Princess Madeleine, Current Events Part 6: January 2007 - February 2008

[Henri M.]

And this anology with Paris Hilton & Britney Spears is just preposterous. Last time I checked, Maddei did not appear in a sex video, nor did she marry twice in less than a yr and mother 2 children, while exposing her private parts

No of course she did not, thanks to the Lord, but the critics were that Madeleine was so much better etc. because at least she did not look like a librarian.

It is sad that royals are measured with their looks. Princess Beatrix/Queen Beatrix has always been a somewhat overweight lady (to today's standards) with a most characteristic hairdo and her very own personal style of clothing. She does not follow any hype. Yet she is a formidable and powerful head of state. Crown Princess Victoria (godchild of the Dutch Queen by the way) could very well follow in her godmother's steps and become a grand Queen.

 

[avrilo]

I think you are mixing celebrities and Hollywood with royalty.

I think you miss the point of what royal or aristocratic means. Crown Princess Victoria feels the eyes of her predecessor prying in her back when she walks through the marble halls of Drottningholm Palace. She is the newest generation of a looooong line of illustrious and revered Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses in the Swedish monarchy. She will inherit its greatness, grandeur, historical relevance and glory. She tries to bear it like a proud scion of this grand family, to progress virtue and tries to be meritorious for the country she loves so much.

That is what makes monarchy total different from 'celeb looks'. And that is also why I'm saddened by types as Rania and Madeleine who radiate everything except solemnity and grandesse.

Oh no henri M. I understand it perfectly your point of view of my understandin is wron, despite you poetic description of what royalty; I dont think inherit the greatness, grandeour historical relevance has anything to do with your lack of style.

Style is a much more vain subject, but important in this princesses since they represent Sweden abroad and their monarchy to the Swedes, and in today´s culture looks matter. They are in the public eye for somethin more important than movies or parties or whatever, I know. I just said in my own personal opinion I prefer Madeleines style over Victorias because there is a style. Excuse me but there is nothing solemn and grand in Victorias librarian look. Im not critizicin her work or her ability to become Queen just her lack of style, I wanna be really clear about it

We are so busy looking at Madeleine`s tan and her uber blonde hair that we are missing that she is out there takinh some duties. I hope with the years, Madde will become more serious and elegant, after all she is only 23!

Finally Rania I think she is not only beautiful but smart and I respect her it must not be easy to be modern queen in your thirties, but if you want, Pm your response since is not the topic of this thread

 

[Gita]

It is much harder for Crown Princess Victoria to look so glamerous all the time because of her heavy workload, she does not have the time but Princess Madeleine only attends several events a year so she has more time to spend on appearance when attending an event. Either way I think we can all agree that when both Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine spends a lot more time in getting ready for events like the Nobel Prize Award they both look as equally stunning in their own way.

 

[Lena]

Either way I think we can all agree that when both Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine spends a lot more time in getting ready for events like the Nobel Prize Award they both look as equally stunning in their own way.

I guess at the evening of the last Nobel Prize Award, I wouldn´t have agreed. The disappointment about the recycled dress was quite deep Generally one could agree...both girls seem a bit stuck in their style these days though.
About Victoria:
As HenriM. once described it so wonderfully:

Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Sweden was such a grey mouse. Her gowns look interchangeable. I know it is not true, but in my amateur eyes it looks she has ordered a dozen of gowns in the same design, but each in a different colour, if you understand what I mean. In fact Crown Princess Victoria showed far more naked flesh than Princess Mabel, but we all understand the difference.

Victoria seems to be very proud of her shape these days (and she has reason to be) and so we all the time get to see her well-toned arms, tight upper part for her waist and a tight prom dress-like skirt (part)
I think she is now of an age, where one can also wear more extravagant stuff without seeming excentric. And IMO she should choose more often long sleeves.

Madeleine on the other hand seems to take the babywear industry, the fabrics for pink and blue clothes away. All the time it´s light pink-blue-light pink-blue. Yes, these colours fit to her and her general style, but a little bit more change would be nice.
And for about a year, she seems to prefer this, what I´m calling "nightie style" Partly one could even think, she is pregnant

So IMO both woman could go more often other ways as well. Even though it could mean, that they would do a complete miss. But better some misses than always the same (this goes esp for Victoria)
And IMO the style of both can be described as juvenile and partly even immature. In two very different ways though. Yes, they are young...but not sooo young anymore either.
Well, it´s easy to write here as anonymous person...who would know, how we would do


I´m reading here all the time "hard working princess"...as it seems the PR department of the Royal court is still succeeding In the past I´ve often made fun of them (esp. of their habit of commenting EVERYTHING) but it seems the basic things are still working Esp. Kudos for the planning around Madeleine´s "secret" meetings with institutions around the WCF...

