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

[Lady Nimue]

I like your post, xenobia. I just want to make it clear that i spoke as openly as I have because I was seeing some unusual revisions being made about her past to the point of argument. As Bernard Baruch said: "Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts."

Fact is many of us do know a great deal about the early years with CP and Sofia but all of it has been erased. Even YouTube videos of impromptu interviews with Sofia are no more. There has been a near complete purge of the internet, just not enough (Paradise Hotel, etc).

I do have Swedish friends and I know the sensibility around Sofia. It's not a uniform voice by any means but I respect your sensitivity. I do not feel Sofia should be judged or personally disliked because of her past choices. As stated, she did nothing illegal and hurt no one. The past is the past. Time to move on and we are.

Why did Sofia have an mentor before she met Carl Philip? Does this Barbro Ehnbom have anything to do with the SRF?

IIRC, I read an article in the Swedish press about her getting a mentor after she started dating Carl Philip.

I thought Barbro Ehnbom was what we in the US would call her acting coach. Is that right?

Maybe Sofia did get another 'mentor' (or coach) once she started dating CP. For the royal stuff, so different person.

 

[LadyFinn]

One thing which is also strange in the way the press handles Sofia, is that the press hasn't written about her yearly income at all. The press wrote always how much Daniel got as a salary and how much he paid taxes. So why they don't write about Sofia's income? Some kind of objectivity between the way the press treats Sofia and the way they treated Daniel would be only fair.
At this chronicle someone has managed to dig up Sofia's income from 2001-2005, but after that I haven't seen the press writing about her income.
2001 - 11 800 SEK, 2002 - 0 SEK, 2003 - 38 800 SEK, 2004 - 73 300 SEK och 2005 - 38 447 SEK
http://kungensbiografi.eriksoderman.se/63.pdf
Daniel's income 2002 - 300 000 SEK, 2003 - 325 000 SEK, 2004 - 377 746 SEK, 2005 - 426 951 SEK, 2006 - 427 000 SEK, 2007 - 427 000 SEK, 2008 - 488 000 SEK, 2009 - 448 000 SEK from Expressen, 2010 - 652 300 SEK.
http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/westling-startar-nya-foretag/
http://www.expressen.se/ekonomi/sa-mycket-tjanade-kandisarna/
http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/brollopet/daniels-lon-bestams-av---victoria/
http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/dokument/aktenskapsforordet-kan-radda-arvet/
http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/victoria-och-daniel-maste-ta-emot-barnbidrag/

Sofia was miss Slitz in 2004, but she didn't have a big salary about that, that can be seen from her income.

I thought Barbro Ehnbom was what we in the US would call her acting coach. Is that right?

Maybe Sofia did get another 'mentor' (or coach) once she started dating CP. For the royal stuff, so different person.

The swedish press uses term "mentor" about Barbro Ehnbom. She is still Sofia's mentor and Sofia has attended numerous events organized by Barbro, also Carl Philip has attended them. They are still very close. And Barbro remembers in almost every interview she gives to mention Sofia and Carl Philip. At an interview Svensk Damtidning had of Barbro, it was done at Barbro's home and she had a photo of Sofia and Carl Philip with her son Marcus at her home.

 

[Mbruno]

I agree, monarchies are indeed on the way out. I expect few of any of the current "baby" heirs will have thrones to ascend to within the next 40-50 years.

I have no reason to doubt that Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, Christian of Denmark, Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, George of Cambridge, and even Estelle of Sweden will ascend their respective thrones if their time to do so comes. I have some doubts about Elisabeth of Belgium, not because of the popularity of the monarchy per se in her country, but rather because Belgium itself may cease to exist as a single sovereign state in the future. Finally, of all future European heirs, Leonor of Spain is the only one I think is more likely not to ascend the throne than the contrary. In fact, Spain is the only country in Europe where I see the monarchy indeed on the way out.

 

[Muhler]

Informative. Thanks LadyFinn.

That's a remarkable low income. As far as I can see, apart from 2004, it's not even high enough to be on the dole or welfare.
So she would have had a few odd jobs in that period. And the rest must come from her family presumably or a private fortune?
Because noone living in Sweden can survive for 38.000 SEK a year, unless they can eat cardboard.

