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

[princess maggie]

I have never seen any resemblance between Princess Sofia and the Dutchess of Cambridge. The Swedish princess is her own person and it doesn't appear that she has a need to copy anyone's style or lifestyle. ( I am not suggesting that the DOC is any less). I like Sofia's hair and some people don't. That is a matter of individual taste.
The media does like to paint their own picture to sell papers.

 

[LadyFinn]

Sofia and her friend Carolina Pihl started yoga clothing line Drop of Mindfulness in 2010.
The clothes got into headlines a couple of weeks ago when gossip magazine Hänt i Veckan found radio personality Titti Schultz' Instagram, where she compares Drop of Mindfulness jacket and Nike jacket and hints that Drop of Mindfulness has copied Nike. Schultz writes at her Instagram: "Prince Carl Philip has sometimes been accused of letting himself being "inspired" by other people's design when he showed his stuff. Now his wife, Princess Sofia showed up workout clothes she designed. Nike to the left and to the right HRH's design".
Now the german press has taken the story:
Sofia von Schweden_ Plagiatsvorwurf gegen die Prinzessin _ GALA.DE

Hänt i Veckan tells at their website that the Drop of Mindfulness jacket was launched with their collection in October 2014.
Prinsessan Sofia anklagas för stöld_ ”Det är för jävligt” _ Hänt.se

The Nike jacket is from collection 2013.
NIKE TECH FLEECE: NIKE INSTALLS ITS FLEECE LINE | Mail Movement

Sofia's friend William Värnild told in Svensk Damtidning last November, that Sofia and Carolina Pihl are still involved in Drop of Mindfulness yoga clothes. They are co-working with the designer, both are involved with the progress of the brand and contribute with inspiration. William Värnild takes care of Drop of Mindfulness' PR at Polhem PR.
And Sofia is still at the Drop of Mindfulness Brandbook at their website
http://www.dropofmindfulness.com/DOM_brandbook.pdf

Sofia or the court hasn't commented the accusations of copying. And the court hasn't told that Sofia has stopped working with Drop of Mindfulness.

 

[Madame Verseau]

@Lady Finn - I thought when one marries into the SRF one gives up personal business ventures. Daniel had to give up his gyms when he married Victoria. And the palace PR has been Sofia only gave up her position with Project Playground

I read the article and looked at the pictures. The outfits are similar expect Nike's has its logo.

Big companies like Nike are protective of their brand and products. If Nike decides to sue it's a PR nightmare for the SRF. The Nike lawyers are probably weighing options; I'm guessing Sofia and the court are not commenting under the advice of the royal lawyers. Sofia's friend needs to be canned as a PR rep, because if Nike does sue he gave the Nike lawyers a lot of ammunition regarding Sofia's involvement in the company. And Sofia needs to divest for that company.

 

[LadyFinn]

@Lady Finn - I thought when one marries into the SRF one gives up personal business ventures. Daniel had to give up his gyms when he married Victoria. And the palace PR has been Sofia only gave up her position with Project Playground

Daniel didn't give up his shares, he retired as the ceo and member of the board of his gyms. When last year there was a mess of Madeleine at Chris's companies, the royal court gave a press release:
Members of the Royal Family may be the owner or co-owner of the commercial company. Nor are there any constitutional obstacles for the Royal Family to own shares or parts in companies.
The royal family, however, is restrictive with regard to engage in commercial activities.
The Royal Court's policy regarding company matters, it is particularly that the royal family should not:
- Be members of commercial companies boards
- Be president or vice president
- Be full-time employees
Policy kring Kungafamiljens ägande av bolag - Sveriges Kungahus
Translation

Sofia gave up her fulltime job as the Secretary General of PP and is now the Honorary Chairperson. She can continue her cooperation with Drop of Mindfulness, if she isn't fulltime employee, member of the board or president or vice president. I have understood that Sofia has never been a full-time employee at Drop of Mindfulness.

