"1015 København K" by Trine Villemann (2007)

[grevinnan]

Sorry, but generally the things that are changeable by another person is only habits. Like plesase pick up your clothes from the bedroom floor. Not, I think that you need more confidence. That sort of change needs to come from within yourself.

I fail to understand why you are putting all of the onus on Mary to change Frederik and little on Frederik himself. Again, he is an adult and it's his job, so therefore he should prepare himself for it, and if as you suggest, he is too immature or not confident enough, or whatever the case may be, it is again his problem to change, with Mary's support of course, but it's not her job to change him.

Mary married into a critical role in the institution of the Danish royal house - and is getting all the perks from it. It is part of her job to make sure the crownprincely "department" of this institution is ready when the time comes. If you marry an immature partner then you have the responsibility to make up for that immaturity. Ultimately you as a married couple must as a unit be mature and take care of your responsibilities. If you marry an immature crownprince you just got yourself a big job to do. The success of the team is both of their responsibilities - just as the rewards are both theirs to enjoy. Mary did not marry the guy next door - she married the next regent of Denmark.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

If Frederik carries on the was he has for the past 10 years, I seriously fear for the Danish monarchy. He is popular now, but will it last? Will the respect for him and the royal house last?

Obviously the people love him now, maybe because of his flaws? Why are you not able to be content with a perfectly nice human being but long for superman? At least that's the impression you give here, IMHO. It's not as if he is waiting for the job to save the world from aliens.... He is waiting for the job to be the first representative of his country and, as the other Danes are only human as well, he will be perfectly able to represent them. It's not as if he was an uneducated binge drinker with a heavy smoking habit whose idea of entertainment is to beat up his wife....

 

[Villemann]

Obviously the people love him now, maybe because of his flaws? Why are you not able to be content with a perfectly nice human being but long for superman? At least that's the impression you give here, IMHO. It's not as if he is waiting for the job to save the world from aliens.... He is waiting for the job to be the first representative of his country and, as the other Danes are only human as well, he will be perfectly able to represent them. It's not as if he was an uneducated binge drinker with a heavy smoking habit whose idea of entertainment is to beat up his wife....

In MY opinion Frederik wil loose the respect of his people unless he or his wife manages to turn him around. I don't expect Superman, but what's wront with a 37 hour work week like the rest of the "human" Danes have? What's wrong with leading by showing a good example? Frederik is seen by many Danes of his own generation as a jet-set prince who likes his freebies and his fun. They don't have time for him anymore - and that is bad news for the monarchy. He is not the looser, you are describing, but he is still a looser and his wife - and all the helpers she can gather - need to work on him - to save him and the royal house.

 

[Empress]

No, turning one's husband into a king is not the job description of a Crown Princess in my opinion. It is her job to support him and be there for him and to help him. Not to mould him. That should have been done long ago.

 

[Elspeth]

I think she can! In MY opinion CP Mary has that potential - whether she dares to use it is another matter! She is his nearest and dearest - she is the perfect person to try to reform her spouse.

You sound like a terminal optimist! Look what happened when Diana tried to reform hers. And she also came in for a fair bit of ridicule with the "Charles should go off to Italy with his lady and leave me to groom William to be King" because people were wondering why she would know better what it takes to be a monarch than Charles or Queen Elizabeth II.

I think efforts at reforming other people are doomed to failure, to be honest. The best Mary can do is to be supportive and caring, and in that way give him more confidence to face the future. Once a spouse takes on the task of remaking his or her partner, it usually ends in tears.

 

[Villemann]

You sound like a terminal optimist! Look what happened when Diana tried to reform hers.

I think efforts at reforming other people are doomed to failure, to be honest. The best Mary can do is to be supportive and caring, and in that way give him more confidence to face the future. Once a spouse takes on the task of remaking his or her partner, it usually ends in tears.

She does support him and she is caring, but somehow a component is still missing. She can't remake him, I agree, but perhaps just fix those few loose connections, that will make him more confident with his position and make his put more effort into his work.

 

[Empress]

Whatever you may think, she can only do so much in any case. He has to want to change. And you can't know if she is trying and not succeeding because he has no desire to change.

In the end, it's still up to him.

 

[Madame Royale]

I think efforts at reforming other people are doomed to failure, to be honest. The best Mary can do is to be supportive and caring, and in that way give him more confidence to face the future.

