General News about Frederik, Mary and Family 10: December 2011 - January 2013

[dee4855]

Is Vincent a redhead? He sure looks so in the picture.

[marfre]

Thanks for posting, nice that Mary and Frederik can go for a stroll without being bothered too much.

So it is Josephine with the hat on I thought it was Vincent.

[Roskilde]

Originally Posted by marfre

Thanks for posting, nice that Mary and Frederik can go for a stroll without being bothered too much.

So it is Josephine with the hat on I thought it was Vincent.

The magazine BILLEDBLADET (where the pictures is from) writes that it is little Josephine with the hat on and little Vincent without.

Originally Posted by dee4855

Is Vincent a redhead? He sure looks so in the picture.

I'm sure that Vincent's hair color is equal to his siblings, just as we have seen in pictures recently. It must be the sun, which reflects the pictures.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Originally Posted by dee4855

Is Vincent a redhead? He sure looks so in the picture.

I think it might be the picture quality that makes him look redheaded, or as Roskilde said, bad lightening.
I can't imagine that little Vincent has red hair.

[Saschana]

I wasn't sure where to ask, so I'll do it here. Feel free to move my post

I seem to remember that about a year ago, the Danish coverage of Mary and Frederik's wedding was still available online. Sadly, I have lost the link. Does someone have the link, in case the videos are still online?! I would be very grateful!

[suztav]

Originally Posted by dee4855

Is Vincent a redhead? He sure looks so in the picture.

Seems like poor photo quality to me ... if you remember, Vincent's hair wa brownish just a few months ago at the Grasten photo session.

[nwinther]

Originally Posted by dee4855

Is Vincent a redhead? He sure looks so in the picture.

Knowing a bit about image colour, the picture is clearly too yellow. Although the light from the setting sun would be more yellow/reddish, it wouldn't be in this extreme degree.

This leads me to think that Vincent has lighter hair - blonde'ish, with the yellow light from the sun and the further yellow saturation of the image making it appear ginger.

OTOH, I seem to remember Joachim having a ginger streak in early pictures, just as I seem to recall Margrete looking slightly ginger i her teen-years (from pictures only).

[Muhler]

Translation of article in Billed Bladet #46, 2012.
Tapre Christian støttede mor – Brave Christian supported mother.
Written by Trine Larsen.

The grief was painted in the face of Crown Princess Mary when she arrived at Vinderød Kirke and hand in hand with Prince Christian they walked with heavy steps into the church to pay a last respect to her invaluable and highly treasured Lady’s Maid, Tina Jørgensen.
The lead-gray and rainy clouds hang heavily over the church when Mary with a protective and comforting arm on the shoulders of her seven year old son went into the church, where Tine Jørgensen’s mother, Jytte Jørgensen and the sister, Heidi, received Crown Princess Mary and Prince Christian, who sat on the front row next to the beautifully rose-adorned coffin during the solemn service.
In the beginning Crown Princess Mary struggled with her emotions and for a while managed to keep the tears in check, while she sat and caressed Prince Christian’s hand. But the emotions overpowered Mary and some point during the moving speech by the priest the Crown Princess could no longer hold back the tears. The many memories of the wonderful, sweet, funny, helpful and joyful Lady’s Maid, who for the past eight years dedicated her life to Mary and the children, became too much. Mary succumbed to the grief and let the tears run freely.
Several times she almost sobbing had to reach for her handkerchief and several times Prince Christian had to take his mother’s hand and comfort her. Also when Mary’s hairdresser and good friend of Tina Jørgensen, Søren Hedegaard (*), at some point cried openly, Prince Christian looked at him with his clear blue eyes and put his hand comforting and gently on his cheek.
This loving gesture from this little brave Prince gave not least Crown Princess Mary strength and she smiled with tearful eyes to her son, who managed the sorrowful occasion with bravour. Quiet but moved by all the sorrow shown by the adults, Prince Christian sat and said his own last goodbye to Tina Jørgensen, whom he has known all his life and to whom he was very close. Because Tina Jørgensen, who had no children, loved children and not least Prince Christian and the other royal children were incredibly close to her.
That Crown Princess Mary let Christian take time off from school and brought him with her to the church to say a last farewell to Tina Jørgensen, showed very clearly that the feelings were mutual.
The sorrow over the sudden and all too soon death of Tina Jørgensen was evident among all in the small church, where all the 240 seats were taken. A sea of flowers filled the room – just like the tunes of four psalms – which were sung while the family carried the coffin out of the church to the hearse. (**)

