Danish New Year Courts: 2004, 2006-2013

[gerry]

Mange tak for the delicious detail you provide Muhler! Indeed, the shells on the horses' bridles are quite visible; the decoration on the breast piece is different on the commander's horse so that I imagine rank is once again indicated by the symbols on the equipment! I did notice that some of the hussars are women and wonder how they react to the somewhat sexist scene you describe at the regimental celebrations!

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by gerry

Mange tak for the delicious detail you provide Muhler! Indeed, the shells on the horses' bridles are quite visible; the decoration on the breast piece is different on the commander's horse so that I imagine rank is once again indicated by the symbols on the equipment! I did notice that some of the hussars are women and wonder how they react to the somewhat sexist scene you describe at the regimental celebrations!

You are welcome.
Yes, there are a few details differing between uniforms and equipment, depending on rank and function.
And there are indeed many female conscripts in the mounted squadron of the Guards Hussars and I'm certain they, just like Mary and QMII, truly enjoy the innuendoes.

This scene from a movie, does indeed faithfully describe the tradition: (Minus the somewhat pompous singing). You may remember M&F going to such a regimental party two or three years ago?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXdW2mGtyl8

Originally Posted by vkrish

Is it the etiquette to take the glove off the hand when you are shaking someone's? I have also seen Prince haakon do that before?
But Queen Elizabeth never does that..Can someone tell me..

It's certainly good manners. Or so I have been brought up.

The problem with shaking hands with many people is of course that it's terribly unhygienic. So no wonder the DRF (and other royal families I assume) clean their hands with tissue afterwards.

[Charlotte_Aster]

It is considered polite to take off your glove when shaking someone's hand. At least, that's how I learned it. I have no idea why Queen Elizabeth doesn't do it, but CP Mary and CP Haakon are doing the right thing according to etiquette.

[Artemisia]

I'm not sure that's true. You are supposed to have your opera gloves on arrival and not take them off while shaking hands or dancing. Gloves should only be taken off when you sit down to dinner, and put back on when dinner is over.

The shorter, everyday gloves are a different matter; while there rules about it too, basically you can choose when to take them off pretty much whenever you like.

Of course, these rules are not carved in stone, or there might have been circumstances/traditions I'm not aware of, or Mary simply wanted to take the glove off. Either way, it's no big deal, really.

[Tarlita]

I read somewhere many years ago that because Queen Elizabeth and the late Prss Margaret did not get any of the childhood diseases that we tend to get, they wear gloves as a precaution. Mostly because if you contract some of these diseases as an adult it is a very serious problem. Now this theory could be wrong, but this is what I read more than thrity years ago, and it makes sense when you look at how closeted they were growing up. They probably didn't get their shots either. Who knows?

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Muhler

You are welcome.
Yes, there are a few details differing between uniforms and equipment, depending on rank and function.
And there are indeed many female conscripts in the mounted squadron of the Guards Hussars and I'm certain they, just like Mary and QMII, truly enjoy the innuendoes.

This scene from a movie, does indeed faithfully describe the tradition: (Minus the somewhat pompous singing). You may remember M&F going to such a regimental party two or three years ago?

Thank you Muhler! This scene is wonderful; all I can say is that I hope the Crown Prince and Princess were able to keep a straight face while all this was going on because I would have been reduced to helpess giggles!

[iceflower]

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Here's another gallery of the New Year's receptions:



** pp: Princesse Mary : Atout glamour des réceptions royales du Nouvel An 2013 **

[Muhler]

Summary of two articles in Billed Bladet #2, 2013.
Both written by Annelise Weimann.

The court for the diplomattic corps took place in the Knights Hall at Christiansborg.
QMII wore a dress lined with fur from mink, sewn fifteen years ago by Jørgen Bender.
She was a bit under the weather from a cold and her back hurt, so a chair was brought in for the Monarch to sit down and showing solidarity with his wife Prince Henrik also opted for a chair.
Thus seated they greeted 75 diplomats and 35 spouses.
The doyen this year was the Mexican ambassador, Martha Coqui, who on behalf of the diplomatic corps gave a small speech and conveyed the diplomats well wishes to the DRF.
Prince Henrik said "Bonne Annee" to the diplomats he shook hands with.

Mary, who wore a Julie Fagerhold dress from 2008, wished the press corps "Happy New Year" while passing them on the way to the Knights Hall.

The third court also took place at Christianborg. This time the Regent Couple rode through the streets in a newly renovated carriage from 1840. The carriage has been put back to how it looked when it was new. Pulled by six horses the carriage is not heated, but the weather was mild, so the Regent Couple probably didn't have to bury themselves under fur-blankets. As always it was escorted by the Mounted Squadron of the Guards Hussars.
This court is basically the top brass within the civil servants, state administration and "etaterne" = the uniformed branches of the state, like police and military. No less than 830 people! And it took four hours to complete.
QMII wore a long furcoat made from zobel and Prince Henrik wore the gala uniform of a general in the airforce, designed by Margit Brandt. - (Well, I personally find the airforce gala uniform a bit too modern).
The fomer Master of Ceremonies, Christian Eugen Olsen, was there too - this time as one of the invited guests - and that he enjoyed.