General Questions and Information about the Danish Royal Family


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Yes, that’s true. However, as far as the Danish throne is concerned I’m not sure that Queen Margrethe wants to abdicate. Frederik may be waiting a while longer.
 
Well, to me it's not really a question about how old they are or how long they have waited.

To me the most relevant questions are when the heir are in their prime and seen as being ready to take over by the public.
For Frederik that started when he was about 50.

For King Charles, he was in his prime (work wise and experience and so on) about 25 years ago. Whether he was seen to be ready to take over by the general public back then is quite another question, which I not being British feel hesitant about answering.

Victoria is entering her prime for real about now and the public (that's my impression) is feeling that she is about ready to take over.

The circumstances in Norway are of course different, due to Mette-Marit's illness and the time needed for preparing Ingrid. There I think it's a matter of having as many working royals around as possible, buying time for Ingrid.

At 73, Charles is seen by many as being past his prime years of being monarch. I've also seen comments about how this is not seen as any type of forward movement/modernization for the BRF either. Too much dust settled.

As for Frederik...he is more than ready. IN fact, when I saw the level of celebration for his 50th birthday (at the level of what a monarch would get) it really gave the impression that it was finally his (and Mary's) time. And now it feels like some things are going backwards. But Frederik is on par with his peer age group of monarchs like Phillipe, Felipe and W-A (same goes for Mary).

I agree with you about Haakon. Mette-Marit's health makes things very sensitive so Harald is hanging on as long as possible.

Next year is Carl Gustav's 50th jubilee so that will be the big thing next year for the Swedish royals. But yes, Victoria is getting close to being ready in a couple of years.

With monarchs living longer, it means the heirs wait longer and age as they wait. It is a domino effect that we are seeing play out at the moment...and could see play out with Frederik. If some of these monarchs keep refusing to see stepping aside as a viable and respectable option, these monarchies could literally age themselves out of relevance!! And if people don't think that will happen, ask the dinosaurs how they're doing!! I am sure this is not a popular opinion but it is what it is.
 
Well, to me it's not really a question about how old they are or how long they have waited.

To me the most relevant questions are when the heir are in their prime and seen as being ready to take over by the public.
For Frederik that started when he was about 50.

For King Charles, he was in his prime (work wise and experience and so on) about 25 years ago. Whether he was seen to be ready to take over by the general public back then is quite another question, which I not being British feel hesitant about answering.

Victoria is entering her prime for real about now and the public (that's my impression) is feeling that she is about ready to take over.

The circumstances in Norway are of course different, due to Mette-Marit's illness and the time needed for preparing Ingrid. There I think it's a matter of having as many working royals around as possible, buying time for Ingrid.
However, Harald is also the one that most often is not able to perform his duties and needs to call in Haakon as regent. Carl Gustaf himself is still very capable (and also younger than Harald and Margrethe) and Margrethe seems fine except for no longer being able to stand for longer periods of time.
 
I thought Margrethe has hinted that she won't abdicate. I could be wrong- I don't speak Danish, and I think a lot of translations are wrong.

I think of the current spares, Victoria is ready, but is also relishing raising her young kids. Her father appears to have no health issues.

(Too often I think the story is that King Charles had to wait too long. But he completely changed the position of the Prince of Wales. His legacy is secured by just that, even if he did no more as King. And those Windsor genes usually mean longevity.)
 
But in case of monarchs also abdication becomes more and more "normal"

Abdication is only normal in The Netherlands but we have seen this done in Belgium and Spain too. But I highly doubt if the Scandinavian royals are keen on this idea though.
 
I thought Margrethe has hinted that she won't abdicate. I could be wrong- I don't speak Danish, and I think a lot of translations are wrong.

I think of the current spares, Victoria is ready, but is also relishing raising her young kids. Her father appears to have no health issues.

(Too often I think the story is that King Charles had to wait too long. But he completely changed the position of the Prince of Wales. His legacy is secured by just that, even if he did no more as King. And those Windsor genes usually mean longevity.)
Queen Margrethe has been very clear about her considering her position being for life. As have King Carl Gustav. Neither will abdicate.
 
Can someone direct me to where I can see what medals Princes Nikolai and Felix have. I was sooo appalled that they were so heavily decorated.
 
