Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko enjoyed a tour of some botanical gardens on the first day of their official state visit to Sweden yesterday (22.05.07).
The royal couple were transported to the Stockholm’s Bergius Botanic Garden by the historic Sjöfröken steamboat dating from 1875.
As well as admiring the many exotic plants on display, the empress, dressed in a white navy-trimmed suit, enjoyed a relaxed chat with Sweden’s Queen Silvia. Birgitta Bremer, the director of the gardens who guided the royal tour, told AFP News: ‘They were very interested in all the plants. They recognized a lot of species.’ The royal couple travelled to the Nordic country to take part in celebrations marking the 300th anniversary of biologist Carolus Linnaeus - widely hailed as one of Sweden’s greatest scientists ever to have lived.
Following their tour of the gardens - which is hosting a special exhibit for the anniversary - the royal couple had lunch with the Swedish government hosted by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and his wife Filippa at the foreign ministry.
The couple then visited the Museum of Natural History to see the ‘From Linnaeus to DNA’ exhibition.
Akihito, 73, and Michiko, 72, also paid a visit to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
© bangshowbiz.biz
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