Truer words...

I completely agree!

 

[Villemann]

Whatever you may think, she can only do so much in any case. He has to want to change. And you can't know if she is trying and not succeeding because he has no desire to change.

In the end, it's still up to him.

In the end it is up to the Danish people, if they want to have a workshy, insecure Crown Prince as their future king. And it is up to Mary as his wife and as CP of Denmark to try to fix that problem. Based on the information I have, she is not trying to work on those issues and CP Frederik has no desire to change, because he thinks he is doing a brillant job!

 

[Al_bina]

With all due respect, but what exactly should Crown Prince Frederik do to please Danes? Find alternative energy sources, sign a good contract of oil shipments, resolve some crisis ... what? The same accusations are levelled at Crown Prince Phillipe of Belgium, who also does not do enough. It is not possible for Princes to please each and everyone. It does not matter what they do, there will be people disapproving of them.

 

[Villemann]

No, turning one's husband into a king is not the job description of a Crown Princess in my opinion. It is her job to support him and be there for him and to help him. Not to mould him. That should have been done long ago.

Apart from producing heirs, I would say that turning your husband into a king is the primary function for any Crown Princess. Usually these crown princes become much more secure and grounded once they have a wife and a family - look at Norway's Haakon! - but in Frederik's case this has not happened. Royal history has many examples of strong wifes, who have moulded their husbands into good kings. At this very moment, I can only think of the late Queen Ingrid, whom I studied a lot for 1015. The more I got to know her, the more I understood why she is called "The creator of the modern Danish monarchy." She was unique, not always pleasant, but she saw the problems and she dealt with them. She was not afraid to take control, when it was needed and she - I would say almost singlehandedly, but not quite - brought about the change in the succession that led to Margrethe being Queen of Denmark today. Had old Frederik IX just been allowed to potter around, I doubt very much that Denmark would have had a royal family today. I don't envy CP Mary, but this is the kind of work she needs to do with her Frederik. Take control, mould him, steer him, whatever- because if CP Frederik is left to his own devices,IMO, Christian will never be king.

 

[Empress]

In the end it is up to the Danish people, if they want to have a workshy, insecure Crown Prince as their future king. And it is up to Mary as his wife and as CP of Denmark to try to fix that problem. Based on the information I have, she is not trying to work on those issues and CP Frederik has no desire to change, because he thinks he is doing a brillant job!

No, it is up to Frederik to change if he wants to! You all can howl at the moon for him to change, if you are in fact in the majority of Danes, but until he WANTS to change, if in fact he needs to, which is your opinion, he can not/ will not change. The Danish people, just like Mary, can not force someone to change if they do not wish to. It's as simple as that.

It's not Mary's job to fix a problem that may or may not exist. It's Mary's job to be a supportive and caring spouse and mother. And loving someone for who they are is part of being a supportive person.

So, what exactly do you think Frederik needs to change or do to get your approval? Because like it or not, even as a journalist/author, you only count as one person, and your views, as evidenced on this board, are not the only views on whether or not he is doing a good job or needs to change. You are but one person out of an entire population, and you CAN NOT speak for the entirety of the Danish population, as much as you would like to.

And again, it is only your opinoin that turning one's husband into a king is part and parcel of the job. I for one don't think that it is. Again, a person can only change if they want to, and change comes from within, not from without.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

With all due respect, but what exactly should Crown Prince Frederik do to please Danes? Find alternative energy sources, sign a good contract of oil shipments, resolve some crisis ... what? The same accusations are levelled at Crown Prince Phillipe of Belgium, who also does not do enough. It is not possible for Princes to please each and everyone. It does not matter what they do, there will be people disapproving of them.

I never thought I would agree with you one day: but there we are!
IMHO he works at least 37 hours a week, especially as he has virtually no time off once he is out somewhere beyond the palace walls. IMHO the prince has shown in his life that he is not uneager to accept challenges, he is academically successful as well as a soldier, so where does the interpretation of him being "unwilling" come from when in fact he might only be diplomatic and living within the rules and boundaries set for him by others?

 

[Jo of Palatine]

At this very moment, I can only think of the late Queen Ingrid, whom I studied a lot for 1015. The more I got to know her, the more I understood why she is called "The creator of the modern Danish monarchy." She was unique, not always pleasant, but she saw the problems and she dealt with them. She was not afraid to take control, when it was needed and she - I would say almost singlehandedly, but not quite - brought about the change in the succession that led to Margrethe being Queen of Denmark today.

