Danish Royal Family Christmas: 2003, 2004, 2006-2014, 2016-2023


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Thanks for posting these photos. They are lovely.
 
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Very nice pictures of the family. The Queen looks happy having the family complete, sons, daughters-in-law and 8 grandkids.
Warm greetings between all. Especially the Queen and Isabella
Like this picture of the Queen and her two heirs
http://images.stiften.dk/45/370945_1280_12800_233_0_2265_3021_2.jpg

and this one of Joachim and Christian
http://images.stiften.dk/50/370950_1280_12800_7_0_2238_2984_2.jpg

I see the youngest went to mass on Christmas eve.

thank you as well for posting these pictures! I notice that there is a warm discussion between CP Frederik and his father. Is it known whether these two men communicate among themselves en famille in Danish or in French?
 
thank you as well for posting these pictures! I notice that there is a warm discussion between CP Frederik and his father. Is it known whether these two men communicate among themselves en famille in Danish or in French?

At least beforehand QMII and PH spoke almost only French among themselves. Probably they still speak a good deal of French.
Both Joachim and Frederik are fluent in French (unsurprisingly) but my guess is that they speak a kind of "Frenish" with PH. Probably less so when Mary is present.
But when the Regent Couple happens to be alone with J&M, like when they celebrated Christmas at Schackenborg or just drops by for a cup of coffee, then I'm willing to bet a months salary that they speak exclusively French.

In this case J&M spend the night at the main-building of Marselisborg with the Regent Couple and that meant they in all likelihood had breakfast together. And I think I should be very much mistaken if the conversation wasn't almost entirely in French.

M&F slept in an adjacent building a few hundred meters away (hence the greetings in front of the cathedral) and they have previously told that Mary and Frederik at least used to speak English among themselves.
But as we know Mary has been proofed thinking in Danish and also adopting a Danish accent when speaking English, at least to begin with. So they probably speak a kind of Danglish.

Our Marie has told that she often address her children in French and while they understand French, it's apparently only when they are in the mood that they respond in French.

I see the youngest went to mass on Christmas eve.

Correct.
The whole family went to Aarhus Cathedral on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

And according to BB. Dronning Margrethe gav kys og kram foran domkirken | BILLED-BLADET
The four youngest stayed back at Marselisborg for the service Sunday forenoon. Here in DK that's usually at 10.00 (correct me if wrong, FasterB :))

The BB reporter is Ken Richter, so we know that what he writes in the article is exactly what he saw. No more, no less.

When the Regent Couple arrived. Bella was the first to rush up to farmor Margrethe to give her a kiss.
Followed by Christian and the their parents.
After the sermon and four psalms, it was time for communion. While QMII always take part in the communion, most of the family don't.
PH, our Marie and M&F with children left for Marselisborg.

Usually someone from the DRF stay back for communion with QMII, this year it was Joachim and Nikolai and Felix. So half an hour later they also left for Marselisborg.

Let's have a look at Aarhus Cathedral, shall we.
Aarhus cathedral is dedicated to Sankt Clement.(*) (Not sure what he is called in other languages).
The current church stems back from the early 1500's and as such the architecture is very much based on the Reformation, with a pretty austere exterior and very solid almost intimidatingly massive.
Red bricks that were not chalked white were high fashion at the time, here around the Baltic Sea. Castles and churches, like Roskilde Cathedral were as such made from bricks.
Here are views from different angles:
https://www.cabinn.com/sites/default/files/DSC_8330_0.jpg
http://denstoredanske.dk/@api/deki/files/68247/=Aarhus_Domkirke_download3.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Aarhus_domkirke.jpg
https://f.nordiskemedier.dk/261lk752lmfiystb.jpg

