Discussion about Princess Sofia's Past & Future Role in the Royal Family


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
The king and queen are giving a big role to Sofia right in the beginning.

The king and queen founded Global Child Forum (Former World Child & Youth Forum) in 2009. It has been held in Stockholm and last year was first satellite forum in Dubai, where queen Silvia attended.

On 8th September will be held Global Child Forum in Pretoria, South Africa.
"The Forum, with more than 30 prominent speakers and under the patronage and active participation of Dr. Graça Machel and H.R.H. Princess Sofia of Sweden, has a special focus on building partnerships and on corporate sustainability for the protection of children’s rights in Southern Africa."m,
Global Child Forum Pretoria 8 september 2015 _ Global Child Forum

So, obviously after less than 3 months from the wedding, Sofia gets an own patronage event abroad. This information has been on the website of the Forum for many weeks already.

Thanks Lady Finn for the posting. I wondered why Princess Sofia was not listed in the calendar past the visit to their Duchy. I wish her well. CG said in his toast at the wedding that they were very proud of her. She will not disappoint them.
 
So basically this is like what she was doing with Project Playground. It shouldn't be a stretch for her. Plus since Madeleine is on leave with her family I'd assume Sofia and CP would pick up the slack in some way.
 
I checked the court calendar today and there is no listing of Sofia going to South Africa on Sept. 8. Sofia attended the Global Child Forum with Victoria, Silvia and Carl Gustaf this past April. I haven't found an article saying she is going to South Africa, independent of the forum's link. If the Royal Couple sponsors the forum, why not put it on the calendar? Also the calendar is adding October events. So far no one is on it.
 
I checked the court calendar today and there is no listing of Sofia going to South Africa on Sept. 8. Sofia attended the Global Child Forum with Victoria, Silvia and Carl Gustaf this past April. I haven't found an article saying she is going to South Africa, independent of the forum's link. If the Royal Couple sponsors the forum, why not put it on the calendar? Also the calendar is adding October events. So far no one is on it.

Invitation to the Forum
https://scontent-bru2-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...6_10153054688428175_5903586787937369080_o.jpg

The royal calendar is updated constantly, of course not during the holiday. Everything isn't put right away to the calendar, although the work events are known and agreed. This is the way the swedish court works and that's it. For instance, it has been told to the press already in May, that queen Silvia will be at a World Childhood Foundation charity gala in Germany on 9th September, it is not at the calendar yet.
Pressekonferenz mit der Region Mainfranken - Childhood
Childhood im Dialog am 09. September in Würzburg
Queen Silvia will be in Washington at the 2015 Mentor International Gala on 22nd September, it is not at the calendar yet
2015 Mentor International Gala at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

There are also work events for Victoria and Daniel in September which aren't at the calendar yet.

The court wants the press to focus at Carl Philip's and Sofia's first joint official visit to their duchy, and haven't published their other work events yet.
 
Last edited:
The king and queen are giving a big role to Sofia right in the beginning.

The king and queen founded Global Child Forum (Former World Child & Youth Forum) in 2009. It has been held in Stockholm and last year was first satellite forum in Dubai, where queen Silvia attended.

On 8th September will be held Global Child Forum in Pretoria, South Africa.
"The Forum, with more than 30 prominent speakers and under the patronage and active participation of Dr. Graça Machel and H.R.H. Princess Sofia of Sweden, has a special focus on building partnerships and on corporate sustainability for the protection of children’s rights in Southern Africa."
Global Child Forum Pretoria 8 september 2015 _ Global Child Forum

So, obviously after less than 3 months from the wedding, Sofia gets an own patronage event abroad. This information has been on the website of the Forum for many weeks already.

Very good start for Sofia. Moreover , given the absence of Madeleine is a smart moove by the Royal Family to give an active role and quickly to Sofia.:)
 
An article about Sofia's role in the SRF:

Inskolning för Sveriges nya prinsessa | Svensk Damtidning

I thought the argument for Sofia was she received training before she married Carl Philip. Now this article suggests she still has a lot to learn and the court is still working things at she may chair. Is this a response to online criticism (comments and articles) that the Prince Couple has been on vacation too long (from honeymoon to family vacation at Solliden and the French Riveria)?
 
An article about Sofia's role in the SRF:

Inskolning för Sveriges nya prinsessa | Svensk Damtidning

I thought the argument for Sofia was she received training before she married Carl Philip. Now this article suggests she still has a lot to learn and the court is still working things at she may chair. Is this a response to online criticism (comments and articles) that the Prince Couple has been on vacation too long (from honeymoon to family vacation at Solliden and the French Riveria)?