Thank goodness for BB and photo agencies...if not we would never know about Mary's events (ie like The Mary Foundation one yesterday). Are her patronages and foundation not part of her official duties and responsibilities?
 
Thank goodness for BB and photo agencies...if not we would never know about Mary's events (ie like The Mary Foundation one yesterday). Are her patronages and foundation not part of her official duties and responsibilities?

The DRF calendar is so unreliable, it's ridiculous. A major own goal as the press department, who I assume is responsible for the website, should be perfectly aware by now that the press only rely on that when accumulating engagement totals for pieces like the clickbaity "Frederik is so lazy" article, Ekstra Bladet ran last week. What's the point of having a calendar if it's not comprehensible? :rolleyes:
 
The DRF calendar is so unreliable, it's ridiculous. A major own goal as the press department, who I assume is responsible for the website, should be perfectly aware by now that the press only rely on that when accumulating engagement totals for pieces like the clickbaity "Frederik is so lazy" article, Ekstra Bladet ran last week. What's the point of having a calendar if it's not comprehensible? :rolleyes:

Yes, I've seen the blog bean counters and the tumblr confessions about how lazy Mary and Frederik are and how he's the worst heir ever, etc. If only someone over at the DRF communications office, or whoever handles social media, calendaring and PR would get it through their antiquated heads that this ineptitude at properly keeping the CPC's calendars is doing not only a disservice to M&F but to the DRF and monarchy in general. Now I don't mean to pad the calendar with every 1 minute text message or zoom call like some do...but Mary has schedule meeting with the Mary Foundation. I am sure Frederik has meetings with officials as well. When they go on their official visits there are meetings for that as well. So what if there is no press accessibility..that is still work. And that press access is now just a weak excuse given the lack of press their events are getting now. People look at social media for their news...not just newspapers. They should really take a look at how the Spanish and Dutch royals handle their event coverage.
 
:previous: Have to agree.

I have simply given up trying to figure out why the DRF publish so little information about about what they are up to.
A daily blog.
Real in depth information about the various protections and causes.
News. - (Ukraine has for example just praised QMII. No mentioning or why.)
Mini documentaries, say a day at the office, following a DRF member to an event.
Behind the scenes features.
What is the staff doing, from cleaners to chief of court.
More photos, even something as mundane as say Mary behind her desk will be interesting.
Explaining rituals and traditions.
A weekly historical feature - with the DRF having been around for more than 1.000 years, there should be plenty of material!
A weekly photo tour of a room in one of the palaces.
Q&A: like what is valet doing?

- I mean if an ignoramus like me can come up with this, what can a true professional in communication and PR come up with?
 
:previous: Have to agree.

I have simply given up trying to figure out why the DRF publish so little information about about what they are up to.
A daily blog.
Real in depth information about the various protections and causes.
News. - (Ukraine has for example just praised QMII. No mentioning or why.)
Mini documentaries, say a day at the office, following a DRF member to an event.
Behind the scenes features.
What is the staff doing, from cleaners to chief of court.
More photos, even something as mundane as say Mary behind her desk will be interesting.
Explaining rituals and traditions.
A weekly historical feature - with the DRF having been around for more than 1.000 years, there should be plenty of material!
A weekly photo tour of a room in one of the palaces.
Q&A: like what is valet doing?

- I mean if an ignoramus like me can come up with this, what can a true professional in communication and PR come up with?

Those are all excellent ideas! And not that difficult (or costly) to execute. The material is all at their finger tips! Is it so difficult to have let's say an intern go with them to an event to properly document it? It is isn't like the press cares at this point. Mary/Frederik have had events with actual patronages that have gotten zero coverage!! I'll add that it is also a disservice to the patronage/organization as well...isn't part of having a royal patron to garner wider attention for your initiative, program, organization, cause, event, etc? This is not rocket science!

