Muhler
Imperial Majesty
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2010
- Messages
- 16,780
- City
- Eastern Jutland
- Country
- Denmark
Another Daily Mail article: Prince Frederik and Princess Mary attend banquet in Norway | Daily Mail Online
I've enjoyed watching the royal celebrations in Norway this weekend, and the ones in the Netherlands a short time ago, in part because I can't shake the feeling that we're at the tail end of the time period in which these sorts of grand, all out celebrations will occur. As even the most beloved, seemingly secure monarchies start having to account to the public for every penny they spend, (and this will happen to all of the European monarchies, IMO, Monaco maybe being the exception), I think that royal families will start to be seen as a more functional apparatus of the state, with all the limitations that entails. Some of them won't survive the transition. Others will adapt successfully and that means things will look very different in the coming years.
I also think the generation of royals who are now new monarchs or will be soon have always demanded much more of a private life and fought for less and less public exposure as students, as young adults, and now as middle aged parents of school aged children themselves. They've also almost all made a point of how they want to be "normal" in every way they can - the normal school life they had, the normal people they married, the normal way they supposedly function in their private lives, the normal childhood they want for their kids. On a personal level, I sympathize with them very much. On an institutional level, it's difficult to justify any sort of tax payer funded grandeur for a person a country firstly doesn't feel they know well and secondly wants to be, and more and more really is, just like a normal, albeit, wealthy citizen.
I've enjoyed watching the royal celebrations in Norway this weekend, and the ones in the Netherlands a short time ago, in part because I can't shake the feeling that we're at the tail end of the time period in which these sorts of grand, all out celebrations will occur. As even the most beloved, seemingly secure monarchies start having to account to the public for every penny they spend, (and this will happen to all of the European monarchies, IMO, Monaco maybe being the exception), I think that royal families will start to be seen as a more functional apparatus of the state, with all the limitations that entails. Some of them won't survive the transition. Others will adapt successfully and that means things will look very different in the coming years.
I also think the generation of royals who are now new monarchs or will be soon have always demanded much more of a private life and fought for less and less public exposure as students, as young adults, and now as middle aged parents of school aged children themselves. They've also almost all made a point of how they want to be "normal" in every way they can - the normal school life they had, the normal people they married, the normal way they supposedly function in their private lives, the normal childhood they want for their kids. On a personal level, I sympathize with them very much. On an institutional level, it's difficult to justify any sort of tax payer funded grandeur for a person a country firstly doesn't feel they know well and secondly wants to be, and more and more really is, just like a normal, albeit, wealthy citizen.
Thanks for your post but I disagree. That the royals have to account every penny is nothing new. The annual reports of most monarchies are examples of transparency compared with many of these reports from Departments and State Agencies.
It is exact this openness, this transparency about the costs, which helps the institution, than being secretive and shielding about it. Yes, monarchies come with a prize tag. But the presidential palaces, guards, ceremonials, state banquets and the whole tralala come with a prize tag as well.
The grandeur of the Quirinale in Rome, the massive number of the Garde Républicaine à cheval in France (rivalling the British Queen's Household Cavalry), the imperial surroundings of the Hofburg in Vienna, all is equally paid by the taxpayer, no difference with monarchies. Yes, we see ladies in grand jewels but often these rare more than a Century old and family heirlooms.
Note that the new French President M Macron and his spouse Brigitte can go hunting in the Fôret de Marly, the presidential hunting estate. That they can enjoy the deep Provence in Borme-les-Mimosas, on an idyllic isle with a fortress overlooking the Méditerannée.
All by all, in terms of State Budgets, little will be saved by swapping monarchies. The "downward trend" in showing-off was more in the 1970's and 1980's but have since returned since people realised that every nation need some "theatre of state", grandeur and ceremony.
Where was the Danish Prince Consort,I don't recall seeing him present?
Because he doesn't exist. [emoji14] It has been a year now or so that Henrik ceased using the title"Prince Consort" and is simply "HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark".Where was the Danish Prince Consort,I don't recall seeing him present?
he was not. henrik officially retired from public duties. maybe he decided he wouldn't be attending this sort of events either.
This was a family affair, you would have thought he would have made the effort.
This was a family affair, you would have thought he would have made the effort.
I miss King Albert II, King Harald's first Cousin. He could have come alone with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
I miss King Albert II, King Harald's first Cousin. He could have come alone with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
I miss King Albert II, King Harald's first Cousin. He could have come alone with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
Where was the Danish Prince Consort,I don't recall seeing him present?