 

[Tilia C.]

Besides, CP has his own business ventures. Why shouldn't his wife?
The two jackets share various similarities, but not near similar enough to sue them for plagiarism.

 

[Queen Claude]

I like the Drop of Mindfulness jacket better design-wise, but I like the material better on the Nike jacket - looks better quality and cozier. The Nike looks more suitable for wearing when not working out, and the Drop of Mindfulness looks like someone can actually work out in it, or put on their sweaty body after working out.

While there are similarities like the gray with black accents and asymmetry, this is not plagiarized, inspired perhaps but not plagiarized. I don't think anyone should be worried about a lawsuit. I actually think that if this story gets wider attention the true result will be increased exposure for Sofia's company's brand.

Drop of Mindfulness' marketing materials even state even that they are inspired by New York, so that in and of itself would explain similarities to existing designs/brands.

I wish there were pictures of the originals that Carl Philip allegedly plagiarized in order for me to determine with my own eyes if plagiarism took place. One of the accusations is that he plagiarized cutlery used by an airline over 40 years ago. If he copied it point by point without attribution, I would have a problem with that, but overall, getting design inspiration from a previous era is fair game.

Lady Finn thank for posting the "plagiarism" articles and the rules about Swedish royals outside business interests. The rules make sense to me. My understanding is that people who married into the Swedish Royal Family signed pre-nups and they aren't particularly generous, so I can see why the royals by marriage are allowed to have outside businesses that they can fall back on if the unthinkable happens, i.e. a divorce. Of course these businesses may get scrutinized and come under fire but the other alternative is for the Swedish Royal Family to commit to taking care of these people to a certain standard for the rest of their lives.

It also makes sense for blood royals like Carl Philip and Madeleine to develop outside interests for themselves in the event that in their later years they are displaced by Victoria's children when it comes to being called upon to participate in certain engagements.

 

[grevinnan]

Sofia and her friend Carolina Pihl started yoga clothing line Drop of Mindfulness in 2010.
The clothes got into headlines a couple of weeks ago when gossip magazine Hänt i Veckan found radio personality Titti Schultz' Instagram, where she compares Drop of Mindfulness jacket and Nike jacket and hints that Drop of Mindfulness has copied Nike. Schultz writes at her Instagram: "Prince Carl Philip has sometimes been accused of letting himself being "inspired" by other people's design when he showed his stuff. Now his wife, Princess Sofia showed up workout clothes she designed. Nike to the left and to the right HRH's design".
Now the german press has taken the story:
Sofia von Schweden_ Plagiatsvorwurf gegen die Prinzessin _ GALA.DE

Hänt i Veckan tells at their website that the Drop of Mindfulness jacket was launched with their collection in October 2014.
Prinsessan Sofia anklagas för stöld_ ”Det är för jävligt” _ Hänt.se

The Nike jacket is from collection 2013.
NIKE TECH FLEECE: NIKE INSTALLS ITS FLEECE LINE | Mail Movement

Sofia's friend William Värnild told in Svensk Damtidning last November, that Sofia and Carolina Pihl are still involved in Drop of Mindfulness yoga clothes. They are co-working with the designer, both are involved with the progress of the brand and contribute with inspiration. William Värnild takes care of Drop of Mindfulness' PR at Polhem PR.
And Sofia is still at the Drop of Mindfulness Brandbook at their website
http://www.dropofmindfulness.com/DOM_brandbook.pdf

Sofia or the court hasn't commented the accusations of copying. And the court hasn't told that Sofia has stopped working with Drop of Mindfulness.

I have a jacket very similar to those and it is by neither Nike nor Drop of Mindfulness. And I have had it from before Nike's came out. So who is copying whom?

 

[Madame Verseau]

@Lady Finn - ok, if this is above board, why do the court and Sofia circle the wagons and go "no comment"? Anytime the press questions anything attributed to a royal the court information officer would put out a statement to correct the record. Remaining silent gives the wrong impression. The CIO needs to get in front of this and just make the statement everything is legitimate and keep it moving.