And once again, publishing Mary's speeches from her last two events is a waste of time! People do not go to websites to read speeches! But, they will click on a link to their YouTube channel to see a video of her speech (w/English subtitles I might add). I've seen comments in other videos of M&F's events with people begging for English subtitles! How hard is it to do?
The YouTube channel for the Spanish Royal Family is amazing! They even provide live streams of gala dinners, state visit events and other big events. They also use their Twitter account to great effect. The Dutch Royals also are fantastic at using their Twitter....one of Maxima's last visits had more content posted from her first day of events than we got for the entirety of M&F's official trip to Vietnam!! That's a problem...especially in this digital age! People will lose interest in what they are doing if they are given the impression M&F are doing nothing! I seriously don't understand the thought-process tbh. It is absolutely asinine and shooting themselves in the foot.

Christian turns 18 in October! That is a huge deal! Why not start now to give a profile of Christian. I don't mean invade his privacy...but start slowly doing some PR for it. Don't tell me people would not be interested in that!

Also, what is up with Frederik going MIA for days lately? His last public event was 1/7 and he didn't have another one until 1/17. Where is he for 10 days? This has been happening more since October 2022 (December holidays aside). And it seems to be happening with Mary as well more. They go MIA for days. :whistling::ermm:
 
https://www.bt.dk/royale/prins-joac...-overtager-mens-dronningen-og-kronprinsparret

Joachim is going to be Rigsforstander in week #6, that's next week. The school winter holidays are in week #7, sometimes week #8.

The reason is that QMII is going on holiday in Norway as she usually do this time of year, while M&F will also go on holiday but it is not disclosed where. Perhaps Verbier in Switzerland.

It is not known whether our Marie and the children will also be in DK. But I guess they will.

Are there winter holidays in French schools? And if so, when?

- Interesting that M&F chose to go on holiday in week 6, that means two weeks off for their children. Especially as I presume their chalet in Verbier will always be available for them when they want to.
I guess we will have to wait a couple of weeks to learn where they are going.
 
Hope the DRF acknowledge how well Greenland is doing at the Arctic Winter Games going on right now in Canada given Greenland is part of the Danish realm. Greenland is one of the teams participating...they've one 10 medals so far, 4 of them gold.
For anyone interested, here is the link: https://awg2023.gems.pro/Result/Med...437e-4102-84d2-ea9cc9108766&SetLanguage=en-GB

The Wood Buffalo 2023 Arctic Winter Games includes athletes from the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Alaska, Greenland, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), northern Alberta and the Indigenous people (Sami) of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The games run from 1/29 through 2/4.
https://awg2023.org/
 
https://www.bt.dk/royale/prins-joac...-overtager-mens-dronningen-og-kronprinsparret

Joachim is going to be Rigsforstander in week #6, that's next week. The school winter holidays are in week #7, sometimes week #8.

The reason is that QMII is going on holiday in Norway as she usually do this time of year, while M&F will also go on holiday but it is not disclosed where. Perhaps Verbier in Switzerland.

It is not known whether our Marie and the children will also be in DK. But I guess they will.

Are there winter holidays in French schools? And if so, when?

- Interesting that M&F chose to go on holiday in week 6, that means two weeks off for their children. Especially as I presume their chalet in Verbier will always be available for them when they want to.
I guess we will have to wait a couple of weeks to learn where they are going.

Do they always go on such extensive holidays a month apart, considering they were just in Australia?
 
Do they always go on such extensive holidays a month apart, considering they were just in Australia?

Nope. They usually spend Christmas in Denmark. Australia was the first time in 5 years. February is usually their skiing holiday. We'll see what they actually end up doing for the next week.
 
Hope the DRF acknowledge how well Greenland is doing at the Arctic Winter Games going on right now in Canada given Greenland is part of the Danish realm. Greenland is one of the teams participating...they've one 10 medals so far, 4 of them gold.
For anyone interested, here is the link: https://awg2023.gems.pro/Result/Med...437e-4102-84d2-ea9cc9108766&SetLanguage=en-GB

The Wood Buffalo 2023 Arctic Winter Games includes athletes from the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Alaska, Greenland, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), northern Alberta and the Indigenous people (Sami) of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The games run from 1/29 through 2/4.
https://awg2023.org/

I'm sure Frederik keeps an eye on the results.
It's no secret he reads Greenlandic news.
I also believe that had he been king, it would in some way have been marked by the DRF.
 
I'm sure Frederik keeps an eye on the results.
It's no secret he reads Greenlandic news.
I also believe that had he been king, it would in some way have been marked by the DRF.