Yes, but she was "queen" Ingrid back then, not crown princess and her husband was "king" not crown prince, which makes for quite a difference when it comes to day-to-day life. I for one are pretty glad that the Danish RF seems to live a rather peaceful life together and are not trying to establish rival courts of their own. because somehow I think the Danes have much more understanding for Frederick as he is at the moment instead of him and Mary fighting against their beloved queen.

 

[Villemann]

No, it is up to Frederik to change if he wants to! You all can howl at the moon for him to change, if you are in fact in the majority of Danes, but until he WANTS to change, if in fact he needs to, which is your opinion, he can not/ will not change. The Danish people, just like Mary, can not force someone to change if they do not wish to. It's as simple as that.

It's not Mary's job to fix a problem that may or may not exist. It's Mary's job to be a supportive and caring spouse and mother. And loving someone for who they are is part of being a supportive person.

So, what exactly do you think Frederik needs to change or do to get your approval? Because like it or not, even as a journalist/author, you only count as one person, and your views, as evidenced on this board, are not the only views on whether or not he is doing a good job or needs to change. You are but one person out of an entire population, and you CAN NOT speak for the entirety of the Danish population, as much as you would like to.

And again, it is only your opinoin that turning one's husband into a king is part and parcel of the job. I for one don't think that it is. Again, a person can only change if they want to, and change comes from within, not from without.

He does not want to change. Thats part of the problem. Who can persuade him better than anyone, that change is necessary for him and the monarchy? His wife, IMO. I am not saying it is going to be easy,but if CP Mary can't , then no one can. What does he need to change? The list is endless. A few major areas: Put more effort into his work. Have a work week that resembles that of any other Dane - 37 hours a week. Lead by showing a good example instead of freebeing his way around Denmark. Drop thew IOC-candidacy and focus on developing some exercise activities that involve ordinary Danes and not just the few. Not to get my approval, but to give the Danes the monarchy, we deserve. A monarchy with a meaning. Something we can all look up to and cherish. I have never claimed to speak for the entire population, but since we are discussing my book on this thread, I am expressing my views. Am I speaking for the majority? Not yet, but IMO one day I will, unless CP Mary makes a king out of her husband!

 

[kimebear]

He does not want to change. Thats part of the problem. Who can persuade him better than anyone, that change is necessary for him and the monarchy? His wife, IMO. I am not saying it is going to be easy,but if CP Mary can't , then no one can. What does he need to change? The list is endless. A few major areas: Put more effort into his work. Have a work week that resembles that of any other Dane - 37 hours a week. Lead by showing a good example instead of freebeing his way around Denmark. Drop thew IOC-candidacy and focus on developing some exercise activities that involve ordinary Danes and not just the few. Not to get my approval, but to give the Danes the monarchy, we deserve. A monarchy with a meaning. Something we can all look up to and cherish. I have never claimed to speak for the entire population, but since we are discussing my book on this thread, I am expressing my views. Am I speaking for the majority? Not yet, but IMO one day I will, unless CP Mary makes a king out of her husband!

I would imagine that Frederick would be very resentful of bringing a commoner into his household only to be repeatedly told by her that he is not "kingly" enough and to change his ways. She is the newcomer, after all. Also, are you saying that Margarethe II does not give you the monarchy you deserve or one that has meaning currently? She is the monarch right now after all. Hopefully this responsibility will not fall onto Frederick's shoulders for many years to come.

 

[Empress]

Again, it is your opinion that he does not want to change, and that he needs to change. Do you know the intimate day to day details of his work day? I am sure that you have an understanding through your research, but I doubt seriously that the palace gave you carte blanche to all of the inner workings.

What's wrong with IOC candidacy/membership? It promotes Denmark to the world. A great many of the royals are or were members of the IOC, inluding currently: Princess Nora of Liechtenstein, Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Anne of Great Britian, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad of Kuwait, The Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Prince Willem Alexander of The Netherlands, Raja Randir of India, Prince Nawaf Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad of Qatar, Prince Tunkuy of Malaysia, Princess Haya of the UAE, to name a few, and I would consider these his compatriots.

