General News about Frederik, Mary and Family 3: November 2008 - July 2009

[dazzling]

Originally Posted by sgl

Ekstra-Bladet is reporting that the nappy company, "Huggies" was nearly sued over their unauthorized use of CP Mary's photo to sell their product. The photo was taken of Mary when she purchased two boxes of Huggies while on vacation in Australia last summer. The Danish embassy threatened to sue the company if they would not stop using Mary's picture.

Ekstra Bladet - Mary tævede ble-firma

I do understand why they used the picture but didnt they know it wasnt allowed or they would be sued? Its funny how companies sometimes get into trouble over logic things.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by dazzling

I do understand why they used the picture but didnt they know it wasnt allowed or they would be sued? Its funny how companies sometimes get into trouble over logic things.

Sometimes the effect of using a "forbidden" picture is more beneficial including a lawsuit etc that using one nobody will notice.

A master in this matter is Michael O'Leary from ryanair. He used Carla Bruni for an advert, well knowing that she would go to court about it. Finally he had to pay 45.000 GBP but the attention the whole issue got was priceless. People will clearly have a second look at everything that causes controversy and maybe Huggies made a similar experience, sales going up because a Danish princess uses their product
Carla Bruni awarded damages from Ryanair - Telegraph

[nulle30]

some really great articles.
^^Thank you

Nanna
www.kronprinsesse-mary.dk

www.skysite.dk/marydk < a really great new homepage !

[sgl]

Here is an article about the friendship of CP Mary and Carina Axelsson. According to Billed Bladet, Mary and Carina are best friends. Carina stayed with Mary for a few days last week in Fredensborg, and the two went to the wedding wedding together. They also flew to Sweden, where they visited Queen Ingrid's brother, Count Bernadotte. Prince Gustav did not travel with Carina. He is recovering from surgery. He slipped a disc in his back.

Billed-Bladet - Mary og Carina er slyngveninder

Danish company Larsen of Forest has created bracelets for Mary and Isabella. They were presented to Mary in February, when she opened Fashion Week.

http://www.billedbladet.dk/Kongelige...0armbaand.aspx

[Lumutqueen]

Those bracelets are beautiful. Does it say which ones for Isabella and which for Mary?
x

Really, thank you sgl for the article.
Did they go and visit Sweden last week?
x

[Lilla]

The blue one is for CP Mary and the red one is for P Isabella .

[sgl]

Originally Posted by lumutqueen

Those bracelets are beautiful. Does it say which ones for Isabella and which for Mary?
x

Really, thank you sgl for the article.
Did they go and visit Sweden last week?
x

According to the article, Mary and Carina did visit Sweden last week. I don't think that the article said which day they went, and for how long. It sounded like a very quick visit.

[Freye]

Originally Posted by sgl

According to the article, Mary and Carina did visit Sweden last week. I don't think that the article said which day they went, and for how long. It sounded like a very quick visit.

Online translators are a bit hit and miss, aren't they. Carina was in Sweden with Prince Gustav, not with Crown Princess Mary.

Carina visited with Mary and Frederik for a few days. She was originally to have attended the Iuel-Brockdorff wedding in Tåsinge, southern Denmark, on the weekend of 18 April, along with F&M and her partner's mother, Princess Benedikte. Presumably Prince Gustav had declined the wedding invitation due to his back problems.

Plans changed when Prince Gustav arrived in Denmark on the Saturday, so he and Carina visited Sweden while Frederik and Mary attended the Iuel-Brockdorff wedding,

[sgl]

Thank you, Freye! Yes, the translators are a bit unwieldy. It appeared that Carina and Mary visited Sweden together. It makes more sense that Prince Gustav visited Sweden. I was wondering how Mary did this when we saw photos of her at the wedding.

[sgl]

There is an article in Danish publication, BT that states that CP Frederik needs to keep a close eye on his budget this year. As the economic situation deteriorates throughout the world, it is important that CP Frederik stays on budget, according to the article.

Frederik må bruge af opsparingen - underskud på 2,1 mio. kr. i 2008

[Lumutqueen]

They're right, theres was an article about Mary and her finances a while ago. CP Frederik has to make sure everythings in order.
x

[sgl]

Here is another article about the finances of CP Frederik and CP Mary. It mentions that they had to let go of 5 employees recently, and that the deficit in their budget must be covered by their personal savings:

http://www.billedbladet.dk/Kongelige...anskrisen.aspx

[Empress]

Really? Did they get less funding this year than last? Or did they raise the salaries of some?

Who did they have to let go? And is billedbladet a reliable source for this sort of information?

[sgl]

I really don't know about the accuracy of Billed Bladet. It is referred to by one of the moderators in the links section of this forum as a fairly accurate magazine. I don't speak Danish, so I rely on a translation program. I am sure that details get lost in the translation. It did say that they let 5 employees go, and that they will have to make up for the deficit themselves. I do not know if they are receiving less funding this year, or the same amount as 2008. This is the second Danish publication that has reported this story.

[Lilla]

Originally Posted by sgl

I really don't know about the accuracy of Billed Bladet. It is referred to by one of the moderators in the links section of this forum as a fairly accurate magazine. I don't speak Danish, so I rely on a translation program. I am sure that details get lost in the translation. It did say that they let 5 employees go, and that they will have to make up for the deficit themselves. I do not know if they are receiving less funding this year, or the same amount as 2008. This is the second Danish publication that has reported this story.

