HRH Princess Birgitta to be Patron of Swedish Style New Zealand

HRH Princess Birgitta of Sweden, sister of H M King Carl XVI Gustaf, will be visiting New Zealand from Saturday, October 18 to Saturday, October 25 2008, as Patron of Swedish Style New Zealand.

Stig Ehnbom, Chairman of the local organising committee says, ”We are very excited to be hosting such a prestigious event here, and to be honoured by such a high ranking member of the Swedish Royal Family as Patron. This demonstrates the importance that Sweden places on strengthening ties with New Zealand at all levels of business and society. We are working hard with our partners to deliver an exciting programme to New Zealand.”

HRH Princess Birgitta holds a masters degree in physical education, and has a keen interest in golf, sponsoring her own tournament “the Princess Birgitta Trophy” every year in Mallorca.

HRH Princess Birgitta also has a keen interest in design, like her late uncle the famous designer Prince Sigvard Bernadotte. As a frequent traveller for various charities and as Patron for the Royal Swedish Hong Kong Society, she often visits the Asian region, but this will be her first time in New Zealand.

Swedish Style New Zealand will be held for the first time in Auckland between October 18 – 25, 2008. During this week events will feature Swedish design, music, gastronomy and symposia on a range of sustainability issues. These will take place in a number of central locations in Auckland, and follow the very successful Swedish Style events held in Melbourne and Sydney in 2005, organised by the Swedish Embassy in Canberra.

ENDS