You can't have it both ways, either you can have a monarchy with all of the trappings of tradition, or no monarchy at all. A monarchy is by it's very definition different from the majority of the population of a country. They are there to represent the country on an international stage, and to do so with as much grace and dignity as the position entails. So you can't therefore compare them to the majority of the population. Would the majority of thepopulation have the journalists and papparazzi following them constantly? Have every move and every word dissected? Have every single moment of your life made public? No. Nor would the majority of them choose to live such a life. Unfortunately or fortunately, Frederik had no say so in who he was born or what he is destined to have to do. He couldn't have just said, well, I don't want to be king, I'm going to be a soldier, banker, candlestick maker. We all have that choice. He does not.

You can't know for a fact what the job entails as you are no royal, just like I can't know what it entails. However, I am more than willing to give them more credit becuase I can't imagine the pressures that come with such a position. I honestly think that they do more than you give them credit for.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

He does not want to change. Thats part of the problem. Who can persuade him better than anyone, that change is necessary for him and the monarchy? His wife, IMO. I am not saying it is going to be easy,but if CP Mary can't , then no one can. What does he need to change? The list is endless. A few major areas: Put more effort into his work. Have a work week that resembles that of any other Dane - 37 hours a week. Lead by showing a good example instead of freebeing his way around Denmark. Drop thew IOC-candidacy and focus on developing some exercise activities that involve ordinary Danes and not just the few. Not to get my approval, but to give the Danes the monarchy, we deserve. A monarchy with a meaning. Something we can all look up to and cherish. I have never claimed to speak for the entire population, but since we are discussing my book on this thread, I am expressing my views. Am I speaking for the majority? Not yet, but IMO one day I will, unless CP Mary makes a king out of her husband!

Villemann, I had thought that you're a journalist who wrote a book about the Danish RF. But following your postings here I more and more get the feeling that you're not a journalist/reporter in the sense of recording things as they are but that you're a lobbyist using the public to transport your own ideas. Shouldn't you openly say so?

Because people who buy your books probably think you're reporting facts as purely as possible and give them a chance to find their own judgment while all the while you seem to present the facts as they fit in with your own opinions. At least that's how I read your postings here: you follow your own agenda, no matter what Frederick and Mary do and you're not speaking for the majority yet, but you hope that one day they will see how flawed Frederick is and push him off the throne?

 

[Villemann]

Villemann, I had thought that you're a journalist who wrote a book about the Danish RF. But following your postings here I more and more get the feeling that you're not a journalist/reporter in the sense of recording things as they are but that you're a lobbyist using the public to transport your own ideas. Shouldn't you openly say so?

Because people who buy your books probably think you're reporting facts as purely as possible and give them a chance to find their own judgment while all the while you seem to present the facts as they fit in with your own opinions. At least that's how I read your postings here: you follow your own agenda, no matter what Frederick and Mary do and you're not speaking for the majority yet, but you hope that one day they will see how flawed Frederick is and push him off the throne?

I don't want anyone pushed off their thrones. I am a royalist. I believe in having a monarchy. My agenda is merely to have a better monarchy. The Danes deserve that! I have written a book about the royal family and due to the observations, I have made over the years as a royal reporter and in researching my book, I have formed my views.

 

[Princess Eudoxia]

I was wondering how Trine responds to critics like this who call her book crap.

Danish Royal Watchers: Trine Villemann's book worst of 2007 - book review

 

[Villemann]

Again, it is your opinion that he does not want to change, and that he needs to change. Do you know the intimate day to day details of his work day? I am sure that you have an understanding through your research, but I doubt seriously that the palace gave you carte blanche to all of the inner workings.

What's wrong with IOC candidacy/membership? It promotes Denmark to the world. A great many of the royals are or were members of the IOC, inluding currently: Princess Nora of Liechtenstein, Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Anne of Great Britian, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad of Kuwait, The Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Prince Willem Alexander of The Netherlands, Raja Randir of India, Prince Nawaf Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad of Qatar, Prince Tunkuy of Malaysia, Princess Haya of the UAE, to name a few, and I would consider these his compatriots.

You can't have it both ways, either you can have a monarchy with all of the trappings of tradition, or no monarchy at all. A monarchy is by it's very definition different from the majority of the population of a country. They are there to represent the country on an international stage, and to do so with as much grace and dignity as the position entails. So you can't therefore compare them to the majority of the population. Would the majority of thepopulation have the journalists and papparazzi following them constantly? Have every move and every word dissected? Have every single moment of your life made public? No. Nor would the majority of them choose to live such a life. Unfortunately or fortunately, Frederik had no say so in who he was born or what he is destined to have to do. He couldn't have just said, well, I don't want to be king, I'm going to be a soldier, banker, candlestick maker. We all have that choice. He does not.

