Opening of Parliament (Folketinget) 2003-2023


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
And on this day, while the PM is giving His/her speech it's tradition to try and catch the moment when the DRF are "napping" or looking decidedly bored, while listening to a more often than not very boring speech.

Here is a gallery from the past: TV 2 Gallery

And we have the first pics from this year, in BT: http://www.bt.dk/danmark/se-billederne-nu-aabner-folketinget

A clip from TV2 showing the arrival of the DRF: Prinsesserne valgte efterårsfarver - TV 2 Nyhederne

As always they are met by the chairman of the Parliament, Mogens Løkketoft and the rest of the Presidium of the Parliament in descending order.
The DRF arrive in ascending order, with Princess Benedikte, then Joachim with our Marie, followed by M&F and finally the Regent Cuple.
Until QMII has arrived and been greeted the rest of the DRF wait for her Majesty on the repos of the stairs, before they are all escorted inside.
Again by rank.

The Chairman escorts Her Majesty.
The second chairman, Bertil Haarder, escorts Prince Henrik and so on.

ADDED: Observe how Joachim at some point, as a curtesy to his brother, buries his hands deep in his pockets.
 
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Thanks Muhler some great photos.

I think this year if we see Princess Mary having a nap, she could be forgiven after all the travelling and events she has attended recently.
 
And of course something always goes wrong.

Ups - blomsterpigerne kom for sent - TV 2 Nyhederne

In this case, the flowers were late. Female members of the DRF recieve flowers by the corresponding number in rank of the Presidium of the Parliament.
However, Benedikte arrived and were greeted - and no flowers...
So the flowers had to be hurried in.

Oh well, the opening of the Parliament only takes place on the first Tuesday in October every year, and the DRF are only invited every year, and they are only recieved with flowers every year - at the same time. :rolleyes:

And here is a gallery from TV2 of the DRF: http://galleri.tv2.dk/Nyhederne/58065741/0/
 
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Oh well, the opening of the Parliament only takes place on the first Tuesday in October every year, and the DRF are only invited every year, and they are only recieved with flowers every year - at the same time. :rolleyes:

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: your comment is funny.
Thanks for the informations, Muhler
 
I wish..

The royals (HM, actually) had a more active role in this entire event..It is not some concert or something to just view as audience, right?
We have to watch the entire event just to see them getting down their cars, greeting each other, climbing the steps and taking seats..
Something like a ceremonial speech like the British or Dutch monarchies will increase the significance of monarchy in the constitutional setup.

By the way Danish royals always manage to present a "warm" picture in front of the media..Something their British counterparts never care to do..
 
The royals (HM, actually) had a more active role in this entire event..It is not some concert or something to just view as audience, right?
We have to watch the entire event just to see them getting down their cars, greeting each other, climbing the steps and taking seats..
Something like a ceremonial speech like the British or Dutch monarchies will increase the significance of monarchy in the constitutional setup.

By the way Danish royals always manage to present a "warm" picture in front of the media..Something their British counterparts never care to do..

Well, they do but not at this specific annual event.

Tomorrow Wednesday there will be a State Council at 09.30, where the government will inform QMII (alternatively the Regent, i.e. Frederik) about about new policies, update her on policies and events as well as present new laws to be signed by QMII. (That won't happen tomorrow though).
Today the DRF were guests of honor, other guests were among others the President of the Supreme Court, the mayor of Copenhagen, representatives for the Greenlandic and Faroese parliaments.

That QMII does not take a direct part in the business of the Parliament is due to the division of power - and politically it's considered sound as some politicians do not believe that a democracy and a monarchy is compatible.

Today is considered the grandest day of the year for democracy here in DK.
 
Well, they do but not at this specific annual event.

Tomorrow Wednesday there will be a State Council at 09.30, where the government will inform QMII (alternatively the Regent, i.e. Frederik) about about new policies, update her on policies and events as well as present new laws to be signed by QMII. (That won't happen tomorrow though).
Today the DRF were guests of honor, other guests were among others the President of the Supreme Court, the mayor of Copenhagen, representatives for the Greenlandic and Faroese parliaments.

That QMII does not take a direct part in the business of the Parliament is due to the division of power - and politically it's considered sound as some politicians do not believe that a democracy and a monarchy is compatible.

Today is considered the grandest day of the year for democracy here in DK.

Cool..I was assuming The Queen is completely out of loop..Thanks for info regarding State Council..
 
Notice this picture: Billed-Bladet - Flot kongelig deltagelse ved åbning af Folketinget

As you can tell from Joachim's body posture and the blank look in Benedikte's eyes, he is obviously talking about cars.
You can from any distance tell, if a man is in tyre-kicking-mode: Both hands solidly buried in the pockets and the shoulders back. As in this very typical picture (#3) - TV 2 Gallery
We cannot help it, nature has taken over. Even if our Marie had lined Joachim's pockets with barbed wire, he would still have put his hands in his pockets.
Notice also how Joachim has unconciously lifted his foot slightly from the gas pedal.

