Madeleine and Chris: Media and Public Opinion

[Roslyn]

And I don't get all this talk about Chris being a private person - he is not. He's married to a swedish princess and the son in law of the swedish king, he has to act accordingly.

I think we might have a couple of different schools of thought on this one. I do not subscribe to the view that a person loses their individuality and the right to an individual persona and life after marriage, or that their identity merges with their spouse's on marriage. He is married to a Swedish princess, but he is not even a Swedish citizen, much less a Swedish Royal. He is his own person, and a citizen of the US and the UK. He owes nothing to Sweden or the Swedish people. He is a private citizen, even if his wife and his children with her are not. His only obligation to his wife's family is to not frighten the horses.

 

[SnowBirds]

Royal behavior has always been a focus of discussion, critique and sometimes even ridicule since time immemorial. Chris O'Neill may have been chewing gum for reasons known only to him, but to be honest, this criticism can't hold a candle to the coverage HM, Queen Elizabeth II received from her presence at the opening games of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

People sure like to put their own meaning behind what they see.

https://drlillianglassbodylanguageb...d-humiliation-at-olympics-opening-ceremonies/

Dear me, she was not a happy camper and all in public. Thank you for showing that for I had not seen that before. I would never think that HM would show anger in public, she is always so self controlled and has it together in public, not this time. Would not like to be on her bad side that is for sure...

 

[muriel]

How did you work out Harry was "heavily addicted to nicotine"? Conjecture?

 

[SnowBirds]

I think we might have a couple of different schools of thought on this one. I do not subscribe to the view that a person loses their individuality and the right to an individual persona and life after marriage. He is married to a Swedish princess, but he is not even a Swedish citizen, much less a Swedish Royal. He is his own person, and a citizen of the US and the UK. He owes nothing to Sweden or the Swedish people. He is a private citizen, even if his wife and his children with her are not. His only obligation is to his wife's family is to not frighten the horses.

Exactly, you have said it very well indeed. Just because he is married to a royal princess does not mean he has to give up his life for anyone. His first and only duty is to take care of his wife and children and support them, not his in laws nor even his own family (parents etc) but his wife and children first and foremost. He was ^there^ for goodness sake, he did nothing wrong to warrant the media making this attack on him, he showed love and support to his wife and her family, give the guy a break.
Enough said!

 

[Marty91charmed]

Chris did that to himself - there are a few incidents of him being obnoxious to the press (not that they can't be also, but THEY do the reporting). A 41 year-old brat having a minor temper tantrum in front of the press (he has flipped them off several times) is just not a pretty site.

I don't they they will do so, but maybe the press should wonder why he behaved in a "rude" way, so to speak, to them...just saying...

 

[Nice Nofret]

Why for me Chris is a private Person:
He is not Swedish,
He does not hold any official function for Sweden,
He is a normal working person,
He never wanted to be famous - he just happend to marry Madeleine - the other husbands of princesses who are leading a normal live aren't under the same scrutiny and aren't considerd 'Freiwild' like he is by the press.
He never asked to be fed to the wolves - aka press.
Even if he is giving (probably under pressure) the odd interview or two - that doesn't makes him a public property.

 

[NotHRH]

Exactly, you have said it very well indeed. Just because he is married to a royal princess does not mean he has to give up his life for anyone. His first and only duty is to take care of his wife and children and support them, not his in laws nor even his own family (parents etc) but his wife and children first and foremost. He was ^there^ for goodness sake, he did nothing wrong to warrant the media making this attack on him, he showed love and support to his wife and her family, give the guy a break.
Enough said!

Not "enough said" yet! In this particular situation HE CHOSE to be at the Nobel Prize ceremony. Granted chewing gum is no major offense, but HE CHOSE to do so during the "King's Song." HE CHOSE to be introduced with and as part of the SRF. You're right he doesn't have to give his life for anyone. If he is such a private person, even if he is married to a royal princess, and owes Sweden, the SRF, the Swedish people nothing, then his determinations to stick to that are gradually failing. HE CHOSE to marry a Princess of Sweden, HE CHOSE for each of his children receive royal titles, HE CHOSE to put each child's surname as "Bernadotte," HE CHOSE to attend various royal functions, HE CHOSE to break royal protocol while attending one of these events - how does any of this fit into his strict, rigid determinations to be a private. HE CHOSE to have the spotlight at various times, so how does this fit in with his strict, rigid determinations to be a private person? His own person?--his children don't even have his last name. So no, it doesn't fit in with private person persona, he loves his connections to the SRF, but on his terms and he will NOT come out the victor in this. Thankfully, he is wealthy in own right, because if his bratty behavior continues, the SRF will kick his @$$ to the curb and never look back.

