Princes Nikolai, Felix, Henrik & Princess Athena, News Part 2: July 2018 - 2022

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #37, 2018.
Written by Helle Skram de Fries.

Who caught up with Nikolai, his brother and mother at the recent Ecco Walkathon.
But let's skip the Walkathon, it's a lot of people walking and that's good, it keeps them out of trouble..., and go straight to what Nikolai had to tell us.

What's the best part about coming home?
Nikolai: "Lots of good food!"
He adds that the military menu has mainly consisted of brown sauce and potatoes. (Lucky dude!)
"But that's fine too."

Felix was pretty pleased with having big-bro home: "Nikolai is home once a week and that's nice."

So thought mother Alexandra: "It's so cozy." (Hygge.)

Is he settling in at the NCO school?
Oh yes and he's got some good mates. "But it's also hard, so it takes a little getting used to."

Felix has started in high school and he's fine too.
Alexandra: "Half the students followed over to Gammel Hellerup High School."
Felix: "And one from my school has become my classmate."

How about Nikolai's modelling career?
The army takes precedence, Nikolai explains: "So we'll see if there will be time for that."

And how about his sweetheart, Benedikte Thoustrup, who is currently studying in Paris? Will there be time for a short visit?
Nikolai smiled: "Perhaps."
Alexandra: "Otherwise you'll have to use the fax-machine."

Alexandra has met the girlfriend: "She's a really sweet and nice girl."

Felix hasn't got a girlfriend yet, but he has settled in at the high school: "It's very exciting to attend high school. I haven't chosen my line yet, but I'm keeping up pretty good."
Alexandra: "He's growing with the task."

 

[iceflower]

It has been officially announced today that Prince Nikolai has chosen to leave the army sergeant's training he has been doing for the last 2 months. The reasons are said to be private and unknown.

"It is Prince Nikolai's own decision, and Prince Joachim and Countess Alexandra back up their son's decision," Lene Balleby, the royal communication manager of the Palace is quoted saying.



** BB: NYHED: Prins Nikolai stopper i forsvaret **


** bt.dk: Prins Nikolai afbryder uddannelse efter to måneder **

 

[Muhler]

Nikolai has opted to drop out of his military education: https://www.bt.dk/royale/prins-nikolai-afbryder-uddannelse-efter-to-maneder

The courts says: Prinsen har stoppet sin uddannelse i Forsvaret. Det er prinsens egen beslutning,
The Prince has stopped his education in the Defense. It is the Prince's own decision.

Well, perhaps it's better that way. If he has only half a heart in this, he'd better leave now.
I had a feeling he did this very much because his dad, Joachim, so much wished for it. - Perhaps even leaned on Nikolai to start a military career.
Having said that, my immediate reaction from the heart is that I'm not particularly impressed!
Millions of young men went through conscription here in DK over the past 170 years. Many hated every second, but they did it. (They had no choice of course.) And came out the other end more mature, one way or the other.

This is after all an option Christian does not have. Christian can't drop out unless he is physically unfit - and that seems unlikely.

Nikolai is going to disappoint his dad - and I admit he disappointed me a little as well.

ADDED: Thanks Iceflower.
Yes, of course Joachim and Alexandra will back up his decision, they can hardly say otherwise.

 

[Mbruno]

It has been officially announced today that Prince Nikolai has chosen to leave the army sergeant's training he has been doing for the last 2 months. The reasons are said to be private and unknown.

"It is Prince Nikolai's own decision, and Prince Joachim and Countess Alexandra back up their son's decision," Lene Balleby, the royal communication manager of the Palace is quoted saying.



** BB: NYHED: Prins Nikolai stopper i forsvaret **


** bt.dk: Prins Nikolai afbryder uddannelse efter to måneder **

He never struck me as an army type of guy. I suppose he was doing it just because it is something “ Royal men do”.

He can concentrate now on his modeling career and, of course, on his higher education, which is the most important thing for him as he will have to support himself as an adult.