 

[xenobia]

I like your post, xenobia. I just want to make it clear that i spoke as openly as I have because I was seeing some unusual revisions being made about her past to the point of argument. As Bernard Baruch said: "Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts."

Fact is many of us do know a great deal about the early years with CP and Sofia but all of it has been erased. Even YouTube videos of impromptu interviews with Sofia are no more. There has been a near complete purge of the internet, just not enough (Paradise Hotel, etc).

I do have Swedish friends and I know the sensibility around Sofia. It's not a uniform voice by any means but I respect your sensitivity. I do not feel Sofia should be judged or personally disliked because of her past choices. As stated, she did nothing illegal and hurt no one. The past is the past. Time to move on and we are.

I have no intention of trying to whitewash Sofias background. It is what it is. My point is rather that there are things none of us can know for sure, like when CP and Sofia met and when they actually started dating. And we don't know why she worked in Ghana or why she is involved in PP.

I'm sure that there are lots of people in Sweden who might have an opinion about Sofias background. Some of it is called for, other things are just pure speculation. But I really get the impression that most people don't care. I also think that the things she without a doubt has done - like posing for (semi)nude Pictures - would be a bigger deal in other countries where nudity is a bigger issue, like in the US. Over here, nudity generally isn't a big deal. If she had been involved with drugs, like Mette-Marit, I guess it would have been a bigger deal since we have a stricter view on drugs than several other nations around us.

 

[Lady Nimue]

The swedish press uses term "mentor" about Barbro Ehnbom. She is still Sofia's mentor and Sofia has attended numerous events organized by Barbro, also Carl Philip has attended them. They are still very close. And Barbro remembers in almost every interview she gives to mention Sofia and Carl Philip. At an interview Svensk Damtidning had of Barbro, it was done at Barbro's home and she had a photo of Sofia and Carl Philip with her son Marcus at her home.

I've just spent the last half hour googling Barbro Ehnbom. In June 2010 she was described: "Networking pro Barbro Ehnbom [is the] US Swede to lead and teach Sophia how to deal with the press and other things that become important if you are part of the royal family."

LINK: På fest med Sofias mentor Barbro | Vimmelprinsessan

I actually wrote a post whose text I just lost. I've decided it was my better angels intervening. I'm sure, Lady Finn, you know what I found and what I might be thinking. It's one complicated story, isn't it?

It will be very interesting to see who shows up for this wedding.

. But I really get the impression that most people don't care.

That level of apathy must be a symptom of the lack of interest in the monarchy. Does not bode well because there are reasons why the Swedish people should be concerned about this marriage imo, and it's not because of some nude photos. But it's a done deal, unless someone steps forward to tell tales, which I have a suspicion there are plenty to tell.

Anyway, we'll see.

 

[Nordic]

I've just spent the last half hour googling Barbro Ehnbom. In June 2010 she was described: "Networking pro Barbro Ehnbom [is the] US Swede to lead and teach Sophia how to deal with the press and other things that become important if you are part of the royal family."
.

I'll just ask a second time, shall I: If Sofia met Carl Filip summer 2008 in Båstad, when she was there with her sister and her mentor Barbro Ehnbom, why did she have a mentor even before she had met Carl Filip ?

 

[Lady Nimue]

I'll just ask a second time, shall I: If Sofia met Carl Filip summer 2008 in Båstad, when she was there with her sister and her mentor Barbro Ehnbom, why did she have a mentor even before she had met Carl Filip ?

Well, yes, you're hitting on the nub of something. Oh la! One is walking a fine line here because there are sensibilities that must be considered. [P.S. There is every evidence that CP was aware of Sofia before the summer of 2008 when she showed up with Barbro Ehnbom at that party. Their awareness of each other seems to go back into 2007. This is the reason many are on edge with Sofia because it is viewed (by some) that she 'set her cap' for CP quite early in the game. That's not love, that's ambition. In the basest scenario Barbro Ehnbom would be seen as Sofia's 'mentor' to achieve CP's 'capture'. It's a pov out there, not saying it's correct. ]

All the above said, there is a lot to question regarding Barbro Ehnbom being described as a mentor to Sofia. IMO Barbro Ehnbom is likely a friend Sofia made while she partied and waitressed in NYC and was part of the 'Manhattan Swedish ex-pat crowd', of which Barbro Ehnbom sounds like she has been a significant part over the years.

