Danish New Year Courts: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

[Lasse Pedersen]

Originally Posted by H.M. Margrethe

I hate to say this BUT Queen Margrethe don´t write her newyears speech.
She gets an outecast from Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen about what to say in her speech. She migthe writhe somthing down but it is not the full version of it.

To some extent, I stand corrected:). Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, as H.M. Margrethe has pointed out, actually receives an already written speech from the Prime Minister's Office. This speech contains five or six topics which the Prime Minister's Office regards as being relevant. The Queen then writes her own speech.

First, the Queen chooses some topics, if any, from the already written speech, and then writes her completely own speech. When writing the speech, Her Majesty's private secretary (at the moment LLD Niels Eilschou Holm) assists Her Majesty in matters of political concern. When Her Majesty feels that her speech is perfect, it is returned to the Prime Minister's Office. Though communication between the Prime Minister's Office and the Court is strictly confidential, it has been said that the speech received from the Queen does not at all resemble the original speech.

About the New Year's Speech, Her Majesty has said: "Jeg har altid sommerfugle i maven inden nytårstalen. Jeg håber at jeg rammer noget, der kan bruges. Det værste ville være at ramme slet ingenting. Naturligvis er jeg da spændt på reaktionerne. Særlig fordi der de senere år har været så meget interesse om den tale. Så bliver det væsentligt mere spændende at se, om man har truffet noget. Det væsentlige er ikke hvad aviserne siger, jeg fortæller tværtimod mig selv: ‘Det drejer sig ikke om god og dårlig kritik, men om, at folk syntes du har sagt noget, som angår dem.’"

In English: "I always have butterflies in my stomach before the New Years Speech. I hope that I touch something of use. The worst would be to touch absolutely nothing. Naturally, I am excited about the reactions. Especially because this speech has become a centre of attention over the last years. Thus, it becomes even more exciting to see if you have struck something. The essential is not what the news papers say, on the contrary, I tell myself: 'It is not a matter of good and bad critique, but of whether people think that you have said something which concerns them'"

Finally, thank you for your comments on the translation. You are much too kind!

/Lasse Pedersen

[Daneborn]

Aha.

It certainly is nice and considerate of the prime minister to supply the Queen with relevant topics in case she couldn't think of any herself

I guess this is a good thing. It gives the Queen the approval to speak about things she might have felt was too delicate / political to dare suggest herself.

I'm thinking about what she said about freedom of speech and that she hopes no young people in Denmark would engage themselves in extreme actions.

[pollyemma]

Originally Posted by Daneborn

I guess this is a good thing. It gives the Queen the approval to speak about things she might have felt was too delicate / political to dare suggest herself.
.

I agree. I think it gives the queen some 'cover.'
though i'm not aware of the queen's message ever having been controversial. is that right?

[Scott]

Originally Posted by royaltywatcher

You know, it really is strange that Princess Alexandra used the same dress for the same event two years in a row. How much do these dresses cost, anyway? Even in my modest family, for instance, the women would not wear the same dress to two family weddings in a row. If she had a different (lesser) character, I would guess that she is trying to make a point. But I'm a real believer in her character.

Her day clothes are also recycled to a strange degree. She has a beautiful figure, she really doesn't need terribly expensive clothes to look good or to look royal. I'm surprised and curious.

There is no Royal lady who is quite as good at recycling clothes - gala, day or whatever than HRH The Princess Royal.!!!!!! Now that is one very frugal lady. I do wish she would change her haistyle for a younger look. I am sure she would look much nicer with short hair now. :)

I think the coat Princess Mary wore at the 2nd event grows on you the more you see it. With regard to the hairstyle, I think as it was a very formal occasion she hairstyle she chose was perfect, It looks far better than when she wears her hear down when wearing any tiara.

Scott

[Lasse Pedersen]

Originally Posted by pollyemma

I agree. I think it gives the queen some 'cover.'
though i'm not aware of the queen's message ever having been controversial. is that right?

Well, many a Dane was quite upset by Her Majesty's New Year's Speech of 1984, two years before I was born.