Now, let's go inside. Once you have entered the cathedral and left your sword and axe and daggers in the "armshouse" (all DK churches have an "armshouse" at the main entrance where the congregation left their personal weapons), this is what you see:
http://www.tourblogger.ru/sites/def...0410_arhus_domkirke_arhus_jutland_denmark.jpg
The Church-ship, i.e. the length of the main-building is some 90 meters and IRRC the longest in Scandinavia.
Closer to the altar:
http://aarhuspanorama.dk/wp-content...domkirke_aarhus_panorama11-e1453119254146.jpg
The altar:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NHNbWRbvbWM/maxresdefault.jpg
We did have a Reformation, but when the cathedral was build, we hadn't abandoned all the Catholic traditions regarding interior decorations of churches. And since we never had religious war in DK, there was no storming of churches and as such many medieval and renaissance alters were left alone.
Here are two epitafiums, for two families:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4056/4487600674_ce106e3432_b.jpg
The painting on the wall is the original from the time the church was build, which you can tell from the dress.
http://aarhusdomkirke.dk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Worms-epitafium-1200x.jpg
The organ: RHUSDomkirkeStClement1730LDKASTENS-.jpg Photo by did350 | Photobucket
A detail:
http://skjultesteder.dk/images/informationsidebilleder/87/_thumb3/dscf8559.jpg
Notice the dragon-slayer. In DK he's known as Sankt Jørgen.

And of course, just like more than 1100 other churches in DK, Aarhus cathedral has a church-ship, hanging from the ceiling.
http://www.votivschiff.de/dfbc888a4da89317bf717c9370cf832b_OK Enighed, Aarhus Domkirke 1720.jpg
At the time this was made, such ships were exclusively handmade and donated by sailors who either been saved from drowning or wrecking or otherwise been in peril at sea. So in a kind of laymen, seaman's gratitude towards God, they build and donated such ships. - To the best of their abilities. So some ships are pure works of arts and others are more... charming... Fortunately some of the, ehh, less elaborate ships are preserved. it's after all the thought that matters. ;)
I was told on Christmas Eve that church-ships are common in Indian Catholic churches as well, at least along the coasts. Stemming back from the Portuguese explorers and traders.
But Aarhus Cathedral hasn't always had the present tall spire. For a long period in the 1800's this was all there was money for:
http://www.fotohistorie.com/uploads/1/1/2/2/11226425/913574_orig.jpg
But old paintings show the Church was first build with a tall spire.

(*) By coincidence a prominent rebel-leader, or should we say a Socialist leader, here in DK was named Skipper Klement.
When the Reformation took place, there was a vicious civil war in DK, which hadn't anything to do with religion, it was a power-struggle. So in an odd way the Reformation was almost a side-show, in-between the fighting. Apparently there was a general agreement all the way down, that is was a good idea to become independent of Rome.
Not that it made much difference. So far north the churches were pretty much autonomous anyway. The local kings being a much greater power than the pope. So the local bishops were not that interested in a meddling Rome either. They preferred to settle matters with the local kings, whom they were often related to anyway...
But back to Skipper Klement. He was a leader of one of the many European peasant rebellions at the time. They were far from only consisting of peasants. They constituted of a wide segment of the population, including many priests and monks. but also many intellectuals and even nobles. They were basically a rebellion against the feudal system. Or in DK mostly directed against the (tax) privileges of the church and nobility. They didn't want to abolish the church and certainly not the monarchy, they just wanted the church and nobility to pay more in taxes and give up some of their privileged in regards to land- and fishing rights. So that all classes paid similar taxes and had similar economic rights. They already has similar legal rights.
Skipper Klement led an army of peasants and citizens against a hastily raised army consisting of local nobles. But by the early 1500's few European nobles were professional soldiers, even though they liked to boast they were, so they were routed.
Ooookay! That was noticed further south were the civil war was still going on, for who was to sit on the Danish throne. We can't have a peasant rebellion in the middle of a civil war! So there was general agreement that this had to be dealt with, so that everybody could get back to the more serious business of killing your political opponents. So under a professional noble soldier named Rantzau a mercenary cavalry brigade was send north... The peasant-army had no chance. They were cut to pieces. Skipper Klement was captured and beheaded. His head, adorned with an iron-crown, was put on a spike.
Following that there was a general disarming of the population. Until then all free men were armed and required to take up arms against raiders or when called to by the king to defend the realm. A concept called "mand af hus" = something like general mobilization.
They had learned from the peasant rebellions in central Europe.
 
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Muhler thank you for taking the time to share this information about the cathedral with the site. You are our personal virtual tourguide for all things Danish!:flowers::flowers:
 
:previous: You are most welcome. :)

Well, if M&F and/or J&M have left Marselisborg, they would have been wise in doing it this forenoon, because a storm is hitting DK right now.
Along the west coast of Jutland with hurricane strength, but they are used to that. The more severe threat is flooding.