Sofia has none of the education nor background to warrant Barbro Ehnbom being her mentor for an 'economics' job in NYC. LINK: http://www2.hhs.se/femaleeconomist/bbb.htm

And while Barbro Ehnbom (quite a beauty when young) is the daughter of diplomats and was raised in Asis (as best as I could find) there does not appear anything in her background that would suggest she has royal protocol expertise.

[EDIT: So I would fault the newspapers for calling Barbro Ehnbom a mentor to Sofia. I think they are just good friends. Have no idea why they describe her as a mentor, unless Sofia herself has so referred to her, or the SRF PR has so described her, and that I don't know.]

 

[Moonmaiden23]

All of this is just very depressing somehow. I don't find any of the CP/SH story in the least bit romantic.

Perhaps as the wedding draws closer I will become more enthusiastic. I do love a good Royal wedding.

 

[LadyFinn]

I'll just ask a second time, shall I: If Sofia met Carl Filip summer 2008 in Båstad, when she was there with her sister and her mentor Barbro Ehnbom, why did she have a mentor even before she had met Carl Filip ?

Aftonbladet wrote in 2010 at a big special of Sofia (at their paper issue) that Sofia met Barbro already in 2006. How soon Barbro started helping Sofia, there is no information about that. Of course a girl with Sofia's background and career needed advice from a wellknown business woman, there is nothing strange in that.
http://www.salss.se/curriculum-vitae_barbro.htm

 

[Nice Nofret]

No it's nothing strange with Sofia needing help and advise - the strange thing is: What got Barbro to help Sofia? What is she getting out of that deal? And why Sofia - and not any other nude modell?
So only reason I know of is CP ... - so there you have it.

 

[SLV]

Perhaps she just liked her and wanted to help her get out of her old world.

 

[JessRulz]

This thread has been reopened following a 'cooling-off period'. Hopefully, everyone will finally be able to act like the adults they purport to be.

Anyone who does not follow the rules and guidelines of the forum and that are mentioned in the opening post of this thread, and participates in discussions which see the thread closed in the future, may find themselves with a loss of posting privileges.

 

[LadyFinn]

And while Barbro Ehnbom (quite a beauty when young) is the daughter of diplomats and was raised in Asis (as best as I could find) there does not appear anything in her background that would suggest she has royal protocol expertise.

Barbro Ehnbom's sister Karin Ehnbom-Palmquist has been the swedish ambassador in Mexico, Australia and New Zeeland and the protocol chief in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. She has full knowledge about the royal protocol. The two sisters seem to be very close, there is a lot of photos of them together at events.
Karin was the ambassador of Sweden in Australia while Victoria visited there in 2005.
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image
Karin is also the General Secretary of Swedes Worldwide, here with Victoria at their prizegiving in 2008 and with Victoria and Daniel this year.
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image
Barbro and Karin at the Bernadotte Art Awards in June, where also the king, queen and Victoria attended.
http://imageupper.com/i/?S0300010070021U14175051791551558
http://imageupper.com/i/?S0300010070011U14175051791551558

 

[Nice Nofret]

That makes my point even stronger: probably s.o of the royal family approached her on behave of Sofia - That is the most plausible way, Sofia and Barbro met.

 

[principessa]

What will be the first tiara-event after her marriage? The Nobels or someone else?

 

[KitKat2006]

The nobles will be a tiara event for sure. Before that ... I don't know. Maybe she attends one of the state dinners she attended recently. Victoria and Silvia both wore tiaras on that day. And those dinners are once every three month as far as I know. Or will there be a big event at another royal house next year? A marriage or something equal? That would also be a tiara event.

 

[scooter]

Next year, I would imagine she will have a tiara. Not at this year's Nobels.

 

[LadyFinn]

What will be the first tiara-event after her marriage? The Nobels or someone else?

Normally there is one official dinner after the summer before the Nobels. And maybe an incoming state visit to Sweden. We will have to wait and see.

That makes my point even stronger: probably s.o of the royal family approached her on behave of Sofia - That is the most plausible way, Sofia and Barbro met.

All the information there has been about Sofia meeting Barbro and Sofia starting dating Carl Philip has told that Sofia met Barbro long before she started dating Carl Philip. According to Carl Philip's and Sofia's official version they met in 2009, and there is a photo of Sofia and Barbro together in Båstad in July 2008. Carl Philip and Emma broke up in the beginning of March 2009.