 

[Aurora810]

Maybe we should have a thread specifically for comparing the swedish princesses? Understand I'm joking about that for that seems almost cruel. Yikes, the above post is a little scary to me. I know one must be careful when you write anything on these boards but where and when did HenriM say that about CP Victoria. Sorry but that seemed a little unkind to post a quote in that way it isn't something that I see that HenriM posted in this thread. Confused why it would be brought up in that nature.

Anyways, back on topic is Madeleine still in Estonia, what is going on with her?

 

[Lena]

Maybe we should have a thread specifically for comparing the swedish princesses. Yikes, I know one must be careful when you write anything on these boards but where and when did HenriM say that about CP Victoria. Sorry that seemed a little unkind to post a quote in that way it isn't something that I see that HenriM posted in this thread. Confused why it would be brought up in that nature.

Anyways, back on topic is Madeleine still in Estonia or what is going on with her?

Oh, some of my quotes were even transfered to other boards.
And HenriM. doesn´t strike me as a guy, who would make a secret around his excellent comments and/or who would use several nicks. Besides his comment might not be flattering for Victoria, but if we would do a poll, probably more than 2/3+ would agree with him. Well, of course he might hold an different opinion.

And he said it to judge Victoria´s dress at one of the galas in Oslo (to Harald´s birthday)

I would assume Madeleine was in Estonia for just one day. Next week she doesn´t perform any duties for the Royal House...the schedule doesn´t go any further. Generally she is said to do a 5p master course this term as well (Ordinary students would do at least 20p...so I guess Madeleine isn´t aiming her master in the nearer future...)

 

[lilytornado]

I would like a thread where you could compare/express your opinion about the princesses as something like this exists about other royals, too.
I think this is getting a little long for a current events thread, but it would be sad if all the posts were lost, as this is all very interesting in my opinion.
I, for instance, don't always like Madeleine's style, but sometimes I think she looks great. I would appreciate if she had a little bit more royal duties, but then, I understand, that she still is quite young, maybe that will develop in the future.

 

[Lena]

I would like a thread where you could compare/express your opinion about the princesses as something like this exists about other royals, too.
I think this is getting a little long for a current events thread, but it would be sad if all the posts were lost, as this is all very interesting in my opinion.
I, for instance, don't always like Madeleine's style, but sometimes I think she looks great. I would appreciate if she had a little bit more royal duties, but then, I understand, that she still is quite young, maybe that will develop in the future.

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f97/victoria-madeleine-8218.html#post341997http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f97/victoria-madeleine-8218.html?highlight=victoria+madeleine

If you want to compare their general attitude towards life and work, then feel free to open a thread.

 

[Aurora810]

That type of thread would be sibling rivalry at it's finest! A type of thread I wouldn't visit as I personally think it would be awful to be compared to my siblings. Besides they're two different people and they're not even equal to one another. Victoria has a much bigger job she will be queen and Madeleine will not. It is even more likely that as Madeleine ages she may choose a more private life. Although I doubt that just based on a few things.

 

[Lena]

That type of thread would be sibling rivalry at it's finest! A type of thread I wouldn't visit as I personally think it would be awful to be compared to my siblings. Besides they're two different people and they're not even equal to one another. Victoria has a much bigger job she will be queen and Madeleine will not. It is even more likely that as Madeleine ages she may choose a more private life. Although I doubt that just based on a few things.

Looks, as if you are already comparing them

 

[jspate]

In my opinion they both have totally different styles but it doesnt mean one is better than the other. I am not very fond of comparing people but I do see that Madeliene is more trendy and Victoria is more conservative in the way she dresses. They are royals, that is a fact, but above all they are human and i am sure they want to be able to live normal lives like everyone else and dress how they want. They should wear whatever is comfortable to them.By the way, style has more to it than clothes and how you dress, its also about how you carry yourself, talk, interact with people. its sad that most people don't even realize that ..........its about how you portray yourself as a whole.

 

[lilytornado]

Hmm, I didn't mean comparing in a mean way, I am not to fond of that either, but maybe it is unevitable. I think most posts here would fit better in a "What do think of Madeleine's style?" category anyway.

