Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria Celebrates 250th Anniversary of Finnish Court of Appeal

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband, Prince Daniel, visited Finland to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Vaasa Court of Appeal, an institution founded by Swedish King Gustav III in 1776 when Finland was part of Sweden.

The royal couple's visit began with a formal ceremony at the Vaasa Court of Appeal, the second established by Swedish monarchs in what was then the Grand Duchy of Finland. Victoria, wearing an outfit by a Finnish brand, planted a red oak tree in a park adjacent to the court to mark the anniversary and her visit to Vaasa, a city named after the Swedish royal house of Vasa.

Hundreds of citizens gathered to watch the royal couple's procession through the city, some waving Swedish flags. Later, Victoria and Daniel toured the technology center of the engineering company Wärtsilä. There, they learned about advancements in zero-emission maritime transport and energy production.

The visit continued in Espoo, near Helsinki, with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation between Sweden and Finland in research, education, and innovation. A key focus included a visit to Aalto University, where they were briefed on the latest scientific developments in quantum technology, space technology, satellite research, and ice research.

According to the university, these fields are strategically important for both nations, which maintain close scientific collaboration. The day's program concluded at the university's wave and ice tank, the world's largest indoor ice pool, used by researchers to test maritime structures and improve icebreaker designs, an area where Finland holds global expertise.