After the sermon by the priest Janne Ståhl, the good friend of Tina Jørgensen, the actress Susan A. Olsen, read aloud from Suzanne Brøgger’s poem “Mrs. Tune”, which could just as well have been written especially for Tina. And when the family stood up and took their places at the coffin, they stood very still for a moment and while the singer Trine Gadeberg sang “Om lidt bliver her stille – In a moment it will be quiet” (***) a capella in church – the last succumbed and cried.
The tears were therefore still streaming down the cheeks and Crown Princess Mary needed a short moment to compose herself when she went out of the church – right behind the coffin and the nearest family, who on the ribbon of the litter-bouquet (****) had written: “There was always sunshine around you”.
Almost symbolic the sun burst through the clouds just as the large gathering stood in front of the hearse and paid a last respect with an utterly unique person, who brought sun and light into the lives of many.
For a long time Mary stood and struggled with the tears, while she held on to Prince Christian, then the doors to the hearse were closed and Crown Princess Mary could no longer control the emotions. While several formed a comforting circle around, she again let the tears run freely. Devastated over the loss of the ray of sunshine, Tina Jørgensen was in the daily life of the royal family.

(*) His spouse Preben Christensen was unable to attend, as his plane could not take off due to fog. I know Preben Christensen well enough to know that he would have been very unhappy about not being able to be there.

(**) Even though it’s a car, it’s nevertheless still called a hearse.

(***) Originally a song by Kim Larsen, it has become very popular at funerals.

Kim Larsen - Om lidt blir her stille - YouTube

(****) In DK: a bårebuket = the bouquet on top of the coffin.

- Well, Billed Bladet showed a close up of Mary crying on the front page.
There is a word in Danish: følelsesporno = emotion-porn/emotional-porn, describing when something is wallowing in emotions. I don’t like that sort of things. I believe you should be allowed to grieve and also to be overcome by grief without ending up on a front page.

[MaggieDenmark]

Originally Posted by Muhler

- Well, Billed Bladet showed a close up of Mary crying on the front page.
There is a word in Danish: følelsesporno = emotion-porn/emotional-porn, describing when something is wallowing in emotions. I don’t like that sort of things. I believe you should be allowed to grieve and also to be overcome by grief without ending up on a front page.

And it is not only billed bladet that has these heartbreaking photos on their front page. I saw today several danish magazine that has a crying Mary on the front page I think like you that the press should leave Mary (and Tina Jørgensen's family and friends as well) alone to a funeral like this, but our royal family and especially our ultra popular Mary is good stuff for our media and magazines.

[JessRulz]

A series of posts have been removed as they did not comply with the forum rule regarding speculation:

I received a message from a moderator saying that my post had been removed because it contained speculation. We don't know the royals and we get all our information second hand, so isn't it all speculation?

Our rule about speculation is intended to prevent tabloid-type flights of fancy which often slip into outright fantasy and sometimes even libel. While we realise that much of the information posted in the threads is based on reports in the media which we can't verify, we expect posters to base their statements on published reports rather than on wishful thinking or unsubstantiated hearsay. The forum moderators have the final say about whether posts are unacceptably speculative. Disagreements with moderator decisions must take place via private message, not by arguing in the threads and certainly not by reposting deleted material.

As we have no way of knowing the true relationship between Mary and Tina, please refrain from creating possible scenarios. Further posts in this manner will also be removed.

Any questions should be directed to the moderating team.

[Muhler]

This and similar posts over the next few days may have to be moved to another thread but let's start here.

http://www.bt.dk/royale/miljoe-hykle...l-benzinsluger
BT has an article about a new book on the favorable presents and services the DRF recieve.
- It's common knowledge because the companies are queuing to have the royals be seen using their products. The same thing applies, as you know, to many other high profile celebs.
Anyway, a journalist, Jens Høvsgaard, has written a book called: "It costs a kingdom", about the presents and services the DRF gets.
I don't know Jens Høvsgaard, the name doesn't ring a bell.