 

[Aurora810]

I completely agree with jspate. I think it's better that we treat the women as separate individuals. We already have 2 different types of threads to compare their style. But one could start a thread dedicated to Madeleine's style. There is already a thread for Victoria's style. There are also many threads concerning other things associated with Madeleine's style. For example there are threads on her best/worst dresses, her sunglasses, her hats, her nobel dresses, and her shoes/purses.

 

[Yennie]

Do you have a specific link because I looked but I could not find anything.

here´s one... http://www.anp-photo.com/downloadpicturepreview.pp?id=5263485

there are more if you go to ANP Beeldbank and search for "Madeleine"

 

[Daneborn]

Princess Madeleine rules

According to our paper, Princess Madeleine rules Sweden at the moment.

The King and Queen are in Japan, the crown princess is in Turkey and the prince is in USA.

 

[Marengo]

I hope Madelaine will use this opportunity to secretly have a sit on the throne and put on the crown (I know they usually don t wear the swedish crown).
In The Netherlands we had a song about Princess Margriet by a comedian which was called 'if only I would be queen for a day', now Madelaine will know how it feels
What does a swedish regent actually do btw?

 

[Lena]

What does a swedish regent actually do btw?

Nothing*! Madeleine surely did the past days, what she always does (attending some university courses, doing some work for Childhood, shopping, bringing her doggy to daycare, brushing her teeth, cooking for her boyfriend**...)
This position is just more or less for emergency cases. And I don´t remember a case, when it was needed. But maybe ppl, who watch the SRF longer than me, know more (out of the times with none of the current ppl in line to throne being over 18)

*of course a regent can have duties. And can participate in intern court meetings or meetings with the government. But one doesn´t have to.
**Caution! Only assumption

 

[Marengo]

well, I surely hope that she will make use of the palace cook these days. A regent who has to cook her own meals ruins much of the glamour that one invisions with such a task
Anyway, this regency-thing seems to be somewhat archaic. I am sure it served its use in the old days, when communicating and travelling took much more time but these days ...?

 

[Daneborn]

well, I surely hope that she will make use of the palace cook these days. A regent who has to cook her own meals ruins much of the glamour that one invisions with such a task
Anyway, this regency-thing seems to be somewhat archaic. I am sure it served its use in the old days, when communicating and travelling took much more time but these days ...?

''The Palace cook ??? You mean that foreign guy who makes food so complicated one would only serve it for guests one doesn't really like. What's wrong with Cornflakes, Knorr soup and Nescafe'' ( - princess Madeleine doing some thinking in my impersonation)

On a serious note, I'm sure Princess Madeleine would rise to the occasion if it was called for!

 

[Lena]

''The Palace cook ??? You mean that foreign guy who makes food so complicated one would only serve it for guests one doesn't really like. What's wrong with Cornflakes, Knorr soup and Nescafe'' ( - princess Madeleine doing some thinking in my impersonation)

*Lol* Knorr Soup...do you still remember, what diplomatic drama it once caused at Victoria´s visit to China

The thing with Madeleine is, that she doesn´t live in a castle and with the palace cook...so she would need to go and would take it home in Tupperware boxes...also not very Royal and glittering
As it seems mostly Jonas and her go for dinner to restaurants (all these fashionable salads&something dinners) and probably also Sthlm´s delievery men are welcome guests...and at least at 18, Madeleine said, that she likes cooking. And now she is even looking, as if she would like it (at 18 she was more on the asparagus side of shapes )

 

[GömdNatt]

well, I surely hope that she will make use of the palace cook these days. A regent who has to cook her own meals ruins much of the glamour that one invisions with such a task
Anyway, this regency-thing seems to be somewhat archaic. I am sure it served its use in the old days, when communicating and travelling took much more time but these days ...?

yes, but when the King is out of town and something happens, it'll still be a while before he returns. Someone must take care of business, even if it is only relaying the king's orders.

 

[Aurora810]

Yikes a bit of a negative opinion of Sweden's royals I've been reading in these posts. Worrying about palace cooks and saying that they "do nothing". Granted I live in a republic and I'm not in the know about the daily tasks of being a royal but I seriously doubt the Swedish royals do nothing. However, I do believe that when the king is away that there are enough aides and other skilled govt. people so that pretty little Madeleine doesn't have to worry. She probably does just keep to her normal tasks when she's been left alone like this.

 

[Lena]

yes, but when the King is out of town and something happens, it'll still be a while before he returns. Someone must take care of business, even if it is only relaying the king's orders.