Svensk Damtidning tries desperately to find something to write about Sofia, this is just one article among those. They write the same things many times, before the wedding and after the wedding. They have written about Sofia's family, friends, clothes, style, make up, hairstylist, stylist, Sofia's hometown Älvdalen, Sofia's Stockholm and so on.
The whole royal family has a long holiday in the summer, there is nothing strange in Carl Philip and Sofia being away from work.
 
@Lady Finn - the reason I found the article odd is that SvenskDam, Expressen, and other Swedish media has been in the tank for Sofia for a long time. Practically every article about her has been a puff piece. Now Carl Philip and Sofia are being compared to Beatrice of York - who has been dragged for the number of vacations she has taken between jobs. Unless I missed something, SvenskDam has always been pro-Sofia. Or perhaps the magazine was waiting until after the wedding, when Sofia is officially an HRH (a public figure) that the magazine can become more critical of her.
 
:previous: Ah ha, there we go, leave it to the Daily Mail Online to send the opening salvo about Sofia and add a bit more acid about Princess Beatrice to boot. Obviously they are getting bored with the lack "news" about Sofia and have tried to stir up some imaginary controversy. However, as Lady Finn pointed out, there is nothing unusual about the summer holiday so the article is not getting any traction.

The Svensk Damtidning article is merely another puff piece to explain why there isn't any news, and possibly a realisation that next comes "Princess School". Though I would argue that standing up in front of your friends and family at a wedding does not give her that much of a head start.

For all I have little respect for the quality of the SRF PR department, their "Prince School" sent Daniel well armed into the royal world and he is living proof that learning the subtle minutia of royal life can, if done sensibly over a long enough period of time, create a formidable asset to the SRF. I expect nothing less from them for "Princess School" for Sofia.

ps: It's good to remember that the Daily Mail have the best photos and the worst journalistic quality.
 
An article about Sofia's role in the SRF:

Inskolning för Sveriges nya prinsessa | Svensk Damtidning

I thought the argument for Sofia was she received training before she married Carl Philip. Now this article suggests she still has a lot to learn and the court is still working things at she may chair. Is this a response to online criticism (comments and articles) that the Prince Couple has been on vacation too long (from honeymoon to family vacation at Solliden and the French Riveria)?
I read Swedish newspapers daily and have not seen anything about too much time off. Please direct us to where such comments may have been published.

The article is quite informative and well written about the training that everyone that has married into the royal family goes through.

Sweden is basically "closed" during the "industry vacation" which lasts four week in July. The couple were on their honeymoon and then the for Swedes usual summer break. I can not imagine anyone expecting them to do anything during vacation time as most of the country is on vacation anyway.
 
Most likely Sofia has already been prepared for her royal role either before the wedding or she is now being prepared.
 
:previous: Ah ha, there we go, leave it to the Daily Mail Online to send the opening salvo about Sofia and add a bit more acid about Princess Beatrice to boot. Obviously they are getting bored with the lack "news" about Sofia and have tried to stir up some imaginary controversy. However, as Lady Finn pointed out, there is nothing unusual about the summer holiday so the article is not getting any traction.

The Svensk Damtidning article is merely another puff piece to explain why there isn't any news, and possibly a realisation that next comes "Princess School". Though I would argue that standing up in front of your friends and family at a wedding does not give her that much of a head start.

For all I have little respect for the quality of the SRF PR department, their "Prince School" sent Daniel well armed into the royal world and he is living proof that learning the subtle minutia of royal life can, if done sensibly over a long enough period of time, create a formidable asset to the SRF. I expect nothing less from them for "Princess School" for Sofia.

ps: It's good to remember that the Daily Mail have the best photos and the worst journalistic quality.
. I love your p.s.
 
Daniel is the husband of the future head of state as well as the father of one. His training had to be more intense before marriage. It's been put out there that Sofia underwent training for royal life for some time, before marriage. Not at the same level as Daniel because she is not a future queen consort, but some to understand she is going to be a representative of Sweden. Sofia still has to prove herself with the Varmland visit and the Childhood Forum in South Africa. Believe it, the media is going to be watching to see if Sofia can carry it off.
 
Most likely Sofia has already been prepared for her royal role either before the wedding or she is now being prepared.
I very much doubt that she is prepared yet. She, like Daniel, is a Swede so there is no cultural divide, however as the article referenced, there are many, many, many seemingly insignificant obstacles ahead and Sofia spent the time prior to marriage leaning and then after the marriage he was still getting "finished". Obviously there is more to it than just knowing which fork to use.

