General News about the Danish Royal Family Part 3: November 2015 - August 2021

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Because he's such a kind and generous man?

I want to work for him then

[Muhler]

The Se & Hør trial continued Friday and it's looking more and more incrimination for the three editors in chief who have pleaded not guilty.

Tidligere chefredaktør om tys-tys-kilde: Det var fedt - Politi og retsvæsen - Indland
Se og Hør betalte kildes badmintontræning og Asien-tur - Politi og retsvæsen - Indland
Se og Hør-ansatte anså tys-tys-kilden som usædvanlig - Indland
Tidligere Se og Hør-chef: Det var forkert etisk, moralsk og juridisk - Politiken.dk
Økonomichef for Se og Hør: »Hvor langt skal vi gå?« - Politiken.dk

Let's sum up very briefly.
The three editors-in-chief, Henrik Qvortrup, Per Ingdal (interim) and Kim Henningsen have claimed that they sort of did know a little bit about the credit-card source, but not the details and it really wasn't that big a deal, and the source was hardly important and certainly not that unusual.

Friday, three witnesses for the prosecution were called in.
Two former junior editors, who pleaded guilty and now have received their sentences, Lise Bondesen and Kim Bretow.
And the former head of accountants higher up the Aller publishing house, Henrik Armbjørner.
- He was sacked after an internal investigation by Aller when the scandal was revealed.

The two junior editors said that not only did Henrik Qvortrup and Kim Henningsen know about the source, they were enthusiastic and considered the source very important indeed.
Per Ingdal, who was an interrim editor-in-chief and not that much physically present at Se & Hør, also knew about the source but was kept very much in dark about the details, for fear of him terminating the co-operation with the source.
When Kim Henningsen took over he continued the co-operation with the source, despite at one point being ordered from above to stop.

And this is where the former head of accountants come in.
Because the source received a fixed monthly income from Se & Hør, of 10.000 DKK a month - as the only source.
But in 2009 the refunds to journalists paying their sources with money was stopped by Aller.
The payment to the source now had to be camouflaged, not only from the management higher up in Aller, but also the IRS (taxes). So instead of money the source received a mixture of odd dinner, travels to Thailand paid and refunds for in one case at least tennis lessons and so on. An amount for at at least 430.000 DKK - which is a considerable sum in DK, especially tax-free! (it amounts to a full yearly income for a skilled employee, including vacation, pension and so on). - Not bad for an insignificant source, eh?
The head of accountants voiced his concern on several occasions to Kim Henningsen, but nevertheless continued covering up the expenses. Without telling the brass higher up. (Which IMO is no doubt the main reason why he was sacked).

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

- So as I see it All three former editors-in-chief are in trouble! Per Ingdal, perhaps less so, but he did not put a permanent end to what went on and he was informed about the source, and he must have known the info was illegal - but it appears to me he did a see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Henrik Qvortrup is in trouble because as the intelligent man he is, he was fully responsible for hiring and using the source and for cracking down on any concerns voiced by those under him. He started the whole thing and put it into system.
Kim Henningsen is even more in trouble!. Because not only did he continue using the source, he may even have stepped up using the source. While at the same time ignoring an order from above to terminate the source and keeping what he did secret from his superiors.

[Muhler]

The Se & Hør trial continued today.

And today it was the top-brass within Aller publishing house that were called in as witnesses.
They all claim they didn't know anything.
In fact they called the then editor-in-chief of Se & Hør, Henrik Qvortrup, in for a chat in 2007, on the background of a similar scandal in Norway. Where Se & Hør there used stolen details from bank accounts as basis for stories.
Henrik Qvortrup at the time ensured the management that no such things took place at Se & Hør DK - And next year he started the co-operation with the credit card source...

The management also claim they knew nothing until 2015. (Even though there must have been some suspicion since editor-in-Chief, Henningsen, was ordered to seize co-operating with the credit card source).

The prosecution also presented very incriminating e-mail at court today.

Se og Hør: Ken B's bog skabte vild panik blandt tiltalte
When the journalist Ken B. Rasmussen went out with his book, it started nothing short of a general panic among those implicated and they knew they were in deep trouble! - Even though they all claim they didn't know it was illegal and knew all the details...

Editor-in-chief at the time, Kim Henningsen, wrote in a mail: "I've done some serious sh*t.
Unfortunately I wasn't clever enough to realize how serious it was, what I approved. Because in the glare of hindsight I can well see it was sheer lunacy".

The journalist, Kasper Kopping, who along with the whistle blower, Ken B Rasmussen, ran the source also realized he was in trouble in a mail to his parents: "I'm after all a central man in this case and I also risk a sentence. (...) I was after all just a soldier, who did what I was told but still an active part - and knowing about something illegal".