I agree 100% with your last point. There would have been some acknowledgement and a nice public relations touch. IMO the people of Greenland would have been very appreciative to be given a "shout out". In fact, I think there would have been acknowledgements of a couple of recent events in DK that would have been marked with at least a social media post. It is simple PR that shows that you are attuned to what is happening in DK and with the people (good, bad, sad, etc.). It shows a leader that is aware, informed and in-touch.
 
Huh...interesting:
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongeli...g-margrethe-og-prins-henriks-hus-sat-til-salg

The villa in France, which Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik had built, has been put up for sale.
A unique opportunity to buy a house with a royal touch has presented itself.

The house next door to Queen Margrethe's southern French wine castle, Château de Cayx, has been put up for sale.

Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik had the villa, which is for sale, built in 2008, and it has served as a villa for the PET guards who were at work when the royal family visited the palace.
 
QMII has had to cancel her vacation in Norway. Her back is still causing trouble, reports Billed Bladet.
That means that Frederik had to take care of the public audience today.
It also means that Joachim will not step in as Rigsforstander this week.

https://www.bt.dk/royale/dronning-margrethe-aflyser-privat-ferie-har-problemer-med-ryggen
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongeli...-dronning-margrethe-maa-aflyse-vinterferien-i

The announcement from the court:
"Her Majesty the Queen has cancelled her private stay in Norway due to problems with her back. That also means that the Crown Prince presided over the public audience today at Christiansborg."
 
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We posted at the same time. It says the Crown Prince took over the audiences today. :flowers:

It looks like the Queen's back problems continue and she has canceled her week away. Joachim is no longer listed as regent and Frederik held the public audiences today.

"HM The Queen has canceled her private stay in Norway due to problems with her back. It also means that the Crown Prince presided over today's public audience at Christiansborg," the royal house's communications department told BILLED-BLADET. The cancellation of the holiday also means that Prince Joachim will not be head of state from 7 February to 13 February.
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongeli...-dronning-margrethe-maa-aflyse-vinterferien-i
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongeli...det-betyder-dronningens-aflysning-frederik-og
 
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Not quite sure where to post this question but I wonder whether HM Queen Margrethe and her sisters have come to a home sharing arrangement: do we know if HM Queen Anne Marie still keeps an apartment in Athens and Princess Benedikte at Berleburg…:whistling:
 
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Muhler —

(or any other knowledgeable Danish posters out there)

Can you help me figure out where I stayed on my one visit to Denmark? ? I was traveling with other people, it was somewhere outside of Copenhagen, it was owned by the Lundbeck Institute, they were using it as a hotel/meeting center, it was pre-2009, and somebody said "the king built this place for his mistress".

So I know it wasn't Bernstorff. But other than that, I'm stumped. Any clues?
 
Muhler —

(or any other knowledgeable Danish posters out there)

Can you help me figure out where I stayed on my one visit to Denmark? ? I was traveling with other people, it was somewhere outside of Copenhagen, it was owned by the Lundbeck Institute, they were using it as a hotel/meeting center, it was pre-2009, and somebody said "the king built this place for his mistress".

So I know it wasn't Bernstorff. But other than that, I'm stumped. Any clues?

I am not Muhler ? But I have found an adress of the Lundbeck Institute: Skodsborg Strandvej 113, Skodsborg. That building is "Countess Danner's Mansion":

Https://da.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevinde_Danners_Palæ"]https://da.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevinde_Danners_Palæ

King Frederik 7. bought the mansion in 1852 and lived there with his wife and former mistress, Louise Rasmussen, countess Danner, and later, when widowed, she used it herself.
 
I am not Muhler ? But I have found an adress of the Lundbeck Institute: Skodsborg Strandvej 113, Skodsborg. That building is "Countess Danner's Mansion":

Https://da.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevinde_Danners_Palæ"]https://da.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevinde_Danners_Palæ

King Frederik 7. bought the mansion in 1852 and lived there with his wife and former mistress, Louise Rasmussen, countess Danner, and later, when widowed, she used it herself.