 

[LadyFinn]

Kerstin Weigl, a columnist in Aftonbladet, writes a column called "Orphanage tourism might as well be called cannibalism".
The column is very critical towards white westerners who want an "authentic" experience in a third world country. They spend a few days at an orphanage and then post about it on social media before they go home, well fed and content. And continue their lives.
Sofia Hellqvist has told about months in an orphanage in Ghana where she changed diapers and kissed babies. Lottie Knutsson sold real encounters with street children. Magdalena Graaf bought orphanage job for the whole family.
Now we have orphanage tourism. "Here you can come and help," said Lottie Knutsson in Fritidsresor's commercial for Cape Verde last year. On the film a group of poor children fiddle with toys. Another tip applies to visits to the orphanage.
Volunteer travel agencies manage brilliantly, and the most popular are the visits at children's homes. From Sofia Hellqvist's description of a working day a few years ago: "Coziness, play, changing diapers, baby formula and then pajamas and goodnight kisses. They always give me the nicest smile before I go. I'm home around 18:00 to 19:00 time. 'Showers' with a germicide called Detoil. "
There is no lack of vulnerable children in Sweden. The driving force is different. An imaginary refinement of one's own personality...
Barnhemsturism går lika bra att kalla kannibalism Kerstin Weigl Kolumnister Nyheter Aftonbladet

 

[redtulip]

Thank you for the excellent link, LadyFinn! What Kerstin Weigl is writing is painfully, disgracefully true, and every royal, current or would-be, "visiting" Africa for "humanitarian" reasons is guilty as charged.

... Of course a girl with Sofia's background and career needed advice from a wellknown business woman, there is nothing strange in that....

A person only needs such advice if he/she is headed for a goal of some sort.
Why would a "well-known business woman" give advice to a somebody of any sort, unless it was for a certain purpose?

 

[SElizabeth]

Kerstin Weigl, a columnist in Aftonbladet, writes a column called "Orphanage tourism might as well be called cannibalism".
The column is very critical towards white westerners who want an "authentic" experience in a third world country. They spend a few days at an orphanage and then post about it on social media before they go home, well fed and content. And continue their lives.
Sofia Hellqvist has told about months in an orphanage in Ghana where she changed diapers and kissed babies. Lottie Knutsson sold real encounters with street children. Magdalena Graaf bought orphanage job for the whole family.
Now we have orphanage tourism. "Here you can come and help," said Lottie Knutsson in Fritidsresor's commercial for Cape Verde last year. On the film a group of poor children fiddle with toys. Another tip applies to visits to the orphanage.
Volunteer travel agencies manage brilliantly, and the most popular are the visits at children's homes. From Sofia Hellqvist's description of a working day a few years ago: "Coziness, play, changing diapers, baby formula and then pajamas and goodnight kisses. They always give me the nicest smile before I go. I'm home around 18:00 to 19:00 time. 'Showers' with a germicide called Detoil. "
There is no lack of vulnerable children in Sweden. The driving force is different. An imaginary refinement of one's own personality...
Barnhemsturism går lika br

OMG, this speaks of a person being so selfish as to use children in countries stricken with such poverty as down right arrogant selfish and ignorant.
I just don't understand anyone could do this type of volunteer work and then go home and post on social media about *hey look at me, I am doing something good, time to shower and then bed*. I don't get the hardness and coldness in a person heart when they see that others and mostly children have to live like this and face a future of very little possibilities. I am finally dumbfounded by some of the human race...
Thank you Lady Finn for posting this information...

 

[xenobia]

OMG, this speaks of a person being so selfish as to use children in countries stricken with such poverty as down right arrogant selfish and ignorant.
I just don't understand anyone could do this type of volunteer work and then go home and post on social media about *hey look at me, I am doing something good, time to shower and then bed*. I don't get the hardness and coldness in a person heart when they see that others and mostly children have to live like this and face a future of very little possibilities. I am finally dumbfounded by some of the human race...
Thank you Lady Finn for posting this information...

Well, the article didn't say that everyone who works with children in third world nations are arrogant and selfish. I personally know serveral people with a honest and warm approach to their work in (mostly) Africa.