Daniel made good use of his medical "down time" before and following surgery which enabled him to learn a lot, and this continued for some time after his marriage. Sofia doesn't have that edge as brides are supposed to be fully involved with "the wedding", so I would hope that she is as protected as he was, royally and diplomatically, for some time to come.
 
I very much doubt that she is prepared yet. She, like Daniel, is a Swede so there is no cultural divide, however as the article referenced, there are many, many, many seemingly insignificant obstacles ahead and Sofia spent the time prior to marriage leaning and then after the marriage he was still getting "finished". Obviously there is more to it than just knowing which fork to use.

Daniel made good use of his medical "down time" before and following surgery which enabled him to learn a lot, and this continued for some time after his marriage. Sofia doesn't have that edge as brides are supposed to be fully involved with "the wedding", so I would hope that she is as protected as he was, royally and diplomatically, for some time to come.

I think Prince CP will make sure she is "protected" as it has been evident all along how devoted he is to her IMO. There is no doubt that Princess S will have her own style within the required boundaries of protocol. I have been impressed with how she has presented so far at events such as Nobel, National Day an the Crown P b'day. Princess S WILL make a few mistakes and they will be blown all out of proportion by some of the media outlets. I wish her well.
 
If anything the royal court better prepare Sofia on how to deal with not-so-diplomatic questions about her past if they come up. Victoria represented Sweden for the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz this year and a reporter threw her maternal grandfather's Nazi ties in her face. Victoria didn't flinch and she denounced Nazism. Victoria wasn't even born when the Nazis came to power; but because a relative was involved it was brought up, but her answer shut it down. When you become a public figure there are times "no comment" or a statement from a PR rep keeps the issue alive. Sofia has to learn how to confront and deal with it if it happens, even if someone from the crowd makes comments.

As for protection, Sapo only protects Carl Gustaf, Silvia, Victoria, Daniel and Estelle. The protection officers were with Victoria and Daniel on their honeymoon, they even protect them when they're out on a jog. The rest of the family do not get protection, which is odd since they do leave the country on business for Sweden at times.
 
:previous: The incident with Princess Victoria is exactly what I was thinking of in terms of "protection". Knowledge is power and while Carl Philip is not the CP, that does not mean that Sofia needs any less instruction in the diplomatic minefield that is being a member of the SRF.

Chris's ignorance of Royalty and the minutia of diplomacy has proved a massive headache where it was least expected. Sofia is going to be very, very closely monitored for the slightest misstep by those who are hoping she will fall flat on her face. Princess school should give her the tools to handle any foreseeable problem, be it personal abuse or diplomatic minefields.
 
Like Margareta Thorgren told to the press before the wedding, Sofia will not have the same kind of education to her role as a princess, which Daniel had, because she didn't marry the heir to the throne, but she got information of the swedish system of government and the duties of the monarchy.

About the protection for Carl Philip and Sofia, it was told in 2012 after that fight Carl Philip had in Cannes, that Carl Philip has SÄPO-protection only in special cases. But then it was also said that the situation can change and the court makes threat assessments all the time at the changing world.
”Prins Daniel har mer skydd än Carl Philip” _ Nyheter _ Aftonbladet

Carl Philip can also hire other bodyguards for himself (or the court can hire those), the man with Sofia at this photo at the last STCC race is Jan Gustavsson, who worked before as a SÄPO-guard of the royal family and nowadays he has been working as a bodyguard for Zlatan, Roger Federer and other stars.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJoTZSHUcAQs9IW.jpg
Gustavsson was also with Carl Philip and his friends at Carl Philip's bachelor party in Greece.
http://y.cdn-expressen.se/images/17/9e/179e7a5cf85144f890d2bd965e1f5aef/16x9/912@70.jpg
And Gustavsson was as a SÄPO-guard with Victoria and Daniel on their honeymoon
http://imageupper.com/i/?S0200010070011O14394521481207140
 
Last edited:
You know no one learns to walk without landing on their rear a few times. PS will make mistakes, as we all do but in the end it will take time to see how she performs in this role. I just hope she has a work ethic and works hard for her Country.
 
It's surprising that the other royals have to hire private security instead of having current Sapo around the clock. Apparently they are not considered "important" enough.

And a lot is riding on Sofia's performance as a royal, considering she is a polarizing figure. If she screws up while on duty it would be said Carl Philip made a poor choice of a bride and the king and the Riksdag made a mistake in approving the marriage. What Sofia will impact many.
 