Yet they all plead not-guilty and they seem to base their defense on not knowing the details but rather on paying the source around the IRS. I.e. black money.
The defense and prosecutor agreed that it can be proved that the credit card source received money and refunds and services for 365.305 DKK during the period 2008-2012. - To put that into perspective: That's the equivalent to a whole years salary for a skilled employee before taxes.

[Muhler]

The prosecutor has given his closing arguments: Anklager kræver op mod to års fængsel til Qvortrup - TV 2

In short:
There are no mitigating circumstances.

One mitigating circumstance would be if the information obtained had uncovered something of vital importance but that was not the case at all. It was only used for simple gossip.
Another mitigating circumstance would be if the prosecuted had pleaded guilty faced with the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Instead they maintained their innocence, despite to a very large extent admitting to knowing what was going on.

The prosecutor calls for prison sentences. (And in Danish press context they are pretty serious)!
Up to two years in prison for former editor Henrik Qvortrup, who was responsible for starting the whole thing.
2-3 years for Peter Bo Henriksen, the credit card source.
The two journalists who handled the source, eight to ten months.
Former editor Kim Henningsen, who continued using the source, up to two years in prison.

The defense will present their closing arguments and then the ruling will take place on 24th November.

[Muhler]

The defense gave their closing arguments today.

It can basically be boiled down to this: yes, the two journalists who handled the source, should perhaps have known better, but they were really just acting under orders and didn't really realize how severe it was - and it really wasn't that bad, was it? Just a little irregular.

The defense for the editors-in-chief, reads more or less like this: You can't really prove they were fully aware that the info obtained were illegal. And surely it wasn't that bad, and as it wasn't that bad, then our clients fall under the statute of limitation and should go free.
(They are charged under extremely severe circumstances).

- In short the defense hope the court will let them go, because "our clients are too stupid/ignorant to walk the Earth without a guide-dog".
Seriously, it really is a rear-guard action they are fighting! And it'll be a big problem keeping their clients out of prison. - That is if there is any justice left here in DK...

[FasterB]

I for one am looking forward to see the end of this. To see how far the press can go without consequenses.

[Muhler]

Me too.

But I haven't got too many hopes for a serious conviction.
And on top of that the press in general have a tendency to think that the law doesn't really apply to them, not to mention the generally over-inflated view of themselves and their importance.

No wonder the respect for journalists and the media is at a historical low.

The freedom of speech and the press is in danger, but the greatest danger is from the press itself and their unwillingness to deal firmly with rotten apples among themselves.

[Muhler]

Tomorrow is the day for the annual Hubertus Hunt, which is not a hunt, and which does not involve foxes or hounds.

With just a little bit of luck some of the DRF children will be there.
And perhaps my little wish will come true: seeing Josephine and mademoiselle Athena entertain us...
Anyway, here is a gallery from past years, from BB: SE BILLEDERNE: De kongelige børn i højt humør til Hubertusjagt gennem tiden | BILLED-BLADET

And here is a little, ahem, gallery from my archive from the hunt last year: https://app.box.com/s/6dr1hnsttpgbs6pbnft2dk3uzarzfm6o

Follow up. I see from the DRF calendar that PH will watch the Hubertus Hunt tomorrow.
Being the grandpapa he is, I should be very surprised if he doesn't bring some of his grandchildren.
Frederik will be in Switzerland, so he won't be around.

[Roskilde]

In case we don't see the Crown Prince family to the Hubertus Hunt this year (which I doubt since Frederik today has travled to the official IOC meetings in Switzerland and the CP-family usually attend every second year) is here a huge gallery from last year's Hubertus hunt - probably the some of the best pictures of the Crown Prince family we have seen

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kronprin...58442424343179

And BB posted yesterday this very lovely picture of Vincent caress his mother
http://www.billedbladet.dk/sites/bil...?itok=qqC-1_QH

[Queen Claude]

Scandinavian Royals. ‏@crownprincely
Prince Henrik, Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena attended this morning the annual Hubertus Hunt in Dyrehaven.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwlmMJhUAAEPhmR.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwlmMJZUUAA98oF.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwlmMJQUsAAmtPm.jpg

[Curryong]

It seems to be very cold weather at the moment, but how lovely to see Prince Henrik with his two eldest grandsons from Prince Joachim's first marriage together as well as his little granddaughter. I'm sure they had a good time if it's not inappropriate to say that about observing a hunt!

[Muhler]

It's pretty cold, we are expecting snow tonight and later in the week.

It's not inappropriate, because it's not a hunt, the most correct translation in this context would be a chase. The DK word "jagt" means hunt, but it can also mean a chase.