There is a fine line here. If you really care about the situation for these children, of course you want to draw attention to their situation and provide more and better help. To do that, you need to publish both text and pitcure to capture other peoples attention. But it's a fine line.

 

[SElizabeth]

Thank you for explaining, I have very strong feelings about how the world treats children in those countries while the heads of state live a very large life while children starve.......I believe there is more then enough money in this entire world to care for children yet the powers to be are mostly selfish and arrogant and don't want to dig into their bank accounts to do so.
If just one person saved a hungry child or rescued an abused animal then there would not be these problems...yet the ways of people in power...

 

[MARG]

All of this is just very depressing somehow. I don't find any of the CP/SH story in the least bit romantic.

Perhaps as the wedding draws closer I will become more enthusiastic. I do love a good Royal wedding.

It isn't easy being upbeat or happy for CP and Sofia in the deluge of negativity.

Perhaps she just liked her and wanted to help her get out of her old world.

That is obviously the one idea that totally escapes some people. The notion the Sofia is a warm and likeable, if not engaging, woman in her own right. Someone that people like to spend time with.

Kerstin Weigl, a columnist in Aftonbladet, writes a column called "Orphanage tourism might as well be called cannibalism".
The column is very critical towards white westerners who want an "authentic" experience in a third world country. They spend a few days at an orphanage and then post about it on social media before they go home, well fed and content. And continue their lives.
Sofia Hellqvist has told about months in an orphanage in Ghana where she changed diapers and kissed babies. Lottie Knutsson sold real encounters with street children. Magdalena Graaf bought orphanage job for the whole family.
Now we have orphanage tourism. "Here you can come and help," said Lottie Knutsson in Fritidsresor's commercial for Cape Verde last year. On the film a group of poor children fiddle with toys. Another tip applies to visits to the orphanage.
Volunteer travel agencies manage brilliantly, and the most popular are the visits at children's homes. From Sofia Hellqvist's description of a working day a few years ago: "Coziness, play, changing diapers, baby formula and then pajamas and goodnight kisses. They always give me the nicest smile before I go. I'm home around 18:00 to 19:00 time. 'Showers' with a germicide called Detoil. "
There is no lack of vulnerable children in Sweden. The driving force is different. An imaginary refinement of one's own personality...
Barnhemsturism går lika bra att kalla kannibalism Kerstin Weigl Kolumnister Nyheter Aftonbladet

And there is absolutely no way that Sofia went to Ghana with a "pure heart"?

OMG, this speaks of a person being so selfish as to use children in countries stricken with such poverty as down right arrogant selfish and ignorant.
I just don't understand anyone could do this type of volunteer work and then go home and post on social media about *hey look at me, I am doing something good, time to shower and then bed*. I don't get the hardness and coldness in a person heart when they see that others and mostly children have to live like this and face a future of very little possibilities. I am finally dumbfounded by some of the human race...
Thank you Lady Finn for posting this information...

And of course Sofia has to be that sort of person. Through this lens Sofia's reasons for being there more than suspect, they are evil. I say this since this article is referenced to Sofia's trip and you are expounding on the evils of such people.

Well, the article didn't say that everyone who works with children in third world nations are arrogant and selfish. I personally know serveral people with a honest and warm approach to their work in (mostly) Africa.

There is a fine line here. If you really care about the situation for these children, of course you want to draw attention to their situation and provide more and better help. To do that, you need to publish both text and pitcure to capture other peoples attention. But it's a fine line.

No indeed. Not everyone is ignorant, arrogant and selfish. But since this has been used as an "expose" on this thread the message is very clear.

Please understand that the incessant bottom-trawling on this thread in a bid to find something, anything, to use against Sofia is not just old but it sucks the life out of the anyone posting poitively and is just downright depressing.

 

[Lee-Z]

^^^^^ i agree with you Marg, but as this is the discussion thread, this is the one place were these opinions should be posted (and obviously people feel the need to reitterate their opinion)
What is interesting to me is the longetivity of this topic, and lack of willingness by some people to consider the possibility that a person can change throughout their life.

This could be a big hurdle for P.C-P and Sofia to overcome in their joint future; even though the average opinion in Sweden itself seems to be different from the opinion outside Sweden, there still will be added difficulty for them.

imo it will be interesting to see how things will evolve in the future and where their path will lead them..