Hm...but I´m always wondering, what case that would be (???)
The Royal family has no political power, so they wouldn´t give orders for evacuation or would send airplanes or whatever.
And a little speech (or even videos) one could also send via Email these days and within 24h, you could fly home from all over the world and that´s still more than enough time to react, to show up etc.
Maybe things would be different, if the Royal family would have politicial power or if Sweden would be a country of war. But neither the first, nor the second thing is the case. And together with modern communication this does mean, that it´s only some kind of leftover from older times.
Some ppl still find this very charming and are very impressed by the idea of young twens being some kind of "mini king/queen" Personally I´m not so much a fan of it, as it is something, that is lacking of logics and IMO one should keep other traditions and not just the nice easy things, one is profiting of. But oh well...as long as the Swedes are happy with it and can accept all the other little strange things...

 

[Aurora810]

King Carl Gustaf is still head of state in Sweden no matter where he is. Yes his powers are limited and ceremonial. But anything could occur in Sweden or in another country too(remember the Tsunami I precisely remember CP Victoria being criticized for not getting home faster and in Norway CP Haakon made a statement that he should have been home instead of being away from Norway).I think even though a lot of a royal's power isn't exactly anything to do with government they still have jobs and influence on getting aid to countries in need and helping out their own fellow citizens.

I guess I object to the fact that it's being implied, that if something were to happen that no one would give a thought about where the king is or who is regent. I don't know I'm not in Sweden but I think they would still look to the king or regent for some comfort. But I do agree that for anything too serious the prime minister is there to handle most everything but I think the Swedes would still look to their king for comfort. I know when Sept. 11 happened I wanted to hear and see Pres. Bush. There was talk he was being taken to a bunker and man would that have been a mistake b/c the American public needed comfort and we weren't looking to him as a political leader at that very moment but as a calm reassuring head of state. My main point: a president is a head of state but so is a king or queen. I just cringe at how Sweden's royals are being made out to be not all that important. (in this thread and I've read hints of the same thing over in Victoria's thread as well)

 

[Lena]

King Carl Gustaf is still head of state in Sweden no matter where he is. Yes his powers are limited and ceremonial. But anything could occur in Sweden or in another country too(remember the Tsunami I precisely remember CP Victoria being criticized for not getting home faster and in Norway CP Haakon made a statement that he should have been home instead of being off where ever he was when the tsunami happened. I think even though a lot of a royal's power isn't exactly anything to do with government they still have jobs and influence on getting aid to countries in need and helping out their own fellow citizens.

I guess I object to the fact that it's being implied, that if something were to happen that no one would give a thought about where the king is or who is regent. I don't know I'm not in Sweden but I think they would still look to the king or regent for some comfort. But I do agree that for anything too serious the prime minister is there to handle most everything but I think the Swedes would still look to their king for comfort. I know when Sept. 11 happened I wanted to hear and see Pres. Bush. There was talk he was being taken to a bunker and man would that have been a mistake b/c the American public needed comfort and we weren't looking to him as a political leader at that very moment but as a calm reassuring head of state. My main point: a president is a head of state but so is a king or queen. I just cringe at how Sweden's royals are being made out to be not all that important.

But as you are naming the Tsunami...this was a case about goodwill and not geographical distance!
It took Victoria a whole week to come home (and in fact, she would have come home anyway, because Olle Westling, Daniel´s father celebrated his 60th bday 2 days later...) She had then the luck, that ppl even praised her for stopping her vacation
Ppl of the government, esp the minister for foreign affairs have been in Sthlm even, but didn´t react fast enough and didn´t send planes to get Swedes home. In this very short period the king didn´t really react either (and he hadn´t to!)...but his part (TV appearances, meeting ppl at the airport) was done soon enough. At least it felt for the press and the ppl soon enough. The government had to get much more started at an early point and had to fight with many victims in relation to a small population (my country has nearly the same population and we had much less victims) and the king "just" had to comfort AFTER the first shock.
Well, I don´t wanna judge the work of the government better, than it was back then. Sweden clearly wasn´t prepared for such a crisis, but surely it should have...but as many maybe remember, it took for every watcher in front of the TV some time to "get" the amount of damage.
And this is for me the point, why I´m thinking, that this regent thing is quite obsolete these times. You can sit in the most middle point of Stockholm (and that was the case for the Swedish minister for foreign affairs!) and though it´s possible, that you don´t get the danger of a situation and you can sit in Tokyo and with the help of good advisors and some knowledge and a lot of luck, it can be, that you are getting things...then you can rush home with the next plane and everyone would be impressed by your action (probably even more, as if you would have been in the country)
If you are smart, surrounded of a good team and interested, then you don´t need a regent, because then you would be home faster than any PM could react

