Press Reports & Discussion about Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist - Part 2; April '12-

[Artemisia]

Sofia's age at the time the earlier controversial pictures had been taken was discussed here. If I'm not mistaken, she was around 17 at the time, meaning her parents had to consent to those pictures being taken. In fact, having read the relevant Swedish laws out of curiosity, I think at least one of them (or an appointed guardian) had to actually be present during the shoot.

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

Sofia's age at the time the earlier controversial pictures had been taken was discussed here. If I'm not mistaken, she was around 17 at the time, meaning her parents had to consent to those pictures being taken. In fact, having read the relevant Swedish laws out of curiosity, I think at least one of them (or an appointed guardian) had to actually be present during the shoot.

Photographer Lennart M. Sjöberg has written in his blogg, that he took photos of Sofia in 2001, when Sofia was 16 years old. Sofia is born 6th December 1984.

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

My guess is the same people who are critical of her smiling would have been critical if she sat there frowning or stone faced. Her mere presence as an invited guest at any royal family event is enough to invite criticism.

Pretty much anyone who dates a royal comes in for criticism/attack to one degree or another. I was surprised how nasty people were about Mary Donaldson when she became engaged to Frederik. She was a called a cold illiterate gold digger amongst other choice words. Now of course she is on her way to sainthood. Daniel Westling came in for a lot of flack who compared poorly to Jonas (Maddys ex fiance) since Daniel was just a mere personal trainer with little education or social skills. No matter who they date royals partners never measure up to the expectations of TRF members.....and then after a wedding they become picture perfect royals beyond reproach.

Exactly, the same people will complain about the same things when it comes to Sofia. Oh how dare she smile at a christening it's clear she's a gold digger who wants attention. Yet if she had refused to smile they would whine about her thinking she is high and mighty or disrespecting the royal family by not being happy. No matter what Sofia does or what the RF does that shows they do like her those who hate her will find some reason to continue hating her.

[CrownPrincess5]

Originally Posted by HRHHermione

I'm so tired of this perspective. It's what as a feminist, I consider "slut-shaming"- judging a woman as tainted or worthless because she's dared to openly flaunt her sexuality.

Nude pictures are not that big of a deal and they certainly don't indicate a lack of integrity. You can be a kind, honest, smart person and still appear in nude photographs. (Marilyn Monroe comes to mind)

I think it's very unkind to constantly bring up Sofia's modeling career as a reason to despise her.

Sofia slut-shamed herself I you ask me. Don't put words in my mouth, I do not despise her...I just think that she's not suitable. Sofia is an ambitious fame-whore and that is what I despise.

If nothings wrong with nude pics then why don't you post nude pictures of yourself and put them on the internet?? I'm sure that's something you won't do so you can see why I feel like people like you are very hypocritical. No offense.

[CrownPrincess5]

Originally Posted by Zonk

I certainly can't speak for a lot of people who are not on the Sofia bandwagon so I will just speak for myself.

I could care less that Sofia posed nude (although posing with a snake is pushing it in my book but hey we all got different taste). I don't look down to Playboy models or people who pose for painters nude. We were all born nude and there is nothing wrong with the human body.

Again its not that she posed nude per se is that her posing nude as well as a host of other things that she has done gives the vibe (or least to me) that she will do anything ANYTHING to be famous. Even her work with her playground foundation...reeks of publicity. Do you work outside of the public eye...do enough to bring attention to your foundation and the work you do and thats about it. If you are invited to your boyfriends neice's christening, don't look like you are looking for the camera....concentrate on the actual event.

Again its not the nudity is that the nudity is just an example to me (and perhaps others) that Sofia is not in this for the right reasons. Now, I have been on the board for a long time and other than Camilla (who've I accepted not that she needs my approval) I have never been on the anti (insert royal girlfriend name here like Mary, Letizia, Kate, etc) bandwagon where I questioned if this person would date so and so if he was any old guy off the street and not the Prince of Whatever Country you pick. But something about Sofia just doesn't seem right. I honestly wonder if she would be dating him if he wasn't Carl Phillip, Prince of Sweden.

And I think she is a pretty girl and probably very nice I just think she makes bad decisions and comes across as scheming to me.

But hey, Carl knows better than any of us and I truly hope I am wrong.

Totally agree.
But for me the nude pictures are tasteless and I feel like she'll do anything for fame and recognition.

[HRHHermione]

Originally Posted by CrownPrincess5

Sofia slut-shamed herself I you ask me. Don't put words in my mouth, I do not despise her...I just think that she's not suitable. Sofia is an ambitious fame-whore and that is what I despise.