As far as I know, no reason has been given for their economical situation. It can be due to a variety of reasons. But I am sure it is not because they are receiving less funding this year - if it was it would have made big headlines in all newspapers when the Finance Bill was negotiated and passed by the parliament.

And yes the BB is a fairly accurate magazine.

[sgl]

Speaking of BB, they are currently featuring another article about the interview given by Frederik and Mary to Parade, and American newsmagazine, last month.

Billed-Bladet - Frederik er stolt af sin mor

The article talks about how Frederik stated that he is very proud of his mother, and couldn't hide his warm feelings for her during the interview.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Following up on the Big Spender issue
Financial crisis hits Danish Crown Princess Mary | Danish royal family | Danish Crown Prince Frederik

[Lilla]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Following up on the Big Spender issue
Financial crisis hits Danish Crown Princess Mary | Danish royal family | Danish Crown Prince Frederik

Interesting article. Espacially the fact that it is bought in The Sidney Morning Harald and uses the word taxpayer three times. It is the most detailed article on the subject I have read so far.

As a Danish taxpayer I am very pleased that the Australian media care so much for what my money are used for - as it does not seem to be much of an issue here in DK .

[Freye]

What an abomination of an article! Talk about people with vested interests distorting things to fit their preconceived ideas about royalty! Many reporters have been deliberately misleading in the past too, pretending the costs are all about personal spending.

The stylist is not an employee. She has her own business and Mary is one of her clients, that's all.

The reality is, the Danish Royals' apenage has to cover not just domestic household costs, but the salaries and other costs of all the staff involved in their professional lives too. The Crown Prince Couple's Court is like a small business. As DRW pointed out recently, it's NOT a celebrity setup, it runs more like the West Wing.

Here are just a few example's of the way Frederik and Mary contribute. Through their involvement with their patronages and foundations they are engaged in causes addressing the needs of marginalized people, migrant groups, abused women, youths in need of social and psychological support. Mary's foundation achieved a lot of recognition in the 2008. In fact today it has won yet another award. If you take the time to look into Frederik's contribution in the areas of climate and environment and promotion of danish trade, it's quite impressive. There was a lot of official travel in 2008, to promote Danish enterprise. Frederik invited a team of Danish business people to join him in Mongolia to promote Danish green technology there. Mary was in London with the Danish trade delegation 'Creative Nation'. All this costs them money and it all brings positive outcomes for the Danish economy. Mary and Frederik also made Official Visits in Iceland, Bulgaria, Thailand and there was a mission to Uganda with the Danish Refugee Council. These are not holidays. They are officially there as representatives for Denmark. The schedules are usually packed very tight on these visits.There is no down time. It's goodwill and diplomacy on behalf of Denmark. So no, they really don't just sail away time.

The annual report also factors in the costs of depreciation in the value of assets such as cars, plus computers and other office equipment for all the staff. There is also the fact that the couple had to renovate their first home, the Chancellery House. Even though the State owns the building, and maintains the exterior, the interior renovation is at the royals expense.

Similarly, one of the four palaces at Amalienborg is being renovated now, as Frederik and Mary's official residence when they are King and Queen of Denmark. Frederik and Mary don't have ownership of it, the State does, but the Crown Prince Couple must renovate it to a standard fitting for their official residence when they are King and Queen of Denmark.
Palaces and Properties Agency covers the structural aspects of the restoration - the floors were rotted and needed replacing, wall and roof repairs were necessary and the plumbing had not been updated since the 1930's when the then Crown Prince Frederik (later King F IX) and Crown Princess Ingrid were moving in. A good proportion of the expense of refurbishing is born by Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary themselves.

Also, any costs above budget in the annual financial report are covered by the couple themselves. It is no extra drain on the public purse.



If the writer is concerned about foreign dignitaries visiting Australia, I suggest she compares with the amount spent on other royals and dignitaries visiting in the same time period - or the cost of certain Presidential visits. She may just be surprised.

If Carson hopes to gain any respect as a journalist she needs to look beyond stereotypes to see what is really going on, and what a significant contribution Mary and Frederik make to their country in return for the allowance.

I could go on ...

Thanks Lilla for your perspective.

[Lilla]

Thanks Freye .

Most interesting thing is that the article itselfe tells: "All up his family are worth about $3 billion, mostly comprising vast land holdings."

Most likely this is excatly the reason why they have had to make cutbacks. Vast land holdings have droped so enormously in value due to the global financial crises that everybody owning land or estate is affected. The more you own the more you have been affected. Even I, who is the owner of a share in a housing co-operative have lost money and have had to make cutbacks in my private economy. That doesn't make me a spendthrift...............

Anyway letting go of staff might seem harsh if one is living in a country with high rates of unemployment. This is not the situation in Denmark. First of all we have a situation on our labour market with shortage in manpower. It is easy to get a new job. Secondly we have a welfare state with a very high social security and a fairly high dole. The term describing our system is: Felxicurity. This is most likely also the reason why the fact that the CP Couple have had to let go of staff isn't an issue in the DK.