Princess Marie of Denmark brings joy to locals on tour of Ethiopia

Princess Marie of Denmark is halfway through her official tour of Ethiopia. The elegant royal, who left her husband Prince Joachim of Denmark and the couple's two young children at home, has had a busy schedule organised for her. As patron of DanChurchAid, the Paris-born princess has shown her support for the organisation, which carries out relief and development work in the poorest areas of Ethiopia.

© Photo: Rex

On her first day, Marie, 37, was warmly welcomed with a luncheon in Addis Ababa, hosted by the Danish ambassador to Ethiopia. The royal got straight to work, visiting the Danish company Engsko United Milling System which produces millstones to grind grain. Marie brought joy to the locals as they spoke to her about their work and showed her around the production mills. 

Dressed in a chic grey and white suit with matching open-toed sandals, Marie looked every inch the gracious royal as she listened attentively and tried her hand at working the mill. The brunette beauty was also taken to the DanChurchAid headquarters where she met employees and was presented with a bouquet of flowers by two young girls. Marie no doubt looked delighted to be hearing about the organisation's work in Ethiopia and see their efforts first-hand.

© Photo: Rex

As one of the charity's aims is to give practical aid and advice to villagers and help them become self-sufficient, Marie is reportedly scheduled to travel 400km south of Addis Ababa to the Bale Zone. Once there, the royal will visit the development projects and see how staff and villagers cultivate soil and breed livestock. 

Marie is also said to be visiting projects in Goro, including a school where DanChurchAid has just built a water reservoir. The mother-of-two will also meet locals who are HIV-positive from rural communities in Goro, and learn how they have tried to reintegrate themselves into a society that often stigmatises them. Marie's visit to Ethiopia is her second trip with DanChurchAid. The Danish princess, who has been a patron since 2011, travelled to Cambodia in October 2012 with the charity.