You can't know for a fact what the job entails as you are no royal, just like I can't know what it entails. However, I am more than willing to give them more credit becuase I can't imagine the pressures that come with such a position. I honestly think that they do more than you give them credit for.

But do I think, Frederik should have that choice? Yes, I do. We should change the Constitution so that if a royal wants out, it can happen. It is a breach of a royal's human rights that he or she are not free to choose, what they want to do. As for IOC? Anyone who has watched CP Frederik's painful attempts to explain exactly why he wants to become a member, realises that the IOC is not for him. I respect his wish to stop obesity amongst school children, but there are, IMO, SOOO many other and better ways of achieving that. Do I know the intimate details of his day-today life. I know a lot and have asked the palace for a complete schedule for HRH for any given week in 2008. So far, they have not released one to me. I think it is shortsighted to just declare that we can't have it both ways, when it comes to the monarchy. Of course the Danish monarchy can reform - like some of the other royal houses around Europe have already done.

 

[Empress]

You keep saying that The Danes deserve a better monarchy, but apparently the majority of the Danes do not yet agree with you that the monarchy needs changing. It might be better if you were to say "I think that as a Danish citizen I deserve a better monarchy." Because the way that you are phrasing it gives the impression that you speak for the majority.

 

[Villemann]

You keep saying that The Danes deserve a better monarchy, but apparently the majority of the Danes do not yet agree with you that the monarchy needs changing. It might be better if you were to say "I think that as a Danish citizen I deserve a better monarchy." Because the way that you are phrasing it gives the impression that you speak for the majority.

I am expresing my view, when I say the Danes deserve a better monarchy. I don't se any need to change that phrase at all!

 

[Empress]

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f141/beijing-olympics-08-08-08-a-17811-4.html#post811396

I was wondering how Trine responds to critics like this who call her book crap.

Danish Royal Watchers: Trine Villemann's book worst of 2007 - book review

That's interesting. Are there any other reviews of this book?

 

[Villemann]

That's interesting. Are there any other reviews of this book?

Lots! Feel free to check www.1015copenhagenk.com Readers' reactions and Critics as well. Plus Viv Rosendahl did one on the unofficial royal forum. Lots of reviews out there!

 

[Villemann]

Oh and let me just add that I held the distinction of having written the worst book of 2007 until the critic reviewed Tina Browns "The Diana Chronicles." His whole review of that book was formed as a letter to me saying, I had no longer wirtten the worst book of 2007. Damned!

 

[TLLK]

Sorry, but generally the things that are changeable by another person is only habits. Like plesase pick up your clothes from the bedroom floor. Not, I think that you need more confidence. That sort of change needs to come from within yourself.

I fail to understand why you are putting all of the onus on Mary to change Frederik and little on Frederik himself. Again, he is an adult and it's his job, so therefore he should prepare himself for it, and if as you suggest, he is too immature or not confident enough, or whatever the case may be, it is again his problem to change, with Mary's support of course, but it's not her job to change him.

Empress, I agree with you 100 %. This is truly something that only Fredrick can do for himself.

 

[Villemann]

That's interesting. Are there any other reviews of this book?

Empress, have YOU read my book or are you just going by the reviews?

 

[Empress]

I have not, and I have not posted any comments with regards to your book. I have posted comments based upon the things that you have said here. I won't comment on the contents of a book that I have not yet read.

 

[Elspeth]

Royal history has many examples of strong wifes, who have moulded their husbands into good kings. At this very moment, I can only think of the late Queen Ingrid, whom I studied a lot for 1015.

There's a parallel with Queen Elizabeth, who was married to the younger brother of Edward VIII and was left to pick up the pieces after the abdication. George VI was a diffident, nervous man with a stammer and an awkward disposition, and his wife is generally credited with being instrumental in his success as king. However, by all accounts she did it by providing security, warmth, support, and protection for him and the family, not by trying to remake him into something he wasn't. It was the attempt by his father to do that when he was a child which turned him into such a basket case in the first place. I don't think you can realistically ask for more from Mary than the Queen Mother provided for her husband.