s birth. “With her delightful childhood charm, the new-born princess’s older sister is cherished by the citizens of Copen- hagen, and the Crown Princess’s youngest daughter is also likely to win our hearts,” wrote the newspaper.
Princess Benedikte’s childhood home
was Frederik VIII’s Palace at amalienborg. Princess Benedikte still has an apartment there, which she often uses when she is in Denmark.
after attending boarding schools in England and Switzerland, in 1968 Princess Benedikte married Prince richard of Sayn- Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Following their marriage, the couple settled in Berleburg in Germany, where Prince richard ran his family’s estate.
COMMITTED TO THE SCOUT MOVEMENT
as patron of 33 Danish and ten foreign sporting and humanitarian organisations, the hard-working and conscientious princess leads a busy life. Princess Bene- dikte has inherited her sense of social commitment and organisational talent from her mother, Queen Ingrid. as a young teenager, Princess Benedikte was introduced to the girl guides through her mother, who was chairwoman of the Joint Committee of Girl Guides in Denmark.
When Queen Ingrid was unable to attend the World association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts’ 18th World Conference in nyborg in 1963 due to poor health, it was obvious that Princess Benedikte should step into the role.
The princess’s involve- ment and dedicated efforts meant that, only two years later, she took over the position of chair of the Joint Committee of Girl Guides in Denmark from her mother. Since then, she has been passionately involved in the girl guide and scouting movement, and actively participates in the national jamborees. For the past many years, Princess Benedikte has been patron of the Danish Guide and Scout association and the Green Girl Guides of Denmark.
FIVE-KRONER SURCHARGE
For every strip of five stamps sold, a surcharge of DKK 5.00 will be donated
to the work of the Danish girl guides and scouts. If you subscribe to strips with two to five special stamps, this strip will auto- matically be included in your subscription.
The surcharge is only levied on the strip. In all other products which include the stamp – first-day cover, yearbook and year pack – only the face value is paid.
The stamp is only sold in strips, but if you subscribe to special stamps or postmarked special stamps, you will receive the stamps as usual.
Source: WOPA Stamps