It's a royal birthday extravaganza this week with both Queen Silvia of Sweden and Japan's Emperor Akihito celebrating milestone ages.
Dressed in vibrant orange, Queen Silvia marked the eve of her 60th birthday on Monday by attending a command performance of Tchaikovsky 's Nutcracker Suite in Stockholm. Joined by King Carl Gustaf and Prince Carl Philip – both wearing tuxedos – the queen's daughters, Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine, were characteristically elegant in sparkling evening gowns as they took their places in the royal box.
Meanwhile, in Asia, Emperor Akihito of Japan rang in his 70th birthday. As hundreds of well-wishers waved national flags below, the emperor and his wife Empress Michiko waved from the balcony of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Nearly a year after undergoing prostate cancer surgery, the emperor issued words of support for his own subjects struggling to push ahead. "I understand that people have faced various kinds of hardship in their daily life," he said. "I hope that the coming year will be a good year for you all."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