In fact the field of riders chase two front-riders who have fox-tails attached to their coats and that's about as close to a real hunt it comes.
As far as I know chasing foxes and hares with hounds and horses has never been used here in DK, certainly not to an extent worth mentioning.
Dogs have been used to chase the foxes (and badgers) out of the borrows for them to be shot, but they were not killed by the dogs.

A BB report: http://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelige...d-sine-broedre

The whole thing lasted an hour and a half and being the only girl, mademoiselle Athena attracted most attention.

BB will upload a video later.

The BB video: SE VIDEOEN: Prinsesse Athena gjorde lykke med snurretop-dans | BILLED-BLADET

[eya]

and of course the cute Miss Athena stole the show and all the interest! as the only girl there!!

http://www.ppe-agency.com/500px/Nov2016/PPE16110603.jpg
http://www.ppe-agency.com/500px/Nov2016/PPE16110604.jpg
http://www.ppe-agency.com/500px/Nov2016/PPE16110626.jpg
http://www.ppe-agency.com/500px/Nov2016/PPE16110631.jpg
http://www.ppe-agency.com/500px/Nov2016/PPE16110623.jpg
http://www.ppe-agency.com/500px/Nov2016/PPE16110634.jpg

[iceflower]

Here's the complete ppe gallery!

[Muhler]

Thanks Eya & Iceflower

And mademoiselle Athena handles the whole thing with typical aloofness, that befits a young lady who is used to having three brothers and a dad dancing around her.

But Athena didn't get all the attention...

According to this BB article: Vilde med prins Nikolai i Dyrehaven | BILLED-BLADET
Girls - of all ages - noticed Nikolai as well...

[polyesco]

what a great event. Always nice to see Henrik in his role as grandpa.

http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...ikStella12.jpg
http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...ikStella16.jpg
http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...ikStella13.jpg

http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...rikStella8.jpg
http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...rikStella6.jpg
http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...rikStella5.jpg
http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...rikStella7.jpg

[iceflower]

.

Here's another gallery of the recent hunt:


** pm: Athena, un dimanche à la chasse au renard avec ses frères **

[Muhler]

Summary of a Q&A in Billed Bladet #46, 2016.

Where a Jane Jessen would like to know whether QMII has ever had cats.

Jon Bloch Skipper replies that QMII and her sisters were presented with three kittens by Winston Churchill during a visit to Fredensborg. (That must have been 1950-1955 I believe).
The kittens were named Winston, Churchill and Clementine. (Wasn't WC a widower after WWII?)
However, they were quickly disposed of, because Queen Ingrid did not approve of pets.

It was actually not until 1970, when PH convinced QMII that they get a dog, that QMII became a devoted dog-owner.

- There are a number of dogs at Berleburg, so Benedikte is familiar with dogs. But I don't think she has dogs as domestic pets. She's more into horses.
As for Queen Anne-Marie I don't know. But her children certainly have dogs.

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Summary of a Q&A in Billed Bladet #46, 2016.

Where a Jane Jessen would like to know whether QMII has ever had cats.

Jon Bloch Skipper replies that QMII and her sisters were presented with three kittens by Winston Churchill during a visit to Fredensborg. (That must have been 1950-1955 I believe).
The kittens were named Winston, Churchill and Clementine. (Wasn't WC a widower after WWII?)
However, they were quickly disposed of, because Queen Ingrid did not approve of pets.

It was actually not until 1970, when PH convinced QMII that they get a dog, that QMII became a devoted dog-owner.

- There are a number of dogs at Berleburg, so Benedikte is familiar with dogs. But I don't think she has dogs as domestic pets. She's more into horses.
As for Queen Anne-Marie I don't know. But her children certainly have dogs.

Winston Churchill's wife Clementine died in 1977, so she outlived her husband, who died in 1965.
Those are actually quite cute names for kittens though! I believe Margrethe spent some time here in England during the war, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Why was Queen Ingrid opposed to pets? That's interesting because most royals usually have at least one pet. Perhaps she just wasn't an an animal person.

[Muhler]

Thanks.

QMII studied in UK when she was in her 20's. That's where she met PH. - He didn't impress her much the first time though... She did however!
QMII was born in 1940, so she didn't go to UK for the first time until at least some time after WWII.

But she had an English nanny and I guess this is where she has her "English-English accent".

As for Queen Ingrid. I don't know. My guess is that she wasn't an animal-person.
I don't think Frederik IX was an animal-person as such either. - Except perhaps being fond of Lommelærker... = pocket-larks = hipflasks.
He certainly owned an Ølhund... = beer-dog = being very fond of beer.

That must be enough bad jokes for one night.