Her Majesty said:
"Ikke blot den materielle nød, mangelen på det nødvendigste, er vi forskånet for her i Danmark. Hos os hersker også den fred, det frie politiske liv og de ordnede samfundsforhold, som gør vort land til en eftertragtet havn for mange. Med vidt forskellig baggrund kommer flygtninge hertil, kvæstede somme tider både på sind og krop. Vi tager imod dem og er nok også lidt stolte over, at de har valgt netop vort lille paradis, men når vi ser dem stå famlende over for vort livsmønster og vort sprog, så kniber det alt for hurtigt med gæstfriheden, og skuffelsen melder sig på begge sider.
Det er der også andre, der har måttet føle, nemlig gæstearbejderne og deres familier. Nu er tiderne lidt mindre gunstige, end da mange af dem kom hertil, og det går ofte hårdere ud over dem, der igennem generationer er indlevet i den danske hverdag og derfor har sværere ved at omstille sig. Så kommer vi med vores `danske humor' og små, dumsmarte bemærkninger. Så møder vi dem med kølighed, og så er der ikke langt til chikane og grovere metoder - det kan vi ikke være bekendt."

In English (translation by yours truly):
"Here in Denmark, we are spared material needs and the lack of necessities. Amongst us, the peace, the free, political life and the orderly social conditions, which make our country a wanted harbour for many, prevail. With widely different backgrounds, refugees come here, bruised some times on both mind and body. We receive them, and are probably also a little proud that they have chosen our little paradise of all places, but when we see them fumbling at our pattern of life and our language, hospitality is much too soon scarce, and disappointment shows on both sides.
Others have also felt this, that is the guest workers and their families. Now, times are a little less propitious than when many of them arrived here, and often, this is harder on those who through generations have familiarised themselves with Danish everyday life, and therefore have a harder time adjusting themselves. Then, we come with our 'Danish humour' and little, stupid remarks. Then, we meet them with chill, and then, harassment and crueller methods - that is not good enough!"

NOTE: The word, 'dumsmart', which I have translated into 'stupid', was invented by the Queen for this occasion. It was soon adopted into the official, Danish vocabulary.

This speech, of which the above is an excerpt, made many a Dane quite angry. Many felt that Her Majesty was being political. Personally, I believe that Her Majesty was being ethical. Moreover, Her Majesty can be political, as long as she is not party-political. But of course, I was not even thought of by my parents, and did not experience the hysteria I imagine that Ekstra Bladet could stir up! But what do you think? Did Her Majesty exceed her powers?

/Lasse Pedersen

[Princejohnny25]

That speech was not political at all. It had nothing to with immigration but with rather how danes treat them. She was just telling them they were wrong and should change. Like a mummy scolding her child for picking on someone. I thought it was a good speech and you cant always have the easy go lucky leader.

[Iain]

[quote=Lasse Pedersen] Only very few heads-of-state have their New Year's Speech transmitted live. Along with HM Queen Beatrix of Holland, HM Queen Margrethe is, to my knowledge, the only European one to do so.

Doesn't Queen Beatrix give a Christmas speech rather than one at New Year?

[Larzen]

Princess Elisabeth at the New Years gala and Chief of F&M Court Per Thornit with Marys Lady in Waiting who was IMO the most elegant lady there

E-Billedbladet 1

[Sultana]

My two cents on Mary's Near Year blue dress debate. As many have already said, the style is quite different from the ones she would wear before the baby; it makes one wonder whether the fact that she is now the mother of the prince second in line to the throne has had to do with this change of image. With the baby, she must have moved up a notch in the royal family's hierarchy: not a green new bride anymore, and the dress was meant to reflect that (how successfully is a different question!).

[Alisa]

Mary's lady-in-waiting is usually very elegant but the silver dress is just too much. She looks like a "space queen" with all that silver from head to toe....I'd definetely file this under "when bad dresses happen to good people"

[auntie]

This is my opoinion on Mary's new year fashion:I think before giving birth she had a very skinny figure and could get away with wearing almost anything, what ever the style was, and almost always looked gr8. Unfortunately both new year gowns were not popular amongst the Royal watchers, due to the fact that she is a bit rounder and can't get away with everything anymore.