And a lot is riding on Sofia's performance as a royal, considering she is a polarizing figure. If she screws up while on duty it would be said Carl Philip made a poor choice of a bride and the king and the Riksdag made a mistake in approving the marriage. What Sofia will impact many.

What makes you think that people/media would react like that when/if she makes a mistake? And what "impact " are you talking about?

I think I can safely say that the general population here in Sweden wouldn't judge her for one or two mistakes. She's not polarizing people in general here. Maybe abroad, but I don't know why that would matter.

I think that it's your own negative opinion of Sofia that is shining through in your posts. You have the right to your opinion, but don't try to glue that opinion to others.
 
When I talked about protection a few posts back I meant Prince CP would make sure she had whatever training she required to undertake her duties but all of my fellow posters have raised valid points.
When they are on official duties like their upcoming visit to Varmland would they automatically have SAPO protection?
I am so looking forward to this visit. Would such a visit be covered live in
Sweden? Please post lots of pictures.
 
This is changing the subject ? Just before the wedding an interview was done with Prince CP and then Sofia H and she was asked how she told her family she was dating a prince (at least that is what Google translate implied). The interview is 28 minutes. Was this interview translated into English anywhere.,I would love to read it. It was done by SVT.
 
And a lot is riding on Sofia's performance as a royal, considering she is a polarizing figure. If she screws up while on duty it would be said Carl Philip made a poor choice of a bride and the king and the Riksdag made a mistake in approving the marriage. What Sofia will impact many.

I agree with xenobia, there's absolutely no reason to believe the Swedes would react like that to any, presumably, small mistakes she'd make (and as a matter of fact, I'd be moderately offended if someone implied that about Danes). Now, if she, I don't know... kicked a kitten during a public engagement, that would be a whole other matter and I'd agree with you that CP's decision making skills would come into question, but I really don't think you should count on that happening ;)
 
IMO Sofia is not stupid and she would have been well aware that she was going to be watched by the media for how she performs as a member of the SRF. Living with Prince CP for over 4 years, she would have learnt many things just by being around him so closely. Especially after they became engaged. Over the last year she has attended a number of SRF functions and has not put a foot wrong. Yes she will make mistakes but then none of us are perfect so who are we to criticise. Her one advantage, which is usually seen as a negative, is her previous work before meeting Prince CP. At least she is used to the media spotlight (good and bad)and seems to be comfortable with it in her new role. I've seen comments about Prince CP being shy (no doubt because of his dyslexia) but I don't see that so much these days. IMO I think she has given Prince CP the practical support he needed to become a more confident person in public. They are obviously in love with each other and will no doubt work as a team bringing their own knowledge and strenghts to the situation. In the mean time we can only wait and watch. I hope for Prince CP's sake it all goes well.
 
Dyslexia and shyness are not synonymous. Princess Sofia has been in royal training since she and Prince Carl Philip moved in together. I am not sure what a "mistake" would be but I am sure she will perform her duties splendidly. I agree with your comments that she and Carl Philip will be working as a team and they will be great together.
 
Grevinnan, in relation to my comment on Prince CP's dyslexia and shyness. He and his father read from notes and he has indicated that it is reading that he has a problem with. This would have made him apprehensive with public speaking. It certainly would have done so for me. The fact that he did make a mistake a number of years ago would have compounded the problem. IMO this apprehension with public speaking may well be the reason he was seen as being shy. Hence my linking his dyslexia with his shyness. He appears to gain strenght from Sofia, which was evident in the church during their wedding. There were times when he was holding her hand and it appeared he was reassuring himself with her presence not the other way round. As you say I think they will be great together and in time all the nay sayers will be proved wrong about them.
 
Without i know Blixen-Finecke i think is excellent choice for Sofia.
 
@Lady Finn - I read the Expressen article. This is what sticks out:

"...Her [Blixen-Fenicke's] job as a mentor is to draw up a program for the Princess, where she will study including art history, Sweden's fundamental laws, and social studies. Kirstine von Blixen-Finecke has been statsfru since 2003, which means that she is one of the queen's closest associates." I thought the press and the court put out that Sofia received this level of training before she married Carl Philip, making her ready for the job before she said "I do". She's getting on the job training now? Even with a previous mentor Sofia should have this level of training under her belt by now. The PR the royal court puts out regarding Sofia is all over the place. It's like the court is still trying to sell her.
 
Back
Top Bottom