Edvard Eriksen

For almost a century, Copenhagen's iconic Little Mermaid statue has perched alone on a rock in the harbour, wistfully pining for the prince she has been promised -- and now she will finally get her man.

Hundreds of Danes braved the cold on Saturday to welcome home the city's beloved Little Mermaid statue from her eight-month trip to Shanghai, where she represented Denmark at the World Expo.

Denmark welcomes the return of its Little Mermaid statue after its 6-month junket in China. Denmark's Little Mermaid received applause and trumpet fanfares on Saturday as the famous statue was reinstalled at its home perch in Copenhagen harbor after spending six months in China.

Tourists trekking to Copenhagen hoping to see an iconic statue of The Little Mermaid were left considerably underwhelmed on Saturday after being confronted by a still image on a giant video screen.

A skeleton briefly sat in for Copenhagen's beloved Little Mermaid, who left her spot in the harbour last week for China, the museum behind the April Fool's prank said Thursday.

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SHANGHAI (Reuters Life!) - For nearly 100 years, the heartbroken Little Mermaid has sat on a rock looking out over Copenhagen's port but now the sculpture based on the famous fairytale, is heading back out to sea, set for China.

Denmark's famed Little Mermaid begins China trip, leaving Denmark for first time. Denmark's famed Little Mermaid statue left her perch in the Copenhagen harbor Thursday and started a journey to the World Expo in Shanghai ? the first trip abroad in her 96-year history.

Hundreds thronged the Copenhagen harbour, dancing, singing and waving Danish flags to bid farewell to the Little Mermaid sculpture as she left her perch Thursday to fly to the World Expo in Shanghai.

Mermaid sculpture in Mich. city targeted as illegal replica of Copenhagen's famed statue. A Little Mermaid statue that has stood in a park in a Michigan city since 1994 may be removed because of a claim it's an illegal replica of the famous original in Denmark.

China's Ai Weiwei wins competition to design substitute for Shanghai-bound Mermaid statue. A video installation by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei will replace Copenhagen's famed Little Mermaid statue when it goes on display at the World Expo in Shanghai next year, officials said Tuesday.

Copenhagen's famous Little Mermaid sculpture will be replaced by a video installation when it leaves its historic perch over the port for a visit to China next year, Danish officials said Tuesday.