Nordic tree presented to Queen ‘felt threadbare’

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The tree was decked out in unusual colours such as pink and silver

The Norwegian Christmas tree that was presented to the Queen in Cardiff was of “threadbare” quality.

It was made from four maple trees and the wiring was so weak that some branches “dropped off”, according to a reviewer on the blog Tree and Bow.

The Telegraph quoted one critic as saying it looked “like a Christmas tree you would buy from Amazon”.

The Aalesund Christmas tree Company said it was the third annual visit to the UK for the tree.

“We always look forward to visiting the Royal Garden City,” an Aalesund Christmas Tree Company spokesperson said.

“Thank you Cardiff – there really were a lot of interesting opinions from different people.”

Image copyright Galloping Daisies / Facebook Image caption The designer of the tree said they used approximately 500,000 twigs

The tree was created by Galloping Daisies, a design company in Aalesund, in a partnership with the Council of Aalesund County and local realtors Woodlands Community Homes.

The tree was in 13 pieces and was decorated with 80,000 tinsel strands and took three and a half weeks to create.

Colourful wire netting connected to a shaft was also carried to the top of the tree.

The designer, Ursula Akes Larsen, said the display was inspired by the fact that the leaves are “threadbare” in Norway’s cold, wet seasons.

It was adorned with abstract flowers, and was decked out in unusual colours including pink and silver.

Image copyright Iceland Grug and Frost Image caption The chains that were used to hold the tree together caused some embarrassment

The tree was one of three headed by the queen in her official Christmas tree-lighting ceremonies at the annual event, which takes place on the 30 November.

Earlier the Duke of York was presented with a 19-year-old white Norway spruce from Birger’s North Highland Farm in Caithness.

The royal couple were also presented with a Scandi-land Christmas tree, which went to Queen Victoria’s former residence in Aldergrove, in Scotland.

The Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington opened in May this year

The event is the Duchess of Cambridge’s Christmas present from the Queen for each year since her 2011 marriage to Prince William.

Image copyright 2016/Corbis Image caption The Royal Garden City, Cardiff

The Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington was opened in May this year, by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to replace the private Lindo Wing of the Portland Hospital in London.

The 63-bed unit was built on the former base of the Red Cross World Service to care for expectant and new mothers whose pregnancy presents a risk to the mother, the baby and the mother.

It aims to “maintain the honour and dignity of motherhood” and is the third “private” wing at the hospital to provide a private birthing suite for a royal baby.

The Queen, who is said to be keen to have a baby in the next few years, is famously supportive of her grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s pregnancies.

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