 

[Muhler]

Well, completing these two years would have been beneficial for him in his future career.
Many of those who are attending of have attended Herlufsholm will go the military way at least for some years - it's after all a free leadership education and personal development process, where you learn responsibility, self-discipline and break personal boundaries.
Not having completed, or rather having dropped out after a short period, is a minus if he aims for a higher career in the private sector. It may not be a big minus, depending on where it is, but nevertheless it's a minus.

I imagine he is going to start an education and he'd better complete that! Otherwise he will lose the public's respect.
His "modelling career" is not going to earn him many brownie points in the wider public.

I sincerely hope he will not end up as a rich spoiled kid. With a lot of potential but without the will to go through. - That lapel is very difficult to get rid of!

 

[wartenberg7]

Well, this WAS the army, Mr. Jones...!
I was always surprised he was willing to join the army in the first place! I couldn´t get the picture of him on this area until I first saw him uniformed.
That prooves one more time that it is absolutely useless to please someone else if you don´t feel it yourself. I guess if he´d pulled through, he would have played a role he didn´t have the feeling he was in his own skin.
Perhaps Joachim convinced him to join the army at some point by saying he could leave again if he feels too uncomfortable with the decision, but it would make him very happy and proud if he tried at least.

I remember watching Nicolai at CP Frederik´s 50th birthday entering Christiansborg. My first thought was "Oh, he walks exactly like he was on a catwalk!", his feet putting precicely one after another like he was following a certain training - perhaps unconciously. This was at least how it occured to me. As I said, I really couldn´t get a picture of him crawling in the mud or doing military excersises....

I hope N. does not have the feeling now to have failed or something! He has tried and he should take that onto his positive account. I wish him the best and that he will find his true way of life he is really comfortable with!

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Question: in many countries its possible to do a shorter stint with the army instead of committing yourself to a long period of time, not in Denmark?

He could have done the shorter stint and stayed there if he liked it or dropped out if he didn't...


Obviously expectations didn't match, I am sure Joachim will be disappointed.

 

[wartenberg7]

Question: in many countries its possible to do a shorter stint with the army instead of committing yourself to a long period of time, not in Denmark?

He could have done the shorter stint and stayed there if he liked it or dropped out if he didn't...

Obviously expectations didn't match, I am sure Joachim will be disappointed.

Or he backs his son´s decision because his happiness is what really matters to him...? I know that J. loves his eldest son dearly.

Concerning your remark about shorter stints I guess it was not expected that Nicolai would commit himself for some years to come, but to do only the basic training and education that goes along with it in the first place.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Or he backs his son´s decision because his happiness is what really matters to him...? I know that J. loves his eldest son dearly.

Concerning your remark about shorter stints I guess it was not expected that Nicolai would put himself under duty for some years to come, but to do only the basic training and education that goes along with it in the first place.

To be (assumingly) disappointed does not mean not to love your child any longer.

I understand Nicolai committed himself to a 2 year education?

 

[Muhler]

Question: in many countries its possible to do a shorter stint with the army instead of committing yourself to a long period of time, not in Denmark?

He could have done the shorter stint and stayed there if he liked it or dropped out if he didn't...


Obviously expectations didn't match, I am sure Joachim will be disappointed.

Yes, conscription nowadays mainly consist of basic training 3-4 months depending on the unit. With certain units having a longer service period.
The Guards Hussars, The Royal Life Guard Regiment and the crew aboard Dannebrog all serve for longer periods. However these units all have a 100 % volunteer conscription rates. With other units having a volunteer rates in the 90 %.
That ensured those who are conscripts are motivated and usually come from a good background and with at least average grades and up from the schooling system. Most have a high school or technical school background. And most come from within the broad medium range income families, which I will estimate constitute 70-75 % of DK families.
It also means they represent a broad segment of the population.

The purpose of the short service is to recruit soldiers for the reserves, for deployment abroad at some point or soldiers who choose a career within the military.
All conscripts are assessed those with the better grades can apply for NCO training at the end of their conscription period. That's an additional six months. Some apply for officers training at the end of that, either as a career officer or an officer of the reserves.
The system ensures that the better suited and most motivated move on and the military don't have to spend time on basic training and a rough weeding out process.