 

[Princess Robijn]

Why for me Chris is a private Person:
He never wanted to be famous - he just happend to marry Madeleine - the other husbands of princesses who are leading a normal live aren't under the same scrutiny and aren't considerd 'Freiwild' like he is by the press.

Other then Princess Astrid & Prince Lorenz, and Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven, the children of those Princesses did not receive Royal titles. IMO important to note.

 

[SnowBirds]

Okay, you don't like him and that is okay. Nobody deserves to be attacked the way he is by the media or anyone here. I like him, he is own man and not a follower, nor a sheep, maybe another word for him is that he is a stray. He makes his own path in life and those are his choices and that does not mean he has to give up his life for anyone.

As for the SRF kicking him to the curb.......you know something here we don't? He just had a son, do not see him giving up his children ever and why should he?

He chose certain things in his life to make his wife happy, darn wish there were more men like that in this world, that to me makes him an okay guy. Yes now enough said!

 

[Nice Nofret]

As his children are still the only spares - it is more probable that he allowed - not chose to have his children have the titles ... I'm quite sure that CG put some pressure on him in that direction.

it wasn't so very likely, that Victoria would have another child - and now we just hope it will be healthy and be a save delivery.

 

[Princess of Durham]

I think we might have a couple of different schools of thought on this one. I do not subscribe to the view that a person loses their individuality and the right to an individual persona and life after marriage, or that their identity merges with their spouse's on marriage. He is married to a Swedish princess, but he is not even a Swedish citizen, much less a Swedish Royal. He is his own person, and a citizen of the US and the UK. He owes nothing to Sweden or the Swedish people. He is a private citizen, even if his wife and his children with her are not. His only obligation is to his wife's family is to not frighten the horses.

I don't think using common sense (and manners) means losing one's individuality.

 

[ladongas]

Dear me, she was not a happy camper and all in public. Thank you for showing that for I had not seen that before. I would never think that HM would show anger in public, she is always so self controlled and has it together in public, not this time. Would not like to be on her bad side that is for sure...

HM has 60+ years of impeccable public behaviour behind her. She was 86 years old, up very late in the evening, so it's unsurprising she wasn't 'smiling broadly' the entire time. As for the James Bond stuff- of course she knew exactly what she was involving herself with- she even provided the dress for the stunt double.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Other then Princess Astrid & Prince Lorenz, and Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven, the children of those Princesses did not receive Royal titles. IMO important to note.

And this situation (the children of Margriet and Astrid being Princes of the Royal House) will not be repeated anymore. With the Royal House Act 2002 in the Netherlands and the new restrictive Royal Decree 2015 in Belgium only the direct lineage of the King and the Heir are Princes (Princesses) of the Royal House. In comparison Sweden is generous indeed with the distribution of the title Prince (Princess) of Sweden.

 

[Roslyn]

Not "enough said" yet! In this particular situation HE CHOSE to be at the Nobel Prize ceremony.

Yep. Accompanied his wife to an event that is important to her and her family. I can only imagine the brouhaha if he hadn't been there!

Granted chewing gum is no major offense, but HE CHOSE to do so during the "King's Song."

We know he had something in his mouth and he was sucking/chewing it. We don't know it was gum. He was doing it discreetly. Some people seem to find what he was doing offensive, I don't.

HE CHOSE to be introduced with and as part of the SRF.

I think this merely a consequence of having accompanied the event with his wife. Again, imagine if he hadn't walked in with her!

You're right he doesn't have to give his life for anyone. If he is such a private person, even if he is married to a royal princess, and owes Sweden, the SRF, the Swedish people nothing, then his determinations to stick to that are gradually failing.

Living his life alongside a royal princess, he is bound to be noticed at times, whether he likes it or not.

HE CHOSE to marry a Princess of Sweden

And she chose to marry him.

HE CHOSE for each of his children receive royal titles, HE CHOSE to put each child's surname as "Bernadotte," HE CHOSE to attend various royal functions, (snip) how does any of this fit into his strict, rigid determinations to be a private. HE CHOSE to have the spotlight at various times, so how does this fit in with his strict, rigid determinations to be a private person?

I think he acquiesced in these things rather than chose them.

His own person?--his children don't even have his last name.

Another instance of acquiescing, I think, or compromising. Or perhaps he is just the sort of - rather exceptional, IMO - man who doesn't feel an overpowering need to have his children bear his name. Maybe he's fine with is wife keeping her own surname and for his children to bear hers instead of his. From what he said in the interview, he seems to have a high regard for women and I think he may be a feminist.

So no, it doesn't fit in with private person persona, he loves his connections to the SRF, but on his terms and he will NOT come out the victor in this. Thankfully, he is wealthy in own right, because if his bratty behavior continues, the SRF will kick his @$$ to the curb and never look back.

It's not really a battle for supremacy, is it?

