Princess Marie of Denmark Visits Morocco: November 10-11, 2008 - Page 2

acdc1 · #21 10-16-2008, 05:45 PM

Marie isn't trying to change the world. She's just trying to brighten the lives of children, and I think that this solo event is great. Maybe one of her patronages will have to do with children?

Odette · #22 10-16-2008, 05:54 PM

You said it! It is a nice gesture. I cannot read more to it. Danemark makes the toys and Marie will go deliver them, receive a bouquet a few photos will be snapped and everyone will go back to their "normal" lives the next day. Isn't that more or less what all royals do?

Stefanie · #23 10-16-2008, 06:02 PM

I think it´s quite expensive for the Danish tax-payer to pay for those trips. Why can´t they just give the Lego toys to the Moroccon embassy in Copenhagen and the embassy can send it to Morocco or so. It´s ridiculous to send Marie to Morocco just to hand out toys.

Odette · #24 10-16-2008, 09:34 PM

I understand your point about the poor Moroccan orphans but the only other option would be to either FedEx the toys or not give them at all.
When Princess Diana was going around to hospitals and halfway houses, there was a bit of noise (actually more than a bit) and then she'd go back to Kensington Palace, wear a fine evening gown and go to a premiere and life was good.
Probably the publicity that this visit generates will make some well heeled Moroccans take a second look at the plight of the orphans. If this happens Marie did her job well. If it does not, she cannot be blamed because no one did something for them.
Firstly I do not believe she sets her agenda. The Palace does and it is good she starts dipping her princessly toes into the pool of duties.
On a side note Queen Paola had started those day care centers in Belgium a long time ago, (I forget the name). Perhaps Lalla Salma will take steps to do the same in Morocco after this visit.

sgl · #25 10-16-2008, 10:01 PM

Apparently, the main goal of this visit is to strengthen relations between Denmark and Morocco. I know that the thought of visiting an orphanage and handing out Legos during only one visit may seem trivial, but that isn't the main point of the visit. If the Danish government wants to strengthen ties with Morocco, it makes a lot of sense to send the royal who is fluent in French, especially since this is just a quick visit and not an intense meeting where trade agreements will be made.

There has been some discussion regarding this in the Morocco thread, and the first poster has shared some information about the idea behind this visit.

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...-new-post.html

Viv · #26 10-16-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgl

Apparently, the main goal of this visit is to strengthen relations between Denmark and Morocco.

Exactly! This is what I have picked up in a Danish newspaper! Denmark opened a new embassy in Rabat last year, and the Lego-charity is just part of a bigger "charm offensive", if you like! There's far more to it than handing out some boxes of Lego! As French-speaking any of the Danish royals could have gone to Morocco; this is probably viewed as a good opportunity for Princess Marie to represent Denmark abroad. I take it that there won't be many Danish kids talking to her in Danish, so she'll be on fairly safe ground!

marmi · #27 10-16-2008, 10:28 PM

Well if you look at it from the point of view that any of the Danish royals could have gone, then I think that Marie was a good choice.

sneeuwklokje · #28 10-17-2008, 04:09 AM

This visit is a great commercial for Lego, no doubt about that.

Paty · #29 10-17-2008, 04:47 AM

Denmark has opened a recent new embassy in Rabat last year, now the Danish Ministry of Foreing Afairs put Marie on Marroco with the excuse of a charity trip. But I think this is more than a simply hand out of toys, is a "diplomacy operation" by the Danish goverment, and here is where Marie play an importan role as a member of the DRF, becouse this is her role, to be at the service of Denmark, and Danish goverment is using Marie for this.

The hand out of toys is just an excuse, this is really a diplomacy operation, wich every country does.

ricarda · #30 10-17-2008, 05:31 AM

I don't think the presentation of the toys is just an excuse and Marie's visit is really a diplomacy operation.
I don't think the court would have chosen something that difficult for Marie's first solo engagement. And I don't think sending the newest member of the DRF - and not a very important one - is a great help to strengthen the relations between DK and Morocco.

Lego is a very important Danish company, their charity fund is donating lego boxes to Moroccan orphanages - not the first time Lego does something like this - and this time Marie will hand them over. Obviously the court thought this is something she is able to manage at this stage of her princess life and being a French native speaker.
Nothing wrong with that and hopefully the toys will make the children happy for a while. And it might also be one first little step - of I guess many to come - to strengthen the relationship with Morocco.

Little_star · #31 10-17-2008, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgl

Apparently, the main goal of this visit is to strengthen relations between Denmark and Morocco. I know that the thought of visiting an orphanage and handing out Legos during only one visit may seem trivial, but that isn't the main point of the visit. If the Danish government wants to strengthen ties with Morocco, it makes a lot of sense to send the royal who is fluent in French, especially since this is just a quick visit and not an intense meeting where trade agreements will be made.