If nothings wrong with nude pics then why don't you post nude pictures of yourself and put them on the internet?? I'm sure that's something you won't do so you can see why I feel like people like you are very hypocritical. No offense.

Of course I find that offensive, in spite of your offhand "no offense". I don't post nude pictures of myself on the Internet because I'm shy and because I wouldn't be comfortable doing it- but I still don't think looking down on those that do is kind or right. There's no hypocrisy whatsoever in that.

Those pictures were taken nearly ten years ago. How long should she be shamed for them?

Gah, your whole post is offensive and ugly and unkind.

[Dman]

Everybody do things in their youth that may or may not regret. Sofia is no different and I'm glad Prince Carl Philip see her for who she is and not judge her because of the pictures she took many year ago.

[Zonk]

Originally Posted by Dman

Everybody do things in their youth that may or may not regret. Sofia is no different and I'm glad Prince Carl Philip see her for who she is and not judge her because of the pictures she took many year ago.

You are quite right right and no is denying that. That is why for certain conditions (marrying under the legal age of consent, posing for risque pictures) a person considered a child (because they are not of legal age) and need parental consent when making such decisions. A young girl might think its totally okay to take nude pictures and if she if was 18 you could say she was legally adult and should understand the possible consequences of her actions.

A child of 16 or 17, according to the US law, does not. Unless they are declared an adult by a US court or they have parental consent.

So again, where are the parents? A parent (or a sensible person in her life) should have said..>Sofia this might sound fun and glamorous but these pictures will be available for everyone and years to come. Is this something that you want to be judged about in 5 to 10 years? That you want your potential children to see?

[Artemisia]

While personally I wouldn't make the choices Sofia made at any age (I'm not much older than Sofia was when the first pictures were taken), it's her life and her body; I'm not going to judge her for it either. As several people in this thread have already mentioned, the biggest problem with Sofia (for me personally) isn't the existence of those pictures; it's her conduct after starting to date Carl Philip. Honestly, I can't think of any other royal girlfriend who would be so friendly with the press. I was all in "give her another chance" camp but have changed allegiance, so to speak.

Now, I may be wrong about her; Sofia may be the nicest, kindest and most interesting woman in the world. And frankly, as long as Carl Philip, the Royal Family and the people of Sweden are happy about, what I - a foreigner with no connection to Sweden whatsoever - think is not very relevant.

[NGalitzine]

I suspect most of us have done something, or dated somone, which might not stand up so well to public scrutiny if the press got hold of it and decided to make it a story. On the plus side if Carl Philip does decide to marry Sofia none of this will come as a surprise to the Swedish people. It would be a much bigger story if it were suddenly revealed a few days before or just after the wedding.

[Dman]

I personally don't agree with anyone posing for a magazine like Sofia and others have done but I'm not going to look down on her for doing so.

From what I see, Sofia haven't spilled any juicy info about her relationship to Carl Philip and haven't spilled any juicy info on the royal family.

[Lee-Z]

Actually... I feel a bit sorry for her... C-P has made no official announcement (i think?) about their future, so either there is no future (and i have a feeling she's doing her best to improve) or there *is* a future in which case royalties watchers from around the globe will not let her forget her teenage-stuff until she's well into her 80's... no matter how she will conduct herself from now on...

Seems it's a loose-loose situation for her...

[EIIR]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

While personally I wouldn't make the choices Sofia made at any age (I'm not much older than Sofia was when the first pictures were taken), it's her life and her body; I'm not going to judge her for it either. As several people in this thread have already mentioned, the biggest problem with Sofia (for me personally) isn't the existence of those pictures; it's her conduct after starting to date Carl Philip. Honestly, I can't think of any other royal girlfriend who would be so friendly with the press. I was all in "give her another chance" camp but have changed allegiance, so to speak.

Now, I may be wrong about her; Sofia may be the nicest, kindest and most interesting woman in the world. And frankly, as long as Carl Philip, the Royal Family and the people of Sweden are happy about, what I - a foreigner with no connection to Sweden whatsoever - think is not very relevant.

Lots of royals, particularly females who marry into royal families, have their 'go-to' journalists whom they can rely on to get certain messages into the press. Particularly where royals feel that they're getting a rough ride from the press, or need to furnish their public image, they'll often foster relationships with sympathetic journalists or press outlets to try and get a more favourable hearing. Diana and Camilla were pros at that, to the point where Diana's favoured tabloid hacks are still pumping out sycophantic articles about her 15 years after her death. I think, given the the tough press she's received, it would be rather odd if Sofia wasn't try to prove herself 'worthy' to the Swedish people.