In the light of hindsight, that might have been the option Nikolai should have chosen. I.e. volunteer conscription. And If motivated he could apply for NCO school.
Perhaps Felix will go that way?

While men are obliged to serve if called up, women have the right to serve. (Isabella, Josephine and Athena at some point.) But in contrast to male conscripts they can drop out at a moments notice.

Had Nikolai completed his training he would have become a lieutenant of the reserves. - And almost certainly been called up for service abroad at some point. No exclusive home posting for officers of the reserves.
Even M&F's close friend Peter Heering, married to Caroline Heering, was called up and send to Afghanistan a few years ago, despite him being a full colonel at the time. Okay, he did HQ duty, but officers of the reserves are bound to end up at or right behind the front lines. Which is places like Afghanistan is pretty fluent as you all know.
The reason why Joachim hasn't been serving abroad is IMO no doubt because the politicians didn't want to risk his life and because he was the manager of a medium sized business, Schackenborg.

And I agree, you don't stop loving your children, just because they disappoint you.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Thanks for your effort, Muhler! This is what I meant, it would have been better to have chosen the shorter option to look into the whole issue and leaving if not suitable instead of committing and dropping out after a short time.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

Joachim has no right to be disappointed in Nikolai. Nor does anyone else. It's Nikolai's life and military is not for everyone. Doesn't mean he has a weak character and it definitely won't affect his future (aside from maybe positively – you won't be happy if you force yourself through something you don't have your heart in). For what it's worth, it always seemed very forced. Especially in the way Nikolai himself worded it: "it was a wish within the family". A military career never seemed to be his own dream as much as it was a wish to appease his family's dreams for him. The world would be a lot easier if parents stopped living through and installing a looming threat of disappointment over their children if they fail to succeed their expectations.

 

[Muhler]

Well, I happen to believe in commitment.

If you commit yourself to anything you do your very best to go through.
Quitting is another world for personal defeat. And it damages your self-esteem.
Sometimes you have to grit your teeth and carry on. Doing that you win a victory and that's good for your self-esteem, even if you hate it while it goes on.

I didn't volunteer for conscription. In fact I wasn't even that keen on serving in the military and I sure didn't like it at first! But I grew to like it, I learned to appreciate that the way the military did things perhaps made sense after all.
And I won a string of little personal victories and earned the respect of my comrades. I learned to feel proud about myself - something you really weren't supposed to be back in the 80's BTW.
That was a personal development I would have missed, had I had the opportunity to opt out after a few weeks.

 

[Somebody]

I agree that if you commit yourself, you should do your utmost to make it work. If Nikolai doubted from the start he should have chosen the shorter program of 3-4 months, so he still had some military experience without committing himself for 2 years and dropping out very early on.

It will be interesting to see what he ends up doing.

 

[Muhler]

Alexandra has issued a statement about why Nikolai decided to leave the military: https://www.bt.dk/royale/grevinde-alexandra-forklarer-derfor-er-prins-nikolai-droppet-ud

Årsagen til, at han er stoppet, er, at han ikke føler, han er kommet på den rette hylde
The reason why he stopped is that he doesn't feel that he ended up on the right shelve.

Det har intet at gøre med uddannelsen eller folkene, der er der. Han har været meget glad for det, og det har været som forventet, men han føler altså bare ikke, at han er kommet på rette hylde.
It has nothing to do with the education or the people who are there. He has been very fond of it and it has been as expected, but he simply doesn't feel he has ended up on the right shelve.

ADDED:
If I may be permitted to speculate I cannot help wondering whether this was Nikolai's first big personal challenge. He is a very bright young man! There is no question about that.
And sometimes very bright young people float through the school-system, getting very good grades without that much of an effort. And when they are faced with a novel situation where it's more hard work and sheer determination, rather than just relying on intelligence, they experience a shock!
Again, this is speculation.
However, I have over time met quite a few very intelligent people who ended up in low-skilled jobs, because they did not have the psychological strength to grit their teeth and work hard and determined to reach a goal, all through their lives.
Having said that, most such people do however take such a personal defeat, which quitting basically is, as a valuable lesson that benefits them later on. I sincerely hope that will be the case for Nikolai.

