Engagement of Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill; October 25, 2012

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

I assume that means he does his job well. It is after all one of the reason people hire investment bankers, accountants and tax lawyers.....to make sure you make as much income as possible and pay the least amount of taxation legally possible.

Maybe he does his job well, but these press articles are quite negative... About him using the tax paradises to be more rich.

[NGalitzine]

The article probably says more about the agenda of the writers than it does about him. Most of us, if we are smart, take advantage of every tax deduction and loophole and advantage that we can in order to pay the least tax possible. I don't have a problem with that, in fact the more money I can keep for myself and out of the hands of government the happier I am.

[CrownPrincessJava]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

The article probably says more about the agenda of the writers than it does about him. Most of us, if we are smart, take advantage of every tax deduction and loophole and advantage that we can in order to pay the least tax possible. I don't have a problem with that, in fact the more money I can keep for myself and out of the hands of government the happier I am.

This.

Australians will know who I am talking about, but a tycoon in Australia, Kerry Packer, said the same thing in front of a government inquiry. He stated "Of course I am minimising my tax. And if anybody in this country doesn't minimise their tax, they want their heads read, because as a government, I can tell you you're not spending it that well that we should be donating extra"

As someone else said, they are trying to attack his character. If that is the only thing they can report on him, then the press are clutching at straws!

[CrownPrincessJava]

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

Maybe he does his job well, but these press articles are quite negative... About him using the tax paradises to be more rich.

And yet so many sport stars do the same thing. The press are making it out as though he is the only one using tax havens. It would surprise many to see how many celebrities, royals and ordinary people use tax havens as tax avoidance.

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by CrownPrincessJava

And yet so many sport stars do the same thing. The press are making it out as though he is the only one using tax havens. It would surprise many to see how many celebrities, royals and ordinary people use tax havens as tax avoidance.

Exactly. Members of the Dutch royal family are known to use the Channel Islands.
Are they saying Chris has his own personal funds in tax havens or that he has helped his clients male the best use of tax havens? I don't have a problem with it either way, but there is a difference.

[Marengo]

Princess Christina used that construction indeed, as became known in 2009. There was a lot of criticism and the princess had to stop using Noordeinde palace as mail adress for the trust. The Bourbon-Parma siblings had a simular construction btw.

[MarNoe]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

The article probably says more about the agenda of the writers than it does about him. Most of us, if we are smart, take advantage of every tax deduction and loophole and advantage that we can in order to pay the least tax possible. I don't have a problem with that, in fact the more money I can keep for myself and out of the hands of government the happier I am.

The writers of the article are probably jealous that they either didn't think of doing this or wish they had enough money to take advantage of it. Sounds like sour grapes to me.

[Meraude]

According to the Swedish royal court, princess Madeleine will attend the Nobel Prize ceremony this year, H.K.H. Prinsessan Madeleine - Sveriges Kungahus [NS4 version] and maybe Chris will be at her side in Stockholm.

If this article in Expressen today is correct, Chris börjar jobba vid Madeleines sida | Nyheter | Expressen | Senaste nytt - Nyheter Sport Nöje TV , Chris will make his debut as a (future) member of the SRF today in New York at a memory arrangement for Raoul Wallenberg that Madeleine will attend.

[Tilia C.]

Originally Posted by Meraude

According to the Swedish royal court, princess Madeleine will attend the Nobel Prize ceremony this year, H.K.H. Prinsessan Madeleine - Sveriges Kungahus [NS4 version] and maybe Chris will be at her side in Stockholm.

If this article in Expressen today is correct, Chris börjar jobba vid Madeleines sida | Nyheter | Expressen | Senaste nytt - Nyheter Sport Nöje TV , Chris will make his debut as a (future) member of the SRF today in New York at a memory arrangement for Raoul Wallenberg that Madeleine will attend.

I'm really looking forward to seeing her again at the Nobels again. Tiaras!

[nascarlucy]

It will be nice to see her at the Nobel Prize Ceremony.

[camelot23ca]

Originally Posted by CrownPrincessJava

This.

Australians will know who I am talking about, but a tycoon in Australia, Kerry Packer, said the same thing in front of a government inquiry. He stated "Of course I am minimising my tax. And if anybody in this country doesn't minimise their tax, they want their heads read, because as a government, I can tell you you're not spending it that well that we should be donating extra"

As someone else said, they are trying to attack his character. If that is the only thing they can report on him, then the press are clutching at straws!

I've always loved that quote!

Presumably Chris is being paid extremely well by his employers to act aggressively to minimize loss and/or generate wealth for his clients. He probably also has an interest in minimizing loss and generating wealth for himself. If he's good at it and doesn't do anything illegal then more power to him, IMO.

[LadyFinn]

At the moment Chris O'Neill isn't invited to the Nobel ceremony.

King and Queen, Victoria, Daniel, Madeleine and Carl Philip - all going to the Nobel Banquet.
But Sofia Hellqvist isn't invited and Chris O'Neill is not showing up.
- It's only the royal family who is attending, says Bertil Ternert, the Director of the Information and Press Department.