I think it's likely J&M have left for Schackenborg, so it'll be very windy. And with all the sounds in an old manor, a perfect night for ghost-stories...:D
If they left for Copenhagen, they'd better have left early because the bridges are closing soon.
M&F may have left for Trend, and are probably there by now. They'd better stay inside until tomorrow, because with Trend being located in the middle of a forest it's simply too dangerous to go outside.
But they are likely sitting in front of the fireplace now.

Here on Djursland, where we live, the storm is beginning to hit. And I wonder if our hedge in our back-garden will survive the night. :ermm:
So a good night to sit in the couch under a blanket and enjoying a schnapps or two. :D
 
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Schackenborg? I clearly need to be updated, but I thought Jokke had to sell and give that up and that he moved his family to CPH?

PS. Stay safe!
 
Does the Queen and Royal Family attend Church on Christmas day also?
 
Schackenborg? I clearly need to be updated, but I thought Jokke had to sell and give that up and that he moved his family to CPH?

PS. Stay safe!

He did. But J&M can use the manor when they feel like it. Which appears to be fairly often. Perhaps a weekend a month, as well as during various holidays.
Apart from that Joachim still owns land and estates in the area.

It's my impression they use the place as a kind of summer cottage.

Does the Queen and Royal Family attend Church on Christmas day also?

The whole DRF went on the 24th.
The adult members and the older children on the 25th.
And QMII alone on the 26th.

(..)
 
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He did. But J&M can use the manor when they feel like it. Which appears to be fairly often. Perhaps a weekend a month, as well as during various holidays.
Apart from that Joachim still owns land and estates in the area.

It's my impression they use the place as a kind of summer cottage.



The whole DRF went on the 24th.
The adult members and the older children on the 25th.
And QMII alone on the 26th.

You have to admit...only a royal could sell a house and yet still get to use it whenever they want! :ROFLMAO:
 
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Christmas posts that had no longer anything to do with the Danish Royal Family have been moved to this thread.
 
Thank you, Muhler, for all the interesting info on the church and its history.
 
:previous: You are most welcome. :)

Well, if M&F and/or J&M have left Marselisborg, they would have been wise in doing it this forenoon, because a storm is hitting DK right now.
Along the west coast of Jutland with hurricane strength, but they are used to that. The more severe threat is flooding.

I think it's likely J&M have left for Schackenborg, so it'll be very windy. And with all the sounds in an old manor, a perfect night for ghost-stories...:D
If they left for Copenhagen, they'd better have left early because the bridges are closing soon.
M&F may have left for Trend, and are probably there by now. They'd better stay inside until tomorrow, because with Trend being located in the middle of a forest it's simply too dangerous to go outside.
But they are likely sitting in front of the fireplace now.

Here on Djursland, where we live, the storm is beginning to hit. And I wonder if our hedge in our back-garden will survive the night. :ermm:
So a good night to sit in the couch under a blanket and enjoying a schnapps or two. :D



Great post. Nice to read. Thank you!
 
the DRF plans for Christmas. the CP family will be heading to Australia.

Den kongelige families jul 2017 | Kongehuset

"The Royal Family Christmas 2017
This year the Regent couple tradition will celebrate Christmas at Marselisborg Castle in Aarhus. H.M. Queen and H.K.H. Prince Henrik received the castle in 1967 as a gift from Queen's father, King Frederik 9, and has since held Christmas here for many years.

The Crown Prince couple travels with their four children, H.K.H. Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, to Australia and celebrate Christmas with H.K.H. Crown Princess's family.

H.K.H. Prince Joachim and Princess Marie and H.H. Prince Henrik and Princess Athena will celebrate Christmas abroad. Prince Joachim's eldest sons, H.H. Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, spend Christmas with their mother, H.E. Alexandra Countess of Frederiksborg."
 
That means that the only member of the DRF we will see during Christmas will be QMII when she attends service in Aarhus Cathedral.
In fact I doubt we will see anyone else until the New Year Courts.
 
It may be the best solution regarding Henrik's illness, he probably can't cope anymore with a big and loud family christmas.
 
the DRF plans for Christmas. the CP family will be heading to Australia.

Den kongelige families jul 2017 | Kongehuset

"The Royal Family Christmas 2017

The Crown Prince couple travels with their four children, H.K.H. Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, to Australia and celebrate Christmas with H.K.H. Crown Princess's family.

I am quite surprised, tbh. Weren't they in Australia last year too?
 
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