 

[LibrarianDaisy]

Joachim has no right to be disappointed in Nikolai. Nor does anyone else. It's Nikolai's life and military is not for everyone. Doesn't mean he has a weak character and it definitely won't affect his future (aside from maybe positively – you won't be happy if you force yourself through something you don't have your heart in). For what it's worth, it always seemed very forced. Especially in the way Nikolai himself worded it: "it was a wish within the family". A military career never seemed to be his own dream as much as it was a wish to appease his family's dreams for him. The world would be a lot easier if parents stopped living through and installing a looming threat of disappointment over their children if they fail to succeed their expectations.

I agree Archduchess Zelia. Rather than seeing it as a weakness I think it takes a lot of courage to admit that your choice in life was the wrong thing especially considering Nikolai's family background where all males have had some form of military career so family expectations would have been high.

 

[Somebody]

Det har intet at gøre med uddannelsen eller folkene, der er der. Han har været meget glad for det, og det har været som forventet, men han føler altså bare ikke, at han er kommet på rette hylde.
It has nothing to do with the education or the people who are there. He has been very fond of it and it has been as expected, but he simply doesn't feel he has ended up on the right shelve.

The way it is phrased is interesting: it was as expected but still he realized that he didn't want what he signed up for. So, that mainly shows that the decision process wasn't a good one. If it was different than expected, it would at least make some sense, but given that according to Alexandra it was what he expected, he knew beforehand that this wasn't where he wanted to be but he apparently felt pressured to completely go against his own judgment.

 

[polyesco]

Im sorry to see him drop out after only 2 months. I got a little hint of it after seeing him get some time away after a short period.
I do think Joachim is disappointed, he has said he very much expected Nikolai to do some time in the military. But of course he loves his son 100%. The two can go together.
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelige/danmark/mor-og-far-bakker-op-om-prins-nikolais-beslutning

I hope the best for Nikolai. Showing commitment is important. He is a bright young man and I hope he makes the right decisions.

Do we know if he will move back home with Alexandra?

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Joachim has no right to be disappointed in Nikolai. Nor does anyone else. It's Nikolai's life and military is not for everyone. Doesn't mean he has a weak character and it definitely won't affect his future (aside from maybe positively – you won't be happy if you force yourself through something you don't have your heart in). For what it's worth, it always seemed very forced. Especially in the way Nikolai himself worded it: "it was a wish within the family". A military career never seemed to be his own dream as much as it was a wish to appease his family's dreams for him. The world would be a lot easier if parents stopped living through and installing a looming threat of disappointment over their children if they fail to succeed their expectations.

I agree. I was in a similar situation to Nikolai around this time last month after I had to defer from university for a year, since I just wasn't ready for it at this point having had a long struggle with anxiety. I pressured myself to apply now since it was what everyone else thought was best, though deep down I knew that it wasn't the right choice for me at this point in time. Someone later told me that realising this is a strong sign of maturity and determination, and I think that this is very true for Nikolai too. I hope he manages to find something that he enjoys in the near future. It will be interesting to see what path he chooses to take.

 

[Muhler]

https://www.bt.dk/royale/her-er-prins-nikolais-fremtidsplaner

Alexandra, through her private secretary, has elaborated on Nikolai's future plans.
"He will take care of/pursue his modelling career until next year, where he will begin studying. As the plan is right now he will start studying after the summer holidays."
Han vil passe sin modelkarriere indtil næste år, hvor han vil læse videre. Som planen er lige nu begynder han på et studie efter sommerferien,«

However, the secretary can't say what he is going to study as Nikolai hasn't applied yet:
"But he will study in Denmark."
Hvilken uddannelse sætter hun dog ikke ord på, idet prinsen endnu ikke har søgt ind.
»Men det er et studie i Danmark,

"He will until then take those modelling jobs he can get, says the private secretary.
»Han vil indtil da tage de modeljobs, han kan få,« fortæller Helle von Wildenrath Løvgreen.