[Larzen]

Here is a picture from sjældne diagnoser form Marys New Years kur

[Larzen]

From Nyrenyt nr 1 2006

[kate14]

CP Mary looks very nice, thanks for the new pics Larzen:)

[sirmax]

[quote=Princejohnny25]It looks like a flamboyent cheetah was killed to make that outfit.

Its a flower dress!!!!!

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...9-post143.html

[Lasse Pedersen]

I know I am in good time, but today, a press release regarding the Danish Royal Family’s New Year celebrations of 2007 was issued. And although it will be a couple of months before we can marvel at the pictures of gala dresses and such, I found it appropriate to start this thread already. And why not do so by giving you a translation of the press release:

New Year’s Court 2007

AMALIENBORG, November 2006
On the occasion of the commencement of the new year, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Consort will receive specially invited in court on Monday, January 1st, right before the New Year’s Banquet.

On Wednesday, January 3rd, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Consort will receive specially invited in court in Christian VII’s Palace, Amalienborg, in this manner:
09.50 The members of the Supreme Court, the officers of the Royal Life Guards and the Royal Hussars.
And at Christiansborg Palace:
11.30 The diplomatic body.

On Thursday, January 4th, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Consort will hold a court at Christiansborg Palace in this manner:
09.30 Officers from the Defence and the Civil Defence Forces.
10.00 Members of the First, Second and Third Rank.
12.00 Invited representatives of major national associations and royal patronages.

Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Consort will go from Amalienborg to Christiansborg Palace by coach, and after the court awaits another coach ride from Christiansborg Palace to Amalienborg.

Attire: Gala/full dress.


On the occasion of the commencement of the new year, congratulatory lists for Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Consort will be put forward in the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, Det Gule Palæ, Amaliegade 18, Copenhagen K.


Ove Ullerup
Lord Chamberlain

/Lasse Pedersen

[Paty]

Dear Lasse, does the Crown Princes any act on the ocasion, or just the Queen and the Prince Consort?

Thanks in advance!

[Lasse Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Paty

Dear Lasse, does the Crown Princes any act on the ocasion, or just the Queen and the Prince Consort?

Thanks in avnace!

At all three New Year’s Courts, The Reigning Couple act as hosts.

At The New Year’s Court and Banquet for the Government and other ‘specially invited’ guests (to be held on January 1st), sometimes referred to as the ‘Small Court’, The Reigning Couple are the hosts, and TRH The Crown Prince Couple, Prince Joachim, Princess Benedikte and TH Princess Elisabeth and Princess Alexandra are amongst the so-called ‘specially invited’. NOTE: The above ‘guest list’ of royals is a guess on my part.

At the Court to be held on January 3rd, TRH The Crown Prince Couple will join The Reigning Couple in receiving the best wishes for the year to come from the members of the Supreme Court and officers of the royal guards. This part of the Court is always private. The reception of the diplomatic body at Christiansborg Palace is open to the press, and TRH The Crown Prince Couple will also be present at this occasion.

At the Court to be held on January 4th, sometimes referred to as the ‘Grand Court’, The Reigning Couple will, as hosts, obviously attend. However, last year, HRH The Crown Princess did something entirely new and held her own New Year’s Court for her patronages at Amalienborg, while her husband and parents-in-law were at Christiansborg Palace. Whether this will become a tradition is hard to say, so it remains unclear whether HRH The Crown Princess will attend this year’s Grand Court.

Moreover, I obviously cannot state that the above will be the case. It will only be so if the Courts of 2007 will be “same procedure as last year” – maybe we will se some more breaches of tradition in 2007!

Lasse

[JessRulz]

Thanks for the cute times a billion pictures!!! :)

Is anyone else having trouble opening the link in GlitteringTiaras' post? It keeps coming up page cannot be found

[Alisa]

Photos from the New Year's Reception can be seen here:

http://galleri.tv2.dk/index.php/cate...37/page-1.html