Zonk said:

Again its not that she posed nude per se is that her posing nude as well as a host of other things that she has done gives the vibe (or least to me) that she will do anything ANYTHING to be famous. Even her work with her playground foundation...reeks of publicity. Do you work outside of the public eye...do enough to bring attention to your foundation and the work you do and thats about it. If you are invited to your boyfriends neice's christening, don't look like you are looking for the camera....concentrate on the actual event.

At least one woman who later married a Crown Prince actually paid for a course designed to make her a 'star' when she was just an unknown commoner. She obviously had a desire to be famous, with or without a prince. No-one gets involved with a Prince without wishing, deep down, to have some level of fame. One or two are just more honest about it.

As regards charitable activities, how many of the current crop of Princesses were doing any sort of meaningful charity work before their involvement with royalty? They all came from very comfortable, above-average backgrounds in terms of privilege and opportunities. They all now undertake charitable causes because that's how the royals prove their worth in the 21st century. Sofia may want credit and press coverage for her charity work, but then so does every royal. She just seems to be more overt about it.

[Dman]

Well, no it's not easy to be in her position. When I see a situation like this, I try to take the royal girlfriend or boyfriend's feelings into consideration. I personally think it would drive me insane or at least pluck my nerves at bit to have the tabloids writing about my relationship, coming up with all kinds of stories and have everybody looking at my modeling pictures and vilifying me to death.

I'm sure Prince Carl Philip, her family and friends gives her all the comfort, love and support that she needs but it would really help (media wise) if she had an official backup system when dealing with the tabloids.

I had said the samething about Catherine, before she married into the British royal family. The media was horrible to her and her family. The only thing she could do to get through all of that and not let the media attention to get her down, is to keep smiling and continue to get on with things. It can drive the media nuts and get on peoples nerves but it worked.

I think Sofia has figured out that's the best she can do. Keep smiling, get on with things and not let the media get her down.

[Bine221]

For the first time since "ages" both Carl-Philipp and Sofia were seen again at the same event - at "Elle Gala", where he handed out a price.... but they arrived seperately.
So Bunte is asking, whether this was just because of protocol or where there may be other reasons.
BYe Bine

Carl Philip von Schweden: Endlich zeigt er sich wieder mit Sofia! - BUNTE

[LadyFinn]

Expressen writes at the cover about "Carl Philip's and Sofia's hot date"
http://www.expressen.se/ImageHandler...0-3c38ddd6467a

MTV3 quotes the article:
Carl Philip and Sofia were on Tuesday evening at an indian restaurant in Stockholm. The owner of the restaurant, Nahid Hassan told to Expressen that Carl Philip and Sofia were at a group of eleven people. They seemed very relaxed and laughed a lot. The prince was very satisfied with the main course and the dessert. The group gave also some feedback to the restaurant. They thought that the restaurant had a good feeling, like they would have been in India. Not too effervescent, but very cosy. They had to change their table because they were so many.
According to Expressen Carl Philip had talked a lot with Sofia and played with her hair. Sofia was seen to put her arm around Carl Philip.
Mr Hassan tells that the group discussed of various topics, of course he was very happy that the group came to his restaurant.
Carl Philip had a white shirt and Sofia was dressed in a rose outfit. They left in a SÄPO car around 22.30, the others stayed still at the restaurant.
Carl Philip ja Sofia hempeilivät ravintolassa - Uutiset - Viihde - MTV3.fi

[KitKat2006]

Nice to hear they're together again in Stockholm. But did I see it right? Did he shave his beard? If so, it's a pity. The beard really suited him.

[NGalitzine]

The owner of the restaurant needs to learn to be more discreet if he hopes for return business.

[nascarlucy]

Glad to hear that they had a good time at the restaurant.

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by KitKat2006

Nice to hear they're together again in Stockholm. But did I see it right? Did he shave his beard? If so, it's a pity. The beard really suited him.

The photo at the cover of Expressen could be old.

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

The owner of the restaurant needs to learn to be more discreet if he hopes for return business.

Maybe Carl Philip and Sofia are now just glad that the restaurant owner was telling about their evening at the restaurant. There has been a lot of writing that Carl Philip and Sofia have big problems, so these kind of stories are just good for them right now, they tell to the people that everything is fine and Carl Philip and Sofia are still together.