General News about the Danish Royal Family Part 2: January 2013 - November 2015

[Blog Real]

Mary's shock
secret danish palace plot
https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/...19&oe=54B8AD5F

Where can I see this news?

[Lumutqueen]

I would hardly call that news.

[MarNoe]

There must not be much "real" news so it's time to drag out something to sell magazines

[DanskPrincess]

What is all about it?

[Muhler]

I think it's safe to predict that the DRF or at least representatives of the DRF (probably the young) will attend a funeral shortly. My guess will be this weekend.
Greven bag Egeskov-succes er død | Kultur | DR
Because Count Claus Ahlefeldt-Laurvig Bille, the owner of Egeskov Castle has died at age 82.
The Ahlefeldts, especially the younger Ahlefeldts, belongs to the circle of friends of both M&F and J&M.

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Muhler

I think it's safe to predict that the DRF or at least representatives of the DRF (probably the young) will attend a funeral shortly. My guess will be this weekend.
Greven bag Egeskov-succes er død | Kultur | DR
Because Count Claus Ahlefeldt-Laurvig Bille, the owner of Egeskov Castle has dies at age 82.
The Ahlefeldts, especially the younger Ahlefeldts, belongs to the circle of friends of both M&F and J&M.

Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille is Prince Vincent's godfather and Frederik is godfather to Michael Ahlefeldt's son.

[polyesco]

Originally Posted by Nordic

Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille is Prince Vincent's godfather and Frederik is godfather to Michael Ahlefeldt's son.

thanks for this info.
Mary's has her trip to South Africa from Nov 2 to 5. Depending on when the funeral is held and when she leaves, maybe she wont be able to make it.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Originally Posted by Nordic

Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille is Prince Vincent's godfather and Frederik is godfather to Michael Ahlefeldt's son.

Is Frederik godfather to his older son? Prince Joachim is godfather to his younger son.

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Archduchess Zelia

Is Frederik godfather to his older son? Prince Joachim is godfather to his younger son.

Yes, from his first wife. I watched (again) the DR video of Frederik and Mary's wedding a few years ago, and it was mentioned when he entered the church with his father. He must be around 20 by now. Gregers, I think his name is. Or something like that.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Thank you so much I didn't know that (generally the information on royals and their godchildren is painfully limited, haha). I'll go add it to my Wikipedia article on godchildren of DRF members straight away.

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Archduchess Zelia

Thank you so much I didn't know that (generally the information on royals and their godchildren is painfully limited, haha). I'll go add it to my Wikipedia article on godchildren of DRF members straight away.

You're welcome
I didn't trust my memory...., googled and found this from BB 2010:

"Konfirmation på Egeskov Slot.
Grev Michaels søn, Gregers, fra sit ægtskab med sin ekskone, Margrethe, ... Grev Michael Ahlefeldt havde naturligvis sin hustru, Caroline ... dog undvære sin gudfar, kronprins Frederik, der ikke havde mulighed for at deltage."

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Because Count Claus Ahlefeldt-Laurvig Bille, the owner of Egeskov Castle has died at age 82.

Sorry, Muhler, but Count Claus Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille was not the owner of Egeskov Castle. He handed it over to his son Count Michael in 1992

But Count Claus A-L-B was the founder of Egeskov Castle being the tourist attraction it is :)

[Muhler]

Not sure where else to put this: Piberygende officer: Jeg var ved at futte Hendes Majestæt Dronningen af - Royale | www.bt.dk

It's a funny anecdote about QMII by lieutenant-colonel Lars Møller, an officer I personally hold in very high regard from my own time in the army. An officer who has always been much more concerned about his men than himself, let alone his career. - As such he is still only lieutenant-colonel rather than brigadier as he ought to be by now.

Anyway, this is what he had to say:
"In 1991 (*) Ebbe Kirk and I got Erik Munk's memorial grant in connection with our deeds in Bosnia (See note) and I made the thank you speech. Her Majesty sat on the front row and ambassador Stoltenberg (now NATO General Secretary) sat next to her and spoke about this and that and the fogs of war drifted down the walls. When we were done the Queen went across to the room where the reception afterwards was to take place.
the Majesty clearny needed a fag and I had prepared my pipe.
The good thing about being near Her Majesty is that you may smoke. Actually you have to.
When the Queen had a fag ready I lifted up my zippo-lighter that I had just refilled. When I lit it the Majesty vanished behind smoke. I amost burned her off. Afterwards she looked at me and said: You were almost guilty in lese majeste there! I can usually come up with a quick reply, but there I must admit I had to take a timeout. But she said it with a smile, if not I might just as well have jumped out from the third floor right away".

He hasn't lost his sense of humour.

(*) DK was the first country the deploy main battle tanks in a peace keeping operation. That took place in the 90's in Bosnia and they saw combat twice. The first time, they were heavily engaged was at Tuzla and then major Lars Møller was the commander of the tank squadron.
That took place in 1995 however, so this episode could not have taken place in 1991.

[Tarlita]

That's a great anecdote!

[Muhler]

Summary of a Q&A in Billed Bladet #49, 2014.
Where a Birgit Nielsen would like to know what the royals do when they have to go the toilet.