Mange tak, Henrik, and I apologize for missing this before! Skodsborg does appear to be the right place. Thank you for helping to clear up the long mystery! — and poor Countess Danner; apparently nobody knows she should be upgraded to "morganatic wife" from mistress... ;)
 
She sure did a lot of good.
The first crisis/refuge center for women in DK was set up by Countess Danner.
And that at an age were whacking your wife was not uncommon and while generally frowned upon, (when it happened regularly and excessively, that is) not taken particularly serious. So those who ended up in this first shelter had really had a rough time!

Countess Danner after all knew about wife-beatings first hand. She must have seen - and heard - it many times growing up.

Sadly Countess Danner's initiative didn't extend to children for another 100 years.
In fact slapping and caning pupils was only abolished a few years before I started in school and some of our teachers really had problems letting go of old habits! It was not uncommon to get a slap for half my time in school.

- Oh, if you have a question specifically aimed at me, just PM me, because it's far from always I read all the posts in the DRF threads. Sometimes I miss a thread, because the headline is similar to another in another royal family or I forget to check back after posting something.
In this case Henrik answered the question better than I probably would have. :flowers:
 
https://www.bt.dk/underholdning/kongehuset-far-millionindsprojtning

A very informative BT video - no, not by their "royal expert" this is about economy, which is hardly his field of expertise...

Anyway, as you may recall from the annual accounts being published recently, QMII had a (calculated) deficit and so did M&F. The rising costs being the main reasons for the deficits. The bill for electricity and heating went up by more than 1 million DKK.
The combined apanage to the DRF has been raised by around 2 million DKK, of which QMII gets around 1.8 million DKK.

The DRF usually get an annual raise of some 2 million DKK every year, and that's because the apanage by law is linked to the general rise in salaries for state employees and private employees. (Minus of course pension, workplace insurance, the tax deduction for all who are employed and self-employed, the 12½ % for vacations, the annual paid weeks for work-relevant courses and paid maternity leave which the DRF members don't get, but which every other employee is entitled to.) However that is more than leveled out because the DRF don't pay vat or taxes.

There are subtitles in Danish if you wish to try challenging your language skills.
 
A very informative BT video - no, not by their "royal expert" this is about economy, which is hardly his field of expertise...

The Royal family probably took a deep sigh of relief when they heard that the "expert" had become the USA correspondent for Berlingske.
 
:previous:

Well, let me put it like this: Sometimes when reading some of his articles I could feel thousands of my brain-cells committing suicide.
Admittedly though, sometimes he did have a point.
However, he might have been a more successful - and respected - royal reporter had he done some more reading up on the subjects, rather than interviewing himself.

- Berlingske is a Copenhagener (albeit very serious) newspaper, that we don't see, let alone read in this part of DK, so I won't be reading his reports from USA, alas. :D
I'll contend myself with Jyllands Posten, that IMO still have the best foreign news coverage in DK, only rivaled by DR1.

I'm sure he will find a place in USA where he will feel at home. Disneyland springs to mind.

I wonder if someone who may be a member here has asked Jon Bloch Skipper a question?
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelige/danmark/hvorfor-er-prinsesse-benedikte-foer-grev-nikolai

The name H. McCauley could of course be a full-blooded Dane, the name just sounds a bit foreign and I know that occasionally foreigners do ask questions in BB.

- Anyway, the question is why Benedikte acts as Rigsforstander, rather than Count Nikolai, who after all is before her in the Line of Succession.

Jon Bloch Skipper replies that the number someone has in the Line of Succession doesn't matter in regards to being appointed Rigsforstander, because it depends on that person having signed a document pledging to obey the Constitution (as well as being appointed Rigsforstander by the Monarch).
At present only Benedikte, Joachim and Mary can be appointed Rigsforstander, because they have signed the before mentioned document.
Frederik is automatically Regent if he is in the country and QMII has left or is incapacitated/unable to fulfill her duties.

-----------

- And there is no order of precedence. QMII can appoint Mary to Rigsforstander even if Benedikte and Joachim is tenting in Amalienborg Square, the whole time she and Frederik is out of the country, each sitting on a pile of copies of the Constitution.

- In theory QMII can appoint anyone who is of age, a member of the State Church (that leaves me out) and a Danish citizen.
 
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