 

[Queen Claude]

Neither Sofia nor the court information officer have circled the wagons nor explicitly said "no comment," none of these publications have reached out to the court. I disagree that the palace needs to get in front of this, it's just going to bring attention to something that has thus far only been covered by a few regional gossip publications, note that the Instagram post that sparked this has 564 likes and 47 comments, hardly a groundswell. If it picks up steam and a major media outlet actually contacts the court it can be addressed then, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Drop of Mindfulness people wouldn't secretly be pleased with the exposure.

 

[LadyFinn]

The story is also at the austrian press, and it is rather unfortunate that the articles remind about Carl Philip copying other designer's stuff and that this is a "family problem".
Plagiatsvorwurf gegen Prinzessin Sofia _ Seitenblicke Magazin, das österreichische Unterhaltungsmagazin

More at german press
Sofia Hellqvist_ Alles nur geklaut_ Prinzessin kämpft mit Plagiatsvorwürfen
Sofia von Schweden_ Fieser Plagiatsvorwurf gegen die Neu-Prinzessin _ BUNTE.de

And although this mess would be good for Drop of Mindfulness' business, it isn't good for the royal family that the cover of Hänt i Veckan says
"Princess Sofia is accused of theft"
https://instagram.com/p/7IKx2zGoyw/?taken-by=hant_i_veckan

Just when Carl Philip has got some success with Oscar Kylberg, this reminds people about the scandal with his designs a couple of years ago.

 

[Madame Verseau]

@Lady Finn - I don't think it would be good for business if Nike sues Drop of Mindfulness for copyright infringement. For one, is DoM financially solvent enough to withstand a lawsuit from a major company? Secondly, there will be major news coverage the moment Nike files the suit. Would the officers and owners of DoM like to be branded as "thieves" and "crooks" in the press? Would they like the company be tagged as a cheap knock off mill? Negative portrayals in the media can hurt business too. DoM could turn a buck by offering a cheap copy, but if there are excessive fines for the infringement (if true), cease and desist orders and DoM answering the charge or appealing it can get expensive for DoM. We don't know the value of DoM, but Nike has the deep pockets and can afford a long court fight. Can Drop of Mindfulness? The officers of DoM have to take that into account. I remember the Carl Philip scandal; he went on TV to do damage control.

 

[HRHAmy]

Because the answer to the question is that no one knows how it would work, because that's not what the Swedish Royal Family decided to do. There's no precedent for it, so it would be pointless speculation to try and figure out how things would work in an alternative reality.

Ok, so you're telling me because Chris O'Neil did it when he married M we cannot come to a theoretical conclusion for Sofia? That seems a bit odd to me. I understand very well that Sofia didn't choose that route BUT (theoretically speaking here) if she wanted to marry CP but didn't want to be a princess (like Chris O'Neil did but in his case Prince) then could she do that? That's all my question was. I was curious if it's the same for males and females marrying into the SRF. But I understand if using one's imagination is not an option here.

 

[JR76]

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

Ok, so you're telling me because Chris O'Neil did it when he married M we cannot come to a theoretical conclusion for Sofia? That seems a bit odd to me. I understand very well that Sofia didn't choose that route BUT (theoretically speaking here) if she wanted to marry CP but didn't want to be a princess (like Chris O'Neil did but in his case Prince) then could she do that? That's all my question was. I was curious if it's the same for males and females marrying into the SRF. But I understand if using one's imagination is not an option here.

I guess she theoretically could choose to go on being Ms Sofia Hellqvist if she wanted too. In Sweden a woman doesn't automatically assume her spouses surname upon marriage (in fact often the man takes her surname) if she doesn't want too and even if he had a title and rank that she'd traditionally be entitled too she could choose not to be styled accordingly.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app

 

[MARG]

Precisely! But, "theoretically" she would have made her preference known well in advance of the marriage, perhaps with the announcement of her Engagement and, having done so, would not carry the title "HRH Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland, Princess of Sweden", and would simply be known as Sofia Hellquist or Sofia Bernadotte per her request. And, like Chris, would probably just have an order of some kind.