And about the importance (I guess with the Victoria thread and hints, you are meaning me...because I´m actually the only blasphemer here )...I can see, what a symbolic value a head of state has...not all ppl are always searching for the background and lower motives as I´m doing...and for them a president or king can mean a lot. So don´t listen to my wish-wash...the world doesn´t consist out of Lenas
But what I´m truly and really for, is explaining to ppl, that this regent thing is in Sweden pretty much "blah" and since there are countries, where being the regent has even a meaning, I´m getting a bit annoyed by ppl, who are thinking Madeleine is now doing a great thing. And obviously ppl are thinking that, otherwise Marengo, who has a hell of knowledge about Royals wouldn´t have asked, what it is meaning for Sweden. Obviously he is also knowing different models. And if already pros like Marengo are asking, one can only imagine, what ppl would ask/think, who haven´t much of a clue of Royalty. And then these myths a la "Madeleine is such a hard worker" are created. She surely isn´t the laziest Scandi Royal, but she isn´t close to burnout syndrome either...so to say

 

[Aurora810]

Lena, I see your point now.

 

[Daneborn]

Yikes a bit of a negative opinion of Sweden's royals I've been reading in these posts. Worrying about palace cooks and saying that they "do nothing". Granted I live in a republic and I'm not in the know about the daily tasks of being a royal but I seriously doubt the Swedish royals do nothing. However, I do believe that when the king is away that there are enough aides and other skilled govt. people so that pretty little Madeleine doesn't have to worry. She probably does just keep to her normal tasks when she's been left alone like this.

I find this remark rather condescending. It proves that Madeleine has her looks against her.

To my knowledge no study has ever proven that a relatively better looking blonde female has less academic capacity than a relatively ugly nerd looking person.

As I said earlier I'm pretty sure Madeleine would do the reigning part elegantly if it was required. There's more to her than meets the eye.

The cooking thing, yes Lena I changed my original Uncle Sam's noodles into Knorr soup when I thought of the diplomatic crisis last year. So far I believe this is the only diplomatic crisis that occured domesticly in only one of the countrys affected.

When Queen Margrethe of Denmark's cook quit last year it was said that one of his complaints was that he was dissatisfied with the working hours. He began his day at 1 PM which meant the Queen had to eat microwave leftovers for lunch. So the Tupperware / Knorr soup thing isn't totally out of the blue.

A matter that would need urgent attention

First of all, it can't be political since the regent in Sweden is stripped for all political duties.

So, if the head of personnel at the court quit because he / she got a better job offer from someone else it would need urgent attention from the regent present to either applause the decision or try to convince the person to stay.

Or if there suddenly was a hole in the palace roof right over the big ball room, or if the plumming system started to leak. I believe those are examples of situations that would need quite immediate response / decision making.

 

[Marengo]

But then it would still be easier for the people of the court to ring HM in Japan then to ask Madelaine werther the roof an be repaired or not IMHO, so as I said above with todays means of communication and transportation a regency each time that a monarch is out of the country seems to be more an empty (but charming) gesture/tradition then a practical thing to me.
Note the above doesn' t say anything about Madelaine's capacities, as I have all confidence in those

IMHO a regency has only any significance (apart from bein a charming tradition) in case of the illness of a monarch, as we saw only a few years ago in Norway when the Crownprince took over some of his fathers duties.

-
Just to make clear: I intruduced the cook in this discussion as a joke, not to start a disagreement or be condecending, I hope that is understood and that we all can keep treating the cook-discussion in the way it was intended (imagening Margrethe and Henrik eating microwave food in one of their splendid dining rooms might be helpfull here ).

 

[Aurora810]

I find this remark rather condescending. It proves that Madeleine has her looks against her.

To my knowledge no study has ever proven that a relatively better looking blonde female has less academic capacity than a relatively ugly nerd looking person.

I never said what you are implying I said. If that's what you read into my post that's not my fault that's not what is written there. I thought I was giving her a compliment not putting her down. Can we soon get back to Madeleine's current events.

 

[jspate]

This might be an ignorant question but I keep reading " the palace cook". I thought Madeliene lives in an apartment with her boyfriend. does she stay in the palace when the other family members are away? I'm confused.