Jon Bloch Skipper responds that they go to the toilet.
In fact such an eventuallity is planned into a royal event or visit. Normally a toilet is reserved for the royal should he/she wish to "wash his hands" or "powder her nose".
He mention an example which took place in the town of Fredericia recently where two toilets had been reserved for our Marie and her LiW and time had been factored in for a short breather, where Marie could have a private time.
Such details are arranged with the court before a visit takes place.

[Blog Real]

Kronprins Frederik og prins Joachim fortæller om danskernes historie | Billed Bladet

http://translate.google.com.au/trans...ie&prev=search

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Blog Real

Kronprins Frederik og prins Joachim fortæller om danskernes historie | Billed Bladet

thanks for this! I hope that Danish members will provide a link so that those of us outside Denmark can watch this fascinating documentary!

[MidwestMom]

The funeral for the late Queen Fabiola of Belguim will be on Friday, Dec. 12. Since it will be a state funeral, I wonder if any of the Danish royals will attend.

[Muhler]

And now for something I look very much forward to myself.

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #50, 2014.
Written by the Ulrik Ulriksen.

This Sunday DR1 will show a documentary by Anna von Lowzow and Lene Borch Hensen called "Guld, Kong og Fædreland = Gold, King and Country/Fatherland".
The docu is about Denmark and Danes around WWI, but what makes this very remarkable is that Frederik and Joachim will very much be talking about the events, because they in many cases directly involved their great grandfather (oldefar) Christian X.

King Christian X was very conservative and also an army officer of the school, a very strickt man.
In 1914 Christian X had been king for only two years. Joachim explains: "Christian X is standing there and can do nothing. He is one of the least (important) rulers in Europe. He's one of the weakest and he is also by seniority one of the youngest. My great grandfather was... well, he didn't know what to do".

In 1920 King Christian faced his most politically dangerous moment, he sacked the government but did not appoint a new one and such he ruled himself. That led to politicians accusing of having commited a coup d'etat.

Joachim explains: "The de facto political distribution of power back then was that the word of the king, the wish of the king despite all was the final weight on the scale. That was the direction of the politics being made".
Frederik takes over: "You asked what the kings view was and what the king says. It was in reality a time of change, and it was in that direction the democracy was oving. (Ie. politicians taking over). That he had to learn the hard way.
After the end of the war the winning sides decides that there must be a referendum about the adherence of Slesvig/Schleswig. That's why there is voting in two zones and Northern Slesvig which we know as Southern Jutland vote to return to Denmark, but the southern part does not and again Christian X is hit hard by that referendum, because he considers Slesvig a geographical unity".
Joachim: "That's a very, very hard thing for the king to swallow. To him Slesvig was undividable".

That leades to a political crisis, with the conservatives backing the king, while the liberals and radicals being in favor of a division.
Joachim: "As such the parts have dug down unwilling to give in. It ends with flying sparks. The king dismisses the government and the Easter Crisis is a reality. (*) Things screw up that day. The king request the Zahle administration (Radical and Liberal) to resign but without asking them to remain in office until a new government is found. (I.e. DK was without a democratic government). That's where the king makes his biggest mistake. The Radicals led by Zahle states that the king has commited a coup d'etat. The fact is that the country was without government.
My great-grandfather experience a very, very umpleasant situation from his own windows at Amalienborg. Everything is boiling and hissing. (**)
My great-grandfather is standing completely on his own and is on the recieving end all alone".
After four days a compromise was found but that was in reality the end of the DRF's direct political influence. Keep in mind that democracy in DK was only 70 years old.
But Christian X nevertheless ended up becoming a national symbol during the renufication between northen Slesvig and the rest of Denmark in 1920, where he rode across the border on a white horse picking up a little girl in the process.
Frederik: "The highlight of the reunification is when the king rides across the border on his white horse. And in that context a moment is being immortalised as he picks up a little girl in a white dress on his white horse".
Joachim: "The crowd is packed densely, cheering, he grabs the girl, gives her a kiss. To the king it's more than just symbolic that he is improvising on the spot. It actually becomes something very big to him emotionally. She (the girl Johanne Brarens whom remains in contact with) becomes a very important part of his life".
That also changes the Danes view of the king from the perception of him being a stiff and strickt man to being human and even kind and nice. (***)

Being a very conservative man, the women being given the right to vote in DK in 1915 was not something Christian X was that pleased with. In fact when a wellknown women, Emma Gad, thanked the king, he suggested she go home and pour up some coffee for her husband.


(*) The Easter Crisis is the closest thing DK has ever been to becoming a republic. Christian X was very close to being "abdicated".

(**) There were angry crowds at Amalienborg Square and some historians suggest the whole thing could have escalated out of control and led to a civil war.

(***) The Danes may have respected Christian X, but he wasn't exactly loved. The superstars within the DRF back then were crown prince frederik and crown princess Ingrid. Until the Occupation, where the Christian X became an almost worshipped national symbol.

-----------------

ADDED.

The DRF calendar seem pretty empty these days. My guess is that a member of the DRF will be visiting Danish troops stationed abroad.
Right now that could be Balticum, Mali, Afghanistan, Kuwait or Iraq.

[polyesco]

Thanks Muhler.
History is always my favorite subject.
It is kind of cool that Joachim and Frederik have taken part of this documentary.