 

[grevinnan]

I have a question...what if Sofia decided not to take the title of Princess and stay a private citizen as Chris O'Neill did when marrying Princess M? Is that even possible? Would she still go on official trips with CP? I'm wondering how that would work if the situation was reversed...

In theory - Yes. It would be a choice she could have made and Carl Philip (as her husband to be) and the King would have to agree. Unless she had a career (perhaps military) that would make it possible to work while also being the spouse to a royal, declining the title makes no sense. She married not only Prince Carl Philip but also the royal family and the traditions and work to be carried out. A spouse without a title certainly can accompany their royal spouse on royal engagements but would not carry out any of their own. The exception with Chris O'Neill and him not having a royal title probably has more to do with his career. Being an investment banker it would put him in constant conflict of interest. Imagine finding a large investor to a German company while there are Swedish companies in the same industry looking for investors. Being an investment banker is also a full time job . Not something one can do part time if maximizing income is a goal.

 

[HRHAmy]

Thank you everyone, that answers my question ? I know a lot of women would take the title and the job now a days but it struck me that a lot of women are very modern today too and although they are marrying the guy of their dreams (albeit a prince) they might not necessarily want to become a princess. It also made me wonder too since Chris O'Neil denied the title, that if it were switched, as in a female, if she could do that also. But thank you for answering my question! I appreciate it. ?

 

[Queen Claude]

@Lady Finn - I don't think it would be good for business if Nike sues Drop of Mindfulness for copyright infringement. For one, is DoM financially solvent enough to withstand a lawsuit from a major company? Secondly, there will be major news coverage the moment Nike files the suit. Would the officers and owners of DoM like to be branded as "thieves" and "crooks" in the press? Would they like the company be tagged as a cheap knock off mill? Negative portrayals in the media can hurt business too. DoM could turn a buck by offering a cheap copy, but if there are excessive fines for the infringement (if true), cease and desist orders and DoM answering the charge or appealing it can get expensive for DoM. We don't know the value of DoM, but Nike has the deep pockets and can afford a long court fight. Can Drop of Mindfulness? The officers of DoM have to take that into account. I remember the Carl Philip scandal; he went on TV to do damage control.

Drop of Mindfulness does not need to worry about being sued by Nike. Fashion design is not copyrighted, things like logos, textile patterns or formulas may get trademarked or patented, but not designs. The internet is littered with sites where people post design similarities between different brands. Some even argue that the way that fashion trends start is via brands appropriating from one another.

Carl Philip had multiple accusations against him, although bear in mind all it takes for there to be a story is for someone to make an accusation and a media outlet willing to run with the story, and I'm not 100% sure but I think Carl Philip only directly addressed the incident where another designer said that he designed a product that was marketed as designed by Prince Carl Philip.

 

[princess maggie]

Thank you everyone, that answers my question ? I know a lot of women would take the title and the job now a days but it struck me that a lot of women are very modern today too and although they are marrying the guy of their dreams (albeit a prince) they might not necessarily want to become a princess. It also made me wonder too since Chris O'Neil denied the title, that if it were switched, as in a female, if she could do that also. But thank you for answering my question! I appreciate it. ?

I assumed that Chris did not have a title (Prince) because he is not a citizen of Sweden. Could he actually have been granted a title?

 

[LadyFinn]

I assumed that Chris did not have a title (Prince) because he is not a citizen of Sweden. Could he actually have been granted a title?

