“It was a day we’ll remember for a lifetime.”
That is how Linda Steffensen, development manager of The Danish Home Foundation, described the historic visit from Her Royal Highness Princess Marie of Denmark to The Danish Home of Chicago on a blustery September 6, 2025.
Before residents, staff, board members, volunteers, and friends of The Danish Home, the Princess was the honored guest in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of The Danish Home’s new building expansion. Joining her were Deputy Chief of Mission, Ambassador Stig Paolo Piras from the Royal Danish Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Consul General Jesper Køks Andersen of the Consulate General of Denmark in Chicago.
“I’ve heard so much about this wonderful place…its residents, the dedicated staff, and the strong sense of community that lives here. Today, I’m delighted to see it for myself,” said the Princess, who was also visiting Chicago for the first time.
Princess Marie didn’t go on hearsay alone; she made sure to take time with residents and their families before the ceremony. According to The Danish Home president and CEO Scott Swanson, “More than anything, the Princess wanted to sit with residents and visit with them one-on-one.”
“I have spoken with families and friends of The Danish Home who have been connected to this place since childhood, with those whose parents lived here and with others who plan to make this their future home,” Princess Marie told the audience gathered on the ample new patio lined with Danish and American flags.
For resident Esther Sorensen, who, along with resident Karen Frink, presented the Princess with a bouquet of red and white flowers upon her arrival, meeting Princess Marie was an “honor” brimming with excitement. “They called us when she was five minutes away, then a block away.”
Added Esther, who has been following the Danish royal family since Princess Marie’s marriage to Prince Joachim in 2008, “She was charming, sweet and smiling. We were very happy to see her!”
In addition to words from the Princess, the ceremony featured speeches from other key figures in the life of The Danish Home. Among them was Christa Ørum-Keller, to whose late parents, Peter and Irma, the new legacy building known as the Garden Suites is dedicated.
“Peter would be very proud of the accomplishments today,” said Christa.
Indeed, all can take pride in this labor of love, an enduring testament to the vision, hard work and devotion that is our legacy and will carry us far into the future.
Her Royal Highness said it best: “Today, with this expansion, the next chapter of The Danish Home begins.”
