The Royal Hunt at Fredensborg: 2003, 2005-2013

[Lumutqueen]

I don't think Christian should be taken to this kind of event at this age. I respect that it is a Danish tradition, and I have no argument with that.

[Terri Terri]

Well...it looks like the actual hunting belongs to the males only. I noticed that Princess Isabella has never been seen at this event, even though Prince Christian was attending at Isabella's age & younger. Its obvious that Christian is the one who will carry on the tradition after Prince Henrik and CP Frederik.

[nwinther]

I'm not if favor of rubbing the kids nose in it, but I think it's beneficial that children learn about these things - death - mainly from an early age. And, IMO, game killed in a hunt is a rather dignified way of introducing the subject. Too many people these days have an estranged relationship towards animals and their origin when they lie in the fridge at the super market.

The way the hunt is presented, the seriousness and cermony, also teaches respect for the animals - dead as well as alive.

[Jemima]

I think it's disgraceful. Shame on the lot of them.

[monic]

Lookin at the picts it's really shameful and condemnable to show a young kid how to kill. It's enough to see the happy face of Christian for whom this whole custom is a nice attraction.
Mary shouldn't have taken him with her.

Le prince Christian de Danemark, 5 ans, découvrait mardi 16 novembre 2010 le butin de la chasse

[Emmily]

Originally Posted by monic

Lookin at the picts it's really shameful and condemnable to show a young kid how to kill. It's enough to see the happy face of Christian for whom this whole custom is a nice attraction.
Mary shouldn't have taken him with her.

Le prince Christian de Danemark, 5 ans, découvrait mardi 16 novembre 2010 le butin de la chasse

It's possible that Mary has no say in whether Christian goes or not to this event. It may be expected that he attend. Not saying I like it, but just saying it might be out of her hands.

[Lumutqueen]

His father and grandparents were there as well. Why does it come down to Mary?

[UserDane]

I'm not keen on seing the results of a hunt either - but that is basically because I am a coward and prefer to pretend that I don't know where meat comes from However - I believe that it would be more detrimental for a child at Christian's age to visit a modern farm and watch how chicken, pigs, calves etc. are kept in too confined spaces than it is to watch dead animals which have had a way better life than the animals we slaughter for our food.
I don't like the parade of dead animals - because I'm a coward - but I cannot call it shameful or anything like that. A truckload of animals being transported across Europe for slaughter, now that is shameful!

[Duke of Marmalade]

Well said Userdane - many people eat meat but do not know, or even worse, do not want to know how the meat happens to get onto their plates, very often in a disgraceful way for the animals involved.

Imo there is no better way to understand the basic way of the food chain than hunting, if its being done the proper way of course. The animal gets shot, opened (parts are left for foxes etc), I can understand the discussion about putting it on display but this is tradition, after that it is being dismantelled and then it would be ready for eating.

I see nothing wrong for a child to witness this process, of course unless it is done in a proper basic way what is not glorifying the kill. Hunting is so much more than just killing an animal and it should never be done for fun, its about learning to understand nature and nurturing or looking after the forest.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Imo there is no better way to understand the basic way of the food chain than hunting, if its being done the proper way of course. The animal gets shot, opened (parts are left for foxes etc), I can understand the discussion about putting it on display but this is tradition, after that it is being dismantelled and then it would be ready for eating.

I see nothing wrong for a child to witness this process, of course unless it is done in a proper basic way what is not glorifying the kill. Hunting is so much more than just killing an animal and it should never be done for fun, its about learning to understand nature and nurturing or looking after the forest.

Yes, there are two schools of thought among hunters to put it very simple.

The old school or the traditionalists who view hunting as an ancient sport with many rituals, which they try to preserve and pass on.
To them hunting is a genleman activity, even down to dressing appropriatly. We tend to make a little fun of Prince Henrik's attire, but just 40 years ago his attire would not have been out of the ordinary. - You showed respect for the hunt and your fellow hunters by dressing properly.
The game parade is also something the traditionalists put a lot of emphasis on. You honor the animals by placing them on twigs and having the buglars blow a tune in honor of the game, not the hunters.
The same thing about leaving a piece of the game for a fox or similar scavenger. All those rituals have a meaning.