 

[Kataryn]

I sincerely hope he will not end up as a rich spoiled kid. With a lot of potential but without the will to go through. - That lapel is very difficult to get rid of!

He is the grandson of an artist, so maybe this is the way he wants to go. He always gave me some vibes that he was not really interested in "proving" to be a real man (which is what Henrik IMHO enforced in both his sons). And let's face it: he was born into a role that won't pay for him in his adulthood. So IMHO it is his personal right to interpret this role as he sees fit.



Maybe he found something in the fashion industry that this course in the military could not give him. It happened to Prince Edward as well. Maybe he wants to become a designer himself, he might even start to learn how to sew. His grandmother is a good example and she knows how much it costs her to have a full-time job that did not allow her to follow a career in art herself. I don't think he dropped out of the military without having talked to his grandmother the queen about it. So let's just see what he will decide on.

 

[Muhler]

Well, the thing I fear is that he will end up in the gossip mags as another jet-set kid with too much time and too much money on their hands - or, which is more likely, will be portrayed as a rich jet-set kid with too much...
Because I happen to believe Joachim and Alexandra will have no qualms about cutting his allowance, should he actually misbehave. I.e. You wanna party? Go earn the money first!

Nikolai can't run away from his royal background. Especially if and when he makes mistakes. The medias will make sure of that!

Okay, upon reflection I think most of us can agree he should never have signed up for the NCO/reserve officers school. His heart obviously wasn't in it otherwise he wouldn't have quit after such a short time. Probably made worse by the fact that he would have been surrounded by other young people who were determined to become officers.
Volunteer conscription would have been more manageable and he would still have done "his duty to his country" so to speak. And more importantly he would have won a victory both personally and publicly.

I do sympathize with PH in him instilling in his sons to become "real men" (f/m) in the sense that a stint in the military is character building and instills a sense self-discipline and carrying on with your duty, also when it isn't fun at all!

Does Nikolai have an artistic streak? I don't know. I don't recall having read or heard anything suggesting that he should have a particular creative talent.
He is however a very intelligent young man, so it will be interesting to see what he will end up studying. - Provided of course he can gain entry to his preferred education. I am pretty certain he will prefer to study in Copenhagen, otherwise Southern Danish University, where our Marie is heavily involved, would and could be an alternative.

I won't blame Edward for dropping out of the Royal Marines. Which is in a totally different league from a two year course to be an officer of the reserves or even becoming a regular officer at Sandhurst for that matter.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

It is obvious that his family wants him to have a serious job, military didn't work now university will be on the card, I understand from Alex' comments that he can do now what he wants (modelling) until next summer when he starts studying.
Joachim is very elitist too, I don't believe the parents are very happy but what can they do. Nikolai has pushed the boundaries once by dropping out of the military I believe the parents will now make it very clear to him that they want to see finished studies at university. Joachim is infamous for snobbish behaviour like insisting that his sons are called Princes, I doubt he lets Nikolai have his way in the long term doing modelling.

 

[Muhler]

Agree.

I imagine Joachim and Alexandra will have or have had a little chat with Nikolai asking: "Now what?!?"

And while his mother may find it endearing I too very much doubt that Joachim, who is pretty conservative, is that impressed with Nikolai's modelling career. It's fine for earning some extra money while studying but as a living? No way Joachim is going to accept that.
And career is to be generous, because it's hard work to be a serious and successful model! Nikolai after all hasn't even attended a modelling school. He's just a "fresh-faced" amateur - and that will only take him so far.

 

[eya]

Very interesting we see what Nikolai doing next. I hope don't be rush to make a desicion again.

 

[Marengo]

Nikolai after all hasn't even attended a modelling school

Uhm… is there such a thing as modelling school ? What on earth do they teach?