 

[SElizabeth]

MARG:And of course Sofia has to be that sort of person. Through this lens Sofia's reasons for being there more than suspect, they are evil. I say this since this article is referenced to Sofia's trip and you are expounding on the evils of such people.

I was responding to the article in general and I did not mention anyone's name....there are many people of this world that exploit the misery of the poor and helpless to gain profit/name/power whatever for themselves. I truly would like to think that no member of a royal family would do such a thing when they have just about everything at their finger tips and few worries in the world. Have I been hard on SH, yes and I would love to see her do something positive and in a huge way to be a member of this royal family. I also believe in second chances and yet have seen so many girls with a past like hers using people to get what they want, I truly hope this isn't her way and yet we all just have to wait and see as time will tell. And I am not afraid to *eat my words* or admit my mistakes as I know that mistakes only make a person grow and learn and hopefully she will grow and learn for now she surly does have the great opportunities to help the poor and helpless in life as does Queen Silvia, someone she could look up to, her future mother-in-law.

 

[Lee-Z]

she surly does have the great opportunities to help the poor and helpless in life as does Queen Silvia, someone she could look up to, her future mother-in-law.

I agree it's great they have joint interests and Sofia can learn a lot from Queen Silvia's experience over the years.
And who knows maybe Sofia can help Queen Silvia to improve her swedish
(little joke here people, i do realise that Q.Silvia's swedish will probably not improve anymore; but at least that's something that Sofia doesn't have to work on; she does speak the language )

 

[Nice Nofret]

People like Babro mentor young people with goals, education who wan't to improve themselves and who wan't to make a diffrence in the world.

Sofia hasn't done anything educationwise, nor workwise in her last years; and her charity-work is very minimal - a week in Africa and some events - nothing what would anyone with goals in life keep apart from studies or work.

So, yes - as Sofia doesn't fit the profil for any 'mentoring programm' one does ask, how comes, she calls Babro her Mentor. At least now mentoring programm I know of would ever consider her as worthwhile the effort.

Beeing nice, warm, intelligent, charming or whatever softskills isn't just enough in the real world.

 

[Lady Nimue]

MARG: And of course Sofia has to be that sort of person. Through this lens Sofia's reasons for being there [are] more than suspect, they are evil. I say this since this article is referenced to Sofia's trip and you are expounding on the evils of such people.

Too extreme, dear SElizabeth. (I understand why you said it). Even with what the world considers the worst of intentions very often enormous good is done in the world. The starving hands who desperately grasp the food care not if the food is there because of noble or ignoble reasons. Food is food. Care is care.

Frankly, I think there's some cause to question the motives of the article.

The only aspect of charity work that I know from personal experience is the salaries (or honorariums) people get for high-profile work, especially if it's one's 'own' charity, founded by oneself. Inevitably one does pay oneself a salary. This is not 'bad' just the nature of the beast. IMO anyone who questions that arrangement is not being reasonable, but I do think it's a factor that is often glossed over. Charity work is work and there is a paycheck usually at the end of it, which I have no problem with myself.

Also, too, who are we to judge anyone's motives? I mean that honestly. A very famous royal, very much admired for their charitable work, once honestly mused to a friend that it wasn't that they liked the charity work (or were really interested in the various charities) but that 'what else is there to do?' Yet even with such a distant relationship to the task, I think it can be said that that person did good.

Being nice, warm, intelligent, charming or whatever soft skills isn't just enough in the real world.

Though I understand your global point and agree in principle, I see every day people getting a gig because they are known to be pleasant on long shoots in the jungles of Malaysia, for example. They have to be proficient, of course (fools are not suffered gladly), but amiability ranks high among the social oils.

Sofia coming to Babro's attention is significant. I have long maintained that Sofia has to be a delight (but she's not a cream puff, either, she also has to have drive and ambition, goes with the territory). I think they are friends. JMO. That the friendship is formalized publicly as a mentorship I find interesting, for exactly the reasons most people would pick up on: Sofia does not fit the profile of the kind of person Barbro usually mentors, at least through her formal mentoring program. That isn't to say she doesn't help anyone she meets in her social whirl (which appears to be considerable) that she comes to like and be impressed by. She may mentor many who simply are not part of her formal mentoring program. So in the end, Sofia (and Carl Philip) describing Barbro as Sofia's mentor may be very much stating the way the relationship has gone. JMO.