 

[SnowBirds]

Roslyn, Yes you put it beautifully. And another thing some here forget, they keep using the word *chose*, when did we the public just chose to marry someone, I was always under the impression that the public or I should say me(for I am only giving my opinion here), *Fell in Love* with a person before we decided to marry someone...doesn't falling in love come first, and all those other choices he made, darn what a guy, where can I met a guy who is devoted to his wife the way he has been, he gives(maybe with the help of the king) the children his wife's last name, never met a man that did that. He looked very tired during the Nobles, as did some others.

 

[NotHRH]

Yep. Accompanied his wife to an event that is important to her and her family. I can only imagine the brouhaha if he hadn't been there!

We know he had something in his mouth and he was sucking/chewing it. We don't know it was gum. He was doing it discreetly. Some people seem to find what he was doing offensive, I don't.

I think this merely a consequence of having accompanied the event with his wife. Again, imagine if he hadn't walked in with her!

Living his life alongside a royal princess, he is bound to be noticed at times, whether he likes it or not.

And she chose to marry him.

I think he acquiesced in these things rather than chose them.

Another instance of acquiescing, I think, or compromising. Or perhaps he is just the sort of - rather exceptional, IMO - man who doesn't feel an overpowering need to have his children bear his name. Maybe he's fine with is wife keeping her own surname and for his children to bear hers instead of his. From what he said in the interview, he seems to have a high regard for women and I think he may be a feminist.

It's not really a battle for supremacy, is it?

That is the point, isn't it? Well Chris' point anyway - that he will not be pushed around by the SRF. If he wants to be a private person, then be a private person. Stay away from SRF public events and it's a done deal. Singer Dolly Parton has been married to husband Carl Dean for nearly 50 years, yet he has only been seen with her publicly a few times because he prefers to remain a very private person. When he has been spotted with her in the past , he didnt do anything to cause attention to himself. Consequently, without her with him in public, no one knows who he is so the media doesn't follow him around.
Anyway, again Chris set the tone for his treatment by the press by his own bratty behavior, and in his case, can blame no one but himself. A smile and a wave can sometimes go a long way. He should try that next time the paps catch him off guard (not at a SRF formal public event) and see if that makes a difference. ALWAYS be the better person.

 

[Pranter]

Oh good grief. You cannot even compare Dolly Parton (as great as she is) to the situation with Maddie.

Maddie and Chris married in a very public (millions watched) marriage...the media was never not going to pay attention to who she is married to. They purposefully look for things they do wrong so they can make a big deal about it so people will buy papers.

Get off the merry go round.


LaRae

 

[SnowBirds]

How can you even compare Dolly Parton's husband to Chris is so far out in left field that ball will never be seen again?

Nobody knows what goes on in that royal family except for Chris, Madeleine and the rest of the family, I seriously doubt MO that Chris is trying to prove anything to anybody and that the royal family is pushing him around. I mean after all they are mature adults and some here aren't, it is the media that Chris has a problem with not the royal family unless you know something that we here don't. I say if the media pushes him, then Chris you push back for it is none of their business nor ours for that matter how he lives his life.

Yes you got your expected response from me and let it drop, this is not a win win situation for anyone, not you nor me. I say let them live their lives just as you, me and all here and everywhere live our lives.

 

[Mbruno]

Roslyn, Yes you put it beautifully. And another thing some here forget, they keep using the word *chose*, when did we the public just chose to marry someone, I was always under the impression that the public or I should say me(for I am only giving my opinion here), *Fell in Love* with a person before we decided to marry someone...doesn't falling in love come first, and all those other choices he made, darn what a guy, where can I met a guy who is devoted to his wife the way he has been, he gives(maybe with the help of the king) the children his wife's last name, never met a man that did that. He looked very tired during the Nobles, as did some others.

Whether they "fell in love" or not (whatever "love" means as Charles would say), getting married is still a choice, unless you do so under duress. I have no problem with the OP's use of words then.

 

[SnowBirds]

Whether they "fell in love" or not (whatever "love" means as Charles would say), getting married is still a choice, unless you do so under duress. I have no problem with the OP's use of words then.

Why would anyone even compare Chris and his wife, love or not to Prince Charles (and what Charles said how many decades ago does apply to him today, think not) is so out of depth it is unbelievable.

 

[Lady Nimue]

I find the 'finger' photo very funny. First thing that pops into my head (and hubby agrees): what were the photographers shouting at him? Very funny. Trouble is, Chris gave them a photo gift that keeps on giving.

JMO but anyone who has the balls to 'finger' the press has my respect. Would love to meet that man who jousts with the press fearlessly. (Reminds me of Gulliver being tied down by the lilliputians, or the attempt is being made to do so with Chris). Chris will not come to heel. Good man.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Oh dear this thread has gone way of course and is thus closed pending Moderator Review!