Mr Christopher O'Neill is and remains an American citizen, and he intends to continue his business activities as before following his marriage to H.R.H. Princess Madeleine. In accordance with royal protocol, a member of the Royal Family should be a Swedish citizen, and should not hold a position of responsibility within business.
This means that, in accordance with these principles, Mr Christopher O'Neill cannot hold the title H.R.H. Prince of Sweden or Duke of Gästrikland and Hälsingland.
In view of these requirements, Mr Christopher O'Neill has respectfully requested to remain a private citizen and not to be granted royal rank.
Mr Christopher O'Neill's title - Sveriges Kungahus

 

[princess maggie]

Thanks Lady Finn.

 

[Queen Claude]

Brought over from the Princess Sofia's Fashion & Style thread:

I don't think we need fear that at all, so long as Sofia is admired for being Sofia and nobody implies she has surgically enhanced buttocks, who cares?

But we live in a world where on a slow news day a story may come out implying that Sofia's buttocks has been surgically enhanced. However I do agree with the other point that I think you're making but to a lesser degree. If Sofia continues to do the kind of royal work that she's been doing since she joined the royal family three months ago, she's ultimately going to prevail, but I don't rule out a few noses get out of joint over the attention she's getting.

This is where the difference is. The SRF has spent considerable time and money rehabilitating Sofia's image to make her acceptable as a royal bride. Sofia's NSFW pictures and questionable blogs and comments have been removed from the internet. (Well, nothing is really gone from the internet.) Her reality show past is not on her CV on the royal court's website. Three months into her royal marriage and Sofia is being compared to a woman who rose to fame with a high "ick" factor sex tape and still in the news for the wrong reasons. It looks like all that work by the court was for nothing. I also think this is what some members of the press, especially the editors, really think of Sofia - Sofia and Kim are cut from the same cloth. The press wrote good stories in the beginning to stay on the good side of the SRF and use a Cinderella/Pretty Woman to sell papers and get clicks. Now that Sofia is in, the gloves are going to start to come off.

What considerable time and money has been spent rehabilitating Sofia's image? Surely it did not go to tattoo removal. Sofia became engaged and then married into the royal family, was given HRH status and became a working royal and as such there are people behind the scenes who work for her and on her behalf, that's a given whether you are a born into a royal family or marry in.

I think that much more effort (understandably) was put in transforming scowling, trucker cap wearing Daniel Westling into Prince Daniel, but in both Daniel and Sofia's cases, it looks like maturation was the greatest driving force.

Sofia's reality show past is not on her CV, neither is Victoria's eating disorder on hers or Daniel being a personal trainer/gym owner on his. All the royal CVs are pretty sparse and there's nothing inconsistent with Sofia's CV vis a vis the other members of the SRF.

I don't know about your internet, but there are NSFW pictures of Sofia on my internet.

If the Swedish Royal Family and its courtiers were the type to get worked up over one of their princesses being compared to Kim Kardashian they would have never allowed the marriage between the King's only son and Miss Slitz 2004. Obviously Sofia has her detractors and those who will never accept her royal marriage but apparently those voices of dissension were not in a high enough quantity to stop the marriage from happening.

The phenomenon of getting built up by the media and then torn down is well known and I really don't think that the Bernadottes are not prepared for Sofia's past to get attention at some point down the line. Perhaps it won't happen, but I think they are aware that it can.

 

[MARG]

Sadly I believe you are right and, having driven Chris and Madeleine out of Sweden altogether, that just leaves CP and Sofia and it seems that Sofia is the immediate target of opportunity.

 

[LadyFinn]

Sofia's reality show past is not on her CV, neither is Victoria's eating disorder on hers or Daniel being a personal trainer/gym owner on his. All the royal CVs are pretty sparse and there's nothing inconsistent with Sofia's CV vis a vis the other members of the SRF.

Eating disorders don't belong to a CV.
From Daniel's biography at the court website:
Prince Daniel worked for a fitness company while studying at folk high school. After completing his course he began working for the fitness company full-time. While working at the fitness company, The Prince also taught on a course for personal trainers and body building coaches. Prince Daniel started his own company in 1997 and worked as a consultant in the fitness industry. He then went on to run his own gym, Master Training, together with a colleague. Master Training expanded and now has two gyms in central Stockholm. In 2006, he started the company Balance, a gym featuring a new concept, also situated in central Stockholm. The company now has approximately 100 employees. Together, the gyms have around 5,000 members.
To me this is quite clear, even though the word "personal trainer" isn't there.