Out of curiosity: is it customary that questions about the princes are not directed at prince Joachim's secretariat or the one of the royal family but that they contact Css Alexandra? And is it customary for her to write statements about her sons on her own, without the father signing in?

 

[Muhler]

Uhm… is there such a thing as modelling school ? What on earth do they teach?

Out of curiosity: is it customary that questions about the princes are not directed at prince Joachim's secretariat or the one of the royal family but that they contact Css Alexandra? And is it customary for her to write statements about her sons on her own, without the father signing in?

Oh yes!

They are taught about make up and lighting. About posing and presentation and also how to represent. Models after all don't just walk up and down catwalks or stand in front of a camera. They are also very much used at events. - The girls who at least used to adorn the hoods on new car-models springs to mind not to mention the Tour de France girls - they are all professionals.
They also learn about dieting and skin-care.
Professionals spend a lot of time in the gym, on the road, going to endless auditions and dealing with dirty old pigs - of both sexes...
So it's hard work, and just like athletes, only a minority will end up being able to live from being a model.

I can't say why Alexandra decided to issue a statement. Perhaps she was getting a lot of calls and decided to deal with it this way? And I imagine those from the press optimistic enough to call Joachim's private secretary would simply get a "no comments"
Customary... Well, it all depends on how you look at Nikolai.
He is royal, with title and all, but has officially decided not to have a royal role and on top of that he mainly lives with his mother who is divorced from a royal.
So he is a bit in a limbo.
Alexandra's statement is IMO clearly private, whether it has been co-ordinated with Joachim, let alone the court is an open question.

Quite a few of the comments I have seen from the public are not that impressed with Nikolai having his mother speak on his behalf.

But apart from that, this is already very much yesterday's news.

 

[moby]

Oh that was quick. I understand commitment but can sort of relate to what it's like to be told by parents to do something you don't want to do. In my case, I ended up working really hard to pursue my interests just to prove my parents wrong and that was a personal triumph in itself lol.

I think it's too soon to judge whether Nikolai is committed or not, but for sure he has to figure out what he wants and devote himself to it. Whatever he does, I hope he recognizes and acknowledges the immense privilege he has and do something worthwhile with the endless opportunities he was born with.

 

[ladongas]

We make many mistakes throughout life, and ideally, we learn from them. The military was, apparently, not totally Nikolai’s decision. He may be very wary of allowing himself to be pushed again. Maybe he wants to try to make it on his own for a bit, modeling, living in a funky flat with friends, being a young person in today’s world. You can only enjoy the freedom of youth when you are young.

Many people find themselves with big responsibilities at 40, and realize that they never had that freedom. A man with a mid-life crisis (or a woman), may try to get that freedom, divorce, abdication of family responsibilities...

Nikolai is 19. He should be allowed to mature at his own pace. He’ll likely come around eventually and settle into grown up life.

 

[Mbruno]

https://www.bt.dk/royale/her-er-prins-nikolais-fremtidsplaner

Alexandra, through her private secretary, has elaborated on Nikolai's future plans.
"He will take care of/pursue his modelling career until next year, where he will begin studying. As the plan is right now he will start studying after the summer holidays."
Han vil passe sin modelkarriere indtil næste år, hvor han vil læse videre. Som planen er lige nu begynder han på et studie efter sommerferien,«

However, the secretary can't say what he is going to study as Nikolai hasn't applied yet:
"But he will study in Denmark."
Hvilken uddannelse sætter hun dog ikke ord på, idet prinsen endnu ikke har søgt ind.
»Men det er et studie i Danmark,

"He will until then take those modelling jobs he can get, says the private secretary.
»Han vil indtil da tage de modeljobs, han kan få,« fortæller Helle von Wildenrath Løvgreen.

It is pretty much in line with what I expected then. He is prioritizing his modeling career in the near future, which seems to be something he enjoys and is presumably profitable. The next step will be a university degree, which does’t prevent him from taking occasional modeling jobs while studying. Given his royal background and his parents’ ( especially his mother’s) connections, it should be relatively easy for him to land a good job in the private sector after he graduates from university.