Then there is the modern school of hunters. You can almost see it in the way they dress. Often in full camuflage gear. For them it's not the kill that is most important, it's the immersion into the nature, to feel like a part of the nature. To stalk and observe the prey. Frederik belongs to this school. He is also a licensed bow-hunter, which is very difficult to get.
To them the traditional rituals are secondary to the feeling of enjoying the nature.

This is not a defence of hunting, but an explanation.

[monic]

Originally Posted by Emmily

It's possible that Mary has no say in whether Christian goes or not to this event. It may be expected that he attend. Not saying I like it, but just saying it might be out of her hands.

Yes, you're right. That's very likely to be true as men have usually more to say than women when it comes to hunts...

[Katrianna]

I'm not thrilled about hunting especially for sport, I think that's shameful. Hunting to provide meat for a person and family I can understand fully. For everyone's sake I won't even get into animals raised for commercial meat. I have a question, the animals that are taken in the Royal hunt, are they given to locals or kept to provide meat for the Royals or locals? I think this has been asked and answered before as I now write so I apologize for a repeat.

[greenways]

I'm not trying to make trouble, but there have been more pics of Fred looking quite unwell, than well lately - just my opinion. I'm a bit worried about him, if it's a cold, they last only about a week don't they? What about the last few months?

[Jemima]

Originally Posted by greenways

I'm not trying to make trouble, but there have been more pics of Fred looking quite unwell, than well lately - just my opinion. I'm a bit worried about him, if it's a cold, they last only about a week don't they? What about the last few months?

You make a good point, Greenways.

[stellad]

Greenways I am inclined to agree with you. I first noticed Fred's gaunt look when he went to Greenland for the funeral, then with the Hubertus Hunt and now with the hunt a couple of days ago. It could be that he went on a weight loss program but something is amiss. Perhaps it's time for him to get rid of the beard.

Then again, I have a brother-in-law who suffered severe nausea, fainting spells, terrible toothache and general poor health every time his wife was pregnant so who knows Fred might be feeling and experiencing all the symptoms that come with a pregnancy.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by stellad

Greenways I am inclined to agree with you. I first noticed Fred's gaunt look when he went to Greenland for the funeral, then with the Hubertus Hunt and now with the hunt a couple of days ago. It could be that he went on a weight loss program but something is amiss. Perhaps it's time for him to get rid of the beard.

Then again, I have a brother-in-law who suffered severe nausea, fainting spells, terrible toothache and general poor health every time his wife was pregnant so who knows Fred might be feeling and experiencing all the symptoms that come with a pregnancy.

I wonder if you are right.
Frederik looked great in the pictures from his recent interview with Billed Bladet, when he was in Athens.
He looked healthy and very fresh in the pictures in the article.

[Marengo]

Crown Princess Margarita of Romania and her husband Radu also attended the hunt: Vizit

Other guests were prince Wilhelm of Schaumburg-Lippe and the Fürst and Fürstin of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg. The füstin is née Princess Anastasia of Prussia.

Source: Stig at the SRMB.

[nikole957]

Originally Posted by Kelly

Little Christian looked so adorable! I suppose Isabella is too small for this still.

It is the image that shocks me! To see the face of the animal, to hunt just for sport, not to hunt to eat, not hunting because they need to eat to be alive. That's how nature must be and to me it doesn't sound like it is the case.
No Christian should't be there to see that inappropriate show

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by nikole957

It is the image that shocks me! To see the face of the animal, to hunt just for sport, not to hunt to eat, not hunting because they need to eat to be alive. That's how nature must be and to me it doesn't sound like it is the case.
No Christian should't be there to see that inappropriate show

How do you know the hunt was done for sport and the meet will not be distributed and eaten? In addition, hunting controls animal population to the benefit of the forest and its inhabitants.

If hunt is being done properly and for the right reasons, I think its a great thing for Christian to be involved. What I find rather cruel is animal transport for slaughter and those royals who hunt protected animals just for the fun of it.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by nikole957

It is the image that shocks me! To see the face of the animal, to hunt just for sport, not to hunt to eat, not hunting because they need to eat to be alive. That's how nature must be and to me it doesn't sound like it is the case.
No Christian should't be there to see that inappropriate show

Deers of that size have no natural enemies in DK.

So the only thing to keep the population of deers down to a sustainable number apart from hunting are: Decease, hunger and cars.