There has been some discussion regarding this in the Morocco thread, and the first poster has shared some information about the idea behind this visit.

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...-new-post.html

Considering Denmark's very poor relations with the Muslim World I think it's excellent see Marie embarking on a trip to an Arab muslim country so soon.

Duke of Marmalade · #32 10-17-2008, 06:18 AM

IMO it's a joke to send Marie abroad on her own at this stage. So far she has done almost nothing in Denmark and should concentrate on some kind of Danish agenda first before being chosen to represent her country abroad.

If the purpose is to strenghten relations the DRF should attach more importance to it and send both, Marie and Joachim.

crm2317 · #33 10-17-2008, 07:35 AM

Yes the orphans could probably do with more important things than lego but come on, can her visiting them really be such a bad thing?
Even if you just want to look at it as visiting the orphans. These children probably have very little self value, no possessions, no family. But a real live princess wants to come and see them! For us adults it seems trivial, but for children who have little or nothing, where is the harm in being made to feel special and thought of and not forgotten?

GrandDuchess · #34 10-17-2008, 08:35 AM

I too think it's nice that they are sending a royal to a muslim country like Morocco, god knows after all the Danish flag burnings and boycotts of Danish products etc among some groups after those famous cartoons, this is really something the diplomatic relations need. Sure she won't save the orphans or anything, but giving them stuff to play with and let them meet a real princess might at least put a smile on their faces.

And for Marie it's probably a heaven sent gift to be able to do her first solo thing while speaking French without anyone criticizing her for it. If it would be in Denmark, there would be lots of pressure on her to speak Danish perfectly. So for her this is a good solution that lets her start doing solo engagements but without gigantic pressure and analysis of her every word afterwards. Hopefully her Danish is improving by every day so that she can start working solo in Denmark soon as well, without having to have Joachim as a safety next to her.

Jo of Palatine · #35 10-17-2008, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefanie

I think it´s quite expensive for the Danish tax-payer to pay for those trips. Why can´t they just give the Lego toys to the Moroccon embassy in Copenhagen and the embassy can send it to Morocco or so. It´s ridiculous to send Marie to Morocco just to hand out toys.

Because Denmark has a bit of a problem in the Muslim world and Marocco is a country where French speaking princesses are at an advantage?

Al_bina · #36 10-17-2008, 02:15 PM

Princess Marie's visit to Rabat is somewhat similar to the visit of Crown Princely coupe to Iceland in May, 2008. Some members expressed their doubts about the nature of this visit because the latter reminded more of a photoshoot than an official visit. I think that the same is true in the given situation. So far something (I do not know what exactly) prevents her from performing solo engagements in Denmark. Morocco, in this case, can be seen as a more comfortable placefor Princess Marie to carry out a foreign solo engagement. I do understand concerns about costs though.

Odette · #37 10-17-2008, 02:21 PM

I firmly believe that Marie being new to this job, she did not have a chance to shine on her own yet. This may be a "light weight" mission for some but she has to start somewhere.
Danemark is not and should not solve the issue with the orphans. It is a charm offensive but much better than nothing. Her visit may encourage the local aristocracy to get involved and improve the little ones' lot in life.
I never believed that the Queen or the consort should be sent. Again, we have to wait and see how this goes. She will be assigned more and more duties and as she gains a better knowledge of the Danish language and royal skills she will do more and more. I like Marie a lot and wish her well.

Al_bina · #38 10-17-2008, 02:24 PM

I fully agree with Odette. Princess Marie has to start her apprenticeship ( I can not think of a better word) programme somewhere.

Viv · #39 10-17-2008, 05:18 PM

It is my impression that her command of Danish leaves at lot to be desired for solo engagements .. yet! Princess Marie did say some time
after the wedding, that the Danish lessons have been few and far between. And mind you, Danish is not the easiest language around!

I'd imagine that the Danish foreign dept. made a request for a Danish royal to be present at this & that arrangement in Marocco, and the Palace saw it as an opportunity for Princess Marie to fly the flag without facing any language traps. I for one think that the royal court is acting wisely in this respect.

Aotearoagal · #40 10-18-2008, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little_star

Considering Denmark's very poor relations with the Muslim World I think it's excellent see Marie embarking on a trip to an Arab muslim country so soon.

I agree, I think it shows that the Danish Royal Household are prepared to trust Marie with quite a diplomatic mission. They clearly hold her in high regard and trust her not to make a faux pas ... and of course being french-speaking, she can communicate with the Moroccans in one of their languages ... I'd go so far as to say this is the most senior solo OS trip by a Danish princess in recent years ...