Right now the guest list to the lavish Nobel Banquet is finalized - with the royal family for granted honorary guests. Madeleine has now decided to accept.
- She will attend with the royal couple, Crown Princess Couple and Prince Carl Philip, says Ternert.
But according to him, neither Madeleine's fiancé Chris O'Neill and Carl Philip's girlfriend Sofia Hellqvist are attending.
- At present, only the royal family is coming. More than that, I would not comment on it, says Ternert.
The royal expert Roger Lundgren is not surprised that Sofia Hellqvist isn't invited.
- The Royal children's respectives haven't been invited before they are engaged. The Nobel Foundation is inviting on the King's recommendation and he will never deviate from the protocol and invite Sofia.

But the Nobel Foundation confirms that they do not have any directives to invite newly engaged Chris O'Neill.
- Formally, it has not been sent any invitation to him from us. But that is only because we have not been asked by the court to do so, says Annika Pontikis, spokeswoman for the Nobel Foundation.
According to Roger Lundgren is most likely that Chris O'Neill is unable to attend.
- It must mean that he has chosen to say no. Chris will not get apanage in the future, so now he has certainly put his job before the Nobel, he said.
Nobelfest – då får hon nobben Nyheter Aftonbladet

[LadyFinn]

Aftonbladet has photos of the women Chris dated before Madeleine
Bildextra! Här är Chris O'Neills ex Klick! Nöjesbladet Aftonbladet

[HRHHermione]

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

Aftonbladet has photos of the women Chris dated before Madeleine
Bildextra! Här är Chris O'Neills ex Klick! Nöjesbladet Aftonbladet

Heh! Well I guess we know why she went back to brunette!

In all seriousness though- and I recognize this is probably an unpopular opinion- Chris strikes me as a bit of a tool. Kind of a classic banking industry empty suit.

I'm excited about this wedding because I always love a good royal wedding, but I'm beginning to realize that it's probably a very good thing that Victoria is the heiress to the throne and not Carl-Philip or Madeleine.

[Meraude]

Originally Posted by HRHHermione

I'm beginning to realize that it's probably a very good thing that Victoria is the heiress to the throne and not Carl-Philip or Madeleine.

First now??

[HRHHermione]

Originally Posted by Meraude

First now??

HA! I guess I should say... it's the first time I've bothered to put much thought into it. I mostly follow royals that I like and largely disregard the ones I'm not overly enthusiastic about.

Madeleine's always just struck me as a very pretty woman, and I didn't think about her much past that, except for maybe feeling a bit sorry for her that she had to go through the breakup of an engagement in such a public way.

I really don't care for Chris though, and it makes me question her a bit more, knowing that she's into a guy who strikes me as an empty suit banker.

[LadyFinn]

Chris O'Neill has sent a letter to Aftonbladet to correct the wrong information about his business. Aftonbladet has written about Noster Capital and tax paradises.
He says due to his marriage he will voluntarily restrict himself from any investments carried out by Noster Capital that involve a Swedish concern.
He also says that he has never made an anonymous donation to World Childhood Organization, as has been reported in the swedish press. He did make a donation, under his own name and using his personal funds, to purchase a table at the 2011 Gala Dinner in New York City.

Bertil Ternert from the court press department has also commented: "Chris has sat down with his attorney and gone through what has been written. It is important for Chris to show that he and his company follow the tax laws", says Bertil Ternert.
You can read his letter from here (it's in english)
Chris brev om miljonaffärerna Nyheter Aftonbladet

So it seem's that Expressen's Johan T Lindwall's information about Chris' big donation as an anomymous person, almost 100 000 euros, is a lie.

[principessa]

I can't wait to learn the wedding date.

[MARG]

I don't quite understand what is going on with this couple. I thought that when they moved in together that was enough of a statement from Madeleine that things were "serious" and in due course a formal engagement would ensue and then on to the wedding.

Obviously I missed something because since the announcement of the engagement suddenly everyone is actually interested in Chris and having given him the once over and found no thoroughly distasteful or scandalous events in his past, have moved on to inventing them and, when that hasn't panned out, have decided he is a total nonentity!

When Daniel was first presented to the public he was somewhat gauche and a little overwhelmed by the attention after all those years living in the shadows. These days he's a hard-working member of the SRF and a model husband and father. A man who is admired for his work ethic, his integrity and his devotion to duty.

Now I am not saying that will happen with Chris. There are just so many obvious differences. Chris has grown up with the benefit of great wealth, a superior education and sterling social connections. He doesn't need our approval and he certainly doesn't need the SRF to "advance" his social standing. What part, if any, he plays in the SRF is yet to be seen but because he does not require anyone's approval to continue living life as a very happy camper does not mean we should be participating in the fine old custom of character assassination. He makes Madeleine happy and surely that should be enough for us to give our tacit support.

[LadyFinn]

Since Daniel was swedish, his background was easy to check, as his former girlfriends, one of them gave a short interview to the press. His income and taxes were easy to check also. But I think it is quite understandable that the swedish media (not just the yellow press) is interested in Chris' connections with tax paradises like Cayman Islands.
If we compare Chris and Daniel, Chris should have much easier to adjust himself to the royal surroundings, because of his background, his mother's connections and his sister's marriages. His half sister Tatjana is married to the grandson of the 9th duke of Rutland and his half sister Natascha is married to an austrian count. If course much depends on himself, what kind of a person he is, is he easy to approach and things like that.