As you can tell from Frederik's bodylanguage in the first picture, he has obviously been on pocket-rehab and he is not talking about cars, even though he would dearly like to. Instead he is fighting his urge and is keeping his hands on his back.

Thus concludes this lesson in male psycology. :graduate:

I yearn for the day, when royal men are presented with a toy car upon arriving at an event. That'll keep their hands - and minds - occupied.
 
Your psycology is Very funny and interesting Muhler. As you say a toy car collection would not go astray with the men. They could pass them on to their sons.
 
An article in Billed Bladet confirms what another poster pointed out:
That Mary touched down in Copenhagen five hours before the event at the Parliament. - Just time enough to say hi to the children, get a shower and get dressed then out the door again.

Fortunately the DRF always have a lunch together after the PM has given his/her speech. - That may also explain their occasionally lethargic look, not only do they have to listen to a lot of driv.... eh, words, their bloodsugar level must also be low.
 
I came across this gallery from the State Archives of the opening of the Parliament in 2011: Folketingets åbning 2011 - a set on Flickr

There is nothing new as such, but it provides a different angle as we usually see pics of the DRF from the top of the stairs or to the sides. This time we get an overview of the courtyard from the opposite side.
 
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I'm going home on maternity leave, so I took the time to actually see the entire opening. A first for everything, I guess ;)

I noticed that the Queen had to take the elevator instead of the stairs.

That Mary and Marie, while waiting for Margrethe and Henrik, let their husbands and Benedikte take care of themselves and instead had a looong happily chat.

That Frederik and Mary sent each other smiles and winks during the speech and also got them several happily chats underway - You know, it's a loooong speech. :p

That none of the royals fell asleep :cool: Instead I counted at least three politicians who took them a little nap.

That they didn't kissed each other goodbye after the opening, so they will probably have a lunch together.

A video from B.T. of Frederik and Mary arriving

TV: Her ankommer Frederik og Mary til Folketingets åbning | www.bt.dk


And a couple of pictures
http://video4news.tv/media/WMS/ledk3/416321-158.jpg
http://video4news.tv/media/WMS/ledk3/416322-158.jpg
http://video4news.tv/media/WMS/ledk3/416325-158.jpg
http://video4news.tv/media/WMS/ledk3/416323-158.jpg
http://video4news.tv/media/WMS/ledk3/416324-158.jpg
http://video4news.tv/media/WMS/ledk3/416327-158.jpg

Two HQ pictures from Berlingske

http://b.bimg.dk/node-images/842/6/1152x-u/6842613-til-bm-f-folketingets-bning.jpg
http://b.bimg.dk/node-images/842/6/1152x-u/6842611-bt.jpg

Here the entire gallery Munter åbning af Folketinget | www.b.dk

One more gallery with 20 pics

Danish Royal Family attends the Opening of Parliament | Demotix.com
 
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Dronning Margrethe og Prins Henrik til Folketingets åbning - Local Eyes

A number of clips of the arrival from Localeyes.
First clip is of the Regent Couple arriving.

Let's go through the protocol again, shall we.
The uniformed gentleman with the medals is the senior constable of the Parliament and he is opening the doors for some of the DRF members.

Once out of the car QMII greets the Chairman of the Parliament (the highest rank anyone outside the DRF can hold), who presents Her Majesty with flowers. The second chairman presents Mary with flowers and the third chairman presents our Marie with flowers and so on.
The DRF wait on the repos, because as invited and guests of honour they must naturally be escorted inside the Parliament. Again the Chairman escorts QMII, the second chairman escorts PH and so on.

Because this is a festive occasion the attire is not sombre.

The DRF watch the opening speech from the gallery, partly because they are guests but also to symbolize the division between the Monarch and the Parliament.



Thanks, Roskilde. :flowers:

I hope you take a full maternity leave, we rely on you to supply us with pics.

Anyway, is that guy checking out Mary's behind? :p
Danish Royal Family attends the Opening of Parliament | Demotix.com
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I think that's Joachim and he's paying attention walking down the stairs, IMO.
 
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I agree, Frederik's haircut serves him good :D

Mary, Benedikte and QMII all looked superb and Marie looked good too, but this was far from my all-time favourite look on her. So horrible with QMII's back, my own grandmother has osteoarthritis too and it's a horrible disorder.

I actually just casually bumped into our Minister for the Environment, Ida Auken, when shopping in the local mall today after the opening of the parliament. One of the few people in this government (*cough*) who actually does her job in accordance to the original values of her party.
 
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Thank you, Marika86:flowers:

And here is the traditional the-DRF-falling-asleep-during-the-PM's-speech-picture: Kongefamilien ser åbningstalen | GO'
Pic #4.

A report from BT: http://www.bt.dk/nyheder/kunne-ikke-klare-folketingets-trapper-dronningen-haardt-plaget-af-gigt
For the first time ever QMII had to take the lift up to the royal seats. The rest walked the stairs.

What is wrong w/HM? The last couple of months there have instances of her sitting at events she normally would have stood for or taking an elevator instead of the stairs? Something is not right and is also worrying to see too.
 
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