BT apparantly tends to cover this more over the next few days and they start out with Frederik.

You may recall some time ago that Frederik inaugurated a chain of stations for recharching electric cars, the first of it's kind here in DK. - The aim of course being to cut down on the use of fossile fuel.
Frederik arrived in a (hot) electric car, Fisker Karma. - Which he had borrowed.
And according to the book he had actually returned that very same model to the company a few days before and exchanged it with a (petrol-gulping) Land Rover Discovery 4.

The author, Jens Høvsgaard says: "If the occasion demands an environmental-friendly car and profile, he likes to ornate himself with borrowed environmental-feathers (idiom) to prevent that the truth about his own CO2 consumption gets out. Not particularly wise for a man who would like to be taken serious and who is often profiling himself as caring for the environment. - Him not opting for the electric car and choosing a veritable environmental-sinner of a car exposes him as a pure environmental-hypocrite".

Søren W. Kruse, who is responsible for the DRF's economy cannot answer why Frederik opted for a Discovery and discarded the Fisker Karma: "I owe you a reply" (Common idiom).

- Well, in Frederik's defence I wouldn't have kept the electric car either, even if I had got it for free. The chain of recharging stations is still not sufficient to get anywhere without risking to run out of power and I don't know how it is in other countries, where I might drive like Sweden and Germany. By having a petrol/dielsel car I know I can drive anywhere and as far as I want until I run out of road.
More ironic perhaps is that with the current technology electric cars use comparatively more fossil fuel from manufacture and recharging the batteries than the average petrol car. We will eventually get there when an electric car will be genuinely more environmentally-friendly - and in not so many years. Of that I'm sure, but not now.
However, opting for a Discovery. Even if I was looking for an excuse for that I must confess I can't see the logic in that one. - Except that it's a cool car.

[ricarda]

Originally Posted by Muhler

You may recall some time ago that Frederik inaugurated a chain of stations for recharching electric cars, the first of it's kind here in DK. - The aim of course being to cut down on the use of fossile fuel.
Frederik arrived in a (hot) electric car, Fisker Karma. - Which he had borrowed.

And according to the book he had actually returned that very same model to the company a few days before and exchanged it with a (petrol-gulping) Land Rover Discovery 4.

Do you mean he got a car as a present just because he inaugurated a chain of stations for electric cars? I know royals get presents but usually they are smaller ones, aren't they? Accepting a present like that is IMO inappropriate and dangerous, no matter if it is Diesel or electric.

And what do you mean with "a few days before"?

[Muhler]

Well, my answer has to be a little careful.

The article says he acquired the electric car in the summer of 2011. Whether he bought it, borrowed it, leased it or whether it was a present and under what terms is not clear to me.

He returned the car shortly before inaugurating the recharging stations. Only to acquire a land rover, the Discovery.
He borrowed the very same model he had returned to the company, the Fisker Karma and arrived for the inauguration in that smart looking electric car.

And that's all I know until there are more details.

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Søren W. Kruse, who is responsible for the DRF's economy cannot answer why Frederik opted for a Discovery and discarded the Fisker Karma: "I owe you a reply" (Common idiom).

Article May 2012/Borsen: Her er kongehuset kronebiler
Søren W. Kruse: (In Danish):
"Kronprins Frederik lånte en Fisker Karma af den danske bildesigner Henrik Fisker i forbindelse med COP 15 i 2009. I 2011 købte han sin egen. Men nu har han altså besluttet at benytte sig af sin fortrydelsesret, fordi den ifølge økonomichef Søren W. Kruse teknisk stadig mangler lidt endnu"

[Muhler]

Thank you, Nordic, that cleared up that detail.

If you don't mind I'll translate:
Crown Prince Frederik borrowed a Fisker Karma by the Danish car designer Henrik Fisker in connection with COP 15 in 2009. In 2011 he bought his own. But now he has decided to use his right to return the car, because it according to chief of (the DRF's) economy, Søren W. Kruse, still has some way to go technically".