There are no gaps in Daniel's biography, Sofia's doesn't tell if she ever graduated, what did she do in 2003-2005, she began studying accounting, specialising in business development at the New York Institute of English and Business, but the biography doesn't tell if she finished her studies, how long she studied, did she graduate. Her biography doesn't tell what she did after she returned to Sweden in 2009 before she started PP in 2010 with Frida.
From Daniel's biography we can read that he has had a permanent job ever since he finished folk school. From Sofia's we can't get the information where she has got the money to pay her rent etc.

About Daniel's "transformation" that he started to use suits, had more to do with that he became the ceo of Master Training, he owned 70 per cent of the shares.

 

[MARG]

Don't know about the gaps in Sofia's CV, but I am guessing it is really not as important as that of Daniel. It always makes me grate my teeth when people refer to Daniel as having been little more than a muscle-bound knuckle-dragger in tattered jeans and truck drivers cap before the palace PR got hold of him. As if!

 

[Queen Claude]

Eating disorders don't belong to a CV.
From Daniel's biography at the court website:
Prince Daniel worked for a fitness company while studying at folk high school. After completing his course he began working for the fitness company full-time. While working at the fitness company, The Prince also taught on a course for personal trainers and body building coaches. Prince Daniel started his own company in 1997 and worked as a consultant in the fitness industry. He then went on to run his own gym, Master Training, together with a colleague. Master Training expanded and now has two gyms in central Stockholm. In 2006, he started the company Balance, a gym featuring a new concept, also situated in central Stockholm. The company now has approximately 100 employees. Together, the gyms have around 5,000 members.
To me this is quite clear, even though the word "personal trainer" isn't there.

There are no gaps in Daniel's biography, Sofia's doesn't tell if she ever graduated, what did she do in 2003-2005, she began studying accounting, specialising in business development at the New York Institute of English and Business, but the biography doesn't tell if she finished her studies, how long she studied, did she graduate. Her biography doesn't tell what she did after she returned to Sweden in 2009 before she started PP in 2010 with Frida.
From Daniel's biography we can read that he has had a permanent job ever since he finished folk school. From Sofia's we can't get the information where she has got the money to pay her rent etc.

About Daniel's "transformation" that he started to use suits, had more to do with that he became the ceo of Master Training, he owned 70 per cent of the shares.

I thought the passage that appeared when you click the royal's name was the extent of the bio and did not realize that there was a more detailed even though there is a link there, so this is me right now ---> and .

In my previous post I was going to state the following but then decided to leave it out for brevity: "I assume that any previous job noted on Sofia's official CV means that it is fair game for the media to ask Sofia or the court press officers about that job and can see why the reality show stint (and Miss Slitz) were left off for that reason. The information and pictures are out there for any reporter or blogger to unearth and write about." Again I am fine with leaving out Miss Slitz and Paradise Hotel, but I think that Sofia's modeling career should have been acknowledged since that does seem to be a job that she did for a few years, and Sofia / the court should have been prepared to address (or deflect ) questions about her modeling career.

 

[Madame Verseau]

@Lady Finn - I thing the 2003 - 2005 gap years reflect the Paradise Hotel stint and the Miss Slitz title. Sofia may be the wife of the spare spare, but she still represents Sweden, and given her recent appearances they plan to give her more. One thing the SRF hasn't given her is a patronage; she was an honorary patron for the South Africa Childhood visit. I think they are still trying to figure out where to put Sofia; they can't push Madeleine completely out of Childhood. Madeleine would have to formally resign before Sofia could take over without any blowback.

Sofia is lucky she is not a public figure in the US. If she had the same level of prominence in this country as she does in Sweden, the American media (mainstream and tabloid) would have done opposition research level digging into her past. With the education reported alone - the US press would have gone to the schools; check to see when and if she attended; track down her teachers and fellow students; get her transcripts to verify the grades that have been reported are correct (the reporters will find a way); if she ever faced disciplinary action in the school or face academic probation. If Sofia has a relationship with one of her professors that would have been the lead story. Fact checking is a religion here - if the reporters don't get you the bloggers will (and the reporters will build their stories on what the bloggers dig up).

 

[MARG]

Now doesn't that give you big, warm, fuzzies knowing how relatively tame the paparazzi are in Europe?

 

[Mbruno]

@Lady Finn - I thing the 2003 - 2005 gap years reflect the Paradise Hotel stint and the Miss Slitz title. Sofia may be the wife of the spare spare, but she still represents Sweden, and given her recent appearances they plan to give her more. One thing the SRF hasn't given her is a patronage; she was an honorary patron for the South Africa Childhood visit. I think they are still trying to figure out where to put Sofia; they can't push Madeleine completely out of Childhood. Madeleine would have to formally resign before Sofia could take over without any blowback.

Sofia is lucky she is not a public figure in the US. If she had the same level of prominence in this country as she does in Sweden, the American media (mainstream and tabloid) would have done opposition research level digging into her past. With the education reported alone - the US press would have gone to the schools; check to see when and if she attended; track down her teachers and fellow students; get her transcripts to verify the grades that have been reported are correct (the reporters will find a way); if she ever faced disciplinary action in the school or face academic probation. If Sofia has a relationship with one of her professors that would have been the lead story. Fact checking is a religion here - if the reporters don't get you the bloggers will (and the reporters will build their stories on what the bloggers dig up).

I doubt the Swedish public has any interest whatsoever in Sofia's school grades, or wants to know if she had detention on Saturdays, or faced academic probation. That kind of "fact checking" only really matters in US elections !

Seriously, Sofia has been very successful so far as a princess of Sweden. Moreover, judging from the high profile events she has attended since her wedding (the South Africa Childhood meeting, the opening of the Swedish Parliament, the General Synod of the Church of Sweden, etc.), it is clear to me that the King and the Court see her as a senior royal.

 

[Lady Nimue]

Sofia has been very successful so far as a princess of Sweden. Moreover, judging from the high profile events she has attended since her wedding (the South Africa Childhood meeting, the opening of the Swedish Parliament, the General Synod of the Church of Sweden, etc.), it is clear to me that the King and the Court see her a senior royal.

I agree. She has proceeded flawlessly. She clearly knows her role and place in the hierarchy and is adhering to it. She is blending seamlessly. Nicely done.

The King and Queen need to be complimented, too, as well as Sofia's new sisters-in-law. They have presented a united front. I'm impressed, and look forward to the patter of little feet. (Hint! Hint!)

 

[Madame Verseau]

@Mburno - that is my point about Sofia being here in the US. If Carl Philip were an American citizen and ran for president (or any other elected office) the media here would have gone hard on Sofia. And voters would have held her past against her and punished Carl Phillip at the ballot box. FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) is still expected to be like Caesar's wife - above reproach. A potential first lady with a past like Sofia's would be a bridge too far to some voters here. Her past would not lend dignity to the position; Carl Philip's choice of a wife would go to question his judgment; her past would make the office of the presidency vulnerable to extortion - arguments influential media and political figures would use. And it would work. That's why I say Sofia is lucky she's not a prominent American figure.

As for Sofia's role in the SRF - I'll reserve judgment. Her appearances so far have been team efforts and her solo in South Africa is too close to Project Playground. I'll wait to see how she does when she gets a patronage of her own (no honorary ones) and visits hospitals, libraries, factories, schools, businesses, etc. and attend conferences unrelated to Childhood or PP on her own. Part of the job of being a royal.