- So apparantly there were unsatisfactory technical deficiencies with the car.
I notice that the Discovery is not mentioned in the article. Børsen, which the article by Nordic is from, is the Danish equivalent to Financial Times, with a similar reputation.

[commoner]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Thank you, Nordic, that cleared up that detail.

If you don't mind I'll translate:
Crown Prince Frederik borrowed a Fisker Karma by the Danish car designer Henrik Fisker in connection with COP 15 in 2009. In 2011 he bought his own. But now he has decided to use his right to return the car, because it according to chief of (the DRF's) economy, Søren W. Kruse, still has some way to go technically".


- So apparantly there were unsatisfactory technical deficiencies with the car.
I notice that the Discovery is not mentioned in the article. Børsen, which the article by Nordic is from, is the Danish equivalent to Financial Times, with a similar reputation.

Søren W. Kruse has to be diplomatic in his answer. Here may be a possible answer for returning the car.
An article from Dec. 2011 about the company having call the cars back in USA because of fear that car can catch fire.
Fiskers luksusbil kaldt retur i USA - Politiken.dk

An article from August the car catching fire twice this year - with video.
Ekstra Bladet - Fisker Karma bryder i brand - igen

An article from August that the company has to call all the cars back.
Berlingske Bilen - Fisker må tilbagekalde Karma

Apparently the car had difficulty getting approved as an electric car
Kun Kronprinsen kører Karma - Green | www.business.dk

The DRF probably can't be too open about why they returned the car, if there is a possibility that it will be too damaging for the company.

[nwinther]

*facepalm*

I get it, that if you are unsatisfied with a product you return it.

But Frederik has gone way beyond the traditional role of the Danish royals in his support of reducing co2 emissions - something that has been viewed as a somewhat political stance and not something the royals should be very outspoken about.

That's one thing to critizise.

But this hipocricy is blatant! At least have the decensy of changeing your wheels to a more moderate (fuel-consumption-wise) model.

And if it isn't hipocracy, it's stupidity (ignorance). And getting on a soap box, tooting a horn and then show ignorance about the subject, is a mortal sin next to hipocracy only.

Neither is excuseable!

I've always been wary about the wisdom - indeed intelligence - bestowed upon the Crown Prince. This only confirms my suspicions.

Now, this isn't a critizism of him getting a gas-guzzling Land Rover. I'm sure it's a nice car and if he would like it, then good on him.

But for goodness sake, don't preach reduced emmissions, etc. too.

Thank the maker for Crown Princess Mary.

[ricarda]

So this electric car was actually bought an then returned because it malfunctioned!
What has this story to do with the DRF receiving presents?

nwinther
I've always been wary about the wisdom - indeed intelligence - bestowed upon the Crown Prince. This only confirms my suspicions.
But for goodness sake, don't preach reduced emmissions, etc. too.
Thank the maker for Crown Princess Mary.

Well, Mary preaches "green" sustainable fashion and for the frist time wore a dress from H&M Conscious Collection at this event, while I would say 95% of her wardrobe is not made from used materials, not sustainable. (And H&M btw has a bad reputation regarding "child-labour.)

Shouldn't you be wary about the wisdom - indeed intelligence - bestowed upon CP Mary instead of thanking the maker for her?

I think both are willing to support good causes but it's always dangerous to preach something which you don't follow 100% yourself (and we knew that all along). The accusation of hypocracy is never far away.

But considering the fact that - according to Muhler - this author (or BT journalist) mentions a bought car in connection with "presents given to the DRF" makes me think that this whole article (or book) is quite unrelie- and questionable.

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by ricarda

Well, Mary preaches "green" sustainable fashion and for the frist time wore a dress from H&M Conscious Collection at this event, while I would say 95% of her wardrobe is not made from used materials, not sustainable. (And H&M btw has a bad reputation regarding "child-labour.)

She actually recycled the dress in question and had worn outfits from
Conscious Collection before that event, but other than that, you're probably right.

[ricarda]

Well, Mary shows her willingness by wearing "conscious" dresses once in a while. Frederik shows his willingness by actually buying an electric car (and he obviously had to return it for reasons he could not controll).

The question is: Should they show willingness? Should they engage themselves in such controversial topics at all?